Grim Squeaker Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 IWDNPC's sound like a great idea! If you didn't know, the on-hold IWDtoBG2 project Japh was working on, was intended to have a load of NPCs to make it generally cooler. Hopefully the project will live again some day. Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted January 23, 2006 Author Share Posted January 23, 2006 Hey Grim! Yes, I'm thinking that once most of the mechanisms in IWD1/2 have been teased apart it will be easier to look into an IWD1toBG2 conversion project again. IWD1 (and 2) are just very different in the way they're built (in comparison to BG2). One thing I was wondering about is the area INI files that seem to configure spawning in IWD1/2. There's no real comparison to these in BG2. Still those could be dealt with by converting them to BCS script fragments that get appended to the area script (I think). (Since INI files are in both IWD1 and 2, it's not really an issue for this project.) -Fred Link to comment
CamDawg Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 One thing I was wondering about is the area INI files that seem to configure spawning in IWD1/2. There's no real comparison to these in BG2. Still those could be dealt with by converting them to BCS script fragments that get appended to the area script (I think). For Tutu v6, we basically had to simulate the spawn points via a script that japh and I put together, so we may already have a basic framework from which you can work. The spawn points essentially became area traps, and the trap scripts handled the spawns. Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 Hey Cam! I don't think I'll need to handle this in any special way as both IWD1 and IWD2 seem to support the same INI file, but I could be completely and utterly wrong about that (I don't know how much is hard coded). Does BG1 use INI files as well, or does it have some other way of configuring spawn points that BG2 doesn't support? I'm just curious is all -Fred Link to comment
devSin Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Only Black Isle titles used INI files (for something other than the settings). Baldur's Gate II doesn't really support intermittent spawning, hence the need for a fugly Tutu workaround. I can't remember the exact method, but all spawn points in Baldur's Gate II need a CRE or 2DA and spawn once only (or something, I've never really bothered to even think about the differences). I think the main problem was that spawn points worked in Baldur's Gate, but not in Baldur's Gate II, but Cam will have to clarify. I'm interested in this project solely for the insight into BIS IE it will provide. There is no Mac version of IDII, so there's little else for me to pay attention to. I do want the NI tool, however. Link to comment
Domi Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 If you didn't know, the on-hold IWDtoBG2 project Japh was working on, was intended to have a load of NPCs to make it generally cooler. Hopefully the project will live again some day. Anyone who could add the banter engine to IWD bastardized NI would be my hero, that's for sure. But I sort of like the idea of IWD1 TUTU better than IWD1 to BG2, since I adore IWD2 interface/ruleset etc. Though, yes, having a normal joinable NPCs would be lovely. And, luckily I don't remeber anything about IWD1 any more except the little girl part. Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 Hey there, I think sharing IE engine info is great! I'll definitely make the NI tool available pretty soon. I'm waiting to hear back from Jon Olav for his permission, but he doesn't seem to reply to e-mail. Unfortunatley, my changes are to a beta version of NI, and I think I would have to have his permission to distribute that. It's possible that my changes would work with the non-beta source, and since that's GPL'd, there should be no problem. But it's certainly preferable to get his permission in either case. I'll track of any banter/dialogue things I see while I'm working on this IWD1Tutu project. I should also get ready to do a bit of info-mining from the old IWG2 posts over at the PP forum. Link to comment
CamDawg Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Only Black Isle titles used INI files (for something other than the settings). Baldur's Gate II doesn't really support intermittent spawning, hence the need for a fugly Tutu workaround. I can't remember the exact method, but all spawn points in Baldur's Gate II need a CRE or 2DA and spawn once only (or something, I've never really bothered to even think about the differences). I think the main problem was that spawn points worked in Baldur's Gate, but not in Baldur's Gate II, but Cam will have to clarify. I'm interested in this project solely for the insight into BIS IE it will provide. There is no Mac version of IDII, so there's little else for me to pay attention to. I do want the NI tool, however. The basic rundown is this: .are files supported spawn points; each one had a few parameters such as possible spawned creatures, power level, spawn frequency, max spawned creatures, etc. BG2 uses the same are files, however the spawns, no matter how tweaked, wouldn't work. Whether it's because the engine handles them differently, or Tutu used wrong paramaters, or something else we don't know. So basically, Tutu 6 would convert the spawn points in the area files to floor traps, with trap scripts derived from the parameters of the former spawn point. A hack to be sure--each spawn script was long and fugly, and there were a lot (one for each spawn point in BG), but it worked and was fairly true to the original. Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted January 24, 2006 Author Share Posted January 24, 2006 This sounds like the kind of thing I've been worried about. On the surface, IWD2 appears to support all features used in IWD1, but I've been trying to study the styles of the two games to see if I can figure out what practices in IWD1 were abandoned in IWD2. In this sense, the IWD1Tutu project may be in part a clean up and reimplementation project. May thought is that this may be more possible with IWD1 since it's in many ways simpler than BG2. Link to comment
Guest Retro Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hi Fred! unbelievable, I found it. After years of looking on the net if somebody brave and clever will do this conversion I found it! All the best for you and your project. And: Hurry up, I can´t wait ;-) Retro (just starting a new game of iwd. But I think I will wait the, hm, let´s say 3 weeks until you finished this thing, he?) Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 Hi Fred! unbelievable, I found it. After years of looking on the net if somebody brave and clever will do this conversion I found it! All the best for you and your project. And: Hurry up, I can´t wait ;-) Retro (just starting a new game of iwd. But I think I will wait the, hm, let´s say 3 weeks until you finished this thing, he?) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Do I detect a faint hint of sarcasm? (Or perhaps irony, I can never tell the difference). Unfortunately, the release cycle for this will be nothing like BG1Tutu, but the project may actually get finished! -Fred [EDIT: oops, forgot to log in, yep that's me ] Link to comment
Guest Guest Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Do I detect a faint hint of sarcasm? (Or perhaps irony, I can never tell the difference). Unfortunately, the release cycle for this will be nothing like BG1Tutu, but the project may actually get finished! Hi Fred, if I´ve been sounding discouraging I apologize. I´m really looking forward to this project. And of course I know that this kind of things take a lot of time, which only increases my respect for people like you, dedicating their spare time... Godspeed! Retro Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted January 30, 2006 Author Share Posted January 30, 2006 Hi Fred, if I´ve been sounding discouraging I apologize. I´m really looking forward to this project. And of course I know that this kind of things take a lot of time, which only increases my respect for people like you, dedicating their spare time... Godspeed! Retro <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Retro, No need to apologize! I have to admit that my expectations of myself for this project are on the low side, so I'm sure I was projecting my own cynicism there. I'm glad to hear that you're interested in this project! If the mod is a success (and I hope it will be, but I can't give it a high probability), then I think there will be something here to get excited about! -Fred Link to comment
Evilyn Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Here's another one eagerly awaiting the inevitable success of this project. I've been a fan of the Icewind series since I first found it, since I think it's prettier than BG, but I do miss the banter bits of picked-up NPCs. Anyways, if you ever need another beta tester, think of me - I don't care if it crashes every now and then. Link to comment
FredSRichardson Posted February 7, 2006 Author Share Posted February 7, 2006 Excellent! Another beta tester! I'll keep you all posted when I have something worth checking out. -Fred Link to comment
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