42 replies to this topic

[Jarno Mikkola]

Lu_, on Sep 5 2011, 10:55 PM, said:

Why the mocking smiley, though?

Well, there's the Level1NPCs mod, but to me it's silly to use another mod when you could just use your own... to make the NPC more usable as is in general sense, as you can set the XP to whatever without needing to level up the character and thus remove the choices the player might want to make for the character to better suite the party.

Lu_, on Sep 5 2011, 10:55 PM, said:

Say, Attacks per Round (ApR) must always be set to 1 (for a joinable NPC, that is)
HP - original NPC's always have this value set below maximum (except for level 1)

Well, you can actually set the ApR to whatever you like, as long as you can keep it there too... it's not "YOU MUST SET THE ApR to 1".
The same is for the NPCs hit points. Generally most of the HPs are counted by the games own rules, so the BG1's makers decided that because Minsc was a second level ranger, and thus he could have had maximum HP of 20 in the .cre file(+the Con bonus of +1/level)... but because he was "randomly made", he only has 18 HP's in the .cre file, as if he had first the usual start HP's, and then had thrown an 8 in the 1d10 at level up.

Now, there's BG2 Tweakpack mod that some people use has a component that makes the "random rolls" non random, as the people like it that way, but it doesn't adjusts all the .cre files accordingly, because they are preset, and the rule system only adjust the requirements and the increments in the tables that are used. So if you wish, you can set the HP's to 200 and the character will gain the next levels add on hit points as set by the ruleset as an increment without looking back at what he currently has.

This is why I suggest that you make the NPCs actually be just the level 1 and then add the necessary set amount of XP when they are summoned. And that's why the was there...

Edited by Jarno Mikkola, 06 September 2011 - 01:21 AM.

[Lu_]

Now, I'm definitely lost. I thought this thread was about one "very long NPC creation guide," no?

Edited by Lu_, 06 September 2011 - 05:45 AM.

[Jarno Mikkola]

Lu_, on Sep 6 2011, 04:44 PM, said:

Now, I'm definitely lost. I thought this thread was about one "very long NPC creation guide," no?

The links to the guide are still on the first post.

[Lu_]

Ok, I'll give it one more try
The only purpose of my posting in this particular thread has been to point out that some BASIC facts haven't been covered in this tutorial, and IMHO they should be added
As for the first post, Ace invites others to participate, but how is it possible if not just posting in this thread?
For your own statements, I agree with some, disagree with the others, but all this is irrelevant here, -- irrelevant to my posts, to which you've been responding

PS I certainly know where the links are. How else could I've got acquainted with the tutorial?

Edited by Lu_, 06 September 2011 - 08:26 PM.

[theacefes]

Quote

I think, the .CRE file section requires more detailed coverage

And unless you're a professional tutorial writer who is looking for employees, I would suggest you consider writing up that part yourself if you're here to be the champion of all new modders making NPCs.

Quote

90% of the authors of NPC mods somehow have no idea what these values are about

Was there a poll I was unaware of? By the time I began modding, I had already played through BG several times and had read the manual from cover to cover several times as well. The definitions are there.

Not trying to be intentionally a smart ass or anything, but at the beginning of this tutorial, I *do* ask that anyone with valuable input please write something up and send it to me so I can add it instead of bitching about it, since obviously no one here (except Grim Squeaker) is paying me to write these.

EDIT: Looks like you posted while I was typing.

Quote

As for the first post, Ace invites others to participate, but how is it possible if not just posting in this thread?

PM, Email, MSN messenger - I think I make it quite easy for others to get a hold of me in this community. If you have something you'd like to add, I would love it if you put something together. If it seems off-topic or an overly complex explanation of stuff that many modders already know, maybe we can put it in its own tutorial.

[Lu_]

Ace, I've just sent you my PM. Or at least, tried, for I am not sure if I handled it properly Please let me know if you don't receive it

[Lu_]

It seems to me as though the example of .TP2 file is incorrect (The Tp2 section in Chapter II) References to .WAV files are missing

[Lu_]

PC/NPC Banters section (Chapter III): I doubt that this .D file will compile. Anyway, using CHAIN in dialogs with replies is poor practice

[Ankhesenpaaten]

Just for the hell of it and to encourage myself, I'm actually going to state here that I am going to use my old pc to attempt to make my own NPC. For the sake of my sanity, I will read the tutorial as I go along.

I'll find out if it's true that modding isn't so hard or if I'm a bit on the dim-witted side!

Thank you in advance, Kat (theacefes) for this chance to test my potential!

[sersafir]

I'm trying to use this guide, but it's a broken link. :/

Edited by sersafir, 06 January 2013 - 02:27 PM.

[Volo]

Yes, if the guide text is on / can be put on the wiki anywhere that would be super!

[ericp07]

Lu_, on 10 September 2011 - 10:02 PM, said:

PC/NPC Banters section (Chapter III): I doubt that this .D file will compile. Anyway, using CHAIN in dialogs with replies is poor practice

Not necessarily poor, but different. Some situations might be better than others for using CHAINs; I use them as much as possible.

[theacefes]

Sorry, guys. The guide has been taken down from my personal web host permanently. This was due to the fact that I simply don't have the time to update it with current coding practices and I don't want to encourage bad practices or deal with the bickering over what is a good practice or a bad practice. For those who are still interested, the original copy of the guide is nearly the same as the web based one.