Package for the Vault - need community feedback

[Legacy_gentleman2rogue]

               I need some feedback from the community about a package I have ready to upload to the Vault. The package is not my own original creation - it is a compatibility / usability update to a package that was submitted in the 2006 time frame.

Original Package
Name: Jumping, digging, and teleporting Srebro
Link: nwvault.ign.com/View.php

I have updated it to be 1.69 compatible - added a working hakpak, updated overrides, 2 demo mods, several .erf files, and an updated "read me" file. I have also removed some of the parts of the package which will never work (i.e. special abilties) and added apropriate credits to original author. Overall, the package works quite well and I think players would really enjoy toying around with this.

I wanted to get Juha's permission to upload, but I see that the last update was 2006 and the last comments (before my posts) were in 2008. Does anyone know how to contact the author or are they just not around anymore.  

Would there be a problem going ahead and uploading or should I continue trying to find the original author first?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               'looks like Juha didn't want to get any message.
Check within his included "Read me" if there is no mail address hiding there. It could happen.
If not, I would say go for it, I did it myself once I think. Just behave as you should... or would.
But I'm french, so my words won't count in court.
I'm afraid you're on your own here . Which means just do it.
Let us know where to bring the oranges, that's all.
Good luck, you'll need it.
"Any good work is meant to be of use." (M. Gandhi. What? You're sure? Well, maybe he did say it. Who knows...)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par jmlzemaggo, 31 juillet 2010 - 03:35 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_gentleman2rogue]

               Yeh, inside the "read me" and on the Vault comments section the only lead is to a long since defunct website weathersong.infopop.cc - I've received no response on my post to his comments section on the Vault and cannot Google up anything of any help.



I'm still worried about uploading this as the original content was designed by him.



I guess I could go ahead and upload and just take it down if there are complaints.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Tarot Redhand]

               Go for it. I did, hence the "patch" link in my sig. If you put something similar to what I did on the vault page you should be fine. The probable worst that can happen is that the original poster shows up and asks you to remove the entry from the vault.



TR
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Karvon]

               Yeah, I think there's nothing wrong with updating or patching previous work as long as you give full credit to the original author and link to the original work.  I've done that a number of times and never had any complaints from anyone thus far.



Karvon
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_gentleman2rogue]

               Well, I went ahead and uploaded - I think folks will enjoy it. There is some very useful stuff in the package and there is some stuff that is utter nonsense.

Vault entry: nwvault.ign.com/View.php

Thanks for the feedback you guys gave me here.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_jmlzemaggo]

               One thing that worries me here: I read about some .2da file in the package?

I've always had troubles with those .2da files. Does that mean they could overwrite an already existing official .2da file?

Some Community Modules come with their own .2da file, 'sounds like a possible conflict to me?

'scared of these things. Dangerous to use, aren't they?

No tech here, so... '>

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Calvinthesneak]

               2da files generally tell the game how to use resources.  It says see line xxx in the file that controls the doors that appear in a tileset say.  All the line does is point to a specific model.  Unless the 2da is overwriting original content (which is pretty rare), you're usually pretty safe in that it's using a line that wasn't utilized by Bioware.  Various custom content may interfere with each other but most people used 2da padding to ensure they didn't conflict with official material.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_gentleman2rogue]

               Adding a little bit to what Calvinthesneak was saying, Some .2da overrides are really voodoo because so many modules use them for custom content. The (2) .2da's that are used with this package are spells.2da and iprp_spells.2da - these .2da's direct the utilization of 1.) Cast spells and powers 2.) spells/powers on items.

The latest 1.69 / my override .2da's are laid out like this:

spells.2da - used lines 1 - 839                     spells.2da (this overrode) - used lines - 840 - 862

iprp_spells.2da - used lines 1 - 539            iprp_spells.2da (this overrode) - used lines - 540 - 562

I haven't found too many mods that use custom spells or iprp .2da's but they do exist - Here's one - Tortured hearts II - they use a custom spells.2da which ends at line item 805 with their custom content installed. since my override starts at 840, it will not interfere in any way.

The only mods you will really need to watch out for are going to be 1.69 compliant mods with custom content involving:

1.) custom castable pc / npc / creature spells - not a common occurence

2.) custom item with castable spells / powers (not just custom items) - still looking but seems uncommon as well.

I think my first revision to this package will be to pad out the .2da's to lines 900 / 600. That should remedy any possibilities for conflict.

One note - These .2da overrides will not interfere in any way with the official 1.69 .2da's and CEP doesn't use these .2da's.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par gentleman2rogue, 01 août 2010 - 01:11 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_ehye_khandee]

               If you read the vault EULA, you will see that by uploading, the original poster asserts the IP is their own, and they release it for general use and even modification by the community. This means you are OK to download it, edit it and either a) use it yourself, or upload it to the vault (an added courtesy is to cite your sources for influence and original version).



This is perfectly acceptable, in RL ppl move, die, change interests, loose email accounts, etc. There is NO _requirement_ that you get permission before tinkering, it was already granted when the upload was made.



Note it is a fine courtesy to attempt to contact and ask permission, but not required by law.



Be well. Game on.

GM_ODA