Community Expansion Pack Help? How about a Sticky?

[Legacy_olivier leroux]

               Since this forum even has the Community Expansion Pack included in its title, I really think there should be a sticky here, explaining to newcomers how to install all required versions for playing various community modules. Even I, as someone who's already around for a couple of years and who's played lots of CEP 1 & 2 modules, often have trouble providing newbies with the correct informations.

I believe this is the official link to the latest version of CEP 2.3 and players would need to download and run both the full installer and the updater hosted on the page, right? I also assume CEP 2.3 is backward compatible up to 2.0 - at least from a player's perspective - so that one wouldn't need any other version of CEP 2?

As for CEP 1, it seems more difficult to find accurate information and links. Where would I find the most recent version of CEP 1 (1.52? 1.53?) that's both compatible with 1.68 and 1.69? I tried searching the Vault but just searching for "CEP" displays lots of inept entries and the CEP Team apparantly has different identities on the Vault which makes searching even more complicated. All I was able to find were entries for outdated CEP versions described as not even compatible with 1.68 (and therefor useless nowadays), and entries for 1.69 patches for CEP 1.52 patched up to NWN 1.68  (but unfortunately these patches were missing on the pages, not to mention that I didn't find any copies of CEP 1.52 patched to 1.68).

Can anyone link me to the correct files required for playing CEP 1 modules with 1.69 installed, assuming that's possible? Is the latest CEP 1 version backward compatible with earlier versions? If not, what could happen if I play a module created with an early version?

Thanks for any help you can provide!
               
               

               

                     Modifié par olivier leroux, 25 février 2011 - 12:31 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Karvon]

               The last  CEP 1.x for which files are available on the Vault provided by the CEP Team is found here. This patches up to 1.68.

An official CEP 1.x patch supporting 1.69 was posted here.  Unfortunately, the file seems to have been pulled.  I took a look at postings at CEP's current forums, but didn't see any mention of this patch.

I suppose the next step would be to contact the CEP Team and see if that patch file a) is still around, can be restored to the Vault for those who might need/want it.

Karvon
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Karvon, 25 février 2011 - 01:23 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_olivier leroux]

               Thanks, Karvon! I admit I didn't even know my way to the CEP's current forums - that link should be put in a sticky, too. I've posted my questions there now. '>
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Frith5]

               I've contacted Beyond the Pale at the Vault, requesting that links to CEP's new forums and to this Bioware social forum be updated on the main CEP Vault page. He has assured me (about a week ago) that the changes would be made. So far they haven't shown up, but I hope they will soon, as the current links point either to nowhere, or to the old, archived Bioware forums.

Regards,

JFK
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_olivier leroux]

               That's good news! Also, I believe the main CEP Vault page only talks about the most recent version of CEP and doesn't include any info on CEP 1.x although it's still required to play some modules. Or I am I misinformed again?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Karvon]

               The main DL page for CEP at NWVault does include links to various versions of 1.x, though it's missing the last posted one on the main page due to another team member uploading it via his account, rather than the CEP Team account.



Karvon
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_olivier leroux]

               Whoops, I only just realized The Amethyst Dragon already requested a CEP sticky one week ago. My bad.

According to Barry_1066 from the CEP Team these 1.69 patches for CEP 1.x were neither submitted nor supported by them but uploaded and removed by a third party they have no contact with. Anyway, if I understand him correctly, adding 1.69 compatibility for CEP 1.x modules is futile, so using the CEP 1.x package that you posted, Karvon, should suffice, although there's no guarantee anymore that everything in these old modules will work the way it should.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par olivier leroux, 26 février 2011 - 09:51 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_PKodon]

               Okay, so, I want to play The Wanderer (CEP version), which requires CEP 1 (says 1.52, patched to work with NWN 1.68). Problem is, I have the GOG NWN1 Platinum (1.69) version, and do not wish to "downgrade" it to 1.68 (even if I could). There was a  1.69-compatible patch (the page is still there, but there is no file to download). Any ideas?

I'm assuming the CEP 1.52 to NWN 1.68 patch won't work with 1.69 for some reason, or there wouldn't have been another patch.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               it will work only few thing might not work properly like new cloaks, the module itself have to be updated to 1.69 version of the CEP1 in order to take advantage of new patch stuff but it should let you play it without any problems even now
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_CainMaris]

               

PKodon wrote...

Okay, so, I want to play The Wanderer (CEP version), which requires CEP 1 (says 1.52, patched to work with NWN 1.68). Problem is, I have the GOG NWN1 Platinum (1.69) version, and do not wish to "downgrade" it to 1.68 (even if I could). There was a  1.69-compatible patch (the page is still there, but there is no file to download). Any ideas?

I'm assuming the CEP 1.52 to NWN 1.68 patch won't work with 1.69 for some reason, or there wouldn't have been another patch.

Downoad and install both versions of the CEP - the one the mod says it uses, and the new CEP 2.x.

Open the mod in the toolset, add the new CEP, and remove the old one. Rebuild, save and you're good to play it.

Worked for me last fall, anyway.

Note: There are routinely missing script (sometimes conversation) errors when you rebuild an older mod with the CEP. 2.x. They routinely have no effect in-play.

The only problem I have sometimes had to fix is correcting the creature appearance for something custom something that uses a CEP appearance - worg-riders every stinking time, for instance - and I don't recall having that problem with the Wanderer.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Pstemarie]

               

olivier leroux wrote...

Whoops, I only just realized The Amethyst Dragon already requested a CEP sticky one week ago. My bad.

According to Barry_1066 from the CEP Team these 1.69 patches for CEP 1.x were neither submitted nor supported by them but uploaded and removed by a third party they have no contact with. Anyway, if I understand him correctly, adding 1.69 compatibility for CEP 1.x modules is futile, so using the CEP 1.x package that you posted, Karvon, should suffice, although there's no guarantee anymore that everything in these old modules will work the way it should.

Not to rehash old news...

The CEP 1.x patch for 1.69 was originally proposed by me and approved by some of the CEP Team members, but not officially approved by the team (because Barry and one or two other members were absent from the meeting). I misunderstood the tenative approval of those members and took it to mean that all was good to go and released the "official" patch to the Vault.

However, when Barry got wind of the whole deal he stated that any module running CEP 1.x should be updated to CEP 2.x and vehemently opposed patching CEP 1.x. Without his stamp of approval the whole point of the patch became rather moot. Following a few catapult loads of mudslinging back and forth, I deleted the files and asked that the entry be removed from the Vault.

Reflecting back on the whole sordid affair, it really was a rather sad event. It left me with a very low opinion of the CEP Team and, no doubt, them with a very low opinion of myself. Sadly, I've tried to extend the olive branch a few times, but continually get branded as "...hostile to CEP." But that's all water under the bridge at this point...