April 2011 Custom Content Challenge: Religious Items and Symbols

[Legacy_TheSpiritedLass]

               Screenie of Este's necklaces, including the new Umberlee one (5th row down, 1st column on the left).


Updated screenie of Rubies' books.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Any experts on BaseItems.2da around here?  I'm trying to create a new Holy Symbol base item for the holdable symbols (thankfully, there's already a "Holy Symbol" tlk reference), but I don't fully understand what all the columns do.  When I tested the holdable symbol as a torch, the character held it up in her left hand like a torch.  But when I copied the torch 2da line to a new line and renamed the item type (making a few changes, like to inventory sounds, but none that I thought should have a huge effect), the character then started holding the symbol down at her side, like a weapon.  Anyone have any clues?

In the meantime I will, of course, keep experimenting to try to fix it.  But if anyone happened to know already, without having to go all trial and error about this, it would be very handy.

EDIT: Well, nosing around Lisa's Holdables hak, it looks like her holy symbols are all torches.  Maybe there's just no way around it - perhaps the game treats torches specially for some reason.  If anyone does find out otherwise, though, please let me know.  (A fair bit of time wasted here, unfortunately, trying to go for the custom item type.  It would have been nice if it had worked out, though.  Customising the armour enchantment type as shield, opening up further enchantment possibilities beyond just those the torch offers, setting a more appopriate inventory sound, etc.)
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Estelindis, 09 mai 2011 - 08:57 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_The Amethyst Dragon]

               

Estelindis wrote...

Any experts on BaseItems.2da around here?  I'm trying to create a new Holy Symbol base item for the holdable symbols (thankfully, there's already a "Holy Symbol" tlk reference), but I don't fully understand what all the columns do.  When I tested the holdable symbol as a torch, the character held it up in her left hand like a torch.  But when I copied the torch 2da line to a new line and renamed the item type (making a few changes, like to inventory sounds, but none that I thought should have a huge effect), the character then started holding the symbol down at her side, like a weapon.  Anyone have any clues?

In the meantime I will, of course, keep experimenting to try to fix it.  But if anyone happened to know already, without having to go all trial and error about this, it would be very handy.

EDIT: Well, nosing around Lisa's Holdables hak, it looks like her holy symbols are all torches.  Maybe there's just no way around it - perhaps the game treats torches specially for some reason.  If anyone does find out otherwise, though, please let me know.  (A fair bit of time wasted here, unfortunately, trying to go for the custom item type.  It would have been nice if it had worked out, though.  Customising the armour enchantment type as shield, opening up further enchantment possibilities beyond just those the torch offers, setting a more appopriate inventory sound, etc.)

Certain base item types created by BioWare that have special animations with them don't work when copied to a new line in baseitems.2da (even if otherwise unmodified).  Any new such lines are treated like weapons for equipping/holding (torches, shields), and/or lack the proper animations (potions, scrolls) when used.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 09 mai 2011 - 10:18 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Thanks, Amethyst Dragon.  It's disappointing, but I'm glad to know.  *bows to your expertise*
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Oh, Amethyst, while you're here - or anyone else who knows, for that matter - it seems like I shouldn't need a custom copy of baseitems.2da when I'm using torch-style holy symbols.  Yet my custom holy symbols don't show up in the appearance selection for torch properties unless I include baseitems.2da in the hakpak.  Is there something I'm doing wrong?

Anyway, here's an updated pic of some holdables.  I don't see myself having time to make too many more for now, so I'm posting an updated download containing these few holdables.  I'll make more if I have time, but I'm not too optimistic on that front.


               
               

               

                     Modifié par Estelindis, 10 mai 2011 - 12:03 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_The Amethyst Dragon]

               

Estelindis wrote...

Thanks, Amethyst Dragon.  It's disappointing, but I'm glad to know.  *bows to your expertise*

Ha! "Expertise"...that's funny.  I'm far from an expert when it comes to custom content...more like someone that likes to dabble, and I came across this problem while attempting to make a new shield type a couple years ago.  Didn't work out though, since a new shield type wouldn't actally line up on the left forearm node when equipped. '>

It is disappointing.  Too bad that file doesn't include one extra column for controlling something like equip/use animation type: 0 = weapon, 1 = shield, 2 = potion, 3 = scroll, etc.

It's things like this that makes me sad that there's no more official development patching of NWN.  If only the designers had had some sort of idea of just how far we'd want to push this game, back in the early days... '>

Edited to add:

As far as your symbols not showing up without the baseitems.2da file, the original might not have the "max range" extended as far as possible.  For instance, if it only goes up to 10 or 50 or whatever (instead of the max value of 255 that's really possible if you modify your 2da file), only the ones at or below the listed range will show up in the toolset or game.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 09 mai 2011 - 11:42 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               

The Amethyst Dragon wrote...

As far as your symbols not showing up without the baseitems.2da file, the original might not have the "max range" extended as far as possible.  For instance, if it only goes up to 10 or 50 or whatever (instead of the max value of 255 that's really possible if you modify your 2da file), only the ones at or below the listed range will show up in the toolset or game.

Thanks!  That must explain it.  If I kept to low torch numbers it'd probably work, but I try not to use numbers already in use in the CEP.  As it has lots of custom holdables, I didn't start until the late hundreds.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TheSpiritedLass]

               Doh!  Sounds like I steared you in the wrong direction, Este.  I didn't know torches where so fussy.  *extra hugs*  I'll get this stuff merged in.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Oh wait, quick - I made a mistake in BaseItems.  (The CEP version changes the tlk reference for torches, and I used that as a working point in order to respect their 2da lines.)  Let me fix that super-quick and get back to you.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Estelindis, 10 mai 2011 - 02:07 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_TheSpiritedLass]

               No worries, I caught the tlk file thing. Just edited our version of the 2da to increase the max from 50 to 255. That was all that was needed, correct?

Edit:  I learned yesterday that when dealing with the baseitems 2da you sometimes have to shut down the toolset and restart it.  I couldn't get Rubies' new item types to show up until I did that.  Could be that is what it happening to you?
               
               

               

                     Modifié par TheSpiritedLass, 10 mai 2011 - 02:07 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Actually, that was my mistake.  I was editing the wrong version of the hak.  *facepalm*

Give me another couple of minutes.  It would really be ideal if I could fix it, as it would also enable to set a better ground rotation on this class of items.  (Holy symbols look awful with torch rotation, but if I change it torches would still look fine.)
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_TheSpiritedLass]

               Sure thing.  I'm just doing the boring documentation right now.  Zzzzzzzzzzzzz.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               Okay, here you go!  The nasty messed up tlk reference is gone, and the holy symbols now rotate properly on the ground.  This means that a selection of them could be put on a table as room dressing. :-)  Best wishes with the boring admin stuff.  :-/  *hugs*


               
               

               

                     Modifié par Estelindis, 10 mai 2011 - 02:31 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_TheSpiritedLass]

               GRRRRR.  This @#$@# forum just ate my post.

OKay!  So just to make sure I merged the 2da right, here are the changes from Bioware 1.69:
1.  Increased MaxRange from 50 to 255
2.  AC_Enchant from **** to 3
3.  RotateOnGround from 1 to 0

Nice touch, Este.  I'll move them out of a chest and onto a dresser or something.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Estelindis]

               I'd like to muck around some more and figure out more changes, but there isn't really time.  At the minute, it seems like the torch item type can only accept very limited enchantments (different colours of light).  Would be great if I could find a way to add whatever item properties I wanted to it, so one could have custom enchanted holy symbols.  But it may be one of those hardcoded things that Amethyst mentioned earlier.  Anyway, thank you for all the hard work!