Multi-player character creation and custom content

[Legacy_henesua]

               I will be able to sort this out when I am working on the module this weekend, BUT let me run this by the forum first.

I have custom feats, races and classes in a multi-player module. This includes custom 2DAs and a custom TLK.  If a player puts the custom 2DAs in their override folder will they be able to use the custom classes and select custom feats? And will the text from the custom tlk be visible during character creation?

I call these customizations... but all I have done really is edit the existing races and classes. Many of the races have a different set of feats and some have different names. The classes are not fundamentally changed (but I am using a variable on every class that when TRUE disables advancement in that class - just like prestige classes).

I wnat to ensure however that the custom feats will be written to the character sheet and the custom text shows up. I want the players to understand what it is they are choosing, and for their race name to be changed.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SHOVA]

               The problem with putting them in the override, is that it affects all their games. I edited the 2da skills for druid, and put the new 2da in the top hak. I was able to access it for character creation, though it was on the same comp as the server. I will test this, on Sunday from my other comp.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               You are correct that this would affect all their games, but I think users are sophisticated enough now to understand to make multiple overrides or at the least to empty your override when you are done playing.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Androrc]

               IIRC the problem with these custom things not showing up at multiplayer character creation was solved in a patch.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SHOVA]

               So then having the changed 2da in the top hak makes the changes available on character creation. No need for the override.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Failed.Bard]

               Character creation is handled based on clientside 2da before haks are loaded, which is why you can create characters for servers you don't have the haks for yet. Overrides and preloaders are the only options that don't involve hacking the executable.
Even on the same computer the server is located on, the altered classes and races would only be available in SP without using one of those two.

Edit:  Can the .tlk go in the override?  I haven't tried that before, but normally the custom tlk is also loaded after creation.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par Failed.Bard, 15 octobre 2011 - 01:44 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_henesua]

               [Edit: thanks for the confirmation Bard]

Nope. This was never patched. It will work in single player, but not multi-player. I believe the patch you are talking about was to enable the use of a custom TLK instead of overriding the dialog.tlk file.

I tried this in multiplayer and can't get it to work. I did the following:

FIRST ATTEMPT
Started my module on NW Server on Computer #1
Verified that the override folder on Computer #2 was empty
Joined the game from Computer #2 via the internet

The character creation was set at default.

SECOND ATTEMPT
Started my module on NW Server on Computer #1
Verified that the relevant 2DA files were in the override folder on Computer #2
Joined the game from Computer #2 via the internet

The character creation text was weird. Clearly not reading from my custom TLK file

THIRD ATTEMPT
same as second except that I had also put my custom TLK in the override

No change from second attempt

So... to make this work it appears I either need:
(1) use NWNX and handle all of character creation in a special start area
(2) create a character creation module, have the players make their own characters there, then allow the to log in with these characters in multi-player
(3) have players put a modified dialog.tlk file along with the 2DAs into there override.


Regarding method number 3. Is it possible to wrap up all the overrides into a single package/archive so that players only need to dump one file into their override folder, and only remove this one file when playing another module?
               
               

               

                     Modifié par henesua, 15 octobre 2011 - 02:14 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Bannor Bloodfist]

               

henesua wrote...
<snip>

Regarding method number 3. Is it possible to wrap up all the overrides into a single package/archive so that players only need to dump one file into their override folder, and only remove this one file when playing another module?

I don't think this is possible, but if it was, it might be possible by using a .bif file of the same name as a normal game .bif. 

as in adding your content directly into a game resource .BIF, and putting that into your override folder.  (leaving the original in it's original location of course).  Say, editing/adding to the XP3.bif file.  Your originals are all located in your nwn\\data subfolder.

Regarding the .tlk file, I don't think you can touch that without modifying the default.tlk file.  But that is just an opinion, and I have not tried that as I do NOT like to modify main game resource files.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               Thanks, Bannor. I'll look into making a BIF.

You are right about the TLK. You can't override it by putting a copy in the override folder. You have to put it in the NWN directory. That is making this less attractive for me. It is possible to edit the original TLK without messing with the original entries by extending its range, but still this is an ugly solution.

That said, I have verified that the HAKs take precedence over the OVERRIDE once the game starts and they load. It appears that the text for the feats is not written to the character. The race name does appear to be written to the character however.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par henesua, 15 octobre 2011 - 04:17 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

henesua wrote...

Thanks, Bannor. I'll look into making a BIF.

You are right about the TLK. You can't override it by putting a copy in the override folder. You have to put it in the NWN directory. That is making this less attractive for me. It is possible to edit the original TLK without messing with the original entries by extending its range, but still this is an ugly solution.

That said, I have verified that the HAKs take precedence over the OVERRIDE once the game starts and they load. It appears that the text for the feats is not written to the character. The race name does appear to be written to the character however.

Beware. BIf wont help you at all.

1) there is issue with different language distributions, so you need to make multiple versions of bif file
2) BIF file has lowest priority, its goes this way: BIF > override > patch-hak > hak

The patch hak is a hak file with higher priority than override but still its loaded before haks.

But if I understand that correcty, then you dont have to worry about haks at all since they are NOT loaded in multiplayer character creation screen (they are in singleplayer btw). And still 2das in your override/patch-hak will match those in hak anyway, right? So no big deal, for you best way is to use patch-hak.

To do it, you have to crete a new hak like (your_server_name)_client.hak and put this into patch folder. Then you need to adjust nwnpatch.ini file whichis by default not used and starts by "PatchFile000=" there you assign your hak name withouth extension and this forces client to load this hak with game startup. Still as with override the problem is that this will affect any of the the player's singleplayer but BIF will make it even worse. If you are a programmer you could write a special program which will:
1) modify the nwnpatch.ini to add your hak into it
2) run nwmain.exe
3) restore nwnpatch.ini

This will solve all issues.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Shadooow]

               

Bannor Bloodfist wrote...

henesua wrote...
<snip>

Regarding method number 3. Is it possible to wrap up all the overrides into a single package/archive so that players only need to dump one file into their override folder, and only remove this one file when playing another module?

I don't think this is possible, but if it was, it might be possible by using a .bif file of the same name as a normal game .bif. 

as in adding your content directly into a game resource .BIF, and putting that into your override folder.  (leaving the original in it's original location of course).  Say, editing/adding to the XP3.bif file.  Your originals are all located in your nwndata subfolder.

Regarding the .tlk file, I don't think you can touch that without modifying the default.tlk file.  But that is just an opinion, and I have not tried that as I do NOT like to modify main game resource files.

btw xp3.bif is loaded before xp2patch.bif so most things would be overwrited anyway. I advice anyone to leave BIFs alone, BIFs are usefull only for projects like my unofficial patch which actually needs to be overwiten by anything and not affect users override/haks. And then more such project wont be compatible with each other. Add the language issue and its really not worth it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Vince Montana]

               I'm in the same situation as you henesua, I am preparing a lot of custom content in my PW and I have plans to upgrade it soon. Looking for options to create characters encountered this. I've seen and looks good, is it useful?



http://revisited.hid...php?showforum=9

Sorry for my english, I'm spanish.
               
               

               

                     Modifié par vincemm86, 15 octobre 2011 - 01:50 .
                     
                  

            

[Legacy_henesua]

               Shadow, thanks for informing me on the ins and outs. I think the easiest solution is to put 2DAs in the override and to replace the dialog.tlk in the NWN folder. The 1.69 dialog doesn't go very high, so I started my indexes at 120000. That way I don't interfere with the default text of the game, and I get my information in there.