Community expansion, what's your take?

[Legacy_KMdS!]

               

Hi everyone,

I am thinking about the community expansion pack and am wondering what everyones take on it is as compared to the final 1.69 update? I would be very thank full if you all could fill me in on what it's advantages are....as well as any negatives you may have found. Should I adopt this expansion and why.

 

Thank you all for your time.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Asymmetric]

               

I am thinking about the community expansion pack ...

Just to be sure: Do you mean the CEP = Community Expansion Pack or the Community Patch Project by Shadooow?

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_MerricksDad]

               

I like a subset of the CEP, but I dislike using the whole thing. If you are savvy to pulling parts out and using them in your own haks, I greatly suggest it. That leaves room in your 2da files for your other content, as well as de-clutters everything for you on the builder panels. What CEP needs is a shopping guide for content, much like for Sims 1 & 2 clothing and furniture stores. But we're not there yet.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_KMdS!]

               

sorry, the patch project is what I was referring to...though I agree with MerricksDad about the CEP

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SHOVA]

               

I don't use either.

The patch, while it has some very needed fixes for NWN, also adds much of Shadooows personal preferences to class and game abilities, which I do not prefer for my games.

 

The CEP has become a bloated nightmare that contains broken and crash causing models.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Proleric]

               Funny... I'm using CEP 2.61 with no problems (bar a couple of trivial workarounds). It's far and away the biggest and best collection of custom content that you can add at a stroke. Just don't use the bits you don't need. Simple.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_SHOVA]

               

The CEP is not every ones cup of tea. Is it the most used set of haks on multiplayer, however there are, in my opinion, better looking models available. I use Q, as I Simply don't need any of the CEP.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Drewskie]

               

The CEP is not every ones cup of tea. Is it the most used set of haks on multiplayer, however there are, in my opinion, better looking models available. I use Q, as I Simply don't need any of the CEP.

This.  Q has pretty much everything of quality that's in the CEP.  Plus a bunch of great content not in the CEP.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jedijax]

               

If you're making a clean install, and don't dabble much into mods, it's a good pick. Unfortunately, at this point in the game, most of us have done extensive changes to NWN that are simply not going to be compatible with the patch. Since it's not modular in its nature, you either take it all or leave it all.

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[Legacy_Grymlorde]

               

It also overwrites some NWN files, so if you ever wish to remove it you have to wipe out NWN and do a fresh install. Personally I am very uncomfortable with overwriting any of NWN's files.

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               

I see there are still some misconceptions floating around about CPP.

 

@ Grymlorde: As the installer will let you know, it makes a backup of the one file it overwrites. If you want to disable CPP, just swap the two and you are set. aferwards you could savely delet every file from the CPP.

 

@Jedijax: Care to elaborate, what specifically you have issues with? AFAIK, if you use custom content that isn't built with CPP in mind, all that will hppen is that some of CPP's fixes will not work, but you get the custom content you created. If you did experience anything else, it might be best to let Shadoow know. 

               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Jedijax]

               

As I said before, other hack packs and custom resources have already been added/used/implemented by builders. Say, for example, the merging of .2da tables, modification of added resources, game-wide conversation trees, access points to scripts etc. Many custom modules have their own resources already in place, and in order to work with other custom packages, some/a lot of work is needed on the user's side, provided the have the know how. That, aside of any personal modifications you may have done per module or globally. I use a set of custom packs that are specifically set to work in every module I still play. Finally, since the patch isn't modular, due to the way things work in NWN or the author's choice, you can't exactly choose what you want to implement and what you don't want, as you would between separate content releases, or other projects, unless you know exactly what resources affect what you like and maybe know how to merge/modify them to your needs. If you've modded other games you have an idea of how modular vs "whole" releases work.

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[Legacy_Gruftlord]

               Still i don't see why you think the cpp might break your custom content, even if you don't merge the 2das or the like. You simply don't get all the cpp fixes, but you to keep all your custom stuff, and it should be working correctly. Just to be clear: When you say not compatible, them this is what you are referring to, right?
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_Proleric]

               Scripts and other assets are tightly coupled in NWN, operating on the same system components, so if CPP modifies script A and I modify script B, there is no way to guarantee how the module will behave without testing it.

I'm not aware of a compelling reason to install CPP, so I take the view that if it ain't bust, don't fix it.
               
               

               
            

[Legacy_henesua]

               

CPP doesn't break anything. Thats just the same old hogwash that people have been saying about the project since the beginning.

 

The CPP is full of fixes that would otherwise bloat your module, but as a patch to the game itself keeps it lean and reduces your workload. Its scripting framework changes are nifty as well opening up functionality you didn't have before.

 

Installing the CPP is a no brainer. There is very little if any downside at all. And it is full of fixes. The WOK fixes are also very useful.