Not-So-New MOD Idea

[CDRSeadog]

I've made mention of this idea over on the Sith-resource boards - but I confess to being unsure as to how many talented individuals here at the Holowan also peruse that board *chuckles*

 

Anyway - the "not so new" idea for a MOD I'd like to see is one that could incorporate a number of different existing Mods into a "one download - one install - no fuss - fully compatible" MOD (s)...i.e. a mod consisting of as many of the new player heads and skins as can possibly be accomodated...same mod to incorporate the various excellent weapons and armor mods...we could add the "All Force Powers and Feats" Mod (not mine - I was thinking more along the lines of the one over at the SW: KoTOR Modding Enclave)...etc...etc...etc...much like the NWN community does all the time with their many "All-In-One" Hak Paks and Mods. Needless to say - whatever Mods/skins, etc we might incorporate into an "All-In-One" Mod would be done with the express permission of each and every developer of each individual program in the incorporation :-)

 

The undertaking of such a mod as this would not be easy - besides all the petitions for permission to use said mod, etc...there would then come the headaches of compiling all of the 2DA's...BIF's...RIM's...ERF's...etc, etc, etc. so that none of the individual efforts in this "All-In-One" Mod would conflict with another. I've tinkered around with this idea here at home - and I have to confess that my very limited computer skills are just not up to par to produce a smooth, competent, and reliable program of this caliber - hence my proposal to the many talented individuals here.

 

Sure would save a lot of headaches and conflicts :-) And I suspect such a MOD would be more than welcomed by the KoTOR community at-large *chuckles again*

[gameunlimited]

This is a good idea.

 

Some problems (not really a problem actually) that I see is that different people might want different things. Like some people might not want mods that alters the combat gameplay while they do want the ones that changes the art of the game. Well, I guess we can't always satisfy the need of all people.

 

Secondly, these mods that are to be combined are probably made not by one author. Im not too sure whether the author of these mods might give permission to someone to combine their mod. I do not mind my mods to be combined though. I think it is a great idea.

 

Third, if we are to do this, what mods do you guys think are the ones that you want to see to be combined?

 

Other that those few questions, I think this is a good idea and very feasible and not hard to do too.

[CDRSeadog]

Of course - with the magic that is Fred Tetra - such a MOD is likely to be on the horizon soon (*chuckles* just another way of saying thanks, Fred!! Keep up the outstanding work).

[CDRSeadog]

Good points, gameunlimited. Let me address the major point - that of pleasing the community at-large.

 

(1) What I've envisioned for this "All-In-One" Mod is something I know can be done - a dialog feature at the beginning of KoTOR in which the PC player can select just what "mini'mods" they would like to use...i.e. do I want my Kitty Kitty redheaded player character with the lovely Brit accent seduced by the Force as in Lil Jawa's "Darth Revan Reincarnated Mod V1.1" - so that her beauty is despoiled??

 

I mentioned Lil Jawa - because it was his "Darth Revan ReIncarnated" Mod that gave me the answer - use a dialog options setup much like he utilizes for his Mod...i.e. a dialog to turn on/turn off incorporated "mini-mods" right at the beginning of the game in the first compartment of the Endar Spire - triggered when Trask opens up that compartment's hatch.

 

(2) Insofar as incorporating some of the excellent robes/armors/weapons mods - I envision a re-structuring of the Holowan Emporium Mod to accomodate these (I confess I happen to utilize that particular mod a lot).

 

(3) I already mentioned - and I will strongly re-emphasize - that in order for a "Mod" of this caliber to be produced...permission to utilize whatever programs and/or re-writes of files, etc...MUST first be obtained by the respective author of the mod. This soliciting of permissions would have a very direct impact as to what mods may - or may not- be incorporated - dependent on who gives their permissions...what conditions a permission given may require, etc. Needless to say - I also envision an "easy to understand" readme. txt file also be a must with a Mod of this nature -- and should include a full acknowledgement of all mods incorporated by their respective "mod title" and author :-)

 

(4) Lastly - a Poll to the KoTOR community might also be a good idea - at least it would give us a fairly good idea as to what the community would like to see.

[CDRSeadog]

Hey - this community has the talent to make it happen!! And besides - who knows- a mod of this caliber is bound to attract attention - perhaps, when it is made, it may convince whatever "powers that be" that while KoTOR is a great game - it could be greater if Mods were supported!!

 

In the meantime - I can hear the strains of Fleetwood Mac's "Magic Man" in the background as I write this (of course - O/one could also construe the listening to be "Magic Woman" as well) *chuckles*

 

So I ask...should we request a POLL "sticky" from the moderators...that we may better guage just what the KoTOR community would like to see of our efforts??

[T7nowhere]

I completely support this idea and would love my moddest efforts to be added.

 

A poll is a great idea to guage just what new mods people do want in the game.

This would have to be organized by one or a couple dedicated individuals to keep it all in order. I think making an all in one mod would also be an excelent way to promote collaboration among modders to allow even grander ideas to be realized.

 

I think we would need two new stickies one for polling on what mods should be added and another for new mod releases. the polling thread could also be way to nominate new mods to be added. The mod release thread would be a way to keep the forum cleaner.although I guess we could just use the "List of downloads - Tools and mods" as the new mod release thread, But I thought that would be better to stay the way it is as a place to find quik links to modding tools and individual sites.

 

I am willing to help with this in any way I can. just so i can keep my override folder clean when I am trying out new things.

[Sunslayer]

Here's my idea:

 

ANyone remember Jedi Knight Pacth Commander? You would take your mods and add them to the Pacth Commander, which wuld list all you mods, then a light bulb next to each mod could be clicked on or off, moving the mod in or out of the folder. This would be useful, so we can leave say "appearance.2da" with the same name, but in the Patch Commander it would say "Carth to Mandalorian Mod", and also the Patch COmmander tells if mods conflict. I think we should convert that program over to KotOR, or make a new one.

[AKira Core]

bisicly you whant the hak equvelent in kotor

[T7nowhere]

All credit for This Idea goes to CDRSeadog.

I thought that it was Time this idea was resurrected. I have started on what I am hoping will be a community effort. AS of right I have started on adding new playible Characters. So I have been going around collecting mods from around this Forums users. And well I didn't actually realize just how many mods conflict not just in files but in function.

 

I am trying to figuer out how to add them all together Some of them however will have to be left out Not becuase there not good but because It just would not work.

 

I expect feedback from as many people as want to help. I want to know what the majority of users find important to be added or what Kind stuff should be added in the future.

 

Here is a list of modders who's work I want to add:

 

--T7nowhere (ncs to allow bastila on korriban,Sabers+DSequipement)

--Kitty Kitty(pc fem reskin)added

--Nequam's(pc fem reskin+robes)added

--Zhoken's (pc Darth Mual)added

--Weiser_Cain(Reskins)added

--i like comma's(Qel_droma reskin)

--Colja's ( DS player faces, mask reskins,armor)

NOT added yet

--Gameunlimited's(Yuthera mod,new force power Replication)

hey GU I also wanted to add some your other mods, but most of them alter appeance.2da

 

--Shimaon's(sabers and robe mod)

--Jules Windu's(lightsabers and utilities)

--EidosPsogos(Exar Kun's Battle Armor+Robes)

--Talchia's( Hardcoremod,Arena1.1 and maybe CarnivalMOD1.0)

--Tianhou Zhong(Obsolite force power mod)

 

 

There are many more that I know Im missing so If you want your mod to be added or if your working on something that someone else also is the collaboration is in order. I hope that noone here feel I am Ripping. THIS IS NOT MY MOD. This Is holowons MOD and all the efforts and Talents of the such a thing Must go to everyone involved no matter how small of a contribution is made. Perhaps all you want to do is add Idea's or other Talants you my posses.

 

As of now I am just starting on my personel content by add 11 new Twi' lek PC's You may be think. Hey didn't Talchia do that already.Well yes he did and as good as that was he had the twi'lek replaceing the humans. I don't want to lose any of the content and choices that Is availible. I also want to change the class system so that by the time you reach level 20 it is more like 30-40.

 

Another idea I have is to rebuild some of the game. THE MAIN thing I want is to give the DS story line and side quests much more depth. (I always thought it was weak for a the once Dark lord of the Sith to be extorting credits from people) I would Like to see more quests or revised quest(that could be tricky) I want the PC to have options for LS,nuetral, and DS quests. More quests involving planet hopping( hopfully to new planets as well.

 

Now discuss and get invovled please This can't be done by one person. I think the are a few that may have begun on just such a thing as this. This Mod is also in need of talanted reskinners ( a skill I lack )

 

Oh and the last thing is This mod is already growing very large compared to what most put out. SO WE will need a host for it. I have barely even begun and it is up to 30mgs(doesn't sound big I know But I don't have that much webspace)

[lord_blodgett]

Another way might be to force numbers. That's the way Neverwinter works.

 

Instead of new line numbers being sequential, they get "padded" so that when you add a new head, for example, you pick a number like 2000 so that it doesn't conflict with anything else.

 

I don't know if KotoR can handle it, but if it can, then it would at least simlify combining mods.

[T7nowhere]

Adding new PC's to appeance.2da isn't really problem yet there just isn't that many out. It is an iterseting idea if it works for NWN then it would probly work for KotOR.

 

The mods that is a little more difficult to add are the ones that change the models and other things.

[gameunlimited]

Count me in, I would be happy to help out in this project.

[T7nowhere]

Originally posted by gameunlimited

Count me in, I would be happy to help out in this project.

 

I glad to hear that

 

I had an idea to have conflicting mods used in the same package.

Well its not my idea it's Sunslayer's a few posts up he suggested a program that lists all the mods(so the program would need a mod folder that lists all the mods) and when each mod is selected it's files will be writen to override and when unseleted the program woulld delete the files from override. I was thinking the mods could be packed into hak or erf files that would be named the same as the mod so that it would be easily displayed in the mod list. I am not a programer but from the tools like Fred's KT it sounds IMO a fairly easy program to write.( but what do I know I have never writen one)

 

The requirments it would need is the ability to extract files from erf or hak files,( that should be easy to do Freds tool can do that now)

 

List the packed mods in a gui where they could be selected.

It would also have to detect what files are in each pack and tell the user if there are any conflicts between the mods and depending on what else is in the modpack the use can decide wheather or not to install the conflicting file.(choosing which file to write into override) oh and maybe it would also need to be able to list reskins and show a small screenshot of it, so if there are multiple reskins of the same texture the user could choose the they like.

 

umm. thats all I got right now. So if someone could write this then it would almost eliminate the need to make all-in-mods. From what I have noticed it's usually the 2da's that are conflicting so those would still have to be combined, BUt mods that add unique files won't be a problem.

[gameunlimited]

That seems to be the best solution for this problem. However, creating a standalone program like Kotor Tools or KSE is beyond me. I have only done DOS based programming before in high school some times ago (the old good QBASIC, Pascal and C programming ) and have never touched windows programming with the exception of some VBasic. So... perhaps this is the job of someone out there with the real programming skill. I can only try to help with any other ingame things.

[T7nowhere]

I wasn't really saying that I wanted you to write it

I was just adding that to the post and directing it to anyone with the skill and knowledge to pull it off.

 

There has to be someone around here that can do it. at least I hope there is anyway.

 

So I have listed some of my plans for mods that I want to do. Right now Im adding npc's to appearance.2da . I am hoping some talented artist will lend there skill to make the DS transitions for the alien races im adding. There have been some nice ones comming out in the last couple of weeks.So Im adding the one Colja did for a few of the selectible PC's. I have been trying to figuer out if there is a way to make heads for aliens that have there head and body as one model, but I think that will have to wait until we can dig into em.(maybe If I ask nicely the Bioware DEVS will tell me what to do LOL )

 

and the second thing I am doing is adjusting the class 2da's to make it so you will need a little more XP to reach lvl 20 ,but also to boost the amout of feats, force powers, bab, defense bonus, AC and the fortsave willsave and refsave to reflect a character with a lvl of 30-40 I still haven't decided how far It should go. I will do my best to keep it all balanced.

 

So GU you must have some ideas on what you want to add. also how is your yuthera mod comming along. last I read you were working with a couple of guys to add some side quests and depth to her personality.

[gameunlimited]

I am looking for new ideas right now, do not have anything so far. As for the Yuthura mod, it is not doing too good. I am still waiting for the story writter to come up with the dialogs and such, but it seems that they are very busy with their work and I have not heard from them ever since (has been 2-3 weeks or so). Perhaps it is time to say that the project is cancelled.

 

As said above, I have no new ideas yet. Maybe you have some ideas that you do not have time to work on, I can help you with that. Or maybe if anyone has some ideas, I would be happy to hear it.

[T7nowhere]

I remember reading a thread about someone wanting to give

HK-47 a force power like force lightning. I don't know if your ready to tackle making more force powers yet.

 

I had an idea to make a lightsaber that has those effects that appear on melee weapons during a fight permanent, but I just never got around to seeing if it could be done.

 

I don't know I kinda out of ideas right now. How about unlocking Dantooine( on the star map) after the leviathan. I tried to do it, but without success. Your better with scripts than me maybe you can pull it off.

 

OR you could change the armour room in the hidden bek base back into an elevator to give access to the secret floor. I have had the idea of makeing that work in the game as an alternative to getting the swoop engine part. This would also free up the need to have mission( she could then be replaced with someone else) though I suppose we would need to find some way to Zalbaar to join you and maybe just have mission tag along but not useable as a player. so she could be restricted to the Ebon Hawk(I think that could be done, well atleast it could be but with alot of work )

 

Or how about adding the Cheat bot to the ebon hawk but as a means to easily warping to player made modules like your survival mod and Talchia's Arena mod. I like this idea :D and it doesn't sound to difficult

 

Ok I think Im rambling now so i'll stop there.

 

[gameunlimited]

The easiest and fastest one that I can do is making Dantoine available after Leviathan.

 

The cheat bot and the HK-47 seems to be quite easy to do too. Those are the next two in my list. As for HK force power thing, do you happen to still have the link to it? I need to know exactly what kind of force power do the people want. Or maybe you still remember.

 

As for the lightsaber and the hidden bek, I am not too sure what effect you are talking about and which room is the hidden room.

 

EDIT: The cheatbot and dantoine are done now, check your PM for more details.

[Weiser_Cain]

I think that was me with the lightning. I just wanted lightning, baiscly force lightning but with a diffrent name. Maybe doing some bonus ion damage, but balanced.

[T7nowhere]

I thought it was you that mentioned that idea Weiser_Cain. I think you also mentioned it being retextured. Maybe give the lightning an orange or red color.

[Weiser_Cain]

Thay was for a diffrent project, though if you want that I could probably whip it up for you...

[Jackel]

Originally posted by gameunlimited

As for the lightsaber and the hidden bek, I am not too sure what effect you are talking about and which room is the hidden room.

 

GU : load up a game and bring down the console , type in :

 

warp tar_m10ab

 

then hit enter , youll be warped to a level "above" the first level of the black vulkers base , when you have completed the level , ie killed everyone , done the couple of small side quests in there , go to the elevator (back where you start the level from when you warp in) and then use it like a normal elevator , you appear downstairs right outside the armoury across from the computer console thats near the bar , the area where that slave girl is (the waitess you can free) and the green twi lek who tells you about the turrents

 

seems to me all Bioware did was just remove the script for the elevator and chuck in some boxes to make it an armoury ~shrugs~

[T7nowhere]

Originally posted by Jackel

seems to me all Bioware did was just remove the script for the elevator and chuck in some boxes to make it an armoury ~shrugs~

 

Thats what I think, but to do it all the hidden beks would have to have their Faction changed to nuetral, then the quest would have to be completed.

[tk102]

Completely missed this thread when it was fresh --

 

I was under the impression that a mod packed in .hak file and placed in the Override folder is the same as placing the individual files into the Override. Is that correct?

 

Then the tool you're looking for would only have to check whether there were any conflicts in the Override folder. (A bonus feature would be to allow you to move files into the Override folder and check automatically.) Is that correct?

 

That should be a simple program to write.

[T7nowhere]

The hak files never worked for me. I have tryed it a couple of times and it just wouldn't work. Maybe I did something wrong.

Arrrhhhgg now Im gonna have to try it again.

 

I wish it would work that way then instead of zipping the files I could just pack them in a hak so that's all people would have to deal with. Plus it would be easyer to keep track of mods. As it stands for me I have half a dozen folders in override so I know whats what.

 

 

EDIT: well I built a hak file with KT and ERF editorv1.0.2.7 and dropped the file in override and the game wouldn't load the files contents. I then tried doing the same but with the file as an erf and still nothing.

 

I haven't used these fils before so it is possible Im doing something wrong. Could you try it out tk102 and see if it works for you. I would love to get this to work. This game REALLY needs somekind of mod management.