Help a complete noob? Please?

[Dr. Jekyll]

I just got KOTOR last week and beat it for the first time about 20 minutes ago. So if I seem like a moron to you when it comes to this stuff, rest assured you are correct. Anyway, I tried to understand the tutorials, but after about five seconds, everything started to sound like complete gibberish. So somebody please tell me, in small words, EXACTLY what tools I need to download and where I need to put mod files I download to make them work. Oh, and do you need to do anything different because of XP? I remeber spending 2 hours trying to get my computer back to normal after modding JK2, because the files didn't work for xp. Thanks.

[Colma Adawin]

hey dont worry the tutorials arn't that bad, i'm also currently looking into them, and all (that i know of) work fine on XP, i've got it and never had a problem, if any1's the moron its me i've been here longer and i still dont understand the tutorials but there a bunch of modders out there very willing to help you in any problem you may have. And the majority of the mods have read-mes to inform you on where to put them, but they normally go in the override folder, this folder, if you dont know already, is in your SWKotOR directory, and in regrads to downloading tools for modding KotOR, it depends on what part of modding your getting your self into, but theres a sticky thread to help: Tools and Mods:

 

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=122049

 

Hope this helps, MattCole

[Poggle]

On top of the tools in the above thread i'd make sure you have the microsoft.net development thingy found here

[AstalderS]

Heh... some of the modders make it a bit more complicated than it needs to be. I was a noob like you just a couple weeks ago, and I still have no idea how to actually make a mod (if I decide to learn I'll probably wait for KOTOR 2).

 

To add mods to KOTOR:

 

Get Winzip.

Download mod.

Unzip files and export them to the Override folder in your KOTOR root folder.

Some people only put files in .rar, and .ace, etc., I don't bother with them but it's up to you.

 

The game then autoreplaces the original file by the same name with the new one, until you delete the files from that folder again. Nothing you put in Override can break your game in a irreversible way. Example, to make Malak a robot you would download a zip from Svosh that has 3 .tga files in it, you would export them to that folder and restart Kotor. To get rid of him, delete them and restart KOTOR. All done.

 

If you want to be safe do NOT use any mod that wants to put files anywhere else.

 

If you want to take a little risk and do so be careful about it, or only use things like the Halowan plugin that can do it on their own. I wouldn't allow any file to overwrite anything outside of the Override folder (nor has any mod ever asked me to).

 

I recommend creating an additional folder in KOTOR's directory, called Mods. If you download a mod for Bastila make a Bastila folder in the Mods folder and put the files there, then copy and paste them into Override. This way if you want to get rid of the Bastila changes you know exactly what to delete from Override.

 

Finally, some mods aren't compatible. You might download a mod that gives you two new PC heads, but that will use a file in Override that another mod uses as well. Since their can only be one copy of the file in Override you can either:

 

A) Pick one.

B) Combine the contents yourself (not always easy).

C) Wait for a combo pack like the Halowan plugin to do it for you.

 

I recommend you start here if you want a easy combo pack:

http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=127038&perpage=40&pagenumber=1

 

It's mostly the best stuff you'll find, and though I choose to ignore some things in it (overpowered items, etc) it does enhance the game without really wrecking the gameplay.

[Colma Adawin]

Originally posted by Eliser

Heh... some of the modders make it a bit more complicated than it needs to be. I was a noob like you just a couple weeks ago, and I still have no idea how to actually make a mod (if I decide to learn I'll probably wait for KOTOR 2).

.

 

if you learn now (i'm doing the same) you will be able to Mod in KotOR 2: Sith Lords, 'prepare your-self for the future' MattCole

[Darth333]

Originally posted by Eliser

To add mods to KOTOR:

 

Get Winzip.

Download mod.

Unzip files and export them to the Override folder in your KOTOR root folder.

 

That is only partially true: while 99% of the mods go into the override directory, some files may go into the modules (.mod files) folder or in a specific sound folder. Modders normally include a readme with their mods. This is where you should always start.

 

To uninstall, simply delete the files you have added.

 

To open the .rar files, you can get Winrar here for free: http://www.rarlab.com/. It's similar but much better than winzip.

If you want to be safe do NOT use any mod that wants to put files anywhere else.

 

If you want to take a little risk and do so be careful about it, or only use things like the Halowan plugin that can do it on their own. I wouldn't allow any file to overwrite anything outside of the Override folder (nor has any mod ever asked me to).

Dropping files in the modules or sound folders won't cause any problem (you should see all the junk i have in those folders I even imported sounds from other games to make some experiments) . It works exactly the same as the override folder: just delete the files if you want to remove them completely.

 

The only recommendation I have and it's valid even if you use only the override folder is: keep a backup of your saved games or save often and keep a good amount of save games ( i keep savegames of my arrival at each planet, before leaving the Ebon Hawk and at some major points as well)

[Doom_Dealer]

You guys really need to believe in yourself more!!!!

 

 

the reason you wont do 'complicated mods' is because you ahve convinced yourself you cant. Just start small (i started with little retextures) and work your way up. Things that look scary, are actually reasonably simple, most of the 'advanced modding' (apart from the type of retextures svosh and prime do etc.etc.) are txt based, and scripting is probably the hardest, but searching this forum provides lots of sources of scripts.

 

anyway, when i started modding kotor (which btw is the first game ive ever modded, so ive not got any advantage or anything) i never dreamed that id be able to do things that some people were doing, i thought the dantooine assault mod looked im possible, yet i just release something similar in the form of the holowspire, mods such as this are more time consuming than difficult.

 

my real suggestion is to USE THE SEARCH FUNCTION, with abit of patience you can find many really useful tutorials, you may have to piece together what to do by looking at several threads, but there are alot more tutorials around now than when i started. Anyway, thats all

 

Doom Dealer

[svösh]

Originally posted by Eliser

to make Malak a robot you would download a zip from Svosh that has 3 .tga files in it, you would export them to that folder and restart Kotor. To get rid of him, delete them and restart KOTOR. All done.

 

 

Now Eliser why would you do that ? LOL I just got to ask, what is wrong with my mech malak??? Hehe I know to each there own

 

svösh