UTC file help

[smith11j]

I edit a UTC file in KOTOR TOOL. Then I save it in my override file in TSL. But it doesn't change anything. I am looking to give a droid more Hit Points but it doesn't seem to work. Any ideas?

[Darth333]

two things:

1. In order to take effect, you have to load a clean module. When you enter a module for the 1st time, then save, your original .utc file is saved. Restart a savegame from before entering it.

 

2. .utc editing can lead to broken quests and freezing at some point in the game if you did not make sure that the file was unique. In TSL, the devs reused many utc files with the same name in different modules. The problem is that they attached different contents to them. So when you drop your custom .utc file, it overwrites all the other .utc files with the same name. Use tk102's Findrefs to find out if your file is unique. If it's not, use scripts to edit your npc instead of editing the .utc file.

[smith11j]

Thanks. Maybe I won't mess with that after all. I'll take a look at scripts now.

[Darth333]

If the file is unique, editing the utc is not a problem. Finding out whether it's unique or not,is a matter of seconds with findrefs.

[smith11j]

If I am editing the module I am in I won't be able to play balance what I'm editing right? What if I leave the module and then come back in would that work?

 

Also I downloaded the findref. Now how do I know if my thing is unique.

 

For example I was editing c_drdspyder001.utc and it's location is 102PER_s.rim

how do I know if that is unique?

[stoffe]

If I am editing the module I am in I won't be able to play balance what I'm editing right? What if I leave the module and then come back in would that work?

 

Dynamic objects that are added to the area's GIT file when they are spawned in the game world will be unaffected by things you edit and put in override or the RIM/MOD file if you have already been to that area in your current save game. (Creatures, Items, Placeables, Doors, Placeable sounds etc are affected by this, as well as any changes to the GIT file itself.)

 

This is because the GIT file reflecting the current game state of the area is saved in the savegame file, which obviously has higher priority than the GIT file in the module RIM/MOD file. Any new things you spawn in will reflect your modifications though.

 

Static resources (2das, scripts, dialogs, model/textures etc) are not stored in the savegame though and any changes to those take effect either immediately or (in case of 2DAs) as soon as you restart the game.

 

* * *

 

If you don't have a savegame prior to first entering the area, you can edit your savegame and delete the SAV file inside it which has the same name as the area ResRef. This will delete the saved state of that area.

 

If you do this on standard game areas though, be aware that you may mess up quests etc since all Locals set on any object within that area will be lost, and the locked/unlocked state of doors and containers will be reset to their starting value.

[smith11j]

Thanks. I'll edit all the UTC's to areas I haven't been yet first and then restart a new game to test the earlier levels.