How datapads and journals work?

[blawk]

Hi,

 

I would like to know how do datapads work. Like when you open one and it shows a text quote or alike. Or just how to do certain stuff when using it, like playing a sound or animation or even a cut-scene. I guess it's a matter of attaching a script to a concrete event but I still dunno how to add an entry to the datapad.

 

Same happens to journal entries. I know how to create a quest and work with it, but I still don't know how to add a specific message to the player journal about the quest.

 

Cheers and thanks in advance.

[newszi]

Journals:

Use kotor tool : BIFs/dialogs.bif/Journal File/globla.jrl , open it with gff editor there you add your entries, than refer them inScript by ID.

However it's tricky, because for me the game only accepts strRefs so your string should be in dialog.tlk too. I wonder if are there any other way...

[Pavlos]

I always use BioWare's GFF editor for editing the global.jrl because you don't have to make new entries to the dialog.TLK... which makes things oh so much easier. Local strings in K-GFF don't work for the descriptions of a quest. I don't understand why.

[newszi]

Hmn good to know...

[tk102]

Hi blawk,

There's a good tutorial that covers the use the global.jrl file.

 

 

Local strings in K-GFF don't work for the descriptions of a quest. I don't understand why.

 

K-GFF makes editing the journal pretty easy, IMO. After opening the global.jrl file in K-GFF, turn on TLK file dereferencing(Tools: Use TLK file for StringRefs or Ctrl-T) so you can see everything that's already there. To make a new journal entry, I suggest copying an existing Struct from the Categories list and pasting it back into the Categories List. Then in EntryList, Text fields, change the StringRef from ##### to -1.

 

Now here's the trick. Right click on the Text field in the Treeview and select Add String. This will create a local string that you can edit.

 

 

 

(don't worry about the Type field when editing a local string... it means nothing. )

[Pavlos]

AGH! I never new about that feature in K-GFF, thanks for telling me, tk! This will make things a lot easier in the future .

[newszi]

Oh, you helped us again tk I do like your tools !