Jade Empire modding (see first post for info summary)

[splinterxx]

Jade Empire Savegame Editor v0.2 = Down

 

Plz reup.

[stoffe]

Jade Empire Savegame Editor v0.1 v0.2 released

Tested the editor with a bunch of savegames and it seems to work. Though I got a few Weird style advancement detected: messages in the log. The only thing I could think of that I couldn't figure out was how to add new styles to a character with it?

[tk102]

Though I got a few Weird style advancement detected: messages in the log.

Do you have some custom styles that have different EffectIds from rank to rank? JSE currently doesn't know what to do with multiple Effects for a single style so it uses only the effect of the first rank.

 

 

The only thing I could think of that I couldn't figure out was how to add new styles to a character with it?

That's on my to-do list. The workaround for now is using SAC Utils right now to explode/implode the .sac and do GFF editing in between.

[stoffe]

Do you have some custom styles that have different EffectIds from rank to rank? JSE currently doesn't know what to do with multiple Effects for a single style so it uses only the effect of the first rank.

 

It was for the Monkey Paw style those messages popped up in the log, though it might be a bit weird since it's not normally usable by the player unless you cheat to get it.

 

Also, I forgot to mention that the labels above the skill level sliders are blank for the Viper, Iron Palm and Rhino Demon styles.

 

tk102 says: Ah, found out what it was. IRONPALMLV.2da an VIPERLV.2da have a column named "Label" rather than "label" -- the latter being used in all the other *LV.2da files that I've seen. I've since made my code accept either. The Rhino Demon form uses Iron Palm for some reason, probably a mistake.

[sekan]

I have tried to make a gem and a teqnic (lol) on my computer. I but i don't have improvements.2da and effect.2da. If someone have them can you send them to me?

 

Thanks for reading this.

[tk102]

Hey sekan, you can find and extract those 2da files using stoffe's FindRes tool in (link in the 1st post). JE's 2das are a mish-mash of V2.0 and V2.b formats. If it's V2.0 you can use any editor you like. If it's V2.b, you'll need to use one of the various V2.b tools also listed in the 1st post.

[sekan]

Hey sekan, you can find and extract those 2da files using stoffe's FindRes tool in (link in the 1st post). JE's 2das are a mish-mash of V2.0 and V2.b formats. If it's V2.0 you can use any editor you like. If it's V2.b, you'll need to use one of the various V2.b tools also listed in the 1st post.

 

Thanks i have found it now. But where shall i put improvements.2da when I have done with everything?

 

EDit: I got i work.

 

Edit2: Now i have made a gem and a techniq and both works fine

[Janan Pacha]

Can anyone help me figure out where the skin (skin tone) on the various characters are? I think this was supposed thread was supposed to have helped, but I'm obviously missing something key?

[stoffe]

Can anyone help me figure out where the skin (skin tone) on the various characters are? I think this was supposed thread was supposed to have helped, but I'm obviously missing something key?

 

The skin is part of the body and head textures of the characters. The textures of the player models have a P_ prefix in their names, so if you search for P_*.txb in JEFindRes you should be able to find them all. Some of them have a version found in the override folder that is of higher resolution than the one inside the game data files, thus those should be used first when available.

[Janan Pacha]

The skin is part of the body and head textures of the characters. The textures of the player models have a P_ prefix in their names, so if you search for P_*.txb in JEFindRes you should be able to find them all. Some of them have a version found in the override folder that is of higher resolution than the one inside the game data files, thus those should be used first when available.

 

That's why I keep seeing two versions of each skin that seem to be otherwise exact copies of each other? O.o

 

EDIT: And thanks, I think I got it.

 

EDIT 2: Okay, I got the head area to work, and accept my new texture. The body area, though, when I put the files into the override folder do not replace the original graphics. In fact the old graphics stay there. The head is the new texture. But not the body. They body has the original texture.

 

I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong.

[sekan]

Okay... I'm wondring one thing. Is JE using coordinates when they spawn npcs? If they do is there someway to make a armband like TSL but instead a gem that give coordinates in teh corner off the screen. Only when you are using the gem of course The gem could be found in every module or chapter. Anyway if they not are using coordinates how do they do to spawn npcs?

 

If anyone could make a coordinat armband it would improve the JE modding in many ways.

 

Thanks for taking reading this

[stoffe]

EDIT 2: Okay, I got the head area to work, and accept my new texture. The body area, though, when I put the files into the override folder do not replace the original graphics. In fact the old graphics stay there. The head is the new texture. But not the body. They body has the original texture.

 

Make sure you have removed the TXB file with the same name from the override folder. If there is a TXB file and a TGA file with identical names in the same scope, the game will use the TXB file.

 

You only need to do this for files in the override folder, i.e. you don't need to remove TXB files from the MOD/RIM files if you put a TGA in the override folder since the override scope has higher priority.

 

Is JE using coordinates when they spawn npcs? If they do is there someway to make a armband like TSL but instead a gem that give coordinates in teh corner off the screen. Only when you are using the gem of course The gem could be found in every module or chapter. Anyway if they not are using coordinates how do they do to spawn npcs?

 

While I haven't investigated this closely I'd guess they use either pre-placed NPCs or Encounter triggers to spawn most NPCs and creatures in the game.

 

The problem with making "armbands" in Jade Empire, as far as I know, is that you have no effective way of triggering a script at will, like the armbands allow, unless I'm overlooking something. It's easy to fire scripts as part of a reward/loot, but since you have no inventory or items to be activated, and most "spells" are 2DA based rather than scripted in Jade Empire your options are a lot more limited.

 

For something that continually displays the coordinates you'd need a script that runs repeatedly to update the info. I haven't really looked much into these aspects of Jade Empire modding yet, so hopefully someone else is able to offer more insight.

[J_Slash]

For something that continually displays the coordinates you'd need a script that runs repeatedly to update the info. I haven't really looked much into these aspects of Jade Empire modding yet, so hopefully someone else is able to offer more insight.

 

Hey everyone,

There's a script in the override folder named "j98_eud_player.nss", this scripts runs pretty much all the time, whenever you perform an action, or an action performed on you, it contains all the onheartbeat, ondisturbed, and other events. i used it to regenerate Chi and Focus on heartbeat, and to test some other stuff too. hope this helps..

[Janan Pacha]

Make sure you have removed the TXB file with the same name from the override folder. If there is a TXB file and a TGA file with identical names in the same scope, the game will use the TXB file.

 

You only need to do this for files in the override folder, i.e. you don't need to remove TXB files from the MOD/RIM files if you put a TGA in the override folder since the override scope has higher priority.

 

That worked. I've now created a dark robed albino version of Radiant Jen Zi as my first test. Now to get to something I'll actually spend time trying to get good looking. Hopefully an improved version of Scholar Ling. I'd like to change the outfit especially to get a more dark sorceress vibe off the outfit. Something more conservative too, to reflect the scholar aspect.

 

Er . . . heh ^_^ *stops babbling, and wanders off to work on texturing*

[Mindtwistah]

tslpatcher should work with JE right? Like adding files into some folders and adding entries in dialog.tlk and 2da files?

[stoffe]

tslpatcher should work with JE right? Like adding files into some folders and adding entries in dialog.tlk and 2da files?

 

No, TSLPatcher would not work to use for many types of JE modding in its current state. The KOTOR games (and NWN) use the TLK V3.0 format for the dialog.tlk file, while Jade Empire uses the TLK V4.0 format. Since TSLPatcher was made for KOTOR it does not handle this format.

 

Further, TSLPatcher only deals with 2DA files in binary 2DA V2.b format. Jade Empire supports this format, but many of the 2DA files, especially modded ones, are in the older 2DA V2.0 text format instead.

 

Lastly, while the GFF format is roughly the same in KOTOR and JE, the latter has a new data type added to the format. TSLPatcher's GFF handling is not aware of this data type, for aforementioned reasons. It would probably complain if it encounters data types it does not recognize when loading a GFF file using this field type.

[sekan]

Hi everybody and no Stoffe and tk102 I'm not gona ask a question. I'm gona realese my first JE mod

 

Name: Three Brothers

 

This mod add three powerful gem. Sekan, Lespoon and Mindtwistah gem.

 

Author: Sekan

Special Thanks to: Mindtwistah

 

Sekan's Gem Information

Location: Spirit plain. This gem has the same location as the demon sword.

Effect: + 10 Body + 10 Mind + 2 Spirit

 

Lespoon's Gem information.

Location: Pirate workshop. You can find this gem in a cheast in the Treasure room.

Effect: + 10 mind + 5 Body + 5 spirit

 

Mindtwistah's Gem

Location: Teahouse if you help old mother kwan to get back her teahosue.

Effect: + 15 Spirit + 3 Body + 3 Mind

 

Download it Here

 

Permission: You can edit this gems so much you want but if you want the realese your change you must ask me first.

[Eisenhower]

Firstly I must say I have no modding experience in Bioware's games whatsoever. I did do a little in Homeworld, but I don't have the patience to learn scripting languages and such.

 

While playing Jade Empire, aside from feeling slightly deflated at the lack of mods, I also wasn't particularly fond of the graphic for Silk Fox. I was wondering, was it easy/possible to replace Silk Fox's graphic with the one for the Princess? Without causing too much problems, that is. If you can tell me where to go and what to use to accomplish this, that would also be most excellent.

 

Secondly (and off-topic), does anyone find the staff style useful? Seems the sword is better because of the sweeping attacks. Staff has a long reach, but I like charging into the middle of enemies and using the sword attack to decimate them.

 

Finally, is it possible/easy to change the passive bonuses of ... gah I forget her name, the girl from the school who you rescue from the cave. Her, the demon girl and Sky, can you change their bonuses to include all three of the stat regen powers like the monk from ghost-Dirge? I think sky does the focus regen, the demon does health and the girl from school does spirit, I'm hoping to get all three all the time. Also, to give both Sagacious Zu and Silk Fox both the + martial/weapon style bonuses. I think Sagacious gives you weapon bonuses and Silk Fox gives you martial style bonus.

 

Thanks in advance.

[stoffe]

I was wondering, was it easy/possible to replace Silk Fox's graphic with the one for the Princess?

 

It's possible, but does have a somewhat quirky side-effect. To do it, open the appearance.2da file with a text-editor. On the lines with row label 35 and 201, change the value in the MODELA column from (35) N_Silk_ to N_Prnces_ and (201) N_SilkNM_ to N_Prnces_ respectively. This will switch out the character model.

 

However, since some of the textures for this model only exists in the module where you first land in the Imperial City you'll need to extract those files and place them in the override folder to be globally available.

 

I don't remember exactly what files you need, but extract h_prnces01.txb, n_prnces01.txb and n_prnces_.mdx from a_300-a.rim and n_prnces_.mdl from a300.rim into your override folder (skip any files that already exists there though, you only need the ones that aren't already there, and the already existing ones are probably higher resolution). You can use JEFindRes for this, just search for *_prnces* and it should list all the relevant files.

 

The above mentioned quirk you should be aware of though is that the Princess model has no impact hooks. This means that it's impossible for enemies to hit her with melee attacks, so she'll never sustain any damage from melee grunts.

 

Secondly (and off-topic), does anyone find the staff style useful? Seems the sword is better because of the sweeping attacks.

 

The staff style does seem to be of the "mildly useless when used by you, very annoying when used against you" variety, at least by more than one enemy.

 

Finally, is it possible/easy to change the passive bonuses of ... gah I forget her name, the girl from the school who you rescue from the cave.

 

"Only one man would dare give me the raspberries... DAWNSTAR!"

 

*Ahem*... Yes, it's possible to change what effect the support styles of the various party members have. To use Dawnstar an an example, open the dstar.2da file. This file defines Dawnstar's character progression as you go up in levels. Look for the supporteffect column, the number listed here is a line number in the effects.2da file.

 

It's 46 for Dawnstar, which points to the EFFECT_MODSTATOVERTIME line in effects.2da. This is a multipurpose effects though, and the supporteffectparam column in dstar.2da specifies more exactly what it does. To determine what the parameter value means we need to look up what sort of parameters the EFFECT_MODSTATOVERTIME effect takes.

 

This is determined by the value in the 2da column in effects.2da, which is set to 86 for this particular effect. This number in turn is a reference to a line number in the 2das.2da file, which essentially lists the names of other 2da files that contain parameter info. Looking up line 86 in 2das.2da it says modstatovertime in the file column, which means the modstatovertime.2da file is used.

 

The supporteffectparam column value back from dstar.2da is thus a line number in the modstatovertime.2da file. That column had the value set to 2 for dawnstar, and looking at line 2 we see that, sure enough, it's set to RECOVERCHI_1. To make a long story short, look down to line 4 and you'll see RECOVERALLSTATS_1, which is what Abbot Song uses. To make Dawnstar do the same, change the value in the dstar.2da file in the supporteffectparam column to 4 for all rows in the file.

 

To change what the support style does for other party members you use the similar approach, but use their specific 2da file instead of dstar.2da (sfox.2da, chaika.2da etc...).

 

You can even change what their support style does entirely by changing the value in the supporteffect column. You should probably stick to "over time" effects listed in effects.2da if you do though. Or you could make their support style either increase in potency or do different things as they level up by setting different values in their columns for the different lines in the dstar.2da (and other follower 2DAs).

[Eisenhower]

Ouch...

 

brain hurt.

 

So essentially I just need a text editor and a program called JEFindRes for all this, right?

[stoffe]

Ouch...

 

brain hurt.

 

So essentially I just need a text editor and a program called JEFindRes for all this, right?

 

Yes. JEFindRes is an utility that lets you search among the game's resource files and extract things. There is a link to it in the first post in this thread.

 

Most 2DA files in the game are tables in plain text format and as such it should be enough with a text editor to modify them. Personally I prefer to use UltraEdit since it uses monospace fonts and you can set columns and headers to be independently scrollable, but any text editor should do.

 

For the few 2da files that are in binary format you'll need a converter, there should be a link to one in the first post as well. Or you can use this archive which contains most of the 2DA files from the game converted to text format with fixed column width to make them easier to hand-edit. (You'll need 7zip to unpack it.)

 

You then place any files you've edited in the override folder to make them game use them. I'd recommend that you make a backup copy of that whole folder just in case before you start modding so you have something to fall back to if things get screwed up.

[Eisenhower]

I did the replacing silk fox's model with princess lian, but now her face is all black. I forgot to save a backup copy of the override folder though, so the original .txb, .mdl and .mdx for princess is missing from override. It worked while I was in the imperial city proper, but when I entered the arena her face turned black.

 

Any chance you can upload the originals? I'd rather have silk fox than an untextured face.

 

I just think the ninja look is overplayed.

 

Thanks for all your help!

[stoffe]

I did the replacing silk fox's model with princess lian, but now her face is all black. I forgot to save a backup copy of the override folder though, so the original .txb, .mdl and .mdx for princess is missing from override. It worked while I was in the imperial city proper, but when I entered the arena her face turned black.

 

Did you do as I mentioned in the previous post and extracted all the N_Prnces_ files from the RIM data files into your override folder? Some of the textures are only found in the Imperial City landing area module normally, and you'll need to extract them to the override folder for them to work everywhere. Make sure the files are directly in the override folder and not in any sub-folders within it.

 

It should work fine if you do, I'm using the princess look in my current game without problems (aside from the aforementioned one that she's impossible to hit with melee attacks when using that model).

 

Edit: Oops... forgot about one... h_prnces01.txb should contain the head texture so you'll need to extract that one too. Sorry about that.

[Eisenhower]

Yay, much thanks. It works perfectly now!

[Eisenhower]

While playing, I screwed up the talk trees and managed to activate the Sky romance thread when I only wanted the Princess one. Is there any way to de-activate the sky thread or change the variable to Princess? I was persuing the Princess thread but apparently Sky overrides her. so... any help on that would be appreciated. I can't go back saves because I don't know how far back this got activated.

 

I know which one is on because right before you fly to the Imperial Keep the first time, the princess says take care of your business and sky is the only option, which I didn't take.

 

Playing a female character, btw.