K2 Custom Areas

[Da_Man_2423]

My apologies if this has been brought up before, but I wasn't able to find a thread or tutorial exactly relating to my question.

 

Although there haven't been a whopping number of completely brand new areas developed by the community, it obviously has been proven it can be done. Hopefully some of you with area editing/creation experience can help me out here...I'm at a total loss as how to do this. I can create new areas for K1 without much trouble...they load up exactly as I predict when making them.

 

K2 is a different story. I followed the same processes that would be required to make a new area, but pretty much end up with nothing but my character's head disconnected from his/her body and can't move anywhere. No floors, textures, or anything else.

 

I was just wondering if there is anything that is different when creating new areas for K2 instead of K1.

 

I'll go back and take a look again...I'm sure I overlooked something (always do), but right now I'm really frustrated as to what to do.

 

Any help would be much appreciated.

[TriggerGod]

In the very first sub forum here in holowan is for tools and general tuts. One is by a member called "DarthDingDong" which tells how to make a custom module. Its made for K1, but the only real difference between them is the fact you need to use the Whereami Armband by Darth333, tk102, & glovemaster.

[Robespierre]

I believe DDD's tutorial is about reskinning modules, not creating new ones.

 

I've made another tutorial, it tells you how to make a new module using pre-existing areas, I know Doom_Dealer made one but I know alot of people had trouble with it.

[TriggerGod]

No, I've seen his tut (I've used it) and its not reskinning a module, its making a new module, like with what Stoffe did with the Jekk Jekk Arena for the Combat Arena Mod. Or what Vader did with the Slums of Telos mod.

[Da_Man_2423]

"Well here’s another tutorial! This one will teach you how to make a new module using a pre-existing area."

 

While DDD made an excellent tutorial there, I'm pretty sure it doesn't involve a completely new area. I'm not talking about modules, if I wanted to copy those I would have. I'm asking about completely new areas, ones that would have to be made with 3DS Max or some other similar program.

[TriggerGod]

I think I misunderstood the question. I thought it was modules

module area

K1 and TSL are quite different, but they have (essentially) the same engine, so using a tut for K1 should work.

[Da_Man_2423]

I've uploaded some screenshots onto my Xfire page to show the problem in a bit more detail.

 

The area model and module files are EXACTLY the same, same name, content, everything. Proper folders as well.

 

http://www.xfire.com/screenshots/daman2423/

 

This area isn't some super pretty, highly designed thing, I just used it to show the difference in the 2 games.

 

You'll notice in the K2 shots my guy's head isn't on properly...nor can I move anywhere. Also the floor textures don't appear at all.

 

The K1 screenshots show how it should be working, notice how my guy can move around freely and interact with the rather small environment.

[Sithspecter]

You need to make a layout file. It's a .lyt file, and you replace (whatever module name is here) with your model name. I'm going to begin work on a new area kit, to help you guys understand better. Quanon's tute doesn't cover that.

[Exile007]

You know, I had this problem too when using my limited modeling skills. It has occured to me that sometimes K2 doesn't like an area. I would check to make sure:

 

1. Everything is a trimesh in the model

 

2. Reset X form

 

3. Make sure everything is linked

 

4. Make sure that you properly selected K2 in Kauora editor

 

I'd say that the best thing you could do is talk to Doc Valentine. He has been able to make several amazing new areas in KotOR 2.

[Da_Man_2423]

Popped the layout into the override folder...after some quick renaming of stuff within the file to match the new area...but the same problems still exist. No floor textures or ability to move.

[Exile007]

Is the walkmesh there?

[Da_Man_2423]

If the walkmesh wasn't there, how would it work for K1?

 

I think it is the layout as sithspecter mentioned...but apparently the K1 layout is incompatible with K2.

[Exile007]

I have NO idea.

 

But if the walkmesh isn't there that's the answer to your problems.

[Da_Man_2423]

Oh well...sithspecter was probably right about the layout thing, but after renaming it multiple things and changing the text inside the file, the game either crashes on warp or still doesn't show anything once loaded.

[Quanon]

ah, sorry guys, my tutorial is by far outdated.

It was made just when we're able to do this kind of thing, now after more then a year and half, we discovered many new things.

 

And a layout file ( .lyt) is something like that.

 

I already made some areas for TSL, its a mod I'm working on with GM.

Anyway here's an example of one of Layout files.

#MAXLAYOUT ASCII
filedependancy 003QGM.max
beginlayout
  roomcount 2
     003QGM_01a 0.0 0.0 0.0
     003QGM_01b 0.0 0.0 0.0
  trackcount 0
  obstaclecount 0
  doorhookcount 0
donelayout

 

003QGM => Is the module file.

 

This area contains 2 models/ rooms.

 

003QGM_01a ( the actual models) and the 0 0 0 thing is coordinates.

 

So both rooms are at the center, well their AuroraBase is.

 

You just need to put this in notepad/ textpad.

Save with the following options :

 

Set to AllFiles

And add .lyt

 

So for my area its named like this 003qgm.lyt

 

The name is the same like my .mod file.

 

 

When you get dumped in a White unwalkable hell, it means the game can't find your models.

 

This might be off the missing .lyt or you might have a typo somewhere in your .mod files about the room models.

 

Hope this made some sense

[harIII]

I've seen this very problem myself. All you see is an infinite blue mass and placeables, things such as NPCs, lockers, and Terminals. I've seen this only when I tried to take a module from K1 and put it in K2 as well as vise versa. If there is a way to bring modules from one game to the other I'm don't know. Also don't ask about doing this as well, evidently it is prohibited by copyright materials or by the regulations of this web site.

[Darth InSidious]

You may want to look here - this tutorial contains some further information on the make-up of a module that you may find of use.

[Da_Man_2423]

I've seen this very problem myself. All you see is an infinite blue mass and placeables, things such as NPCs, lockers, and Terminals. I've seen this only when I tried to take a module from K1 and put it in K2 as well as vise versa. If there is a way to bring modules from one game to the other I'm don't know. Also don't ask about doing this as well, evidently it is prohibited by copyright materials or by the regulations of this web site.

 

Asking about problems associated with MY areas in 2 seperate games is prohibited by copyright?

[Darth InSidious]

Porting assets from KotOR I into KotOR II and vice versa is prohibited by copyright. If it's all your own work, there's no issue.

[Da_Man_2423]

#MAXLAYOUT ASCII
filedependancy 003QGM.max
beginlayout
  roomcount 2
     003QGM_01a 0.0 0.0 0.0
     003QGM_01b 0.0 0.0 0.0
  trackcount 0
  obstaclecount 0
  doorhookcount 0
donelayout

 

 

What is the "filedependency" supposed to be? Is there supposed to be a 3DS MAX file floating around somewhere?

[Quanon]

What is the "filedependency" supposed to be? Is there supposed to be a 3DS MAX file floating around somewhere?

 

Hmmz, see the thing I did was taking an orginal .lyt from the game.

 

IIRC, the one from the "Rakatan Dream world" (m46aa), the thing you get warped to if you open the box you need to deliver to a Hutt on tatooine, in that K1 quest.

 

I just copied it all and adjusted the names. And altered the Roomcount to 2 on good luck. Since it all worked out, I never stood still at what was exactly in this file.

 

003qgm referst to my .mod file actually. A bit weird xD

 

Plus there seems to be no differance between the K1 and TSL .lyts....

 

I guess I'll have to look more into games .lyts.

[magnusll]

Kotor II trimesh nodes' headers have two additional, as yet unknown, 4-byte fields which do not exist in Kotor I models. If you try to use a model from Kotor I and dump it straight into Kotor II bad things could happen.

 

KAuroraEditor knows about this and has a radiobutton by which you can select which of the two formats you're using. Just pick the one you want and export the model in binary format, and you should end up with the correctly formed file. Apart from this, area creation should pretty much work the same way for the two games.

 

If you have a scratch-built model which works for Kotor I but not for Kotor II send it my way with as precise a description of the problem as you can give me. I'll use it for a debug run to try and see if there's anything amiss. Just be sure it's a genuine problem and not you forgetting some file along the way; scratch-building an area is a pretty complex thing.

 

Oh, BTW. File dependency is probably some residual reference to (now lost) Milkshape files as I believe Kotor area layouts were originally created using Milkshape and the relevant models subsequently edited with 3dsMax.

[Da_Man_2423]

Kotor II trimesh nodes' headers have two additional, as yet unknown, 4-byte fields which do not exist in Kotor I models. If you try to use a model from Kotor I and dump it straight into Kotor II bad things could happen.

 

 

Yeah, I think may have done that...

 

KAuroraEditor knows about this and has a radiobutton by which you can select which of the two formats you're using. Just pick the one you want and export the model in binary format, and you should end up with the correctly formed file. Apart from this, area creation should pretty much work the same way for the two games.

 

...but I did that too, and still no dice.

 

If you have a scratch-built model which works for Kotor I but not for Kotor II send it my way with as precise a description of the problem as you can give me. I'll use it for a debug run to try and see if there's anything amiss. Just be sure it's a genuine problem and not you forgetting some file along the way; scratch-building an area is a pretty complex thing.

 

If it worked for K1 and not K2 it should be a "genuine problem", as I don't know of any other files that are required to make areas in K2 that aren't required for K1.

 

Oh, BTW. File dependency is probably some residual reference to (now lost) Milkshape files as I believe Kotor area layouts were originally created using Milkshape and the relevant models subsequently edited with 3dsMax.

So...I don't have to worry about editing that portion of the .lyt file then?

 

Magnusll, if you could PM me your E-mail I'll gladly provide the files I've been working with.

 

Thanks for the replies guys...been getting a little frustrated over this, no biggie though .

 

EDIT:

 

Yay...somehow I got it to work!

 

I could swear I had been doing these steps the exact same way a zillion times...but whatever I guess .

 

I actually couldn't believe it. I kept re-warping myself to the same area about 50 times.

 

For some reason it was snowing in the module......must have changed a value somewhere, but that was a pretty cool surprise!

 

Thanks again for all your replies guys, you've all been very helpful.

[Quanon]

OW, on that radio button of Kaurora, set it first to K1 or K2, before you load in a model.

 

I had some weird stuff happening when I first loaded in model and then switched the button to K2.

 

Somehow the thing never compiled correctly and TSL kept crashing or putted me in the endless whites.

 

So:

 

1) set to the mode of Kaurora to K1 or TSL

 

2) Load in your model

 

3) Compile the thing

 

4) Test time !

[magnusll]

OW, on that radio button of Kaurora, set it first to K1 or K2, before you load in a model.

 

I had some weird stuff happening when I first loaded in model and then switched the button to K2.

 

Somehow the thing never compiled correctly and TSL kept crashing or putted me in the endless whites.

 

So:

 

1) set to the mode of Kaurora to K1 or TSL

 

2) Load in your model

 

3) Compile the thing

 

4) Test time !

 

Ouch, you're right. I do lots of model generation activities when you first load the ascii file, and reading this message I just realized that if you switch from Kotor I to Kotor II I do *NOT* recalculate trimesh nodes' headers length, thus messing up the whole model structure - just like what happens when you edit an emitter adding a new controller.

 

Looks like I've got two pretty big bugs to squash for the next prerelease...