Author Topic: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?  (Read 12128 times)

Offline FarisCultist

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Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« on: May 23, 2009, 02:22:45 PM »
I've gone through a lot of the tutorials on the forums, and some of them say "Here's this link" ........ Then goes on to explain how things are done, without providing a link to download this WeiDu. ...Lol I just got what that says (We ID you)...


Alright back to business.

Can someone PLEASE provide me with links with a simple explinations what they are and their designed functions?

Example:

"This Program is used as the baisc foundation for all moding."
www.blahblahblah.com

Offline plainab

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2009, 04:13:00 PM »
WeiDU can be downloaded from this post here at ppg: http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php/topic,21324.msg279310.html#msg279310

WeiDU stands for Weimer Distribution Utility. Wes Weimer was the original developer and maintainer of the utility. Since version 185 it has been in the capable hands of the Bigg to maintain.  Weidu can be used for mod distribution as well as file editing of Infinity engine games.  It will take a bit of study and practice to properly understand what can and can't be done.  Weidu operates by using a variety of command line functions. If weidu.exe is renamed as setup-somemod.exe (where somemod is the name of the mod) it will automatically run a tp2 file named somemod.tp2 or setup-somemod.tp2. The main function of weidu these days is using it as setup-somemod.exe to distribute mods, and to modify the users files at mod installation time rather than copying over files that may wipe out changes made by previously installed mods.  Please note that just because a mod is distributed or made with weidu, it doesn't mean that it will play nicely with all other mods.  Some mods can change the same file in different ways bringing with them the possibility of conceptual incompatibility or even technical incompatibility.

Conceptual incompatibility: where mod A changes a file and mod B changes the same value in the same file to be something else. In this case, last mod installed wins.

Technical incompatibility: where mod A completely removes something from a file (an extra sword from a creature as an example) and mod B wants to move the sword from the inventory slot to a weapon slot. In this case, mod B would produce an error unless the mod author put in enough checks to ensure that the sword was indeed still there.

Near Infinity can be downloaded from the link in this post at G3: http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=12896&view=findpost&p=112339

Near Infinity is a GUI based editor for all the Infinity Engine games. There is some support for Neverwinter Nights as well. It requires the use of a certain version of Java or higher to work. Which based on my experience requires Windows XP or higher. There is an older version of NI which may run on Windows 98.
Near Infinity displays the exact offset from the beginning of the file for each value.

DLTCEP can be downloaded from this post at G3: http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=11824&view=findpost&p=100771

DLTCEP is a GUI based editor. It does not show any offsets unless the entry is an unknown. Many people find DLTCEP to be easier to use than NI. Both are good programs to use when you want to modify an existing file and save it as a new file to be distributed with a mod. When making a new creature, item, spell, area, or what not it is always best to use a pre-existing file of that type as a base. This is mainly from personal experience. There are unknown values or other known entries that need to be set a certain way for the file to properly work within the game. When creating a new file, if you don't start with an existing file as the base, you may end up having problems trying to get it working within the game.

IESDP doesn't need to be downloaded (although you can have a local copy if you want). It can be found here: http://iesdp.gibberlings3.net/

IESDP is a good source of information when you want to find out about the various types of files in the game. It is a good companion to have when creating tp2 components which will edit various infinity engine game files.

I hope that helps.  There are more programs out there, but I have not used them so I can't really talk about them. Also search the various Infinity Engine modding forums. Most of them have tutorial sections and/or download links to a variety of tutorials and tools. If you don't know many of the modding sites, here are a few...
Black Wyrm Lair at http://www.blackwyrmlair.net/
Pocket Plane at http://pocketplane.net/mambo/ <-- you at least know this one...  ;D
Gibberlings 3 at http://gibberlings3.net/
Chosen Of Mystra at http://chosenofmystra.net/
Spellhold Studios at http://www.shsforums.net/
My working mods:
an AI Party Script for BG2 game engine DOWNLOAD LINK ONLY!
Interactive Tweaks for BG series with some IWD support. DOWNLOAD LINK ONLY!
Rest For 8 Hours an IWD mod
-------------------------------------------
My contributions: BG1Fixpack, BG1Tweaks
On Hold: Solestia an NPC for SOA
-------------------------------------------
My website: http://sasha-altherin.webs.com

Offline FarisCultist

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2009, 04:34:49 PM »
Holy crap! Thanks! :D

You did EXACTLY what I wanted, and then some!

I wanted the Links to Download and A discription of it's uses. To top that, you gave me some 'words of advice' too! Thanks a bunch!

Offline plainab

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2009, 05:30:19 PM »
Holy crap! Thanks! :D

You did EXACTLY what I wanted, and then some!

I wanted the Links to Download and A discription of it's uses. To top that, you gave me some 'words of advice' too! Thanks a bunch!
Just trying to help. I remember how much I struggled when I first started trying to mod....

One more bit of advice....

If you've got the time to kill, read all the posts you can. Don't limit yourself to just what is interesting, you never know where you might find that little tidbit of information which might help you solve a problem.  I didn't do that when I started out. Recently though, I click on view new posts or read unread posts since last visit. I do that everyday now and read first the ones that are interesting or I've posted in before, then if I've got time I read other new posts...
My working mods:
an AI Party Script for BG2 game engine DOWNLOAD LINK ONLY!
Interactive Tweaks for BG series with some IWD support. DOWNLOAD LINK ONLY!
Rest For 8 Hours an IWD mod
-------------------------------------------
My contributions: BG1Fixpack, BG1Tweaks
On Hold: Solestia an NPC for SOA
-------------------------------------------
My website: http://sasha-altherin.webs.com

Offline berelinde

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #4 on: May 23, 2009, 05:41:21 PM »
Have a link to a few more definitions, tools, and resources. Believe me (and plainab), you can never have too many places to look for info.

Offline FarisCultist

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #5 on: May 23, 2009, 05:54:26 PM »
Bookmarkbookmarbookmark.... I gots lots of reading to do!

Offline Kaeloree

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Re: Alright What do I need to download to start modding?
« Reply #6 on: May 23, 2009, 06:03:34 PM »
The best list of tutorials can be found here, which might be helpful, can be found here. :)

 

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