23 réponses à ce sujet

[pvpgirl]

Hello there.

I was wondering if someone would have the time to tutor me a bit on modding for Dragon Age? I have watched several tutorials on it, but still can't seem to get a grasp on it. Most of the people who have put out the video tutorials haven't had updates in quite some time. I don't have any past experience from modding other games, and have only been able to do basic modifications to DA without causing major problems.

A few things I have already learned -
- Editing character face, stats, max inventory size through save files
- Using console to add/remove spells/skills/stats/specs
- Stopping multi-spawn mod items from continueing to spawn by copying modcore and module .erf's.
- Creating/using custom .mop
- Editing camp_plains lst file to allow use of new/different merchants

As you can see, a very short list.

A few things I would like to learn (starting slow, not trying to shoot the moon on the first go) -
- Editing char_stage file
- Editing exhisting mods (other peoples)  to change item ID (to improve compatability for my person play through)
- Creating custom items

I would be very gratefull if someone could give me any tips or directions for any of the above. Even a link to a tutorial in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Tutorials I have read/watched -

Beyond Fereldon - http://dragonagemodding.wordpress.com/
Dragon Age Revised (Innodil's Pocket Plane customization tutorials) - http://nikivich.blog...label/Tutorials
SilentCid's Video Tutorials - http://www.silentcid.com/main/
Building a Basic DAO Module - http://www.aherdofon...orial_draft.pdf
DJ MacPherson Video Tutorial - http://www.ustream.t...l/dao-tutorials
Dragon Gaming Video Tutorial - http://www.dragongaming.co.uk/videos/

Thank you very much for your time.
-pvpgirl

[Karma]

Editing the char_stage file is easy enough if all you want to do is change the scene or move around the characters. Though what exactly is your purpose in doing so?



Creating custom items as in new models or as in existing models with different stats? The former I have no clue about; the latter is also fairly easily done.

[pvpgirl]

Thank you so much for asking!



As far as the char_stage goes, there are many companion mods out there. Some of these have worked together or shared information to improve compatability, while others - not so much. My main interest here is to learn how to edit the char_stage (and any other associated files needed) to be able to add future companion mods' companions to the party picker screen. I would like to learn this so that when a new companion mod comes out that I would like to try, I don't have to pester that or previous mod authors to create a file just so I can play them together.



As for custom items, I would like to eventually be able to create an item from existing models, changing tints etc and be able to either spawn it once in the charactes inventory (not on every load) or place it on a merchant. I've tried several times to do this following tutorials here on the socail site, without success in the form of a dazip that can be installed on a seperate machine. Either I'm not understanding the tutorials, or missing some important piece of information, or I'm just old and slow. XD



Thank you for your time.

[DLAN_Immortality]

mcomommy, the only thing you need to add companions from other mods into your own char_stage (damn it, you are clever! Making your own compatibility thing... :-)) is their tags.



So basically, you can ask any NPC modder how they tagged their NPCs, once you have that info you can create fake creatures and name them with the tags the modders gave you. Place them all nicely in the char_stage and export the char_stage.



Once exported, place it in packages/core/override.



Also, make sure you do not export the fake creature files, or, if you have, delete them from your directories.



Hope it works :-D

[Karma]

CHAR_STAGE:

Actually I don't think you need any fake creatures to set up the char_stage. I've never needed them anyway. You just need the tags for the companions (and possibly the name of the char_stage overlay).

First, you need to know if the mod author uses an overlay or an overwrite for their char_stage. Most companion mod authors these days are using an overlay so that they don't have to overwrite any original files. If they're using an overlay, it'll be named something like xxx_char_stage; if they're using an overwrite, it'll be just char_stage. You'll need the name of the overlay if that's how the mod author is doing it. If they're using an overlay, then duplicate the original char_stage and name it the same name as the mod's overlay (xxx_char_stage). If they're using an overwrite (char_stage), then just open the char_stage.

Second, start adding waypoints for each new companion you want to include. The waypoint tags should be char_creaturetag. Arrange the waypoints however you want on the screen. Just don't go too far beyond where the original companions are placed, otherwise you risk sending your companions into the unclickable zone.

Third, when you're done, save and export. Drop the exported file into packages/core/override.

ITEMS:
First, create a new module. (There are tutorials on the wiki on how to do this).

Second, right-click on your new module's folder name, and choose new --> item. Give your item a name, and make sure the folder, module, and owner module are set to your module.

Third, set up the item however you want. Play around with the options for your item until you find the ones you want. (There is really too much to list here, but it you have any specific questions about item properties, just ask.) Save, export, and check in your item.

Fourth, right-click on your folder, and choose new --> script. Again, give it a name and make sure everything else is set to your module. Copy and paste the script below. Change the item tags to your item tags. Save, compile, and export the script.

[dascript]
void main()
{
CreateItemOnObject(R"file name of item #1.uti", OBJECT_SELF, 1, "", TRUE);
CreateItemOnObject(R"file name of item #2.uti", OBJECT_SELF, 1, "", TRUE);
}
[/dascript]

Fifth, find the exported files for both the item(s) and script, move them into packages/core/override. (NOTE: You probably can leave these files where they are if you want to, but it's best to move them out of their current folder "toolsetexport")

Sixth, enable the console (there's directions on the web on how to do this if you don't already know how)

Seventh, run game and type "runscript whatever you called your script" The items should automatically show up in your inventory.

Modifié par satans_karma, 23 octobre 2010 - 10:11 .

[pvpgirl]

Okay, maybe I'm being completely retarded - please tell me if I am! - but when opening an already created char_stage, I'm getting a list instead of a stage(?).

[Karma]

When you open an exported file, that's what you get. You want to open the toolset version by searching for it in the palette window. Just type "char_stage" into the search bar.

[pvpgirl]

I see! Thank you So, opening the exported file - or file from a companion mod - would then be usefull only in getting the new companions tags?

[Karma]

Correct. Though I've been compiling a list of companion tags here (http://social.biowar...ower_guidelines). It doesn't have the tags from Party Recruiting or Project Anima yet though. Those mods just have so many companions that adding them all to the same char_stage has become impossible for me. They just won't all fit into the screen.

[ZaneK]

I downloaded all 3 witch hunts and none of them work. It says that I might need a newer version of dragon age, ?????????

[Karma]

Ummm... so download patch 1.04

[pvpgirl]

Question about overlays - how do you make sure that your char_stage is the one that the game is loading if you have multiple mods that are trying to overlay the original char_stage? Example, I pestered Immort for 2 days straight while we were trying to figure out why RTKW and TBW weren't showing up together, and it turned out RTKW had an overlay char_stage (rtkw_char_stage) that was loading after the char_stage she had created to make all 3 mods compatable with each other. For that it was an easy fix, since just 1 mod was using an overlay and causing the problems - simply renamed the file we wanted to use to rtkw_char_stage and drop in the override folder. If 2 mods were using the overlay method, how would you ensure that the char_stage you wanted was being used?

[Karma]

I'm not exactly sure which overlay is the one that actually loads when multiple overlays are being used. I know only one will load, but I'm not sure if it's the one from the first mod installed or the one from the last mod installed or another one based on the priority. The only way I know how to guarantee that the overlay will work is to make a copy of the fully functioning overlay for each mod you have installed that uses an overlay (obviously make sure it has the proper name). The only other possible solution I can think of is overwriting the original char_stage, but I'm not sure how well or even if the overlay and the char_stage will work together. I've not experimented with it. What companion mod authors should be doing is using a common overlay name, but getting everyone to use the same one isn't going to happen.

Modifié par satans_karma, 26 octobre 2010 - 02:00 .

[pvpgirl]

So basically, the easiest way to ensure the char_stage you want to show is the one being used, just make as many copies as are overlay files and rename each to match the overlay the individual mods are using? Sounds simple enough.

[Karma]

Exactly.

[pvpgirl]

Started working on my custom char_stage today, came up with a few more questions.



Does the color of the waypoint matter?

What is the green waypoint labeled char_chargen do?

There seems to be plenty of space, is there a way to zoom out or move the point of view away from the party members to make it easier to fit more in?

[Karma]

Nope.



I have no idea. I imagine it has something to do with the character creation screen as they seem to use the same background for that screen as they do the party picker screen, but I can't say for sure. Don't delete it.



You are pretty much limited to the confines of your monitor width. I have a very large monitor and can see characters within two "rows" of where the original characters end. But smaller monitors probably won't let you go beyond the edges of where the original characters are located. That makes for a tight fit when you start to get 20 extra characters in there. So to answer your question, there's no way to zoom out that I know of.

[pvpgirl]

Okay, onto light. XD Let me just stick your brain in a jar on my desk so I can pick it. haha

I decided I'd like to try to a different background, to see if that would make it easier to fit extra characters in. In this case, I chose arena2, for the stairs, thinking that I could tier characters up the stairs. Anyway, I think I did it completely backwards, I just moved the waypoints to the arena, instead of moving the arena to the waypoints. (Didn't think about trying to move the arean till just now....do'h!) So, all waypoints in position, blue...field...what is that?...moved over the waypoints, looks good in the toolset, but after exporting, the party picker is all dark. I can see shale's glowing crystals, so I know it's at least showing me the area I want to see, just has no light. For hte life of me, I can't figure out were the option is to just..turn on the light. XD

On another note - I've tracked down every single overlay char_stage and duplicated my char_stage (even though you can't see the characters) and my char_stage shows up in the party picker, so at least I know I'm getting there.

Modifié par mcomommy, 28 octobre 2010 - 04:20 .

[Karma]

Maybe arena2 is not lightmapped correctly? I'm not sure as I've never used that area before. Is the area lit but just the creatures are dark? Or is everything dark?

[pvpgirl]

In the toolset, the area is lit fine. When using it for the char_stage file, everything is dark except for Shale - who has fire crystals on atm, so is lighting up herself fairly well - the 'glow' on my pc's outfit, and a bit of Loghain's armor, as he is standing near Shale. I don't want to give up on arena2, just because I still think the stairs have great potential, with being able to pack more characters on it in a tiered fasion, but for the moment I've switched back to the normal backdrop, and have managed to get a decent looking party screen with the current available companions. (I dropped out the ones from mods not yet released, hoping to have the arena2 working by the time some of them come out.)

[Karma]

You could check out the core resources project (http://social.bioware.com/project/1331) to see if the arena2 level is in there. You could always try lightmapping it yourself to see if that's why it's dark. Otherwise, I'm not quite sure how to fix it without making a level yourself.

[pvpgirl]

Okay, while I still haven't been able to get arena2 working properly as a char_stage background, I'm still really happy with how my party picker has turned out. Thank you very much, Karma.



As far as changing item id's to improve compatability goes, any thoughts?

For example, the dagger version of "Swords of Urukathek" (http://www.dragonage...ile.php?id=1483) and "Honey I shrunk the Vigilance" (http://www.dragonage...ile.php?id=1170) both show up as the same model, even though the Urukathek dagger should look completely different.

Neither author has updated their projects in some time, or doesn't seem interested in being compatable. Is there a way to change the ID number of the items to make them compatable from the user's end?

[Karma]

The GDA files for the versions I have use the same ID number (64). You could download GDApp and try to change the ID in the gda files. I don't know much about making weapon models, so I'm not sure if it's that simple or not.

[rachely476]

Hi !
I've just visited this forum. Happy to get acquainted with you. Thanks.

Modifié par rachely476, 13 novembre 2010 - 12:50 .