....and make new items appear there.
I've done several hours of reading tutorials, most natably the CC Guide by Sacatecca.
While all tutorials are really good at explaining how to create CC they mostly end with something like "and now you can use these ressources in your module with the appropriate creation wizard". I t's probably just me but I still have no clue whiche files I have to edit to make new models appear in the custom palettes, less how to create new palettes. I have my placeables.2da file ready but obviously it does not contain column referencing to the palette.
I know I could always do an .erf file for me and others to use but that's only plan B.
Q: How to introduce new palette categories......
Débuté par
TheStoryteller01
, sept. 21 2013 12:37
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#2
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 01:22
Tarot Redhand
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The question is are you wanting to know how to add new items to the palette or are you asking how to add new categories to the palette? By this I mean as an example do you wish to add say a new sword to the weapons or do you want to add a new class of weapon say siege engines that your new weapon is displayed under. Note it doesn't have to be anything weapon related, I have just used those to illustrate the question I am asking. It could be you want to add a new placeable or category of placeable. the question would still remain the same.
TR
TR
#3
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 01:30
TheStoryteller01
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In fact I would prefer to introduce a new custom palette category because I am working on a d20 hak but if thats too much effort and/or to dangerous to mess things up with, I'd go for adding placables/items to existing custom palettes. 
#4
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 03:04
henesua
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Step 1: Tool
To edit the palettes you need a special tool: GFF Editor
I think this is found in the Util directory of your NWN install. If it is not there, you can download an enhanced version from the Vault: Modified GFF Editor
Step 2: Getting a Palette Definition File
To edit the palettes you need a special tool: GFF Editor
I think this is found in the Util directory of your NWN install. If it is not there, you can download an enhanced version from the Vault: Modified GFF Editor
Step 2: Getting a Palette Definition File
- There are ways of getting the palette to work on. I usually open up a module in the toolset, then look in the temp0 directory and copy the files I want out of there. You can also look for the palette defintions in NWN's game data using NWNExplorer.
- The first thing to know is that you want an .itp file type
- The next thing to know is that the file name should end with pal. This is a convention used for palette definitions.
- For item palette defintions grab itempal.itp
- Grab itempal.itp and drop it on GFF Editor
- The file will open and display as a hierarchical tree
- You may want to read various threads if you are afraid of experimenting
- Once you are done you stick the palette definition file in the Top HAK of your module, then rebuild the module with the Palette option checked.
#5
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 06:19
Tarot Redhand
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Sorry about the delay but the battery in my mi-fi ran out and I had to recharge. Anyway here is a link to the tutorial that I used when I created Map Mats. The tutorial is by MDA on his The Brotherhood of the Realm site. The only change I would make is to use the Modified GFF Editor that Henesua suggested (and has provided a link to).
TR
TR
#6
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 07:02
TheStoryteller01
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Thanks for the answer, both of you. The GFF Editor is really neat and I think I will be able to create my own palettes now.
But somehow it still seems to end with "Now you can add all your stuff int the new palett entries in your module"
What I really want is to edit all the necessary files without even opening the toolset (apart from testing). The hak will have 150+ placables in the end and I hope there is a way to do the editing without creating a module first.
I thought there is a connection between the StrRef in the placeables.2da and the StrRef in the plceablepla.itp but obviously there is none, most 2da entries from d20 have no number in the StrRef at all.
So where in Oghmas name is the place to tell a placeable in which palette it should show up?
But somehow it still seems to end with "Now you can add all your stuff int the new palett entries in your module"
What I really want is to edit all the necessary files without even opening the toolset (apart from testing). The hak will have 150+ placables in the end and I hope there is a way to do the editing without creating a module first.
I thought there is a connection between the StrRef in the placeables.2da and the StrRef in the plceablepla.itp but obviously there is none, most 2da entries from d20 have no number in the StrRef at all.
So where in Oghmas name is the place to tell a placeable in which palette it should show up?
Modifié par TheStoryteller01, 21 septembre 2013 - 07:03 .
#7
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 07:10
henesua
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Storyteller, my instructions were for palette category defintions. It sounds like you also want to recreate the Palettes themselves.
BTW:
STRREF is a reference to the index of a TLK file. It is short for String Referrence. If you don't want to use TLK referrences you have to use cexostrings and not have any STRREF's in that particular entry on the palette.
However if you want to create a standard or custom palette and fill it up with blueprints, you need to edit a different file of type ITP. The Stamdard palettes can be your guide. Check out itempalstd.itp. This is full of the standard bioware items. You can add to that one if you want.
BTW:
STRREF is a reference to the index of a TLK file. It is short for String Referrence. If you don't want to use TLK referrences you have to use cexostrings and not have any STRREF's in that particular entry on the palette.
However if you want to create a standard or custom palette and fill it up with blueprints, you need to edit a different file of type ITP. The Stamdard palettes can be your guide. Check out itempalstd.itp. This is full of the standard bioware items. You can add to that one if you want.
#8
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 07:56
Tarot Redhand
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TheStoryteller01 you will *have* to use the toolset in order to create the item blue prints that then go into the erf that you create to go along with the hak. Also as you are making placeables you will need to edit placeablepal.itp to get your new categories in the first place. You can use the module that you create to test each item as you add it into the placeables blueprints. You ask where is the place to tell the placeable where to show up. The answer is the toolset as each item blueprint has a reference which tells the toolset where it is to be displayed as far as I know.
TR
TR
Modifié par Tarot Redhand, 21 septembre 2013 - 07:56 .
#9
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 07:57
TheStoryteller01
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I am sorry, I probably posed my question in the wrong way putting all the emphasisis on creating custom palettes.
What seems to be much more complicated is this:
I have renamed and renumbered the nwncq-scifi placables and merged them with the placeable.d2a from the d20 hak. I can use them all with the wizard and then store the newly created placeables in existing custom palettes (or new ones, now I know how to make them). I can then make a module or an .erf file for me and everybody else to use (provided they use the D20 2.0/CEP and nwncq-scifi hak as I do while creating the erf/module).
But I would rather create a hak that allready lists all the placeables in (new) custom palettes. So there has to be a file somewehere, that I can edit to make the placeables appear in the palettes. But I can't seem to find it....
What seems to be much more complicated is this:
I have renamed and renumbered the nwncq-scifi placables and merged them with the placeable.d2a from the d20 hak. I can use them all with the wizard and then store the newly created placeables in existing custom palettes (or new ones, now I know how to make them). I can then make a module or an .erf file for me and everybody else to use (provided they use the D20 2.0/CEP and nwncq-scifi hak as I do while creating the erf/module).
But I would rather create a hak that allready lists all the placeables in (new) custom palettes. So there has to be a file somewehere, that I can edit to make the placeables appear in the palettes. But I can't seem to find it....
Modifié par TheStoryteller01, 21 septembre 2013 - 07:59 .
#10
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 08:21
henesua
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Anyone who imports the ERF will get the blueprints you filled the ERF up with.
However if these blueprints are in a custom category, and the end user does not have your palette definitions, They won't be able to see your work, as far as I know.
If you are delivering these in a HAK, you need to put the custom palette defintion and the blueprints in the HAK.
However if these blueprints are in a custom category, and the end user does not have your palette definitions, They won't be able to see your work, as far as I know.
If you are delivering these in a HAK, you need to put the custom palette defintion and the blueprints in the HAK.
#11
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 08:30
The Amethyst Dragon
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You make all your blueprints as part of a module in the toolset with your new/updated haks. Save often.
Once you have all your blueprints made, keep the module open in the toolset. Open your NWN/modules/temp0 folder. It contains all of the module resource files for the currently open module.
If you sort the list by file type, you can find all of the .utp files...these are the blueprints for placeables. Copy all of the files you want to another folder, then close your module.
Open your hak with the new palette file(s) in it, then put all those blueprint (.utp) files in the hak and save it.
Now, any module you add that hak to in the toolset will (after you do a "build") should have both the new palette(s) and the blueprints you made in your original module.
Just keep in mind that while you can open hak-stored blueprints in the toolset via the "edit" option when you right-click on them, the changes won't be saved to the versions in the hak...and the game will use the hak version rather than the updated version in the module itself.
Once you have all your blueprints made, keep the module open in the toolset. Open your NWN/modules/temp0 folder. It contains all of the module resource files for the currently open module.
If you sort the list by file type, you can find all of the .utp files...these are the blueprints for placeables. Copy all of the files you want to another folder, then close your module.
Open your hak with the new palette file(s) in it, then put all those blueprint (.utp) files in the hak and save it.
Now, any module you add that hak to in the toolset will (after you do a "build") should have both the new palette(s) and the blueprints you made in your original module.
Just keep in mind that while you can open hak-stored blueprints in the toolset via the "edit" option when you right-click on them, the changes won't be saved to the versions in the hak...and the game will use the hak version rather than the updated version in the module itself.
#12
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 08:35
TheStoryteller01
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henesua wrote...
However if these blueprints are in a custom category, and the end user does not have your palette definitions, They won't be able to see your work, as far as I know.
It workes for my .erf files in NWN2 but NWN is probably different.
However that was not my first choice anyway. I've been checking out the d20 haks with GFFeditor, NWhak and NWNexplorer for over ab hour now, I just can't find a file that connects the placeables with the corresponding palettes.
#13
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 08:41
henesua
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The file is the custom pallete, but you shouldn't worry about that. Do as both TAD and I have suggested.
#14
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 08:56
TheStoryteller01
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Excuse me if I sound like a complete noob but assuming I don't create any new palette categories and just want to add new placeables to existing (custom) categories, I still don't find any hints (neither in the posts nor the tutorials) how to make the new placeables appear in the palette without adding them inside the toolset.
#15
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 09:35
henesua
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If you import via ERF, the placeables will show up on the palette.
If you put the blueprints in a HAK, and then rebuild the module (including the palettes) they will show up in the palettes.
If you put the blueprints in a HAK, and then rebuild the module (including the palettes) they will show up in the palettes.
#16
Posté 21 septembre 2013 - 10:12
TheStoryteller01
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That means I have to make a new module in the toolset, add all the necessary haks, re-create every single of 150+ placables with the wizard, add them manually as a blueprint to the palette and add this module to my own hak?
#17
Posté 22 septembre 2013 - 12:17
The Amethyst Dragon
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If you have existing placeable blueprints in the palette for a module you're already working on, and you just want to change/move those to a new palette category...
Add you new palette via the hak method as described above. Build you module so that the new palette category get's recognized by the toolset. Then right-click > Edit each existing placeable blueprint to change the category to the new one (just click on the little "..." button next to the existing category). Tedious, but that's the way to do it.
You blueprints will remain a part of your module, rather than a hak. You need the hak for the new palette category, but not for the blueprints themselves.
If you don't yet have blueprints made for new placeable models, you do have to use the toolset to make them.
As far as I know, there just isn't a way to create new placeable blueprints outside of the toolset. You might be able to find software that can edit specific parts of an existing blueprint, but I've not heard of anything that can create new ones and add them to a module without them first being created in the toolset itself by someone.
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Once all of the new blueprints are created and added to your module in the category you want, and any of your existing ones you want modified to use the category you want, you can make it so that the blueprints can be taken from your existing module and added to another.
If you just want them to import the blueprints into their module and it you're NOT using a hak to add a new palette category:
Go to File > Export...
Pick Add Resources...
Change the Resources of Type: box to "Blueprints for Placeables"
Highlight every placeable blueprint you want others to be able to use.
Click Export
Click OK and pick a file name (16 characters or less, all lowercase recommended).
Include your new .erf file with your haks so that people can import the blueprints into their own modules.
If you want everyone using your haks to have to use the blueprints (if you are using a new palette category via hak, for instance), you might consider adding all of the blueprints to the same hak file:
With your module still open in the toolset, go to your NWN/modules/temp0 folder.
Sort the files by file type.
Find the files ending in .utp (these are your placeable blueprints)
Highlight and copy all of the desired blueprint files to another folder.
I would personally then remove all of said blueprints from my module since they'll be in a hak anyway, so...
- delete all of those files you just copied from temp0 (not your copies, the originals)
- in the toolset, go to the palette category with all of the blueprints
- - right-click on the palette category header and pick "Refresh Palette"
- - - when done, you should find that all those blueprints are gone. Save the module and close it and the toolset.
Open whatever hak file you will be including the blueprints in with NWHak.exe
Drag/drop all of those blueprint (.utp) files from the "copy" folder to the hak editor.
Save the hak and close it.
Start the toolset and open your module in it. If the hak that includes the blueprints is not already associated with your module, add it (Edit > Module Resources > Custom Content).
Save your module. Close it. Close the toolset.
Open the toolset. Open your module.
The blueprints should all be visible in the palette.
Blueprints in haks are really easy to use, and cut down on resources used for the module that would apply to the 16k module resource limit. However, if you ever want to change anything about one of those blueprints, you need to go through a process, otherwise the change won't "stick" (the game and toolset will use the hak version over the module's version).
The process:
1. edit the blueprint in the toolset
2. repeat the entire process you used for getting the blueprint into the hak in the first place, but instead of picking all of the .utp files in the NWN/modules/temp0 folder, you'll just copy the one you just modified (it should be the most recent file if you sort by date).
Add you new palette via the hak method as described above. Build you module so that the new palette category get's recognized by the toolset. Then right-click > Edit each existing placeable blueprint to change the category to the new one (just click on the little "..." button next to the existing category). Tedious, but that's the way to do it.
You blueprints will remain a part of your module, rather than a hak. You need the hak for the new palette category, but not for the blueprints themselves.
If you don't yet have blueprints made for new placeable models, you do have to use the toolset to make them.
As far as I know, there just isn't a way to create new placeable blueprints outside of the toolset. You might be able to find software that can edit specific parts of an existing blueprint, but I've not heard of anything that can create new ones and add them to a module without them first being created in the toolset itself by someone.
------------
Once all of the new blueprints are created and added to your module in the category you want, and any of your existing ones you want modified to use the category you want, you can make it so that the blueprints can be taken from your existing module and added to another.
If you just want them to import the blueprints into their module and it you're NOT using a hak to add a new palette category:
Go to File > Export...
Pick Add Resources...
Change the Resources of Type: box to "Blueprints for Placeables"
Highlight every placeable blueprint you want others to be able to use.
Click Export
Click OK and pick a file name (16 characters or less, all lowercase recommended).
Include your new .erf file with your haks so that people can import the blueprints into their own modules.
If you want everyone using your haks to have to use the blueprints (if you are using a new palette category via hak, for instance), you might consider adding all of the blueprints to the same hak file:
With your module still open in the toolset, go to your NWN/modules/temp0 folder.
Sort the files by file type.
Find the files ending in .utp (these are your placeable blueprints)
Highlight and copy all of the desired blueprint files to another folder.
I would personally then remove all of said blueprints from my module since they'll be in a hak anyway, so...
- delete all of those files you just copied from temp0 (not your copies, the originals)
- in the toolset, go to the palette category with all of the blueprints
- - right-click on the palette category header and pick "Refresh Palette"
- - - when done, you should find that all those blueprints are gone. Save the module and close it and the toolset.
Open whatever hak file you will be including the blueprints in with NWHak.exe
Drag/drop all of those blueprint (.utp) files from the "copy" folder to the hak editor.
Save the hak and close it.
Start the toolset and open your module in it. If the hak that includes the blueprints is not already associated with your module, add it (Edit > Module Resources > Custom Content).
Save your module. Close it. Close the toolset.
Open the toolset. Open your module.
The blueprints should all be visible in the palette.
Blueprints in haks are really easy to use, and cut down on resources used for the module that would apply to the 16k module resource limit. However, if you ever want to change anything about one of those blueprints, you need to go through a process, otherwise the change won't "stick" (the game and toolset will use the hak version over the module's version).
The process:
1. edit the blueprint in the toolset
2. repeat the entire process you used for getting the blueprint into the hak in the first place, but instead of picking all of the .utp files in the NWN/modules/temp0 folder, you'll just copy the one you just modified (it should be the most recent file if you sort by date).
Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 22 septembre 2013 - 12:41 .
#18
Posté 22 septembre 2013 - 01:18
FunkySwerve
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Actually, letoscript via Moneo CAN do this - I just don't have the code handy. You can take a place, copy it, rename the copy, alter the appearance and/or the palette id, and save. I'll see if I can work out how, since this is one of the things missing from my tutorial in the scripting forum.As far as I know, there just isn't a way to create new placeable blueprints outside of the toolset. You might be able to find software that can edit specific parts of an existing blueprint, but I've not heard of anything that can create new ones and add them to a module without them first being created in the toolset itself by someone.
Funky
#19
Posté 22 septembre 2013 - 12:59
TheStoryteller01
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Thanks for the extensive how-to @Amethyst Dragon, this will be very helpful!
Looks like I really have to create every single BP in the toolset for a useful hak (*sigh). Ok, I've done it a thousand times (no exagerration) for my NWN2 creatures but I don't have as much time as I had back then.
Lets see how far I get.....
Looks like I really have to create every single BP in the toolset for a useful hak (*sigh). Ok, I've done it a thousand times (no exagerration) for my NWN2 creatures but I don't have as much time as I had back then.
Lets see how far I get.....
Modifié par TheStoryteller01, 22 septembre 2013 - 01:00 .
#20
Posté 22 septembre 2013 - 03:24
FunkySwerve
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I spent about half an hour working to get it to copy files, but could only rename. I think acaos used perl to make new dummy utps when he created all the CEP 2.3 places. I don't do perl, but a C script would do just as well. From there, it's a simple moneo edit. Let me know if you're still interested.
Funky
Funky
#21
Posté 23 septembre 2013 - 01:29
henesua
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Funky, can that set up be used to make blueprints? I am thinking of generating a static for each
appearance in the 2da.
appearance in the 2da.
#22
Posté 23 septembre 2013 - 06:52
FunkySwerve
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Yup. I hacked away at it with leto for a bit, but was only able to inadvertently copy files - that is, by them failing an edit, which seems a silly way to approach things. If leto has a FileCopy function, I don't know its syntax, unfortunately - I lifted the rename my approach relies on from dragonsongs Chimera Street.
That said, I DO know how to code a simple C function to copy files (I think, anyway, copying a single file isn't so hard, and I'm no stranger to ), with an input for number, incrementing based on a base name. Once you have the files, letoscripting them to different appearances and palette ids is simple.
I'm in a time crunch this week, but I'll code it up when I have time - could really save a lot of time if someone needs a thousand new palette items.
Funky
That said, I DO know how to code a simple C function to copy files (I think, anyway, copying a single file isn't so hard, and I'm no stranger to ), with an input for number, incrementing based on a base name. Once you have the files, letoscripting them to different appearances and palette ids is simple.
I'm in a time crunch this week, but I'll code it up when I have time - could really save a lot of time if someone needs a thousand new palette items.
Funky
#23
Posté 23 septembre 2013 - 11:03
3RavensMore
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Since we're talking about this... Would someone like to tell me how to make additional <i>creature</i> palette categories? I've done items and placeables without much trouble from various threads, but the creatures palettes seem to not to work in exactly the same way. An example of a category including a subcategory would really be helpful.
#24
Posté 24 septembre 2013 - 07:38
henesua
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3RavensMore, all the palettes work in exactly the same way. The trick might be getting the ID right as the creature palette has quite a few, but otherwise there is no difference. To make a category that contains subcategories you need to make a LIST. I think the best way to figure this out is to look at how the animals are setup and copy the pattern. The hard part as I said above will be to figure out what IDs arre available.
Funky, that sounds promissing. What I had wanted to do was to read the name in the placeable.2da, and use that for the name of the blueprint, and to key some of the names to go to particular palette IDs.Rather than code it for me, I would appreciate an explanation of the tools and how they work together. Is this laid out in a thread on here?
Funky, that sounds promissing. What I had wanted to do was to read the name in the placeable.2da, and use that for the name of the blueprint, and to key some of the names to go to particular palette IDs.Rather than code it for me, I would appreciate an explanation of the tools and how they work together. Is this laid out in a thread on here?
#25
Posté 24 septembre 2013 - 02:24
3RavensMore
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Ah...okay. I'm using CEP so the palette IDs are a bit...murky.
