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Fomenting Mutiny


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#251
The Amethyst Dragon

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Tarot Redhand wrote...

For a couple of years we haven't had to update our 2das in order to say that our cc offerings are CEP compatible:D.

A couple of years?  We're almost to 3 now. :mellow:  2.4 came out (and was the last update) March 12, 2011. 

Carcerian wrote...

I would think a lot of people would love to see the lower grade and buggy content fixed (lizard TGA flips), pulled/padded or better yet replaced with modern content... Examples = all of Hardpoints crashing dragons, a lot of the visually buggy NWN2 Walls, the infamous Stone Altar, Dolphin fountain, many animals with bad animations, and the like. IF the content is broken, pull it, it frees space.

Buggy content we can fix (probably), if we know exactly what needs to be fixed (specific model names) and what exactly is broken (so we know what to look for).  Lower grade content, I see no problem upgrading, so long as it doesn't change the size, and doesn't really change the general look of a model (coloration, major features) so that a change doesn't mess up descriptions builders may have already written or areas already laid out.  Animations, again, would benefit from having a list of specific models to be addressed.  Content will not be removed, that's what would break things in existing modules that already use the CEP, making a lot more work for builders if they want anyone to continue playing their modules/PWs.

There's no guarantee that something in the CEP will get fixed or updated.  We're all just volunteers spending free time on working on the production side of an almost 12 year old game that is no longer officially supported by the company that made it (or the company that now owns that company).  But if we have a list of exactly what needs to be fixed, it'll make it more likely that those things get our attention.

To keep from breaking old modules placeholder content could be used for those upgrading to newer cep, such as badgers or penguins.  for bad plcs use the spinning CEP logo, a vfx, or an invisible object...

That, to me, would definitely be considered breaking things in a module.

With the advent of tail based scaling in 1.69, all the size ranges of monsters, esp dragons, are basicly an obeselete file hog as well...

Quite the contrary.  I use various sizes of critters often, especially if they wield visible weapons (to make sure animations all line up correctly).  And Hardpoints' dragons actually have different appearances (not just size) based on their age categories.  Those little wyrmlings are cute compared to their fearsome parents and grandparents.

Personally, I'd love to see a new CEP 2.6 fully backwards compatible, and a later perhaps a new CEP 3.0 designed from the ground up, remaking the old content, in the spirit of CEP, but a "reboot" based off of modern content first, keeping the best of both worlds.

CEP 2.60 will be fully backwards compatible (at least back to 2.1).  The second part of this sounds like a completely separate project from the current CEP.  It bit when the old, old CEP team switched things up on everyone and changed the structure and content when moving from version 1.5x to 2, with many builders not changing to the newer version and many modules that used the older version being basically abandoned (rather than do all the work to update).  I think the same thing would happen  by removing content or replacing it with something completely different for a version 3.

While I wouldn't be like the previous CEP lead and state flat out that there will never (again) be a version of the CEP that abandons previously build modules/PWs, I can say that such a version would not get any support or new content from me.  I like to be able to use what I work on.  I've invested so much time over the last 8+ years building my PW module that I would not spend the multiple solid weeks/months that would be needed to comb through every area, every previously placed object (and their potential contents for stores/containers/creatures), and every blueprint to check and fix every creature, placeable, and item that could potentially be altered by a major change to existing haks.

As a note, you can add **** before "[Todo] name" and the content will no longer show up in the toolset or client, but will still be there in the 2das to find and fix or weed out later... (and will crash proof both toolest and gameplay, as bugged content will no longer be loaded)

The [TODO] ones are on my list for removal, since there's nothing there for those lines to reference anyway.  I'll also be removing the [CEP23] and [CEP24] prefixes from other listings.  And yes, you can edit copies of 2da files to remove appearances you don't like from the toolset (I think I mentioned doing this myself a few days ago)...it's just not something that will happen to the versions in the CEP, because that would end up messing things up for builders that use that content.  The CEP actually includes a hak already (cep2_custom.hak) that would be the perfect place to hold such altered 2da files on the server/builder side so that players wouldn't have to download another hak to play.


My personal goal when I made the decision to revive the CEP was not to replace it with something else, but to update something that already works for many builders (and is already used in many, many existing modules) but could use some additions/improvements...all the while staying as painless as possible for builders (such as myself) that want new things without breaking old things in the process.  I want any player that has the latest CEP to be able to login and play on my server (well, after they also download Project Q and my PW-specific haks).  For builders that use their own haks on top of the CEP, there'll be a list with every update of exactly which 2da lines get added/altered (to make updating their own 2da files much easier).




Holy crap, that sounded serious.  Folks, I'm in this whole thing for fun.  Just remember that I'm also the guy that brought you the old-school pixel sword, an evil snowman, and put wings on a pig.

It's just an obsession a game.  I have to remind myself it's just an obsession a game. :P

Modifié par The Amethyst Dragon, 30 janvier 2014 - 04:35 .


#252
Pstemarie

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Flying pig??? Where???

#253
The Amethyst Dragon

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Pstemarie wrote...

Flying pig??? Where???

It's not flying yet.  I just added wings to it because it's funny and I needed something new to experiement with uploading to the new Vault when it first went online.

If someone wants to make it actually fly, I say go for it. :)  Maybe one of our people around here that are newer to model making will want to modify it (supermodel it to the pseudodragon or something for animations?).

#254
Pstemarie

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Darn it! No piggy wings to go with my buffalo wings.

#255
The Amethyst Dragon

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Pstemarie wrote...

Darn it! No piggy wings to go with my buffalo wings.

There is a pig with wings.  Well, a pig with a wing node (and a 2da edit so you can add them), so you can pick whatever wings you want.

#256
Lazarus Magni

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I apologize as I have not read through this entire thread yet, but I just wanted to say I personally would love to see more Monsters, skyboxes, placeables, and tilesets added specifically. Of the CEP content we already use, this was the bulk of what we utilized. I just wanted to add my perspective on what I personally, as a builder, would love to see more content of.

#257
The Amethyst Dragon

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Lazarus Magni wrote...

I apologize as I have not read through this entire thread yet, but I just wanted to say I personally would love to see more Monsters, skyboxes, placeables, and tilesets added specifically. Of the CEP content we already use, this was the bulk of what we utilized. I just wanted to add my perspective on what I personally, as a builder, would love to see more content of.

Feel free to post specific suggestions for content (with URLs for old/new Vault download locations) on the new CEP wiki, on the CEP forum, or right here.

#258
Lazarus Magni

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I think I just did... If you aren't planning on adding new monsters (utc), skyboxes, placeables (utp), tilesets... what exactly are you planning on adding?

#259
Lazarus Magni

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P.S. again I am sorry for coming to the conversation late, but RL always #1.

P.P.S. Oh Nose! Laz is still here...

#260
Tiberius_Morguhn

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Lazarus Magni wrote...

I think I just did... If you aren't planning on adding new monsters (utc), skyboxes, placeables (utp), tilesets... what exactly are you planning on adding?


I believe the intent to specifically post what you want to see added  ... not generalities.

#261
Lazarus Magni

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Lazarus Magni wrote...

I personally would love to see more Monsters, skyboxes, placeables, and tilesets added specifically..



#262
The Amethyst Dragon

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Lazarus Magni wrote...

I personally would love to see more Monsters, skyboxes, placeables, and tilesets added specifically.

Yes, but are there specific ones from the new or old Vault you would like to suggest?

So that when the time comes, we can ask the creators for permission to include their work.  Got to get suggestions and direct links to the entries for those suggestions, since I don't have time to sift through the last 3 or so years worth of content that's been released since the last CEP 2.4 update.

#263
Proleric

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The Amethyst Dragon wrote...

Lazarus Magni wrote...

I apologize as I have not read through this entire thread yet, but I just wanted to say I personally would love to see more Monsters, skyboxes, placeables, and tilesets added specifically. Of the CEP content we already use, this was the bulk of what we utilized. I just wanted to add my perspective on what I personally, as a builder, would love to see more content of.

Feel free to post specific suggestions for content (with URLs for old/new Vault download locations) on the new CEP wiki, on the CEP forum, or right here.

Maybe it would be better to encourage folk to use just one list of suggestions for new content?

Or do we have a volunteer to consolidate the suggestions in one place?

#264
Zarathustra217

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Unless there's objections, I'm still hoping to do general fixes to the existing CEP by using CM3, but it'll take a bit more time than I had hoped due to various issues that arise. I will probably try to approach it per hak for now.

I've also made proposal for new pages on the wiki for content overhaul (still pending approval by TAD).

Finally, I'm also hoping to spread the word among the PW communities that people should take part in the process of reviving the CEP and making it better - but I want to be absolutely sure that the idea here is to revive the CEP as a community driven and more democratic process instead of an effort made by a person or a small team. Am I right in this understanding? Or would this be giving people the wrong impression?

#265
Proleric

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Zarathustra217 wrote...

... I want to be absolutely sure that the idea here is to revive the CEP as a community driven and more democratic process instead of an effort made by a person or a small team. Am I right in this understanding? Or would this be giving people the wrong impression?

That's my understanding... what do other people think?

#266
Proleric

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Proleric1 wrote...

The Amethyst Dragon wrote...

Proleric1: If you want to contribute a version of the old CEP horses that works with the new system, I think that would work out great, and would keep those horses from being completely outdated.

Will do.

Correction : having looked at the other CEP horses, I don't think this is worth doing, after all. The pony I'm using in my module is more handsome than the rest. I've bodged it up to my satisfaction, and will share if anyone needs it, but not as a CEP update.

#267
Tarot Redhand

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One thing I just realised has not coome up in this discussion yet. Could I request that when new things are added that the locations within the 2das are (at least initially) restricted to where currently there are entries that say reserved for CEP otherwise there is the potential to break existing CEP compatibility with existing content. I am saying this as someone with a vested interest as I have tried to make all the stuff that I have published (with one exception) CEP compatible and there is the potential here for the 2da locations that I have used to be overwritten if this is not done.

TR

Modifié par Tarot Redhand, 31 janvier 2014 - 11:51 .


#268
The Amethyst Dragon

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Proleric1 wrote...

Maybe it would be better to encourage folk to use just one list of suggestions for new content?

Or do we have a volunteer to consolidate the suggestions in one place?

Sure.  How about we just say on the CEP forum?  Making a post there is slightly easier than editing a wiki page.

Zarathustra217 wrote...

I've also made proposal for new pages on the wiki for content overhaul (still pending approval by TAD).

...I want to be absolutely sure that the idea here is to revive the CEP as a community driven and more democratic process instead of an effort made by a person or a small team. Am I right in this understanding? Or would this be giving people the wrong impression?

Overhaul pages look good.

Yes, the idea is to have the NWN community more involved in reviving the CEP, rather than just being controlled by a single person or small team.  That said, I am already doing work on it, so we won't have a year of debating this in a committee before an update gets started. :)

Tarot Redhand wrote...

...Could I request that when new things are added that the locations within the 2das are (at least initially) restricted to where currently there are entries that say reserved for CEP otherwise there is the potential to break existing CEP compatibility with existing content.

Of course. :)  I actually just posted a new page on the wiki with the CEP reserved ranges (and BioWare/User reserved ranges already in the CEP 2das).

I'll be posting the information on the other 2da files later, once I have more time to look at them.  I just had time this morning to document those two files and changes planned/ready for them.

#269
OldTimeRadio

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Zarathustra217 wrote... (13 hours ago)
Unless there's objections, I'm still hoping to do general fixes to the existing CEP by using CM3, but it'll take a bit more time than I had hoped due to various issues that arise. I will probably try to approach it per hak for now.

Even from reading back three days in this thread, it is a little unclear to me what exact changes you're proposing making en masse with CM3. 

I just wanted to go on record as generally objecting very strongly to any decompilation and mass-manipulation of existing CEP content without some really clear reason what, exactly, is going to be achieved by it and what assurances would be provided that errors or needless degradation isn't going to occur as a result of it.

Let me make my point a slightly different way.  I just used NWHak and extracted all the MDLs from CTP Babylon into the "In" folder of CleanModels 3.51 and ran it with what I think are the most minimum settings.  These are the settings I use, just to be clear. 

With those settings, which should touch the models in the least possible way, CM3 made 215,000 "fixes".  This is even with it skipping all the binary models.

Now, I ask you, did I just single-handedly revolutionalize CTP Babylon by doing this?

If I didn't, what did I do?

#270
MerricksDad

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I just snorted coffee

#271
Pstemarie

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OldTimeRadio wrote...

Now, I ask you, did I just single-handedly revolutionalize CTP Babylon by doing this?

If I didn't, what did I do?


Ummm...you just redid (or undid) some (if not all) of the work that OMB - the creator of Clean Models - did when he ran ALL of CTP Babylon through CM3 years ago prior to its final release. 

This behavior is exactly what I - and others - was describing in earlier posts and is why ANYONE using CM3 should read the CTP forums on Harvest Moon or contact OMB - or Bannor - directly.

OTR, we can't stop people from throwing caution to the wind, ignoring the advice of MANY others, but I certainly hope, for the sake of people that use CEP, TAD won't just throw in "fixes" willy-nilly without verifying their veracity. 

Modifié par Pstemarie, 01 février 2014 - 02:34 .


#272
Lord Sullivan

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There is no such thing as "215 000" errors or fixes to be made to a model. At the most a tipical single tile model
can have anywhere between "16" to "70" errors at the most if modeled carelessly including the modeling errors
by the modeling program because it can't read your mind.

I never used CM3 as I take the time to make sure my work is proper when done.

Modifié par Lord Sullivan, 01 février 2014 - 03:12 .


#273
OldTimeRadio

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Yeah, that's more or less what I think is going on, Pstmarie.  It's an easy trap to fall into, though, and I certainly fell into holes like that with a lot of tools and processes at one point or another.  I think the main thing is, when there is disagreement on a technical point, the best we can do is to provide some kind of empirical data to at least show why we believe what we do.  I think in cases where empirical data and reproducable tests are part of any dialog or, perhaps, disagreement, things are bound to head in a positive direction and work out just fine.

:)

In regards to using CM3, I don't use it very much either- but that's not because of any deficiency on its part.  Like Lord Sullivan, I try to avoid CleanModels by what I think of as embracing the "best practices" that the tool embodies.  I'm not going to lie, though: I once had a problem so vexing I did a Hail Mary pass and CM3 caught it and got the ball all the way into the endzone for me.  Since I usually tend to take the inability to solve a problem personally, CM3 kinda hurt my feelings that day.  But in a good way, lol.  Anyway, speaking of "best practices", the 20-page PDF that accompanies the program is worth downloading whether or not they actually use it.

There's a lot of wisdom in there.

#274
Carcerian

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So Clean Models is NOT a virus scan?

Admittedly I was also planning to run every possible mdl thru it on a project too, for the sake of optimization, I'm glad i read this post :)

If it ain't broke, don't fix it?

Modifié par Carcerian, 01 février 2014 - 05:52 .


#275
OldTimeRadio

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This whole discussion is pretty specific to the existing models in CEP.  The only reason I brought CTP Babylon into it was because I was certain the models in it had received a level of technical attention that was as good or better than any model CEP had in it.

This is simply not the case with most models out there, though.  So the same conclusions aren't going to apply. 

Modifié par OldTimeRadio, 01 février 2014 - 06:24 .