I am working on my first mod and learning the toolset through trail and error. So far, I'm enjoying myself though the toolset is a system hog. No crashes yet but the whole thing freezes and I have to get up and make myself a cup of tea while my system gets back on track.
Morgoth:
" Oh well, since I'm sitting here in a toolset thread: Could you hardcore NWN-modders tell uncle Morgoth what a 2DA and a Hakpak is?"
I'm rather un-hardcore but I'll take a crack at that question. The 2DA files contain what you might consider the 'game rules.' The module I'm working on is designed to be an adventure game in a setting I've developed. It would be inappropriate for the player's character to be a demihuman in this setting so by going to a 2da file called 'racialtypes' I was able to make humans the only selectable race in the character creation screen. Likewise, I've edited a 2da file called 'classes' and made fighters, paladins, bards, rangers, and rogues the only classes available for players.
If I wanted to do so, I could also alter the properties of these classes. I could remove spellcasting from bards, give fighters the barbarian's feats, change skillpoint allocation, or even create my own classes.
So, if a 2da file changes elements of the game, a Hakpack adds new ones. Say I've decided that the hero's penultimate battle with the big-baddy can only be done justice if Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries" is blasting from the player's speakers. I can stick a BMU of that song into a hakpack, the player can download it, and when the final battle between good and evil happens, that resourse will now be available for their game.
At least, that's what I think. If anyone wants to add/correct please do so.