Gairnulf

Yeah, I found that too. If I didn't already have my hands full with writing the editor, I'd play around with making a music mod, and cutting the VO. A 0 length mp3, converted to an ogg and then "compressed" to a wem, should work in theory. Simply deleting wem files may cause errors in the error log or a game crash at start, I'm not sure which.

As I've written before, I am very sorry that audio is apparently last priority with this game. 1. We never got the long awaited Developer Update on Audio. 2. The ambient audio volume is still subordinated to the Effects slider, hence increasing its volume will increase all kinds of combat sounds as well, which are much louder and the player generally wants them to be less loud than the ambient sounds of the area he is currently in. 3. The sliders for selection/command sounds mysteriously disappeared from the options screen. These controls were already present in PoE, why on Earth have they been removed? 4. The soundtrack's quality varies greatly. I've heard some excellent ambient music, as well as some which was simply out of place stylistically. And that's from just 5 hours of playing. 5. A serious bug - on a 5.1 speaker system, all selection/command sounds are playing through the rear speakers only. As a result, something that should be heard loud and clear sounds sort of muffled. Plus, it's plain wrong for it to function like that. 6. Player voice sets sound somewhere between "uninspired" and "would have been better off without this". Have you heared the male "Sinister" voice set? Does this sound sinister to you? If for some reason the answer is yes, fire up your PoE and hear "Sinister" there. 7. Volume of different lines varies within the same voice set. I don't know how this could have gone unnoticed. 8. Why were none of PoE's voice sets reused in Deadfire, when some of the wilderness tracks (at least) have been reused? I would have just gone for the better sounding voice sets which PoE had. Now I can't do that. 9. The voice and music files used to be in ogg format, and much easier to mod and change. Now if someone wants to add PoE voices to Deadfire they have to seek out special software to handle the decompression to ogg and then back to "wem". I won't even comment on the full VO, I've already done that, and some of my expectations have already been confirmed. I'll just say again that quantity does not mean quality. In any case, I'm happy that random people's conversations on the street are not always voiced. While the game has been very cool so far, all these issues clearly disappoint.

I don't think it's possible to mod conversation trees. Is it?

As long as we can't place objects in the game's areas, and script conversations and quests, modding will be confined to rebalancing and cosmetic changes to art. Conversation nodes can easily be edited, but there isn't much point to doing this, even if we weren't "blessed" with full VO. However, even just modifying numbers can bring about very interesting rebalance mods. I have a lot of ideas about how to turn Deadfire into a great grognard experience, and other people will certainly have their ideas. BTW, I also made a small UI mod for PoE: https://www.nexusmods.com/pillarsofeternity/mods/8

OP spends countless hours developing a mod for the benefit of others and very put post after this guy announces : " I dont care" Great too see that we have cultured and socially adept members on this forum I've already made inquiries with Obsidian on assets being moddable, asked Josh and Brandon (Adler) if either 1. Game assets (2d art and icons are what mostly interests me) can be exposed for editing, same as gamedatabundle files are, or 2. The game can be programmed to accept assets from an "override/<etc...>/myicon.png" kind of structure. I haven't gotten an answer yet, but if you are interested, no one is stopping you from asking and pushing for this functionality to be made available. There may be legal and technical (performance) reasons for the assets not being directly available, but if I can put my image in the right override subdir and have the game load it in place of the vanilla image, that would be just as good.

I'm pretty sure that yes, though I haven't added a specific UI "Screen" in the editor that loads these values. It is something on the feature list though. I have posted a rough release date on the site, though it's in Eora's calendar, and the countdown is in Eoran days For easy conversion, consider Jan 1 2018 00:00:00 to be the first day of the Eoran year 00:00:00 and one earth hour to be equal to one Eoran hour. I have the basic workflow working - import a file, make changes, save them, export your modified object. What remains is UI and styling - I wouldn't want people to hate the app because it's UI is crude - and providing UI (forms) for editing more objects. For now, I only have UIs for editing Characters and Progressiontables gamedatabundle files. Once I consider the quality and functionality to be good enough for end-users (modders), I'll make a first release. I want to keep development confined to just myself though. Once it matures enough, I'll consider releasing the source code and/or supporting other people who want to fork and develop something else based on it. Ethics Gradient is correct. The actual game assets are packed in unity format, and I suppose encrypted, so that they can only be unpacked with the Unity toolset. As far as my understanding goes, Obsidian have done the best they could, exposing the string and numerical data which the game uses. The gamedatabundle files describe the structure of objects which the game reads when it's started. The format is json, which is really what makes building an editor comparatively easy. You only need an internet connection in order to open http://spiritualsuccessor.net/ That's all you should need an internet connection for though. Then you can load a modded or vanilla .gamedatabundle file which you've brought from elsewhere, or if you want to start off from vanilla values, you can skip loading a .gamedatabundle file and the editor will load vanilla .gamedatabundle data, which I have put there as a fallback. When you export modded objects into your mod's .gamedatabundle files, you have to put the modded files in an "override" subdirectory of Deadfire's directory, as far as I know. Exporting doesn't require internet either. Although I've been schooled in history and linguistics at university, my main employment for years, since I was a student, has been as a web developer... Since it's a personal project, I had maximum freedom of choosing technology, so I went for the most cutting edge stuff, every time when I had to make a choice The editor is written in Typescript, using some of the latest ES6 features, HTML5 FileReader API, which is still in working draft status, the latest Angular 5 framework, uses Angular's new "Reactive forms", and catches "beforeunload" events (i.e. warns you if you try to refresh your browser tab). The styles are written with the sass preprocessor using scss syntax. I haven't used libraries external to angular, except for rxjs for Observable support. The library is needed, because as far as I know, Observables won't have native Javascript support until ES7. Using Angular is what allowed me to write the core functionality fairly easy, and relieved me of the need to have any backend whatsoever. Hence nothing is executed on the server. The editor functions as a completely front-end app. I am not decided on this yet. On one hand I want to have exemplary code quality and a good amount of features working before I release the source. This is something achievable. On the other I wish to keep the project as my own and use it as portfolio and a showcase of skills. I started it mainly because I wanted to mod the game, so I've named it after my mod's planned name - "Spiritual Successor"

* * * Spiritual Successor is available at the link in my signature: https://spiritualsuccessor.net/ * * * TABLE OF CONTENTS OF SPIRITUAL SUCCESSOR POSTINGS: Spiritual Successor - RELEASED! Development Update #1 - Code Refactoring How-To #1 - Simple Edit & Export Development Update #2 - Using RxJS Subjects Follow Spiritual Successor on Twitter for announcements Original Post from 27th April 2018: For some time now, I've been working on a modding tool that reads Deadfire's .gamedatabundle files and allows for their easy editing, and exporting of changes. The editor's initial version is not far from being released, and I expect it will be out shortly (days, weeks) after Deadfire ships. The editor's basic workflow is: 1. Load a gamedatabundle file into the editor. If you don't load one yourself, the contents of the vanilla gamedatabundle file will be used for modding. 2. Select a category which you want to make changes to - for example progression tables. Make your changes to the progression table you chose and hit Save. A copy of the object you changed is recorded. 2.1 From a progression table you have access to a list of abilities for the object you chose to edit. Selecting an ability from the list will load the ability's object for editing, without need for you to switch screens or do anything manually. From the ability you may proceed to edit the attack associated with that ability, and from that, proceed to edit the status effects applied by that attack. All this is happening through the editor's UI. 3. Go to the tab for exporting changed data. It contains a list of objects which have been changed across all gamedatabundle objects. Review the json code and export it for inclusion in your modded .gamedatabundle file. The main advantage of the editor is that it fetches game data objects referenced from different gamedatabundle files. So when you are editing a weapon for example, you don't have to go through 3 files (items > attacks > status effects) in order to change the duration of some effect. This saves you time and effort because you don't have to switch between different files, and search manually with ctrl+f in each one. Secondly, the editor reduces the chance for technical errors and typos, by using input validation on the fields which you are allowed to change. The editor won't allow you to save a field with an invalid value which would break the game, and there is no chance of invalidating the whole gamedatabundle file because you accidentally deleted a comma somewhere. Thirdly, the editor filters out from view any system fields and/or objects, which are not suitable for modding, letting you concentrate on the stuff that's of interest to a modder. Stuff you can potentially mod, and which the editor will gradually begin supporting: rebalance abilities, add and remove abilities, rebalance item stats, damage, armor rating, defense bonuses, health points, injuries, skills, and more. The editor is web based, but there is no server-side logic or functionality which needs a webserver. Everything you do happens on your own machine, in your browser's memory. No data about your mod or usage of the editor is being recorded on the server. In fact once you open the editor, you can safely switch off your internet connection. Changes are being saved in the web browser's memory, which carries the drawback that on refresh of the browser tab, you will lose all changes which you haven't exported. Therefore you should not refresh or close the browser tab until you've exported your changes from the editor. I haven't been in contact with Obsidian about making the editor, and I haven't been given special support or documentation. I never told anyone in part because I wanted to work on this simply as a pet project. Of course, I will welcome any help and support, mainly with documentation, which would allow me to keep improving the editor and enriching its functionality. I hope such a tool will make modding more accessible, will liven up Deadfire's modding community, and will encourage Obsidian to increase moddability for Deadfire and for future games.

Is it going to be a sneaky peak, or a sneak peek?

Yes, though it wasn't the same but was alternating between two-three different lines. This makes it the same as in BG/BGII, so it was a bad example to give. Speaking to random NPCs on the street though is different in PoE than in the old games. I would agree with you except that this morning I was kicked in the head until I was dead nuyahahahahahaha. Of course that is all good, because we all know the only good surfacer is a dead surfacer, but I just wish someone could get me outta this hellhole. If you haven't noticed yet, a game doesn't need full VO to have repetitious annoying voices in it. It doesn't? Wow, this revelation totally blew my mind! You are my new edge-god, Karkarov! One important difference though - neither of these lines you quoted has any chance to trigger unless the player clicks on an NPC. Deadfire's inter-NPC dialogues, which as far as I understand are also voiced, happen as you pass by the NPCs. The repetitive stuff will be played unexpectedly, with little chance to be avoided.

Nobody said anything about undoing the voiced dialogue.An idea option would be a toggle to have as much as the first game was voiced to be voiced. I always felt that was an idea amount. Just enough for some flavor. I don't see why you're complaining about feedback either. Yeah it's probably too late for this game but there's always the next one. I am not posting my opinion with the aim to alter Obsidian's decision. I am posting it because 1) that's what a game's community forums are for, expressing opinions and discussing the game; 2) because I'm curious if I'll find people sharing my opinion; 3) to demonstrate to Deadfire team members reading the forum, that this opinion exists within the community, it is shared by a minority of people on the community, and a minority of the players; 4) when the game comes out, other players may share my opinion, based on their experience, and then I'll be able to say "I told you so!" BTW, I share Indira's attraction to games' characters' catchphrases. Actually I used to know large sections of Grim Fandango by heart back in my teens, and I remember certain phrases from BGII to this day ("...and I simply don't have the manpower to protect everyone!"). But the risk of fullVO becoming annoying is much higher in an isometric RPG. As with many other criticisms I've raised about Deadfire, I'll be glad to be proven wrong.

I see you are having difficulty, or pretending that you are, understanding a simple argument. I'll try to make it easy - Disliking full VO is not equal to disliking ALL VO. Got it? This means that turning off ALL VO is not a cure for the annoyance of having FULL VO. In the infinity engine games, with their more limited resources VO was handled in an inventive and I think ultimately better way for the player. Two examples: Most NPCs would have a set of voiced lines which were played at random when you initiated dialogue. Although they were not corresponding to the text of the dialogue, they gave you an idea about the NPC, which is ultimately the point in an isometric game where you don't have much animations and can't see the face of the character. Dialogues involving party members would pause the game and take place in the conversation UI, instead of hovering text. I don't know at what point and who in Obsidian got the idea that having hovering text and voiced conversations between party members play out while we are travelling through an area and my camera is on the other end of the map, is very good for my `immurshun` as opposed to having a conversation which pauses the gameplay... but they were wrong. Anyway, let's really skip comparing to the IE games, because the comparisons wouldn't be in your favor. Which you would have known for yourself, if you knew the IE games. Slow down, scooter. You are not the authority on what is changing and what isn't.

All dialogue in the game is voiced. I am in Neketaka, doing quests. After every cleared dungeon and finished quest, I go and offload the loot to the same few shopkeeps in the market district. Every time I want to sell loot, I will have to hear the same "Good business to you, mahuamana!" line, over and over again. Because the game is fully voiced. All dialogue in the game is voiced. I am walking around the city central square, or in front of the queen's palace. I hear the same beggar, the same cheese vendor, or whatever, spouting the same "Spare a coin!"/"Buy delicious clams!". As I am going to sleep, after having played up to 3AM, I will still hear these voices in my head. Because the game is fully voiced. All dialogue in the game is voiced. I am walking around any settlement in the game, doesn't matter which. Random people are going about their randomly triggering exchanges - "Do you think the weather is improving" - "No, but I heard rumours that the mayor has changed his underpants last week". These conversations are looping every other minute. I keep hearing them every time I pass by those random dudes. After a while, I start avoiding certain streets and NPCs in the area, because I'm sick of death of their repetitive conversations. A feature that was fun in the beginning is now tiresome to hear. Because the game is fully voiced. All dialogue in the game is voiced. Have you started ignoring these last two sentences yet? Why? Reread them again! It's so much fun! I am walking around town. The aforementioned NPCs dialogues kick in. I am hearing them for the Nth time. But suddenly, one of my companions starts his/her own conversation with another one of my companions! Wow, that's gonna be something fun, I want to hear it, shut up annoying NPC dudes! I try to run away into a side street, but oh no, I missed it! Because the game is fully voiced. 10/10

My wife: "Well, they tried to be original..." Me: "No, the opposite. They tried to be Original Sin! <evil laugh>"

I saw no changes to the sounds options interface in the last stream, and from Josh's answers I gather that no changes are planned until release... everything stays the same as it was in PoE. This is really sad, Obsidian, really sad. You had all the time you needed this time around, and which you were short of in 2014.

I do not know what it is you have been smoking, but I hope it is legal wherever you are. Cheers!

Nothing like means, for example, no personal initiative round. You take that out and there is no way combat will be anything like an IE game.

It's not a hyperbole. The combat plays nothing like the infinity engine games. Or you mean to say that having an isometric (in a different angle) perspective and 6 party members is enough to qualify it as "something like" the IE combat?

There is a mean between "nothing like" and plagiarizing something.

Athkatla. Very immersive. Yeah, in my recent playthrough of BG2 I was in awe how impressive Athkathla felt. And it was all audio work. Going a bit off-topic, but Athaktla was 7 districts (+ the Sewers), and all of them featured a few quest givers, many of them separate dungeons. No room for comparison with Defiance Bay, sadly. BTW, Josh is on record at least once saying Bioware went overboard and crammed Athkatla with too much content, though I doubt he would argue against the city's atmosphere. IMO, at least part of the megalopolis atmosphere is derived from the feeling of so much content that you get lost in it. But let's see how Neketaka plays out, I'm keeping fingers crossed.

PoE combat already played nothing like the IE games, although it was advertised as a successor to IWD and BG's with regards to combat. However it's endearing to watch the camp of PoE "old-skool" purists vs Deadfire "innovation" proponents.

Having the music turn on sporadically instead of loop all the time would also increase its longevity. If a piece is constantly looping, people will grow tired or even annoyed of it much sooner than if it only plays from time to time.

Oh, I've written at length about this, though I don't remember if I did so here. I didn't join Obsidian's forum until Deadfire campaign so I might have missed it. In short, I lamented the lack of enough ambient city audio both for the day and night, like it is done in BGII. Ambient audio does a lot of the work to create the illusion that the city is much more populous than the npcs seen on the streets. PoE's Defiance Bay does have ambient city audio but because the music is constantly looping, you have to turn down the music to hear it. Additionally, PoE, as well as the Deadfire beta, lack a separate "character sounds" slider. As a result in order to hear the ambient audio better you have to turn up the general "sound effects" slider, which makes footsteps sounds and combat sounds (and I think character selection/command responses) much too loud for comfort, and the ambient sounds are again drowned. I hope these things will be addressed in Deadfire, but from what I've seen of the beta, the situation remains the same as it was in PoE.

Oh, I've written at length about this, though I don't remember if I did so here.

A question for the developers, is music in Deadfire going to work like PoE, and like presently in the Deadfire Beta - a looping track while out of combat / a looping track while in combat, which are both specified per area? Based on what Justin Bell said, though it was long ago, I thought in Deadfire you would experiment with more interactive music, or like in the IE games, have the out-of-combat, atmospheric track only start from time to time, with ambient audio filling in between loops of the area track.

The simple answer - some people don't want to play a character class - based game, and the fact that they have to choose a class with evident sets of advantages and disadvantages messes up their decision-making proccess. They are looking for the feeling that they have it all (although in PoE they didn't have it all but that's how it felt).