(im)possibility of a toolkit?

[fan]

The stretch goals have been announced, but the toolkit some users have been wishing for is absent.

 

I do not know about the legal ramifications of releasing a toolkit, nor the amount of work required, nor the dev team's attitude towards it - I'd greatly appreciate if a dev could give some general insight.

[Dino]

Really interested to know about this too, personally I'd rather have a toolkit over any one of the announced stretch goals.

[generic.hybridity]

Whilst it would be nice there are probably business reasons that they wouldn't mind keeping the toolset exclusive. That way they control content generation. Equally releasing and supporting a toolset actually equates to having to support two sets of software. Developer tools are often significantly more difficult to use and less portable than they would have to be if they received a public release. Basically they can focus their resources better.

 

Or at least I imagine this is the case. I would personally love a toolset release.

[Shadowless]

2.4 million and beyond! Coming soon!

 

I assume a toolset will be out there but as a later reward. Modding of the Infinity Engine games was pretty big and I am sure they will realize that and want to help their fans out but first and foremost they need to have enough to make the base game how they want it.

[Nakia]

I too hope for a modding toolkit. Modders can add a great deal to a game. It is important that the toolkit be bug-free and reasonably easy to learn how to use. If even experienced modders have problems with a toolkit what hope is there for the novice modder.

 

Obsidians's priority should be to have a good stable, bug-free, interesting game. So let us be patient and hope a toolkit comes out when the game is known to be in good shape. Conflicts between a toolkit and a game can drive a modder crazy.

[puiwaihin]

Add me on to the pro-toolkit group

[Gargantuan]

Onyx won't be used, and the backgrounds will be combination of 2D and 3D. As to how that would affect the chance of modkit even being viable, I wouldn't know, but it wouldn't certainly be as well documented as in the case with Skyrim. In the end, I personally think the game will be as moddable as previous BG games were.

[Oerwinde]

Well no multiplayer reduces the appeal of a modkit, and the pre-rendered backgrounds limits the usefulness of one. I don't see it happening.

[norfar]

yep modding toolkit would be nice i support this idea

[dreamking]

I'd love to see a toolkit. Business-wise, toolkits have significantly extended the sales life of many old-school RPGs, so there is clearly a lot of overlap in interest and customer base. Plus, I would argue that lack of multiplayer increases the appeal of a toolkit to both a business and players. Multiplayer allows the same content to be experienced anew multiple times; without it, a toolkit to allow players to experience new content becomes a key component to maintaining interest in a series in-between official installments.

Edited September 18, 2012 by dreamking

[Raedwulf]

+1 for a toolset.

[Oerwinde]

I'd like to know what kind of longevity people think a toolkit would add with needing to use their own 3d modelling program to build and texture new areas if they want to add new locations to the game. other games have had success with toolkitsbecaue of the ease of use in creating new content. this wouldn't be like neverwinter nights where you can just drag and drop props and terrain, it would most likely require simply adding quests and such to existing areas, similar to modding the IE games.

[Tlantl]

I'd like to know what kind of longevity people think a toolkit would add with needing to use their own 3d modelling program to build and texture new areas if they want to add new locations to the game. other games have had success with toolkitsbecaue of the ease of use in creating new content. this wouldn't be like neverwinter nights where you can just drag and drop props and terrain, it would most likely require simply adding quests and such to existing areas, similar to modding the IE games.

 

Which for a lot of modders and those of us who use mods is reason enough.

[Semper]

I'd like to know what kind of longevity people think a toolkit would add with needing to use their own 3d modelling program to build and texture new areas if they want to add new locations to the game. other games have had success with toolkitsbecaue of the ease of use in creating new content. this wouldn't be like neverwinter nights where you can just drag and drop props and terrain, it would most likely require simply adding quests and such to existing areas, similar to modding the IE games.

 

a 3d modelling app shouldn't be the problem because blender is F R E E. with 3d rendered backdrops you can use what you like because no exporter is needed. yes, it's more difficult to create a pre-rendered, nice looking background than switching and moving some assets around. but even with assets it's complicated to do something unique if you don't want to create custom ones. btw modding ie games ain't strictly limited to quests, dialogues and companions - there are also lots of good looking custom areas. if you have the passion to do a handful of tutorials it ain't that hard in the end.

 

if obsidian uses an inhouse engine free of middleware there should be nothing against a toolset.

Edited September 18, 2012 by Semper

[Raedwulf]

I'd like to know what kind of longevity people think a toolkit would add with needing to use their own 3d modelling program to build and texture new areas if they want to add new locations to the game.

 

We do not know the engine to be used yet. Maybe they use a 3d modelling dithered down to 2d backrounds (don't know, if this the right wording). Even if you're using a 2D background you may get tiles and placeables put onto it.

 

But, even if creating backgrounds is expensive and hard to reach, there will be still modding possibilities like new companions, new spells, new weapons and new quest within the given areas. Well, no new campaigns as with Neverwinter Nights 1 & 2... but look at Baldur's Gate II or Icewind Dale, both are still supported by mods.

 

And f you look at Skyrim workshop, while Skyrim was awarded as greatest rpg in 2011 (and no, I do not agree), most mods are about god like weapons, god like armours, new companions and (nearly) naked women, even if it's a 3D modelled world. But, hopefully, we'll get better mods for Project Eternity.

[sesobebo]

mr Feargus said in a couple of interview that one of the team's wishes is to continue making these games. i'd think that putting together a somewhat non-painful to use tools would be as much in obsidian's interest as ours.

[empiresco]

mr Feargus said in a couple of interview that one of the team's wishes is to continue making these games. i'd think that putting together a somewhat non-painful to use tools would be as much in obsidian's interest as ours.

 

this.