Creation tools

[Alegrado]

Greetings to all from Argentina: D. I searched the forum and could not find another post to this topic. I wonder if they plan to add the tools to create game worlds like dear old NWN. The game promises a lot and I have been better spent my 100 bucks! A greeting! 

 

PS: Sorry if this question already been made.

[JFSOCC]

As far as I know, no specific modding tools are being developed, much to my disappointment. That said, it might still be mod-friendly.

[PrimeJunta]

They did say in an interview that they want to make it as mod-friendly as they can, without screwing up higher priorities.

 

It's certainly going to be much harder to mod than NWN though. NWN was tileset-based and 3D, so you could create a map just by laying tiles and placing objects. PoE will require a 3D terrain model and multiple rendering passes for the various maps used to create the 2D background, and I don't even know how they make those cool animated trees.

 

That said, it is Unity-based and there are 3D modeling and rendering tools around, so I've no doubt skilled and determined modders will be able to make maps. Just not right away, and not all that quickly.

Edited January 15, 2014 by PrimeJunta

[Varana]

Though maps aren't the only use for modding tools - by far. BG (esp. BG2) has a large and active modding community, but new maps are somewhat rare. It's much more about quests, companions, and dialogue. That has a much larger pool of people able to do it, than 3D modeling.

More important is a good documentation and accessibility of game files. When their structure and use is clear, editors will be written. And it'd be good if game data could be changed or overridden in a precise manner - i.e. you can change the value of an item or a specific dialogue response, without having to override the whole item data or dialogue tree. That's for compatibility - one mod does X to the item, another does Y, and I'd like to have them both. Or one mod adds a skill check to a dialogue response, another one uses the same response to add a companion line there, and such things.

Having dedicated creation tools would be very nice, but you can lessen the need for them by structuring your game files and data in a mod friendly manner, and telling people what they do.