POSSIBLE SPOILERS Modding thread: A simple mod and Console commands

[Cluas]

Yes, thanks 

[Quantics]

Bester and Sensuki: how easy/difficult will it be to mod a Mac OSX/Linux game? 

 

OR: will a mod that has been written on the PC version be transposable to other OSs easily?

Edited December 10, 2014 by Quantics

[Bester]

I'd have to take a look at the .dll for those oses. I'm not interested, though.

[Dark_Ansem]

A bit more information on the file types, for those interested,

 

Type 128 (fonts) is TTF, which makes me a very happy bunny, in case we want to put in custom fonts. However, when exporting them, they do not work at all. I am betting Unity alters them somewhat.

 

File Type 93 covers all in-game audio effects and BGM, dialogue is still beyond my grasp (possibly in the big resource.assets file that I could not open): all audio is OGG Vorbis 2.0, of variable quality (not constant): bgm is at 44.1 (at least, there is only one track in the files I could open) while SFXs are mostly 48 for abilities and container + ambient (emitter, door) sounds, 44.1 for ambient souns (those that are looped, like chatter or general backgroud), some emitters. Creature sounds are mixed, no known criteria atm.

 

Some effects are very quiet tho, they could use a bit more volume.

[AndreaColombo]

Very interesting info on sound!

[Dark_Ansem]

Very interesting info on sound!

 

I managed to check the main file, but no other music is there. It seems obsidian has killed it in this release. let's hope for the next, I want to check at least a couple things.

 

I found the VO, but couldn't extract it. it's behind a "Unity3d" extension, different from the "assets". Unity Obfuscator is too old to work. I hope a decompiler is released, or in any case a tool that enables view\extraction\editing.

[gnoemli]

Bester, your the Man

Thanks

 

@dev's pleeease insert an option to set our own zoom range

[Dark_Ansem]

More info: textures.

 

There are no really big textures, icons are in fact very small. however, there are different types accordingly to WHAT the texture is used for. I am still figuring out the criteria for which is which...

I noticed however that the Normal Maps are NOT the RGB format map used, as an example, Dragon Age. a converter will be probably needed, as Photoshop does not keep all changes if switching between channels. Maybe ShaderMap could help, if it worked, Crazybump does not.

 

EDIT: linky! for those that feel experimenting.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Dark_Ansem

[Falkon Swiftblade]

if you guys figure out what files they're using for spell fx let me know. I know how to create that sorta stuff a bit in after fx, photoshop, 3ds max, and a lil bit in the shuriken particle engine in unity, but I've never attempted to put it in a game engine and I have a couple weeks off next week and I might try modding something for fun.

[Sensuki]

You could always PM one of the devs to ask. They always reply when I ask something.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Sensuki

[Dark_Ansem]

You could always PM one of the devs to ask. They always reply when I ask something.

 

hehe, not everyone is you tho

I have looked at those and at the meshes. I believe the meshes are a standard format, while the fx effects are Unity-created.

Both, however, are processed by Unity and coughed up as extensionless files..

[Sensuki]

I am not special, they reply to pretty much anyone. Lots of people I know have sent a PM and got a reply within a couple of days.

[Dark_Ansem]

I am not special, they reply to pretty much anyone. Lots of people I know have sent a PM and got a reply within a couple of days.

 

-1 here ah, no matter. And you're pretty special, you are a honorary developer

[Lephys]

I vote for Sensuki to become the Obsidian Entertainment mascot. Who's with me?!

[Dark_Ansem]

I vote for Sensuki to become the Obsidian Entertainment mascot. Who's with me?!

 

I'd say more to become Obsidian Entertainment's plaything. much more fun!

[ctn2003]

ITs godzillAA RAAAARRRR lol i with their was a set scale in the game id make him bigger!

[Dark_Ansem]

ITs godzillAA RAAAARRRR lol i with their was a set scale in the game id make him bigger!

 

I'm more concerned with seeing it on the floor. shouldn't it be able to fly?

[Hormalakh]

Can maps be created in the mods? Anyone know how far we can get with this? I'm thinking even if rudimentary maps can be placed in the game, we're looking at something spectacular...

 

The question would only remain then, Bester, who will create the Baldur's Gat, IWD, PS:T games in the PoE engine utilizing the mapfiles from those games.

[Falkon Swiftblade]

Can maps be created in the mods? Anyone know how far we can get with this? I'm thinking even if rudimentary maps can be placed in the game, we're looking at something spectacular...

 

The question would only remain then, Bester, who will create the Baldur's Gat, IWD, PS:T games in the PoE engine utilizing the mapfiles from those games.

 

I heard Josh mention specifically that maps would probably not be moddable due to their current methodology and pipeline. 

 

[Bester]

if you guys figure out what files they're using for spell fx let me know. I know how to create that sorta stuff a bit in after fx, photoshop, 3ds max, and a lil bit in the shuriken particle engine in unity, but I've never attempted to put it in a game engine and I have a couple weeks off next week and I might try modding something for fun.

The link to the tool to edit spells is this thread's first post (first line of the post). It should allow you to assign your own particles to spells.

 

Can maps be created in the mods?

 

As far as I can tell, anything can be done, it's only a matter of how much time it's gonna cost you.

At this point, it's not possible to extract and modify scenes yet (disunity doesn't support it yet, or actually it does, but there's a bug that wouldn't let it work with poe scenes). You can change anything programmatically though, so your hands aren't tied.

[Dark_Ansem]

About maps: AFAIK maps, on the purely graphical compartment, use a Depth of Field, Normal Map and Albedo (Diffuse?) texture: in theory, adding an area as-is should be possible. BUT, in order to make the passes and the effects that were shown in trailers and dev videos (pretty lights, windows lighting up, possibly shadows etc) more advanced tools would be needed, at least to create new ones. copying them from other maps might be possible anyway, but they'd have to be manually adjusted.

[Dark_Ansem]

Another couple findings (for me, at least, I'm pretty sure Bester and Sensuki already know): apparently the game uses at least one huge String file, much like the IE games and NWN. BUT, on the other side, I could not understand if it also uses various, deparate "dlg" files to handle conversations. And if those DLG files possess an autonomous storage of strings (which would be more convenient, also from a modding PoV, than editing a master file). possibly, a tool like TSL Patcher could be required in case of a single master file

 

I am also investigating the textures further. Absolutely no idea on the meshes format, instead.

[Falkon Swiftblade]

also an issue for modded maps is creating pathing for the new maps probably won't be possible since that's done separately after they're created and monsters have to be placed and scripted, etc. and requires a bunch of coding.

[Dark_Ansem]

also an issue for modded maps is creating pathing for the new maps probably won't be possible since that's done separately after they're created and monsters have to be placed and scripted, etc. and requires a bunch of coding.

 

I had forgotten about that. But perhaps a workaround could be possible...

[Dark_Ansem]

You could always PM one of the devs to ask. They always reply when I ask something.

most definitely -1 here Heck, you don't answer me LOL