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NPC Modding Tutorial

AlkaluropsAlkalurops Member Posts: 269
Hello,

I've written a tutorial for NPC modding because I personally find there's a lack of real noob-friendly tutorials. I'm still figuring out how to mod this game myself, and this is an attempt at compiling all the bits and pieces I've found into a single guide.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZNVRttHGVV8GOQ-CYWyTMHh-3MErQ1T_KusJkCtYtk0/edit?pli=1#

I'm aware not everything I've written is completely true, but I often find tutorials with half-lies better than tutorials that make my mind explode with information overflow, or tutorials that simply don't explain certain things at all.

If you're an experienced modder or you're looking for a tutorial yourself, please let me know how I can improve this.

Comments

  • LiamEslerLiamEsler Member Posts: 1,859
    Quick note -- you should really only ever have one DO ~~ statement, just include all of the actions there. :)

    Nice work!
  • AlkaluropsAlkalurops Member Posts: 269
    Yeah, but I think it looks better if every action is listed separately. I also think it reads better: DO this, then DO that. As long as WeiDU doesn't complain, I think I'll stick with this.
  • kulyokkulyok Member Posts: 33
    I'm very impressed - I think that it's thorough, helpful and very well-written.

    I think it would be very much welcomed, should you ever desire to repost it in modding communities like forums.gibberlings3.net, forums.pocketplane.net and shsforums.net

    This way more people will take advantage of your work (in a good way), especially since many beginning modders go there for clues. Also, forum threads can be easier to read than Google Docs(well, for me).

    I have to warn you, though: IF ~~ THEN REPLY is widely considered as outdated, heavy and hard-to-read dialogue code. Many people use ++ for shorthand now(you've probably read dialogue tutorials available at modding communities above).

    If you like, take a look at my Branwen NPC here: http://www.pocketplane.net/oneday for examples of shorthand .d code. Or here: http://forums.gibberlings3.net/index.php?showtopic=13675

    Best of luck with your mods!
  • kulyokkulyok Member Posts: 33
    By the way, I'm with Kaeloree on DO ~~ thing. If it works for you in your mod and doesn't make the processing any slower, that's great, but advising ALL would-be modders to do a thing that NO modders ever do - I'm not sure whether it's a service or a disservice.
  • AlkaluropsAlkalurops Member Posts: 269
    Thanks for the suggestions. I'll be removing the redundant DO's when I get the time.
    I don't think I'll use the ++ shorthand. This tutorial is aimed at absolute beginners, and I'm convinced that while ++ may be easier to write, IF/THEN/REPLY is easier to read if you have no experience.
    I'll add a section outlining the alternative though.
  • QuartzQuartz Member Posts: 3,853
    oooh thank you sir
  • CrevsDaakCrevsDaak Member Posts: 7,155
    Eleandor?
    Nice thing, now I know how to make DIALOGS!!! Heheh!!
  • SCARY_WIZARDSCARY_WIZARD Member Posts: 1,438
    edited May 2014
    This was a very good tutorial! Thank you very much for this, Alkalurops! :D! As a novice to modding, myself, I highly recommend this.
  • elminsterelminster Member, Developer Posts: 16,317
    edited June 2014
    Excellent tutorial.

    I was just wondering. For Joint Party dialogue it says see Appendix II. Only when I go to appendix ii there doesn't seem to be anything there. Is that an error on my end?
  • metamakermetamaker Member Posts: 1
    Nice work! Thank you!
  • GreenerGreener Member Posts: 430
    Thank you, your guide allowed me to identify and correct some significant functional problems!
  • RaduzielRaduziel Member Posts: 4,714
    edited August 2015
    I didn't understood the "spawn npc" step. Can you explain like I was a 5 yo?

    I mean, Notepad does not give me an option to Save As .baf, is there any work around that I'm not aware of?

    Nevermind, just changed the file extension using Windows.
    Post edited by Raduziel on
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    Hey, @Alkalurops, I love this guide. It's so great for dummies like me.
  • acidchalkacidchalk Member Posts: 70
    Great tutorial, i'm just about ready to test my first npc and i downloaded the latest weidu but when rename it from zip to exe and try to run it, it just gives an error saying wrong version of windows? I'm wondering if i got the correct zip file even.
  • acidchalkacidchalk Member Posts: 70
    NM i got it figured out and the npc is now working =p, time to get deeper into this!
  • mashedtatersmashedtaters Member Posts: 2,266
    Just wanted to add my thanks to the creator of this tutorial.
  • YatterwaYatterwa Member Posts: 3
    Nice job! Thanks so much! This tutorial can be applied in BG1EE?
  • RavenslightRavenslight Member Posts: 1,609
    I found this tutorial very useful when first attempting to mod BG1EE @Yatterwa
    It kind of helps you to begin to understand the basics.

    Kulyok’s Branwen NPC mod is also most excellent. It is rather like a tutorial inside of a NPC mod.

    Good luck! :)
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