Skip to content

Technical definition of an IE "Mod"

drakirdrakir Member Posts: 61
edited April 2016 in BG:EE Mods
Hello
Lately I've been trying to learn more about the workings of the Infinite Engine.
(I realize I'm a decade or two late to the party, but better late than never, right?)
I am wondering what a mod is. Obviously, I know it's a modification of the game to a greater or lesser extent, but technically speaking, what is it, or what can it be?
The answer is probably one or multiple files, but I want to know which ones it can be.
(I suppose if they don't check diff against the original they might override each other by mistake?)
I have a feeling I have seen executable files(installers?) too, what do these actually do, behind the scenes?
Also, has there ever been any attempt to create a standardized mod format or a centralized location for them?

Comments

  • kotekokoteko Member Posts: 179
    I'm no expert, so I'll be brief to avoid saying stupid things :) and also because the best way to understand is playing around with it (search for tutorials on NPC modding, for example, they are usually simple and thorough).

    The BG content is mostly spread across several different, unique files. For example, areas are within .ARE files. Creatures are within .CRE files. Dialogues are within DLG files.

    So say you want to do a mod that adds a new NPC in Candlekeep, with a few lines of dialogue. How do you "mod" BG to include that?

    The idea is that you need, at the very least, to create a CRE file including the stats, portrait etc of your NPC; the DLG with the dialogue, that you then reference within the CRE; and finally the ARE file for Candlekeep: inside this binary file, encoded in a specific way, there all NPCs and items that you see when you start the game. So you'll have to add your new CRE there.

    These three (or possibly a few more, if the NPC is joinable or has a specific script) files need to be put within the override folder. When you start a new game, the first area to be loaded is indead Candlekeep: but it will be "your" candlekeep, not the original one. Equal to the original apart from the new NPC, that will be visible and talkable-to.

    It gets more complicated when you want to modify existing NPCs, for example, while also staying compatible with other mods. This is the "weidu" thing: it gives you a language with which you modify existing resources without having to know if a specific mod was installed or not. But that's a tale for another day.
  • kotekokoteko Member Posts: 179
    As per centralised location, there are three main communities: Spellhold.net, Pocketplane and The Gibberlings. Search on google and you'll find their forums and download pages. Many modders put their in-development versions on github nowadays, but also then provide a downloadable release on one of those above-mentioned websites.
  • drakirdrakir Member Posts: 61
    @koteko I see. I have been looking around some, and I thought it seemed like something to that effect, now I know thanks to your explanation. I will continue to learn about this. Thank you!
  • artificial_sunlightartificial_sunlight Member Posts: 601
    Www.weidu.org is the place to start. And by looking at other mods.

    90% of the game is moddable, so go enjoy.
Sign In or Register to comment.

2025 Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. © 2025 Hasbro, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Baldur's Gate, Dungeons & Dragons, D&D, Forgotten Realms, Baldur's Gate, Wizards of the Coast and their logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast LLC in the U.S.A. and other countries, and are used with permission. Hasbro and its logo are trademarks of Hasbro, Inc. and are used with permission. © 1998 BioWare Corp. All Rights Reserved. BioWare, the BioWare Infinity Engine and the BioWare logo are trademarks of Bioware Corp. Black Isle Studios and the Black Isle Studios logo are trademarks of Interplay Entertainment Corp. Atari and the Atari logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.