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The BG NPC project

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  • LiamEslerLiamEsler Member Posts: 1,859
    Back on topic, please, guys and gals.
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    @Kaeloree: As you wish!

    What can you tell us about the difficulties of adapting this mod to the EE?

    Are all the previous components being brought over or have certain aspects been set aside (either because they're unnecessary or for technical reasons)?

    Is anything being added that wasn't in the previous version (pertaining to non-EE NPCs)?

    And finally, if you could recommend a single component of BG1NPC as being the one banter/subquest/romance that everyone should try, which would it be? :)
  • LiamEslerLiamEsler Member Posts: 1,859
    edited May 2013
    @shawne I don't have a lot of time in general right now, so I'd rather not go into specifics (mainly because they're boring), but it involved cross-checking every single resource reference and finding its BGEE equivalent, then testing to figure out where I went wrong, rinse, repeat.

    Journals are the big issue right now. Another issue might be changed area entrances/exits -- I can recall at least one encounter that will need to be moved for BGEE, but not specifically which one. :P This is why we need extensive testing.

    As far as I know, BG1NPC is a complete mod. It will not be added to or changed.

    The core banter components, probably.
  • joshykinsjoshykins Member Posts: 95
    Kaeloree said:

    @shawne I don't have a lot of time in general right now, so I'd rather not go into specifics (mainly because they're boring), but it involved cross-checking every single resource reference and finding its BGEE equivalent, then testing to figure out where I went wrong, rinse, repeat.

    Journals are the big issue right now. Another issue might be changed area entrances/exits -- I can recall at least one encounter that will need to be moved for BGEE, but not specifically which one. :P This is why we need extensive testing.

    As far as I know, BG1NPC is a complete mod. It will not be added to or changed.

    The core banter components, probably.


    @Kaeloree - If you ever end up needing additional testers, I'd love to lend a hand.
  • StoneSwordsStoneSwords Member Posts: 180

    Wow, i didn't know how many people hadn't played BGEE yet because of the lack of BG1NPC project. That's me, too. I've played it a little, but I keep turning to my TUTU installation.

    I played BG1 without the NPC project, and I thought it was fun--kind of like IWD 1 and 2. But then I played it with the NPC project, and I was blown away by the talent of community modders. Not to mention the effort that went into developing BGTUTU. Holy cow.

    Not that it means much, but I tip my hat to all modders out there. You guys absolutely rock.

    That's me, I bought BG:EE pretty much when it first came out, but haven't touched the game since then, because I don't think I could bear how silent the sword coast is without BG1 NPC project lol
    XivirielKavain
  • ThunderThunder Member Posts: 157
    I'm totally ready for that new BGEE patch so that this mod can be updated! Hopefully the fixes to the journal system will help.
    StoneSwords
  • guciomirguciomir Member Posts: 13
    I am one of those people who wait for this mod before they try BGEE. Keep up good work.
    StoneSwordsKavain
  • h4rth4rt Member Posts: 5
    After reading this I'm actually going to stop my EE playthrough, and do a BGTutu install. This mod just sounds THAT important.
    StoneSwordsKavainItomon
  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    @h4rt: If you have both BG1 and BG2, I'd recommend the BGT mod instead of BGTutu, as it does a much better job of bridging the two games.
    KavainThalamondStoneSwords
  • Zaarin_2003Zaarin_2003 Member Posts: 33
    Kaeloree, thanks again for all your hard work. When I started this thread, I didn't realise there were so many like minded people out there! I can add my name to the list of BG fans who are not playing the EE until your mod is finished. And if the EE of your mod is never finished? Well, I'll just go back to playing Tutu - the mod is that good.

    I suppose, having made something so popular, you must be used to receiving pushy emails/forum comments/threats from people all asking you when it'll be finished. Well, I hope you are, because.... If you had to guess, really had to, then how long an ETA are we looking at until its ready? There I said it. "Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" :-)
  • Son_of_ImoenSon_of_Imoen Member Posts: 1,806
    Well, to put some steam off Kaeloree, his mod is not the only one that keeps me waiting to start playing BGEE. Joining him in the league of indispensable mods are SCS (I'm waiting for it to get out of Beta) and Hard Times (alas MacReady isn't updating it, AFAIK). At least, I myself got to like Dragon Age and found myself a nice antidote there for BG-withdrawal effects.
  • LiamEslerLiamEsler Member Posts: 1,859
    To be clear, I didn't write BG1NPC. Some of the wonderful folks at the Gibberlings 3 did. I'm just porting it. :)
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    Just to know, can you provide an % status of the project to update our expectations @Kaeloree?
  • Draith012Draith012 Member Posts: 174
    edited June 2013
    There are the known knowns...
    Kaeloree said:

    Journals are the big issue right now.

    The known unknowns...
    Kaeloree said:

    ...cross-checking every single resource reference and finding its BGEE equivalent, then testing to figure out where I went wrong, rinse, repeat.

    Another issue might be changed area entrances/exits -- I can recall at least one encounter that will need to be moved for BGEE, but not specifically which one. :P This is why we need extensive testing

    And the unknown unknowns...
    Kaeloree said:

    (To be inserted at a later date)

    So ...
    kamuizin said:

    Just to know, can you provide an % status of the project to update our expectations @Kaeloree?

    I'm afraid we can't give a hard number on status yet.
  • LiamEslerLiamEsler Member Posts: 1,859
    "It'll happen when it happens" is about the best I can do right now.
    DraconisPrime
  • viaderviader Member, Translator (NDA) Posts: 875
    I can help with journal entries - it need only additional entries in bgee.sql.
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    @Kaeloree

    Just a word of caution. The BG iron in the fire is currently hot...the original BG did well, but its iron was pretty cold until EE warmed it up again. This time around its heyday won't be around for as long.

    "It'll happen when it happens" is all well and good, but if that happenstance doesn't coincide with a 'hot iron' then you'll have wasted a lot of hard work.

    To be fair, the NPC project, along with Unfinished Business, should have been a priority for the initial release of EE. Almost all reviews of EE have mentioned the lack of these elements.

    Nevertheless I applaud your efforts and eagerly await the NPC project. :)
  • ThunderThunder Member Posts: 157

    @Kaeloree
    "It'll happen when it happens" is all well and good, but if that happenstance doesn't coincide with a 'hot iron' then you'll have wasted a lot of hard work.

    How so? There'll still be a lot of people enjoying the mod.
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    @Thunder

    Surely that depends on if and when it's finished. A 'happens when it happens' statement makes no guarantees for 'if' or 'when'.

  • shawneshawne Member Posts: 3,239
    edited June 2013
    @Flashheart: Uh... what are you talking about? @Kaeloree isn't adapting BG1NPC for Beamdog's sake; they're not allowed to integrate any fan-made content whatsoever. "Striking while the iron's hot" would only be relevant if the mod was meant to prop up the EE's sales/marketing, and it isn't.

    It's certainly true that games have cycles, and I'd wager that - in the absence of new content - BG:EE's probably near the end of its "hype" period... but the modding community for this particular series has been active for 15 years. They're probably not going anywhere.
    GodKaiserHellDraconisPrime
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    edited June 2013
    Didn't I read somewhere that Beamdog had integrated SCS or something. Is that not fan-made content?

    I never said Kaeloree was adapting it for Beamdog's sake...I simply implied that a window of opportunity existed and that the window doesn't last forever. Some people will disagree, but for the sake of the BG:EE players who didn't enjoy the BG1NPC project the first time around, they might not be around to enjoy it the second time around either - and that would be a great shame.
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    Dee said:

    We are planning to incorporate elements of SCS at some point; it's just a matter of making sure it works flawlessly. We've been working with David to determine the best way to handle it so that it doesn't needlessly challenge new players, while still offering something more substantial for veterans.

    SpaceInvader
  • bdeonovicbdeonovic Member Posts: 86

    Didn't I read somewhere that Beamdog had integrated SCS or something. Is that not fan-made content?

    I never said Kaeloree was adapting it for Beamdog's sake...I simply implied that a window of opportunity existed and that the window doesn't last forever. Some people will disagree, but for the sake of the BG:EE players who didn't enjoy the BG1NPC project the first time around, they might not be around to enjoy it the second time around either - and that would be a great shame.

    Nope, they only hired the person (David Gaider) who made SCS (who used to work on the original BG2 games).
    GodKaiserHell
  • kamuizinkamuizin Member Posts: 3,704
    @Kaeloree doesn't have any duty or obligation of implement BG NPC project to BG:EE @Flashheart, the fact he's staff doesn't meant that this is official. As it well aware among BG fans, many works in BG come as Mods, and they're unnoficial content gave free hand to hand by the own fans.

    If Kael want to give up and simply stop of implement BG NPC project, that's his right and no one can do nothing about that. I would like to know a % percentage of the project, but if he don't want (or can't) give that, no one can do anything about that either, it's his right.

    I would suggest to open the project to other mods, to other modders help in it (@viader guy offered help with the journal issue for example), but even then, the only thing possible to do here is suggest, because Kael and company who are working in this project, are making a favor for the community in implement this mod, not an paid service.

    I'm the first to complain when is needed, but here it's not my right or anyone right to complain. My only complain in this will go to beamdog whom said BG:EE would be mod friendly, something that clearly it's not as we're seeing.
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    edited June 2013
    SCS says the author is DavidW (David Wallace)?

    Is this David Gaider?
  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    Oh - don't get me wrong - I'm not complaining. I can still fire up BGTutu (complete with NPC project) if I need to.
  • FrecheFreche Member Posts: 473

    SCS says the author is DavidW (David Wallace)?

    Is this David Gaider?

    David Gaider works for BioWare and the Dragon Age franchise.
  • CoM_SolaufeinCoM_Solaufein Member Posts: 2,607
    No. Gaider uses his real name in the community.

    SCS says the author is DavidW (David Wallace)?

    Is this David Gaider?

  • FlashheartFlashheart Member Posts: 125
    Right - so let's put a few quotes together:

    shawne: Kaeloree isn't adapting BG1NPC for Beamdog's sake; they're not allowed to integrate any fan-made content whatsoever.

    Flashheart: Didn't I read somewhere that Beamdog had integrated SCS or something. Is that not fan-made content?

    bdeonovic: Nope, they only hired the person (David Gaider) who made SCS (who used to work on the original BG2 games).

    Flashheart: SCS says the author is DavidW (David Wallace)? Is this David Gaider?

    CoM_Solaufein: No. Gaider uses his real name in the community.

    So, now that we have established that SCS is indeed fan-made content, why aren't Beamdog allowed to integrate BG1NPC project et al?
  • TomeTome Member Posts: 466
    SCS changes AI primarily, which doesn't breach contract.

    BG1NPC alters old companions heavily, which unfortunately does breach contract. It sucks, but there's nothing that can be done.
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