So do I understand this correctly? Icewind Dale has received patch 2.4 on iOS, but not on Windows?
Yes, because otherwise it would have stopped working due to iOS 11 (IWD:EE was 32-bit and only 64-bit will work on the new OS). The good thing is, after getting BG:EE on iOS updated (and day now), the IWD:EE 2.4 patch on other platforms is the first thing on the list (if I'm not mistaken).
Shouldn't it go "pretty fast", considering they have the update on one platform? Bought IWD myself on PC, but awaiting the new patch before playing through too.
Shouldn't it go "pretty fast", considering they have the update on one platform? Bought IWD myself on PC, but awaiting the new patch before playing through too.
In theory, yes. But as I've said before, you would not believe the sh*t you see in multi-platform development. It's better than it used to be, I'll grant you, but still.
.@subtledoctor Do you still have a question for the devs? Could you please formulate it?
The general question: how do these ".pstoverride" ".iwdportrait" etc. files work? What does the game do when it receives one of these files? Just copy the contents into the interior "portraits" or "override" folder? Is there a variant that works for each game? Are they different? All we know right now is, .pstoverride works on PSTEE (Easter Egg Morte) and .iwdportrait seems to work on IWDEE (my testing).
The specific question: can we modify dialog.tlk with this method? What if I want to be old-school and change "fighter" to "fighting-man" and change "mage" to "magic-user?" It seems like someone has done this for PSTEE but I don't understand how. Scott Brooks' Centralfix tool says to put it in the same folder where baldur.ini is, i.e. outside the Portraits folder. So I don't understand how it could work if .iwdportrait archives dump stuff inside that folder.
Unless it just magically works, in which case a very short answer like "Centralfix => .iwdportrait works" would give me all the information I need.
These file types are split up into 6 types. *character - extracts to home:/characters *data - extracts to home:/ *portrait - extracts to home:/portraits *override - extracts to home:/override *sounds - extracts to home:/sounds *save - extracts to home:/save, bpsave, mpsave, etc.
home:/ resolves to the writeable location inside the app.
This can get data in appropriate places, but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine.
So does that mean whole mod configurations (including tlk files) could be installed as DLC archives, as long as they are packed into *.bg1data, *.bg2data or *.iwddata files? On desktop systems home:/ is a valid DLC directory.
This can get data in appropriate places, but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine.
My confusion stems from the fact that several people have said they managed to edit the .tlk file in PSTEE, using Scott Brooks' utility. I'll see if it works with ".iwddata" or ".bg2data" extensions.
Btw FYI, ".iwdoverride" does not seem to work. Files imported with that extension did not have any effect in the game.
We're not sure we follow about people editing their tlk on iPad. Can you link us to more info?
Also when using these files, do not include any path info inside these zip files. Ex: If you zip up your override directory so inside the zip you see "override/test.itm", etc it will extract to home:/override/override/test.itm
Trying out Centralfix (blindly), I sent myself a .zip file renamed to have a ".iwddata" extension. On iOS 10.3.3 it does not offer me an option to import the file into IWDEE v2.4. I tried ".bg2data" and same result, cannot get it to the game.
EDIT - sent it as a ".iwdoverride" file, and it was imported by the app... but as expected, the modified .tlk file is not used by the game.
@JuliusBorisov, @subtledoctor Also the extension .bg2sounds doesn't seem to work.... I tried installing a custom sound set (taken from here) without success. I collected all the necessary .wav files in a folder, then I zipped that folder and finally renamed it to something.bg2sounds. I was given the option to import it into BG2:EE v2.4, but unfortunately the files are not used by the game (i.e., I am not given the option to choose my custom sound set during Character Creation or when trying modifying an existing character....)
Unpack the archive and look for the folder sounds.
Zip that folder (sounds.zip).
Rename it to sounds.bg1/bg2/iwddata.
Email it to yourself and you'll be given the option to import it in your game.
At this point launch the app, load an existing game (or start a new one), select your PC and then: Record Screen -> Customize -> Sounds -> you should be able to select your new sound set.
So, we can say that the extensions *.bg1data, *.bg2data and *.iwddata seem to put files in appropriate places..... Having said that, it is probably not possible to install custom sound sets with subtitles (it'd require the modification of the *.tlk file......)
- Unpack the archive and look for the folder sounds. - Zip that folder (sounds.zip). - Rename it to sounds.bg1/bg2/iwddata. - Email it to yourself and you'll be given the option to import it in your game.
So, we can say that the extensions *.bg1data, *.bg2data and *.iwddata seem to put files in appropriate places.....
Weird. I have an email sitting in my inbox right now with a .zip file attachment called "lang.iwddata", and when I tap the attachment I do not have the option to import it into IWDEE.
@subtledoctor If/when 2.0 finally release for IWD, does that mean that your must-use modpacks à la Might & Guile & SoB are straight away compatible with it?
@subtledoctor If/when 2.0 finally release for IWD, does that mean that your must-use modpacks à la Might & Guile & SoB are straight away compatible with it?
They already are? I can't think of anything off the top of my head that doesn't work on IWDEE 1.4. - Multiclass kits work, they just need to be adopted from tomes instead of at Chargen - Proficiency changes work - Weapon style changes work - New stat bonuses work - Feats work - 3E-style bard songs work - ...
Unless you mean on iOS, in which case, the update should make them usable, but I haven't figured or how... or in fact whether... dammit Beamdog
Alright, thanks. I was under the impression that you were waiting for version 2.0 of IWD to enable the latest features. I might be confused because my IWD installation had a much older version of your mods than my BG installation.
I'll be honest, if that's all that's possible, then these games are worthless to me. Beamdog made versions of Baldur's Gate that can't be modded and they call them "Enhanced?" I mean, come on.
We can say that the extensions *.bg1override, *.bg2override, *.iwdoverride put files in appropriate places.....
So, as far as I know, on iOS it's possible to:
install custom portraits
install custom sound sets (without subtitles)
override NPC portraits
I'm curious, what exactly prevents Beamdog to make IE games fully moddable (including dialog.tlk) on mobile devices? Because I can't imagine any good excuse other than some sick limitations imposed by Google or Apple. I kinda feel sympathetic for @subtledoctor and all others for which mobile devices are the main (only?) source of playing IE games these days (for various of reasons - time, convenience etc.). For someone who finished these games dozen of times, inability to use mods is a real showstopper.
IMO providing means to fully mod all those games on mobile devices should be one of Beamdog's top priorities for 2.5 patch series.
Or if it's not possible (for technical or legal reasons) it should be at least clarified.
I'll be honest, if that's all that's possible, then these games are worthless to me. Beamdog made versions of Baldur's Gate that can't be modded and they call them "Enhanced?" I mean, come on.
I honestly want my money back at this point.
Talk to Apple. This is part of their deal with iOS, for reasons only they know. They are loosening up certain things, and I can even see where they might provide a Terminal for the iPad at some point, but who knows.
We can say that the extensions *.bg1override, *.bg2override, *.iwdoverride put files in appropriate places.....
Also, note, you made logical leap there, you only tested ".bg1override," not ".bg2override" or ".iwdoverride." There may be inconsistencies between games.
In my tests, using the exact same .zip file and only changing its extension, ".iwdportrait" worked while ".iwdoverride" failed. I don't have enough information to say why, however.
I'm curious, what exactly prevents Beamdog to make IE games fully moddable (including dialog.tlk) on mobile devices?
Nothing. If they have a facility to import files to /override or /portraits or /characters, there's no technical reason a .tlk file couldn't be imported to /lang.
Which, let's be very clear, is completely bass ackwards. The .tlk file is effectively a "read-only" bit of content. No harm can come from users adding text strings to the game. Whereas, right now, I can write a crazy .BCS script and import it into /override and cause the game to execute all manner of code not in its original executable. Which, if I understand correctly, is really what Apple wants to prevent.
So the inability to import .tlk files is utterly senseless.
We can say that the extensions *.bg1override, *.bg2override, *.iwdoverride put files in appropriate places.....
Also, note, you made logical leap there, you only tested ".bg1override," not ".bg2override" or ".iwdoverride." There may be inconsistencies between games.
In my tests, using the exact same .zip file and only changing its extension, ".iwdportrait" worked while ".iwdoverride" failed. I don't have enough information to say why, however.
I'm curious, what exactly prevents Beamdog to make IE games fully moddable (including dialog.tlk) on mobile devices?
Nothing. If they have a facility to import files to /override or /portraits or /characters, there's no technical reason a .tlk file couldn't be imported to /lang.
Which, let's be very clear, is completely bass ackwards. The .tlk file is effectively a "read-only" bit of content. No harm can come from users adding text strings to the game. Whereas, right now, I can write a crazy .BCS script and import it into /override and cause the game to execute all manner of code not in its original executable. Which, if I understand correctly, is really what Apple wants to prevent.
So the inability to import .tlk files is utterly senseless.
@subtledoctor your slowly taking my place as the miserable one who complains about how they do things and how unsupportive of there own products they actually are lol
@subtledoctor your slowly taking my place as the miserable one who complains about how they do things and how unsupportive of there own products they actually are lol
Ha! I'm not that bad, am I?
I mean, I perfectly understand why the issue might be a little sensitive given Apple's absurd review stabdards. And why the company would not want to talk about what possibilities there are. But if this system they set up fails to actually let people mod the games? Then I have zero sympathy, because at that point why put the effort into making this change in the first place?
Hence my frustration on a pvp mod for ive been working for my friends and I yet no versions are the same so it makes a joke of claiming cross platform support.
Anyway, this is all we know about the future of modding iOS versions: @JuliusBorisov said: ".....but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine." Perhaps something is in the works.......
Anyway, this is all we know about the future of modding iOS versions: @JuliusBorisov said: ".....but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine." Perhaps something is in the works.......
I'd almost rather not have hope (and just give up on these games and move on to other things), but I would still like to figure out this:
@argent77 This convoluted bit of hackery still seems to work with PST:EE. As a quick test, I successfully overrode my english dialog.tlk with a german translation.
Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I have created a Feature Request "Make IE games fully moddable (including dialog.tlk) on mobile devices" https://support.baldursgate.com/issues/32993
Comments
The specific question: can we modify dialog.tlk with this method? What if I want to be old-school and change "fighter" to "fighting-man" and change "mage" to "magic-user?" It seems like someone has done this for PSTEE but I don't understand how. Scott Brooks' Centralfix tool says to put it in the same folder where baldur.ini is, i.e. outside the Portraits folder. So I don't understand how it could work if .iwdportrait archives dump stuff inside that folder.
Unless it just magically works, in which case a very short answer like "Centralfix => .iwdportrait works" would give me all the information I need.
The following file extensions are recognized in the game on iOS.
bg1character, bg2character, iwdcharacter
bg1data, bg2data, iwddata
bg1portrait, bg2portrait, iwdportrait
bg1override, bg2override, iwdoverride
bg1sounds, bg2sounds, iwdsounds
bg1save, bg1mpsave, bg1bpsave, bg1mpbpsave,
bg2save, bg2mpsave, bg2bpsave, bg2mpbpsave,
iwdsave, iwdmpsave
These file types are split up into 6 types.
*character - extracts to home:/characters
*data - extracts to home:/
*portrait - extracts to home:/portraits
*override - extracts to home:/override
*sounds - extracts to home:/sounds
*save - extracts to home:/save, bpsave, mpsave, etc.
home:/ resolves to the writeable location inside the app.
This can get data in appropriate places, but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine.
Btw FYI, ".iwdoverride" does not seem to work. Files imported with that extension did not have any effect in the game.
We haven't tested it, but think that should work. Put your zip in a zip and rename it to .bg1data
@subtledoctor
We're not sure we follow about people editing their tlk on iPad. Can you link us to more info?
Also when using these files, do not include any path info inside these zip files. Ex: If you zip up your override directory so inside the zip you see "override/test.itm", etc it will extract to home:/override/override/test.itm
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/comment/872052/#Comment_872052
EDIT - sent it as a ".iwdoverride" file, and it was imported by the app... but as expected, the modified .tlk file is not used by the game.
I tried installing a custom sound set (taken from here) without success. I collected all the necessary .wav files in a folder, then I zipped that folder and finally renamed it to something.bg2sounds. I was given the option to import it into BG2:EE v2.4, but unfortunately the files are not used by the game (i.e., I am not given the option to choose my custom sound set during Character Creation or when trying modifying an existing character....)
I successfully installed a custom sound set (without subtitles!) following this procedure.
- Get a custom sound set (for example from this discussion).
- Unpack the archive and look for the folder sounds.
- Zip that folder (sounds.zip).
- Rename it to sounds.bg1/bg2/iwddata.
- Email it to yourself and you'll be given the option to import it in your game.
- At this point launch the app, load an existing game (or start a new one), select your PC and then: Record Screen -> Customize -> Sounds -> you should be able to select your new sound set.
So, we can say that the extensions *.bg1data, *.bg2data and *.iwddata seem to put files in appropriate places..... Having said that, it is probably not possible to install custom sound sets with subtitles (it'd require the modification of the *.tlk file......)- Multiclass kits work, they just need to be adopted from tomes instead of at Chargen
- Proficiency changes work
- Weapon style changes work
- New stat bonuses work
- Feats work
- 3E-style bard songs work
- ...
Unless you mean on iOS, in which case, the update should make them usable, but I haven't figured or how... or in fact whether... dammit Beamdog
XZARL.bmp -> XZARL.zip -> XZARL.bg1override -> done.
XZARM.bmp -> XZARM.zip -> XZARM.bg1override -> done.
We can say that the extensions *.bg1override, *.bg2override, *.iwdoverride put files in appropriate places.....
So, as far as I know, on iOS it's possible to:
I honestly want my money back at this point.
IMO providing means to fully mod all those games on mobile devices should be one of Beamdog's top priorities for 2.5 patch series.
Or if it's not possible (for technical or legal reasons) it should be at least clarified.
In my tests, using the exact same .zip file and only changing its extension, ".iwdportrait" worked while ".iwdoverride" failed. I don't have enough information to say why, however. Nothing. If they have a facility to import files to /override or /portraits or /characters, there's no technical reason a .tlk file couldn't be imported to /lang.
Which, let's be very clear, is completely bass ackwards. The .tlk file is effectively a "read-only" bit of content. No harm can come from users adding text strings to the game. Whereas, right now, I can write a crazy .BCS script and import it into /override and cause the game to execute all manner of code not in its original executable. Which, if I understand correctly, is really what Apple wants to prevent.
So the inability to import .tlk files is utterly senseless.
I mean, I perfectly understand why the issue might be a little sensitive given Apple's absurd review stabdards. And why the company would not want to talk about what possibilities there are. But if this system they set up fails to actually let people mod the games? Then I have zero sympathy, because at that point why put the effort into making this change in the first place?
NAERIEL.bmp -> NAERIEL.zip -> NAERIEL.bg2override
NAERIEM.bmp -> NAERIEM.zip -> NAERIEM.bg2override
Anyway, this is all we know about the future of modding iOS versions:
@JuliusBorisov said: ".....but the tlk files load out of the install:/ folder. We would need to add support for this directly to the engine." Perhaps something is in the works.......