Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Well I am still working on a Web-based senerio editor..... Umm, that is about it for now. The patch is a higher priority I would assume.

Sammual

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Hehe thats cool, but I meant the official mod tools. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">From what I understand upgrading the AI has NOT moved higher than MOD tools. I think the flavor of the discussions had something to do with it.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">From what I understand upgrading the AI has NOT moved higher than MOD tools. I think the flavor of the discussions had something to do with it. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">All we know is that at this point the first patch has priority. I think we can all agree with that and if not it is the Publishers/Developers decision to make not ours.

Sammual

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">From what I understand upgrading the AI has NOT moved higher than MOD tools. I think the flavor of the discussions had something to do with it. </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">All we know is that at this point the first patch has priority. I think we can all agree with that and if not it is the Publishers/Developers decision to make not ours.

Sammual </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Yup, patch - improve AI - mod tools are the most important things for me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

We should use this as the main modding thread [check the title!].
It is pointless to make more and tiny threads. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif
I guess the most important is the LotR mod atm.
Discuss about it here.
Keir plans to make it, so I might cancel my project than, but I can help him. Keir, if you require help [unit gfx etc.] let me know.

Cheers.

[ December 11, 2003, 09:08: Message edited by: MStavros ]

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Yup, and Cherry made like 2 tiny threads about modding! We had this huge thread already! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/blush.gif

Oh btw, I wanna make a LotR mod too! Should I..or Kier will make it than? Kier if you read this, reply plz. ty.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Not to try and micromanage but maybe the LoTR MODders could mention if they have only a particular interest. It could be a really big project. The TGA map image? The images of the characters? the stats for the characters (the #commands in the monster edit pdf)? Certain races?

WHo is going to make the flaming eye on the tower immobile god of the enemy? The mounted "heroes" of the enemy?

[ December 11, 2003, 20:12: Message edited by: Gandalf Parker ]

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

I can give my help to modders preparing per scritp or something similar ... but as long as I know the only files that are readable are the maps one ... and I think it's quite easy from anyone with a little programming background to prepare something that work with that ...

anyway, someoene know where (which files) all the other informations (stas for the units/magic/pretender) coded in the original games are stored ? and in which format ? ... or is a sort of 'state secret' that developers don't want common folks knows ? it would be nice to just runn some script to get all this stats out and put in a nice table!

good luck
Liga

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

I'm making a modding tool too!

It does not actually help you make mods, just balance them. I think I mentioned it before... a battle sim. 1-on-1 melee only, but it will be very useful, and give units melee power rankings.

If it makes it simpler for me, I may add a GUI the spits out a text file of the unit. In Java, of course.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

You can use the current mounted wraiths to represent the Ringwraiths, and Etimmu as the Witch King.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">great! but form which file(s) you get the informations ????

good luck
Liga

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Of course the official docs arent out yet. But if you download the mods already available you will see alot of the answers. Its still just tga and text with a new extension for the mod text files.

If you look at the Dom1 docs on monster editing you will see a ton of command options that will work in mod files.

And of course the AllView game will give you the units to look at and allow you to screen-capture the images you might want to edit.

Links for the above answers:
http://www.illwinter.com/dom2/mods.html
http://www.illwinter.com/dom/documentation.html
http://www.freewebs.com/sunray_dom2/

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

thank again gandalf ... good materials to work and think on ... I have understand also that my question (is there a place in a core file where alla the units stats are coded and a way to put them out) probably has to stay without an answer ... I can quite easly understand whiy ... I was hoping in something similar to Civ2 files (good text files with all the needed infomrations) or the mods files ...

good play and work to all modders!

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">The SunRay site has alot of that kindof information in xls (windows spreadsheet) format

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">great! but form which file(s) you get the informations ????

good luck
Liga </font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I'm assuming I'll have to write them myself=) But once I finish it and people start downloading it, they can add their own units to test. I suppose there will be some master text file the program reads on initialization.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">yes ... it seems that the informations we are looking for modding is too close to hacking and the good gandalf can't give us ... but just a simple "OK guys, these informations aren't on a plain text file that the programs read and that you can easly access but are hard coded and you can gat them just only hacking" ... I know that there are peolple that have done a good job for us just putting (by hands, i suppose) all this information on .xls files but is not the same to just be able to get them directly form the code ...

Anyway, since my intention is just to create mod and I was really happy to buy my 4 Dominions 2 cds, hoping to help ilwinter peoples to continue this nice job, I'll do my work starting from what we are allowed to use ...

now I go for dinner ... see you later
Liga

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Hi all,

I started work on a LotR mod a couple of nights back and yes the issues involved are huge.

My intention at present (open to change) is to basically hack the existing races to make the mod as compatibility with other mods is fairly irrelevent.

At present I'm working on Morder as it is the most difficult. The first key design question is how to represent orcs/uruks and the best idea I have had so far is to see if its possible to hack the Desert Tomb Ctis so that instead of summoning undead you breed orcs.

I am not planning on including the quest to destroy the ring in the initial mod as, while probably do-able, the added game balence question are somewhat overwhelming and likely to produce a poor product unless given the consideration necessary. Basically Gandalf will have taken Frodo and the Ring to Rivendell rather than going to see Saruman. Elrond hides the ring with enchantments and they prepare for the upcoming war. The full mod with quest can follow.

In terms of magic I'm primarily looking at priestly/unholy powers plus extra starting spells as appropriate - mainly strategic like the ability to summon an orc raiding party in a distant province. The rest of the magic system (research, site searching etc) will be left out as much as is possible.

Sauron will have an income of death gems to represent the "Will of Sauron" which he will have to choose how to spend providing alot of the strategic options for Mordor.

I'm fairly comfortable doing graphical changes, creating new images (like an eye banner) etc but I'm not strong on scripting/programming so I will certainly be asking for alot of help from those eager. Workigng out unit equipment and stats is something I am very well placed to having done the same for Middle Earth in a number of different formats.

MStavros we should discuss some sort of division of labour seeing as you are keen to participate. Let me know what you particular skills/inclinations are and what you would like to work on.

I have a few nice maps including one that arrived in the mail the other day from as an ad from NZ post (the advantage of being NZ right now re LotR). However most of the maps I have will require a reasonable amount of work editing so if anyone has a particularily appropriate map let me know.

I was thinking it would be best to start an independent LotR mod thread due to the size of the question. Unless I hear convincing dissent I will start a new thread staring with this post and followup with my initial thoughts on stats etc for the armies of Mordor.

I would like to stress that this is a big project and one I cannot guareentee to complete or do justice to alone. I am happy to make all my work available to everyone and hope that one way or another we end up with a good mod regardless of who actually pulls it all together - I would like to but I'm conscious of real life pressures and don't want to build false expectations.

Cheers

Keir

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Hi,

I could try to help you with some script to generate
mod files or map files, as long as you explain me what you need ... at the present I'm just trying to get out informations and stats directly from the dom2 file ... it is easy to get all the writen infomration, name of spell/item and units ... more difficult to understan how the stats are wroten and how to get them ... anyway, as long as I have free time (not during holiday that i spent away form any PC) I'll try to help you

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">That sounds great.

The first problem I'm interested in having solved is that of changing the summoned units of desert tombs to a variety of orcs. What are the possibilities here?

This question may well be unanswerable until the mod tools come out but I think that is not far away.

cheers

Keir

[ December 14, 2003, 10:02: Message edited by: Keir Maxwell ]

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

Just want to say thanks to Illwinter for releasing the Hoburg and Troll mods. Its made the whole question of how its done so much more immmediate.

How easy is it going to be to mod the units of existing races? I'm wondering wether I'll need to make new units for a middle earth mod of wether I can change the existing ones.

I have endless questions but I'll wait for the patch and many of the answers should become apparent. This is exciting.

cheers

Keir

[ December 14, 2003, 10:10: Message edited by: Keir Maxwell ]

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Very easy. The troll mod does this. Troll king and wyvern has altered gold costs. Every attribute can be altered in this way.

#selectmonster "Troll King"
#spr1 ".../mightytroll1.tga"
#spr2 ".../mightytroll2.tga"
#descr "Modern Troll Kings have grown in power"
#hp 76
#str 28
#att 20
#def 15
#magicskill 3 4
#armor "Black Steel Full Plate"
#end

would replace the troll king sprite with mightytroll1.tga, increase the stats of all troll kings and give them black steel full plates and 4 earth magic. As this would alter the effects of Troll Kings Court you might want to be careful. Spell modding is not yet available.


Ex 2:
#selectmonster "Lord Warden"
#spr1 ".../redcap1.tga"
#spr2 ".../redcap2.tga"
#descr "Redcaps are evil ogres that colour their pointy hats with blood"
#hp 25
#str 18
#att 12
#def 12
#weapon "Great Cub"
#goldcost 20
#rescost 2
#end

I'm suddenly aware that I don't know if armors can be removed or just replaced. Annoying. Mounted, healing and other attributes are probably not removable either. Thus this little redcap would be an ambidextrous and sacred forest being running around with a full chain armor recruitable in the Forest of Avalon for 20 gold and 2 res. It would be a commander.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">:-)

I guess I'll have to make up a few new units.

How problematic will this be in replacing undead summonings with orc breeding? Will the orcs have all sorts of odd abilities or can I get the summoning site to go after different units to those they start attached to?

Cheers

Keir

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">I have just been informed by allmighty JK that attributes ARE removable. No more ambidextrous redcaps. Just use

#clear

to remove all weapons, armors and specials. Enter new ones afterwards.

Re: Making mods for Dominions II. [Basic editing/modding discussion.]
 

<font size="2" face="sans-serif, arial, verdana">Great! And I take it for granted that this also means that without the #clear you can reference an existing unit and make some slight changes without affecting everything else?

Hmmmmmm a script to write a mod file which does one random change to EVERYTHING in the game. If people thought my stuff was "interesting" before when I dropped units into each province wait till they see THIS.
[EvilLaugh]
MUHAHAHAHahahahaa
[/EvilLaugh]