A little help here?

[Guest Incompetent n00b]

So I've just recently downloaded Near Infinity, and have been experimenting with trying to construct custom kits for BG ToB. I do eventually plan to get really good at this, and accordingly have skimmed the help section thoroughly, but as it stands I find myself unable to do much of anything that works.

 

For instance, I've been trying to figure out a way to replace the characteristics of the thief class with those of the assassin kit. So in effect when once selected 'theif' in game, what they'd be getting is really just an assassin by another name. This would allow me, and those who put me up to this, to multi-class into an assassin mix, or (god help me, I know it's terribly imbalanced) possibly even dual class from one prestigue to what would essentialy be another (a Kensai/Assassin, Kai + x7 backstab, imagine the power... the POWER!!!) More likely then not, though, I'd just use it to pick up some extra HP in the early game.

 

Could one of you fine gentlemen/ladies possibly tell me if this is possible, and if so provide instructions on how to do so?

 

I'd appriciate it.

[Skye]

Unfortunately this is only semi-possible, while the abilities and backstab can easily be given/replaced, the ammount of points to distribute on thief abilities can not be reduced afaik. So you'd be getting a buffed up assassin in an overpowered multiclass.

 

For more details on how to do this, see notes on editing CLAB* files and possibly LU* files, both are just about as easy to do. For the basic Thief class you need to look at CLABTH01.2da, the Assassin kit uses CLABTH02.2da. (and both use LUTH0.2da for HLA)

[Guest Incompetent n00b]

Thanks, that's actually very helpfull.

 

Next question! What is a tp2 file, and how do I make one? (just got WeiDU)

[Skye]

A TP2 file is a simple text file of instructions that tells WeiDU what to do, if you're planning on making new kits that's about the only reasonable way to do it. For information on writing your TP2 file, refer to the official documentation that came with WeiDU. For more information on ADD_KIT, see Camdawg's BG2 Kit Creation tutorial.

[Guest Incompetent n00b]

Danke.

 

Okay so now the problem is, and I apologise for being a pest, that apparently my computer cannot read said files, or at least the one in the example section of WeiDU (this may be the root cause of my earlier frustration), do you know where I could find a program that would allow me to do so?

[Guest Incompetent n00b]

Or will any text editor work? (I use MS Word)

[Skye]

Don't use MS Word for TP2 files and scripts, in fact, don't use MS Word for any files whatsoever. That load of horse manure is not even worth having on your hard drive. TP2, D, BAF, 2DA etc. are all plain text files, if you don't use any advanced editors like Vim, ConTEXT, Crimson or similar, Notepad and/or Wordpad will do just fine. Right-click on the file -> Open -> Select the program from a list... -> Notepad.exe and that should do it. You can even tick "Always use the selected program" to save yourself the trouble in the future but it'll take a bit more skill if you want to change the default program later.

[Rabain]

Any text editor will work. Notepad, Context or Crimson editor are preferred as Word sometimes brings other characters with it when saving file as txt, tp2 etc

 

EDIT: as skye said!

[Guest Guest]

You are godsends, I really mean it.

 

Alright, one more (for old times sake, though I really should just Register given how much I'm bothering you):

 

Usability Flags, I'm trying to create a 'Hitokiri' mod. Basically an Assassin refit that sacrifices defence for massive destructive power. I'm trying to balance it all out, and think that sacrificing armor is probably a good idea; thing is, I don't want to get rid of braciers like the Kensai's do, and I have no idea how to customize.

 

Could one of you help me out here?

[Guest Incompetent n00b]

To tell you the truth, I'm not looking to use any non-bladed or ranged weapons either.

[Skye]

If you're editing the assassin kit, then the usability flags shouldn't be too hard to change but if you're editing the base thief class, you're pretty much screwed since setting something unusable for the base class also does the same for all kits.

[Guest Guest]

Right, well fortunately it's just a modded assassin.

 

Still, I'm clueless as to how it's done... is there some sort of math one can do to arrive at custom values? Or do you have to create a custom value in another file first, and then link to it like with everthing else? If so, where can said file be found?

[Skye]

You have to check each file separately and edit the usability flag in binary/hex. Easiest done with WeiDU but takes some coding skill, you need to first read the item type and kit usabilities then BOR with appropriate values. Not exactly recommended if you have no experience with programming or other coding.

 

Here's an example for armors:

//copy and check each item file
COPY_EXISTING_REGEXP ~^.*\.itm$~ ~override~

//start patching if the file is more than just a header
PATCH_IF SOURCE_SIZE > 0x72 THEN BEGIN

//read the type and proficiencies of the item
 READ_SHORT	0x1c "type"
 READ_BYTE	 0x2b "prof"

//patch if the item is an armor
 PATCH_IF (type = 0x02) BEGIN
//set it unusable for assassins
SET  prof  |= 0x20
 END

//write the changed data into the file
 WRITE_BYTE   0x2b prof
END
//copy the file only if changes were made
BUT_ONLY_IF_IT_CHANGES

[Atreus]

Well, I went and registered; now at least I feel like less of a leech.

 

In any case, yet another silly question:

 

I went and made a custom ToB abilities file. I looked for how to add it in Camdawg's tutorial, but couldn't find anything (or maybe I just didn't see it, I don't know...). Anyway, I made a 2da file like the ones I found in Near Infinity, and linked to it thusly:

 

COPY ~Hitokiri/LUHI0.2da~ ~override~

 

Is this correct, or am I a lunatic n00b?

[Mike1072]

Well, I went and registered; now at least I feel like less of a leech.

 

In any case, yet another silly question:

 

I went and made a custom ToB abilities file. I looked for how to add it in Camdawg's tutorial, but couldn't find anything (or maybe I just didn't see it, I don't know...). Anyway, I made a 2da file like the ones I found in Near Infinity, and linked to it thusly:

 

COPY ~Hitokiri/LUHI0.2da~ ~override~

 

Is this correct, or am I a lunatic n00b?

You're referring to the HLA table, right? That COPY should be fine, you just need to make sure that in the appropriate part in the ADD_KIT command you have:

 // HLA table to use; see LUABBR.2da
~HI0~