Jump to content

* Introduction/FAQ


Recommended Posts

Welcome to the IWD1Tutu forum!

 

I'll try to introduce this mod in the form of a FAQ. :D

 

So, what is IWD1Tutu?

 

IWD1Tutu is an attempt to convert the IWD1(HOW/ToTL) game so that it can be played on the IWD2 game engine.

 

So, um, why would you want to make a mod like IWD1Tutu?

 

My personal reasons for wanting to work on this mod admittedly stem more from what I don't know than what I do know. As a player, I grew to like the IWD2 game engine with it's nice interface features, and I grew to like their implementation of the 3E rule set. But I definitely lack the perspective of a seasoned modder who could possibly enumerate the many reasons not to favor the IWD2 game engine. The IWD games in general do not have the role playing dimension of say the Baldur's Gate series of games, and the game engine lacks the capacity for joinable NPC's and inter-party dialoging. But these features are not to be expected in the IWD series of games which focus more on the immersion into the depths of a single artfully depicted story line rather than offering a myriad of role playing possibilities.

 

Hey, hasn't something like this been done before? What about BG1Tutu or IWG2? How about an IWD1 to BG2 conversion?

 

Absolutely, yes! In fact, IWG2 is the origin of these other "total conversion" project (including IWD1Tutu), and this was formed when Wes Weimer got the idea to try and convert the BG2 game so it could be played with the IWD2 game engine. The task was fraught with difficulties as the two game engines are quite different. IWD2 can not handle joinable PC's or inter-party dialog very well and the conversion of the 2E rule to 3E was problematic.

 

BG1Tutu was formed when Japheth decided to take the IWG2 code and adapt it so BG1 could be played using the BG2 engine. The project proved to be a great success, and many people (myself included) have enjoyed playing this new version of BG1.

 

I've heard whispers here and there about an attempt to convert IWD1 to BG2. I have the impression that the differences between the two game engines proved to be insurmountable. (One specific example is that the SetBit/GetBit actions/triggers do not exist in the BG2 engine).

 

This sounds great and I'm ready to install the mod, where do I begin?

 

I'm afraid to say that there is no place to begin yet. This project is only at it's very beginning and there's not much there yet to work with.

 

Oh, okay, well what will I need to play this full conversion whenever it happens to be ready?

 

You will have to have Icewind Dale, Heart of Winter with the Tales of the Luremaster expansion installed (IWD1/HOW/LoTL) as well as Icewind Dale II (IWD2). Both should be installed with the "full" options so that resources are not loaded off the CD's when you play the games.

 

The "total conversion" mod itself will be a WeiDU type of package that you can download and run after reading and following the directions quite carefully.

 

How long do you think it will take for this mod to reach a point where I can play it?

 

I honestly don't know. I'm not even completely sure this project will succeed. There are many little road blocks, and so far I've only been able to take care of a few of them. I'll certainly shoot up a flair when I start to see a little light at the end of the tunnel (even though that might not make any sense).

 

So, how is this mod being created anyway?

 

The mod is based entirely on Wes Weimer's "weimorph" which is distributed with the WeiDU source code. Weimorph is the original program used for the IWG2 mod. The code includes many hooks for adapting BG2 resources to IWD2, and includes some impressive conversion operations which have been very informative exercises for me to work through. Like IWG2, the mod is comprised of a driver program (which is adapted from weimorph) and a set of auxillary "rules" and configuration files which are used to specify such things as resource mappings and installation directories.

 

Hey, how can I help?

 

Wow, that's a question I always like to here! :D

 

At the moment, I think I'm on my own until I can get a basic framework hacked together. Then a lot of things will need to be added on. I've been trying to keep notes as I continue along, but these aren't organized very well at the moment.

 

Early on I think I could really benefit with the help of another WeiDU/Ocaml programmer, but I think the long term work will mostly be related to scripting and item creation, modification or adaptation.

 

How's it going? Where are you at with this thing?

 

I'll try to keep a status log on this forum and update it as often as I can. Stay tuned! :)

Edited by FredSRichardson
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...