Ace's very long NPC creation guide

[Jarno Mikkola]

Try copying one of your other setup-modname.exe files and replacing SETUP-BRIL.EXE.

And set the windows so it sees the file extensions so files like SETUP-BRIL.EXE.DEBUG don't happen by "accident".

[Blades of Vanatar]

That was the issue, thanks Jarno. I also had the Area file hosed, but I fixed it. I am now getting an error when installing, stating "Bril/brils.bmp is not found". I do see in the CRE. file that I have a "s" and "l" portrait types. In the TP2 file I see an "s" and "m" file types listed for the portrait. Does that matter? What would cause this type error message?

[Jarno Mikkola]

That was the issue, thanks Jarno. I also had the Area file hosed, but I fixed it. I am now getting an error when installing, stating "Bril/brils.bmp is not found". I do see in the CRE. file that I have a "s" and "l" portrait types. In the TP2 file I see an "s" and "m" file types listed for the portrait. Does that matter? What would cause this type error message?

Well if the .tp2 code say that you copy the 's' -file while the folder has the 'm' -file, it makes the error obvious... it can't find the file.

The thing that matters is that you code the .tp2 file exactly as your files are named... not whether or not the example has them all.

But the most likely suspect on the above is a typo.

[Blades of Vanatar]

The CRE file that I created following the guidelines in this tutorial named BRIL shows that you have a large and a small portrait as per section 3 -9) of the tutorial. The TP2 file shows brils.bmp and brilsm.bmp. I guess I am questioning if what is in the tutoirial concerning the TP2 example is correct? Should it be tellign it to look for the small and large portraits? Why s and m instead?

 

Hopefully I am not being dense here. I appreciate your advice and knowledge about the issue....

[Jarno Mikkola]

Well, the large is actually used in the ToB end cinematic ... but as there's no natural way that I know of to actually include that for the mod NPCs... except to make the game play a custom media file on the right place... so the actual files that the game used for the NPC are the small and the medium associated in the .cre file.

[Mike1072]

In BG1, the "L" (or large) portrait referred to the one shown on the character information screen (110x170 pixels). The one shown in character creation was an "H" (huge?) portrait (210x330 pixels).

 

BG2 renamed the files, giving the designation "M" (medium) to the character information screen portrait (110x170 pixels) and the designation "L" to the character creation/epilogue portrait (210x330 pixels).

 

I can't comment on what's mentioned in the guide, because AFAIK it's no longer actively supported.

 

What's important is that your .CRE file references a 38x60 small portrait (offset 0x34) and a 110x170 large portrait (offset 0x3c). The portrait names listed in the .CRE file must match the names of the image files included in your mod.

[Blades of Vanatar]

My thanks to both of you for the clarification. I was leaning that way, hence my question, but as I want to start modding using "baby steps" to make sure I get a more precise understanding. Reading old tutorials is helpful, but they don't answer the hundred questions that pop up in your head. I prefer to have input from those of you that very informed on the topic if possible. Thanks again.

[Blades of Vanatar]

Okay. The CRE file has listing for LARGE PORTRAIT - Currently I have chosen MAN1L.BMP and SMALL PORTRAIT - Currently I have chosen MAN1S.BMP. What do I put in the below line in the TP2 file that "matches" it? I have edited to the below and still receive an error when trying to install this most basic of NPCs.

 

COPY ~Bril/man1s.bmp~ ~override/man1s.bmp~

~Bril/man1m.bmp~ ~override/man1m.bmp~

 

Weidu Install error message:

 

 

[C:\BG2\Setup-Bril.exe] WeiDU version 23100

[C:\BG2\Setup-Bril.exe] Using scripting style "BG2"

 

Install Component [bril for BG2:SoA]?

nstall, or [N]ot Install or [Q]uit? i

 

Installing [bril for BG2:SoA]

Copying and patching 1 file ...

Compiling 1 dialogue file ...

Extending game scripts ...

Copying 2 files ...

ERROR: error loading [bril/man1s.bmp]

Stopping installation because of error.

 

ERROR Installing [bril for BG2:SoA], rolling back to previous state

Will uninstall 4 files for [sETUP-BRIL.TP2] component 0.

Uninstalled 4 files for [sETUP-BRIL.TP2] component 0.

ERROR: Unix.Unix_error(20, "stat", "Bril/man1s.bmp")

PLEASE email the file SETUP-BRIL.DEBUG to Blades (kmark2323@gmail.com)

 

Install Component [bril for BG2:SoA]?

nstall, or [N]ot Install or [Q]uit?

[Mike1072]

Weidu Install error message:

ERROR: error loading [bril/man1s.bmp]
...
ERROR: Unix.Unix_error(20, "stat", "Bril/man1s.bmp")

This is saying it cannot find a file called man1s.bmp in the folder "Bril". Double-check that the file exists as named.

 

Okay. The CRE file has listing for LARGE PORTRAIT - Currently I have chosen MAN1L.BMP and SMALL PORTRAIT - Currently I have chosen MAN1S.BMP. What do I put in the below line in the TP2 file that "matches" it?

The portraits you name in the .cre file have to match the .bmp files you copy into the game.

 

 

Presuming your Bril folder contains a 38x60 portrait named man1s.bmp and a 110x170 portrait named man1l.bmp, use this code to copy them into the game:

COPY ~Bril/man1l.bmp~ ~override~

~Bril/man1s.bmp~ ~override~

And make sure your .cre file references man1s for the small portrait and man1l for the large portrait.

 

 

So, there are 3 things that need to match up. The actual file needs to have a name (X.bmp). The place in your mod where you want to copy over the portrait needs to specify where the file is (modfolder/X.bmp). Finally, the .cre file that wants to use the image as a portrait needs to have that name listed in the appropriate portrait field (X).

[Blades of Vanatar]

Alrighty then!! Brilsun Moonstar of Waterdeep( a very basic, no dialogue, no quest version that is..) is now in game, swigging on watered down ale at the CC, waiting on some fool of a Bhaalspwan to acquire his services. Thanks for filling in the blanks guys.

 

Now off to fleshing him out. The first idea I have is making him an agent/assassin of Melissan with a betrayal plot in Chapter six. The NPC will have no idea about their connection until late in ToB. Probably way to ambitious for a newbie, I know, but hey, you gotta think big I say! I think I have a lot of studying of released mods to do in the near future. Cheers boys! If you are ever in the Chi-Town area, I'm buying.

[Jarno Mikkola]

The guide is offline again.... any one got the .pdf/whatever version ?

[kimmuryiel]

The guide is offline again.... any one got the .pdf/whatever version ?

I've got the pdf simplified version. (I'll love forever anyone who can get a pdf of the other version and send it to me. Having trouble figuring out how to script fate spirit summoning and Bodhi kidnap. And no one seems willing to tell me WHAT files to look at)...but I don't know how to attach it...(and I have yet to get a validation email, or whatever I need to be able to create topics and, I assume, attach things to posts)

[CamDawg]

(and I have yet to get a validation email, or whatever I need to be able to create topics and, I assume, attach things to posts)

And there's never an admin around when you need one.

[Logitech]

Please if someone has pdf upload it here. I'm looking forward for the longer version but simplified may also be useful.

 

The admin should consider uploading it on the site imo, so the guide will be always available.

[Kulyok]

Unfortunately, it's not available at the moment, since the author herself deleted it. For now, I can recommend Branwen's one-day NPC from pocketplane.net/oneday or Ghreyfain's old guide as an alternative: http://forums.pocketplane.net/index.php?topic=52.0