Kotor Tool feature requests

[Fred Tetra]

Here's the place to request features you'd like to see added or changed in Kotor Tool.

Don't bother requesting that the Dialog Editor be made to work with KotOR II. It isn't something I have the patience for these days.

Please keep in mind that this thread will be pruned from time to time, removing non-request postings (once I think they've been seen) to keep it on-topic and easy to read. Don't be offended if you have your response to someone else's request eventually deleted; it's nothing personal.

[stoffe]

Originally Posted by Fred Tetra

Don't bother requesting that the Dialog Editor be made to work with KotOR II. It isn't something I have the patience for these days.

Perhaps it should display a warning when opening a KotOR2 Dialog file, or disable the save function when one is opened? It would help people from having to find out the hard way that the dialog editor is KotOR1-only and TSL DLG files become messed up if they save them with it. Added in v2.x (upcoming)


Notes by FT

[Ancharos]

COmpatibility with the Xbox version. There are some great xbox kotor modders out there, but no tools to help us...

[Darth InSidious]

Random quotes from Russian literature of your choice at the start.



Umm...an easier way of sticking rooms together than fiddling constantly with .lyt's?

It's probably not possibly, but I thought it was worth asking.

Erh...An easier way to add columns to .2da's (I still haven't figured this one out...)

[Darth333]

Originally Posted by Fred Tetra

It does place things at zero by default, and there isn't any way for it to "know" what the correct Z values are for items since it doesn't know where the floor is. For flat levels, like 204tel, once you know the floor's Z, you're OK. On the other hand, places with ramps, like the Peragus asteroid exterior, are a lot more work. I have been thinking of putting either a set of text call outs on the maps for various areas, and encoding the most common Z value within the MapInfo.bfd.

(quote taken from the general KT thread)

This would be really useful as lots of Kotor 2 areas have different z coordinates (262TEL and 402DXN per example). Having an approximate idea of what the z value should be would definitely help a lot. Added in v2.x (upcoming)

Notes by FT

[stoffe]

Originally Posted by Fred Tetra

There's little point in adding columns to a 2DA file; the game engine is only designed to handle the ones already there.

While this is true in most cases, there are exceptions. If you add a new class to classes.2da for example, you can add new columns for your class in some of the support 2da's used by it (e.g. acbonus.2da, feat.2da, featgain.2da) which will be used by the game (since you set their column name in classes.2da for your new class), giving your class unique progressions.

[Darkkender]

While it might seem of little use a Bif Builder utility would be nice for KT.

[Osuirof]

You, and we know that KT is tha tool for KotOR modding.
But some (IMO) features could be added that could make it even more (IMO) usefull:

• an adress bar in ERF/MOD builder under "Add dir" options would be very handy. Added in v2.x (upcoming)
• preview of items in character inventory editor would be helpfull too. In progress - more in v2.x (upcoming)
  Edited
• tooltip, help under RMB for things (radio buttons, combo\check boxes, text fields, etc.) on KT forms. In progress - more in v2.x (upcoming)

Notes by FT

[Darth InSidious]

One thing that could be quite useful (or at least I think so) - a "model/ texture variation" thing in the placeables box. Otherwise, reskinning them is going to be hell

Not possible - sorry!

Notes by FT

[deathdisco]

How about turning decompiled .pcode to .nss
If this is worse than K2 dialogs I'll understand if you say no.
It never hurts to ask.

FT: Since JdNoa created the fine DeNCS tool, I ceased putting much effort into duplicating it, especially since she made (almost?) all of the decompiled game scripts available.

[cjt0202]

Originally Posted by deathdisco

It also does not support K1.

It wasn't intended to support K1, but I've used it on K1 scripts fairly often. I just swap in the nwscript.nss from whichever game I'm working on at the moment. Maybe it warns about the recompiled version not matching the original a little more often since it's hardcoded to use the K2 switch when it compiles, but I've never had any problems with the .nss code it generates.

Back to KT feature requests... it would be nice if the search results gave some indication of where the file was found. For example, when I was looking for all of Carth's appearances in K2, having a list of his .utcs was handy, but I still had to dig through all of the modules to figure out which .utc was used by which scene.

Added for v2.x release - see here:

http://www.lucasforums.com/showpost....postcount=1559

Notes by FT

[Darth333]

Originally Posted by cjt0202

Back to KT feature requests... it would be nice if the search results gave some indication of where the file was found. For example, when I was looking for all of Carth's appearances in K2, having a list of his .utcs was handy, but I still had to dig through all of the modules to figure out which .utc was used by which scene.

We already have a tool that does that: Findrefs. You can dowload it from the SWK website.

[cjt0202]

Originally Posted by Darth333

We already have a tool that does that: Findrefs. You can dowload it from the SWK website.

I have it, but unfortunately tk102's tools intensely dislike being asked to run on my computer, so I've never actually seen what its search results look like.

[Osuirof]

1. Please add "Dialog" and "Items" to Resource Type Selector under Extract for Module Editing option. It will probably help other not so smart people like me.

Items extraction support has already been added, but Dialogs can be done as well.

See here: http://www.lucasforums.com/showpost....postcount=1533

Notes by FT

Added\Edited

Hmm, It seems that I got "special" version of KT:
- v1.0.2131.27110 (not in changes\history in readme)
- when I use "Check for program updates" options, it displays info that there are no updates (it isn`t blocked by Firewall)

So probably I`ll wait for v2.0, and sugested (by me) changes .

[brwarner]

I have 2 things that i think would make a few people's lives easier.

1. Show lines for the angles of cameras. Odviously not for the 3D angles but just for the one similar to bearings on creatures (I think it's pitch)
2. In the Camera Editor a thing similar to the window that shows bearing for creatures but for all axises
3. Possibly team up with Tk102 and use his K2 dialog editor and integrate it into kotortool (with his permission of course)

[tk102]

Under Tools: Options: Project Manager Tab it would be nice to designate a path to a GFF editor.

Edit: Scratch that. Actually what would be very nice is to expand the Other Paths in Path Manager (File: Manage Path) to include:

- External Dialog Editor
- External GFF Editor
- External NSS/NCS Editor
with the caption including something like "(use Ctrl+Right Click)".

[Darkkender]

Originally Posted by tk102

Under Tools: Options: Project Manager Tab it would be nice to designate a path to a GFF editor.

Edit: Scratch that. Actually what would be very nice is to expand the Other Paths in Path Manager (File: Manage Path) to include:

- External Dialog Editor
- External GFF Editor
- External NSS/NCS Editor
with the caption including something like "(use Ctrl+Right Click)".

I would like to 2nd this or in the least keeping with Tk's original request for a "Project Manager Tab it would be nice to designate a path to a GFF editor."

[tk102]

I updated K-GFF to v1.1.6 that you can use to masquerade as GFFEditor if that was your intention DK. Sorry, didn't mean it as an advertisement.

[Darkkender]

Originally Posted by tk102

I updated K-GFF to v1.1.6 that you can use to masquerade as GFFEditor if that was your intention DK. Sorry, didn't mean it as an advertisement.

I never used Bioware's gffeditor so I'm unsure of what it's layout used to be. I've almost always used NWNeditor for most of my Gff Editing. Mostly because NWNEditor Allows you to open an ERF and then open the gff files in a seperate tab edit them and then reinsert them. It's one big flaw though seems to be with reading default game rim files it only likes mod files that have been recompiled by a seperate tool. That's one of many reasons I previously have asked if you could do a combo editor for K-GFF.

However I've really derailed Fred's Tool feature thread so I'll stop and hide.

[shadowriath]

Ignore where of file says that needed files are and go just by where the tool has them pathed to. To edit a couple files I have had to make copies of stated files to the location....luckly the locations were not another drive letter (Though making a virtual drive might work in this case). But I see coping or moving source files just for the means of editing one or two files should not be needed.

[Darkkender]

Originally Posted by shadowriath

Ignore where of file says that needed files are and go just by where the tool has them pathed to. To edit a couple files I have had to make copies of stated files to the location....luckly the locations were not another drive letter (Though making a virtual drive might work in this case). But I see coping or moving source files just for the means of editing one or two files should not be needed.

I must say I'm a little confused at this request. What is the actual feature your looking for?

[shadowriath]

When you go to edit files like .uti's. Those files keep track of where the source files were installed when they were created. So if you don't have the source files in the same location they become unable to be opened with say KT, with out coping source files to those locations.

[RedHawke]

Originally Posted by shadowriath

When you go to edit files like .uti's. Those files keep track of where the source files were installed when they were created. So if you don't have the source files in the same location they become unable to be opened with say KT, with out coping source files to those locations.

Uh? No they don't... the only thing KotOR Tool does to a .uti file is add in some nodes telling the version of KT it was edited with.

Uti files are GFF files, they are not what you seem to think they are. They do not "keep track" of anything they merely hold item information for the game. There are no source files for uti's.

The only files that have "source files" are .nss scripts, you can edit the source script .nss then compile them to a .ncs script file the game uses, you cannot directly edit compiled .ncs script files.

[shadowriath]

Then why else would opening only isolated .uti files ask for files in one location...while the tool has them pathed to some where else?

[Jackel]

shadowriath may I suggest taking screenshots to clarify exactly what you mean? This way hopefully no more misunderstandings will occur.

[Osuirof]

Sorting, unsorting (or making KT able to make .mod from folders with subfolders) extracted files into folders (.uti -> Items, .utc -> Characters, etc.)

My attempt to do this .

[Lit Ridl]

And whats about decompiled scripts for KI? Or decompiler utility for KI? It will make life to many people easier. Most of modders in their starting have the mess with KI scripts...

[Fiestainabox]

How bout being able to build multiple ERF's at at time using your ERF/Rim tool?

[jinger]

• the possibility to add a second class and an experience dword for a "superstar" npc you would join for a brief time, like a jedi master or a sith lord (this shouldn't be too hard but it's linked to the second request.)
• UTC calculations? i usually use this but it would be great if the creature editor did it automatically, you know picking the values you need from 2da files and adjust what needs to be adjusted as you change some ability score, classes, feats, powers, inventory and everything. (please?)

ps: KT rocks, thanks Fred.

[Hebejebelus]

How about it being compatible with mac users? Please?

[Darkkender]

That will happen when the all powerful .NET framework begins to work like it is supposed to on other operating systems. Then it will be relatively quick to transfer. However at this time the .NET framework is part of the heart of Kotor Tool which means that for now Macs will spit it back out like moldy bread.

[Hebejebelus]

I fornd a program resembling .NET framework, it's in another thread, posted by me. Can't find it at the moment. Tell me if it works, because i'm on a windows at the mo.....

EDIT: here: http://www.mono-project.com/Main_Page

[m16965]

im mandalorian16965. and the idea that i have is a script genarator simialr tp he one from starwarsknights. im a skinner and moder myself not a scripter so a tool like this would be great

[glovemaster]

you could add a seperate ARE GIT and IFO editor because i've done a bit of searching and i cant find one, at the moment you need the right maps to get module editor to work

[newszi]

It should work. Mono has full .NET 1.1 support and almost full .NET2.0
As Kotor tool was .NET1.1 those vesions should work. However I've read somewhere that fred started to use .NET2. So my opinion is that it should work, but not worthless to try yourself. An entyre game engine has been built under Mono, the award winning Unity, so Mono really is something worthy.
Mono framework is not a new thing at all, it's been here quite a while now, give it a try fellow Kotor modder.

[Darth333]

Originally Posted by glovemaster

you could add a seperate ARE GIT and IFO editor because i've done a bit of searching and i cant find one, at the moment you need the right maps to get module editor to work

You can use K-gff to edit those files: http://www.starwarsknights.com/tools.php

[glovemaster]

Oh right, that works but i really wanted it in notepad form, like KotOR tools editor

[Darth333]

Originally Posted by glovemaster

Oh right, that works but i really wanted it in notepad form, like KotOR tools editor

Well you can always convert them into xml files with GFF2XML and XML2GFF Utilities v0.2 (same link as above)

[tk102]

Also, in KGFF, you can select the Struct you want to edit and select Edit: Copy Node
Then open up WordPad and click Paste. That will display the GFF struct as XML which you can edit in WordPad. When you're done, copy it back to the clipboard, open up KGFF and paste the struct back into the List Field where it came. Unfortunately the current version does not support doing this with the main Struct of the GFF.

Edit tk102: v1.1.7 now supports copying and pasting of the main Struct.

[glovemaster]

Oh, right i should think b4 i post... lol, thank you very much

Edit tk102: Not at all glovemaster... but given Fred's inactivity lately regarding KotOR Tool development, we just wanted to give you other options.