Modifying The Old Republic!

DarthJacen · 07-23-2011, 04:29 PM

Now that pre-orders have gone live, it is time to think and ponder our own involvement in this game. All Kotor and TSL modders unite and converge upon the ulitmate challenge, to modify the The Old Republic with client side mods is a must.

Star Wars: The Old Republic appears to be using a similar game engine to that of either Star Wars Galaxies. As as nice result, most of us should be able to modify this game to our hearts content.

What do you think?

Lordjedi · 08-03-2011, 04:54 AM

I don't know if user's will have the ability to mod TOR, but I would think you could develop addons that change the UI ect.

***Lynk Former*** · 08-03-2011, 05:11 AM

TOR isn't using anywhere near an engine that resembles the one used for Galaxies. BioWare has created their own in-house engine for the game.

Now specifically on the point of mods... I can't remember which interview/video/whatever I saw/heard/read this from, but last word from BioWare was that there won't be any modding in TOR unfortunately.... whether this is just because they haven't gotten around to that side of things yet or not or if they plan to never support modding in any way is yet to be seen.

**Astor** · 08-03-2011, 05:29 AM

From the 'Whats NOT in The Old Republic' thread -

Quote:

Originally Posted by adamqd

Third party addons

So no modding by the looks of things.

DarthJacen · 08-07-2011, 07:42 PM

They may have said that about SWG, too, but we've been making client-side mods for that game for years. Most of them are of the make a sword into a lightsaber, or change the appearance of my clothing, or adding a new texture file. I've messed with the lightsaber palette and textures, myself. Another has redone the space game with newer textures, sounds, and user-interface changes. <--- None of these modifications affect gameplay or the integrity of the game. In fact, only the person using the mod can see it, anyway, and in the past they only helped promote sales of the product not detract.

My point, is I hope they let us do that much with it.

Hallucination · 08-07-2011, 08:10 PM

It should still be possible since they'll have a lot of resources stored on the client side, what I think they mean when they say there'll be no 3rd party mods is that there will be no facilities for it, like how WoW released a Lua API for UI modders' use.

DarthJacen · 08-08-2011, 02:44 AM

I don't expect them to give us a tool for it. The modding community has made two very good tools, I use all the time. This forum has the kotortool. The other forum has the SWG modding tool. Both programs were written by fellow modders.

Mav · 08-09-2011, 12:11 AM

I don't think we should expect Fred to make a KT for TOR though

DarthJacen · 08-10-2011, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mav

I don't think we should expect Fred to make a KT for TOR though

Fame and recognition will go to the one that does.

***Lynk Former*** · 08-10-2011, 01:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthJacen

Fame and recognition will go to the one that does.

You better get cracking then

*Deft Aklin* · 08-10-2011, 09:09 AM

The developers have officially stated that there will be no UI modding 'at release', but have not stated if that meant ever or just the first few months etc.

DarthJacen · 08-10-2011, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynk Former

You better get cracking then

I can't do anything, nor can anyone, until I can see the format BioWare uses for their files. The dot and letters after the file will determine what program I need to use.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Aklin

The developers have officially stated that there will be no UI modding 'at release', but have not stated if that meant ever or just the first few months etc.

The user interface isn't the only modding that we can do.

For example, the first thing I need to know is if the lightsaber model in The Old Republic works the same way it did in the Kotor games. I have seen the lightsabers dead on in earlier game footage, and I noticed the asterisk shape they developed for the original Knights of the Old Republic. If this indeed turns out to be the case, I will be able to use my old textures as a test. I can always redo the textures in .dds format if that is required.

*Deft Aklin* · 08-12-2011, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthJacen

I can't do anything, nor can anyone, until I can see the format BioWare uses for their files. The dot and letters after the file will determine what program I need to use.

The user interface isn't the only modding that we can do.

For example, the first thing I need to know is if the lightsaber model in The Old Republic works the same way it did in the Kotor games. I have seen the lightsabers dead on in earlier game footage, and I noticed the asterisk shape they developed for the original Knights of the Old Republic. If this indeed turns out to be the case, I will be able to use my old textures as a test. I can always redo the textures in .dds format if that is required.

In an MMO environment I am usually less likely to take such freedoms. Anything that could potentially break the EULA and get me life banned isn't worth the time and effort. Or... that could just be an excuse because I have no clue what I'd do even if I could do that... which I can't. lol

***Lynk Former*** · 08-12-2011, 03:29 AM

It's probably not a good idea to look at early footage as reference for how the game will turn out in its release date form considering the fact that the game has gone through several engine upgrades and major changes throughout its development process.

BioWare has stated several times that they've had to go back to the drawing board and start some aspects of the game from scratch over the years.

DarthJacen · 08-13-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Aklin

In an MMO environment I am usually less likely to take such freedoms. Anything that could potentially break the EULA and get me life banned isn't worth the time and effort. Or... that could just be an excuse because I have no clue what I'd do even if I could do that... which I can't. lol

Again, since the mod is client-side only and aesthetic at that, it doesn't break EULA. Look at the web site dedicated to MMO modding call ModSource.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lynk Former

It's probably not a good idea to look at early footage as reference for how the game will turn out in its release date form considering the fact that the game has gone through several engine upgrades and major changes throughout its development process.

BioWare has stated several times that they've had to go back to the drawing board and start some aspects of the game from scratch over the years.

You are correct, but since, I only have their released footage to use, so far. That was all I can do.

Hallucination · 08-14-2011, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthJacen

Again, since the mod is client-side only and aesthetic at that, it doesn't break EULA. Look at the web site dedicated to MMO modding call ModSource.

It depends on what they put into the EULA, in WoW you only allowed to use the facilities Blizzard providing, meaning that you could not change textures or models. They never actually stopped anyone who did, IIRC, but that was still in the EULA.

DarthJacen · 08-14-2011, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hallucination

It depends on what they put into the EULA, in WoW you only allowed to use the facilities Blizzard providing, meaning that you could not change textures or models. They never actually stopped anyone who did, IIRC, but that was still in the EULA.

We'll have to wait and see, I suppose, in the meantime, I'm going to at least start a laundry list of changes I might want to make in the future.

**Prime** · 08-17-2011, 11:25 AM

I would love to be able to have mods that would make many of the costumes look less...ridiculous.

But whether that was a mod I would make or get from an official or 3rd party source I don't really care.

Liverandbacon · 08-17-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mav

I don't think we should expect Fred to make a KT for TOR though

I miss Fred.

Mav · 08-17-2011, 03:25 PM

^^

Don't we all

DarthJacen · 08-17-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prime

I would love to be able to have mods that would make many of the costumes look less...ridiculous.

But whether that was a mod I would make or get from an official or 3rd party source I don't really care.

My experience with Star Wars Galaxies taught me that retexturing, remapping, and file editing usually are what are available for us to mod. Most of the models come hardcoded into the game, however, we (the modding community for SWG) were able to modify the Jedi and Sith Acolyte robe model so that it would appear closer to the Jedi robes from the prequel trilogy reapplied the Jedi Knight Robe texture and we had done the next best thing to making a new clothing model.

Example: This is from the Cloaks Over Jedi Robes mod. http://forum.modsource.org/index.php?topic=20.0
http://imageshack.us/f/585/cloaksoverjedirobes22pr.jpg/

Quote:

Originally Posted by Liverandbacon

I miss Fred.

It is a shame when good modders don't come back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mav

^^

Don't we all

Unfortunately, I was not modding when he stopped, so I can't say that.

Darth InSidious · 08-17-2011, 05:54 PM

Mod it? I'm not buying it, and KotOR modders have never been much good at organisation.

As for the "ultimate challenge", meh. You want that, you should try learning Sumerian.

DarthJacen · 08-17-2011, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darth InSidious

Mod it? I'm not buying it, and KotOR modders have never been much good at organisation.

As for the "ultimate challenge", meh. You want that, you should try learning Sumerian.

Thank you for your opinion. I'm disappointed because you would be good at this, I think.

DarthJacen · 08-25-2011, 01:41 AM

Quote:

TOR Modification support confirmed by Bioware
« on: Today at 07:52:34 AM »
Reply with quoteQuote
In case you haven't heard yet, Bioware has confirmed in a Q&A that they are going to support mods in The Old Republic, at least for the user interface. The tools for it won't be available at launch, but they want to make them available later.

It's around the 16:35 time mark in the following Q&A video from SDCC back in July:

http://darthhater.com/2011/07/23/sdc...blog-coverage/

Woohoo! Good news!

Ascended_Mike · 10-23-2011, 01:42 PM

That's great to hear! The static UI might be abit rubbish but I don't know yet. Anyone got screenshots of it?

*Deft Aklin* · 10-23-2011, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ascended_Mike

That's great to hear! The static UI might be abit rubbish but I don't know yet. Anyone got screenshots of it?

Sadly, it's VERY SWG standard, with the bright blue color. I was told that nothing can be moved either, which really bothers me. I hate the stock blue color. I want to be able to move things around and resize them.

THe map however is spectacular, as you can run around with it up and the transparency changes once you start to move.

Unfortunately, I've 'seen' beta, but am not 'in' beta, so I can't really test much other than to give a friend a kick and get info. Well, unless I go visiting again. lol

DarthJacen · 10-24-2011, 02:21 PM

It is modifiable, so don't worry. We'll have one out on ModSource.

Ascended_Mike · 10-25-2011, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Aklin

Sadly, it's VERY SWG standard, with the bright blue color. I was told that nothing can be moved either, which really bothers me. I hate the stock blue color. I want to be able to move things around and resize them.

THe map however is spectacular, as you can run around with it up and the transparency changes once you start to move.

Unfortunately, I've 'seen' beta, but am not 'in' beta, so I can't really test much other than to give a friend a kick and get info. Well, unless I go visiting again. lol

I am hoping that we can change the UI scheme, it's something that will bother me to no end if they don't eventually allow modding in this way. I like to personalize my UI to no end. Being a WoW player of 6 or 7 years I find it infuriating when I play an MMO that is restricted in that sense.

I'll be jumping ship to SW:TOR regardless. But I want my landing into bioware's new epic to me a cushioned one!

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarthJacen

It is modifiable, so don't worry. We'll have one out on ModSource.

Oh? Can you source this information or are we just to take your word for it?
You haven't really explained what can be modified.
I'm certainly worried, cause I don't want a bright blue UI ruining my rampage across the galaxy.

berryla · 10-26-2011, 03:35 AM

I would think you could develop addons that change the UI ect.

**Jae Onasi** · 10-26-2011, 07:23 PM

I imagine down the road they'll allow some user-side add-ons, and I sure hope they do so I can change the UI.

*Deft Aklin* · 10-27-2011, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ascended_Mike

I am hoping that we can change the UI scheme, it's something that will bother me to no end if they don't eventually allow modding in this way. I like to personalize my UI to no end. Being a WoW player of 6 or 7 years I find it infuriating when I play an MMO that is restricted in that sense.

I'll be jumping ship to SW:TOR regardless. But I want my landing into bioware's new epic to me a cushioned one!

Oh? Can you source this information or are we just to take your word for it?
You haven't really explained what can be modified.
I'm certainly worried, cause I don't want a bright blue UI ruining my rampage across the galaxy.

I'm actually going to be a bit happy that I won't need to update my add-ons and find new compatible ones every few months... lol

Ascended_Mike · 10-27-2011, 09:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deft Aklin

I'm actually going to be a bit happy that I won't need to update my add-ons and find new compatible ones every few months... lol

That is certainly a plus side to it.

But in all honesty, it doesn't take all that long to update your addons... Curse's website even has an application that does it for you nowadays.

Couple minutes of addon updating for a few months worth of better looking/feeling game.

Worth it. :P

*Deft Aklin* · 10-31-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ascended_Mike

That is certainly a plus side to it.

But in all honesty, it doesn't take all that long to update your addons... Curse's website even has an application that does it for you nowadays.

Couple minutes of addon updating for a few months worth of better looking/feeling game.

Worth it. :P

Still always ran into mods not working, mods not being updated... mods that fall out of favor and get forgotten... so you're always looking for a new replacement for a simple old mod.

DarthJacen · 11-03-2011, 09:42 PM

My sources at ModSource.org are as follows:

The Extractor tool we're working on is here. http://forum.modsource.org/index.php?topic=1224.0
and here http://forum.modsource.org/index.php?topic=1225.0

The hash code list is here.
http://forum.modsource.org/index.php?topic=1234.0

Ever since, beta began we have been working on this problem, so we will be ready when the game comes out.