A Land Far Away

[Edit: Much of this is now out of date. A cleaned-up version will be offered soon that should make things simpler for new/returning builders looking to get settled in with ALFA's content in the NWN2 toolset. I am available for specific questions or general guidance in #alfa-builders on IRC. -AcadiusLost 2009/02/11]


PATCHING

To patch NWN2 to the latest update:
1. Empty my docs/NWN2/Override folder
2. Empty mydocs/NWN2/hak folder
3. Put in the disc
4. Choose update

____________________________________________________________

DOWNLOADING the HAKS

1. Download the haks using the worldgate client full instructions can be found here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/docs/Player/ALFAHaks2

Alternatively

1. Download the haks from here:
http://download.alandfaraway.org/docs/T ... /Downloads
2. Extract the haks to the mydocs/NWN2/hak folder
3. Put the tlk file in mydocs/NWN2/tlk folder (make one if you dont have it)

STEPS 4 to 10 for Builders ONLY
4. Open the builders folder here:
http://download.alandfaraway.org/downlo ... /builders/

Currently the files you will need are:
Toolset_Overrides_1.49.rar
Toolset_Grass_1.21.rar
Toolset_Terrains_1.21.rar
Toolset_Tiles_1.22.rar

5. Extract the contents of the Toolset_Overrides_1.49.rar to the mydocs\NWN2\Override directory.
6. Extract Toolset_Terrains_1.21.rar to Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\NWN2Toolset_X1\Terrain
7. Extract Toolset_Tiles_1.22.rar to Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\NWN2Toolset\Tiles
8. Extract Toolset_Grass_1.21.rar to Program Files\Atari\Neverwinter Nights 2\NWN2Toolset_X1\Grass
9. Create a new folder named Alfa_Erfs - it doesn't matter where you save it but I save mine in the modules folder
10. Download ALL the erfs to the new Alfa_Erfs folder. These erfs are blueprints of all the content you will have available in the toolset. Importing these means you can see the new content in your pallette.
The current erf list is -:
alfa_archedbridges.erf
alfa_bthhouses.erf
alfa_caveroofs.erf
alfa_citywalls.erf
alfa_deephalls+sewers.erf
alfa_dmfi_nocon.erf
alfa_drowcaves.erf
alfa_pctools.erf
alfa_ramparts.erf
alfa_rwsbridges.erf
alfa_signposts.erf
alfa_stainedglass.erf
ALFA_walkmeshhelperblueprints.erf
ALFA_BCKII_blueprints.rar (extract to erf folder)
ALFA_CityHak_Blueprints.erf
ALFA_PocketCathedral_blueprints.rar(extract to erf folder)
spellhook.erf
new_1.69_placeables.rar (extract into erf folder)
dmfi_placedeffectfix.rar(extract into erf folder)
ALFA_Creatures.rar (extract to erf folder)
ALFA_Doors.rar(extract to erf folder)
ALFA_Items.rar(extract to erf folder)
ALFA_Placeables.rar(extract to erf folder)
____________________________________________________________
BUILDING A BASE MOD: ASSOCIATING HAKS/TLK, SAVING MOD, IMPORTING ERFS
When you create a mod you will have to associate all the haks - then save the module and reopen and then import all the erfs

1. Open the toolset and create a module
2. Under "view" click mod properties
3. Open the properties window on the right and find the hak field
4. Use the dropdown menu to get a new window and associate all of the available haks (in the hak directory) to the mod - one by one no particular order is necessary since there is no overlap.
5. Now still in the properties window find the "Custom tlk" field
6. Add "alfa_acr01.tlk" to this field
7. Save module as directory
8. Reopen the module
9. Import each of the .erfs from your Erf folder into the mod
PLEASE NOTE: If the toolset asks you if you wish to overwrite any information imported from an erf, just say no to be safe..

TIP 1: Create one module, associate the haks, save as "BASEMOD", import the erfs, save again. Now every time you want to build something new, open this basemod, build and save it under a new name.

TIP 2: The toolset suffers from memory leaks so it is best to save often or you face the possibility of losing your work to corruption. My save regime which I do every hour or half hour is as follows.
1. I Close down and save any area I am working on.
2. I Allow a delay for the RAM to dump.
3. I Save as module under a different version name each time.
4. I Check my module directory after each save to see if there is an increase in the filesize, if there isnt, I know the version is corrupt so I have to go back and redo/resave.

This "how to" was last edited on 7/31/08 by Thangorn. LINKS UPDATED SINCE WEBSITE MOVE

DISCLAIMER: THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE AWAITING PROOF BY A TECH TEAM MEMBER AS AT 7/18/08

Stickify.

As a side note- the new ACR release has dropped "alfa_acr01.hak" in favor of "alfa_acr.hak", and the "alfa_2da.hak" got a slight update.

The http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/NWN2/HAK/v1.0/ link has been updated, as has the combined hak file here:

http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... aks_v1.rar

The other mirrors may need some time to catch up.

Let me also point out that we now have a dedicated downloads page where all our releases will be organized. All the latest information will be linked from there so there should never be any question about what we've released or what the latest versions are. Links to HAK files now work properly and no longer load directly in the browser (no more Save As).

http://alandfaraway.org/downloads.php

Also, whenever we make a change, we need to up the revision number no matter how small the change is. Where SVN does this for us automatically for our scripts, we need to manage this ourselves for our HAK files. This is essential to prevent the possibility of having two different files with the same version number, which can clearly create considerable confusion and/or problems.

Hi Cipher and AL,

Would it be possible to have ALL the downloads in one place?
http://alandfaraway.org/downloads.php
is looking good and thank you for making the .rars clickable.
BUT it is missing the following:

1) The combined hak from here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/NWN2/HAK/v1.0/

2) The builders materials for toolsetting here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... /builders/

[A. Overrides, B. terrain and tiles and C. all the erfs]


____________________________________________________________

It would be great to have everything in one single place if that is possible.
I have already edited the first post in this thread several times...like when the haks changed a couple weeks ago from being called lowercase hak to uppercase HAK - my links suddenly didn't work and people trying to follow the how to PMed me. It is understandable that the haks will need to be updated and any link in any thread that points to them will stop functioning any time the names change - with that in mind maybe the best place for "how to" directions would be on the Downloads page itself???

Sure, I'll add those.

Can you move the "install directions" to the Wiki (General so it's readable by anyone) and I'll link to it? That will make it easily editable.

Edit: Do we need to break out all those ERFs? In fact, I'll see if we can incorporate these into our ABR packages. Those are exactly for this purpose.

I left them as general erfs because they:

1. aren't fully up to ABR guidelines (local variables, tags, etc)

2. Won't function without our haks (don't work for the OAS- recall the "ABR Plus" discussion.

Up for discussion how they are best distributed.

I also noticed tonight the sewers are incomplete. I remember there was some confusion because they had two different sewer download pages on the vault. We got the older of the two and do not have the complete set of tiles.

Also I get an error every time I try to import the PC tools to any mod. The erf is broken?





Cipher I don't have permissions to add to the Technical Wiki like I can on the player Wiki.

If it's Heed's PC tools, it's already in the haks, no need to import it (and if you did, it would conflict). The module scripts needed for it come in with the ACR installation package.

Could the instructions for ACR installation be added to Aelred's first post? I didn't realize until today that I hadn't completed installing everything I needed. Thanks to AL for walking me through the ACR!

It's a bit complicated (as I expect you discovered today) to run through the full ACR install- I'd envisioned it as only something module hosts would have to do (and only once)- therafter builders could work on the module itself, or just export things from their hak-enabled build mods to add to existing servers.

Basically- you can build and test with DM avatars for anything that doesn't need persistency or scripting (landscapes, shops, ATs, to some extent spawns), without installing the ACR, NWNx4, and a MySQL database.

If you want to go the extra mile and script/write statics/beta test server sections, then you need the whole thing. I'm worried that putting everyone who wants to toolset some outfits or a shop interior through that much tech would be a disincentive.

It was complicated. But I can't imagine testing without being able to see the goodies ACR can enable. Maybe just a note in the post that says exactly what you've said, AL: It's complicated and not required to build, but for scripters/static builders, they might want to venture the ACR/MySQL/NWNx4 route. Or at least to know it exists.

Thanks again for your help today.

boy I wish there was a one-button updater.

OK, so fluff was asking how this has changed for MotB.

First, as before, you need the haks. Some are updated, some have yet to change with new content. Updated haks:

alfa_2da.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... fa_2da.rar
alfa_acr.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... fa_acr.rar
alfa_fx.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... lfa_fx.rar
alfa_items.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... _items.rar
alfa_placeables.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... eables.rar

note these have the same names as the old haks, but are larger, indicating additional content. Notice also that they are RAR compressed, you'll need to unRAR them into your /my documents/neverwinternights2/hak folder.

haks that are also needed, but are unchanged from Aelred's howto guide:

alfa_gui.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... fa_gui.rar
alfa_terrain.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... errain.rar
alfa_tiles.hak - http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... _tiles.rar

8 haks total. Remember they must be unRAR'ed, so they end in .hak


Builders who want to build with custom content and the MotB material also need to set themselves up with our new set of override files. Note: these, while necessary for toolsetting, may seriously hinder your ability to play on NWN2 servers, so rename your override folder before logging into PW servers, especially if they're not ALFA's ones. If you had override 2das in for toolsetting under NWN2 before, these replace those (delete the old ones).

Also note! If you're not toolsetting with MotB and/or our custom tilesets (Dwarven Halls, Deep Sewers), you don't need all this stuff.

the overrides are packaged up here:
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... rrides.rar

inside you'll find the following:

appearance.2da
doortypes.2da
metatiles.2da
placeables.2da
terrainmaterials.2da
tiles.2da
tilesets.2da

drop them all in your /my documents/neverwinternights2/Override folder.

Next, make sure you're set up to see the custom tilesets and textures from the haks. These have not changed from Aelred's post above.

Custom terrains: into your /program files/atari/Neverwinternights2/NWN2toolset/Terrain folder:
(and possibly also /program files/atari/Neverwinternights2/NWN2toolset_X1/Terrain folder:
(11 files, all ending in extension .bmp)

http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... rrains.rar


Custom Tiles: into your /program files/Atari/Neverwinternights2/NWN2Toolset/Tiles folder:
(8 files, all ending in .bmp)

http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... _Tiles.rar


Still with me? Now, if you want your module to include MotB-exclusive content, you have to go into module properties, and set the top field "Expansion Flags" to 1, instead of 0. Back up your module by making a copy of the mod file or directory first, just in case. Save your module, and restart the toolset- the new tilesets, monster appearances, base blueprints, MotB tilesets, and custom hak tilesets should be available. Note that this setting (expansion flags = 1 ) will mean that NWN2 clients will not be able to join the server, unless they have MotB installed. Leaving it at "0" allows both NWN2 and MotB clients to connect, but leaves MotB content invisible/unavailable.

"Hay, where are all the cool new placeables and shields and 1337 effects like 500' tall rock geysers?"

We don't have erfs set up with blueprints for everything that is included in the new haks. Sometimes we're adding hundreds of appearances at a time. Eventually it'd be nice to get an importable erf or 5 that includes them all, but that would also bloat up people's modules with thousands of placeables, placed effects, items, and so on that wouldn't be needed. Generally speaking, you can always copy existing blueprints, rename them, and pick from the dropdown list of "Appearances", and get to the new content that way, so long as your haks and override 2das are where they should be.

If you just want a start, there are a few importable erfs up to try that some of us put together for the first round of custom content. Just select these with Import from the toolset.

here are a few:

(placeables and doors for the 2 custom tilesets)
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... sewers.erf

(placeable cave roofs for building caves and caverns as "exteriors")
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... eroofs.erf

(City Walls and walkable ramparts, tintable)
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... mparts.erf

(Faerun stained glass windows)
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... dglass.erf

(arched bridges, tintable)
http://www.alandfaraway.org/downloads/N ... ridges.erf


Good luck, and happy building! These instructions should serve you well until we next add more Custom Content, which, since Deep Chasms has been released, and PC Tools has been upgraded, will likely be soon.

Thanks a bunch AL.