I dont believe that this is possible! That would mean to create a whole new game,a whole new story!whatever you like!I doubt it!fgrobste said:
Although I'm not an expert on this subject, their descriptions have indicated that this will be a Toolset, not so much an editor. If you've played NeverWinter Nights (since The Witcher uses a heavily modified Aurora Engine used in the first game), you'll have an idea what they're talking about. The world consists of numerous different separate elements - textures, level meshes, light sources, landscape murals for the backgrounds, and numerous objects. Each of these elements found in a given location in the game has a set of properties that determine how it looks and interacts with the world.For example, look at a wall sometime. Obviously, the wall isn't unique- there are many other walls in the game, and it doesn't make a lot of sense to make a random wall any different from another wall. Instead, there's a small square of "texture" that shows what the wall looks like- and this texture is stretched, modified, or colored repeatedly as defined by its properties, and covers the whole wall.From my understanding, the Djinni Toolset is, at a very simplistic explanation, a tool for modifying any properties of any object or element found within the game. The mods have mentioned that the ability to create new content is included with it- i.e. the ability to add new content to the game without replacing or removing any other content. Currently, the only way to experience something different than the game presents to you by default is to take the game's data files, make the changes you wish, and then put them back in. Then, when you get to that part of the game, you will experience the "new" content rather than the old content. As far as the game can tell, nothing has changed; it loads the same files, it follows the same "script" in executing its instructions. As a user, we know the difference.It will likely be very possible to add completely new areas, levels, etc. They even mentioned the ability to create your own in-game rendered movie sequences.
Djinni is the tool that was used by the designers. You can create your own adventures or modify the existing campaing (although that can be a little tricky). To add custom 3d content you will need 3dsmax, though.
I agree about the movie sequences - that's just scripting with camera placements and object moving, and most of it is taken care of by the conversation editor I bet. But I'm doubtfull about the posibility to add completely new areas - as far as I can tell the areas in The Witcher are themselves 3d objects which have had the lightmaps etc. all pre-rendered in 3dmax or whatever. That means unless you have a 3d modelling tool which can create objects used by djinni we'll be left to work within the existing area objects. Not that there isnt' a lot we can do with that, but it's probably not like Oblivion/NWN where we could generate new terrain.Froderick said:
I think it might be... remember, the games back bone is a modded version of the Aurora engine. And how can we create our own quests and quest objects if the terrain was not moddable too.I think actually, the "terrain" terrain may well be all texture moddable, with layer building... bit like making a mountain with SimCity.kalniel said:
And you'll probably get a .MAX or .OBJ converter for your own 3d Models.... Virtually every other game editor had one, and so did NWN Maybe you know something I don't, but remember that the Aurora engine is more concerned with data management and the underlying rules engine.Quests can be easily created without touching the terrain - it only takes an objective, a condition check and a reward. So I could drop in a new NPC or modify the dialogue of an existing one and give a new quest, have the player go kill a monster I dropped in to an abandoned house and return and hey presto you have a quest without modifying the terrain.LordLethris said:
Hehe I missed out on that pleasure, but I still doubt that the tools needed to modify terrain textures will be included. The reason is that to get the final version of the terrain that's used in The Witcher (and most other games) you actually pre-render it. This means you can cull polygons and surfaces that the player will never see (eg parts of buildings that are below the surface), you can create a light map, you can have static shadows etc. with little effect on the performance because it's all be calculated beforehand and doesn't have to be calculated dynamically. This pre-rendering is not a trivial process (afaik), nor are many of the object manipulation and lighting tools, so to code them in (from scratch) for the end user to use in the toolset would be a huge amount of work, when said tools and capability already exist in third-party packages.I would love to be wrongI think actually, the "terrain" terrain may well be all texture moddable, with layer building... bit like making a mountain with SimCity.
After some considerable delay if I remember. But yes, I expect this is very likely especially if what I said about terrain modifications is true - you will have to be able to import your 3d models to be able to create and modify terrain.And you'll probably get a .MAX or .OBJ converter for your own 3d Models.... Virtually every other game editor had one, and so did NWN
well, I still think the terrain is moddable. There is no pre-rendered content, its all on the fly poiygons.And as on the video, the chap uses photoshop masks to tell Djini what plants/grasses to apply to the terrain. The same could be done with hill bumps.
what about models? will it be possible to create new models or change existing ones with the toolset??because in the description it saysjini tool Overview:# It allows user to make their own adventures in The Witcher world.# It does not allow user to modify game itself.espacially # It does not allow user to modify game itself. what does this mean? i dont want to modify the game code, but it would be really, really nice if we could make new stuff for the witcher (other than texturing)so.. anyone knows if importing/exporting models for the game will be possible ??
jini tool Overview:# It allows user to make their own adventures in The Witcher world.# It does not allow user to modify game itself.espacially # It does not allow user to modify game itself. what does this mean? i dont want to modify the game code, but it would be really, really nice if we could make new stuff for the witcher (other than texturing)so.. anyone knows if importing/exporting models for the game will be possible ??you know what John1231.... I see were your comming from.I was looking forward to the Mod Editor... BUT there has been "ZERO" info on what it actually does. There's been alot of "It allows user to make their own adventures in The Witcher world"... BUT not enough "technical details".Most companies by now WEEKS ahead of scedual would have released "some" white papers (pending changes) in what you are expected to be able to do AND HOW TO DO IT. This is so modders dont waist there time before hand writing a script only to not be able to do half the stuff they expected to do.I dont think Im going to look forward to it now....
Question, does anyone know what the approx size (download) that this toolkit is gonna be?
That question has been asked a million times. We dont know. If they fail the "legal" stuff, they may have to reduce functionality, probably take out a few copywrited textures and/or models, thus probably reduce the file size... so they cant really say how big or how small its going to be till final release.Dragon6261 said:
seems like we need to wait and see.. after reading your post i got a little skeptic though..LordLethris said:
When they speak of "Not being able to modify the game itself", that's in the EULA. The End User License Agreement states that no portion of the original game may be modified by any non-employee for distribution or profit.I see a lot of haks out there already though, and I don't think anyone has a problem with this until someone tries to claim it as their paid-for work. Besides, talent showing through like this is excellent practice for using the Djinni.What you will be able to do: make modules, make custom models, skin models, rename objects, place objects and terrain, make phases, chapters, acts, and ongoing serial series, with movies/cutscenes/music of your own making.What you won't be able to do: modify the Aurora Engine, the Djinni Toolset Engine, or the Original Campaign or any Official Expansions in any fashion whatsoever.Make your own stuff? Fine. Change what's already officially released content? Such as have the Witcher skip chapters in the original game? Not going to be editable in Djinni, as far as I know.This is what I have seen before, but, I may be shown to be wrong. You are reading my best guess based on experience.