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Introduction to modding: Difference between revisions
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==Introduction to types of modding== | ==Introduction to types of modding== | ||
=== | ===Editing scripts=== | ||
The easiest kind of modding is scripting. Scripts are written in the BungieFrameWork Scripting Language and stored as plain-text files with the suffix .bsl. Scripts take a lifeless level and spawn characters in it (the AI-driven NPCs and Konoko), give the level a logical flow of events, drive cutscenes, make the AIs play certain roles, and alter the level's appearance. | The easiest kind of modding is scripting. Scripts are written in the BungieFrameWork Scripting Language and stored as plain-text files with the suffix .bsl. Scripts take a lifeless level and spawn characters in it (the AI-driven NPCs and Konoko), give the level a logical flow of events, drive cutscenes, make the AIs play certain roles, and alter the level's appearance. | ||
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*Go to the [[BSL]] namespace to start learning about scripting. | *Go to the [[BSL]] namespace to start learning about scripting. | ||
=== | ===Modding resources=== | ||
This is where those 88 data types come into play that we mentioned earlier. Broadly speaking, the kinds of data we're talking about are: '''level geometry''' (architecture, triggers, and furniture), '''characters''' (class data, models), '''text''' (diary, objectives, subtitles, etc.), and '''sound''' (music, voice-overs, and sound effects). However, new levels do not require all this data to be made from scratch. You might decide to re-use a level or some of its resources, or make a new level populated with existing characters, etc. | This is where those 88 data types come into play that we mentioned earlier. Broadly speaking, the kinds of data we're talking about are: '''level geometry''' (architecture, triggers, and furniture), '''characters''' (class data, models), '''text''' (diary, objectives, subtitles, etc.), and '''sound''' (music, voice-overs, and sound effects). However, new levels do not require all this data to be made from scratch. You might decide to re-use a level or some of its resources, or make a new level populated with existing characters, etc. | ||
The game data | The game data cannot be edited easily until our tools convert it into something more modder-friendly. The basic process of modding game data involves breaking the level data (a .dat file supplemented by a .raw file, and on the Mac a .sep file as well) into its component resources (.oni files), then converting those resources into something editable. The editable format depends on the kind of data you're editing. It might be plain-text, XML, PNG, Collada, WAV, etc. | ||
Thus, besides our community modding tools, the program(s) you need in order to mod will vary according to your modding task; you might need nothing more than a text editor, you might need a free bitmap editor, or you might need a full 3D modeling package. Thankfully, since Oni is graphically primitive, you won't need to know as much about modeling as with a modern game, and there are free modelers available (but not as good as the commercial ones). In any case, make sure you download the [[Anniversary Edition]], which provides a modding framework and installs modding tools. | Thus, besides our community modding tools, the program(s) you need in order to mod will vary according to your modding task; you might need nothing more than a text editor, you might need a free bitmap editor, or you might need a full 3D modeling package. Thankfully, since Oni is graphically primitive, you won't need to know as much about modeling as with a modern game, and there are free modelers available (but not as good as the commercial ones). In any case, make sure you download the [[Anniversary Edition]], which provides a modding framework and installs modding tools. | ||
*Go to the [[XML]] namespace to get a | *Go to the [[XML]] namespace to get a plain-English introduction to the types of game data and learn the (relatively) user-friendly XML modding technique, or; | ||
====Character models==== | ====Character models==== | ||