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History of Oni modding: Difference between revisions
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As scripters were learning [[BSL]], they produced scripts that at first merely modified the original level logic in minor ways. Then they produced more original, often epic fight scripts; later, some ambitious modders scripted totally new objectives and mission layouts (e.g., Mariachi Bear's alternate storyline). Some of the most complex scripts are the [[OTA]] scripts which were eventually developed to make up for a lack of multiplayer gameplay. | As scripters were learning [[BSL]], they produced scripts that at first merely modified the original level logic in minor ways. Then they produced more original, often epic fight scripts; later, some ambitious modders scripted totally new objectives and mission layouts (e.g., Mariachi Bear's alternate storyline). Some of the most complex scripts are the [[OTA]] scripts which were eventually developed to make up for a lack of multiplayer gameplay. | ||
However, fully original scripts are all the more prone to bugs. The first two are easier to set up, but extreme situations tend to overload the engine (as in "[[Blam]] | However, fully original scripts are all the more prone to bugs. The first two are easier to set up, but extreme situations tend to overload the engine (as in "[[Blam!]]") in ways that scripters have trouble preventing. Testing the scripts required numerous reloads of the game. The process became much faster when the Developer Mode console was unlocked (see {{SectionLink||Finding Dev Mode}}) and individual commands could be tested easily. | ||
While scripting is the easiest way to mod Oni, it's also the most limited, because scripts can only utilize the resources that the vanilla level has to offer. | While scripting is the easiest way to mod Oni, it's also the most limited, because scripts can only utilize the resources that the vanilla level has to offer. | ||
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Certain game resources were easy enough to reverse-engineer that the community was able to mod them almost from the time of Oni's release, such as textual resources and textures. Some game resources, however, were complex and involved multiple data types, such as character models, and, most obviously, levels themselves. These took a number of years to decipher. | Certain game resources were easy enough to reverse-engineer that the community was able to mod them almost from the time of Oni's release, such as textual resources and textures. Some game resources, however, were complex and involved multiple data types, such as character models, and, most obviously, levels themselves. These took a number of years to decipher. | ||
OniSplit first gained the ability to import new character models in April 2008.<ref>See [[User talk:Neo/Archive2]].</ref> At first, since the focus was on the technical side of things, pre-existing models were used, either by modifying Oni's models, or by finding royalty-free models on web sites and converting them to Oni's 19-bone system. A more dramatic use of the character-importing ability came with the creation of a high-detail Konoko model from scratch in October 2010.<ref>[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1727 OCF thread, "Konoko HD"].</ref> | OniSplit first gained the ability to import new character models in April 2008.<ref>See [[User talk:Neo/Archive2]].</ref> At first, since the focus was on the technical side of things, pre-existing models were used, either by modifying Oni's models, or by finding royalty-free models on web sites and converting them to Oni's 19-bone system. A more dramatic use of the character-importing ability came with the creation of a high-detail Konoko model from scratch in October 2010.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20220524143515/http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1727 OCF thread, "Konoko HD"].</ref> | ||
A major obstacle with levels was the question of how to generate pathfinding (PF) grids for the AI. Level geometry could be imported fairly easily as of November 2008,<ref>See [[User talk:Neo/Archive5]].</ref> but AIs could not navigate the level. Manual PF grid creation was first demonstrated with the creation of the Arena level in November 2010.<ref>[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1736 OCF thread, "Arena Level"].</ref> Automatic PF grid generation was introduced to OniSplit around June 2011. More comprehensive demonstrations of the community's level creation abilities came with [[User:EdT|EdT]]'s level "Muro's Lair" in August 2011<ref>[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2024 OCF thread, "Muro's Lair - Preview"].</ref> and [[User:Samer|Samer]]'s level "Wilderness Preserve" in January 2014.<ref>[http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2698 OCF thread, "NEW LEVEL : Chapter 17: Wilderness Preserve - Hasegawa Adventure"].</ref> | A major obstacle with levels was the question of how to generate pathfinding (PF) grids for the AI. Level geometry could be imported fairly easily as of November 2008,<ref>See [[User talk:Neo/Archive5]].</ref> but AIs could not navigate the level. Manual PF grid creation was first demonstrated with the creation of the Arena level in November 2010.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20210117150652/http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1736 OCF thread, "Arena Level"].</ref> Automatic PF grid generation was introduced to OniSplit around June 2011. More comprehensive demonstrations of the community's level creation abilities came with [[User:EdT|EdT]]'s level "Muro's Lair" in August 2011<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20201029113340/http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2024 OCF thread, "Muro's Lair - Preview"].</ref> and [[User:Samer|Samer]]'s level "Wilderness Preserve" in January 2014.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20211202225410/http://oni.bungie.org/forum/viewtopic.php?id=2698 OCF thread, "NEW LEVEL : Chapter 17: Wilderness Preserve - Hasegawa Adventure"].</ref> | ||
Work continues in all areas of modding Oni, as well as documenting the modding process. | Work continues in all areas of modding Oni, as well as documenting the modding process. | ||