History of Oni modding - Revision history

ValBot: replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

2025-12-26T06:16:23Z

replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:16, 26 December 2025
Line 49:		Line 49:
	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://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>		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>

ValBot: replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

2025-12-26T06:14:50Z

replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:14, 26 December 2025
Line 51:		Line 51:
	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://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://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>		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.

ValBot: replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

2025-12-26T06:13:02Z

replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:13, 26 December 2025
Line 51:		Line 51:
	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://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://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>		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://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.

ValBot: replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

2025-12-26T06:11:59Z

replaced Oni Central Forum link with archive.org snapshot URL

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:11, 26 December 2025
Line 51:		Line 51:
	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://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://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://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.

Iritscen: taking advantage of new redirect

2025-12-04T20:56:18Z

taking advantage of new redirect

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:56, 4 December 2025
Line 14:		Line 14:
	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]]!") 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.		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.

Iritscen: top-to-bottom light revision; mostly wording improvements and some clarified credits for modders

2025-03-13T03:53:44Z

top-to-bottom light revision; mostly wording improvements and some clarified credits for modders

Show changes

Iritscen: link fix

2023-11-09T19:12:21Z

link fix

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:12, 9 November 2023
Line 1:		Line 1:
	{{Hatnote\|This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[wp:Video game modding\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[~~Modding Oni~~\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].}}		{{Hatnote\|This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[wp:Video game modding\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[Introduction to modding\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].}}
	As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>		As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>

Iritscen: using hatnote template

2022-07-02T19:02:55Z

using hatnote template

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:02, 2 July 2022
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~:''~~This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[wp:Video game modding\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[Modding Oni\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].''		{{Hatnote\|This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[wp:Video game modding\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[Modding Oni\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].}}

	As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>		As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>

Iritscen: fixed WP redirect

2022-06-28T02:13:14Z

fixed WP redirect

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:13, 28 June 2022
Line 1:		Line 1:
	:''This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[~~wikipedia~~:~~Mod (video gaming)~~\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[Modding Oni\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].''		:''This article is a historical perspective on Oni [[wp:Video game modding\|modding]]; for an introduction to how to actually mod Oni, see [[Modding Oni\|here]]. To download mods, you can start [[AE\|here]].''

	As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>		As has been documented on the page about [[Oni]]'s overall development, time ran out for Bungie West to do everything they wanted with this very ambitious game. Just as some features had to be omitted, the promise of modding support<ref>

Iritscen: link fix

2021-12-23T22:32:27Z

link fix

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:32, 23 December 2021
Line 68:		Line 68:
	The most foolproof method of altering the engine turned out to be replacing a library that Oni loads at runtime. Originally this was done by placing a library next to Oni.exe called vtuneapi.dll, which contained code written by SFeLi that would replace or patch functions in Oni. This library came to be known as the [[Daodan DLL]]. The code for it was ported from assembly language to C by RossyMiles. Eventually the decision was made to instead replace binkw32.dll (the library for playing Oni's intro and outro movies) because it loaded earlier in Oni's launch sequence. The DLL was later developed by Gumby and then Alloc, fixing more bugs (some of which result from modern computers running a {{Age\|2001\|1\|29}}-year-old game), as well as adding new features. The DLL's features and settings are documented on the page for the DLL linked above.		The most foolproof method of altering the engine turned out to be replacing a library that Oni loads at runtime. Originally this was done by placing a library next to Oni.exe called vtuneapi.dll, which contained code written by SFeLi that would replace or patch functions in Oni. This library came to be known as the [[Daodan DLL]]. The code for it was ported from assembly language to C by RossyMiles. Eventually the decision was made to instead replace binkw32.dll (the library for playing Oni's intro and outro movies) because it loaded earlier in Oni's launch sequence. The DLL was later developed by Gumby and then Alloc, fixing more bugs (some of which result from modern computers running a {{Age\|2001\|1\|29}}-year-old game), as well as adding new features. The DLL's features and settings are documented on the page for the DLL linked above.

	Not long after the Daodan DLL was released for Windows Oni, it was discovered that the Mac versions of Oni still had Dev Mode in them, too. Instead of replacing the Bink Carbon Library that came with Mac Oni, the Omni Group port of the game application to Mac OS X was patched directly with a hex editor. In the fall of 2008, it was discovered that numerous BSL functions and variables that were thought to be removed from Oni for the Mac [[Mac beta\|before release]] were still present in the code, and the ones which allowed Macs to run (almost) all scripts written for Windows Oni were "unlocked" by EdT using hex edits. Certain changes made by the Daodan DLL for the Windows version were also carried over to the Mac's [[OMNI\|PPC game application]] in hex-edit form with Neo's assistance. Later, these changes were made in source for Feral Interactive's [[FERAL\|Mac Intel port]].		Not long after the Daodan DLL was released for Windows Oni, it was discovered that the Mac versions of Oni still had Dev Mode in them, too. Instead of replacing the Bink Carbon Library that came with Mac Oni, the Omni Group port of the game application to Mac OS X was patched directly with a hex editor. In the fall of 2008, it was discovered that numerous BSL functions and variables that were thought to be removed from Oni for the Mac [[Mac beta 4\|before release]] were still present in the code, and the ones which allowed Macs to run (almost) all scripts written for Windows Oni were "unlocked" by EdT using hex edits. Certain changes made by the Daodan DLL for the Windows version were also carried over to the Mac's [[OMNI\|PPC game application]] in hex-edit form with Neo's assistance. Later, these changes were made in source for Feral Interactive's [[FERAL\|Mac Intel port]].

	===Bug fixes===		===Bug fixes===