Talk:Modifying an existing level

Idea

To convert an extracted ONLV into a new project file you need even more in-depth knowledge about the file structure than for simply building a level project file from scratch.

Therefore, it would be nice if we could provide a tool to automate necessary work as much as possible.

One-click operation:

1. Level extraction.
2. Conversion of ONLV into an actual project file.
3. Recycling of physics and locklights.
4. Preserving as much vertex shading as possible by preferring DAE over CJBO linked meshes.
5. BSL analysis to create FILM and cut scene sections?

AE package

mods.oni2.net
 |
 +-- LevelRecycler.zip
      |
      +-- #####packageName
           |
           +-- Mod_Info.cfg
           +-- plain
                |
                +--win_only
                    |
                    +--Tools
                        |
                        +-- LevelRecycler
                             |
                             +-- icon.png (32 x 32 px)
                             +-- LevelRecycler.exe

Mod_Info.cfg

AEInstallVersion -> 2.0
NameOfMod -> Level Recycler
Creator -> 
ModVersion -> 
Readme -> 
ExeName -> Tools/LevelRecycler/LevelRecycler.exe
WorkingDir -> Exe
IconName -> Tools/LevelRecycler/icon.png

Startup

Oni
 |
 +-- AE
     |
     +-- Tools
     |    |
     |    +-- OniSplit.exe
     |    +-- LevelRecycler
     |         |
     |         +-- icon.png
     |         +-- LevelRecycler.exe
     |
     +-- GameDataFolder
          |
          +-- level0_Final.dat
          +-- level0_Final.raw
          +-- level1_Final.dat
          +-- level1_Final.raw
          +-- ...
          +-- IGMD
               |
               +-- BSL script folders

The "on load" event of the LevelRecycler should automatically update an overview of existing levels:

• Level0_Final.dat stores all ONLD with more meaningful level names.
• Each non-zero level DAT-archive stores an ONLV file.
• With those extracted files, a list for modders can be built to easily identify the level they want to recycle.

// shortened paths
OniSplit -export:ONLD* ONLD level0_Final.dat
OniSplit -extract:xml ONLD ONLD/*.oni
for each non-zero DAT
     OniSplit -export:ONLV* ONLV ....dat
OniSplit -extract:xml ONLV ONLV/*.oni

dat file name, BSL script folder, level name
----------------------------------------------
level1_Final.dat, ONLV<Name>, ONLD<DisplayName>

As soon as the modder has selected the preferred level, it should be a one-click operation to carry out the recycling.

Less write operations

With each onload event the ONLV and ONLD would get extracted. To reduce somewhat the amount of write operations an xml cache file could be used to feed the program's overview table. If the DAT files are older then no new extractions are done.