MODDERS WANTED: Renovate One Costume Piece At A Time

[WhiteNightingale]

There might be a hundred reasons why, on the devs' side, we may never see new/renovated costume pieces. These reasons go from legal (remember HC is a public, legal entity) to "tinkering with the game's code is like playing Jenga on fire." All of these reasons are perfectly legitimate.

 

Modders, on the other hand, would be under considerably less scrutiny. Not only that, anyone who had the fortune of enjoying Neverwinter Night's private servers know that client-side mods are considerably less complex that modifying the base code (also they wouldn't raise the minimum machine requirements, since they'd be optional).

 

So, over one year after this experiment started, I think we can already rest assured HC is here for a good while and won't go up in smoke just like that. ::KNOCK ON WOOD::

 

So... to all modders within the community. How about organizing to slowly replace one costume piece at a time: Imagine a CoX where all hairs were as pretty as "Club," where all faces had the quality of the Chinese Dynasty and Gunslinger pack's ones, where all metallic costume parts had Going Rogue's reflection effects. Before even thinking of "new" costume parts, consider that renovating the old pieces would make a big, BIG difference in the quality of our experience.

 

Please, think about it.

Edited July 6, 2020 by WhiteNightingale

[ImpousVileTerror]

I very much agree with what @WhiteNightingale is hoping to achieve here, and I've been trying to encourage similar efforts in all of the various asset creation disciplines.

First things first:  3D Assets.

 

I've not received any solid information on this, but I have heard from members of the OuroDev community that there's a significant hurdle in regard to this.  Other than importing animations/emotes, I've been told that introducing new 3D assets (including the rigging for animation) is not presently possible due to barriers of a proprietary nature.  

Are there any modders or suitably-knowledgeable people out there who can break this down to the rest of the community and explain it; clearly, concisely, and with specific delineations between assumption and provable fact:  

Does the community even -have- the tools necessary to make new 3D assets for character models a reality?

 

As for the quality of the textures; I can answer that one, at least.  Without better tools, based on the skills I have, there isn't a way to increase the resolution of the existing faces on the existing model.

HOWEVER!  If we could copy the high-res Faces as new assets, and retexture them with entirely NEW faces (inspired by the original faces), then we could be in business.  If someone would be able to make a proof-of-concept for this, we may be able to drum up extra interest and support.

 

Additionally, I tried to start a project to blend tops and bottoms of faces together, to try and make more facial expressions with existing parts . . . but it just ended up looking like a mess.

If someone else feels confident in being able to do a better job at this project than me, I will welcome it!

[Techwright]

Being completely ignorant of how modding costumes might work, I have a question.  Would a modded costume element only store/appear on the local computer?  In other words, would the other members of my supergroup see my character as an odd mish-mash of costume parts, no matter how wonderful it look at my end?   If so, I'd think that'd be a costume contest killer.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm really hoping it is otherwise.  I was just thinking tonight how many chest emblems I could have used that are not currently in the game.  (I'd been thinking of creating an earth controller and was disappointed that nothing resembled a mountain or hill.)

[Lines]

9 hours ago, Techwright said:

Being completely ignorant of how modding costumes might work, I have a question.  Would a modded costume element only store/appear on the local computer?  In other words, would the other members of my supergroup see my character as an odd mish-mash of costume parts, no matter how wonderful it look at my end?   If so, I'd think that'd be a costume contest killer.

 

Don't get me wrong, I'm really hoping it is otherwise.  I was just thinking tonight how many chest emblems I could have used that are not currently in the game.  (I'd been thinking of creating an earth controller and was disappointed that nothing resembled a mountain or hill.)

A mod would only be a local change.

 

The devs would need to add it to the manifest that your computer installs in an update if they wanted everyone to see the new parts.

[Oginth]

I think the process should be:

1. (Optional) Community vote which to update

2. HC check if it's possible

3. HC export the file(s) to update

4, HC call for volunteers, and pick *one*

5. If it passes the QC, HC integrate it

6. Next round

[WhiteNightingale]

Mods are exclusively local assets, and replace existing costume parts, and for people to see them, they need the same mod installed in their client... the best part is that mods don't require the HC devs to lift a finger (that's why I'm calling for modders) and they give the HC team plausible deniability. We can have better things without getting HC in legal trouble.