The reason is, It would reduce confusion a great deal. Instead of "The CEP + Arnaden PLUS another" we would do "CEP + EFU hak". easy.

The files will be split into 7 haks, like my efu. like:

efu_place01.hak
efu_tiles01.hak
efu_patch01.hak
efu_2da.hak
efu_tex01.hak
efu_models_hak
efu_sounds.hak

I know it sounds like MORE haks, but its more of ONE Hakpak set. not 2. And upgrades would go easy, and smaller files to add if needed. These would be zipped all into 2 zipfiles or rarfiles, or 1 big old file. (your choice to choose either).

Reason is that Arnaden is just old, and I've replace a lot of it in MY haks.
Give me some feedback guys. I wanna know your thoughts on this.

Thanks! [img]smile.gif[/img]

I believe in the “Keep It Simple” philosophy. Merging the EfU hak packs would simplify things for new joiners. [img]graemlins/jumpclap.gif[/img]

So, yes, combine them into a single set of haks. Like you say, if the filesize of the set is too big to download at once then it can be broken down into managable pieces.

How long would it take to do the coding for such a thing? I mean, if the Arnaden.hak is that old and you have incoporated all you needed from it to begin with, how long would it take for you to reconstruct your *.Hak files with all the new items required?

Well, I am almost done merging it [img]smile.gif[/img] So easy. So now I can feel at ease to finish the final things. aaahhhhh. [img]smile.gif[/img] Was worried for a bit about the patch--but I just finished the updates, so all is cool.

Merge 'em, if there are dupe files, those of us that have 'em can overwrite.

Well, there are a lot of servers I used to go on that I believe used CEP version 1.52 in order to maximize their creative content. If I am not mistaken, the latest CEP version and your personal *.hak files would have completely different names, yes? If so, then it should not be a problem for us to simply drop the new (and more efficient) files into the folders required and run it. I should have the room for it, and I'll be double checking this evening to see what *.hak files I no longer require in my directory. (If that doesn't work, I'll just remove a DVD's worth of music I am not currently listening to on a regular basis I figure.)

My question now is with the new files going in place, if I have a lot of *.Hak files in my expansion directory, will that slow down your module's access times? If it doesn't, then really I (and most people who have room to spare on the hard drive) should not have much to worry about. If a lot of the whittling down is to remove multiple occasions of the same file, then I am all for it. A gesture such as having the *.hak files in Big Gulp and Little Sipper versions would also be appreciated.

Another question is where would one even GET the old Arnaden.hak file any longer? Do you still have it up on the download section here? And out of the original *.Hak file, what have you dropped from it in favour of the newer models and items which have made themselves available since the inception of CEP 1.52?

[ 05-01-2006, 07:26 PM: Message edited by: Mozenwrathe ]

I didn't drop anything from the Arnaden hak, I redid some models--some shadow errors. Hell, I even fixed loads of CEP Models that were broken--the altar in the corner by that house in the lake of shadows is a good example. Have you see that? look at it from all angles.. [img]smile.gif[/img] weird!

Durnan's boots have shadow errors too--and cookie's bottom jaw. *Which you can see now online* lol. fixed!

Get this, when I downloaded the beta3 patch, and needed to see what was inside, I had to install it on my other system's NWN (because I couldn't patch the server version), then, moved the ENTIRE patched NWN dir via LAN to this system in a 'patched NWN' folder. well, my C: Drive ran down to ZERO bytes free. !! hahah.. so I had to burn tons of stuff I had kept in a dloads folder for months--was gonna burn anyway.... but once I extracted the changes, I killed the dir. (NWN with 2 expansions is BIG!)

As soon as this hak is released, you can nuke the arnaden hak files as well as the dwarvenhalls hak. (But keep the arnadencep.tlk file--you still need this)

[ 04-29-2006, 09:01 PM: Message edited by: Ziroc ]

Interesting. Never noticed there were flaws in the Lake Of Shadows area before. Was usually too busy sprinting through it so that certain hordes would not kill me outright. So you are saying that once the new *.Hak files are completed, both the arnaden.hak file and the dwarvenhalls.hak files (wherever I may have stored them) will have become redundant and I will be able to remove them at will? That is good news, considering that soon I should be doing a clearning burn session to remove a few dozen songs off of my hard drive.

In fact, I should do a little check to see how much room I have left now... Okay, still looking good at around 20GB free. Considering all the games I SHOULD delete as I am not using them (about three or four of them) I might have enough to keep said redundant files if I get nervous. Come to think of it, how large IS your current hard drive? I was contemplating a second one, but every time I get close to affording it, I end up clearing off the space with DVDs.

(edited for crack happy goodness)
I wonder if they did that whole SetTattoo() thing that Progenitor was talking about. It will definitely make for brand new character designs if nothing else. I have to go over the listing for all the alterations within patch 1.67 to see what is actually available that the regular unwashed masses can take distinct and immediate advantage of.

[ 05-01-2006, 11:28 AM: Message edited by: Mozenwrathe ]

Merging the Hakpacks would be the best bet. It will make it easier when acquiring new players and in tracking down any potential problems.

Vote 1 for the merge!

The altar in the crypt on the Haunted Isle is the same way. The other place that I can remember off hand was the void plane.

We still on for an april release??

[img]smile.gif[/img] Close, but nope. I figured the patch would have been out earlier in April. No biggie though, I'm finishing up the fixes the patch made now.

(One of the files has changes to 5000 lines. I have to add something new to each column. UGH. I nearly missed it too. jeez. my fingers are hurting. heh. (in placeables.2da) they added a new column called "Static". set to 0 or 1.

...er, don't you usually set whether a placeable is static or useable when you add it to the module? By default, all the placeables are probably static, and then you can make them useable in the module. I don't think you need to change that, but changing that will mean that you can just set them to static instead.

Yeh, I don't get the new column since you can set it in the toolset.. Maybe its the default hardcode setting.. anyway, I finished that file--geeeez. pain in the ass. [img]smile.gif[/img]

I'm now fixing some set files--added some stuff.
our hak will include the new tilesets that came with 167. (Also adding a few new things from IGN that were added this past few weeks)!!

Hey, are you going to post up what patch 1.67 can do, or would you mind if I did that? I figure it would be nice for everyone to have easy reference to what the community (especially those who play in online persistent world setups) have been waiting so long for. If nothing else, it will inspire some new questions and ideas amongst those online here.

Will there also be a list as to what you have added off of the NeverWinter Vault, or should be take a guess based on the amounts of downloads from the various offerings? I was taking a look around there and found information on dynamic illithids which would be really cool for VERY deep or alternate levels of the Undermountain. I wasn't able to find information on other dynamic races I had heard of (such as orcs and ogres as featured on the NeverRoofers website).

What DOES a "static" placeable do? Is it one of those things that cannot be destroyed or moved? Just curious as I am lost at this point of the discussion. I wouldn't mind the ability to "steal" some of the armors which are always laying on the counters of the stores within Waterdeep. After all, they must WANT people to take them if they leave them on the counter right? ("Thoughts Of The Corrupt," page 117.)

Where would I find these *.Tlk files? And if I can't find them, does it matter? You mentioned that we can remove the *.Hak files (arnenden.hak and dwarvenhalls.hak) in the \Hak directory - those I should be able to find.

Come to think of it, I had another question: if one was to go into the toolset with a copy of their Escape From Undermountain character, would it be possible to alter the characteristics of their items via the toolset directly? And if that is possible is there something like a tutorial that one could use or download which would explain it all? I'd rather not crash my computer changing the name of a weapon from "Pointy Metal Thingy of Tyr +x" to "Shiny Pointy Metal Thingy."

[ 05-01-2006, 07:32 PM: Message edited by: Mozenwrathe ]

The .tlk files are in the .tlk directory. You'll find that in the same place as the .hak directory; typically C:NWN/hak, or something like that anyway...

Edit: oops, forgot about 1/2 the post. Static items are part of the scenery. They add to the environment, but cannot be interacted with. As for dynamic races, once again, this is something that can be done in the toolset, and doesn't require another .hak file to accomplish. For someone with an 800 gig harddrive, you could find enough .hak files that all you'd need to do is create a char, and then let the game play itself. Basically anyway, but for those of us with smaller hard drives, and even smaller budgets, the less .hak's the better.

[ 05-01-2006, 12:59 PM: Message edited by: robertthebard ]

Don't delete ANYTHING until I release my new hak. Just want you to know that [img]smile.gif[/img] .

At this point, I am not looking to add anything else to the hak, its on the final path to being released soon, so I wanna stick to that.

But.... in the new hak's small patch that will come? Maybe! [img]smile.gif[/img] I'm VERY picky about what I add to my hak. It's gotta look almost developer quality to make it. (Unlike loads of CEP stuff--I wouldn't have added a load of it. some of it is really bad. In fact, the flags and rugs were so bad, I redid ALL of them) :D

Just anal about it.. I want this to be just as good as an official Bioware release! [img]smile.gif[/img]

Not to worry Z, some of the stuff I've seen has been better.

I believe that part of the CEP was a "popularity contest" in terms of what was included: high downloads meant it must have been used in a lot of places. Not everything needed to be high quality in order to be required by many. I know a lot of servers would want various shield packages to bulk up the set that Bioware provides. And then there'll be at least ten to twenty potential Persistent Worlds that will all want "The Grand Dune Tileset" while another seven (along with fifteen module makers) will desire "The Dark And Scary Mansion Tileset." So while there might have been higher quality merchandise out there, what sells is what will be put on the market (so to speak in retail terminology).

[ 05-01-2006, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: Mozenwrathe ]