Incline Icewind Dale in TToEE Engine Total Conversion - Prologue Demo Released

[Allyx]

I'd be inerested in playing IWD 1/2 in a well implemented 3.5 ruleset, but for that, ToEE plz. Hell, you could even use the same backgrounds!

Funny thing is, Icewind Dale is easily the best looking infinity engine game to date so I have completely no idea why anyone would want to port it to engine that is inferior to original in every aspect but graphics (and even that could be subject of a debate). God dammit modders, stop fucking around and start making ToEE modules.

Why no one makes that sort of conversions for ToEE?

ToEE's appeal is in the mechanics of gameplay (more specifically, phase-type turn-based combat), rather than the setting/story/etc.-- and the mechanics of gameplay won't transfer over to NWN2's engine, while the story/setting/non-mechanical content are relatively forgettable... not bad, persay... just forgettable-- non-memorable...

He's hopefully talking about converting other games to TOEEs engine, which is indeed a great idea.

Unfortunately the TOEE engine is a buggy, modder's nightmare mess.

Outside of 3E rules, I could get behind that.

Sorry for the threadomancy, but you guys talking about a ToEE total conversion for Icewind Dale, you are all in luck.

I should have a working Demo version (the Prologue Chapter) of IWD ready sometime around the start of 2017.

Check out this thread at Co8.org for details.

 

[laclongquan]

I am cautiously fapping over here :fap: I have good experience of IWD in NWN2 so this project can be good.
Certainly, TOEE doesnt impress me much so far~

 

[Sitra Achara]

It's also a good time to grab IWD:EE -67% off at GoG. You'll need a legal copy of it to play it.

 

[ghostdog]

Fucking great news, TOEE's engine is maybe the best implementation of D&D combat.

Let's move to a new thread btw, since this is now about a total conversion of IWD and actually ALL IE games into the TOEE engine.

Infinitron ?

 

[Infinitron]

Sorry for the threadomancy

You could have started a new thread you know

 

[Sitra Achara]

Sorry for the threadomancy

You could have started a new thread you know

You have to admit it was golden opportunity to tap into popular sentiment!

Since a first release is a couple months or so away, I'll give higher priority to compatibility with Temple+. I think it shouldn't be too hard to also convert the Conversation UI to I.E. style, and it's also a good opportunity to remove the annoying 5 response limit.

I'm also pretty excited for this, looks like we're finally redeeming this tragically wasted engine!

 

[Azrael the cat]

Bad idea. IE games' trash mobs and pacing was designed for rtwp. Conversion to TToE engine would require taking out most of the trash combat, and redesigning the rest. Good in itself, but the IE games had good encounter design, and my expectations of indie modders are rather low in that regard.

 

[Sitra Achara]

Bad idea. IE games' trash mobs and pacing was designed for rtwp. Conversion to TToE engine would require taking out most of the trash combat, and redesigning the rest. Good in itself, but the IE games had good encounter design, and my expectations of indie modders are rather low in that regard.

OTOH, fireballing is now infinitely more precise and efficient

You do have a point though; perhaps it's advisable to consolidate smaller fights into larger, more challenging affairs where appropriate. Even ToEE suffered from that 'Bugbear Mower Simulator' feeling, and I reckon this is a good opportunity to break away from that. I also think Co8 has added plenty of great encounters to the ToEE modpack so there's no doubt more of those can be done.

 

[Allyx]

You do have a point though; perhaps it's advisable to consolidate smaller fights into larger, more challenging affairs where appropriate. Even ToEE suffered from that 'Bugbear Mower Simulator' feeling, and I reckon this is a good opportunity to break away from that. I also think Co8 has added plenty of great encounters to the ToEE modpack so there's no doubt more of those can be done.

ToEE's engine has other advantages that the IE games didn't though, for example: In ToEE, enemies can hide from the players, or retreat away to drag their nearby friends into the combat, enemy spellcasters can cast their protective spells when you first enter the map, enemy AI routines that compliment each other to make good use of strategic advantages on the field to name but a few.

Intelligent encounter design is what makes the battle memorable, not the number of Goblin heads you collected along the way, and that will be my main focus... Well, that and finishing the conversion.

 

[Neanderthal]

You fucking beauties.

 

[Murk]

Hollleee shit.

 

[Brancaleone]

I had downloaded it this summer, but after seeing it was still only Easthaven plus the empty orc caves, I tried to forget about it.

Which doesn't mean I'm not cheering like hell.

 

[Dr Skeleton]

Sounds great

 

[Zboj Lamignat]

Having ToEE versions of the good IE games would definitely be a huge incline, but this is going to end in vaporware tears, isn't it?

 

[Sykar]

Fucking great news, TOEE's engine is maybe the best implementation of D&D combat.

Let's move to a new thread btw, since this is now about a total conversion of IWD and actually ALL IE games into the TOEE engine.

Infinitron ?

Nah, that's still BG combat with auto pause set to "end of round".

Spoiler

 

[Allyx]

Having ToEE versions of the good IE games would definitely be a huge incline, but this is going to end in vaporware tears, isn't it?

If you mean it's going to be just another mod that was started and never finished, no it's not.

I've been modding ToEE for 13 years now, and anyone who's played ToEE with Co8 patch v4.0 or above will have used at least some of my mods: The Shop map at the start of the game, summonable familiars, crafting rings, rods and staves, adding the city of Verbononc to the game to name but a few.

I am committed to delivering this total conversion mod, I hope that the fact this first prologue chapter is nearing completion after just a few months work shows my intention of completing this project.

 

[Mustawd]

You fools. I've been following this for weeks now. Didn't create a thread so they don't get shut down by lawyers. Good job. This was the only hope to get a BG/IWD series in proper turn-based mode.

 

[Mustawd]

Bad idea. IE games' trash mobs and pacing was designed for rtwp. Conversion to TToE engine would require taking out most of the trash combat, and redesigning the rest. Good in itself, but the IE games had good encounter design, and my expectations of indie modders are rather low in that regard.

That can be modded by monocle codexers

 

[Allyx]

You fools. I've been following this for weeks now. Didn't create a thread so they don't get shut down by lawyers. Good job. This was the only hope to get a BG/IWD series in proper turn-based mode.

Don't panic, we're working on a couple of possible ways to make it all above board and legal, since owning legitimate copies of both games will be required to use the total conversion, no proprietary material will be distributed to anyone who doesn't already own the material.

 

[Severian Silk]

This sounds like a cool project. I was also thinking of the Farscape d20 system coupled with the Farscape PC game from 2002. Would need to replace all weapons and 3D character models, however.

 

[Mustawd]

This sounds like a cool project. I was also thinking of the Farscape d20 system coupled with the Farscape PC game from 2002. Would need to replace all weapons and 3D character models, however.

Well Farscape had a 3d environment, no? ToEE uses 3D environment but pre-rendered in 2D. One would need to create a 2D image for each and every map at the correct angle.

Co8 got lucky with IE games as the angle POV was almost identical to ToEE. Then again, I don't see it being out of the question for a modder to take on. After all, Surf Solar created those nice Fallout-like maps way back when he was making a game with the FO Online engine. Best part is that the maps are already there. So it's more of an issue of mimicking the style or whatever.

 

[Severian Silk]

I'm not much of a programmer, so I would not know how to extract models/maps so that I can then render them in some other software.

 

[Mustawd]

Well I was thinking of more recreating the maps, which is a lot of work. The 3D fidelity of Farscape was p. poor.

Anyhow, I guess you could make rudimentary maps using this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UxlD3pHi28


But even that is limited to outdoor environments.

EDIT: I know that 3D model ripping exists for game models. Just not sure about environments. But I guess the point would be to rip it, drop it into something like blender, retexture/retouch, and then render in the correct angle. Viola. you have your level.

 

[deuxhero]

IWD is 2E while IWD2 is a bizzare 2E 3E hybrid. How is the conversion being balanced given nothing is the same in ToEE's mostly 3.5 rules?

I should have a working Demo version (the Prologue Chapter) of IWD ready sometime around the start of 2017.

Got it. I'll be looking forward to trying it out in May or June.

 

[Sitra Achara]

I should have a working Demo version (the Prologue Chapter) of IWD ready sometime around the start of 2017.

Got it. I'll be looking forward to trying it out in May or June.

Yep, it always takes about 4x your cautiously optimistic estimate