It was a day like any other...

[Nicoen]

Alright. I'll be posting some screenshots in here.

Greatgaunt

Road to Valkur's Road

Valkur's Roar

Hunting Gargoyles in 1st person!

Looking down on halflings have never been better

Cleaning up the rural

[Hellwalker]

Aw my gawd Malus is on TV!

For those of you who don't know and/or are interested, Nico is experimenting with some kind of override for NWN that updates the visuals in the terrain of the various tilesets available.
The first-person view and long-range view is a camera modification third-party program I believe, something similar to what I use myself for some screenies.
I'll let Nico explain just exactly what kind of foul sorcery this is.

Anyway, looking forward to seeing more screenies from all the tilesets - keep 'em coming!

[Micteu]

Those look REALLY nice! I like the SoU ceilings a lot. The skyboxes look so much better than some of the custom ones I've seen.

Nico, did you modify the grass textures to not have the transparent edging, or is that just something weird on my computer?

By the way, the camera modification is this, I believe.

[DM Justicar - Creator of FRC]

The build team is currently working on a multitude of projects to facilitate the latest in world appearance. I am under the impression that sometimes overrides like these can severely damage overall server performance.

While the progress may not be to each players liking, I assure you we are working on it diligently.

Let's discuss the implications for the server/other players before running off and hacking the client side overrides to get a semi optimized appearance for the few at the expense of the many.

Fair enough?

[Nicoen]

Hellwalker said it pretty well.

Micteu

Yeah it is that camera hack I'm using. The grass and pretty much everything else have been 'smoothed' out. The edges aren't as 'hard'/obvious anymore. I'm just taking advantage of what my graphic card can do with more modern shaders.

@dm Justicar

I don't see how my client side can cause damage to the server and have people lag because of this. It only affects my clientside and my computer is quite capable of running it with improved graphics and as long as there's no problem there I can't see it ruin the experience for my fellow players/DMs. All I did was spice up the NWN I've been playing for 5-6 years now. I love the game but it really improves the gaming experience for me that there's something new to see in terms of graphic.

I'm also sure there's a lot of people on the server who uses overrides already. Real hands(with fingers) and the like.

[The Flying Ve]

@overrides:

The problem with overrides(all overrides) is that they send repeating requests to the server which never stop and increase in number until the server overloads and crashes. Which is basically why I have yet to see a server that encourages their use, if not outright bans them.

[kaltorac]

Apr 23, 2010 7:11:05 GMT -5 The Flying Ve said:

@overrides:

The problem with overrides(all overrides) is that they send repeating requests to the server which never stop and increase in number until the server overloads and crashes. Which is basically why I have yet to see a server that encourages their use, if not outright bans them.

If an override affects what others see or react to, then it causes severe issues. In cases where it only affects the client overrides are generally benign.

Since the override used to make the above screenies merely replaces the textures and lighting effects for the client, they are benign. However ... this override was made specifically to enhance the "Project Q" which by default covers all the Bioware Tilesets. Once FRC updates more areas using the CEP Tilesets folks using this override will begin missing out on many of CEP's own enhancements. So if users of this override start seeing weird effects in Suzail when it's redone or find that while exploring wilderness areas many seem to have textures that clash with the "hazy, etheral" effect ... then you were forewarned. In a nutshell, this override only replaces what the client sees. Since it does add to the clients CPU load, they can cause themselves some lag. Since it does not change feedback to the server it's benign.

There are some terrain overrides that are harmful though. If an override "fixes" walkmeshes, then consider it bad. If an override changes the size of something on a tile its bad. The one used above thankfully does neither.

Other benign haks/overrides are the ones that change your hand and feet appearances or the one for picking a CEP head when making a new PC. Like the above override, they do add to a clients CPU processing, but do not affect the server.

Overrides that change clothing appearances are bad. These usually contain differently named appearances that conflict with both Bioware and CEP clothing and armors. When these are used you are lagging your friends here as you send them erroneous data on your appearance. (Thankfully, most PWs have figured this out and moved their custom clothing into their haks to prevent such conflicts)

Custom combat animations are very bad. They cause lag for the player using them, players around them and the server itself. The custom combat animations change the distances and movements of PCs using them. since the server and most players lack the same override, this results in a ton of error packets sent back and forth. Eventually, it can even crash the server. These effects not only build up serverside, they persist long after the client that caused them has left. So ... anyone using one of the various "ACP" haks as an override should delete them immediately. If you do love these animations though (as most who've seen them do) then I urge you to instead lobby the CEP Team to add them to the CEP itself. If added as a CEP hak, they'd no longer be a conflict and everyone could use them. There's already a thread on the CEP boards about this, if enough folk ask, plead, whine, etc... who knows ... they might do it.

Known BAD overrides:

Anything that changes animations. (All versions of the "ACPs" that are override and not a hak)

Most clothing overrides. (Usually anything from JenX as an override ... haks though are fine)

Just about any override that requires a 2da with it. (*there are a few exceptions)

Benign Overrides:

Hand and feet overrides. **

CEP Head override. **

Soundset and Portrait overrides. **

*The Soundset and and head overrides use 2da files, but they are the same ones found in the CEP already and do not therefore conflict.

**These I consider all "benign" and not "safe". They all add to a clients required overhead so they just make things laggier for players most times.

The specific override used in the above screenies I'm ambivelant about. It does not hurt the server or other players, but ... as good as it looks IG, it can keep players using it from noticing some of the minor details a builder might use here and therefore the intended impact of some areas can be lost on the users. So while not "bad" to use, I'd not recommend it on a non-Project Q server like FRC.

[Nicoen]

. As Hellwalker also said I'm just experimenting with these overrides as I just discovered them yesterday. I might get rid of them if I find them conflicting with certain areas on the server.

kalbaern
Thanks for the very informative post about overrides. It's good to know these things.
Do you know if overrides that replaces the skin of monsters are bad for the server? Some of the old skins have been improved greatly in overrides I've looked at. I haven't downloaded any though.

[kaltorac]

Apr 23, 2010 13:06:05 GMT -5 Nicoen said:

. As Hellwalker also said I'm just experimenting with these overrides as I just discovered them yesterday. I might get rid of them if I find them conflicting with certain areas on the server.

kalbaern
Thanks for the very informative post about overrides. It's good to know these things.
Do you know if overrides that replaces the skin of monsters are bad for the server? Some of the old skins have been improved greatly in overrides I've looked at. I haven't downloaded any though.

"Reskins" are generally benign. If the download contains only models or textures, but has no 2da with it, then it is likely benign. If it requires you to also add a 2da to your override, then it'll likely cause issues. This shouldn't be needed when the change is merely cosmetic. When an override requires a 2da it's because either sizing, distances or names are being changed and that will cause errors on the server here. (the 2das for soundsets or music are exceptions to this rule)

I don't recommend players use any overrides, but if you PM me with links to specific ones I'll gladdly look them over when I've time and let you know which category they fall under.

BTW ... there are many "reskins" of creatures and tilesets that we would all enjoy. So if you think something fits this category ... let the good folk on the CEP Team know about it.

Here's a link to their forum .. sign up there and start pestering them tonight

cep.veiled-in-mists.org/forums/index.php?sid=0b6babaa588c38e776e977eea42819d0

[Lady Frost]

*bump here too* Read about overrides.

[Razgriz]

Those rural tileset visuals... wow

Wonder if I can test them.

[Nicoen]

Ah! My old thread has been revived! This brings back a lot of good memories.

I don't use the overrides for reskinning anymore, since the old standard look of things became more refreshing after having used the overrides for years. Although I still use the camera modification since it's amazing.

The overrides should still be out there for reskinning the tilesets and monsters, although as mentioned earlier in this thread some areas will look different to you than other players. It becames especially bad in forested/rural areas where there would be small hills or trees for me, but not for other players. This also hid loot objects at times. You can actually see this on the screenshots I've posted, the rural ones with the Hellwalker's halfling has trees and small bumpy hills that wouldn't show up on his screen.

[Calliope]

NWWCQ is not my favorite override XD.. It adds a lot of cool bushes and stuff but over all I just feel like it's too erm.. Busy? There's just too many bright colors and stuff everywhere.

Not a fan of the road changes, I think the ground is too bright, that grass looks like cat tails and not -normal- grass, and all those bushes are cool until you walk into town and there's still bushes everywhere like your in the wild.

Don't get me wrong though, I use -parts- of NWNCQ cus I do like some of it, I just don't use it all XD. Kinda a healthy mix between NWN facelift and NWNCQ sprinkled with various other overrides.

SPOILER: Click to show

If you look at this picture you'll see I have -some- of the added bushes from NWNCQ but there not all over, I have the CQ fences, and some of the CQ building changes as well as a few other CQ things, but I kept the default roads and grass coupled with a darker ground cover override and NWN Facelift trees. I feel it makes less of a radical change but still makes it look pretty awesome. But hey, that's what great about overrides, your the one who gets to pick what things look like ^_^.

<3
-Calliope

[blink]

I use the texturepack "nwncq_override_basic_by_chico400".7z ( which comes with a patch "nwncq_override_basic_by_chico400_patch".7z (There is another version of the same texture pack, instead of "override_basic_" it is "override_extended_", and I don't use that one because it hides loot bins, like the OP described.) ) and other goodies such as;

(The good thing about this stuff is, you can customize it how ever you like. I use most of a few, and swap between some others from pack to pack. You can find most of these quoted archived files with a bit of googling and searching about the webs.)

"aenea_scrolls".rar
"aenea_spells_2".rar
"aenea_featicons_or".rar
"Enhanced_skill_icons_v1.0".zip
"Enhanced_class_icons".zip - I use most of the Enhanced, but a few "better looking" ones from this one, "aenea_classicons_or".rar
"colorized_radial_icons".rar
"aenea_emotes_169a".rar

And I use the Transparent GUI because why not?
neverwintervault.org/project/nwn1/other/gui/world-aenea-transparent-gui-overhaulupgrade

[blink]

Apr 3, 2016 11:39:21 GMT -5 Calliope said:

NWWCQ is not my favorite override XD.. It adds a lot of cool bushes and stuff but over all I just feel like it's too erm.. Busy? There's just too many bright colors and stuff everywhere.

I think your problem is that you have all that "standing grass" turned on. I turn it off. Helps me see items/objects placed on the ground much better too. Plus, use the basic version if you're using the extended. You'll probably like it more.

Heres a screenshot of the same area as your spoiler for comparison. Though my trees look more poopy. - I take it that difference comes from the "Facelift"?

SPOILER: Click to show

[Calliope]

I know how to tweak overrides and I know what I want XD... That's why I have it the way I do. ^_^

I like my grass. <3
-Calliope

[blink]

Apr 3, 2016 21:04:33 GMT -5 Calliope said:

I know how to tweak overrides and I know what I want XD... That's why I have it the way I do. ^_^

I like my grass. <3
-Calliope

I'm not disputing that you know how to tweak overrides, and that you know what you want, or what you like. - But you could be helpful and address the question that I had asked you about your trees. The changes between my trees and yours comes from the NWN Facelift?

[Calliope]

Eep XD,

Some how I missed that question completely lol, Sorry about that. Um.. I'm like 95% sure that the tree's are changed with the NNWs facelift override. *Nods nods* neverwintervault.org/project/nwn1/hakpak/neverwinter-nights-facelift-haks. Ya, the page says that the trees are overrided with the rural part. ^_^ Hope that helps.

<3
-Calliope