That's...a lot of files.

Today I decided I should go into the Aenea hak files and remove most of the redundant files that are part of the CEP and/or Project Q. Then, I found several other files that have multiple copies within the Aenea haks.

So, after that, I decided I should just pull all the files from the Aenea haks together, eliminate duplicate files by keeping just the newer versions, and repack everything back into haks.

Well, I'm part way through that. After eliminating a couple of tilesets (one unused, one used only for 1 area that I'm not happy with anyway), adding a new tileset (for remaking a few other areas), and getting rid of those duplicates...the file count is currently at 64,901 (2.62 GB).

Nothing will change in-game because of this (the haks will still have the same names and content)...it's just cleanup of stuff in the background.

This actually sounds quite helpful for those entering Aenea the first time, or for those having to make complete reinstallations. Thanks!

Elhanan wrote:This actually sounds quite helpful for those entering Aenea the first time, or for those having to make complete reinstallations. Thanks!

Faster downloads and less disk space consumed 

Repacking and reuploading the haks may take a little while. What should be a simple task has been complicated by me wanting to modify just one texture in a single tileset.

Uh, huh. Sure. Just one. Riiiiight.

Forgive me, but my initial thought (as I read the title as "That's...a lot of flies.") was eew, gross.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Repacking and reuploading the haks may take a little while. What should be a simple task has been complicated by me wanting to modify just one texture in a single tileset.

Uh, huh. Sure. Just one. Riiiiight.

Is it bad that I love it when you lie to yourself about how you are going to limit the scope of improvements you make? lol

You know, I don't even remember which single texture I wanted to change last Thursday. I imagine I changed it, but it's hard to recall, since I've updated 371 texture files so far (some of them multiple times to get just the right look), along with 626 tile model files. Oh, and I made 20 54 new placeable models.



Edit: updated new placeables number

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:You know, I don't even remember which single texture I wanted to change last Thursday. I imagine I changed it, but it's hard to recall, since I've updated 371 texture files so far (some of them multiple times to get just the right look), along with 626 tile model files. Oh, and I made 20 54 new placeable models.



Edit: updated new placeables number

Totally worth it, and you know it.

Now that I've changed up a bunch of textures...I have to go back and update placeables I just recently made. The mud puddles that show up when it rains...need to be a darker shade of mud. At least it's only 20 texture files (for that).

Now I'm trying to figure out why the tops of some new objects I'll be adding are transparent in-game, rather than shiny as I intended.

I've also got a list of more things I want to change, related to tilesets. Figure I'll try to get as much done as possible while I'm in the middle of repacking content into the haks.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Now that I've changed up a bunch of textures...I have to go back and update placeables I just recently made. The mud puddles that show up when it rains...need to be a darker shade of mud. At least it's only 20 texture files (for that).

Now I'm trying to figure out why the tops of some new objects I'll be adding are transparent in-game, rather than shiny as I intended.

I've also got a list of more things I want to change, related to tilesets. Figure I'll try to get as much done as possible while I'm in the middle of repacking content into the haks.

It would be more efficient, for sure... and less downloading/replacing for everybody.

Oh, ffs.

So, guess who saw a single screenshot of someone else's bare start to a modification to the rural tileset and is no longer satisfied himself. 

Four tiles remade. I don't know how many to go, since the models are in various haks (Aenea and CEP), and tileset file names themselves are not helpful at all. So it's check the toolset, extract with NWN Explorer, modify with gmax, cycle through tile variations, repeat. Then dump new tiles into a hak, open the toolset, and look for problems.

Oh, and when I'm finally done with all this tileset work, I'm going to go through and replace all the loadscreen images that show old versions of areas with fresh ones (rural, forest, castle exterior, city exterior, drylands, Calithia, Tradeholm, elven towns).

While the module may say it's getting updated if you check the sign in the Astral Conjuction, most likely it's me adding something you won't have files for yet (and won't see) until I push out the all haks update (so I can test stuff). Although, the old man that spends all day at the top of the hill in the Vale now has a reason to be there after all these years (besides dementia)...fishing and drinking in his retirement.

The Amethyst Dragon wrote:Oh, ffs.

So, guess who saw a single screenshot of someone else's bare start to a modification to the rural tileset and is no longer satisfied himself. 

Four tiles remade. I don't know how many to go, since the models are in various haks (Aenea and CEP), and tileset file names themselves are not helpful at all. So it's check the toolset, extract with NWN Explorer, modify with gmax, cycle through tile variations, repeat. Then dump new tiles into a hak, open the toolset, and look for problems.

Oh, and when I'm finally done with all this tileset work, I'm going to go through and replace all the loadscreen images that show old versions of areas with fresh ones (rural, forest, castle exterior, city exterior, drylands, Calithia, Tradeholm, elven towns).

While the module may say it's getting updated if you check the sign in the Astral Conjuction, most likely it's me adding something you won't have files for yet (and won't see) until I push out the all haks update (so I can test stuff).

I am sure that the reason you aren't satisfied is because you saw something that could be improved. After all, that's the reason Aenea exists in its current form and why so many of us stuck around so long - you have improved the base game so much. One of your most notable improvements has been to the graphics and visuals present in the game (and of course all the new ones you and other have created for it as well).

Glad to hear about the loads screens, they definitely need some love. Excited to see how this all shapes up

Although, the old man that spends all day at the top of the hill in the Vale now has a reason to be there after all these years (besides dementia)...fishing and drinking in his retirement.

I always thought of him as an aspect of Gort, and he was up there 'playing' old and senile to disarm suspicions about his repeatedly sending young adventurers to their doom at the fangs and claws of Invisible Hunters in Plainscross. I always figured he liked being nearby the Wanderer's Portal through the treeline, and got a chuckle watching people traipse off grumbling about his inability to finish a thought, all while knowing they were probably going to get lost a few times on their way there, and then have to make the trip a couple more times due to being ambushed by wildlife 

I like the new setup, nice and understated, but makes sense.

"Not all who wander, are lost."