Alpha plugin: nwnx_spells

[acaos]

I've just committed an extremely alpha plugin to the repository. It has no real configurability yet (quite a bit of HG-specific stuff hard-coded) and is still under heavy development.

What it does, however, is allows you to add additional spellcasting classes to NWN.

• You need to set the 'Spellcaster' value for the class to '1' in the classes.2da file. Clients need this file.
  
• You need to add a SpellGainTable for the class to the classes.2da file. This file needs to be on the server.
  
• You can't add spontaneous caster classes yet.
  
• You can't add divine-type classes where characters have access to their entire spell list automatically. You need to add any spells the character might know to their spellbook.
  
• All new spell classes are considered divine right now (for purposes of spell failure and deafness).
  
• All new-class spells are considered to be cast at their 'innate level' right now.
  
• Resting to recover spells works normally.
  
• The player spellcasting radial works normally, as does quickslotting by right-clicking on an empty quickslot.
  
• The new classes will not show up in the DM spellcasting radial.
  
• Clients can't edit their spellbook using the client interface. You'll need a conversation-based interface on the server using the nwnx_funcs KnownSpell/MemorizedSpell functions.
  

Acaos

[SSJeol]

Wow!

It's amazing what can be done with nwnx and plugins. I can't wait to start experimenting with this. I'm really new to this, so I hope I do not sound too ignorant in my questions.

[acaos]

[futts]

Wouldn't a client edit be illegal, though?

[Fireboar]

[futts]

It might be a good idea to get official word on this. If no one does it here I'll pursue it myself. I'm concerned on the legal ramifications, because of other factors like the reasons of them not releasing the source code, et cetera.

[addicted2rpg]

I've often thought of the legality of this kind of technology. I've copyrighted software before and the Library of Congress has me submit it under the "written works" category that books and things would use. As far as literature goes, you can use a copyrighted work (and exceprts from it) if you are making commentary on or about that work as long as it is not a reproduction.

I liken the NWNX extenders and their various plugins to the software equivalent of commentary on another work; it is not being modified and republished as a new work.

For a more concrete thought process, a guy who tints windows on automobiles shouldn't be in legal trouble with Toyota, Ford, GM, etc.. for modifying their automobile at the wish of a customer.

While I feel both of these are exactly 100% analogously the same, the United States is full of graft and corruption, so as to what the law REALLY says in the U.S. about the extent and use of this kind of thing (and on other products), I don't know. I know laws differ very much so in other countries, and I know even less about what they allow.

edit: Sorry not to detract from the main post. I think this project sounds very fascinating. Client side changes of course can provide a certain degree frustration as far as PW's go (the server admin is somewhat responsible in getting anyone who wants to try his server technically compliant, which is a bit of a turnoff). I don't know how many SP mods use NWNX, but I imagine not many. Despite this limitation, however, I think this project should be explored further in the event something like a clientside extender is ever released to replace this. It probably would be less trouble than what people go through already with downloading haks, tlks, and everything else. Although I have played and ran a server in the past using FreeBSD w/ Linux emulation, I plan to constrain the bulk of my development curiosity to Windows, so I'll have to cheer from the sidelines on this one

[Fireboar]

From Bioware:

[futts]

I lean towards the second for this line alone:

[Fireboar]

Quite understandable, the real uncertainty is exactly what the EULA refers to. On a case-by-case basis Bioware CAN overrule any part of the EULA though, and I think this may well be one of those instances. It does seem pretty clear that, without permission at least, such a thing is technically illegal (even if Bioware wouldn't press charges).

[virusman]

Neverwinter Nights is a product of both Atari and Bioware, so I don't think we can get an official permission to publish modified executables.
It's illegal by the EULA, but it's fine by unofficial Bioware policies (as long as the modifications add features, not exploits).
Anyway, if there will be a client-side NWNX, it will work the same way as server-side NWNX - without any modifications to the NWN executables.

[Lokey]

We don't live in a Corporate Dystopia yet, an EULA is garbage in most countries by default. Keep us updated on how well Bio/Atari/etc legal have done stomping the dm-impersonators/wall hacks/etc
_________________
Neversummer PW NWNx powered mayhem

[futts]

Disrespecting the EULA is disrespecting Bioware, something that the NWN Community is far above. We also have players that could be ignorant to what they are actually downloading, and that in itself is rather frightening.

[virusman]

I've made an early version of client-side NWNX. It can be loaded either automatically with a modified nwmain.exe (with the only difference being the additional entry in the import table) or with an external loader (with no modifications to the NWN executable).
Btw, there was a camera hack in early NWN days. It was very popular, it's got a Hall of Fame entry on Vault, and was recognized by Bioware, despite the fact that it was modifying the game executable.

[Zebranky]