Question about Party Roster

[andgalf]

So, with the module I’m working on now, I though I’d again try to implement a variant of Colorsfade’s Companion System, based on the OC companion system. However, when testing this and that, I discovered a thing called Party Roster within the game that I’d totally missed. It works perfectly for my needs, but when discussing this with Lance Botelle, he didn’t have this feature. Then I thought: “Ok, this might have to do with me using the Divine GUI”, but when removing that, I could still find the Party Roster thing inside the game. Again, Lance doesn’t have this…

So, the question is, where have I gotten this from? Does everyone else have this, or is it only me having this, and in that case, how did I get this? I need to know since I want to use this feature in the module I’m working on now, but if players doesn’t have this, then I can’t use it…Here’s how it looks for me:

Within the Divine GUI:

Without the Divine GUI:

Lance’s screenshot where he doesn’t have it:

[andgalf]

Now that I’ve investigated more closely, it may be tied to Tchos HD UI Panels, but I’m not sure, that I also have in my override. So without that, people won’t be able to see it?

EDIT: When removing Tchos HD UI Panels and the Divine GUI, I can still access the Party Roster, so is it just me or can anyone else access this, and in that case where does it come from. How can I make sure my players have this?

EDIT2: I emptied my override folder, but I can still access the Party Roster.

[andgalf]

Ok, as far as I can see this is available in the core game under the UI and the two xml files called playermenu_popup.xml and partyselect.xml. If people playing NWN2 here could confirm they can access Party Roster, like in the pictures above, I would be very grateful!

@Lance_Botelle - Don’t you have these two playermenu_popup.xml and partyselect.xml under UI in your game folder? Have you maybe disabled something somehow? What happens if you temporarily empty your override folder? I know you have a lot of custom stuff for your modules so…

[Macastril]

Hello ! I confirm I have it, and did not pay any attention to it even after hours ans hours of modding.
Long ago I asked in this very forum how to delete it from the override, so the player could not control who is in the party.
If it may help :

Interdire l'accès à la sélection de groupe

Bonjour bonjour ! Existe-t-il un moyen d’interdire au joueur l’accès à l’option de sélection de groupe? Clairement, je veux que le roster existe, mais que le joueur n’ait aucun contrôle dessus. J’ai vu que la chose était possible dans les deux campagnes X1 et X2 officielles, mais je n’ai pas le niveau pour dénicher le script… Merci à vous! Hello Hello ! Is there a way to prevent the player from accessing the group selection option? Clearly, I want the roster to exist, but the player has no c…

[andgalf]

Ah, thank you! That seems to indicate that most people have it then. When reading your thread, you are absolutely correct that it is dangerous to let the player have power over this, and in my other modules if people would tamper with it, things could go very wrong. In my case however, in this particular module I’m making, I would want people to have control over it.

And I’ve been making modules for about 4 years now and never knew/noticed its existence.

[Lance_Botelle]

@andgalf

I just tracked it to this … playermenu_popup.xml … It is in the original version, but not in the SoZ version.

I am using the newer version of the xml, which does not have it.

The newer version overrides all previous version for all campaigns.

i.e. If you do not have any DLCs loaded, then I imagine it will be in the game.

[travus]

To prevent the player from exploiting that, use the ga_roster_selectable script (or some other script that uses the SetIsRosterMemberSelectable function). Just set the bSelectable parameter to FALSE. This will ‘grey-out’ the companion on the party select GUI preventing them from being swapped in/out by the player.

[GCoyote]

One caution, I’ve played otherwise decent mods where the companion I need for my solution to a quest/problem turns out not to be available. I then have to load from an earlier save and replay something to reach the solution the author had envisioned. Not as satisfying from the player’s perspective.

Which companions you can have may impact character build, alignment choices, and in-game problem solving.

My two cents.

[andgalf]

@Lance_Botelle

I just tracked it to this … playermenu_popup.xml … It is in the original version, but not in the SoZ version.

I am using the newer version of the xml, which does not have it.

The newer version overrides all previous version for all campaigns.

i.e. If you do not have any DLCs loaded, then I imagine it will be in the game.

Hmm…Ok…I have/use NWN2 Complete from gog at the moment (I have the discs too but since upgrading to Win7 and the Win10 and when having install many years ago, I bought the gog version instead for convenience) with all the expansions and whatnot, and then I have the option to the Party Roster. So I’m not sure what you mean by having any DLCs loaded…

[andgalf]

@GCoyote

One caution, I’ve played otherwise decent mods where the companion I need for my solution to a quest/problem turns out not to be available. I then have to load from an earlier save and replay something to reach the solution the author had envisioned. Not as satisfying from the player’s perspective.

Of course, that has to be taken into account. In my second module I did a lot of this roster thing back and forth with Colorsfade’s Companion System, and then I made sure that if a certain companion is needed to complete a quest that companion was made obligatory. This system however was a bit buggy for me, so I don’t want to go back to it fully. That’s why I’m trying to use something similar but more to my liking this time around.

@GCoyote

Which companions you can have may impact character build, alignment choices, and in-game problem solving.

Yes, of course you are correct.

[Lance_Botelle]

@andgalf

and then I have the option to the Party Roster. So I’m not sure what you mean by having any DLCs loaded…

CLICK ON IMAGE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK …

But, like you, I have messed around for years now, so maybe it is something else? Maybe I even commented the node out - let me check that! EDIT: No sign of it all in my version.

The version you are using likely has this bit of code in it… Can you confirm?

<!-- Party Roster -->
			<UIButton name="PM_PLIST_IMAGE" x=19 y=154 width=24 height=24 
			OnLeftClick=UIButton_Input_PlayerMenuChoice("SCRIPT_SCREEN_PARTYSELECT","SCREEN_PLAYERMENU_POPUP") 
			DefaultToolTip=182793 OnToolTip=UIObject_Tooltip_DisplayObject(OBJECT_X,OBJECT_Y,SCREEN_TOOLTIP_2,ALIGN_NONE,ALIGN_NONE,0,0,ALIGN_LEFT) >
				<UIFrame state=up		fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
				<UIFrame state=down		fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
				<UIFrame state=focused	fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
				<UIFrame state=hilited	fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
				<UIFrame state=hifocus	fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
				<UIFrame state=disabled	fill="b_partyselect.tga" />
			</UIButton>	
			<UIButton name="PLIST_TOGGLE_BUTTON" x=43 y=154 strref="182793" DefaultToolTip=182793 style="PM_TOGGLE_BUTTON"
				OnLeftClick=UIButton_Input_PlayerMenuChoice("SCRIPT_SCREEN_PARTYSELECT","SCREEN_PLAYERMENU_POPUP") >
			</UIButton>

UPDATE: By the looks of it, the version with the ROSTER will only ever show in custom built modules that use the default xml version. As when you check the various OC games, they do not appear to offer the ROSTER.

[andgalf]

Yes, I have that code.

For me it’s almost the same as for you. You seem to be using the disc version though? Since you have it installed at Atari/Neverwinter Nights 2 and for me it’s just NWN2 Complete, so I suspect it has something to do with this. I do have the newer 2009 version, but for me it lies under NWN2 Complete\Campaigns\Neverwinter Nights 2 Campaign_X2\UI. Funny that my game shows me the older version of this GUI then. Maybe that’s something they changed when putting it for sale on gog? I mean, my version also contains Westgate Campaign…

[Lance_Botelle]

@andgalf

Funny that my game shows me the older version of this GUI then. Maybe that’s something they changed when putting it for sale on gog?

Ref my UPDATE (above):

“UPDATE: By the looks of it, the version with the ROSTER will only ever show in custom built modules that use the default xml version. As when you check the various OC games, they do not appear to offer the ROSTER.”

So, unless the 2009 version unlocks (changes the xml used), then that would also explain it.

You could test to see if that is teh case by starting any of the first 3 OC games and see if it is there as well.
ie. NWN2, MotB or Soz.

[andgalf]

@Lance_Botelle

As when you check the various OC games, they do not appear to offer the ROSTER.

Ok, I don’t think I’ve ever checked any of this. How do you check that? In Module properties or the like?

EDIT: Ah, yes I found that. Never noticed that before. I have both those set to False since that is apparently the default. Well, anyway, then when I release my module having set both those to false, then the default one should show up for the people playing the module, right?

[Lance_Botelle]

@andgalf

How do you check that? In Module properties or the like?

@andgalf

Just start a game (NWN2, MotB or SoZ) and check.

Let me know your result?

i.e. The option should be missing I believe.

@andgalf

Well, anyway, then when I release my module having set both those to false, then the default one should show up for the people playing the module, right?

Actually, I don’t think this will work, as other content you used for your module probably uses the later module stuff, and so you would need to keep them ticked.

All you need to do to ensure the ROSTER version is used, is to add it to your CAMPAIGN folder. I have a sub-directory with loads of edited xml versions (as you probably have guessed).

[andgalf]

Ah, ok. I’ll add it there then.

[Lance_Botelle]

@andgalf

Are you able to double check if you do lose the ROSTER with any of the OC modules?

It would be good to check this is the case for your 2009 GoG version as well as my own.

[andgalf]

Ok, I’ll check.

[andgalf]

You were right. The Party Roster isn’t available if I start the OC or SoZ for example. I’ll put my old playermenu_popup.xml in my campaign folder then.

EDIT: So playermenu_popup.xml is the only xml I need in the campaign folder for this to work then? Nothing more?

[Lance_Botelle]

That’s the solution - Should work fine!

Just make sure its the only version in your campaign folders.