Fallout 1 mod FO1 to FO2 conversion, for real

[Sduibek]

Yeah, copying over the GUI files worked

Use the DatManager for that. You can create a new *.dat file with it- it asks you to create the default folder structure first and you say yes. Now you will need to manually copy all files into each folder. E.g. go into art/intrface/ and import all files from your art/intrface/ folder, etc. It is annoying, but the only way I know. Also you will need to do this in one go. You won't be able to edit the *.dat file later without breaking it, afaik.

Hmm... the only program I found that allows this requires to literally add 1 file at a time. Well, there's just under 25 thousand files in the fully unpacked Fallout 1 data files.... I'm not doing that 25 thousand times

EDIT: 24,795 to be exact. heh

If you have a DAT-manager program that do multiple at once, link to app please?


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I've updated the post of listed issues for this. With your information (thank you) and the limited knowledge I have of Fallout 2 modding, these seem to be our only hurdles at the moment that aren't simply a matter of taking the time to do stuff I already know how to do:

UNSURE
0) master.dat and critter.dat from Fallout 2 still required to run [UNSURE IF POSSIBLE]
1) Main menu layout (is on left side, needs to be right side) [UNSURE IF POSSIBLE, with Sfall maybe?]
11) Water chip quest (pipboy post-it note) and timers (warning movies about water running out) don't work. [UNSURE IF POSSIBLE]

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By the extra dialog button do you mean Tell-Me-About? I didn't remember that Fallout 2 was devoid of this



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Anyway Fo1-in-Fo2 is on hold for the moment. I want to focus on getting my actual mod up and running, and I don't know how big of a roadblock it'll be, getting the .dat files to work. Plus the lack of Tell-Me-About is a bummer, as is the broken pip-boy Water Chip reminders.

 

[Oppen]

Hmm... the only program I found that allows this requires to literally add 1 file at a time. Well, there's just under 25 thousand files in the fully unpacked Fallout 1 data files.... I'm not doing that 25 thousand times

I don't quite remember which manager I did use, but a few months ago I was trying to get the RP to a smaller size by including some parts of the mod in the master.dat in my box, mostly to familiarize with the program, (since it's a compressed format) and I managed to include ~1000 files at a time. If I used bigger numbers, then the adding of the files would fail.
But anyway, adding 1000 at once is far better than adding one by one.

 

[Sduibek]

Hmm... the only program I found that allows this requires to literally add 1 file at a time. Well, there's just under 25 thousand files in the fully unpacked Fallout 1 data files.... I'm not doing that 25 thousand times

I don't quite remember which manager I did use, but a few months ago I was trying to get the RP to a smaller size by including some parts of the mod in the master.dat in my box, mostly to familiarize with the program, (since it's a compressed format) and I managed to include ~1000 files at a time. If I used bigger numbers, then the adding of the files would fail.
But anyway, adding 1000 at once is far better than adding one by one.

If you figure out which program that was, please let me know

 

[Lexx]

Woop, sorry. I meaned DatExplorer, of course. The file description says it also works for Fo1, but that's not true. At least I could never get it to work with that. Sucks that we don't have the source of such a tool (or do we?), because then someone might be able to improve the handle of this...

1) Main menu layout (is on left side, needs to be right side) [UNSURE IF POSSIBLE, with Sfall maybe?]

This actually was done already. One russian modder made it possible with hacking the exe, if I remember correct. Now, hacking the exe would not be smart, but maybe asking Timeslip about it will result in a new Sfall version, where you can change the menu offsets. I would like this for my Fo2 mod as well.

11) Water chip quest (pipboy post-it note) and timers (warning movies about water running out) don't work. [UNSURE IF POSSIBLE]

Another thing for Sfall. Ask Timeslip about it, pretty sure she can do it.

By the extra dialog button do you mean Tell-Me-About? I didn't remember that Fallout 2 was devoid of this Sad

Yes, "Tell me about" doesn't exist in Fo2. I am not sad about the lack of it. Most people didn't used it in Fo1 + it never gave much new information anyway.

 

[NovaRain]

@Lexx
The source code of DAT Explorer is on TeamX website.

 

[Sduibek]

Yes, "Tell me about" doesn't exist in Fo2. I am not sad about the lack of it. Most people didn't used it in Fo1 + it never gave much new information anyway.

Eh, fair enough.

You know, the lack of Tell-Me-About actually could be used to our advantage. It wouldn't be hard at all to add a dialog structure for each creature that has Tell-Me-About entries. In other words, have a "So what can you tell me about your town?" or "Can I ask you some questions?" etc, and from here, an entry for each of what would have been a Tell-Me-About.

The advantage of that would be that users can see what can be asked (a good thing because as you said, I'm sure there's plenty that never check) instead of it being guess-and-check. I am one of those wierdos that liked to see what all could be asked of them in TMA entries (seeing the source files made me happy for this reason) but some of them I wouldn't've ever thought to ask. If they're in dialog, however...

 

[NovaRain]

Sadly, TeamX doesn't exist anymore.

Their site is still online, only in "archive" state.
http://teamx.ru/site_arc/utils/index.html
Scroll down for "Исходники Dat Explorer".

 

[Lexx]

Interesting. They also got lots of different Dat tools. Maybe one of them is more recent, with better pack / unpack features?

 

[Sduibek]

Lexx where's the "Sfall feature request thread" or whatever the heck it's called? I seem to recall such a mystical place existing, but I can't find it because I'm stupid.

 

[Darek]

Is it really necessary to pack the extracted files again? For what you have in mind isn't it better to just extract the files and place them in a write protected folder named master.dat instead? I understand it's not good for distributing the mod, but for play-testing it should suffice.

 

[Sduibek]

Is it really necessary to pack the extracted files again? For what you have in mind isn't it better to just extract the files and place them in a write protected folder named master.dat instead? I understand it's not good for distributing the mod, but for play-testing it should suffice.

You're welcome to try but I couldn't get it to work. I don't think I tried putting it in the .dat named folders though. Hmmm. EDIT: Tried that, doesn't work. It just skips the master.dat folder and looks for the patch_folder path instead. If you set the patch path to the master.dat folder, doesn't make a difference.

Would that even work? While the names are the same, the file (type) is a tad different?

My suggestion on a first thought: Extract Fo1 master.dat and critter.dat and pack all files into a Fo2 master.dat and critter.dat version. Then compare the original Fo1 file with the new Fo2-type file. Then create a batch file, which reads the original Fo1 files, edits them with the differences (from the comparison of your new Fo2-ified file) and saves them as new Fo2-type *.dat files.

Good news! I created a new critter.dat and added all critter art files from Fallout 1 (5559 in all) and the CRITTERS.LST file from Fallout 2. Loaded up - works flawlessly!

EDIT: Haven't gotten it to work with master.dat yet

My next try at master.dat will be:
1) Take all the files from the expanded Fo1 master.dat
2) copy all the files from Fo1-in-Fo2 (available in my download a few posts back) and copy them onto the folder in #1, overwriting when prompted.
3) compress that all into the .dat

I don't know if more than that should be needed. I suppose it's possible the exe checks for Fallout2-only material on boot, such as talking heads or something like that. Not sure. Maybe map files?

 

[.Pixote.]

If I recall there is a particular file in the \data\Data folder in F2, or \Text\English\Game - that causes the crash. You can copy all of the art files without any hick up, but one text file crashes the game. I found it through trial and error years ago, but don't quote me on it.

 

[Lexx]

Lexx where's the "Sfall feature request thread" or whatever the heck it's called? I seem to recall such a mystical place existing, but I can't find it because I'm stupid.

Here it is.

 

[Darek]

If I recall there is a particular file in the \data\Data folder in F2, or \Text\English\Game - that causes the crash. You can copy all of the art files without any hick up, but one text file crashes the game. I found it through trial and error years ago, but don't quote me on it.

PERK.MSG

Is it really necessary to pack the extracted files again? For what you have in mind isn't it better to just extract the files and place them in a write protected folder named master.dat instead? I understand it's not good for distributing the mod, but for play-testing it should suffice.

You're welcome to try but I couldn't get it to work. I don't think I tried putting it in the .dat named folders though. Hmmm. EDIT: Tried that, doesn't work. It just skips the master.dat folder and looks for the patch_folder path instead. If you set the patch path to the master.dat folder, doesn't make a difference.

It does work. I've done it before and just did it again. Critter.dat works flawlessly like that.
The reason the game will still crash is cause there are essential files missing in the master.dat from fallout 1.

Using only the extracted master.dat from fallout 1 plus adding TEXT/ENGLISH/GAME/PERK.MSG and DATA/enddeath.txt, party.txt from Fallout 2 to the other files in the conversion mod will let you start the game. It will still crash when you enter the worldmap, so I guess more files are needed.

 

[Sduibek]

Ohhh yes, perk.msg - that's the one that breaks the mapper as well. Thanks.

I think, I think this will work. I've very excited to see it come to fruition

It does work. I've done it before and just did it again. Critter.dat works flawlessly like that.
The reason the game will still crash is cause there are essential files missing in the master.dat from fallout 1.

Using only the extracted master.dat from fallout 1 plus adding TEXT/ENGLISH/GAME/PERK.MSG and DATA/enddeath.txt, party.txt from Fallout 2 to the other files in the conversion mod will let you start the game. It will still crash when you enter the worldmap, so I guess more files are needed.

Okay. I'll try it again then. For me Fallout wouldn't run at all when I tried that. I do think ultimately putting it in a dat is probably better long-term, because then we get it compressed. Otherwise the amount of space taken up by the install will be horrific.


Well, if one of you gets it work let me know.

 

[Darek]

I do think ultimately putting it in a dat is probably better long-term, because then we get it compressed. Otherwise the amount of space taken up by the install will be horrific.

Agreed, this was just meant for testing purposes.

Using Fallout 1 master.dat instead of Fallout 2 master.dat

Files that must be added to the conversion data folders (from fallout2 master.dat):

TEXT/ENGLISH/GAME/PERK.MSG
DATA/enddeath.txt, party.txt


Files from ART/INTERFACE folder to get worldmap stop crashing:

WMDIAL.FRM
WMGLOBE.FRM
WMINFCE0.FRM
WMINFCE1.FRM
WMINFCE2.FRM
WMINFCE3.FRM
WMRNDEN2.FRM
WMRNDEN3.FRM
WMSCREEN.FRM
WMTABS.FRM
WMTBEDGE.FRM
WRLDSPR0.FRM
WRLDSPR1.FRM
WRLDSPR2.FRM


Files from Proto folder to get saving working. It's for the NPCs. Don't know if you can disable it or if it's hardcoded.

critter:

00000342.pro
00000379.pro
00000380.pro
00000381.pro
00000384.pro
00000471.pro
critters.lst

items:

00000455.pro
items.lst


Files from Data folder and text/english/game folder to get interface working properly:

Pipboy and character buttons don't work. Haven't had time to check what files are involved.

 

[SorgFall]

Who has experience modding Fallout 2 and isn't currently tied up in a project? I could use someone as a consult or whatever.

My opinion is kind of invalid. I always thought FO1 modding was impossible. You're the only game in town and if you are more comfortable modding FO1 I reckon you should stick with it.

Saying all that though... other modders could build on your work if you switched to FO2, whereas I can't see anyone adding to your FO1 work. I think it would be very popular (relative to the tiny community), and again referencing my biased opinion I think it would be better because of the ease of modding plus the latest SFall.

You know, a small part of my brain tells me not to do this, because "if everyone can expand upon FIXT or make their own Fallout 1 mod, mine would become less awesome and less special!"

[shakes head] How's that for Id (or as most people would say, my ego) fucking with me? My Psych101 teacher would be laughing right now.

Anyway, that "lolwtf" aside, yeah I think you make a very good point. All the new features of FO2 engine were enough to have me smiling in about ten minutes of playtesting, and all the extra stuff that Timeslip's done would be that much awesomer. Plus, things like the AP Ammo issue could be fixed, global scripts are way easier (via sfall I believe, would be the best method).

The amount of things that could be done with Fallout 1 would instantly explode into the same number as can be done with Fallout 2. Which would be a lot of fun for me, and awesome for pretty much everyone.

Don't switch. I've noticed there are issues with this mod...

Are you referring to FIXT, FO2-engine-conversion, or both?

On the former, I've labeled it as Alpha version for a reason -- still in progress and doesn't have all intended features of final product -- and with the latter, it's definitely known to be more of a work in progress than mine, as it was unfortunately abandoned a while back by the original creator.

Go with what you feel is best, Sduibek! I'm with you either way. Whatever you choose.

Awww thanks.

--BROHUG TIME--

I was referring to the conversion.

I think you'd just be putting yourself into a lot more work...despite the obvious advantage of attracting more modders for F1.

 

[Sduibek]

I was referring to the conversion.

I think you'd just be putting yourself into a lot more work...despite the obvious advantage of attracting more modders for F1.

Fair enough, but I think the advantages are worth it.

Once it's working, modding for Fallout 1 will not only be much easier (Fallout 2 uses text files and whatnot for it) but also we will be able to do things never possible with Fallout 1.

Assuming awesome folks like Darek can figure out the data file situation, and we can get some help from Timeslip, this is as good as done. All the other stuff just involves putting a bunch of crap in text files, .h files, script conversion, map editing and sfall edits. Lots of work yes, but I think the results will be worth it.

 

[SCO]

It would be pretty great, and it would probably solve those crashes.

I'm assuming you're thinking of a conversion like BGT or something similar? Maybe a 'two fallouts in one' if ssfall does some magic?

 

[Sduibek]

It would be pretty great, and it would probably solve those crashes.

I'm assuming you're thinking of a conversion like BGT or something similar? Maybe a 'two fallouts in one' if ssfall does some magic?

BGT?

I personally will never combine the two games, but it's been done and I imagine will be done again.