Dragon Age Toolset Wiki - User contributions [en]

Overview of the toolset

2012-07-04T23:47:54Z

Arcane Warrior Revan: /* User Interface */

The Dragon Age Toolset is, with just a few omissions and changes, the same set of tools that was used internally at BioWare to develop the main Dragon Age: Origins campaign. It is a very powerful professional game development toolset and therefore some elements can take some time to master.

This [[overview of the toolset]] is intended as a general introduction to help put the later complexity into a simpler context.

== The Toolset ==

The Dragon Age Toolset application provides a framework or host for the editor plug-ins used to create and edit the different types of [[Art Resources|art resources]] and [[Designer Resources|designer resources]]; for various utilities used to compile and export these resources, for creating [[builder to builder]] or [[builder to player]] packages and for many other tasks; and for the editors used to open and edit some of the custom [[:Category:File types|file types]] used by the Toolset and/or the Dragon Age:Origins game.

=== User Interface ===

The Toolset's user interface, UI, contains several elements that are common to many modern applications:

* '''Title bar''' which displays the application's name, version and the name of the current module.
* '''Menu bar''' with the default File, Edit, View, Tools, Window and Help menus.
* '''Toolbar''' with displays the Standard toobar by default. There are many other toolbars which are only displayed as required. The user can also create custom toolbars.
* '''Status bar''' which displays various status information including the current Toolset database.
* '''Main window''' where the various resource editors will be displayed.

The Toolset also provides several panels which can docked or floating. Some of these panels are displayed by default while others can be opened from the '''Edit > Find''' menu options, the '''View''' menu or the '''View > Windows''' submenu. Additionally panels can be opened using keyboard short cuts (for example '''Ctrl+F''' to open the Find Window) or simply through interacting with a particular editor (for example double clicking on a function name in the [[Script editor]] to open the '''Help window''')

* [[Bookmarks panel]]
* [[Console panel]]
* [[Object inspector panel]]
* [[Palette window panel]]
* [[Help window panel]]
* [[Log window panel]]
* [[Find panel]]
* [[Replace panel]]
* [[Resource history panel]]
* [[Search results window panel]]

This gallery contains examples of some of the more important elements of the Toolset's user interface:

<gallery width=800px widths=200px perrow=4>
File:Toolset default view.png|The basic Toolset UI
File:Toolset palette window panel.png|The 'Palette Window' panel
File:Toolset object inspector panel.png|The 'Object Inspector' panel
File:Toolset help window panel.png|The 'Help Window' panel
File:Toolset file new menu.png|The new resource menu options
File:Toolset tools export menu.png|The export menu options
File:Toolset resource history panel.png|The 'Resource History' panel
File:Toolset log window panel.png|The 'Log Window' panel
</gallery>

=== Changing the layout ===

To undock a docked panel double-click on the panel's title bar. To dock a floating panel double click on its title bar. To change where a panel is docked and/or the grouped click on its title bar or tab and drag it into desired locations. While dragging a panel docking controls, blue diamonds and blue arrows, will appear to indicate where the panel can be dropped. The inner docking controls indicate which other panels or groups it can dock in, above or below, while the outer docking controls will dock the panel on to and edge.

[[File:Toolset arranging panels.png|border|200px|Moving a panel]]

== Toolset resources ==

There are three basic sorts of source resource:

* Art resources - things like creature models, visual effects, sounds, and levels. These are stored as ordinary files in your file system.
* Database resources - in general, the instructions to the game on how to ''use'' art resources. This includes scripts, dialogue, cinematics, plots, placing objects in area layouts, and so forth.
* 2DAs - "two-dimensional arrays", tables of data that are referred to by scripts or by the game engine. These are defined by ordinary Excel spreadsheets.

The following diagram illustrates the general outline of how each of these types of resource is edited, processed, and used by the game:

[[Image:Overview.png|border|200px|The toolset resources]]

The designer toolset exports playable resources to the override directory. To use a programming metaphor, the toolset is a compiler and the objects that go into the override directory are the compiled executables. The "source code" for these finished products is stored elsewhere in a wide variety of formats.

=== Where the game looks for resources ===

When the Dragon Age executable is run and a new game starts up, the game loads a set of resources that define every aspect of the campaign world and the story that the player will experience within it.

All resources are marked as belonging to specific modules or packages (such as the single-player module that's the main campaign of Dragon Age: Origins).

Modules and packages can be set to inherit resources from other modules (called their 'dependencies' since they depend on the resources in them). This allows modules to build on each other and interact in an organized manner; each level in a module hierarchy can add to or supplant the contents of previous levels. At the root of this hierarchy is a special group of resources called "core" resources that all modules inherit from, consisting of basic features such as the game's combat scripts and the default behavior of interactive objects.

Each module or package will also have an "override" directory that can supplant the contents of that package. This is the directory where the toolset exports playable content during development.

As an example, you could create a module named "Dwarven Madness" that takes place in an area that the player visited in the main single-player campaign. You want to make use of the same area layout that was used in the single-player campaign, but add your own resources in the form of different creatures to fight and a new plot to follow. You would therefore set your module to inherit the resources of the single-player campaign, which itself inherits core resources. When the game starts and tries to load a resource it looks in the following places, in order:

#Dwarven Madness' override directory
#Dwarven Madness' module directory
#Single Player's override directory
#Single Player module directory
#Core resources override directory
#Core resources directory

(See [[Source directory priorities]] for a complete listing of all the places the game can look for resources.)

While you're developing the module in the toolset, exported resources will be placed in the Dwarven Madness override directory.

=== Sharing designer resources ===

If you're collaborating with other builders, you'll want to share the "source code" for your game resources instead of just the "compiled" finished product from the override directory.

For the art resources and 2DAs this is simply a matter of locating the files on your hard drive and making those available. Designer resources are a bit trickier and can be shared in two fundamentally different ways:
*"[[Builder to builder]]" export, which exports selected source resources from the database in a non-playable XML format suitable for importing by another builder's toolset.
*Shared access to a single database. The toolset supports simultaneous access to a single database by many different toolsets, but setting this up can be somewhat tricky and depends on the availability of the database server.

== See Also ==

[[Compatibility]]

Getting Started

2012-06-20T06:07:12Z

Arcane Warrior Revan: /* Starting the Toolset */

== Installing the Toolset ==

* [http://dragonage.bioware.com/ Install the game.] Ensure that Dragon Age is installed before dabbling in the toolset, as it relies on the game's resources and engine, and cannot function without them.
* [[Creating an account|Create an account.]] In order to contribute to pages on the DA Builder Wiki or participate on the BioWare Social Network, you will need to create an online user account.
* [http://social.bioware.com/user_bw_games_register.php Register the game.] In addition, you will need to register your copy of Dragon Age before gaining access to game-owner only content, including the toolset.
* [http://social.bioware.com/toolset.php Download the toolset.] The Dragon Age toolset contains the same functionality used by BioWare to craft the official campaign, and provides the power and flexibility to create your own custom content and adventures.
* [[Installing the toolset|Install the toolset.]] Refer to this page for general information and step-by-step instructions to installing the toolset.
* [[Installation troubleshooting|Troubleshooting.]] Refer to this page for specific information on how to resolve issues in the event that toolset installation goes awry.
* [[Known issues|Known issues.]] Refer to this page for a currently documented list of known issues and bugs in the current version of the toolset.

== Overview of the Toolset ==

*[[Overview of the toolset|Overview of the toolset:]] A quite good overview of interface layout and toolset resource management.

*[[Comparisons with other toolkits|Comparisons with other toolkits:]] A brief feature overview of the Dragon Age toolset for users familiar with similar software (e.g., the NWN Aurora Toolset).

== Starting the Toolset ==

{| align=right
|[[File:Titlebar components.png|thumb|300px|right|How to determine which module is currently open]]
|-
|{{Warnbox|Do not edit Single Player or Core Resources with custom content!|300px}}
|}
Before using the Toolset, it is important to take note of what [[Module|module]] the toolset has open. A module is a "container" in which game resources are stored in; you will only be able to see the resources for the currently open module (and any modules that it is marked as depending on). The default module when first starting the Toolset is the "Demo" module, which is a very small and simple module intended to show several common resource types in a basic pre-built adventure that you can experiment with safely.

The main Dragon Age: Origins campaign resources are stored in a module named "Single Player". If you're just starting out with the toolset, it can be dangerous to edit these, as you could inadvertently corrupt your main campaign. Take care when exploring not to edit any of those resources without knowing what you're doing.

The first basic steps in the Toolset shall be to create your own [[Module]]. The only possible type of Module is "Addin", but note that this name is somewhat misleading; it is possible to have "standalone addins" that are completely separate from any other module (such as the main campaign).

*See: [[Module]] - For a general overview of how a Module works, and what awaits you.

== Using the Toolset ==

As described in the overview linked to above, the game uses a wide variety of resource types. A "resource" is something that you can create, such as a script or a creature, and you will often need to combine many different resources together to accomplish a particular design goal. The toolset consists of many independent tools for working with these different types of resources. These tools can be well discussed separately.

The next best step for learning the toolset would be to look into the categories on the [[Main Page]], which link deeper into each topic and the tools involved with them. If you are having questions at a specific part of the toolset give this Wiki a search for it. This can be very specific, and always worth a try. You may also find the [http://social.bioware.com/forum/1/subindex/70 toolset forums] to be useful in solving specific problems the documentation here may not cover.

A list of certain Interest, and the 3 Resource types:
*[[Design]] - Talks mainly about Designer Resources, such as Items, Monsters, NPC's, Vendors, etc.
*[[Art]] - Talks mainly about Art Resources, such as Models, Textures, Facemorphs, etc.
*[[2DA]] - Talks about the 2DA Resourcetype, which is sets of Gamewide usable variables and references.

=== Tips and tricks ===
*[[Shortcuts]] - Assorted toolset shortcuts.
*[[Common Problems]] - Little things that most people will need to know but that are not necessarily obvious.

== Specials ==

It is currently not possible to delete a module by normal means.

If you run into a problem that the documentation doesn't cover and that you can't fix, contact toolsetsupport@bioware.com

== Removing Custom Content ==

This section describes how to remove all custom content from the game.

To be on the safe side, before you start, you might want to

* disable all the unofficial add-ins on the DLC screen in game
* play a recently saved game (using the Force Load option) to confirm that it works reasonably well without the add-ins
* back up your Documents > Bioware folder

Since you can't be certain that all authors have followed best practice, you'll need to clean out all the folders that can be customised.

In Documents > Bioware > Dragon Age,

* In the AddIns folder, delete all the folders except Demo, Single Player and anything starting with dao_prc (the official DLC).
* Delete any files In the AddIns > Single Player folder and sub-folders (you might get away with just deleting the Single Player folder, but caution never hurts).
* Delete any files from the modules and packages folders.

== Dragon Age 2 ==

See [[Dragon Age 2]] for more information.

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