FuryThoR on 1/6/2008 at 17:29
I was wondering that is it possible to create modifications for System shock 2 ?
And I mean more than mere new fan missions, I mean custom created content.
And who owns rights to System Shock 2 ?
DaBeast on 1/6/2008 at 18:12
The shock rights are spread around quite a bit with no one being too sure who has what. We know that EA has a fair share and will do whatever it takes to see that no-one fucks with it.
At best you can make an FM, some tried to remake it in another engine which EA promptly shut down.
FuryThoR on 1/6/2008 at 18:39
Quote Posted by DaBeast
The shock rights are spread around quite a bit with no one being too sure who has what. We know that EA has a fair share and will do whatever it takes to see that no-one fucks with it.
At best you can make an FM, some tried to remake it in another engine which EA promptly shut down.
I was more thinking about modifying the original game in different ways, since engine seems to be fairly decent one... I just wonder where limits like maximum skills etc were defined, in source code ?
Yeah I am familiar with EA shutdown policy, I really wish that someone with no sense of morale and incredible lust for money would get evidence that EA is infringing hes copyright so clear that EA has to pay, and he would give taste of their policy for EA.
DaBeast on 1/6/2008 at 18:47
Quote Posted by FuryThoR
"I was more thinking about modifying the original game in different ways, since engine seems to be fairly decent one... I just wonder where limits like maximum skills etc were defined, in source code ?"
There are quite a few limits to what you can do with shockEd, I don't think the source was released, not sure though. Last time I looked around ShockEd, all the skills and weapon properties & stats where in config scripts or something. You could easily have the assault rifle shoot grenades or possibly laser bolts. Someone smarter should pop up with specifics or flame you into leaving.
EA are the Microsoft of games publishers. Fleets of lawyers etc, they can just bury people in paperwork and wait for the cost of a case to dissuade them.
TF on 1/6/2008 at 20:00
There's nothing really hardcore that you can do like messing with maximum skills like you mentioned without getting your hexeditor out and reverse-engineering the game which is extremely hard. The editor is pretty good though, and while there is a scripting language you can access all it can really do to the engine itself is call its defined functions in various ways.
At least not right now, Timeslip's doing some pretty interesting things to the Dark (Thief and SS2) engine lately.
FuryThoR on 2/6/2008 at 06:59
Yeah well, I did do some quick research for subject and came to following conclusion.
*.gam files do contain various details for gamesysten (skll costs etc.) However editing it is not easy or possible due it is hex data and there is not editor for it, so that makes it near impossible. Pity.:wot:
However I did study Dromed possibilities and it is possible to modify skill costs, and many other things from Dromed, but it won't be possible to add new skill levels or other things (skills, traits, psi abilities etc.)
It would be really awesome if sources for SS2 (game, and content creation tools like ShockED and others) could be released, but due mess of copyright ownership and who has actually authority over original source codes I doubtful with that, we can do only minor things with SS2 engine.
somehow genius of ID software can be clearly seen here, they have been independent for long time and fairly successfu. I do wonder how would gaming scene look today if that fame would have come for LGS ... Different, that's for sure, but how much...
ZylonBane on 2/6/2008 at 15:42
Quote Posted by FuryThoR
I was wondering that is it possible to create modifications for System shock 2 ?
And I mean more than mere new fan missions, I mean custom created content.
(
http://www.strangebedfellows.de/index.php?board=2.0) No, absolutely not. What a silly notion.