This repository is meant to function as boilerplate for anyone who wants to version control their module development for the game Neverwinter Nights (NWN), using git. It contains a skeleton with the necessary tools, and usage documentation including instructions for setting up a local test environment using Docker, which can easily be distributed to the development team.
In addition, the texts here are meant to function as a reference for users unfamiliar with git and Docker, as is the case with some of my team members. INTRODUCTION introduces the problem areas git and Docker solve, and attempts to explain how the development process is supposed to work. It also presents an overview of how the systems are wired together.
Can't people just version control their sources without this? Of course they can. However, it is not a straight forward process. The Aurora Toolset stores all module content in file archives with the .mod extension. git does not handle .mod archives, so for git to be of any use the archive must first be unpacked. The process of unpacking and repacking module content may be cumbersome to some, which is why I have created this repository. It is an attempt at sharing the work I have done so that anyone who may want to do the same can do so with minimal effort. The basis for this work is what I have already done on an existing server; Bastion of Peace.
- Admin - Please see SETUP. It contains instructions on how to initialize and customize the repository to your server.
- Developers - Continue reading. You will find instructions on how to initialize and use these tools below.
Please make sure the following software is installed before proceeding:
-
git, the version control software
- Arch:
pacman -S git - Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install git - Windows: https://git-scm.com/download/win
- Arch:
-
Java, needed by ModPacker to pack and unpack the .mod archive
- Arch:
pacman -S jre8-openjdk - Ubuntu:
sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre - Windows: http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/install-windows-64-142952.html
- Arch:
-
(Optional) Docker, for local test environment
- Arch:
pacman -S docker - Ubuntu: https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/ubuntulinux/
- Windows: https://docs.docker.com/engine/installation/windows/
- Arch:
Your module admin should have provided you with a link to your repository (NOT nwn-devbase!). Cloning can be done via a gui client, or by running git clone <repository-url> from the command line.
Using a git client like SourceTree or another is nice if you prefer a gui, but you can also do everything from the command line. Some git basics and best practices are covered and referenced in INTRODUCTION.
To open the packed module with the Aurora Toolset, symlink the .mod file to your nwn/modules folder. Run the following command (windows may need admin console), where PATH_TO_NWN is the install dir of your local NWN installation, and PATH_TO_REPO is the path to the repository.
- Linux:
ln -s "PATH_TO_REPO"/packed/testserver.mod "PATH_TO_NWN"/modules/ - Windows:
MKLINK "PATH_TO_NWN\modules\" "PATH_TO_REPO\packed\testserver.mod"
Run these scripts, located in scripts/
| OS | Pack src/ into .mod | Unpack .mod to src/ |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | pack.cmd |
unpack.cmd |
| Linux | pack.sh |
unpack.sh |
And use git pull, git add, git commit, git push accordingly. That's it.
For Docker usage, please refer to DOCKERGUIDE.
Neverwinter Nights is a RPG developed by BioWare, released in 2001. In addition to the NWN game client, BioWare released a tool for creating game content - the Aurora Toolset - along with server hosting software. This enables anyone to create and host their own worlds.
NWN was discontinued 7 years after release, with the final patch v1.69 released July 9th, 2008. Even though the game was discontinued by the developer, the community is still strong and due to the game's hackable nature new community content is continuously released.
Feedback is greatly appreciated. If you have any thoughts, suggestions or ideas about how to improve this project, please feel free to contact me, or even better; make a pull request.