How would I start building Custom Zones?
 

What software would I need? Are there any guides/faqs/etc regarding this topic that is up to date enough to remain relevant to todays standards?

Do you mean custom client-side zones? I've read a little on azone, but to be honest I've never dabbled with EQ client-side modification.

I recommend getting comfortable with database editing with SQL and quest creation with Perl before diving into anything else.

Good luck!

your right about the importance of learning more about sql and quest creation but I would
still love to learn what software would be needed for custom zone creation.



Just did this today:
Changed the sign up. theres a start - but a far cry from changing an entire zone into something brand new.
My question still stands. Anyone know what software would be needed? I used S3DSpy to grab the .BMP file for
that secific part of the building from the Qeynos 3d file. Theoretically I could share this change by simply sharing the 3d file, is there a
way to make new 3d files and have them work - how do quests,npcs and whatnot work into these giant 3d models (its obviously above just textures), etc and what tells what .bmps to go where and what is the 3d files made from/in/out of?

xD i know its alot of questions but i would love to know, i am passionate about this but new.
been playing eq since classic days on live but just recently got back into it in 2009.

would love to learn more.

http://i1127.photobucket.com/albums/...EsoOutpost.png

The client does not hold quests, npcs, items or anything of that nature. It contains the game itself you use to play, the User Interface, the models of every race in the game (but not specific npc data itself), and the zone models. as well as a few other things. Everything else is handled by the server. Quests are run through perl scripts which you can find in the "Quests" folder for the server you create. NPCs, NPC path grids, pets, Items, mounts, player data, server coded rule sets (xp rates, max level, expansion variable etc), one half of the spells (spell data and what reaction a spell creates is held in the database. Then there's a spell file in .txt form in the client that, similar to the string files, provides the visible data used to see and use spells in-game.), and other customizable things of that nature are held in the database.

You can change all the quests or npcs you want and the zone will still physically look the exact same. If that is your intention you don't need to know anything about the client files and how to fiddle with them. On the other hand, were you to completely change the physical appearance of a zone through the client files, the npcs, items etc will still remain the exact same (though you're likely to run into mobs spawning at locations on the grid that place them above or below the world, causing them to fall in endless loops and glitch around a lot until you change them). If this is your intention that's beyond basic server development. You're going to need more than S3Dspy. S3DSpy only allows you to view the contents of an s3d or eqg to extract the textures. The textures are the image files laid overtop of the mesh to create it's appearance. The mesh is held in the same s3d or eqg files as a .wld or .mod file (for s3d and eqg respectively) and form the 3d skeleton that the textures lay onto. There is a few tools that can be used to mess with the mesh but they are mostly unsupported anymore and they were never far enough along to allow a complete rebuild of an npc as far as I know. Zones, on the other hand, can be rebuilt from scratch with OpenZone. But you can't modify existing zones that way. You can find the OpenZone sub-forum near the bottom of the main page with downloads and guides.

If you're looking just to edit the textures I wrote this awhile back. The info is slightly dated but it's enough to get the job done.

How are the zones themselves built? Are they all just 3d models or one big 3d model on which tiny 3d models move around on/in? is it all one piece or are the buildings,docks,etc seperate from the land? I'm basically trying to [in the long run] create an entirelly custom server with custom zones and custom quests - but as of now are just learning the basics and focusing on jut running a regular eq titanium installation but want to branch it out into something more.

I'm not sure about the newer object files, but the older ones tend to come in three varieties per zone:

zone.s3d - contains all terrain-related model data..should correspond to the map files used by the server for los and other functions.

zone_obj.s3d - contains placeable object model data, both interactive and non-interactive.

zone_chr.s3d - contains any additional npc/mob models that are zone unique that the global model file doesn't already contain.


Hope that helps!


U

Ummmm, Openzone ??