I’m totally new to modding and just discovered that Grim Dawn seems to be very modding friendly, so assume that learning modding by using the tools provided by the devs of GD is a good way to start learning modding in general, right? Out of curiosity I also happened to ask ChatGPT if it was easy to for example mod the names of NPCs in GD, and it says it would be a relatively easy project with no need for C++ coding skills - trying to learn C++ by the way - so the next step is then to ask here on the forum if changing the names of NPCs in the single player campaign is actually possible? If it is possible, I will appreciate it if anyone can please recommend a way to start this exercise in modding.
The 2nd post from this thread: [Script][Basics]Modding Beginner's Guide I - #2 by Elfe
And then maybe 1st post from here: [Script][Basics]Modding Beginner's Guide II
You can also ask in Grim Dawn Discord’s modding section
Cool, and since you answer in this way I assume that changing names of NPCs is indeed possible?
When learning how to change text files in GD will it help me get more general knowledge about modding text files in other games (that uses C++)?
Haven’t done it so I’m not sure
no, Grim Dawn modding has nothing to do with C++
there are some Lua scripts to change if you’d like to learn that
Read that the devs of DG have released (all?) the tools they used to create DG, so is it not reasonable to assume that also NPC names can be changed?
Did ChatGPT reply correctly when simply writing this:
Here is an example of a LUA script that modifies the NPC name “John” to “Alex” in the game Grim Dawn:
Copy code
-- Find the NPC named
"John"
local npc =
Game.GetNPC("John")
-- Change the NPC's
name to "Alex"
npc:SetName("Alex")
Note that this script assumes that the NPC’s original name is “John” and that the NPC is already present in the game world. Also, this script will only work if the game Grim Dawn has a built-in LUA scripting support and the modder has the proper permission and tools to run this script.
ChatGPT wrote the following text but wonder if it’s correct, whether it’s really this easy to change NPC names in GD:
… here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use the Grim Dawn Modding Toolkit to change NPC names in Grim Dawn:
- First, you’ll need to download and install the Grim Dawn Modding Toolkit. You can find it on the official Grim Dawn forums or from other modding communities.
- Once the toolkit is installed, launch it and open your Grim Dawn game folder. The toolkit should automatically detect the game files.
- Locate the file that contains the NPC data. In most cases, it should be located in the “database” folder. This file may have a .dbr extension.
- Once you have located the file, open it in the toolkit. The NPC data will be displayed in a table format.
- Locate the NPC you want to change the name of, and edit the “Name” field to the desired name. Be sure to save the changes.
- You can test your mod by running the game, the NPC name should be changed to the new name.
why does ChatGPT come into this/GDmodding?!? @_@
Because I want to know if I can rely on ChatGPT to learn modding. Have already slowly gone through 10 hours of a 31 hours C++ course, so I take modding seriously, but also great if one can actually rely on ChatGPT to make mods “quick and easy”. Since I have waited all day to get someone in this forum to answer whether it’s possible to change NPC names in GD, without anybody confirming or denying it, I decided to ask ChatCPT, partly because I’m curious about its coding and modding abilities.
Will immensly appreciate it if someone can please answer whether it’s possible to change NPC names in GD, and whether the above replies from ChatGPT are correct.
legit would not know either
but i’d kinda imagine that NPC names would be modable, if not even simple (tho then again often when i assume stuff is simple for GD it’s not quite so 
)
i’d pop in the GD modding discord and see if anyone is home there (might be faster replies than the forum atleast sometimes)
without knowing for sure, i’d say chatgpt is mixing up some stuff, might not be straight up talking out its arse, but some of it looks “off” from my mild modding interaction
no - it comes along already in your game install folder
no, it does not, need to set paths yourself, make sure they are correct and extract files etc before it can do anything
sounds wrong to me, but legit unsure if that process is possible, might be
sounds wrong to me too, from my experience you dont’ just open individual files like “right click open with GDmodkit”, doesn’t work like that, but who knows
rest of it seems kinda about right tho a little simplified maybe 
Hmm, that was disappointing…
Actually very very disappointing, since I was super-excited after getting the impression that ChatGPT is useful and reliable. It would have been great to have had it as a personsal tutor when learning how to mod games, but have lost faith in it now. Hopefully GPT-4 and Deep Mind’s AI will be trustworthy, not a digital charlatan.
Anyway, the main question (I guess) is whether NPC names are hidden in encrypted files. If they are not, and they are stored locally on my computer, then I should be able to change them, right?
i mean… might not be that much the fault of ChatGPT
GD is kinda infamous for not being simple in regards to accessibility in how to mod - which is also where there is those step by step guides on the basics, which tqfan linked to, and which are pretty much mandatory homework i’d say
here is one example of a person’s 2cents after trying their attempt at getting started
yep, that is my assumption (that they can be changed - i know they are on your pc if you installed GD), what files and where (how many) to change i wouldn’t begin to have the faintest idea of, my mild modding has been very simple table edits to basic stuff, more experienced modders (like on the discord) might know which and where to look to make those changes
Try not to have too much fun.
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To change an NPC’s name, why not just extract the text_**.arc, make the edit to the appropriate .txt file and put it in settings\text_**?
EDIT: 
That’s what I get for not reading. Nice post as always, @powbam!!
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