Version 2.3-20230303

Changelog:

• Improved WAV/ACM audio playback:
  • Added Play/Pause button.
  • Added display of elapsed and total playback time.
  • Added a "Properties" button for additional information about the current audio file.
• Added a context menu to MOS and TIS resource viewer which provides information about referenced PVRZ or WED files.
• Added native ETC1 and ETC2 texture decoding support for PVRZ files (used by Android versions of the games).
• Added option to enable or disable confirmation of opening bookmarked games (menu Options > Confirm opening bookmarked games).
• Fixed stuttering sound playback and potential crashes when playing back multiple sound clips simultaneously.
• Fixed display of animated primary tiles in the Area Viewer (e.g. used for the crystal in the High Hedge interior map, or the wheel of fortune in carnival and circus tents).
• Fixed an issue in the creature animation viewer which incorrectly applied visual effect multiple times.
• Fixed a scrollbar-related visibility issue in the "Raw" tab of structured resources.
• Fixed viewing and saving TOT files in original games.
• Fixed BIFF-related issues with the GemRB demo (thanks lynx).
• Updated library responsible for the various text editing components in NI.

Version 2.3-20221108

Note: macOS-specific application packages can be found here: https://github.com/AstroBryGuy/NearInfinity-OSX/releases

Changelog:

• Added partial support for the non-interactive Baldur's Gate demo.
  • Relevant IDS files must be provided by the user.
  • Required files: action.ids, align.ids, astyles.ids, class.ids, damages.ids, ea.ids, general.ids, hotkey.ids, object.ids, race.ids, scroll.ids, spell.ids, time.ids, trigger.ids, weather.ids
• Added check option for illegal soundrefs in strings.
  • Found under menu Tools > Check > For illegal SoundRefs in Strings.
• Added option to override UI scaling.
  • Overrides the system's global scaling of UI elements by a specified scaling factor, which may be useful on high dpi screens with a global UI scaling factor to display graphics in their original size. Works well in combination with the "Change Global Font Size" option.
  • Requires Java 9 or higher to be effective.
• Completely redesigned the effect opcode handling.
  • There may still be bugs found because of the huge amount of changes. Please report them if you encounter one.
  • Fixed and/or updated several opcode definitions in the process.
• Improved Mass Exporter.
  • Added shortcut Ctrl+M.
  • Added more export options: Trim spaces (all text files), Align table columns (2DA): compact or uniform.
• Improvements for the Bookmark feature.
  • A confirmation prompt is shown before opening a bookmarked game.
  • Added shortcuts for bookmarked games: Ctrl+Alt+[number] for the first 10 games, Ctrl+Alt+Shift+[number] for games 11 to 20.
• Improved text resource features: Trim, Align, Sort.
  • Improved sorting feature for TRIGGER.IDS: Bit 0x4000 will not be considered by the sorting algorithm.
• Improved EEex detection for EE games.
• Updated ARE location flags for PST(EE).
• Updated "face target" field in PRO resources.
• Various internal updates.

Version 2.3-20220906

Note: macOS-specific application packages can be found here: https://github.com/AstroBryGuy/NearInfinity-OSX/releases

Changelog:

• Added new option to Bookmark feature: Define custom home folder for EE games.
• Added new "Align table (uniform)" command to 2DA resources which mimics WeiDU's PRETTY_PRINT_2DA-style formatting.
• Added support for more hardcoded save folders in EE games (ImportSave and ImportBPSave).
• Added new feature: Check for duplicate strings.
• Fixed a bug in the 2DA table parse which prevented the SoD-specific save folder from showing up in the resource tree.
• Fixed value type "Bitfield" in Advanced Search filter options to match all numeric data in structured resources.
• Fixed BAM frames export not always appending the correct file extension.
• Fixed transparent color index handling in BAM Converter (thanks Bubb).
• Fixed a regression in rendering creature animations with tint effects.
• Fixed incorrectly calculated marker of a selected area in WMP View tab.
• Fixed PSTEE bestiary parsing issue in "Check for unused strings".
• Fixed: Confirm overwriting animation file on export in Creature Animation Browser.
• Improved function-matching algorithm in script decompiler.
• Improved display of creature names in View tab for CRE, CHR and embedded CRE structures in GAM files.
• Improved View tab layout of ARE, ITM and SPL resources for smaller window sizes.
• Improved parser for TRIGGER.IDS and ACTION.IDS tables.

Version 2.2-20220408-1

This is a quick bugfix release. It fixes a parser error in the 2DA table reader which affected various features of Near Infinity.

Version 2.2-20220408

Changelog:

• Reactivated BIFF editor (menu Edit > BIFF)
• Added experimental "Export animation sequence" as APNG file to the Creature Animation Browser
• Added search options (case-sensitive, regular expression, invert match) to the "Find CRE/ITM/SPL/STO" feature
• Added system information summary when NI starts up (can be toggled via menu Options > Display system information at startup)
  • May also show warning messages if memory settings are too low for NI to work properly
• Added native macOS menu bar integration (it is still recommended to use the macOS-specific NI package instead)
• Added check for invalid STO V1.1 sale triggers to "Check for corrupted files" feature
• Fixed audio playback blocking the whole application when an error occurred
• Fixed using incorrect string table on BGEE with unmerged SoD DLC
• Fixed creature name display for CHR resources in the View panel
• Fixed false positives in "Check dialogues" feature
• Fixed issue when sorting results by strref in the "Check for Illegal Strrefs" feature
• Reduced false positives in "Check for Illegal Strrefs" feature
• Improved 2DA file parsing in "Check for Illegal Strrefs" feature
• Updated ITM V1 field for PSTEE: "Description image" -> "Pick up sound"
• Updated parameters of opcode 232
• Updated fields in GAM resources
• Updated area type flags for PSTEE
• Internal restructuring of the code design
  • modernized code structure
  • cleaned up unused code
  • removed unused libraries
• Various internal fixes and optimizations

Version 2.2-20211218

Starting with this release macOS-specific packages for Near Infinity will be included which should provide better integration into the system. They were formerly provided by AstroBryGuy but haven't been updated for some time.

Changelog:

• Added wildcard support to the "Find resource" feature (magnifier icon above the resource tree):
  • Question mark characters (?) are treated as "match any single character"
• Added new Check option: Check for string encoding errors (menu Tools > Check):
  • EE games: checks for malformed UTF-8 encoding
  • Original games: checks for unintended UTF-8 byte sequences
• Added dialog tree viewer option "Sort states by weight"
• BAM Converter:
  • Added basic file/folder drag&drop support to the frames list
  • "Delete" key shortcut can be used to remove selected entries from frame or cycle lists
• Item ability flags are now presented based on ITM version
• Redesigned credits section in "About Near Infinity" dialog
• Improved loading time for games with large override folders
• Improved symbolic names detection in decompiled scripts
• Removed link to original Near Infinity website (which became unavailable recently) in "About Near Infinity" dialog
• Removed unused "Times per day" field from SPL V1 ability structure
• Removed useless timing mode 4096 from EFF V1 structures
• Updated CRE flags
• Updated SPL V1 flags
• Updated EFF V2 "Dispel/Resist" and "Parent resource flags"
• Updated VVC flags
• Updated opcode 1: Add support for negative modifiers in EE games
• Updated parameters of opcodes 135, 184 and 232
• EEex-specific opcodes are properly handled on non-EEex game installations
• Fixed case-sensitivity issues with file paths on Linux systems
• Fixed (sometimes) choosing an incorrect script action when decompiling scripts if multiple definitions are specified in ACTION.IDS
• Fixed sound references associated with string entries not being available if sound file is located in special override folders (e.g. "sounds")
• Fixed deriving INI actor resource name in Area Viewer
• Fixed issues with inline editing data in table view of structured resources
• Fixed issue with exporting string table as TRA file when dialog.tlk path was located on a different (physical or virtual) filesystem as the game root path
• Fixed ARE Entrance orientation field size
• Fixed ARE search names not properly updated when loading a new game
• Fixed data types referencing symbolic names not properly updated when loading or refreshing the game
• Fixed selected string entry not being shown when String Editor is opened for the first time
• Fixed incorrect BAM cycle check in creature animation decoder > "character_old" type
• Several more minor bugfixes and improvements

Version 2.2-20210501

Changelog:

• New feature "Creature Animation Decoding": Implemented as a creature animation browser, a quick viewer and creature animation support in the Area Viewer
• Area Viewer: Show global characters on maps (e.g. party members, familiars, potential NPCs)
• Area Viewer: Fixed actors sometimes not being displayed on maps in saved games
• Area Viewer: Fixed rendering issues with water overlays in BGEE
• Improved color selection list control used by color-related opcodes and CRE resource fields
• List datatype: CRE animation id is shown in hexadecimal notation
• List datatype: Fixed special entries in ARE song selection
• List datatype: Optimized display of unsupported list entries
• Added new command line parameter "-i" as a workaround for file reading issues on Linux with non-case-sensitive filesystems
• BAM Converter: Improved palette generation for BAM V1 when alpha blending is enabled
• Fixed loading performance of PVRZ-based graphics files if PVRZ files are read from override folder (affects TIS/MOS/BAM resource viewers and Area Viewer)
• ARE automap notes: marker color field uses values from MAPNOTES.IDS if available
• Marked several SPL fields as unused
• Updated PRO area effect fields related to "Ray count"
• Updated SPL V2.0 flags
• Added missing "Half-Orc" to ITM V2.0 kit usability flags
• ITM V2.0 kit usability1 is generated dynamically (experimental feature)
• ITM V1.1 weapon color field improvement
• ITM view panel shows both general and identified descriptions (if available)
• Improved wording of STO flags descriptions
• BAM view uses 0-based indices for cycles and frames
• Improved usability of input control for setting proficiency values
• Added parameter2 support (Color) to opcode 253
• Improved opcode 12 special flags descriptions
• Improved opcode 232 parameter descriptions
• Minor adjustments to CRE V2.2 field definitions
• Fixed corruption of CRE V2.2 resources when adding/removing effect or item structures
• Fixed parameter1 handling when parameter2 = 3 in opcode 15 and 44
• Many internal fixes and optimizations

Version 2.1-20210123

Changelog:

• Fixed ITM/SPL file corruption when appending Ability structures
• Added EEex support (thanks Bubb13)
• Added option to sort IDS entries (found under "Format..." button > "Sort entries")
• Show a game selection dialog if game is not detected automatically by NI
• Improved handling of dialog.tlk when it's blocked by a running game
• Updated various effect opcodes
• Made list of available opcodes more game-specific
• EFF V2.0: added more bits to "Dispel/Resist" field
• EFF V2.0: changed "Dispel/Resist" field from list to flags
• Improved save type flags descriptions
• Internal fixes and optimizations

Version 2.1-20200901

Changelog:

• Added feature to launch the game directly from NI
• Improved NI loading times by optimizing various I/O operations
• Added filter feature to listbox datatypes for structured resources
• Added "Properties" button to TTF resource viewer
• Added tooltip descriptions for Options > Look and Feel themse
• Fixed minor display issues with transparent pixels in worldmap viewer (should only affect PST:EE)
• Removed (functionless) "Release Dialog.tlk Lock" entry from Game menu
• Various bugfixes and optimizations

Version 2.1-20200620

Changelog:

• Fixed structure order in empty SPL or ITM resources when adding abilities or effects
• Added option to align content in 2DA tables
• Long strings in View tabs are cut off to prevent out-of-bounds UI elements
• Improved ARE View tab layout to prevent out-of-bounds scrolling
• Updating CRE effect version (offset 33h) converts effect structures on the fly between EFF V1 and EFF V2 format
• String Editor: Fixed saving changes of read-only dialog.tlk (e.g. in DLC archive) to another location
• Advanced Search > Filter > Structure level: Made root element unremovable
• BAM Converter: Fixed incorrect cycle data imported from a session file
• BAM Converter: Fixed display issues in palette dialogs on Linux systems
• List of available primary types (spell schools) in opcodes 202, 204, 220, 223, 227, 229 are created dynamically from mschool.2da
• Implemented TobEx feature "Effect stacking": new flag in save types, EFF 'special' field is splitted into 'identifier' and 'prefix' fields
• Fixed CHR -> CRE conversion