LBA Modifications: Quick Start & Modding Tools [updated: 01-04-2009]

[ChaosFish]

What are mods?
Mods are modifications to the game's resources. Resources include scenes, models, animations, videos, etc. but also smaller things such as texts and fonts. A complete mod is a mod that uses the original game engine, but changes everything else.

LBA mods
So you want to start modding LBA? Rock on!
At this point you can change almost everything, thanks to our very cool LBA tools developers. Check the list of tools in this thread to see what you can do.

Other than that, you can replace any entry type with any other entry from the game in the same type. (for example, replace Twinsen's model with Zoé's model)

LBA File Information
For comprehensive information about the entires of the LBA package files, see the LBA File Information website.
The site also has a large variety of information about other technical aspects of the games, such as file format specifications.
You can also submit your information if it isn't already listed there.

LBA Translations
Little Bit Adventure is a site dedicated to LBA mods - currently only for translations and dubbing. There you'll find sets of compiled text and font files that goes together, uncompiled LBA fonts and LBA text files, and guides for telling you how to use them in the game and how to make your own translation and dubbing.

Tools
Here are some extremely useful programs that will help you to make your mods.

Yaz0r - yaz0r's blog
TwinEngine: (official beta) LBA1 recode in open source made by reverse engineering. You must also download SDL.dll and extract to same directory for it to work. (get current source code)
LBA Model Viewer: View all LBA1 & LBA2 models and their animations, from any angle you'd like.
LBA2 Island Viewer: View all LBA2 outside maps, from any angle and position you'd like. Still quite buggy.

david38
LBA Perspective Map Viewer: View all LBA1 & LBA2 isometric scenes as real 3D scenes from any angle and position you'd like.

Zink - Emerald Moon Base
LBA Package Editor: Professional LBA compiler and de-compiler. This program can extract entries of LBA package files, and replace any entry with your own file. One of the main improvements over LBADeCOMP is the ability to extract hidden entries.
LBArchitect: View and edit rooms from LBA1&2 (and islands from LBA1). You can now create your own islands.
LBA Font Editor: Edit the LBA font file. Includes clipboard support.
LBA Text Editor 2: Edit the LBA text files, in any language (character mapping feature). Fancy interface.
LBA Shape Editor: Edit LBA2 shapes (stars flying out of characters when they get hurt, etc.).
LBA HQR manager: Replace the entries inside HQR archives with your own files.

alexfont - The Sacred Carrot
LBAnimator Studio: Edit and view all LBA1 3D models and animations in a real 3D environment made in OpenGL.
LBA Story Coder: Edit the LBA1 and LBA2 scenes' dynamic objects (doors, character, etc.). This program also works with LBArchitect to display the dynamic objects.
LBA Screen Viewer: View all LBA special images, including LBA1 movies. You can also create LBA movies and images.
LBA 3D Object Viewer: View all LBA1 3D models. Drag an LBA1 model file to the program to use, or define as lm1 tool in LBA Package Editor.
LBA Holomap Locations: Edit LBA1 holomap arrow information (entry 9 in RESS.HQR).

OBrasilo - Little Big AREA
LBA Resource Manager: Professional HQR file manager. Contains advanced features: scripts, Hex viewing, compression of entries, and more. You can also create your own HQR's from scratch. You need to have comct332.ocx in your Windows System32 folder for it to work.
LBA Model Manager: Edit LBA1 models by changing their numeric values, and save them into the game.
LBA Text File Editor: Edit the LBA text, in any language (character mapping feature). Instant in-game preview while typing. Also download the update.
LBA Scene Manager: Edit the LBA1 and LBA2 scenes' dynamic objects.
LBA2 Saved Game Editor: Edit LBA2 savegames with a user friendly interface.
LBA File 3D Editor: Edit the LBA1 & LBA2 character information file (info of which models to use for which characters).
LBA Brick Layout Library Editor: Edit the scenes' stock of of isometric bricks in both LBA1 and LBA2.
LBA2 Island Polygon Viewer: View the polygon surface of LBA2 outside scenes.
LBA2 Credits Manager: Edit the credits file in LBA2, including the credits and the credits scene.
LBA/Relentless Area/Coordinate Hacker: Edit position, area code and magic level in LBA1 savegames.
MS-DOS Font Editor: Edit the MS-DOS font LBA2 uses for small sized text (used on the keyboard config menu).
LBA2 Font Replacer: Replace the MS-DOS font stored in LBA2 executable file with any other MS-DOS .FNT file.
LBA Font File Converter: Convert LBA fonts into .FON font format.
WinHQR: An older less advanced version of LBA Resource Manager. You can extract without decompression, replace any sort of entry, and more.

kargeor (George) - LBA Projects opensource
LBA Font: Edit the LBA font. Includes import from standard font files support. (also developed by OBrasilo)
LBA Text: Edit the LBA text, in any language (character mapping feature). Simple interface.

El Muerte - Magicball Network
LBADeCOMP: The first big program. It allows you to extract resources from LBA1 and LBA2. It also includes LBA Text Viewer, LBA Image Viewer, LBA Packer (for compiling a fresh LBA archive), and detailed help files. You must also download and install the LBADeCOMP library package for it to work. It has a bug: it may hang when trying to extract files to hard disk. If that happens you can just extract the files to a floppy.
LBA Savegame Editor: Edit LBA1 and LBA2 savegames. You can edit the LBA1 location, inventory, position and character status. In LBA2 you can only change the location. This program has some problems with newer machines.
LBA1 Savegame Editor 2: A newer version of the LBA1 savegame editor. You can now also change the holomap arrows, the completed quests, and the viewed movies.

LBAWinOwns
LBA Image Creator: Convert any image into an LBA image format. (most kinds of LBA images are supported)

K.A.T.
LBA LIM Editor: Editor for *.lim/*.raw files. You can also load and save into other known image formats.

This Forum
This forum is for any discussion about LBA modifications. If you start any modding project, even a small one, you are more than welcome to open a new thread about it. If you seek help, please check out the LBA File Information website and Little Bit Adventure's guides before asking questions.
Note that this forum is only for discussions about mods to the LBA games!