Beginner modding questions, Not quite clueless Options

[NOG]

I've been looking through this site for mods and the like for a while now, and have decided I would like to make my own, a custom character with a custom kit. I downloaded a tutorial for making a custom NPC (written by ghreyfain@yahoo.ca) and got a kit editing tool, NearInfinity, and InfinityExplorer. I've run across some problems, though, and would love a little help.

First off, the tutorial says to use NearInfinity to turn my NPC's .CHR file into a .CRE file. I understand that just fine, but I look through my NearInfinity folder and can't find any way to start it. There are no .exe's or anything like that of any kind. Did I get a poor download or am I missing something? Another site said I needed a perticular compiler, but their link to the compiler was dead and I can't find it anywhere else.

Secondly, the tutorial said to make the dialog in a .txt file and then change the extention to .d. Problem is, I'm using Win98 and it doesn't let me change extentions, not that I can figure out at least. Is there some other way to do this?

Third, I find the tutorial rather vague on anything more than making the actual joinable NPC. It doesn't describe in the least how to make quests, banter dialogs, romance dialogs, or flirt options (probably because that isn't a natural option in BG). I don't mean to criticize the author, as I don't think it was intended to cover these things, but if anyone could give me some pointers, or point me to some more tutorials, I would be most grateful.

Lastly, I tried to make my custom kit, but it didn't seem to save anything I did. I didn't get any errors, nor did it give me any kind of warnings that there were any problems, but the kit doesn't show up in the game, it doesn't show up when I try to re-load it in the editor, and I can't find any files associated with it anywhere on my PC. I currently have all my kit slots taken up, but the (very poor) tutorial that came with the editor said the kit would be saved in a seperate folder somewhere and that I should check the files to make sure there weren't any problems. Is this a problem with the editor or do I need an empty slot to actually make a custom kit? Can anyone suggest a better way to make a custom kit? Maybe a different tool?

Please realize that my computer programing and modding experience is basically highschool computer programing (Basic and C++) and computer science (C++). I don't know what all the different file types do, nor what various variables and commands do. I have no experience with hex-editing. I aced both those computer classes and computer stuff generally comes quickly to me, but from there I went into engineering, so I don't actually know much. Basically, what I'm trying to say is to keep any advice you give simplistic and explain how to achieve everything or point me to something that tells me how.

Thanks in advance for any advice I get.

[NOG]

Well, I just took a preliminary spin through igi's links and that solved a lot of my problems. I've got my .tp2 file mostly ready, and I think I understand how to do the rest of what I need to do for it. I got my .txt file turned into a .d file, too. I haven't gone looking for quest, banter, or romance tutorials just yet, I'm still trying to get all the details for my custom kit worked out. I'm just planning on using NI to convert an NPC's .CHR file into a .CRE file, but now I'm wondering if it wouldn't be easier to make my .CRE file in SK(hijack and copy an existing one, that's how I got more .CHR files to export to in BG1). The problem I'm running into here is with Spell Workshop. I make my spells, I write my descriptions, I do all this stuff with the effects, and I save it. I re-load it to edit a few things I forgot and all my effects have disappeared. The header is there, as is the target, range, casting time, etc, but all my effects (the focus of these abilities) are gone. What's happening here, anyone have any clue? I thought it might be because I'm trying to put them all in one header, since they're all effecting one group, but some of my abilities only have two effects and they're gone, too.

WizWom, could you maybe repeat that in english? I got J2SE v1.4.2_12 RTE, but I did it with the offline install, the online install wasn't doing anything (and I mean anything). I don't know if that did it, but it didn't say anything about 'class hooks'. It just installed. I also don't see anywhere to put in commands. When I open it up, it just has 4 demo options to run. And NI doesn't give me any command options, either, it just says it can't find the main class.