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]

Ok, I copied NearInfinityBeta.jar into my C:\ drive, hit run, and typed in the command you said. An execution window popped up with something in it, but closed immediately, so I couldn't tell what it was saying. Nothing else happened and I still can't run NI directly. Where should this 'main class' be? What should it be called? Is there any way I can MAKE SURE that I have it? Was I supposed to get it with the NI download, the Java download, or is it supposed to be native to windows? Oh, and if it makes any difference, I found out I'm not using Win98, but WinXP.

I'll take your advice on Spell Workshop, I take it you all make custom abilities in it or something more advanced? And no offence taken, I may well be using it wrong, but I can't figure out what the right way should be if that's the case. I've had some other problems with it not saving information, but mainly spell names and descriptions, not effects.

I've got WeiDU and plan on using it, the kit tutorial made it clear that it was the easiest way to even make a custom kit for yourself (not editing all those files personally), as well as a good way to make sure you have everything you need for your mod before you make any permanent changes to the system.

As a side note, if NI is totally screwed up, is there an alternative out there?