When I load a level say the Tutorial Level A, the Divinity Engine randomly selects a default character. Is there a way to specify which race and gender should be used? Perhaps something like the character creation template as config settings for the level/across the project?

Only way I know how to do this, albeit you should absolutely undo this before publishing a mod due to cross-compatibility purposes, is the following:



Copy the "Start" goal to your mod and either just edit step two, or add a new origin entry in the INIT if you have a custom global character you wish to use.

Change line 151/152 to specify a specific integer rather than the random value, so it always spawns that entry in the DB_Origins database.

You probably could do some clever workarounds to just override the conclusion of 'start', but since this is an engine-thing only I don't see a reason why you'd ever want that so I won't bother chewing on that puzzle.

If you have an actual new Origin you want to add, you should follow the "My first origin" guide on the wiki, though it's down for maintenance at the moment so I can't grab the link for you.

The TL;DR of it is basically for the story bit, you need to add a new DB_Origins entry through a new goal placed under DOS2ModWrapper.

Hmmm... I don't want to force an origin on the player in a mod I'm working on, but I DO want to force them to take Thievery and Scoundrel as starting Civil and Combat abilities. Is that possible?

The character generation can't really put restrictions like that on players.
You may be able to change their Civilian ability scores after character generation, although that's far less elegant.

I figured that was the case. I guess my only option is to stick them in an enclosed space with a Thievery 1 locked door being the only way to proceed, then add in an Exploration XP trigger to give them enough XP to reach level 2, so they have an opportunity to take it if they missed out.

Not that it's relevant to the OP's topic and thread, but I suppose a hack-job way of doing it Stabbey, could be to check all abilities values and if they're =>+1 their default value, subtract that value by the default value of the ability type and remove those points and then add equal points to thievery/scoundrel after game start.

It's a hack-job because players would still be led on to believe they can choose in character creation, but is overridden after the game begins.

Yeah that's the hack-job I'd suggest as well.