Life Can Be Draining

Progress continues ... and once again, I find myself back into coding some AI related scripts. This time, however, these scripts deal with creature encounters and how they respond in certain opening situations rather than the actual combat responses thereafter. That is all rather deliberately vague, I know, but suffice to say, it all works as it should do now.

However, to be blunt, I have not done as much as I would have liked since I last blogged, simply because of real-life issues (including worse health again). I had hoped to have finished the dungeon I am currently working on by now, but this has simply not happened. Apart from the above AI scripting, however, I did manage to alter some existing spell code to rework the way life-draining creatures work with my Life Essence system. (Something I touched upon in my last post.)

I'll keep doing what I can as I can ... and obviously keep you all updated. In the meantime, here is another screenshot ...

The Beginning or End of a Mystery?

Lots of Little Updates

Things are still moving along ... gradually. I am getting closer to finishing the last part of an area that will then leave me with just a few odd jobs throughout the module ... and then ... perhaps a final alpha test by myself to ensure there are no glaring mistakes and then it goes to beta! But, let me slow down a bit and just take this one step at a time ... and speak about some of those points I have been doing lately.

TLK & 2DAs

Recently, I have been updating my custom tlk file and spells.2da to make spell descriptions read more logically. E.g. Some spells that have lesser or greater versions I have renamed them with the quality in brackets. E.g. Dispel Magic (Lesser). It's only small changes, but ones that I have always been meaning to make and so as I was rewriting the Restoration spells, I thought I would do this at the same time.

Life Essence Update

I rewrote the Restoration and Restoration (Greater) to require Life Essences per drained level if the target requires any level restoration. This fits into the general scheme I have in mind with respect to Life Essences as a whole in coming campaign developments. This system is the same that I will eventually use with respect to level draining creatures sapping "life" and gaining Life Essences for themselves. Think of vampires gaining extra life by sapping yours. While not a direct level to level swap, it does equate to a gain by the life-draining creature.

Other Stuff

I have also been adding to the item drops available when it comes to showing "placeable" objects rather than the generic loot bag. This required some extra work to fit in with some of my other systems and to make sure acquisition scripts still worked fine, including a new crafting option that uses some new runes specific to a particular area.

Anyway, just a quick screenshot to leave you with for now ....

What Is This Place?