Episode 31: The Plot Thickens!

I continue to write more material for module two as time and health permits, and am still applying the odd small fix to module one as I receive feedback from a couple of players currently playing it. For the record, I have just uploaded v1.27E (2nd Edition), which updates my new Animal Companion system to ensure the Animal Companions of companions are also handled by the new system as well as any belonging to a Main PC. I have also made a couple of minor GUI changes. Read on ...

Companions' Animal Companions

This was a quick update to the campaign to take into account a couple of things: (1) If the player had companions that had Animal Companions and (2) If the player had the behaviour setup to allow their companions to summon them automatically. It's a minor change, as previously, the default code was used for when companions did this (automatically), which meant nothing had altered. However, as a player may have more than one PC that could have animal companions, this update now makes sure each named Animal Companion is recorded with its associated master rather than just assume the player only changed the names of their own animal companions. It's an important update for those that have more than one PC that can summon Animal Companions, and like to rename them all for all.

Campaign GUI Updates

After some player feedback, I also updated two GUIs:

LOOT CONTAINER GUI: Previously, left clicking on an item within a loot pile (other than gold) would bring up the current PCs inventory and display the clicked item's examined information in the inventory GUI for the player to read about. However, this could become annoying if the player was trying to pick up individual items from a loot pile, which would force open the inventory even if they had no intention of reading the examine info for the item. So now, the inventory only opens and gives an items examine information if the player right-clicks on the loot item text within the container. If the player decided to right-click on the loot item image icon instead, they will now get both the inventory description and a second GUI offering to transfer the selected loot item to a different PC. This allows immediate distribution to another PC without having to go via the PC doing the looting.

SPELL SCROLL INFO GUI: Previously, subject to one of its two settings in the Althéa Main menu, this small scroll would pop-up with spell duration remaining information for the PC that had spells remaining of them, either (1) If the player possessed the PC on whom the duration spell was cast, or (2) If automatic pop-up was selected for the PC, then whenever the player possessed this PC, it would automatically pop-up if they had any durations spells information remaining on them. By request, I have now added a third state toggle that completely disables any scroll GUI, even if a duration spell is cast upon the PC being possessed. So now, the new "NEVER SHOW" toggle state will prevent any information popping up at any time.

Module Two: More Plot!

As far as module two is concerned, I have simply been writing more conversations. In particular at the moment, companion responses at certain trigger points. These are more involved than they might first sound, as I use my own system to do a number of checks before they start with respect to (a) if there is a specific PC in the party, or (b) if there is a particular PC type in the party, or (c) if we are simply using a default comment or (d) sometimes even if the PC is alone. The system ensures it gives the most intelligent response a party companion can give subject to who is in the party, whether the player has had companions join them from the module, or if they created their own party! i.e. It is particularly flexible and "intelligent" enough to cater for almost any party combination, but, as a consequence, does require more preparation in the conversation responses available.

I am also still in the section that requires me to have to comment or prepare feedback for both conversation and quest stages according to whether the player has selected background one or two at the start of the campaign. Hopefully, it won't be much longer before I can put this difference aside, as the two background choices eventually come together.

Module Two: More Books & Scrolls!

Alongside the conversations, I have been putting together more readable scrolls and books; the types where clicking on a placeable book or scroll (or sometimes activating a book or scroll item) will provide the player with an actual full view of the styled text inside a scroll or book GUI rather than the basic examine text. Without doubt, this offers some great immersion, and is something I hope to fully utilize in module two and moving forward.

Module two is where players who don't know about the main story will learn much about the background of the main plot, which my PnP (D&D pen and paper) players already know. Of course, all players will be able to view these texts, the new player for the first time, and my PnP players in a new light - and in game rather than as a hand-out as in times past.

The Heroes Locate An Important Library!