This is probably a silly question being asked here, but have you ever played the likes of Baldur's Gate (or more recently, Pillars of Eternity) and noticed the "map travel" facility that these games use? I am speaking about the way you can click on a location on a map and the heroes travel to that point. I bring it up now, as a player of my first module recently requested if I could include something like it in my next module. Thankfully, after some playing around, I believe I have achieved something that works just as well, and may even have an added benefit! I am even hoping to have it for module one, from v1.50E onwards! Read on for more info ... (Video demo further down page.)
Waypoints Travel
I took the premise that the main reason players liked to be able to click on a map directly to travel, was normally after they had explored it more slowly the first time it was encountered. This meant that by the time a player had explored an area, there were advantages to be able to click on the map to effectively travel faster to a known location without having to direct the movement by piecemeal environment clicks.
Therefore, with this in mind, I recognised that the only other hurdle to consider (for me at any rate) was to ensure no further gaming aspects could be broken by any system I devised. i.e. A system that simply jumped PCs across areas should be avoided, as such jumping could also jump over a builder's vital event trigger! NB: I do use such "jump" systems when I know they can be employed safely, and do so in a large outdoor area in my first module. However, the system I wanted to add was one that could help alleviate the constant mouse-click update within the gaming environment that would not compromise the game in any other way.
The answer was to become more reliant on waypoints; the small markers builders use to annotate an area map to give locations to the player. With such markers in place, and as long as a recognised format was employed, I could then setup a means to allow players to select the waypoints to which they could speed travel for their PCs to run towards.
Waypoint Format Matters
For the design I had in mind, the way I was to setup existing waypoints now mattered more than before. The game engine relies on many waypoints for various reasons, and now I wanted to add some of my own design into the mix. I also took the opportunity to allow different types (colour to represent transitions for example) to list similar groups together. So, as it turned out, general waypoints (for buildings) were given a green background, transitions a blue, and players own waypoints, a red background.
To clarify, yes you read that correctly. For those that may not yet be familiar with my area map system, players can annotate the area maps themselves. If they choose to do so, then their map pins will also show on the area map with a name label of their choosing.
Fail-safe Travelling
Pathfinding has never been great in the NWN games, and so I have taken steps to help alleviate any PCs getting stuck during their travels. However, this area of coding may change (improve) as time goes by. For now, however, I can report that testing to date has shown all destinations were reached, even in quite crowded locations. I have not yet tested all areas and conditions though. As a further aid, I have also effectively "doubled" the PCs default speed while travelling this way, so that areas are crossed that more quickly when using the system.
The system is also designed to break out of fast travelling should the party encounter a hostile or start a conversation. It can also manually be stopped by switching PCs while moving or simply closing the map (or related waypoint list). The system also stops if the PC encounters a door or gate that requires opening. As a small consequence of using the faster travel system, however, is that searches of nearby secrets and hidden objects will be ignored, as if the PCs were simply making all haste to return to a destination, without any concern for searching.
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| The Scroll Area Map Fast Travel System |
Module Two Other News
Although slightly distracted by adding the fast way point system (which benefits all modules from v1.50E onwards), I have still been able to do some work in module two. It mostly involves new conversations, but recently involved a new creature too. (The creature is already available at the Vault, but it is "new" as far as an inclusion within my own campaign.) However, it was while working on this new creature that I discovered a few more minor issues with module one that also demanded my attention.
My wife is currently testing some final alterations in her latest play through, but when the time comes, the next upload of module one (v1.50E) will have a large number of changes that require me to point out that earlier versions are no longer directly compatible. By that, I mean earlier versions will still play if updated using the latest campaign files, but are not fully supported, meaning latest updates such as the area map travel system will not work unless the module being played is also v1.50E or above. (NB: Replacing a module folder mid-game is NOT recommended. Better to restart the module completely.)
Another aspect that is not fully "compatible" is the new journal "By Group" option, which was another new design concept originally aimed at module two, but will be made backward compatible for module one v1.50E onwards. This new journal sort option basically now sorts journal entries by colour groups: Main Quests (green); sandy brown (essential side quests); pale green (non-essential side quests); blue (missions of mercy quests), and orange (gaming information). Furthermore, the old "Recommended" option has now been replaced with a new "By Order" option. The distinction being that the order is still a recommendation, but with more of a priority weighting. It's subtle.
I cannot stress how much I am looking forward to bringing you Predestinated Days! I have so many new different aspects of gameplay, that I am beginning to recognise the scale of this project. The new alterations to module one are just some of those that leak through.
As a final note, v1.50E also addresses some minor points that needed fixing in earlier versions, and now also takes extra care with respect to plot items when players may use the Party Gen GUI in a way I had not first considered.
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