Episode 93: Going Back In Time!

Let me quickly start by saying this latest blog is not about any "time travel" quest or mod, but you will read the reason for the title shortly. That said, I cannot deny that time travel is something that has affected my module from a story perspective, and so it does fit with that too... I am just not going to speak of that to avoid any potential spoilers. So, read on to find out how the title fits this months blog...

Windows 24H2 Go Back To 23H2

Let's get this point out of the way, immediately. This will come as no surprise to regular followers of my work that a Windows 11 bug is the first reason for the reference to "going back in time". In brief, when I updated to the latest version of Windows 11 (24H2) a few weeks back, it broke the facility to Alt-tab between the NWN2 toolset and the NWN2 game. This may appear a minor thing on the surface of it, but I use it a lot when testing the game and latest files, and updating conversations and scripts "live".

The problem is that the moment one used Alt-tab to switch from the game back to the toolset, the computer would grind to a halt, making it extremely difficulty to close either program to unlock access to the computer again. Furthermore, while I was able to change some Windows settings to help mitigate the issue, the difference would be short-lived (too short) to allow any proper productivity. Thankfully, reverting to 23H2 (which I am currently on) resolved the problem and I was able to continue working without any further "crashes". Frustratingly, however, I lost about three days work trying to resolve the problem to no success. On a positive note, this Alt-tab issue has also been raised by others with Microsoft and not just myself, and so, hopefully, Microsoft are now addressing the problem. I can also add that since updating to Microsoft's latest files, the notification to download version 24H2 has ceased to show, which I take to mean that Microsoft have now owned the problem and are currently working on it.

UPDATE: I have started to receive the update to 24H2 notification again. I am ignoring it until I can confirm 24H2 has not compromised the Alt-tab functionality.

From PnP To NWN2

The more exciting reference to this month's title, however, is that I am now back working on my old Pen and Paper (PnP) module, "Bloodstone College". Originally a scenario from my PnP days of the late 1990's, this was one of my favourite scenarios I had written and played with my group of players. Looking back at the original work now, however, I can see a number of aspects that I think were not required or did not play as I would like today... and so I am enjoying the NWN2 conversion immensely.

I had started area work for this scenario back in July 2024, but put it on hold by November 2024, as I realised I had to focus on other quests associated with the college itself. Now I have completed those other related aspects, I can now return to finishing this quest with all peripheral connections in place to refer to as I continue towards its completion. What this means is that I have completed the conversations and events related to other areas that now have freed me to continue with this larger project.

Furthermore, I have now also completed adding a number of items and their involvement in the Bloodstone College scenario, meaning the actual areas are starting to fill out. Another "complex" room design has also been finished, slightly aggravated by a dodgy walk mesh every time I went to bake it. I finally managed to resolve that issue, and now the scenario event that takes place there, does so as it should, and plays out well. Basically, this piece of "back in time" work is now accelerating towards completion, and once completed, will allow me to (potentially), allow alpha testers to have a first run through this second stage of module two. The stage would still require at least 3-4 areas (and associated quest events) to be completed for a full finish of stage two, but I can work on them as alpha testers play through what will already be completed. It will be another exciting step forward.

Campaign Update

The latest release, v1.26, has just been released today. I am excited to say that it has had the least number of "important" fixes since the start of the new patching system back in March last year. I like to think that this is a good sign that the whole campaign code is starting to stabilise. The biggest issue this time around was the auto-packing of some items that should go into certain containers. Some items of a large loot would not pack away, especially in a MP game. The main cause was due to a timing issue, but a second was due to the containers not being updated often enough. Suffice to say, I believe I have fixed this issue now. Apart from that, most other fixes or updates were cosmetic or information only. Again, this is another important milestone in the history of the campaign, for the fewer issues I have to address, the more time I have to work on newer material.

Moving Into The Future

Having looked at aspects of "past", I will now consider the future". No-one likes to second guess what will come to pass, but my plan is to complete the Bloodstone College scenario in the coming month, and, if done to a reasonable completion point, I will start alpha testing on the second stage of the module. As I say above though, at least 3-4 areas remain to be finished before the full design of stage two is complete. Once I have finished Bloodstone College, I will begin finishing these two last scenarios, which, thankfully, are probably less involved than the current one.

Let me leave you with a few screenshots this month. The first two have been sent to me by Dustin_Offal, combating a Sentinel foe from Stage One (using the Turn-Based combat system), while the last one is a screenshot from Stage Two of the module that I am currently working on.

The Heroes Take On A Sentinel!

Tactical Combat Is Deployed!

The Heroes Find Themselves In Another Pickle!

Episode 82: March Big Update!

If you have been following of late, you will have seen that The Scroll campaign has currently been withdrawn from downloading. Basically, I had to make some big decisions about where the campaign was heading with module two on the horizon, and how I was going to manage multiple modules moving forward. I concluded that I needed to make some big changes to some of the core files for the campaign and so rather than prolong the agony, I took the steps required. Hopefully, I will have the latest version of the campaign ready to download by the end of the month. It's still only the first module at this stage, but even that will come with a grand facelift with the changes made. Read on to hear about the big changes I have made ...

The Enhanced Is Dead! Long Live The New!

To mark these big changes, I made the decision to end the "Enhanced" version series of the campaign, and replace it with a new straightforward version system. (The enhancements will remain, of course, it's just the version tag that will be going.) Importantly, the new version system is now no longer limited to 100 iterations before having to move up its first digit. Now, it allows thousands of increments, allowing me to keep the primary digit to relate to the current module release. Therefore, I will start at v1.1, where the first digit before the period represents the modules currently available and supported, and the digit after the period is the campaign version release. When module two is released, for example, it may go to v2.162, if we are on the 162nd version of campaign updates by then.

This has also allowed me to start afresh with "backward compatibility" support, which the current version series had been covering games as far back as v1.50E (March 2022). A lot has changed in the last two years, alongside many fixes, and I believe the enhancements made are now in a far better place than when first released, and so I feel happy about starting the release version anew. This new series will only be guaranteed backward compatible with v1.41E and up to v2.60E, the last release number of the Enhanced edition. (Older versions will have varying results.) That said, this latest v1.1 does come with some module improvements too. They are minor and have less of an impact, but the cleanest experience would be starting afresh from v1.1.

Now, let me cover some of the major changes coming in v1.1, and how module two made an impact.

Even The Start Screens Have Been Updated!

DM Client Support Removed

When I first designed the campaign, I thought there would be a need for me (and others who played the campaign in a coop multiplayer style) to have to "do stuff" as the players made progress. The idea being that I could still play in the same fashion as we, as pen and paper players, had done in the past. However, the beauty of being able to script events meant that my role actually became less as a DM, whose only role was more about in-game fixing if need be. The monster AI was working well for our needs, and all I ended up doing was following the heroes around as an invisible side-kick. Put simply, the module design had no need for a DM. 

In fact, the campaign design has changed so much over the years since its first incarnation, that certain events, such as area transitions, are actually hampered by the presence of a DM. Trying to accommodate the presence of a DM, especially with the up and coming module two, that comes with more advanced events, became such a burden that I could not see any reason to continue to support the DM Client system. Instead, I decided to concentrate on making coop multiplayer a much more stable and protected way of playing. Once I pulled out the DM client code, I was able to improve the efficiency and stability of player clients joining the host's game. Furthermore, I added a number of "safety checks" to help players setup their game without running into connection issues due to joining timing errors.

Moving forward, I realised that I, (who once played as the DM), can now, instead, share their gaming experience by playing alongside them as a PC of the party too. I also recognised that it was easy enough to add a DM tool if I ever wanted to reacquire some of those gaming elements that the client once provided.

A final great benefit to this change was that it helped alleviate the multiplayer area transition times, which I appreciate, especially as module two comes with one or two slightly more involved areas than the first module. However, on the subject of loading times, it was the next update/fix that really helped here.

Database Handling Improved

I have had an "unknown" issue with the module sometimes crashing upon entering the second area after a module fresh start. This never happened on my computer, but always did on my wife's. I knew it had been related to the database somehow, but only recently did I figure out the problem. It seems that the game does not like to "destroy" a database and set one up shortly after, especially if using the same name. It turned out that somehow, this action upset the game, which then went on to cause the game to randomly crash on some computers. The solution was to, rather than destroy an existing database, to simply "reset" all the variables it contained by overwriting any existing. The end result amounts to the same as destroying and creating a new one, but the process does not cause the game to crash shortly afterwards. I was greatly relieved to have this issue (ever since first release) finally resolved.

UPDATE: The game WILL still crash shortly after the first time a new database is written. However, as the new database only happens at the start of the game, a player is encouraged to reload the auto-save made at the start of the game to prevent the risk of a crash. If the player is updating an existing database, then the game does not crash.

On the back of solving this issue, I looked closer at the way the database was handling data, and concluded that some of its operations were not required for multiplayer gaming, and so switched their operations off for such. It turned out this helped improve area transitions by a significant amount; around 3-8% for multiplayer gaming. The bottom line, when module two is finally out, it will be working from a fixed database system.

Fast Travel System Overhaul

I'm not sure how many people are aware of this system I implemented, but it's one that can be put to good use when it comes to moving around the World of Althéa. Whether your PC is encumbered or not, if you have a valid waypoint available (and you can set your own too), you can use the system to move rapidly to the waypoint you choose. No more slowly dragging your party back to a location to do something, as it's as simple as left-clicking on the map and selecting the way point to move to. It's the closest thing I can achieve to the likes of clicking on a map and have the party to move rapidly to that location.

There were some teething issues with the initial system, as sometimes the PC could be left in an unusually fast speed even after the fast travel had finished. However, I am hoping they have all been sorted now. If any others are discovered, they should be reasonably straightforward to fix now too.

However, one of the things I have wanted to address with it for some time now, was to incorporate the Fast Travel GUI into the area map GUI itself. The system prior this latest would open a second GUI that opened somewhere else on the screen, from which the player made their selection. However, this latest version now keeps the Map Pin selection incorporated into the Area Map GUI itself, making the whole system feel more natural and intuitive. Take a look at the image below. A player need only left click on the area map to bring out (or close) the list of waypoints, and then select a waypoint to move rapidly to it. The player can leave the pop-in panel open if they wish to (in case they change the current waypoint in mind), of left click on the area map again to close this pop-in to watch their PC icons move rapidly across the map to the waypoint in question. To cancel any rapid movement, the player simply closes the area map, either by clicking on the area map exit cross, or pressing escape. The rapid movement has been designed to auto-stop if required, such as a conversation starting, or combat encountered. Basically, play is unaffected apart from the speed at which the party moves to the selected location.

Area Map With Fast Travel Pop-In Open

Persistent Skill Bonus Fix

For some time now, as long as the Adventure Skills system has been in place, a bug has been lurking in plain sight, basically going unnoticed. Thankfully, its impact has been relatively "minor", albeit frustratingly unfair when required by the PC. The problem is associated with Skill Bonuses gained by items that sit in a PCs inventory, which fail to reinitiate their bonuses on a game reload if they had been stowed away in a container the PC carried, such as a Bounty Bag. As PCs had the potential to gain campaign feats that awarded such Skill Bonuses, which were then stowed in their Adventuring Skills Book, then it meant any such benefits would have disappeared on a reload, and likely gone unnoticed.

Addressing this particular bug has been one of the issues that has contributed to the longer delay of the campaign's next release.I wanted to make sure this bug was also made backward compatible, alongside the other final list of bug fixes for the Enhanced version releases. The upside to this latest fix, is that some good has come from it, in that I have improved the operation of party feats that can be acquired in the campaign, as well as fix the Skill Bonus container issue.

First and foremost, new campaign feats now alter skills in a permanent manner. They no longer rely on Adventure Skill pages. I could have still done it this way, but now wanted to reserve the Adventure Skills book to bonuses from items carried by the PC only. So, campaign feats with skill bonuses are handled via script rather than items, and are permanent alterations either way. The new fun changes come with the skill bonuses that are benefitted from items that sit in a PCs inventory. For now, the Adventure Skills Book keeps an overview of all the benefits gained from such items, and is the item that ensures these benefits are not lost between reloads. Importantly, these skill bonus items can now be stowed away in containers and their benefits will no longer be lost between reloads!

Now, whenever a PC acquires a skill bonus item that sits in their inventory to gain the benefit (as opposed to an item that can be equipped for such), the Adventure Skill Book tracks the benefit by adding it to its own list of beneficial skill properties, as well as keeping a page copy of the real benefitting item within its contents. So, if a player wanted to see what benefits they were gaining from items in their inventory, they need only check the Adventure Skills Book properties for a full list. If they wanted a breakdown of which items were providing these benefits, then they need only open the Adventure Skills Book and examine each page therein to learn where the benefit is coming from. This new approach actually gives the Adventure Skills Book a more active role for feedback in the game than previously. Take a look at the image below for a quick overview of the kind of thing I am talking about here.

• 1 - 3: These are the three real items collected by the PC that are giving them skill bonuses.
• 4: The Adventure Skills Book (ASB), the current description is up and showing all benefits.
• 5: The ASB contents. Each page can be clicked to see its own description instead of the ASB.
  

The New Adventure Skills Book Information

There's A Lot More!

The above differences are just some of the bigger ones that impact the campaign and module two moving forward. However, there are also a lot of other fixes and updates coming to address some niggly problems and gameplay from previous versions. From logical flow issues, combat activation (including auto-pause), creature issues, launder bench usage to name just a few. Take a look at the full list here.

TLK & UI Updated!

With all these updates, and being a NEW version, starting from v1.1, there will also come new TLK and UI folders that will need to replace any existing Althéa versions that you have. If starting afresh, you will also need to grab the latest module folder, which now also starts to be noted by release date rather than version number release. This is done to help prevent players downloading a newer module than campaign in error, which can lead to a broken game. There is also additional file checks in the new code to help prevent this, and a "silent" version number will be kept with any module upload to help maintain this. As far as the player is concerned though, the release date for the module folder should be the governing guideline for them now as to whether there is anything significant about its changes that affects them.

I recognise that this month's blog is a lot to take in, but I wanted to let you all know that I have been busy preparing the campaign for the second module, and this is the result. My wife is currently play-testing all these changes, and still helping to find any remaining bugs that can be fixed prior release, and as soon as she is done, I'll upload for all to benefit from.

Episode 64: Ye Olde Shoppe!

For the last month or so, I have been chipping away at module two, adding NPCs, journal entries, conversations and events. During this time, I also discovered something about stores I had not realised until now. On another note of introduction, I must confess that a fair amount of my development time was taken up with designing a card game for another builder. However, now done, the mini-game will also feature in my next module as well, and you can see a video of it in action below. So, ye olde shoppe is now open for you to enter and take a browse ...

The Hunt of Life Card Game

Basically, I have built a small card game that plays similar to "Pontoon" (aka "Blackjack" or "21"). If you want to read more about the rules, watch this video below and pause it when the "Rules" are displayed. I already have an idea how this card game will be used in a quest, and hopefully, players will enjoy the minor distraction from the norm for its duration. I even intend to have a deck available as an item for players who may just like to play it now and then.

This video shows a slightly earlier build, but everything working fine. The latest build has an additional setting button that allows the player to select a faster or slower deal speed.

Store Blueprints Info

During my time sorting out some new stores for module two, I discovered that if you made a "campaign copy" of a "STORE" object, which you hope to use as a template in other places, it fails to allocate any custom items based on altered item blueprints when you try to add them.

For example, I have altered the standard cure healing potions and have new versions of these potions, which if I then try to add them to this campaign Store blueprint, the added items immediately revert back to the original item template. The only way I could add my own altered items was to ensure the store object was already placed within an area and then add my modified items to that Store object.

I was surprised that I had not noticed this before, but it may be because I have only recently been altering items prior to adding them to the campaign store blueprint. However, this is not the first time I have experienced "difficulties" with store items. Frustratingly, if you add an item to a store, and then later decide to alter that item template in some way, the store item needs to be removed and then replaced with the updated version, or else the older version has been retained. Module placed Store objects appear to maintain individual references of items placed in them, even if the original template is changed in some way. EG: If you add a potion that says, "A Blue Potion" and you later alter that potion template to read just "Blue Potion" in its campaign template, then the store will not update the item, but will have kept a copy of its original wording. It's kind of doing the opposite issue of what I describe above.

This was a reason for the latest module update to The Scroll v1.63E. Some Stores objects had items placed in them, whose templates had been changed since the items had been added. So even though the items had never been referenced before (aside from the builder adding them to the Store object), when they came to be "bought" by the player, the store handed over "old" items based upon an old template reference that no longer existed! Something to keep an eye open for moving forward, and a chore to "fix" if one does ever alter an item template.

Reactive Offers

Thankfully, after all these latest discoveries, I have now been able to address all potential store issues with such items for module two, even before its release. Also, as a heads up for followers of this blog, (and while talking about stores), some store owners in Predestinated Days will now respond and offer other goods or alter prices subject to how the player interacts with them, which in turn is governed by how they have setup their PC background and role-play their PC with them. This is on top of the existing PC appraise skill deals!

The idea is to introduce a bit more character to store vendors again. I did this somewhat in The First Day, but I hope to take this to another level in the next module. It will be up to players to consider how best to speak with vendors to help improve their deals. Note: This is just a small piece of game mechanics that allows more player agency ... Hopefully, I have designed it to be reasonably natural and not overly intrusive, but noticeable.

Soul Shaker (EE Version)

In other news, and after some requests, I ended up buying NWN1: EE at discount from STEAM, so I could update my NWN1 module, Soul Shaker, to be NWN:EE compatible. The updated version of NWN1 has undergone enough changes that had made my module incompatible with it. The main four issues I had to address were:-

• 1) Videos required a WBM format. (Thanks to Pstemarie for help here.)
• 2) A script function clashed with one in NWN:EE.
• 3) Some VFX required a delay to function correctly.
• 4) Some extra code to allow SP gamers without a unique ID to play. 

I await feedback to let me know if there are any other issues that need addressing. However, if you want to give it a go, grab it here. Let me know if anything else needs fixing for NWN:EE.

A City Vendor Tries To Attract Your Business!

 

Is This The best Deal?

Episode 47: Overland and World Maps!

I continue to chip away at the second module, Predestinated Days, of The Scroll campaign. This time around I have been sorting the World Map and all the links that will be available from it. The last time I looked at any of this code was probably around 2009, when I pieced together the code that would allow the player to examine maps in module one (but without travel), and in preparation for this latest module I am currently working on. In the last couple of weeks, those maps (and associated code) have been dusted off and looked at once again. Read on for the latest news ...

The World Map

This section of my campaign goes back many years, and I have a video of when I first started working with them as long ago as 2007. If you want to look at some of my first ever playing around with them, you can check out this video where I was pleased to have managed to code "map within map" change overs! (If you have played the first module, you may have seen this already.) Predestinated Days, however, will be the first module of my campaign series that will make use of them proper. I have "improved" the process since that time: the main difference being I now use the later (expansion 2) style map for normal travel and keep this original style world map for Nexus Travel.

Like most of my earlier code, I had to rewrite some of it, as it did not work as well as I required for module two. I have become more familiar with the functions since those early days, and had some newer requirements too. One observation I would like to point out for all would-be map builders, is to make sure you change the default 0 x 0 icon size, which (obviously) will not appear on your map when called via code, even after placement, as it is simply too small. I now use 16 x 16 for icon size. In my latest return to World Map usage I did not immediately notice this and so thought there was something wrong elsewhere. Once I had spotted the difference in this aspect, by comparing icons properties I had placed this time around from those years ago, things were sorted.

The Overland Map

As many NWN2 players/builders will know, the way the "world map" is presented has changed with each expansion. In the original campaign, it was a basic map interface (like the one shown in the video link above); in the first expansion, the world map interface came along with additional info, along the lines of my edited version in the image below. By the time we had the second expansion, we were now presented with an "overland map" style, where the party was represented by the leader who the player controlled over the "map" itself.

In Predestinated Days, I am aiming to implement all three systems in one way or another. To this end, an overland map has already been built and is in the process of being tested, which denotes the first areas of world that the PCs adventure in. In The Scroll, the idea is that the overland map acts as a "zoomed in" section of the actual world map, which becomes more effective later, as the PCs get to know the world better. However, to allow diversity of play, I have also allowed players to start using the static "World Map" as an option from quite early on too if they prefer to avoid the overland map style.

I had to spend some time going over the format I had setup with respect to how the map pins associated with their WP counterparts, but eventually worked out a solution that now supports the various world map policies in place. Whether the player chooses to explore the overland map or simply click on a world destination via a static map, all transitions now work as they should.

Food Rations

One of those side issues that came to light when working with world maps was the use of food rations. There was nothing fundamentally wrong, as the food count went down as expected, and apart from fixing a small "hunger" bug, the food count worked as expected. The problem was more to do with purchasing them for travel. At is currently worked, food rations could only be bought one ration at a time, which is fine if you are staying within the local vicinity. However, as travelling now involved much farther regions, I had to up the ration count that could be purchased to ten at a time to prevent the player having to spend minutes purchasing sufficient rations for an entire party. As a side benefit, it offers a discount for bulk buying. Remember, however, if a party has a cleric who can pray for Create Food, then no ration purchases are required.

Other Updates

My wife and I continue to play test module one, testing the latest changes and looking out for any new issues that may arise because of them. A few minor issues were found and addressed:-

i) Sleep animations were re-timed to ensure the player does not see the NPC fall to sleep.

ii) Crafting was fixed to ensure correct gold bags remained and essences used.

iii) An EffectListOverFlow was fixed related to the encumbrance icon on PCs.

iv) An ActionListOverFlow was fixed on relocated NPCs who used walkwaypoints.

As previous, once my wife has finished her latest play testing, v1.41E will be uploaded, which addresses any issues that were present in earlier versions. NB: Not all reported issues may be present due to changes made since last release.

NOTE: The following images have changed since being taken and have spoilers removed.

Viewing World Map In The Toolset

 

Viewing World Map In The Game

A New Place - A New Role!

Episode 45: That's Enough! (Polishing Play)

It's funny how you let things slide with certain aspects of a design until you notice something for the umpteenth time and then simply say to yourself, "No! That's enough!". I had a few experiences of this over the last two weeks, and so decided to deal with them all. From a couple of subtle area transition changes to GUI text layouts, it's been a hodgepodge of stuff. Couple that with working on another area that players will learn holds more secrets than when (likely) first discovered, and you have earned another blog post with two screenshots. Read on for more info ... 

IMPORTANT: Any updates mentioned in this post will not take effect in module one until the v1.41E update.

TRANSITION CHANGES

In the last couple of weeks, I decided to jump back to another area I am working on because it links one section of play to the next. As I say in the intro, it's a key area that players will eventually learn holds a secret. In the process of working with it, I had to look at an area transition and it was while working with this area of code I determined to deal with two niggling points I had seen in my own play testing ...

1. Weather Changes: When moving from an outdoor area to another area, I originally had the timing of the weather changes occur as the game faded to black. This could be noticed if the changes were more significant, and so with a small timing adjustment, these changes are now not seen.

2. Time Changes: Similar to above, but often more noticeable, were if a rest altered the time of day from night to day. The selection would apply the change as the player faded to black, which I was not happy with. Now, the game fades to black before applying the time changes, which means the sudden light changes are not noticeable.

3. NPC Locations: On the back of these two VFX changes, I also looked at the NPC control code, which determined where NPCs will be located as a PC entered a new area. This area of code goes back to some of my very first coding ("Real Life" System) and it had been patched together with various functions throughout the years, until it reached the stage it is today. However, while it currently works for module one, it "fails" for module two. It fails because module two has more areas than module one, and the way I was currently handling area loops was not efficient enough for the number of areas module two comes with. To cut along story short, I repackaged four inefficient functions into two, which use far more efficient loops, as well as now use functions to "hide" creatures if they are not actually encountered anywhere else, but are simply absent. One of these new functions now handles the "de-populating" of NPCs if required (as a PC enters or leaves an area), while the second handles the NPC location upon a PC entering an area. The latter function had been the main issue, as loops had to consider NPCs returning to the PC's current area from any area in the module! The new system is really good, and much simpler for me to keep track of what is happening from area to area now.

NEW INVENTORY GUI TEXT

Another niggling point that I have been meaning to address for as long as I can remember is what an item's text says about its properties. I found that the so-called "unique" properties to be some of the most confusing both to use and/or have attached to an item's description. To make things clearer both for me as a builder, and for players, I edited the 2da files (itempropdef, iprp_spells, iprp_chargecost and spells with new tlk entries) to alter how the text displays when describing item properties. Whether it was simply to remove ambiguous or superfluous text, or even correct an official 2da entry (compare iprp_spells 359 with spells 386), where "Activate Item (Short Range)" would have been more appropriate had there not been two potential options that varied according to a power level. I ended up removing one option completely and reworded three to keep to a standard that I hope players can relate to more easily.

I also found the following frustrating to handle: having an item to be "Single Use", but able to be retried if "first usage" failed, without having the item used and removed from the PC's inventory due to its "single usage" activation. You could either (a) use the "Single Use" property, but code in a check to recreate the "used" item for the PC if it was used "inappropriately", or (b) use the "Unlimited" property, which allowed multiple uses until success, but could give the wrong impression about an item's usage if not clearly explained in it's description that it is actually a single use item!

Anyway, during my 2da rewording exercise, I came across iprp_chargecost entry 7, "0_Charges/Use", which at first glance, is good for nothing! However, it has a similar effect as the "Unlimited_Use" entry with respect to costs, but importantly, its useless description can be edited (as I have done) to now report "(One Use)". i.e. Like the "(Single Use)" equivalent, I now have a version of a 2da entry that allows me to say an item is a single (or one) usage item while allowing the principle of "Unlimited" attempts of that "one usage" without the need to recreate the item due to inappropriate usage! This means, I can now have "One Use" as part of the property description and even on a fail, the item is NOT recreated, meaning such an item will not be lost from a quick slot (if used). This is something I can make better use of moving forward, but I have also edited many campaign items that module one also uses. Basically, items that once read "(Unlimited)", but were actually single use items, will now read "(One Use)". I decided to stick with a subtle difference in wording from repeating "Single Use", as item usage is (in this sense) still subtly different.

New Special Properties Text Example

MODULE TWO INFLUENCES

There were a couple of other minor updates to all campaign code due to the influence of module two:-

1. Spell Book Ownership: Upon testing module two, I noticed a wizard would think their spell book (named as theirs) was not belonging to them. It was a minor glitch due to variables being lost between module change overs, and could easily be "fixed" by the player having their PC read the book again. However, this is not meant to happen, and so I changed the code to detect ownership by the name already recorded with the book rather than check a variable. As names are carried between module, this was a better format to follow, and I made a mental note to watch for similar items.

2. Walk Waypoints: Another area that required a minor code tweak was when I noticed some NPCs of module two disappearing from the area upon a PC arrival - a good result proving that the new area transition NPC checking code mentioned above was working - but nevertheless, not a good result as far as what I needed these particular NPCs to do. It turned out that this was the first time I had used Waypoints for an NPC in a different area from where they are first encountered, which they move to after said initial encounter. It was an easy enough fix, which, as I do not employ area to area waypoints walking in this way, I decided to simply check via the current area the NPC was in and keep the checks separate instead.

NEW SEPIA IMAGES

Something else I have been keen to include starting from module two are DM information sepia images. (I include one without any wording as a screenshot below.) It's something I have been looking at for a while, and being reminded of them after playing a little Pillars of Eternity (which I hasten to add reminds me a lot of my own module in some ways), worked an idea which now works flawlessly. I am considering using it in a couple of ways, subject to what opportunities arise: Firstly, and primarily, they will be used simply as a means of introducing an area or object on importance. The idea being to present the sepia image with text and a voice-over as a kind of introduction to the object in question. My first test area (image without text below) works well as it fades into play, has a voice over and then fades into gameplay again, all the while allowing a player to click out of the event if preferred, and drop out of the image and stop the voice over. It took a bit of experimentation, but I eventually managed to succeed in being able to pull off the event using the conversation facility in full cutscene mode. Secondly, as I was able to employ the conversation facility, it also means I can employ these kind of DM sepia images as interactive events like those I was reminded of in Pillars. It could (if somebody wanted to render more images) even allow the scenes to change like they do in Pillars, but that is not something I intend to do at this time of writing. I just thought it useful that should I ever wish to add player choice text, which altered both outcome (and potential images), then that was still possible too.

THE END RESULTS

All these latest changes have had quite a visual effect to overall gameplay, as well as improve its efficiency again. Thankfully, I was also able to finish my "special" area transition link that started me along this path in the first place, and it works like a charm. Of course, I cannot tell you much about it, as that would be a spoiler! However, I hope you have appreciated the work that went behind something as simple as this piece of module two update.

A Secret Way Opens Up!

New DM Information Sepia Images (Without spoiler text.)

Episode 44: Two For One!

Things have been settling down for me at our new house, and I have been able to make some good progress. Not only have I been moving to yet another couple of areas to work on, but new material (in the form of a Readable Book) supporting one of the new creatures that can be encountered has been in the making. Read on for a full update ...

STICKY OOZES

You just think you have delivered the decisive blow, only to discover you simply have split the ooze monster into two! Now you have twice the problem! Yes, I hinted at them in module one, and even had the code in place, but module two, Predestinated Days will have them full blown and ready for combat! Not only are these critters dangerous in their ability to divide, but their acidic quality will soon have unarmed combatants wincing in pain, and even some running away to help protect their equipment from any acidic backlash. Be sure to pick up the book, entitled "If It Splits, So Should You!" from the nearest store when you come across one. Seriously, you will want to know more about this particularly enemy and how best to defend yourself from them.

IMPROVED TB UPDATE

And if you are the type of player who likes to use TB Combat, then rest assured that an update to the Target GUI has been implemented to allow a player to click an unpause button from the GUI interface using the mouse instead of having to click the space bar. Surprisingly, this can be quite useful if you are sitting back from the desk and prefer the use of the mouse in such situations.

MAP ENCOUNTERS

Yes, Predestinated Days will be coming with an overland map ... the type you can explore and meet encounters. However, for those that later learn the quick paths for travelling, then the older style "click on a map" to travel to a location will also be employed. That is, two systems in one, switchable to the style you prefer. Of course, taking down encounters along the way will also reward you with experience, loot, and the thing my wife has been requesting, some specific crafting materials that you may need.

IMPROVED SCRIPTS

Both module one, The First Day and module two, Predestinated Days, gain these benefits from v1.41E onwards. Basically, as I have been working through the new areas for module two, it has given me the opportunity to go over and fine tune some of the less used scripts, including those for certain trap switches and detection, potential party mayhem (murders), house looting scripts and a general overhaul to areas of player feedback where I felt it may be of help.

Basically, everything over the last week or so has been general progression as I focus on a couple of new areas that move the players from one area of the module, via map travel, to another area of the module where the plot thickens! There is still much more to it than this, but being able to get the framework in place, where I can move between areas is a big step towards getting things done in general. This and preparing conversations holders are a pain to get ready, but once in place, simply editing and retesting from a saved game becomes very simple and a pleasure to do. I am getting closer to the easier parts with each week that passes!

And as this blog post appears to be about "two for one" in certain aspects, I will also do two screenshots instead of the usual one this week...

A View From Above ...

... And A View From Below!

Episode 33: A Confession and A Promotion!

Confession: I have not done any update on The Scroll (module 2) for two weeks now. I gave my wife time to finish play-testing the latest version (v1.33E) of module one (which uses the same core code as module two), so that I know I am in a stable position to continue moving forward. She has now finished playing the module for a tenth time with yet another mixture of PC types, and finally I can say, the first module is released as fully tested and complete. Ten times! you may exclaim, but I hope that also helps demonstrate some of the flexibility the module has as she still had one or two differences from her previous times playing. So, maybe it's time for a new group of adventurers to consider stepping in to help save the village of New Edgeton from their plight ... Is it you? If so, download The Scroll (module 1) now, safe in the knowledge that this version should be the final. In the meanwhile, what have I been doing instead .... ?

Promoting: The NWN Scripting Tutorial

I decided to spend some time trying to put together a basic NWN scripting tutorial for beginners. A number of people visit the forums asking for help with scripting (as to be expected), and I often hear the same questions asked. When I think back to when I first started writing scripts, I can empathise with those that ask the same questions as I did back then. So, with that in mind, I decided to put together a PDF that I hope helps explain some of the more basic steps required when it comes to writing scripts in NWN2 (helpful for NWN1 too).

This tutorial is now finished (at least for the time being), and is now available for download. I tried to keep it in a similar style as I did my XML tutorial, hopefully with what people may consider a more exciting layout than simple text, helping to highlight certain aspects when needed and make it easier to read. As I say in the manual, if it helps someone to achieve a result, then it has done its job.

Soul Shaker Revamp

I have also been SP play testing my newly revamped NWN1 Soul Shaker module, (with my wife doing the same now she has finished The Scroll). This has been progressing fine with me needing only to fix one or two points that got "disturbed" in the code changes. So far I have managed to complete around 75% of the module, and hope to finish it next week, with my wife finishing her play through shortly after. After this, I hope to send the files to a beta-tester, but am not expecting any further issues from their testing. Once they have completed, I will then upload Soul Shaker v2.00 for general release. At this time, SP will have been fully tested, but MP testing will come a bit later when I have the time and opportunity to play it that way later. However, I am not expecting any issues there either. Lastly, although I have managed to fix one or two points of code where a DM support can be used, this will probably have to remain untested, as (a) I will not be in a position to be able to test it with enough players and (b) I don't think there is much call for it nowadays. However, if the module is picked up by a group of players who do want to use it with a DM, then I will give as much support as they need and prioritise help for them.

The Scroll Module Two

Now that the first module of The Scroll is finalised, and once Soul Shaker v2.00 is released, I hope to return to module two of The Scroll. I am hoping the change of topic for the last few weeks and "fresh" start upon my return will help give me a push to move forward in some of the areas that had been holding me back. In particular, I have one or two areas that I need to finish furnishing, and some important conversations to write. In total, there are about four to five plot paths that need bringing together, and I want to be able to give it the attention it needs to do correctly. My concentration suffers at the best of times, and so I need to give it my fullest attention, which I hope to be able to do so knowing everything else is working as it should be. That's the plan anyway.

Can You help The Village of New Edgeton?

Episode 29: Blood Sucking Creatures Of The Night!

A couple of weeks back I introduced the fact that I am aiming to include vampires in module two of The Scroll ... and this is an update on that course of action. Unfortunately, I did not do as much as I hoped, due to some Windows 10 issues, but thankfully, I did manage some progression. I also managed to do some reworking of the creature drop scripts and HP Bars. To have an idea of what the player can expect, read on ...

VAMPIRE COFFINS

As most hardened adventurers will know, vampires are not easily "destroyed" ... for good. They even stand out from their undead counterparts due to their supernatural ability to avoid such final destruction. And what is the main focus of this ability to avoid such an untimely "death"? ... The vampire's coffin!

The coffin normally represents the final resting place of every mortal soul. However, in D&D, we can never take such assumptions for granted, especially when we think vampires may be around. For vampires, this normally straightforward casket is a place of sanctuary and resurrection. If an encounter with some vampire hunters goes badly for them, they can instantly turn into a gaseous form to avoid further combat and escape to their coffin. Once there, and after an hour's resting, they can quickly regenerate from their wounds and be ready to fight again!

THE ADVENTURER'S ADVANTAGE

However, like all things in D&D, what may be of benefit in one instance, may turn out to be a pitfall if an adversary (like the adventurer) knows how to use it to their advantage. For if a vampire's coffin should be destroyed before the vampire has time to flee to it, then the vampire becomes vulnerable to normal destruction, now unable to flee to its sanctuary. Furthermore, if an adventurer is able to discover a vampire's coffin with the vampire still inside, and they carry a humble wooden stake, then they can also destroy the vampire by plunging said stake into the vampire's heart even before it has time to react. Here is an in-game descriptive text for a coffin ...

In-Game Coffin Description

VAMPIRES & THEIR SPAWN

Thanks to KevL's Creature Visualizer tool, I was able to produce something other than the stock vampire model we have in the toolset. Thankfully, vampires tend to be humanoid in nature, and so I simply crated some new "vampires" from the humanoid models. At first I was concerned about not having the correct teeth for them, but then I noticed that the official vampire lord does not show their teeth either, so decided it was not a major concern. I think the player will be able to see these for who/what they are. The bottom line, I was able to make the vampires look different, be they spawn types (lesser, but still very formidable) or the full blown vampire.

The story behind the vampire connection is still in development, but I do have a major premise to work from now. I also want to update the areas lighting and sounds, which were absent from the area I have, which was kindly put together for me by Eguintir, many years ago now!

OTHER UPDATES

While working with vampires and associated code, I noticed I had currently not allowed some creatures to drop items that may be useful in crafting. This mostly affected either constructs or outsiders. Thankfully, these drops are not critical, apart from they may be useful in crafting certain items with the appropriate skills ... and my guess is these parts are more likely for higher level crafted items. Therefore, any drops, apart from any monetary value, may well have been not usable until module two anyway. That said, if I release another version of module one, then these drops will become available again, but only if the module is started afresh.

In further code updates, I changed the HP Bars for party members to green and also enabled the bar to show above the Main PC as well now. Again, it is a minor alteration, and simply a cosmetic difference that I hope will be appreciated in the next release.

Lastly, I spent some time going over some functions (especially to do with host functions) to ensure the game is ready for additional modules. This is an ongoing point, but will become less of an issue as module two grows nearer completion.

And for those who like a picture, here is a themed one for this week...

The Heroes Discover A Dark & Ominous Place

Episode 21: Encountering Toolset Problems!

Building a module is not always a plain sailing affair. In fact, ask any builder, and I can guarantee they will have a bunch of "issue" stories as long as their module quests list relating to the building of their behemoth! For any module can become a monster to wrestle with when the NWN toolset is involved, irrespective of module size. I too, have not been without issues in the making of my modules, and over the last week or so, I can, at last, say that I have put two such particularly nasty encounters behind me. Read on ...

SOUND CRASH ISSUES

The older of the two issues I encountered goes back a few months, and was when I noticed that trying to play a VFX (with a sound attached) within the toolset VFX Editor crashed the toolset. I soon learned that the only way I could work around this problem was to "remove" the sound file prior to playing the VFX. However, this was not satisfactory and I was always concerned that this may be having an impact on the module for players too, as I also occasionally crashed in game in a sound intensive environment.

I tried the usual approach: reinstall sound drivers, reinstall NWN2; neither of which were fruitful, and even required me having to do a restore of Windows 10 to recover from further issues I managed to introduce while trying to fix this one. In the end I decided to just let it go, resigned to the idea that probably only a Windows "reset" would fix the issue; something I was not prepared to do at this stage.

Move forward to this week, and a post on the forums about another player experiencing Game Crashes (where VFX were noted) made me look into the problem again. I continued down the path I had started and looked further into any potential CODEC issues by using the KLite Codec Tweak Tool.

Using this utility I was able to ascertain that the DirectShow filters appeared to be deregistering when using the toolset's VFX Editor. With further searching, I eventually found this page that discussed similar issues and this page that recommended removing some of the DirectShow filters. So now it was just a case of experimenting with my own filters to see if I could find a combination that fixed my own sound problems ... and I did. (See the image to see which filters needed disabling to fix the sound crash in the toolset.) In fact, after discovering which filters were the culprit, I decided simply to uninstall the programs that had installed these filters (Nero Essentials and Cyberlink PowerDVD), especially  as I no longer used these programs anyway. The toolset problem is now gone, and I hope such changes will make for a more stable gaming environment too.

Disable These Filters If You Are Having Sound Problems!

HAK SIZE MATTERS

Along with building a second module comes new content. No problem, I thought, I can simply add to my campaign hak, and have it ready for the next module .... wrong! Having added nearly 2 GB of data to an already 500 MB file, making a total of 2.5 GB (or there about), came with its own inherent problem that was not immediately noticeable.

The problem was that while all the new content looked good within the toolset, by the time I went to view it in the game, one placeable would have been replaced by another! i.e. The placeable in game was nothing like the one I had positioned in the toolset. At first discovery I had no idea what had caused this, as I was ignorant of any kind of hak size limit, which I am now led to believe may be around 2GB.

What made this latest discovery worse, however, was the fact that I just uploaded v1.05E, with every folder based upon this new large hak build. In quick testing of module one prior to release, all appeared to be OK, but I had not checked every placeable object. As quick as I could, I repacked the hak into a smaller size (with less content than before) and re-released it as v1.06E. Sadly, there had been at least three downloads of the larger files, and so I just hope their game is not compromised by the error.

Furthermore, I released a second version of the v1.06E Campaign folder, which removed the "replacement" WAV files I had been using during build time that were helping me to avoid the SOUND CRASH ISSUE I mention above. Unfortunately, I also discovered that these replacement WAV files did not always work well within NWN2, and so I hope the one person who had managed to download v1.06E in the time before I re-uploaded it, manages to get its second release minus the temperamental WAV files.

TREASURES

So, while I don't have much to say about module two this week, (preferring to use this post as a cathartic exercise for the last two issues), I will, however, leave you with one image that I hope will make it all worthwhile ... Here's an image of some valuable treasures you should keep your eyes open for in module two... Hopefully, I will have more to report in my next post now that these issues have been dealt with.

Treasure: Some Priceless Paintings!

Episode 20: Adventuring Proper!

This last fortnight has seen me delving back into the second module of The Scroll ... and for proper adventuring stuff too! And while module one v1.04E was also released during this time, that was simply as a result of improvements in module two that sorted out some module one AI at the same time. That aside, everything has been about adding new content to the next module, and there were three areas I looked at in particular. Read on ...

CONVERSATIONS

First off, I continued to develop conversations for NPCs to complement both sub-quest and main quest lines. One NPC had quite a number of lines added that works with my newly developed SP/MP handling. i.e. When the conversation required MP (multi-player) handling, it does so, but the minute the content is angled more towards SP (single player), such as purchasing items, then the conversation seamlessly switches to a SP environment, allowing other players to continue with their own actions. Where this system is still quite new (even to me who developed the idea), I am still quite slow while making sure all the variables are being set as I need them to subject to which section of the conversation is taking place. Suffice to say, the ones I have updated so far work well, and include potential companion added comments if the payer has such in their party.

JOURNAL ENTRIES (QUESTS)

Tied closely to the conversations I have written are the (sub) quests that I have also added since last posted. I have managed to start three new quest lines as well as continue to add entries for existing quests. As it currently stands, I have now started around 25% - 33% of the total number of quests I hope to include by the time of release for module two. My goal regarding sub-quests is that they serve to either add more backstory or some form of greater reward for doing them. In this way, I hope such sub quests do not detract from the main story line, but help to give the player something extra to consider as they progress through the main story.

AREA DESIGN

This last week also had me back at area designing ... or rather continuing with an area that I had already started a few months ago, before I was sidetracked with both other material and seeing the Enhanced version of module one released. It's one of four interior designs that are required for the current quest I am writing. (This week's screenshot is from the area.)

For me, area designing is both a "love" and a "hate" thing. The "hate" is due to having to fill an otherwise large empty space with interesting stuff that will keep the player interested in spending time there ... and I do not have a lot of patience when it comes to filling in details like you find in some of the better designed games that can be bought and played. That said, however, I do find that when I start to fill an area with placeables, it can sometimes inspire me for a quest idea, and that is something that happened in the latest area design. This as a definite boon for any would-be player, as these design diversions are what bring an area to life in my experience.

i.e. It's not so much about what an area looks like or the content it has, but what a player can expect their PCs to do while there. A blandly designed area may be a "minus" point, but if the player is too involved with the action/plot/gameplay to notice, then that negative point can, hopefully, be swallowed up in the experience. That is how I find games work for me, and I hope the same applies to others that end up playing my modules. The only downside is I then get side-tracked to work on this new gameplay aspect before finally getting around to finishing off the area design itself. This is what happened this time too. Basically, the area is required for a main quest, but I like to add ideas that make the area interesting in and of itself.

CREATURE VISUALISER

I have also had the opportunity to try out KevL's Creature Visualiser plugin in the last few uses of the toolset, and am please to say that it works well as an alternative viewer to the "Armor Set" tab that a builder may have problems using in the official toolset. KevL says the plugin is still in alpha stage, but if it continues to improve at the rate it has been, then I guess it won't be long before it's good for many others to consider using too. I found it useful even at this stage!

And here on your right is the kitchen!

Episode 14: The Mega-Dungeon (Part 2)

After resolving the issues mentioned in the last blog, I finally got back to looking at my "mega-dungeon" for module two. The frustrating thing, however, is that as excited as I am about telling you all about it, I cannot say too much for fear of revealing spoilers! However, as I have now finally overcome some of the coding and toolset issues I had encountered for my latest ideas, I would at least like to tell you something about the overall progress ... and so if you are interested, read on ...

MEGA THREE DIMENSIONS!

One of my biggest gripes about the NWN toolset is its inability to deal effectively with a z-axis. (Height in areas.) Please note, I am not complaining, but just note that trying to work with any z-axis idea is somewhat restricted/difficult when trying to give a player the feeling of depth in the environment. Having better z-axis control would be in my top ten updates if it were a dream come true.

So, while working within the constraints laid upon me, I decided to go through with an idea I had in mind to help give the illusion of a greater z-axis with respect to the mega-dungeon I am designing ... and I think I may have pulled it off to a degree with an idea I used. I am not saying anything more, except to say that if and when the player experiences it, I hope they get a minor "wow" factor from viewing the experience. I imagine it won't be a long lasting experience, but enough to show I gave the third dimension some thought, and tried to incorporate it it in such a way that adds a new element of play for the player.

MEGA MECHANICS!

I alluded to this in earlier posts, but will now confirm: The mega-dungeon environment will be more interactive with its own themed mechanics. Not only am I trying to give the player a whole new environmental feel to their NWN2 experience, but there will also be another layer of gaming interaction complementing the environment in which the mega-dungeon takes place!

In other words, players will learn more about their existing story tasks through deeper interaction with the gaming environment of the mega-dungeon, which involves whole new abilities and challenges to overcome, alongside the existing mechanics that the player already knows and loves.

As one small example of the kind of thing I am including, which has already been quizzed by readers of this blog, is how the PCs will be able to acquire or replace items in a dungeon where no stores may exist. POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT: One of the means by which I have overcome this issue is by the introduction of a special device (which shall remain unnamed) with which the PC can interact (as long as they have learned how to and meet certain criteria), to "acquire" items. Basic interaction is quickly learned, but further interaction requires exploration and extra discoveries by the PCs. It's still work in progress with respect to what items will be available, but this blog's screenshot shows a little of the interaction GUI, which I was finally pleased to get working! (NOTE: The area is not finished.)

I was gratified that I managed to be able to include image icons in the new GUI listings. It required more coding than I first thought would be necessary, but, nevertheless, the end result looked good to me ... and the GUI has been tested as working satisfactorily. It just needs to have all relevant items (and their data) added now. Basically, I had to make a LIST GUI in the same way I made the Bestiary listings in "The Scroll", which means having to add data for every entry! A tedious task.

MEGA DEVELOPMENT!

To further emphasise the new mechanics involved, I am also having to script another GUI that will show after the PCs learn about some of the background behind the latest events of the main story, and grow close to the mega-dungeon environment.This GUI shows party development with the knowledge they acquire while they adventure. It will show a "progression chart", with abilities learned or yet to learn, and any requirements to do so. It currently comprises four paths, (each with a number of steps of their own), which are fully explained in the literature that the PCs will discover in the course of their time in this environment. I have already written one of the readable books that they can come across, which covers more details for them.

Current progress of the latest module is relatively staggered, due to personal circumstances more than lack of ideas. Furthermore, thinking about an exciting aspect to include is one thing, but writing the code to put that idea in place is another. The story I had in mind has also "grown" in stature to support some of those design concepts I wanted to include. i.e. A mega-dungeon, by its very name, implies something of larger proportions than your average dungeon. Therefore, I have needed to add a couple more areas to ensure that scale and gameplay can be maintained without compromising the overall story arc.

On a final note, I can add that I am enjoying the results so far, and hope other players have the same reaction to certain events and gaming aspects as I have had, even in these early stages, as that will mean the idea was successful.

If you have anything you want to ask, comment on, or simply suggest as an idea that might be 
worth considering inclusion, then please add a comment and let me know.

Party Are Presented Items In A New List GUI (WIP)

Episode 11: Property of The Empire!

A well placed motif is always a reasonable way to mark ownership of an object on which the motif is found. Be it a simple wax printed insignia sealing a scroll, or a metal embossed plate attached to a crate, the symbol it illustrates is often associated with ownership of a person or organisation. The Empire has its image too: The Dragon! In the last few updates I have been working on for module two has included these and a few other visual illusions that I hope will add an extra dimension to the campaign.

VISUAL EFFECTS

When I speak of visual effects, I am NOT just talking about the VFX effects we can add to the NWN game via scripting, but also "illusory" effects that help give a feeling of interaction. By this I mean careful coding of placeable objects that when interacted with give the appearance of movement.

MODULE ONE SPOILER ALERT: A specific example of the effect I am talking about can be found in the quest called "Poor Communication" in module one. In the Fairchilds' residence, the PCs learn they have to move a carpet to reveal a trap door. When the player interacts with the carpet, the coding in place works with the objects to give the illusion of having rolled back the carpet.

A more generic usage of such code is with respect to the way I have implemented Secret Doors. Until a PC finds a secret door, the PC cannot interact with it in the game. However, once the secret door has been detected, the PC can now interact with it, and when they do, coding has been added (adding both visual and sound effects) to give the effect that the door has been opened or closed.

Moving forward with module two, and now that I have ensured the code works reliably, I hope to employ more visual effects this way, to help immerse the player within the game environment. To this end, I have already used such in two places in latest building.

HOME BREW VFX (BILLBOARDS)

A personal favourite effect of mine is the ability we have to build "billboards" in the NWN toolset. This is basically a VFX that allows us to bring in any image file we want, and display it within the game. In the past I have used it in module one to good effect, and is seen implemented in such things as scrolls on display (notice board etal) and the mysterious cave text in the Dimension Vortex area (floating text) or even the floating image displayed within the Ancient Crypt if the rune control object is successfully worked.

For module two, as well as hopefully bringing similar aspects as I have done in module one into play, I have also just used it to create the  Empire Dragon Insignia, which The Empire uses to mark their property. This weeks screenshot shows it in demonstration.

THE PLOT THICKENS

As I have been writing the plot in the last couple of weeks, some of my thinking has been diverted to factions and other aspects that a player may wish to explore. Whether I fully develop this area of play or not will all depend upon how easy it will be for me to implement, as it can cause havoc if done wrong. That said, the framework for such is already in place within the campaign code, and so if I do venture down that route, I am hoping it will add yet another interesting depth to the campaign.

YET ANOTHER ONE!

On a final note for this report, I have to confess to building yet another area! (Vagueness follows to prevent spoiler.) Originally, the connection between one area and another was going to be handled by a simple conversation once the criteria was met. However, when quizzing my wife about her favourite area in module one at one time, she mentioned an area build of a tileset that I had not yet built for module two. Therefore, in thanks for all her hard work testing module one, I bit the bullet and decided to build an area of the same tileset ... with some interesting changes.

Adding the area also allowed me to be able to further develop another plot line that was currently "looking for a home" in the run of things. It also allowed me to add a whole new approach to the storyline, which obviously I cannot discuss! ;)

So, that's all for now, but as module one is now "closed" to further fixes (unless something really bad turns up), then I should be able to give module two my full attention in the weeks to come. I honestly do not know how long it is going to take, but I am encouraged by the fact that the campaign code is robust and in place, but a little nervous about all the conversations that require writing and the handling of all those variables.

Property of The Empire!

Episode 5: What's Over There?

Now that I have taken the decision to stop further testing of v2.65 of module 1, I have been able to become more involved with developing module 2. (By the way, for those interested, here is the link to module 1 of The Scroll. NB: I will continue to upload a newer campaign version if I find any glaring issues with v2.65.) My latest toolset activity has been focussing on a new area that (originally) was not going to be in the module, as I initially considered it would be of little to no interest. However, as I looked at the area map I was currently working on, I kept on wondering exactly what was going on over in that "interesting looking place" on the map. And so I eventually concluded that if I thought that, then other players may well have their curiosity piqued too ... and so went ahead and designed the linking area required. The screenshot today is the loadscreen for the new area.

AREA BUILDING

The last week has been all about area building ... and I had to remind myself of all those aspects needed to build (what I believe to be) a "believable" area design. I am the first to admit that my art design skills in this department are only adequate. However, I do like to think that I put enough thought into other general aspects of area design, such as lighting and sounds, to make an area a cut above the average. Basically, I like to include aspects that give a place a degree of atmosphere, which lighting and sounds (if used carefully) can transform an otherwise dull area, into something quite interesting.

1) LIGHTING: You will probably have a vague idea of the type of area I was building from this week's screenshot. However, I am deliberately skipping specifics to prevent spoilers, and even the screenshot may leave the reader with questions. However, the point being, I like to vary lighting according to the type of area the PCs find themselves in. And, the working line for me is, if there is no light at all, then it should be absolutely black! i.e. I try to avoid using any lighting that does not have a source. Therefore, each area I design must come with its own selection of light sources, or the PC must provide their own light via torch, lantern or magic.

The light source objects are dictated by the area type. If it's a natural environment, like a cave, then I tend to go for glowing flora or (if inhabited) wall torches, or even a combination. i.e I try to avoid man-made (or spell-like) light sources unless they can be justified. The main point, however, is that every area should (in my opinion) be able to be lit or placed into darkness according to light sources within the area. Being caught in complete darkness should be a possibility in some situations, and the player should be conscious of this by observation of the area lighting.

2) SOUND: Another aspect of design and probably just as important as the area lighting, are the area sounds. After setting the lighting, I tend to move on to adding the sounds, including the music and ambient sounds. However, I believe it is the positional sounds that go a long way to helping the player feel immersed within their environment. These can include simple sounds of water (pouring, dripping, splashing, etc), and critters running out of sight. I even try to include sounds that may alter with time or player interaction such as camp fire crackles or claps of thunder and rainfall. This latest area came with its own selection of sounds, which I hope should all add to its mystery and allure.

3) INTRACTABLE OBJECTS: Having setup the area lighting and sounds, I always like to add an interesting selection of objects for the player to interact with. This is what gives the current scenario (or area) the "meat on the bones" as it were. Note, these objects will vary from area to area, but are normally well understood by the player, and include such things as junk piles, bookcases, and chests, etc. However, I also like to use this time of area design to try to develop something "new" if possible, even if it's just a minor interaction. This "new" object would then be added to the collection of objects I can continue to flesh out future areas for the player to interact with. Over time, the collection of objects with which the player can interact should grow bigger or have new variations of such.

4) ENCOUNTERS & EVENTS: In the course of building module 1, I have gone through many renditions of various trigger and encounter events due to the many different requirements I have needed in module 1. Thankfully, now, I have a healthy selection of them to help populate a dungeon in a way that makes combat encounters efficient and (I believe) balanced. Therefore, it did not take me long to quickly add the monster events to the area, and all I am left to do now is add some comment events as I consider what should become available to the PCs. As some of this is tied to the bigger plot, these tend to get added later.

5) BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Once I have all the basic area design in place (as above), I like to ensure that the player also leaves an area with a feeling of accomplishment, and some kind of memory of an area. It can be a simple as having the player complete a quest stage or acquire an item of importance, or even simply have a tough fight. The bottom line, however, is I want the player to feel they have been satisfied with what they have achieved in an area. My general goal for this is: if I test the area and do not come away feeling I either learned something, gained something new, or simply experienced a different aspect of gameplay, then it has not served a good purpose. Generally, I like to be able to tick as many of these aspects with every area, but overall design determines if this is warranted or not. I certainly try to minimise those areas that feel more of a "grind" than a source of adventure.

AN OLD ISSUE

Just for the record, I experienced an old issue of a placeable object not responding to a player's left click. To remind myself and those readers interested, if a placeable has zero hit points, then any onused script is ignored! I wrestled with a new prefab object for at least half an hour before I spotted this old issue again. Thankfully, however, even though this caused me some lost time, the benefits of building with all the existing scripts available to me helps go a long way to shorten the area build time.

MOVING FORWARD

So, the area that stole my attention is now "finished" apart from some final event triggers (if I decided they are required) and some plot elements that are still in development. I am happy with the way it turned out, as I have employed all those aspects I learned from my first module, including ensuring the PCs have room to move, and any combat zones are reasonably spaced.

In the coming days, I hope to go back to the original area I was working on and to look at other areas that can be transitioned to from it. In all, there are around another four areas that I need to build from scratch that transition from the area I am currently referencing. Once they are all done, I can move onto another area of the module. At this stage, everything feels quite a long way off. However, if I can continue to build areas at the rate I am at the moment, then I am more optimistic that module 2 will see completion one day.

Learning More About The Enemy!