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Tuesday 12 March 2024

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If you have been following of late, you will have seen that The Scroll campaign has currently been withdrawn from downloading.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.

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.

Saturday 10 February 2024

Episode 81: New Year Progress!

I took a hiatus in January, which means this is the first blog for the campaign this year. Prior to my break, I released v2.60E of the campaign, which has been relatively stable. That said, I have picked up on a couple of minor issues, which will be covered in the next release. Also, I have picked up building module two where I had left off at the beginning of January, and making progress once again. Read on for more details and the screenshot of the month.

More Area Work

At the beginning of this year, I am focussing on finishing off the final couple of areas that Stage One of module two requires to be ready for alpha testing. To this end, I have completed another section of an area that serves as multiple locations. That is, the area being worked on, actually serves three locations, with this section being the last (I believe) that I needed to add. I have some scripting left to do for events related to this area section, but I had managed to do the hardest parts just before I took the break.

The time-draining section for me is the tidying up of an area to make sure it looks good in-game. This potentially involves adding blocks and events that allow the area to "unfold" as the player explores it without having sections of the area showing due to existing VFX (visual effects). Unfortunately, some visual effects can show up in sections of an area that the player has not yet reached, which can spoil the immersion. Some are more easily hidden than others, but one or two have required extra work to help maintain the quality I am after.

Another Henchman

The latest module work also gave me the opportunity to introduce the possibility of another henchman. (NB: I am not talking about a companion that a player control, but an additional party member along the lines of Scraps or Sebastion in module one. Although, there will also be the possibility for a couple more companions in the second module as well.) However, this also means I have to examine the logistics of the total number of henchmen that a party may have in it. If a party is already quite large, or is a MP game, I need a fair way of handling how this new henchman is going to respond to such. However, as there are also plot implications involved with some henchmen, I am going to have to see how handling this goes in testing. Note, players can already bring the existing two henchmen from the first module along with them to the second.

Moving Forward

I am hoping that progress will continue as normal this year, although I am conscious that my health is not what it was, and I have to consider more appointments to deal with that alongside module building time. Module one has very few issues now, and any I find are usually as I am testing aspects of module two that I recognise also have an impact on the first module. Therefore, I am spending less time addressing fixes there, which is allowing me the time to focus on the second module. My wife is still testing various aspects of the campaign as a whole (both modules), but has not found anything major in the last few areas of testing. I also have another tester who is quite thorough, and has not yet had any other issues to report other than confirmation of old issues being fixed, which is encouraging.

As I allude to, I have already returned to the toolset and started to familiarise with where I was last at, and hope to be in a better position to be underway as normal next week. In the meantime, I will leave you will a screenshot from the latest area I am working on.



Thursday 7 December 2023

Episode 80: Preliminary Stage One Alpha Testing!

My wife has, at last, had the opportunity to do some first ever alpha testing on the second module, Predestinated Days. It's only some very basic testing at the moment, such as party module-to-module transfers and checking the overland map features, but it's a start. Also, I'll mention now, the next blog post will not be until February! It's nothing to do with the time of year, but simply a case that I find myself being offline in January. In the meantime, if you want to catch up with this month's progress, a couple of screenshots, and other latest campaign news, read on.

Preliminary Stage One Alpha

I don't want to get ahead of myself, nor mislead readers... so, to be clear, this is really only the very first stages of testing. It is using the latest build of the second module, but even that build has not yet been completed enough for continued Stage One testing. In other words, this was mainly about checking if the PC (and party) transferred from the first module worked, and if the Overland Map that the player first enters played as expected. As it happens, even this early preliminary testing highlighted some issues that I needed to address:

1) TRANSFERRED PCs NOT EQUIPPED: The second module can be started in one of two ways: (a) Continued play direct from the first module, or (b) Started afresh from the opening menu options. The latter method also allows the player to import various PCs from any other PCs they may have finished playing and exported from the first module. So, it's possible to create quite a mix of PCs from various end games of the first module. This meant having to ensure certain items could maintain their variables if brought in from an exported PC. (This second method of starting the game, where the player starts in a lobby, a room of the Bloated Buckle Inn, has yet to be alpha tested.)

With respect to continuing direct from the first module, the first issue I encountered and fixed was that the code being used to handle variable consistency for exported PCs (via the alternative means of starting the module) turned out to be not required when PCs moved directly from one module to another. The problem was, when this extra code was executed, the PC companions would not re-equip their weapons upon entering the overland map starting area, which meant they would be unprepared for any map encounter they may later have. Thankfully, after removing the function that handled the weapon variables, all worked as it should. The function that caused the problem remains in place for starting afresh with potential exported PCs, and I will keep an eye to see if this has any other impact with more testing.

2) ENCOUNTER AREA TRANSITIONS: Another problem discovered at this stage was that when leaving a conversation to start an encounter, the game would sometimes fail to transition to the encounter area. It turned out to be a simple timing issue where the Overland Map creature that initiates the conversation was being destroyed just slightly before the transition it handled took place. It took me a while to track down, but once discovered, I simply gave the map creature an extra 0.5 sec lifespan and the transitions worked as they should.

3) ENCOUNTER NUMBERS: I use my own encounter.2da files to determine which creatures and their numbers are encountered, subject to the terrain the PCs find themselves in. My original tables had allowed for fewer numbers than the conversations suggested (*), and so required updating to accommodate this; as well as for the more powerful parties that will start with module two. (*) If the conversation talks about a "gang" of trolls, you don't expect to meet just one in the encounter area, as it had originally stood.

4) OVERLAND MAP MOVEMENT SPEED: My wife's first test was using an over-encumbered Main PC. (I had not been expecting this.) It meant that her normal slower movement for being on an Overland Map was even slower due to the PC's encumbrance. While this was effectively a "correct" interpretation of her proportional overland movement while on the map, I personally found it a little frustrating. Therefore, I added an extra check that would help maintain a consistent map speed whether the Main PC was encountered or not, by effectively doubling the PC speed if encumbered so that it remained consistent when travelling the Overland Map. I made the assumption that party members would share the load (if companions were present), or that the Main PC just handled it more efficiently. Practicality trumped realism here. Besides, normal encumbrance movement rate is suitably restored when entering the normal areas anyway.

Moving Forward

I'll see how the next couple of months of building goes, but my aim is to finish enough to allow my wife to be able to do a more thorough test of Stage One of the second module. It's not an ideal situation, as I intend to keep some of the module options unclear to her, so that when she comes to play it properly, the experience is a better one for her. This means that some parts/paths will go unchecked, but hopefully, the important parts will be tested. Other paths and options, I hope, will be tested by any volunteering beta-testers when the time comes. I am also having to prioritise some home repairs at the moment, and so depending upon how that goes will determine what I can get sorted in the next month or two.

DON'T FORGET! NEXT BLOG: FEBRUARY!

Take a look at the screenshots this month, which show the Main PC on the Overland Map, who represents the whole party. The first shows a nearby encounter with some trolls, narrowly avoided. The second screenshot (representing an hour later) shows where the trolls catch up with the party and begins the conversation pertaining to the encounter.

Campaign Update

There have been some noticeable changes and improvements to the overall campaign code, as I have been making preparations and alterations to tie in better with the needs of the second module. Things like multiple scripts that did similar things have been replaced with a single script. For example, there were around four scripts that handled various faction changes and updates that were quite confusing when to use and how (if at all) they differed. These were some of the first scripts I wrote, and they were altered over the years to try to accommodate various updates with factions that I have made. The single replacement script is much easier to understand and use, and with testing to date, appears to handle the same as every other script did, but more efficiently.

On the back of this, I hope I have also improved when auto-pause kicks in (if used) and the Enemy Counter. There have also been a myriad of other updates and fixes, which while not always obvious or even encountered by every player, will help smooth out the gameplay moving forward. For instance, I have fixed an inventory feedback when handling some items; added a missed VFX beam for a spell that gives the player a more accurate interpretation for a missed spell; and Captured Spell Books have been fixed in one or two places, where a spell was not working or a book that could not be evaluated and sold. There are a few other such minor fixes, which will all be available when I release v2.59E.

Avoiding The Gang of Trolls!
No Avoiding The Trolls Now!

Saturday 11 November 2023

Episode 79: Area By Area (Stage One)

As there was no blog last month, I felt I needed to bring readers up to date with the current progress of the second module. I had hoped this blog entry was to bring news that the first stage (chapter) of the second module was signed off by now and being alpha tested... but I'm not quite there yet. Read on to learn of latest developments.

A Significant Jump

I can report that in the last two months, I have managed to sign-off on a number of areas of development that required some intensive design work. By this, I mean area building, item building, and some conversations. However, in that time, I was unable to finish every important conversation, and until I do finish them, then this first stage of the module cannot be tested to "completion". I remind readers that this Stage One (of three in total) accounts for around 50% of the second module (in my estimation), and so will be a significant step once it moves on to the testing stage.

Area By Area

I won't divulge how many areas are to be found in this first stage (to avoid spoilers), but as a means to help me cover all final content for alpha testing, I have switched back to signing off one area at a time. That is, I am now working through all areas for the first stage and working on the finishing touches for each. This may be as simple as removing test items left in the area, to writing final conversation sections, or adding hostile encounters based upon story requirements. The main point to recognise here, however, is that all design for the first stage areas are now completed. For instance, it was only in the last few days I finished designing the final room to a dungeon that was the last area for this first stage to finish. It involved a puzzle element and some careful attention to effects and sounds, but the end result was as I had hoped.

So far, I have covered around 14% of the areas I need to finalize for this first stage. However, many of the remaining areas need nothing more than test item removal, which takes only a minute or two to do. It takes me longer to double check for any potentially unfinished conversations for an area, or an encounter placement, for example. A final check for each area is whether I feel it lacks enough "interaction potential". Possibly surprising to some, this final stage is what takes more time for me than many other aspect of building. This is the stage when I decide if there is anything else a player may have their PCs discover in the area, be it something as basic as a crafting item, unusual treasure, or just some other point of interest. Depending upon what I finally decide to do, determines whether it is a five minute job, or something that may take me days to implement.

A Design Delay Example: Missile Only!

As an example of how something can cause a delay in development:  I have a situation where I wanted an object to only be targeted by missile weapons. So, if targetted by a melee weapon, then the PC was to stop their attack and report they required a missile weapon. The problem is that NWN2 does not handle any Z (height) axis very well, and so it was allowing an attack on said object even though it was effectively "out of reach". It took some thinking, but I eventually figured out a way to allow this to work, even when the default action for the object was set as an "attack". This was further complicated by the fact that I have an "attack object" button that a player can use to have any companions/cohorts attack any currently targeted object. Therefore, I had to also update that area of code to work with the newly implemented missile only code. Thankfully, that is all done now, and another area of code sorted for the campaign. Testing to date shows it works as intended.

That Which Is Done

I have finally finished all the journal entries for the first stage. This was a reasonably large task, as some of these entries can differ subject to what the player does from the very start of the module, and if they have played the first module. Finishing these also required me to have many items built and conversations written so that I could ensure the entries made sense from what the PCs had already done. Due to the amount of flexibility of play I allow, this coordination between journal entries and conversations (especially), was a big challenge, and one that I had to restrict building to days when I could cope best (with my health) in managing them.

That Which Still Remains

I have two plot lines that still require some conversations, which are currently holding back alpha-testing. It took quite a bit of pre-planning and design (now completed) to reach the point where I can now safely write them without (I hope) causing any potential logical flow in their writing. Sometimes, I can write a conversation ahead of time, because I am reasonably sure at what stage of the game the PCs will be at. At other times, like with these two conversations, I needed to wait until all the gameplay aspect was in place to help me determine what options the conversation should offer.

There also remains some plot items that require considered placement surrounding these two conversations, as well as some of those final area checks (that I mention above) where these conversations take place. Once I have these two sections of gameplay sorted, then alpha testing will begin.

Continued Improvements

Alongside the latest building, I have been continuing to support and improve on the overall campaign code. Some of the key updates and improvements have been some tweaks to the follow routines when switching between PCs and/or AI and Puppet Mode; help avoiding PCs becoming stuck in the environment, as well as general improvements and a few minor fixes. There are currently over 40 amendments and fixes listed for the next v2.56E release, and so it will be a worthwhile download, even if not critical. Some of these updates have been due to preparation of spells and other play for the second module. This latest update will be released after my wife has finished play-testing it for a few hours.


Monday 11 September 2023

Episode 78: Not Long Now, Maybe!

Now I don't want the title of this blog to oversell the point I want to say, but... I believe I am now quite close to passing Stage One of this second module to my wife for alpha testing. To put this into perspective, in one calculation, Stage One accounts for around 50% size of the overall module... a large chunk of its entirety. Importantly, once passed across for alpha testing, that section is considered "locked" to further development, leaving me to concentrate on the second and third stages again. These two later stages still require some work, but are themselves already both reasonably well developed. All in all, I would like to think the completion of this second module is in sight.

How Close To Overall Completion?

I don't want to make promises I cannot keep, but what I can say is both of the remaining stages already have their core quests and outlines in place. Both stages two and three do, however, require a couple of areas added from scratch to complete their adventures. Stage three also requires some further development on a new game system I have developed for that section. The core design is already in place, but it requires some more balancing and tweaking. For those that like stats, I have recently saved my 310 th backup of the module, which currently weighs in at 1GB uncompressed, which compares to 365 MB for my first module. (Module three, The Last Day, currently weighs in at 398 MB.)

Last Month Update

I can say that even the first stage, in its latest build, has required me to add a new area and another NPC to fully realise another potential plot path. Sometimes these sort of things happen, especially when I have an inkling that some players may want to try something different from what I first considered. When I have these thoughts occur, I like to include and implement a means where a player might be able to fulfil any ideas they had in mind, alongside those already available. It's potentially a niche requirement, but if I can include it without adding too much to the build time, I do.

Campaign Update

Starting from this blog entry, I will now cover any first module updates in this section entitled "Campaign Update". Moving forward, and especially after the second module is added, any fixes to the campaign affects every module that the campaign supports. In the meantime, I just want to add that there will be another update in the form of v2.56E in the coming days or weeks to add additional support or fix some minor points in the first module, The First Day, too.

So, please bear with me as I try to move this project forward. I hope the wait will be worth it. In the meantime, here is another screenshot taken from the first Stage of module two. NOTE: Screenshots from this date onwards will be from the new 3440 x 1440 (approx) format.

Access Locked, Until Conditions Met!


Saturday 5 August 2023

Episode 77: Boom or Bust!

Dungeon delving is all about taking risks in a dangerous environment to come back with great rewards! It kind of reminds me of trying to build a module using the NWN2 toolset. Personally, I find it even more fun when the dungeon I am delving into is connected to the main plot, where I am learning something new about the story I am involved with. Then again, the occasional random dungeon with just a load of loot doesn't go unwelcome either, I guess. So, let us welcome the world of dungeon delving, where a PC can either boom or bust!

The Main Plot Dungeon

After giving you an outline of what I hope to achieve in the coming months in the last blog, this month I am able to inform you that I have made some good inroads into the main dungeon for the first stage of the module. That's not to say that it's the only dungeon for this stage... definitely not. When I say "main", I mean that it is a dungeon related to the "main" quest, rather than suggesting it is the largest you may encounter. That said, like most dungeons I design, I do like them to come with a reasonable amount of depth, both figuratively and literally. Therefore, even this dungeon will require the player to be ready for anything.

As I believe I mentioned in a previous post, somewhere, this particular dungeon scenario is an adaptation of one of my original PnP (pen and paper) D&D designs. Now, while players of my campaign will have already played out this scenario in the PnP days, it was some time ago - we are talking early 1980's! Therefore, even those with the best memory for my campaign will likely welcome a refresher run through this scenario and dungeon, as it will help remind them of how this whole campaign began. Interestingly, for them, it will be the first time they can replay the scenario from a visual computer perspective too, but, and here's the twist, for them (and new players alike) from the viewpoint of a return to that dungeon!

To this end, there will be some things familiar to them, but some new things too. (For newcomers to my campaign, playing the second background choice, they will be seeing it all afresh, of course. However, they too will quickly come to learn that they walk behind the steps of "giants". No, not literal giants, I'm talking about... oh, you'll see , if you have not already guessed it.) However, I have taken this opportunity, not only to bring my original PnP work to the computer, but also to "improve" on it. This is some of my earliest work, and I can confess that some of the writing is a little naive, and the gaming a bit twee in places. I am taking this opportunity to bring some gravitas back to the scenario, and have it play like I remembered it did (in my rose-tinted spec memories), rather than how it would do if I tried playing exactly as it is currently written in its old paper note format.

Dungeon Differences

The scenario I am currently working on is just one among many of my original PnP material that I am bringing into the second module, alongside newer material. In every one, I am bringing the same editorial updates as I am to the current one I am working on, so that the story plays with a more considered approach and with stronger characters.

DESIGN: Most of the actual designs and layouts of the areas and dungeons themselves are very close to their original, except where a pencilled in note cannot be easily executed in a computer environment without some extra scripting. In such situations, I have been able to make some interesting additions to the module and exploited some NWN toolset design features, which, in turn, have ended up being more exciting gaming aspects than the original PnP design! Old players probably would not recall this subtle change, and new players will just think it exciting, I hope. Looking back, I can see that some area designs were "weak", and these have either undergone a redesign or have been removed completely, with any pertinent content moved to another location where it works better.

PARTY WIPE-OUT: I must have been a "hard-ass" DM at the time, as in the notes I am currently working my way through, I have at least two or three situations where I expect the players to respond in a few seconds what it is they intend to do to survive a tense situation. If they got it wrong, then it was time to roll a new party and try again. I must admit, I don't recall us ever having to do that, but, back then, with a DM at the helm, you could easily ad-lib hints and give clues to players that would help them in these sorts of situations when the time came. That said, I just don't like the idea of a game effectively "busting" when certain conditions are not met. Sure, in extreme situations, I can see the drama of such moments, but in a computer version of the same where a quick reload fixes the problem, party wipe-out situations no longer have a place. So, this in mind, these situations have also been revised to be challenging if doing something "stupid", but not a game-breaker.

STORY DELIVERY: I add this here now, more to highlight how this will NOT change, apart from rewriting some of the conversations to account for the "revisit" and to add better dialogue as a whole. Books and scrolls, as it happens, were not too bad, compared to some of the other story aspects, and so most of these have been reused in their original format, albeit again with an occasional tweak that made the story feel more immersive and have a greater sense of place. Basically, a tightening of writing where required, without, I hope, removing material that old players will remember, and new players will ponder for the first time. Suffice to say, the current scenario I am converting is very much at the heart of the main story, and is the one that gives the player the reason for their role in this campaign. For this reason alone, I am trying to make sure it starts and sets the scene well.

So Far, So Good!

I am really excited about the way the latest module has been coming along. It's certainly much bigger than I thought it was going to be... in a way that offers some great scope for adventure rather than be considered anything monotonous. The new scenarios and writing sits alongside the original material well, and with the newer systems coming with this second module with respect to background conversation choices, I think there is quite a diverse level of play to be had... and some interesting dungeons in which to delve!

Hopefully, it won't be much longer and I will be passing this first stage off for alpha-testing. Again, I will be sure to let you know when this happens.

On another note, module one appears quite stable at the moment. I have a couple of minor cosmetic changes that will come with v2.55E, but I am waiting for any last minute feedback from play testers before uploading the next version. As cosmetic changes only, they do not affect the actual gameplay, and so will only be done when I am happy that we are at a definitive update stage.

Finally, here is the reason why "bust" had to appear in this month's blog title:

I Was Hoping For More "Boom"!


Thursday 13 July 2023

Episode 76: Stage One!

Readers of this blog may recall a couple of episodes back, that I had determined that this second module of The Scroll campaign, called Predestinated Days, is effectively comprised of three stages. Taking this into account, I determined that I would concentrate on finishing each stage in order, before moving onto the next. This would allow me to beta-test each stage as I continued work on the next. The last couple of months has been about working on "Stage One". Read on...

A Bumpy Start To The Journey

Reaching this point of building module two has only been achieved after a bit of a bumpy ride, due to me continuing to support and update the first module, making it backward compatible with new additions along the way via campaign file restructuring. Thankfully, I believe that long and arduous task is now nearing completion, if not already completed. Apart from some recent last minute pitfalls, (which frustratingly added some potentially game-breaking updates), the first module, The First Day, should now be in its most stable version of release. Therefore, once the latest play-testers have finished their current games, and I fix any last minute issues they might find, I believe the core files for the campaign will have been fully tested in their latest format. As far as I am aware, most, if not all future scripting is now just a matter of writing new scripts, or adding to an existing template; neither of which should interfere with the first module any further.  

Bottom line: Module one should be near enough on its final version, and all updates to campaign code are now written within their own boundaries for the later modules. Hopefully, readers will recognise this as a big step forward for both the stability of module one, and how it will help expedite the writing of module two. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported me and been patient to bear with me with the many updates through the growing pains of the campaign. Hopefully, the end results were, and will be, worth it.

Stage One Progress

The New Quests

As I look within the toolset and at the numerous quests available for Stage One of the second module, I can see, at a glance, that five entries still require their journal end-points to be completed. However, I am also aware of a sixth journal entry, which has some missing entries that requires completing. I also note that this first stage has the most journal entries of all the three stages of this second module; although I appreciate that this does not necessarily reflect overall play duration, due to some quests possibly being quicker to complete than others. (Please note that I will cover the completion progress of later stage quests in another dedicated post for that stage.)

In the last month, I managed to reach (and add) another "end-point" to one of the larger side scenarios that can be played. All that remains to be done for this scenario, are a couple of conversations and the placement of some plot items. The point I am trying to make, however, is that the main framework for this latest quest is now complete.  For the record, it's worth pointing out that this is one of those quests that does not have to be played within the modules first stage, but, for the purposes of setting myself a completion goal, I have included it in "Stage One" as one of those to work on first.

Of the other entries that remain, one is the path of the main quest, which is a conversion of an old pen and paper scenario that I designed way back in the 1980's. I am hoping that it should not take too long to convert, although I have been adding some other gameplay details to it along the way, so that it reflects the flavour that players would have normally picked up when playing with a DM who would have given more feedback information at the time of play. I am also hoping to add one or two other gameplay aspects to this quest, which work better in a computer environment compared to how it was originally designed to be played in pen and paper. Finishing this quest alone would take care of at least two journal entries that currently remain. This will be the next area for me to concentrate on after I finish the final details of the one I am currently finishing off.

Lastly, there are around four other journal entries that are closely linked to one another, which the heroes will have the opportunity to deal with during this stage of the game. The core outline for these remaining quests is already set in place, but there are one or two conversations that require extra attention due to the logical flow that is involved during the process of completing these related quests. For while I could simplify (and speed up) the whole process, it would be at the cost of some unique gameplay. For me, such a design is the difference between a standard RPG quest experience and one that a player feels is tailored to their own unique gaming experience. If I can achieve this, then it will, hopefully, give a player a unique feel for their game, and the possibility of a different outcome and experience if ever played again.

The New Puzzles

Alongside some of the puzzles that came with the first module, I have introduced some new ones. Some are repeatable (in a similar fashion to the tumbler chest puzzles), but others have been designed to complement the current scenario. This first stage of the second module comes with at least one of these newer puzzles, which is designed in a way that I hope will keep the player intrigued and wanting to push forward in their current quest. In this sense, I have designed the "puzzle" to be part of the adventure. Hopefully, you will understand what I mean by this if and when you have the opportunity to play it.

Regular readers of this blog will know that I enjoy games that include puzzles or mini-games, which are employed in such a way that can add an enjoyable addition to the gameplay. In this second (and third module), I am trying to add some new gameplay that I hope will give players something extra to test both their wits and tactics, while having fun at the same time. I think of the times when, as a DM, I would present a puzzle to my group of players and have them try to figure out what part it has to play at that time, or how it may be of importance moving forward. In my mind, it adds another dimension to the gameplay, which I hope adds an interest and further expectations a player may have.

The New Gameplay

When we look at the AAA games available to play today, at first it may seem like anything we might try to make with NWN2 will appear to fall far short from that which is currently on offer in such new games. However, I have come to recognise that the enjoyment of a game is not just about such things as the introduction of a fancy new graphics engine, but just as much to do with being something "new" in general. The real enjoyment is to be had when a player can relate to a story being told, and has a good understanding of their ability (through their avatar) to be able to participate within it. If, along the way, they learn or experience something new or interesting from what they have experienced before, then that new moment of discovery or achievement is what has the player keep coming back for more.

The fun, as I have come to understand it from my own experience, is in the discovery of something new about the story or game I am playing, which I can then respond to or work with. Conversely, if the story or gaming element is something already (or becomes) too familiar to me, then that is when a game can fall flat, and possibly abandoned. Therefore, even though NWN2 may be considered an "old" platform, I concluded that the story I am writing for the game is still worth telling using it. For while I believe "there is nothing new under the sun", I would, however, like to believe that this story (of my own telling), can still offer some players "pause for thought", and hopefully remain as a memory of a pleasurable experience long after they reach its finale.

I would like to add that my knowledge of using the NWN2 toolset has improved over the years. Unfortunately, this is not in the ability to design new areas with grand and magnificent vistas, but is instead, in an ability (I hope), to give some unexpected designs in gameplay that may surprise the player and give them a moment of experiencing something "new" within the NWN2 gaming platform. I can think of at least two places where the end results of what I was trying to achieve exceeded my own expectations when play tested in-game. Maybe I am easily pleased? The point I am trying to make, however, is that the next module (at least), will come with some new gameplay experiences in the form of some interesting and unexpected differences from the standard NWN2 game that players have come to expect. This is the excitement of playing a modders game, as you never know if the builder has added something new to what is expected from the standard game. In this sense, we can have both the experience of playing a game that we know and love with the added excitement of not knowing what the builder may have in store for us.

Today I can report that Stage One of the second module is one step closer to a point of "completion", at which point I can then pass it on for testing. For now, here is a screenshot from Stage One of module:

Another Time & Another Place!