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.
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| Property of The Empire! |
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