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 13: Entering The Module.

As regular readers of this blog will know, part of the time spent preparing the next module is ensuring a player can bring a PC (or party) from the first module into the next. When considering the potential PC/party combinations involved; from a whole party, just an exported main PC, or a selection of PCs from previous games, the preparation for such can become quite involved, especially where existing equipment and any variables are concerned ... that is some of what I have been up to the last week or so.

While I had already written a fair amount of this module changeover code, I recently came across a problem of duplicated items when building a party from a number of PCs that had all played in module one before. An obvious result, but one I needed to cater for in case another player did anything similar. Furthermore, I discovered that "equipped weapons" did NOT keep their variables (as I first thought they had done), which meant I had to rewrite the variable container code to ensure all weapons were also stored between a module change over.

BREAK OR NONE!

SITUATION ONE (FROM A SAVED GAME): The ideal solution is to cater for players continuing playing the first module from where they left off. That is, they click on the world transition (now available) and the new module loads (after updating the campaign and module files) and the party continue on the world map in module two.

This works fine for players playing the first module and straight onto the second module that would be available to them after they finish, or a player who has added the second module and has a saved game from which they can load their last game from module one.

As such, all equipment, PCs and henchmen should, in theory, transfer and play fairly straightforward.

SITUATION TWO (EXPORTED PC FROM MODULE ONE): If a player does not have a complete saved game (recommended), but had kept an exported PC (from version 2.88* onwards), then they will be able to choose to start the campaign from module two (or three if and when available) and import this PC as their prime PC instead.

(*) Earlier exported versions will work apart from weapons losing their "condition" status. In this case, the player would have to "examine" any weapon they carry upon entering the game to ensure a new condition for the weapon was set. Furthermore, "Runic" enhanced weapons lose their property due to variables being lost on weapons prior to version 2.88. NB: Using any final "saved game" version will allow a player to keep these variables due to using new code from v2.88 to store the variables between module transfers.

For those players who may have played the first module more than once and has a number of potential PCs they could import, then I have also catered form a player importing each of these to form a complete party (to a maximum of four in the normal manner).

Some code now checks what level and equipment these character have and adjust them accordingly. So, if all goes well, only the main character will have "The Scroll" and any unique items (like "Betsy") will only be found on one imported character. Furthermore, single container items that are a maximum of one per player, like "Treasure Bags", are now automatically managed to ensure this remains the case. Any items found in containers "removed" are placed in a chest that the player can loot if need be.

SITUATION THREE (NEW PLAYERS): Quite simply, any new PCs will be levelled and offered equipment according to the level and ability expected. This happens after a player selects which module they wish to start from a module selection menu.

After selecting the module from which to start, the player's PC is moved to the appropriate module, XP given and then the player can interact with nearby placeable objects and a local store to buy anything else they require before moving onto the world map.

MODULE TWO OTHER

Another aspect of code writing specifically for module two has been with respect to some "new creature" properties. I obviously cannot go into detail to avoid spoilers, but suffice to say it included a new VFX among some other new properties for these "class" of creatures that the party will meet in the mega-dungeon ... which I continue to work with.

It was while testing combat versus one of these "new" creatures that I realised the variables had not transferred with the weapon I was using, which was an imported PC from module one. Hence, I had to switch from content writing to mechanics fixing ... but now hopefully will be able to return to the former in the days ahead.

Are We ready To Set Off Now?