It has been a little while since I looked closely at the co-op multiplayer code, especially for players starting the Background 1 option (and who have played my NWN1 Soul Shaker module). So when a friend of mine and I were setting up our recently bought GoG (Good Old games) version of NWN2 Complete, we decided to test our group MP co-op game selecting the first background. I'll go into more details about this and other events for the month below.
NWN2 Moving Forward
For those interested in NWN2, it will not have escaped their notice that we finally have access to the NWN2 Enhanced version released last month on July 15 by Aspyr. Personally, I was not in any rush to buy it, but after hearing a number of issues from fellow NWN2 modders, I took the plunge and bought a copy from Steam to see for myself. After all, if I could update my module to work with the Enhanced version, then I may also be able to reach a new target audience. Within twenty minutes, I had refunded it.
The problem is that my own campaign will not even start on the new Enhanced version. The reason for this is because the new version changed the way the UI folder and others (with custom modded content) is accessed for the new Enhanced GUIs. Furthermore, core files, especially the likes of the fontfamily.xml, no longer work as before, causing incompatibilities for modded campaigns, like mine and others. I was hoping Aspyr might have managed these file accesses more carefully, to allow existing custom content to still work with the new enhanced engine at least, even if it meant existing customised modules remained incompatible with non-PC platforms due to these very specific changes made to make the game cross-platform compatible.
I had imagined that it was going to be managed in such a way that allowed backward compatibility with older modules customised with their own UI and campaign alterations, but without compromising anything Aspyr have changed in the official campaigns or anything built in the Enhanced version moving forward. However, this does not appear to be the case and any changes to make a custom campaign or module compatible would require a lot of time to implement, unless the custom content had made minimal alterations in the way of general modifications. In such cases, a basic custom module setup would likely still work. However, this has not been the only issues that have come to light, as problems with the conversation editor were also raised in my latest reading, which means further changes (or patching by Aspyr) would need to be made.
Therefore, in the meantime, my friend and I, who had been holding off buying the GoG Complete version while considering this Enhanced version, decided to buy the GoG version instead, and have had no difficulties in setting up the game at all. My current recommendation is to buy the GoG version, as this is still the most compatible and stable version around. I even have my own setup running 3440 x 1440, and I can play co-op with my friend just fine. Furthermore, there are mods around for the GoG version that improve the UI (user interface) to look better than the Enhanced version anyway! Even the overall graphics of the Enhanced edition are not too greatly different from the original from what others have said, and so the only reason to go Enhanced (at this current time) is if you don't own a PC or really want to use a Controller... and if don't mind missing out on many great custom built modules!
Going GoG & MP Co-op Updates!
The above reason is why I ended up buying the GoG version earlier than I was going to. I did not want to miss out on this version, which allowed me to do a complete fresh install from one download, and have it kept up to date for Windows. As my friend also bought a copy, we decided to check my campaign in co-op mode, and this is when a few MP issues (for background 1 especially), came to light. However, only the loss of the "party diary" for background 1 in some character setups would cause a game-breaking bug, but other issues were related to quality of gameplay rather than anything critical. E.g. Clients would not have the Fog of War activated correctly. Clients potentially causing the game to end for all players instead of just for themselves.
All of these MP co-op issues have now been addressed and are among the fixes that will be released in v1.35 when it becomes available. (Currently held back for further testing.) I also took this opportunity to remove the MP Rod of Locating, now placing its most useful functions within the Althéa Main Menu instead. Its original purpose was designed to allow players to highlight creatures or add drawn lines on the ground to help tactical combat. However, these tools are no longer required since the many updates I have made to the campaign, thereby making its original purpose redundant, and so it has been removed from the game. The image below shows the new Althéa Main Menu for a MP game. Lastly, the "Player Follow" facility of the tool has now been added to the Context Menu when right clicking on a PC.
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| MP Rod of Locating Commands Added To The Main Menu |
There were one or two other minor fixes affecting both SP and MP, but I am currently holding back v1.35 for a little more testing before uploading it for release. Updated code is being tested by alpha testers, and I am hoping to have a release in the coming days, subject to their feedback.
You may also notice in the image above that I have made it so the CALENDAR GUI can no longer be dragged about the screen. This is to reduce the possibility of it possibly being lost behind another GUI when traversing the overland map in the second module, where it aids in informing the player of the passing of time.
Predestinated Days
I have also been able to spend some time working on one of the two final areas for the second stage of module two, Predestinated Days. I confess that I had been stuck on an idea that did not play well for some time before I finally managed to see a fun way to implement it. I cannot go into details to avoid giving away spoilers, but it boiled down to a series of puzzles that lacked cohesion for my preferred style of design. I.E. If a puzzle does not have some kind of background or seem right for the design, I would not include it. In this case, however, puzzles were definitely required, but I could not fathom the best way to implement them... until just recently. Now, these puzzles are completed and I just need to finish off the conversations that support the area and the overall design that the players discover.
Therefore, while I had hoped to have this area (and another) finished by now, I am still a little behind this target. I confess that some real life events threw my imagination off track in the last couple of weeks, but hopefully, I am back in the right frame of mind to move forward in the new month.
Alpha testing is still underway with the second module (with what is available already), and I am still hoping to have the second stage available (with the new sections done) for the testers in the very near future. I am very excited from the positive feedback I have received, and I am very excited about having this second module released as soon as possible.
For those that follow me on the forums as well, you will recall that I posted a POLL regarding how players may want me to continue with my campaign design in the light of the new Enhanced version being released. I had been contemplating making a slight alteration that would accommodate a minor variation in the way the second module could have ended. The choice was two-fold: either release what had been done now, earlier than anticipated, with a view to a new ending (and release remaining second module content with the third module later), or stick with the original plan and ending, leaving the third module with its original content. The poll came back an even 50-50 split! Therefore, in the light of my experience of the NWN2 Enhanced version not amounting to much anyway, I decided to stick with my original design plan and not worry about any potential enhanced adaptation until after (if) Aspyr resolve the backward modding compatibility issues they have with their version.
Latest Campaign
As I mention above, v1.35 is in the pipeline and its release is imminent, subject to further testing. It contains mostly MP co-op fixes, but there are still one or two SP quality of play fixes in it too. The main testing at the moment is to do with a change in the conversation scripts that handle inter-party conversations. Coding for a SP is complicated enough, when trying to avoid possessed PCs if possible, but throw a MP game into the mix and then I have to consider all players PCs, including any they may be possessing. I had a version of this in place before, but recognised a potential bug that I have recently addressed in the code. It is this alteration that I am having tested before any release.
There have been one or two other code changes to do with how the game starts, due to some of the co-op changes made mentioned above, but I am hoping these changes will also help SP startup too. As soon as this version has been tested more and passes without any problems, I will upload it for players.
I will leave you with a handful of screenshots that have come from the second module...
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| An Unavoidable Conflict! |
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| A Moment To Reflect! |
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| Somewhere To Shop! |
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| Another Place To relax! |
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