Episode 25: Nice New Gameplay!

Writing continues on module two at a better rate than previous weeks as v1.12E of The Scroll has proven to be the most stable release of the campaign to date. (UPDATE: As of 03/03/20, we are now on v1.18E) As this version has continued to be fault free in my wife's own latest play through (since updating), it has meant I have not been diverted from writing new material to sort out any further issues. With nearly 15 hours under her belt of fault free play, then unless she discovers anything else, v1.12E v1.18E may well be the final release of the campaign until module two is done. Talking of module two ... Read on ...

BACKGROUND ROLE-PLAY

So what's new? Well, it's hard to talk about anything too specific again, as much of the latest material is just a continuation of simply writing the whole thing! This includes continuing conversations, journal entries, scripts, etc. However, more specifically, I can say that I am starting to find an efficient way to include more background conversation nodes for players who do end up choosing to role-play a PC background. E.g. Bully or Lady's Man, etc.

I have even altered the script now to allow a Main PC (who are the only PCs that can have such backgrounds) to interject with their background node option, even if the player had started the conversation with a companion. Knowing the conversation node options will always be an option to the player has encouraged me to make the best use of them where possible, and it has been fun doing so.  

UPDATE: As these backgrounds are simply added feats, then (in theory) any PC could have a background, including companions. Therefore, I have reverted to the PC speaking as the PC applying their background comment, with a caveat that if no background has been set (either by the builder as a feat on the companion or as a feat applied as a background trait by the player when creating a PC), then if the Main PC has one set, then that will be offered if there is none other available.

JOURNAL NOTE SYSTEM

Another aspect of play that I have been having fun making more use of since I have it working now, is the ability to add additional notes to the player's journal. This is in addition to the normal journal quest entries, and are added alongside the notes a player can also add to the journal note section. Just like any player added note, they can be deleted by the player at any time, but are added as useful bits of information that help highlight those aspects that may be important when it comes to playing. For example, those players playing module one already may have noticed a note is added if and when a PC learns how to manage weapon repairs at a Repair Bench. This is one of the few notes that module one adds, but module two will make much better usage of this game mechanic to highlight not just game mechanic notes, but possible plot notes too.

NEW AREA MUSIC

I am also playing around with some new music files that I found, which I have managed to convert and add to areas. My test addition worked, and it currently sits as the music for an area I am currently working on. It's a minor new addition, but I hope, along with those I mention above, will be some of those differences that will benefit the next module.

THE MEGA MECHANICS

If you may recall, I have mentioned in the past that there will (also) be a mega-dungeon design in module two, which I hope will be well received. I have taken time and effort to develop a system of new mechanics that complements the overall design of the mega-dungeon to give a completely new experience to sit alongside the normal NWN2 gameplay. i.e. In much the same way players can currently experience new GUIs for puzzles and gameplay in the first module, the new GUI arrangements for module two I believe offer a whole new variety of gameplay to experience!

This week I have also been scripting aspects of this new gaming design to ensure it runs as smoothly and intuitively as possible. One thing I learned during this time is that you cannot get the gold piece value of ammo (bullets, arrows and bolts) like you can with other items. This meant I had to improvise a new way of doing so, which while quite boring to do, does mean I now have the system in place ready to work with some more code. All in all, this whole side of the gaming mechanics is gradually coming together ... right alongside the additional Readable Books I have written to complement such systems in the game and to give the player greater depth to the story. I have found the writing quite rewarding as I have brought the overall campaign story arc together.

That's all for now, as there's not much more I can say without giving spoilers ... Dare I say, I was even reluctant to use this week's screenshot in case it spoiled anything .. but I decided I was just being over cautious, so here it is ....

We Have Found A Tomb!

Episode 41: Moving Forward?

As I write this, a hammer drill echoes through the house as workmen sort an issue for my wife and I. Furthermore, this noise and distraction may last some time, meaning all production of the module will be compromised. Don't worry, once the house work is complete, I hope to regain my pace, but for now, progress may be slower, and this will also be reflected in fewer blogs until things are back to normal. Read on for latest ...

Latest Area

Recently, I have been writing conversations which handle a number of key quests surrounding a location, which the players will encounter nearer the end of the module. I have now sorted much of the initial stages of these quests, but am now working on one of the areas where the action takes place. Progress is slow, simply because I find area design difficult. Also, I have the added consideration of balancing some new game mechanics that take place in this area. It's hard to explain exactly what I mean, but this part of the module plays with some added game mechanics, which require careful application while designing the areas that use them. It all takes time.

The Journal Notes

Another gaming aspect I have been making good use of of late is my Journal Note System, which I first wrote about around this time last year. It has become a very useful tool, not only to help give players a gentle reminder of certain gaming points, but is also useful when keeping track of what players should know at any given time. It acts as a dynamic notebook, with updated notes that players may or may not act upon, but also allows me to observe different variable states that these journal notes may represent. As an example, a player may have a conversation with an NPC and learn of a clue about something the NPC mentions. This will update the journal note system, allowing the player to refer to it, to remind them of some useful piece of information, without incrementing a quest stage. It is also useful for me to observe in testing various variables.

There is not much else to report at this stage, and so leave you with another screenshot from the area I am working on. It may be a little while before I write Episode 42, but hopefully, by the time I do, I will have more to report.

 

Unusual Objects!

Episode 95: Scenarios, Quests & Tasks!

Back in the days when I played pen and paper D&D (prior NWN on the computer), the players adventure took place within a campaign and you played various scenarios designed by the DM (Dungeon Master) in which you defeated monsters and won treasures to pay for your PCs advancement. The campaign was the world or universe in which the different scenarios were set. At the advent of the computer RPG, we soon became familiar with the common term quest, representing all those adventures we love to play, be they representing the main quest or a secondary (or sub) quest. In this month's blog, I am going to take a look back at the way we have defined our game from this perspective... and how I like to use the terms in The Scroll! Yes, it's just semantics, I guess, but it's still exciting to talk about if you like your D&D! However, if my thoughts and musings about such do not interest you, then scroll to the end of the blog entry where I will bring you up to date of where we are at with Predestinated Days, my second module for The Scroll.

The Scenario

One of the words I like to use when writing or describing quests for The Scroll is scenario. Why, you may ask? Well, I believe it conjures a broader sense of the potential goals for the adventure that lays ahead for the players rather than when using the term quest alone. In other words, I like to refer to a scenario as something that contains a collection of "main" quests (and potential sub-quests), rather than something that just has a single goal in mind. For myself, and possibly old school players of D&D, the reference to a scenario also satisfies the idea of an adventure that is going to be of a reasonable depth, while not necessarily being the main goal/story of the campaign.

Alright, I know the distinction may be a subtle one, but let me try to give an example of the kind of thing I mean from my first module. (I don't want to give away any scenario details of the second module.)  So, in the first module, one such scenario is that the PCs find themselves trapped within the village by a barrier of unknown origin. (Such scenarios may or may not be given an actual "quest" name status, subject to the specific design.) It is important to note, however, that this is not the Main Quest for the campaign, but "escaping the village" might be considered one of a few "main" quests for the module (*). Therefore, it may be possible to argue that scenarios simply translates as journal Main Quests within a computer RPG. However, I have to stress that this is not The Main Quest of the campaign, and that distinction will become important as I try to describe what I mean in more detail. I would also like to clarify that as a Main Quest for the campaign does exist (even if not fully realised by the player from the start), it means the module is not (as some may conclude) an open-world design. The story to be found and played is determined by the scenario paths the player decides to take.

(*) Note, when referring to "module" here, I am speaking of the completed game and not the individual "modules" that may make up a complete game.

Layered Quests

The important distinction when considering a scenario versus a quest is that, objectively, the "main" quest in a scenario event ends up being the most important story arc that the player wishes to explore at the time of their playing. It is important to note that any quest can effectively become the "main" quest in the player's eyes. When this happens, it allows the builder to play one quest off against another (within a given scenario) with respect to its importance or dominance. At this point, a journal quest leading in one direction may "pass through" or "interact" with another journal quest, and the player may decide to change tact or quest direction because of events they have played up to that point. Actual "quests" (as recorded in the journal) now become more closely described as "objectives", and if done well, may change a quest direction subject to which "quest objectives" the player prioritises. At that point, the game begins to feel more dynamic and like a D&D scenario, rather than a computer "tick box" exercise of completing "quests".

Multiple Scenarios

Hopefully, from the example above, it can also be recognised that scenarios are not always clearly stated, although strongly implied. However, every scenario the player perceives, or becomes involved in within the game, now becomes their choice of their current "main" quest. So, continuing the example above, the player may take their party about the village asking about the barrier, or, alternatively, simply go off exploring. Let's say they decide to go exploring their local area rather that start asking about the barrier. As they do so, they find a cave in the next Shoreline Road area and decide to explore this instead. Before they know it, they find some bloody rags of someone who has obviously been here recently. Continuing on, they suddenly discover the cavern system has been infiltrated by more than just the wolves they had recently killed... but also by a foreign human cult who attacked the heroes on sight! What is going on here?

The game is now on! By now, the journal will have updated regarding the encounter and the player must decide what they intend to do about it, as a new scenario they find themselves in. If they survived the encounter, do they report back to the authorities, or try to find out what is going on by themselves? Is this related to the barrier problem or not? The new journal entries suggest paths to follow, and include "objectives", but ultimately, the quest they take will be based upon the scenario the player wishes to play out. They can either pursue a current objective that their current path has taken them to, or turn about and try going somewhere else. Now, the player is playing D&D and not simply following a determined path. Couple that with their choice of play affecting future scenarios (or journal quests) and the game becomes interesting to know how it will all end.

The drawback to working to a multiple scenario design, is that it takes a lot of time to consider the many permutations that a player may like to consider playing from any given point. This is why most computer RPGs do follow a simpler "Quest" (main or sub) design, as it compartmentalises events that are self-contained and do not rely on one another for interaction. Don't misunderstand me, however, as these can be very well designed to have an impact later in a game, as many computer RPGs already do, but the difference is the timing of when such choices make a difference. We are not just talking about how decisions impact the game later, but possibly within the next scenario the heroes find themselves in, which may happen just around the corner. 

Sadly, my time is limited to just how many permutations I can account for and I have to be firm with myself and draw a line as to when a path cannot be taken. Normally, these are the more obscure paths that players are less likely to find anyway, but I do sometimes regret not being able to accommodate a certain path, especially when I have a handful of other repercussions bubbling away in my mind should the path have been made available. In the end, I just hope the number of permutations that I do manage to include will keep players interested for at least a second play through. The good news is that, in my opinion, the second module, Predestinated Days, benefits from the multiple scenario support better than the first module even, as I have learned new ways of how to handle such things as the years have passed.

Considering Tasks

Now, scenarios (or quests), subject to how you want to perceive them, come with clear objectives to keep the player moving forward in the current scenario or main story. However, there are some objectives that can, and should, as I understand the gameplay, be considered "tasks" rather than "quests". In this situation, the term "sub-quests" (or secondary quests) has, in the past, been used to describe what I would consider calling "tasks". Note, I am aware that some games do separate these smaller gameplay steps into their own descriptors, but with respect to the NWN game, they mostly get amalgamated into a single "quest" step or are demoted to a sub-quest when using the journal, or possibly not mentioned in the journal at all. The problem is that "tasks", when implemented fully, can be either "essential" or "non-essential" and so being able to separate them out according to any journal entry they work alongside with can be helpful to the player, so that a "task" (if added as a quest) is not lost among the quest list already available to the player.

So, as an example, a task may be to collect a number of items for someone. As I said previously, such collected items may or may not be essential for the main quest or scenario currently being played. However, if the task for a scenario (or quest) is clearly recorded, then once again, it can make it easier for the player to decide what they wish to prioritise as their current objective. To this end, I have been able to help separate and distinguish the various tasks available when playing The Scroll, which I hope adds a new and useful aid for the player.

Predestinated Days

Although it has been a long month, I did not quite hit my target. Don't misunderstand me, I managed to get a lot done, but I also had to put some time aside to fix one or two logical flow issues that came to light related to conversations that had been written way back earlier in the year. So, when taking these additional alterations into account, I am probably just three to four days behind where I wanted to be by now.

The Bloodstone College scenario is nearing completion with only a handful of conversations outstanding. I do still need to add the encounters and finish placing a few final items required throughout the areas, but most of the essential items have now been created and placed. During this time, I also managed to add some puzzle elements, a couple being new, one of which is scenario specific. That is, the puzzle is not used as a generic interface, like combination chests, but is a single purpose puzzle just for the task at hand.

I am optimistic about being able to finalise this scenario in the coming days to the point of being able to allow my wife to alpha test this section of the code. Once she has played through and I have fixed any bugs found, I will then offer it to my other alpha tester if they have the time to test it too. I am very keen to see how this second stage plays out, and while I still have some sections of the second stage to complete after the Bloodstone College scenario, I am hoping these will be completed in the next month or so, and at which point the second stage will be fully completed. Then I will move to the third and final stage of the second module!

Latest Campaign

I released the latest v1.29 of the campaign folder today, alongside the April release of the module. The module updates are minor and affect the storage chest and some oil flasks. The campaign update, however, is worth grabbing, especially if you enjoy crafting, as I have fixed the broken official section of code that was preventing an upgrade when improving the enhancement of a weapon. Other than that, there were a few other updates and minor fixes (check out the download page), but all in all, the code is pretty stable since v1.28 anyway. Its stability and lack of needing to make further fixes or alterations is why I have been able to make better progress on the second module. On that note, I will leave you with a couple of screenshots, that I hope will whet the appetite to want to play the second module when it becomes available.

 

A Beautiful Garden!

Did I hear Something Up Ahead?

"It's A Bunny!" - Added To Bestiary

Regular readers and even new readers will soon come to see that I am a fan of rabbits - and as the 10th-18th May is Rabbit Awareness Week, I thought I would combine my love of these wonderful creatures with my latest module update: The Bestiary.

To begin with, let us look at a picture of Daisy (who has now sadly passed away) when she had first come to us and used to run around like something crazy. Hence, she soon got the name, Crazy Daisy! While certainly not something to be afraid of (cue Monty Python sketch), she certainly knew how to grab the limelight.

NB: The hutch in the picture below was NEVER used. All our bunnies were indoor bunnies and lived a life of indoor comfort - when not playing around outside of course. This hutch was what "Bud" (Daisy's "HusBun")  had come to us in.

Mind your toes - I'm coming through!

The Bestiary System

So, how would Daisy fit in with the new Bestiary system I have planned for my module? Well, just like any new creature the PCs come across, or maybe read about, then there is a possibility that information about the creature will be noted to be recalled from accessing the journal; which has had a new TAB added to its design for such a purpose.

A couple of creatures turned up to help demonstrate!

Two Sizes of Journal

For those who may not be aware, I have also designed the journal so that it can be toggled between small and large scale to allow it to be more easily seen by the player. Here is a full screen image showing how big the larger journal actually is. NOTE: I am still working on the size of text for this larger version.

Bigger journal option for easier viewing!

Show Information GUI Update

A few weeks ago I showed you my new "Show Info" GUI, which helps to compensate for the missing functionality from NWN1, where a player could easily see where certain NPCs are at the push of a button. Below is a screenshot showing its new look, with a draggable top bar and tooltip in action. Note also, some creatures have different colour text to help denote whether they are "merchants" or more "notable" characters.

Note the merchants stand out in BLUE text!

More than this, however, is the fact that the button now also acts as a GUI toggle button to help minimise the amount of GUIs on screen if need be, for times when a larger viewing area (for when exploring or mapping) is preferred. Take a look at the difference when the button is used: It removes all hotbars and chat windows, which are easily toggled back again when needed.

Much clearer without all those GUIs on - Let's go exploring!

Daisy In Rabbiting On Again!

Finally, and not least, I am proud to announce that Daisy made it into the Rabbiting On magazine again this month with the following picture. We had only just got her when I took this picture and it really did look like she was posing for the photograph. :) Did I not mention that it's Rabbit Awareness Week. :)

If you want to help sponsor my wife's activity for it, go here: Bunny Sponsored Walk

Hurry up and take the photo! I want to go and play again!

RIP sweetheart .. and to all my beloved pets I have lost over the years.

The Adventure Continues .... 28. Not So Small Ants! (v2.52)

We were hit by a number of small issues in the last session. Nothing game-breaking, but annoying enough to require another module update as well as a campaign one. Alongside being unable to pick up some dropped items, we experienced some missing journal entries, and gold duplication again. Even the crafted item naming still haunted us with another variation of the fault. Anyway, here are the details ...

The List of Fixes

1) GOLD DUPLICATION (AGAIN): Let's get this one out of the way first. First and foremost, the code itself was fairly well fixed, apart from one small detail. The code was fixed for SP games, but broken for MP ones, in that the new gold initialisation function, which corrected the amount of gold carried to pouches owned was not firing for anyone but the host. Therefore, when (as in our case) the DM started the session, the DMs gold would have been initialised (not that I carried any), but players entering after no longer had the module variable set to ensure they had their gold corrected. The bottom line, the gold carried by any companions was added on top of the gold of the main PC when they rejoined. The variable check has now been added to ensure every player has the gold initialisation function fired as they enter the session.

2) PLACEABLE ITEMS: The second issue we experienced was when a player temporarily dropped a scroll and went to pick it up again. Unfortunately, the "placeable" item object representing the dropped item was created "static", which meant the player could not retrieve the dropped item. There were four or five placeable objects, including books and scrolls that needed correcting in the toolset to fix the broken item drops. Therefore, this fix requires a MODULE update. WORKAROUND: Do NOT drop scrolls or books unless you know you no longer need them. NB: The game will not allow you to drop plot items anyway.

3) SCALED CREATURES: On the back of an earlier fix when I discovered some "scaled" creatures appeared too small for an encounter, we now discovered some were too big. In our session, the ants the heroes encountered, while supposed to be "giant", were, perhaps, a little too big. I have now adjusted the algorithm that calculates the maximum size of scaled creatures .. and they appeared to be better proportioned.

4) CRAFTED ITEM NAME (AGAIN): Although I had fixed a variation of this problem last week, a new variation returned this week. On testing the fix last time, the problem appeared fixed (and would remain unspotted) if a player left-clicked on an item on the bench to gain an item description *before* picking it up. Thereafter, clicking on the item after then acquiring it would have kept the new name given after item creation. However, if a player simply looted the item directly from the workbench without first left-clicking/looking at it, then the name change would have been lost by the time it was looked at again within the PCs inventory. I could not find any way to "keep" the new name if a player directly looted it from the workbench, and so in the end I ended up transferring the item directly to the crafter after exiting the renaming GUI. i.e. The player no longer picks it up from the workbench, as it is now given directly after the crafting process. This ensures the new name stays in place by the time the player looks at it in their inventory.

5) JOURNAL ENTRIES: We encountered a couple of journal issues this session: (i) A journal update for Ravel's Request was missing if the heroes acquired the missing rod lost to Scraps. This has now been fixed. On the night the missing entry was not noticed by the players, as they shortly after encountered Ravel at the graveyard anyway, which moved the plot forward for this quest. However, this has now been fixed to aid as a reminder of the path to follow for players. (ii) A journal entry for The Barrier did not update after the death of Ravel, to put players back on the path of seeking the rods for Orechin. This is a rare entry update as it only occurs if the heroes have not yet entered the wizard's tower. It's not an essential update, but helps the players remain focused on their task in hand. (NOTE: I need to update our own session's journal entry for this journal update after killing Ravel.)

6) SCRAPS GONE: Scraps obviously preferred the easy life compared to adventuring after he decided to head back to the Bloated Buckle Inn during an area transition. Joking aside, this may have been caused by a variable that is added to henchmen left to wait, which the heroes have done in the past. This variable is now cleared after henchmen are invited back to the group again. (NOTE: To update this variable within our own session, players need to dismiss and invite Scraps back again.)

7) GOLD ON TRANSFER: I left this one almost to last because it appears to be a new version of a GOLD bug. However, I have had troubles duplicating it, and it may be a red-herring and simply a glitch. Basically, this is what happened: When transferring some arrows or bolts from a main PC to a companion, a number of Money Pouches appeared on the companion at the same time. No other items triggered it, and I was unable to duplicate the issue when transferring from the main PC to created PCs. Furthermore, when a second player left the session, the problem appeared to go. I was unable to duplicate the problem thereafter. For the time being, I have tidied some variables around the target of the item transfer code and will test again the next time we are all together, or before if I have the opportunity.

8) CORRUPT PC ON LEAVING: Sometimes the session may report a PC that left the game was "corrupted". This may be reported if an old variable has been left behind on a PC that may have once had an issue. I have since updated the code that handles this to work more efficiently, and it now also deletes the variable before it makes future checks, and so in theory, should be gone by the time the player leaves the next time ... unless there had been a genuine problem.

Stashing The Gold At Kathy's

Gigantic Soldier Ants!

Karasten Crafting Again

Spending Some Of The Treasure!

Ravel's Party!

The Adventure Continues ... 28. Not So Small Ants!

Maybe Just A Tad Bigger Than Expected!

NB: Contains spoilers for ALL backgrounds.

The heroes finished unloading the last of their gold stash at the property of Kathy, who had kindly said they could store some of their equipment with her. By the time the heroes had left, over 25 000 gp had been secreted around the apothecary's abode. For their remaining tasks, however, the heroes needed to be able to stash their loot and lighten their load somewhere, and Kathy's place seemed as secure as anywhere.

After finishing business with Kathy by purchasing diminution potions and the ingredients they needed to create the ant poison, the heroes headed straight over to Frank's mill, where they knew the old farmer had barricaded the entrance to his silo where the ants had surfaced. It was not long before Helden was smashing down the barricade and exposing the heroes to the first gigantic ants that they had been tasked to destroy.

Even though they had been expecting such large vermin, the sudden realisation of the ant's gigantic size even took the heroes by surprise. However, they quickly regained their composure and swiftly dealt with the two soldier ants that guarded the entrance. Once cleared, the heroes took their diminution potions, and quickly entered the ant entrance while the potion lasted. Thankfully, the entrance opened up as they went farther in, and by the time they entered the tunnels fully, they were able to stand even after the potion had worn off. Unfortunately, however, even their brief movement into the nest had caused the entrance to collapse behind them. Now they would have to find another way out after dealing with the issue they had come here to do.

It was not long before the heroes suddenly noticed some more ants coming their way. However, it soon became obvious that these ants were not going to attack them; they appeared to be "worker" types only, and uninterested in the heroes. They then understood that it would be the "soldier" types that they would need to defend against.

The ant tunnels twisted and turned in a number of directions, causing the heroes to become disoriented on a number of occasions. However, they carefully kept track of their passage, and as they continued to confront and defeat soldier ants, they slowly made progress deeper into the ant nest. After a short while, the heroes came across the barrier; it had even reached underground. The group of adventurers quickly realised that this would be a good place to use the poison, and so quickly emptied the vile to prevent any more ants coming this way. A short way farther, they discovered another path that carried beyond another section of the barrier, and did the same.

It was also during their time here that the heroes discovered unusual dirt mounds, and in one such mound found the divining rod that they had been seeking all along. Whether Scraps had brought it here himself, or it had been moved here by the ants, it was hard to tell. It was just good to find the first of the rods they needed. Now, the poison placed, and the rod found, they simply needed to escape the nest. Thankfully, during their underground walk, they had noticed a breeze in one of the tunnels, which, upon investigation, did lead to the surface. Upon exiting the tunnels, the heroes carefully closed the hole behind them and returned to Frank, who was relieved to see them alive, and pay the reward they had agreed.

Over the time that followed, the heroes decided to rest, buy new and repair old equipment, and even have Karasten enhance Myara's bow. At the end of the time, nearly a day, the heroes had fully repaired every piece of equipment and Helden felt ready to consider investigating the crypts for Orechin. Their journey to the graveyard entrance was cut short, however, when they encountered Ravel, who went on to accuse them of having something that belonged to him; referring to the divining rod.

The meeting was never going to go well, as the heroes had already suspected the unusual character of evil doings of necromancy, but what happened next appeared to confirm their fears. The hooded figure of Ravel quickly summoned a number of skeletons around the heroes and the party found themselves in combat. Ravel had underestimated the growth in the heroes abilities since he last met them, however, and it was not long before the evil man was paying the price for his treachery, with his life!

The battle over, Helden thought it best to return to Orechin to update him with the latest news of what had transpired. They now had one rod in their possession, and from a diary they found on the dead necromancer (for the diary confirmed the fact), they now knew the remaining two rods were in the keep of Merkes. As much as Helden did not want to step foot in the Thieves Guild again, it appeared fate had another plan for him as he was likely to have to speak with Merkes again.

TOTAL SESSION TIME (UNPAUSED): 2 Hours 30 Minutes.
GAME TIME SINCE START: 59 Hours 30 Minutes.
QUESTS ACTIVE: 7 QUESTS COMPLETE: 28 (Ignoring Rule Info)

It's For You!

I can now show you some of those scroll images that Geoff Cordery (Quillmaster) managed to put together for me. (Thanks Geoff.) He did half a dozen images for me (one special one just for the campaign), but I will only show a few of them here (and especially not the special one) to give you an idea of how they look. The good thing about these scroll images is that they are around 700 x 700 pixels, which means they are already a good size to display on screen, without the need to blow up and cause them to pixelate.

Scroll images are now available at the Vault.





The screenshots show the whole screen so that you get an idea of how big the scroll GUIs are. In the end I had to slightly alter the XML that displayed these GUIs because the close button and text displayed would not quite match up for each type. I think the differences and slightly extra work were worth it though. Of course, I could leave the close button off altogether and just let the player hit the escape key, but I have currently left it in just in case the player has more than one GUI open at the time.







These scrolls, like my Readable Books, allow for a journal entry to be updated after being read, and so they are quite useful to put across plot points for the players. I decided not to attach a number of other events to these for the time being, but there is no reason why they could not have all the events as used in the Readable Books.









PC Background

I have also managed to put together some of the PC background section that is set by players at the start of the module to help set the scene for both them as a player and for their PC. I wanted to allow both players of Soul Shaker and those who come along new to be able to start in this new era of the campaign, and so devised a "Background" GUI that requires one answer from a player that sets the game up for them. Depending on their answer, the player will have their PC know more or less about events at the start of the game. Furthermore, the same answer will steer the player into learning more about the story before they get underway.

Toolset Tip (Companion Compatibility)

During my time putting together some scripts this week (especially to do with Readable Books), I discovered quite a major point when it comes to programming events when the player may be using a companion instead of their Main PC. In particular, GUI responses only ever assume to work through the Main PC, even if the player is using a companion. This meant I had to figure a way to store the companion on the Main PC in the event that I needed to recall the companion object under such circumstances. I got around the issue with a couple of lines of code:

object oMainPC = GetOwnedCharacter(oPC);
SetLocalObject(oMainPC, "PCReader", oPC);

These two lines placed under the line that gets the PC store the PC being played (including a companion) onto the Main PC. Then, in the situation when only the Main PC is returned, I can retrieve the correct PC by using this example code in the script:

object oMainPC = OBJECT_SELF;
object oPC = GetLocalObject(oMainPC, "PCReader");
if(oPC == OBJECT_INVALID){oPC=OBJECT_SELF;}

This is something that I had to do in my released Readable Books and Captured SpellBooks. The Vault versions have now been updated to v1.02 to reflect this new code that makes them companion compatible. And now that I know this, of course, it is something I will keep an eye out for.

As a further side to this, I now recognise the important distinction when coding between the Main PC and a Companion in other ways too. For instance, journal entries activated by a companion do not show in the companions journal - at least not in the settings I have tried. This is not a problem of course, as long as the player is aware of this and checks their Main PC's journal for updates instead. It is possible to iterate between all the companions to update their journals with extra code as well, but I decided to simply add one entry to the companion journal effectively saying check the leader's journal instead.

There is a point of note for the player here as well, in that while they may play more than one character (via using companions), it is still their Main PC (acting as a sort of leader for the small group) who determines many of the major points for the small group. This is obvious in hindsight, but is still worth mentioning so that players are aware. E.g. If the leader does something to affect their alignment, then the player should note that supporting companions are also said to be "going along" with their leaders choices and have their alignments shifted at the same time. In other words, some actions played by the leader affect the whole group. Furthermore, even acts committed by a companion count as if they had been "ordered" to do so by the leader (Main PC) and so the whole group are affected together. In fact, in this sense, while the PCs may be individuals, some of their actions count as if they affect the group as a one whole.

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!

Episode 39: The Path Opens Before You!

It's a good feeling when plans start to come together, and the results of the last few days have helped a great deal with that feeling for me. At last, I am starting to move towards conversations that open more paths for the player to follow, which in turn, allow me to start to write more conversations and update journal entries. Read on ...

Opening Up The Pathways

My favourite kind of RPG is one where I can easily switch between the various tasks a module may offer and pursue them in various ways. i.e. I am not forced along a specific linear pathway because that is the way the story goes. Don't get me wrong, I am all up for a very strong and engaging story in an RPG, but how that story develops or unfolds, I like very much to be in the hands of the player. Achieving this, however, is not as straightforward as one may think

The key is to minimise choke points, which are basically those events that do force the player to have to pass a certain point in the game, and which the module designer uses to ensure the player's party is at a certain stage in the overall game. As an example, requiring a key could be designed as a choke point. If not handled well, however, a player with a rogue who can pick locks, or a wizard that can cast Knock, or even a fighter that can normally bash through walls will not be pleased about such from the perspective of player agency. Such points have to be carefully considered, and implemented in such a way that do not spoil the experience, and the builder must do as much as they can to have such choke points appear most logical under the circumstances.

A linear game basically consists of choke points at every stage of the game, and leaves little in the way of choice of direction for the player. Conversely, if used sparingly, such choke points will be conveniently "disguised" among the many other options the player is considering. The downside to designing such a game is that it requires a lot more time to make work, as followers of my bog will have already witnessed. As an example, I have a trigger that a player could activate in one of four states, subject to the path they have taken, with each response varying according to the party makeup. And this is just a small notification trigger that can either update a journal note or a journal quest stage.

The latest news, however, is that I have just passed through another such design aspect and am now able to progress with the main quest and various sub-tasks available beyond this latest choke point. From a design perspective, it allows the builder a little more breathing space to be more creative again. The only problem to remember with such, however, is that all these new paths need to be brought back together before the next choke point! This is less of an issue for side-tasks, but certainly important for the main quest.

The pathways now open again for me, I have already started work on two new quests and a continuation of a third. This involves a few more conversations and new area events, which should all be most fun for me to prepare and interesting to the player too!

Improved Code

Again, thanks to the latest feedback from my wife (who is playing yet another play-through of module one), I have been able to focus on those areas of coding that can go under the radar unless certain playing criteria are met. For example, the efficiency of "loops" in certain areas of code is one huge aspect I have concentrated on since she has been playing with a party size of 10- to 12 members. Other areas include the code around hard-core death, as she in playing another run through that way. Also what happens to certain NPCs who have a neutral faction and have been subject to monster attacks at inadvertent times. All such pointers from such play testing have now been addressed, and serve to make for much more efficient coding, and make the experience more enjoyable.

Most of all, however, being able to apply all the benefits of my knowledge of building module one to module two have been of great benefit. And having a huge library of module one functions to draw upon has made the whole process so much easier ... and fun! There is a definite shift in time spent debugging compared to time spent creating.

As a side note, I intend to release module one v1.36E after my wife has finished pay testing this time around, as there are a number of very useful fixes. 

Finally, here is an screenshot from a stage after moving on from the last choke point!

Never Ignore A Gut Feeling!

The Scroll: New Version 2.65 Release Imminent (Big Update) - PENDING!

First, I would like to thank my wife for giving the time to play test The Scroll in its single-player (SP) mode, enabling me to be able to iron out any new bugs that may have been introduced since our testing/updating of the multi-player (MP) sessions a the few months previously. She is finally coming to the end of the story (for a second time) after playing for another 70 hours (according to the in-game timer).

I would also like to thank all of you who have been waiting patiently for the latest version after the many updates I had been doing to overcome MP issues (and some updates), which may have introduced their own problems in the course of the latest changes. In some tests, I had even had to reverse/adjust some updates, as they did cause some issues of their own. Thankfully now, however, I believe the work has now paid off to allow me to present the latest v2.65, which should be relatively sound, even with the latest adjustments.

THE UPDATE INFO

Of all the changes, the main thing is that the latest code has been finalised with respect to module swap-overs. While this will not have any immediate obvious effect on playing The Scroll, it does now enable the player to keep either, in order of preference (a) A final save game, or (b) An exported PC, with which to start play with any of my modules released in the future. e.g. The Scroll (Part 2). And while this may appear to be a long way off, I am still trying to write this latest module when my health and time allows. It is my hope to release both modules 2 and 3, but time will tell.

The good news with respect to later modules is that the core campaign code is in place and means adding new material is somewhat more easy simply because I am not having to rewrite the core code, allowing me to concentrate on plot and any dedicated story scripts instead.

NB: I need to point out that due to a core change in one of the module's areas, this latest version is definitely NOT compatible with any previous editions of the game. I apologise for that, and can only recommend you start afresh - and hopefully are able to enjoy the game in its more completed state.

IMPORTANT REPAIRS

During the course of many updates since withdrawing the module for repairs, it has undergone probably a further 100 or more updates, ranging from simple typos, to some significant code changes. And while I know it is unlikely that I will have squashed every bug (even now), I do hope the critical ones have finally been put to bed. Some of these have included:-

1) JOURNAL ENTRIES: In some unusual circumstances, in the course of testing, a journal entry sometimes failed to update. Most of the times it was non-critical, but was still misleading. The ones that may have not fired that were critical often related to other areas of code problems, such as critical item drops (need to be acquired to update the journal). Such areas of the code have now undergone some rigorous testing to ensure the journal entries stay up to date. I also had to reinstate some "double" update code to accommodate TOKENS usage in journal entries, so varying journal entry info updated correctly.

2) ITEM COLLECTION: Various aspects of the code surrounding the acquisition of plot items was the most critical area of updating this patch addresses, as it could potentially be the biggest cause of broken quests. From item drops on the death of creatures, to items passed from NPC/PC to others, the code has been looked at very closely. As always, most of the issues were caused by timing of the code, which I have now streamlined.

3) FORCED CONVERSATIONS: Addressed some rare issues of some important conversations failing to fire if the player was either "compromised" or the player was not playing their Main PC. While these conversations could often be recovered (by manual player interaction), this could, nevertheless, not be relied upon.

4) TRANSITIONS: The last of the critical aspects addressed were transitions, which one would have thought to be the most straightforward from the very start. However, due to the number of checks the module makes when a player exits an area, a timing issue caused some failures if the transition was from a conversation. It was a simple enough fix when found, but still required testing to ensure I had caught all places it was required. There was even one last requirement in the last session my wife play-tested, which was pretty much well after she had been everywhere. Thankfully, this is one of those issues that once fixed, will stay fixed.

Going forward, I hope now that all my critical hook scripts, On(UN)Acquire, On(UN)Equip, etc, are now fully settled and tested sufficiently for both PCs and NPCs/Monsters to such a degree that any "additions" are now only made to those linked executable scripts, which do not interfere with the general functionality of the main ones. E.g. The On Area Enter  now calls its own dedicated executable script for events that happen on entering the areas, including any new ones I have to cater for. Therefore, in theory, the existing code (including those parts already in the additional executable) will not be affected as I continue to update with newer modules/areas.

IMPORTANT UPDATES

Many of the last updates I was uploading previously was to do with changes related to the MP side of the game, and the alterations I was having to make for both MP and SP support. This is why (in the end) I made the decision to stop the many updates and concentrate on a SP testing to allow me to re-release the module after further updating/testing.

1) TB SYSTEM: I believe those issues that MP testing highlighted gave me some important pointers on where I needed to improve the SP code too. In particular (and I know not all will be using this aspect of the game), was the Althéa Turn-Based Combat System. I provided a video to show how the newer update allowed better switching between AI and PUPPET MODES for all or individual PC control. As my wife used this system with every battle, I was able to overcome all the issues that she encountered, including such things as "compromised" PCs. I believe I have ironed out all major issues with this system now, and hopefully even the minor issue we had of "ghosted" ammo appearing in an ammo slot when it clearly is not actually available. (Let me know if you experience it.)

2) RIGHT-CLICK INVENTORY: After recognising that the right-click was missing the option to open an inventory, I decided to add it. The default is the Main PC, or the PC you right-click on.

3) RECIPE BOOK INFO: The information for a recipe book now falls inline with other inventory items, in that you now have to left-click on the book to have the feedback in the chat window, rather than simply hover as before.

MINOR ISSUES OVERCOME

As I implied above, there has also been a large number of minor "annoying" bugs fixed, from (a) intermittent problems with the automated inventory item collection system and stacking; (b) the  Summon Clockroach horn failing; (c) placeable damage feedback; (d) Cutscene encounters not firing; (e) Sound files not firing, and even (f) Encumbrance values, among some others I do not mention here.

THE CHALLENGE

Now the challenge remains for both me and you! For me, it is to try to persevere with the next module, especially now that my wife and friend are awaiting the next instalment. And for you, if you feel encouraged to do so (and when it is finally uploaded), is to try out The Scroll for yourself!

Be warned, however, that among other things, I have addressed creature balancing, which my wife found more challenging on her SP game, second time around. I believe it can still be possible to run through the game without taking a "defeat", but the path you take will affect the odds.

Furthermore, The Scroll is as much a thinking man's dungeon as well as a dungeon-crawlers, who usually like to simply hack their way through. You will come across puzzles that require player input, even if there are often short-cuts too.

However, the game CANNOT be beaten unless the player takes note of what is provided by the story, and is involved with what is going on. It is the closest "PnP feeling" game to D&D on computer that I know of, and I have played my fair share of computer games. It was designed as a D&D campaign from the start; and as a DM of pen and paper for many years, I used to design puzzles for my players to overcome within the game as a matter of course. This aspect remains within The Scroll, and would require your attention!

As the advert says in the first Ripped Puzzle: "Illiterates need not apply!"

Beta Testing Report (FIRST FIVE BETAS)

Today, I have finished uploading the files and I have decided to use this blog as the central link for informing beta testers of bugs discovered and the changes made. It will also be the area where a player can check back and find the links to any patch file, which I will keep a link to from here, as well as in any emails I send. Note: Apart from the patch file and the "Information.rar" all other file links will be supplied direct by the emails you have provided me.

BETA TESTERS (Updated upon request): andysks; Thierry (4760), Grinsekatze, rjshae,  ...

IMPORTANT NEW PATCHING INFORMATION

Patching process is now only received via direct email communication.

Replace existing hak with this one. (Confirms version update in game. NB: Name will now always be althea_patch_latest.rar. This way I can replace an existing patch and simply update the version number here of what to expect after patching your module.) NB: If your game does not tell you it has been updated after replacing the hak, then please try downloading again. If it still fails, let me know. The version you are currently running can be found in your Main Menu when you click on Rule Information.

// v5.17 - Fixed ROUND COUNTER.
// v5.16 - Fixed snowballs and healing herbs. Updated bestiary include and images.
// v5.15 - Fixed crafting case sensitive resrefs checks.
// v5.14 - Fixed companion journal for Thierry. Fixed lag problem in Chaos Vortex due to scaling issue.
// v5.13 - Fixed broken journal for companions and Orechin conversation.
// v5.12 - Map Pins improvement (by allowing companions area transition to keep something upon enter.)
// v5.11 - Journal Fix.
// v5.10 - Fixed post descriptions on items when unacquired for any reason. E.g. Runic addition.
// v5.09 - Fixed broken function that checks party skill - best PC in.
// v5.08 - Astend conversation logic on order of events. Core dump.
// v5.07 - AI FIXES - CORE FILE DUMP.
// v5.06 - CORE FILE DUMP.
// v5.05 - Fixed Travis conversation. Fixed Melissa conversation about ants.
// v5.04 - Fixed smelter usage.
// v5.03 - Fixed incorrect pause delay. Creation Pen Removal. Halls Effects Removal. Journal entry.
// v5.02 - Fixed an impotent Melakar
// v5.01 - Removes debug feedback.
//======================================================================
// v4.06 - Resest attempts for Thierry.(Critical.)
// v4.05 - Fixed book for Zakeree for beta testers.(Critical.)
// v4.04 - Fixed broken rune lock timers. Broken journal entry.(Critical.)
// v4.03 - Fixed Talanthian door to remain unlocked on second usage. Add missing items. (Critical.)
// v4.02 - Fixed non-comtainer placeable combi locks. E.g Anciet Crypt pedestal (Critical.)
// v4.01 - Dryad conversation fix (updates quests). (Critical.)
// v4.00 - Quest fixes (completion) for Rjshae and Thierry (Non critical.)
//======================================================================

EARLIER FIXES LINK

// ==============================================================================

LATEST REPORTED ISSUES


09/09/15: THE GAME TIMER - This module uses a simple game timer, which is accessible from the Main Menu. It is only provided as a very rough guide, as it runs a bit inaccurately, and even stops when the game is paused (of course). Those of you who may have been monitoring your Game Time, may also notice that the time recorded has been halved. This is to take into account an error found in the time keeping (going twice as fast as it should have been).

09/09/15: "NO REST" AREAS - This module uses its own NO RESTING feedback. However, I did not remove the "No Resting Allowed" property from some areas prior this release, which means the official campaign system kicks in before my own system gives any feedback. Therefore, be aware of this when trying to rest in some areas. E.g. In Merkes place, you simply get the "No resting allowed in this area" in the chat window, which can easily be missed if you are used to the other system.

08/09/15: "STOLEN" ITEMS - I discovered there still remains a number of placeable containers missing an important script that means the contents are not marked "Stolen" in the normal way and Trickster Jewellery is not setup correctly. I am addressing these as I discover them, and they CANNOT *easily* be fixed via the patch and so it's not worth the time doing so. (They will be fixed in the final.) You will find an example of this in a chest inside the Bloated Buckle Inn (if you find it).

04/09/15: SOUNDS - I discovered a deeply embedded function "LBPlaySound" needed to have its target association changed when playing sounds. This has been fixed for future releases, but no patch will deal with a situation in your own game. Basically, if you are not possessing your main PC, who is far from the one you are possessing, then you may not hear some sounds play. (Rare situation.)

04/09/15: GEMS - I discovered a couple of gems were not indicating that they can be used in crafting: the Alexandrite and the Amethyst. These have been updated in this module, but will not show in your findings of them. They can still be used as such though.

03/09/15: LOWER RESOLUTIONS - I discovered that some of you are running at lower than 1920 x 1080 resolution. This causes a problem with some new GUIs that are "fixed" for 1920 x 1080 resolutions. However, I have "unlocked" them with a fix so that player on lower resolutions setups can move the GUIs around to suit their needs. At the moment, this has only been reported as required for the Rune Lock puzzle. If you play at a lower resolution and require any other GUI "unlocked", then please let me know. Here is the Quick Fix to unlock the Rune Lock GUIs. Decompress the file and place the two XMl files into your override. They are unique and will not affect any other game you may be playing and are safe to leave there.

03/09/15: AREA LIGHTING - I discovered that the lighting for the "Boathouse" was not set correctly. The module has been corrected, but your version will not be. Apologies for that.

03/09/15: CRYPT COFFINS - I discovered that some of the crypt coffins had older scripts on, which do not make unusable after looting. The module has been corrected, but your version will not be. Apologies for that.

03/09/15: RULE INFO - The Scroll comes with a number of House Rules, covered in the Rule Information section, which could be an overwhelming amount of text to read in one go. I would recommend only referring to this section as and when you are curious about the way something plays. In other words, you can "ignore" the rules all the while you are playing along without any issues. Consider the Rule Information tab like the "DM" (dungeon master) who gives you information when you need it.

02/09/15: FONT SIZE - I have had one tester report back with the following error as shown in the image below. (See the previous blog post, which is now dedicated to beta tester images.) This problem is related to font sizes used by the game. It is important that anything that alters font sizes used by the game is removed or "returned to normal" prior to starting this module. This module also uses an altered fontfamily.xml, which is found inside the UI/Custom/LBAlthea folder. It is *critically important* that you use only the fontfamily.xml that comes with this module, otherwise you may end up with missing text as per the image below ... or potentially worse? If that is not the case, then something more fundamental could be at work, along the lines of a computer setting or a video hardware driver. RESOLVED: Ensure *ALL* third party add-ons are removed from both the override and the ui folders. (Pending Confirmation.)

0 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0

FEEDBACK

Beta testers can send me both emails or use this blog to send me comments regarding the testing or any other relevant information. I will use information sent to me to list "bugs" reported and "comments and suggestions" made, which they believe would improve the game, with any feedback I can give.

MODULE 95% COMPLETE

I want to point out that this module is not yet considered "complete". It is, however, at the stage where I need other people's perspectives to help with the final balancing and any last minute alterations. In this case, I would like to remind the testers that I cut short my own alpha testing so that I could try and meet the deadline I have set for myself. Your feedback will help me to concentrate on the important issues.

CAMPAIGN 33% COMPLETE

It is important to recognise that this module, The Scroll (The First Day) is only the first in a series of three planned modules. Playing it to the end may be like reaching the end of "The Fellowship of the Ring" in the Lord of the Rings trilogy ... but with nowhere else to go ... yet.

Note, I hope that there will still be a sense of satisfaction for reaching the end of this module, but there will be at least one or two loose threads remaining, which are the reasons for the modules that I hope will follow. At the very least, I hope the module will also act a showcase for the many other ideas and systems that I have developed along the way and that others may be able to use within their own modules.

WARNING

While I have gone through some extensive testing, there is still a real possibility that a fundamental game-breaking bug remains in the code. If you believe you encounter one of these types of bugs, let me know as soon as possible so that I can release a patch as quickly as I can to help keep the testing moving. In every such case, I will endeavour to provide a working solution so that you will not need to restart the game wherever possible. Restarting will only ever be a last resort during this stage of testing.

DOWNLOADING & INSTALLATION

Beta testers will be sent an email with a link to this blog and direct download links to the three essential files required to install the module. It is essential to follow these instructions to ensure the module installs correctly and plays without problems beyond currently undiscovered bugs:-

1) Ensure your "Neverwinter Nights 2\ui\custom" and "Neverwinter Nights 2\override" are currently empty. (NB: This module must not have any other third party add-ons included.)

2) Download and unpack "Campaign_Althea.rar". It contains a folder called "Althea", which must be placed inside your NWN2 Campaigns folder.

3) Download and unpack "Module_Althea_001.rar". It contains a folder called "Althea_001", which must be placed inside your NWN2 modules folder.

4) Download and unpack "Others.rar". It contains four folders:

1. "hak" folder, which contains  3 "althea_xxxxx.hak" files, which all go into your hak folder.
2. "movies" folder, which contains "TheScrollIntro.bik" file, which goes into your movie folder.
3. "tlk" folder, which contains "Althea_01.TLK" file, which goes into your tlk folder.
4. "ui" folder, containing a "custom" folder with "LBAlthea" folder inside. Use in your ui folder.

5) Download and unpack "Information.rar"and follow the Quickstart Guide to ensure you have setup the files correctly. The opening screens should now reflect "The Scroll" as the module you are about to play. This is important, as it also means you will have correctly setup some essential GUI changes required for the module to work correctly. (NB: If you are playing other modules at the same time as this one, then you will need to remove the LBAlthea folder before playing a different module. It is essential that you replace it before playing The Scroll again though.)

6) Continue to follow the Quickstart Guide until you reach the point where the module automatically saves the game for you. (See CHOOSING A BACKGROUND below.) At this point, you are ready to start playing. Referring to the Althea Manual_BETA_1.00.PDF may be helpful at this time. Please let me know if I have left any misinformation in either of these two PDF files or if there is anything more I could add that may be helpful to the player.

CHOOSING A BACKGROUND: When you first enter the game and go through some character selections, you will eventually be asked to choose a background. Unless you are familiar with my pen and paper campaign (or played my NWN1 module, Soul Shaker), then I would recommend that you choose OPTION 2.

INFORMATION REQUIRED

I provide this as a guideline to the sort of things I would like feedback about, but please give me information in any way that is most comfortable for you. For instance, if you have the ability to record your gaming session (and don't mind doing so), then please do record your sessions and upload them to a site where I can download them and view them. (Add commentary as you play, and this will serve as good feedback.)

Consider the following for feedback:-

1) Installation & Starting: Any issues with installation and/or manuals, or starting the module. (See point 5 and 6 above.)

2) Emotional Response: Report on anything confusing, frustrating, enjoyable or any other experience you have.

3) Practical Observations: Is something not working as expected or given the impression it would? Basically, this is the "Is something broken?" question.

4) Glitches & Typos: Are there any grammar or spelling errors? (Do not include NPC mannerisms.)

5) Logical Flow: Does the game flow naturally? Does anything not make sense? Do the journal entries keep track correctly? Do the conversations remain consistent? Are there (in your opinion) any more conversation lines you would have liked to ask?

6) Combat & Treasure: Is there enough combat? Is there sufficient treasure? NB: This is a question of balance. Your feedback in this area will help me to tweak the final settings.

7) New Systems: This campaign has many new systems incorporated. Some of them still require updates, like adding code to some spell scripts. If you notice any spell or object that may be missing some code, then please let me know.

8) Your Statistics: I would also be interested to see how long you have been playing (per session and overall) as recorded in the Main Menu (or by your own timing) and what sort of party you are playing.

KNOWN ISSUES

Like all projects, there are some issues that I know to still exist within my own. Here is my current list:-

1) On very rare occasions, the module hangs when starting for the first time only. (1 in 100)
2) One of the Crafting Manuals (Greater Essences) is incomplete.
3) Not every spell has been updated to work with the new system. (Please report your experiences.)
4) Game balancing for combat and treasure remains untested.