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?

Episode 12: The Mega-Dungeon!

Over the last week I have been considering the "dungeons" I intend to include in module two. In my last post I wrote about another area I was working on that acted as a dungeon between areas. It was as I was working on that, that I decided to start looking at the main dungeons that the PCs will have to overcome during module two ... This, in turn, started me thinking about the dungeons we used to play of old in PnP D&D and those of the likes of Ultima Underworld. It started me thinking about the feeling I had when playing them, and what it was that made them memorable. Then it dawned upon me that it was the "scale" ... They would be what we would refer to as mega-dungeons!

THE MEGA-DUNGEON

Now admittedly, I am looking back with "rose-tinted specs" when I consider some of the "dungeons" I played through in the past. However, considering I still remember some of that feeling of immersion and exploration from all those years ago, then I believe there must have been something about them that captured my attention, imagination and gave me the fond memories of enjoyment I have of them today. If I can recapture those elements in my own "dungeons", without compromising expected gameplay, them I believe the effort will be worthwhile.

Thinking about the shared design aspects that these dungeons (or games) had in common, I realised that it is the areas the single dungeon covered (which you were about to explore) were big! You knew the moment you started the dungeon that it was not going to be over in a single gaming session. In fact, for these dungeons, it meant you would probably only have just scratched the surface of what was coming ... and who knew what else to expect other than its mega-size? Note, the other common aspect was that the "dungeon" was (for the most part) self-contained; in that there was an entrance to the dungeon (or game), and you had to move forward to get out! i.e. It was also about survival!

OLD OR NEW SCHOOL?

Now the very thought of a mega-dungeon as I just described may be a delight to one person, but possibly considered an absolute nightmare to somebody else. However, I am not sure a negative reaction should necessarily be the correct response if we consider how the mega-dungeon has changed over the years. For instance, in its original concept (from PnP days), there were no CRPGs, and so the D&D dungeon was the de facto "game" to play to get your fill of exploration and encounters. Back then, size simply meant more to play, and so you felt safe that the game was not going to end any time soon. At the advent of CRPGs, however, this almost "infinite" dungeon would have to be pared down to a finite game to make it viable. Good CRPGs, like the Ultima Underworld series, would do this in such a way so as not to lose the sense of game length and depth of play. Take the concept forward a couple of decades and you pass through some excellent "mega-dungeon" style games such as the System Shock series and more recently, the Bioshock series.

My point is, all these games of which I have enjoyed the most in my gaming life have involved this "mega-dungeon" feeling to them. It is about their presence and challenge to overcome and win through that holds the appeal to the player. It's the "now I am stuck here, what can I do about it" feeling and the need to survive this epic environment and win through! It was not going to be a quick hack a few monsters, loot the gold, maybe answer a single puzzle and be off again to a complete new area any time soon.

THE MEGA GAME

There is (or should be) more to a "mega" dungeon than purely its size. That is not to undermine the importance of size, as that allows the player to get to know their "adversary". However, as the player gets to know their adversary (the dungeon in whatever form it takes), then this is when the builder can add to the dungeon personality, and even (if possible) add new gaming elements that make the whole dungeon memorable. So what else can be done?

MY MEGA DUNGEON

Before I continue, let me first say this: I am a D&D player through and through, with preference to the 3.5E rules. This is why the NWN2 platform is perfect for me to build my campaign. However, I am also a builder of a campaign that has its own personality and game style. For myself, this means if a storyline takes the player into some different angle of mechanics for the game play, then I will do so, but always while honouring the core rules, or giving a good reason for any significant mechanic changes made.

As an example, the most extreme changes to any mechanics I have made to date were with Soul Shaker (a NWN1 Module) when the PCs were gated to a different realm of existence in the Outer Planes. For obvious reasons, my argument for making the game mechanic changes were to help reflect the extreme change of environment in which the PC now found themselves.

The point I am trying to make is that while my campaign is core 3.5E D&D, I will change, add or remove different mechanics if an environment encourages or demands it. In the case of a mega-dungeon (and I would say any mega-dungeon), I believe such an environment necessitates the need to do something with this aspect of play to ensure the player does not become despondent, overwhelmed or even "bored" thinking about the task ahead. I believe this is of paramount importance if we intend to build a large levelled dungeon with which we hope to engage the player without giving them the same old experience that they may have had in many other dungeons in their gaming life already! (I know some may argue that is exactly what they want, but in my experience, that would eventually become tedious. Sometimes we need to have our familiarity jolted, even if just a little.)

So, that is my aim for any mega-dungeons moving forward. If you want a comparison to something I have done already ... It will not be as extreme as Soul Shaker, but more akin to the "Ancient Crypt" dungeon in The Scroll, which introduced the new gaming aspect with runes. However, I am talking less about puzzles, and more about introducing new PC skills and abilities specific to that mega-dungeon, which the player becomes involved with for their PC to enable them to succeed. Couple this new (and I hope exciting experience) with a mega-sized dungeon to explore, and I hope I have a winning formula to keep the player interested to see the task through.

MEGA INSPIRATION

I won't deny (and have admitted in the past) that I am heavily inspired by such works as the System Shock series (Bioshock series in later years), and to which I will now quickly add the Ultima Underworld series. Therefore, do not be surprised in you recognise certain aspects of those games in the new ideas and concepts I hope to introduce and use in my mega-dungeons moving forward.

In all fairness to myself, I believe I am simply taking various game mechanics ideas but using my plot to make them work in a D&D environment. However, I am grateful to the designers of these games who have helped bring a fresh feel to all mega-dungeons since their first inception!

What Lies Beyond The Collapsed Dungeon Wall?

Episode 11: Property of The Empire!

A well placed motif is always a reasonable way to mark ownership of an object on which the motif is found. Be it a simple wax printed insignia sealing a scroll, or a metal embossed plate attached to a crate, the symbol it illustrates is often associated with ownership of a person or organisation. The Empire has its image too: The Dragon! In the last few updates I have been working on for module two has included these and a few other visual illusions that I hope will add an extra dimension to the campaign.

VISUAL EFFECTS

When I speak of visual effects, I am NOT just talking about the VFX effects we can add to the NWN game via scripting, but also "illusory" effects that help give a feeling of interaction. By this I mean careful coding of placeable objects that when interacted with give the appearance of movement.

MODULE ONE SPOILER ALERT: A specific example of the effect I am talking about can be found in the quest called "Poor Communication" in module one. In the Fairchilds' residence, the PCs learn they have to move a carpet to reveal a trap door. When the player interacts with the carpet, the coding in place works with the objects to give the illusion of having rolled back the carpet.

A more generic usage of such code is with respect to the way I have implemented Secret Doors. Until a PC finds a secret door, the PC cannot interact with it in the game. However, once the secret door has been detected, the PC can now interact with it, and when they do, coding has been added (adding both visual and sound effects) to give the effect that the door has been opened or closed.

Moving forward with module two, and now that I have ensured the code works reliably, I hope to employ more visual effects this way, to help immerse the player within the game environment. To this end, I have already used such in two places in latest building.

HOME BREW VFX (BILLBOARDS)

A personal favourite effect of mine is the ability we have to build "billboards" in the NWN toolset. This is basically a VFX that allows us to bring in any image file we want, and display it within the game. In the past I have used it in module one to good effect, and is seen implemented in such things as scrolls on display (notice board etal) and the mysterious cave text in the Dimension Vortex area (floating text) or even the floating image displayed within the Ancient Crypt if the rune control object is successfully worked.

For module two, as well as hopefully bringing similar aspects as I have done in module one into play, I have also just used it to create the  Empire Dragon Insignia, which The Empire uses to mark their property. This weeks screenshot shows it in demonstration.

THE PLOT THICKENS

As I have been writing the plot in the last couple of weeks, some of my thinking has been diverted to factions and other aspects that a player may wish to explore. Whether I fully develop this area of play or not will all depend upon how easy it will be for me to implement, as it can cause havoc if done wrong. That said, the framework for such is already in place within the campaign code, and so if I do venture down that route, I am hoping it will add yet another interesting depth to the campaign.

YET ANOTHER ONE!

On a final note for this report, I have to confess to building yet another area! (Vagueness follows to prevent spoiler.) Originally, the connection between one area and another was going to be handled by a simple conversation once the criteria was met. However, when quizzing my wife about her favourite area in module one at one time, she mentioned an area build of a tileset that I had not yet built for module two. Therefore, in thanks for all her hard work testing module one, I bit the bullet and decided to build an area of the same tileset ... with some interesting changes.

Adding the area also allowed me to be able to further develop another plot line that was currently "looking for a home" in the run of things. It also allowed me to add a whole new approach to the storyline, which obviously I cannot discuss! ;)

So, that's all for now, but as module one is now "closed" to further fixes (unless something really bad turns up), then I should be able to give module two my full attention in the weeks to come. I honestly do not know how long it is going to take, but I am encouraged by the fact that the campaign code is robust and in place, but a little nervous about all the conversations that require writing and the handling of all those variables.

Property of The Empire!

Episode 10: Into The Big Wide World!

I had some slow down in the last fortnight due to poor health. However, I am starting to pick up a little again now, and have returned to the core conversations I was working on previously. I did also try fixing a duplicated message text from the official campaign code with respect to Sequencer items, but was unable to do so without potential consequences. More on that later. The screenshot this week is for the Overland Map load screen.

THE STORY

The main story continues to be developed through the conversations the PCs can have with NPCs they can meet along the way. As I stated in previous posts, I am aiming to have these conversations give the player as much background as they are prepared to follow, but without overloading them. Using cutscenes whenever possible, certainly appears to make such learning curves easier to follow, especially as I am also ensuring journal entries also keep up with the information for the player. Compared to module one, in my design of module two, I am leaving five steps between each current journal entry to allow me to add any other steps that I think may help the player as I continue to build. I did not do this with module one, and found some difficulties complementing journal entries at later stages. This is definitely a lesson learned from hindsight.

SEQUENCER ITEMS

As part of my increase in items to be found, I am considering sequencer items. I won't go into detail about their usage. Although some readers may already know what they do, I prefer to leave their description to allow any potential "surprise" for when players find them in the game (for players who have not encountered them before). However, that said, in my preparation of them, I discovered that an Official Campaign (OC) "include" script has a minor "bug" that duplicates any message meant for the player when the sequencer item is used. It's not a game-breaking bug, just an annoyance.

At one point I managed to fix this problem, but had been left with concerns: after editing the official include script, it did NOT compile properly! I hastily add, it was NOT due to the alterations I had made, as that was simply changing a variable to prevent message duplication. However, I was not prepared to risk leaving the updated script as the default one to use, as it may have other dire consequences with other associated scripts throughout the game. So, in the end, I reinstated the original OC script from a prior build (with all associated scripts), and only altered the scripts related to the sequencer property that were not part of the OC include script.

OVERALL IMPROVEMENTS

When I work on module two, I often see things where the new code highlights a potential problem with the first module. That's why I still provide updated files and folders for Module one. As an example for the latest update to date, I noticed that some plot items were correctly being moved to my PC after I had left them in an area. (I was only testing and so had not bothered to search a body for all items.) However, I also noted that a journal update for acquiring said item had not updated with its "forced" acquisition. Therefore, I "fixed" this area of code in case a player ever accidentally or inadvertently left a plot item behind. For while this is unlikely to be the case with an active and attentive player, if it should be required, then associated journal updates upon such acquisitions are just as important as having the plot item itself!

LOADSCREENS

I also spent some time preparing some more load screens. Normally I leave these until last, but I grew tired of seeing the "missing file" image when testing and so updated the screens for the areas I was currently building. Below is the overland map load screen, which shows a much larger map that even the overland map covers, but its supposed to be an indicator that the player is about to enter the overland map. However, it does also help to show that the World of Althéa is actually even bigger than the parts that the player may currently know or is able to explore.

Loading Screen For Overland Map Travel

Episode 9: A Welcome Break?

Another week, and another chip away at module two. I dare not try to think too far ahead on what remains to be done, nor remind myself how long module one took, simply because if I did, I may falter and be tempted to give up. But, I have a number of quest lines in mind now, and the core plot line is starting to take shape within the conversations ... offering some diversions of their own. That is one of the best things about writing for me, how it can take on a life of its own and lead you along a path of the story you never first imagined would be the case.

AND SO YET ANOTHER AREA!

When the story you are imagining decides to take a detour on its own account, one can either ignore its calling, or see to where it leads. More often than not, as in this case, the setting for the scene in mind for the story's new direction requires its own unique setting. I should quickly add that the area in question did already exist in a manner of speaking, but like a reinstated cutscene from a movie, it managed to escalate to having a renewed area built status. (Screenshot below.)

The good news is, however, with these three latest new areas (since reporting), it shows that the main story is beginning to take shape, and is demanding attention. Furthermore, the various directions it has taken me have been encouraging, helping to fuel my imagination along the way.

To help not venture into "content creep" though, I am considering abandoning a small area (similar to this new one) that had been scheduled, and whose outline I used as a template for the one that may be taking its place. However, as the area is partly done already, I may yet change my mind on that matter, especially as I can already see another good reason to keep it in.

THE PUZZLES RETURN

As I have stated before, the Althéa Campaign would not be complete without its puzzles. And they are set to return in the next module. As in the previous module, the puzzles can be solved in more than one way, and some can be completely ignored if they are not your thing. However, if you are not prepared to use your player's "thinking hat", then it's likely to cost your PCs more in either gold or Life Essences to bypass a puzzle. The choice will be yours according to the style of game your prefer to play.

To this end, I have already created my first "ripped puzzle" for module two, which acts as a clue for the player, which they can choose to follow up immediately, or not. Like module one, the flow of the story and the direction in which it unfolds will be left up to the player to decide. It's not going to be "linear", demanding the player follow a particular path, although will remain a focussed story that the player has to decide the order in which they approach the overall game.

MOVING FORWARD

The latest updates to module two have had me go over some of the PnP (pen and paper) story background of late, simply because I want to ensure I have the logical flow of events that have taken place, and will take place, in the right order. And there is quite a bit of backstory to cover for the player, which needs to be done in a way that does not come across as an "info dump". Hopefully, in the coming weeks, I am looking at writing the first proper "dungeon" that has its history from my PnP days. One could compare it to a PnP conversion, but of my own material. While there has to be some compromise , simply due to missing models I can use, I am looking forward to seeing the results all the same ... and will, of course, keep you updated.

MODULE ONE

I would just like to end on a quick note to say that Module One has had fewer and fewer patches in the last week or so, and v2.77 is beginning to look like one of the last patches (possibly the last) that Module One will need. However, my wife is still playing her third play-through (with another main class and different approach) testing for anything else, and I am still eager to hear if anybody else has come across any issues (at all) with Module One. Please let me know.

A Small Quiet Tavern Where One Can Rest & Eat

Episode 8: Thousands of Words & A Conversation Picture!

This week, I managed my first big step in a plot conversation that serves to bring the two story backgrounds closer together, and introduce a potential new companion. It never ceases to amaze me, however, just how many words add up when creating a five minute conversation that the player's PC will have. I don't think I had much change from four or five thousand words, which took place over two conversations. And that was just the first intro part of the conversation!

COMING TOGETHER

This week had me looking over old story notes to make sure I had my story "facts" right. I needed to do this because the conversation I worked on is going to be one of the core conversations where the player is made to refocus on the main story; and so the information had to be clear and concise. The worse thing I find when playing an  RPG, is if after having a conversation, I am left with little indication of what is expected of me. And while this can be helped along by a well placed journal entry, even these need to be carefully worded so the player can fully understand the current state of play. I recently returned to have another go at Two Worlds, but felt "lost" within the myriads of conversations I could have and the inability to fully focus on a journal event, because of unclear targets. This is something I hope to avoid without compromising on choice and depth for the player.

This week, I also had the added difficulty of writing from the two different backgrounds that The Scroll supports: those players who have played my campaign before and those who have not. So that was one reason why the wording effectively doubled for the two conversations I covered this week. However, the good news is that I have now reached a point where the two schools of players will have come that much closer together in their knowledge of the main story.

As I say, the conversations for these two characters are not completed yet, but I have reached a good point where one of them can end up becoming a companion of the party, irrespective of the players background. Now, I only have to add conversation nodes that offer additional information, which also work irrespective of the background the player had originally selected in module one.

JOURNAL UPDATES

This week also had me update one of the two outstanding main story journal entries (background one only) that the player is left with at the end of module one. For players of background two, however, this will be their first introduction to that main storyline, which they had not encountered to date. As I posted last week, this module will certainly change the focus of play for the player, and will be the most dramatic for players of background two (not played the campaign before), as it will be their first encounter with the events that background one players will already have been aware. That said, in the latest conversation, I have even made sure players familiar with the campaign will have a new pleasant experience of their own.

The Hero Learns More About Their Destiny

Episode 7: New Companions & Quests, Same Old Story!

As the need to patch the first module lessens, I have been able to concentrate on building the second module. This week I have gone back to the main plot (continuing from the first module) and looked at some of the main story conversations I need to write to move the plot forward. As it happens, the NPC whose conversation I found myself writing for this week is known to my PnP players of old, and (if they have a good memory), they may recall some of their earlier adventures related to them. This same conversation also offers one of the new companions I hope to bring with the next module.

YET ANOTHER AREA

This week also saw me having to build another unexpected new area. The problem was due to an encounter that the PCs were going to have (in an area I was working on), which, in my opinion, spoiled the ambiance of the area it was going to take place in. So, rather than compromise the atmosphere of the area in question, the encounter was moved to its own new "prelude" area. Thankfully, I was able to rehash an existing area in such a way that it looks fresh and serves the purpose. The screenshot today comes from this new area.

The new area in place, I was finally able to start the conversation. Thankfully, existing code made the encounter conversation start quite easily, and all I have to do is simply flesh out the story. Nearby, I also started another conversation that employed my new dual conversation path system: This basically allows me to start a conversation for a MP audience when required, but fall back to a SP response when the MP aspect is over, with an ability to switch back to MP conversing if need be. I believe it works well, and means gaming atmosphere can be preserved during cutscene conversations, irrespective of SP/MP play.

ITEM SETS

From the very start, the campaign has included some items (including "sets") that I had downloaded with the intention of using at some point in time. I believe the original author was called Apep, but I have been unable to find any existing link to his original work. However, the code appeared to have been written for NWN1, and so I had to completely rewrite the scripts required for the item set system. That is now complete and tested as working, which means I can now make use of these item sets. I already have a quest in mind for at least one set. Other sets may or may not make it into the final release of the campaign, but my hope is that I will include all if possible.

THE MAIN STORY

As The Scroll was written for people of various backgrounds, whether they had played in my campaign before or not, the main story may not have always been obvious from the start when first playing The Scroll. Because of this, I think some players may be left with the impression that the campaign may not even have a main story. That, however, is NOT the case: There is a main story! The first main cutscene when transitioning to the village for the first time is the obvious allusion to this. (My PnP players already knew and have encountered "Morcoss" from my first ever PnP scenario back in 1989. If you want their full background story, then check out my website: The World of Althéa. Click on the Adventure Background book at the top, and then scroll or use the side menu bar to read the content.)

Many years ago now, my original intention was to wait until I had completed the campaign in its entirety before releasing it, so that I could help focus the player on this story as the rest of the game played. However, as the years passed by, and my health deteriorated, it soon became clear that I needed to break the campaign down into a number of smaller parts/modules to be able to deliver anything at all. At that point in time, I had to change the focus of the story to the PC's immediate environment, and true to D&D tradition, I made their immediate problem the main thrust of the current story ... but that was for module one only.

This next module I am writing takes the PC (and by nature the player) outside of their "bubble" they have been acquainted with, and now thrusts them into the bigger world. (Even though the first module also took the player many hundreds of miles from the village in its own way.) When the player plays module two, they will now take a greater part in the main story that my original PnP players already knew about. This plot line would also be more noticeable to players if they ever tried the first choice of background, as that opens up some events that relate to PnP days and earlier events that a new player would be unfamiliar with.

If the thrust of the first module was to introduce the player to the world, lore and mechanics of Althéa, the thrust of the second module is to bring the player up to speed with what my PnP players already know ... The Main Story! Designing the campaign and making this happen in such a way that does not go over old ground for my PnP players, and yet brings every new player up to speed is the difficulty at the moment, and was even more so probably in the first module. The plan is, that by the end of certain events of this second module, every player should be in the same place with respect to what they know about world events and what they are going to do about them. Background one and two should, hopefully, come together, so that by the third (and final) module, all players will be starting from the same place of understanding.

In conclusion, the "story focus" of second module returns to the true main story for the campaign. I hope this will help players to reflect on events of module one, in much the same way as my players from PnP days already witness familiar peoples and events in the first module that new players obviously cannot. Basically, events in module two transform the events of module one into something more momentous. Compared to a simple "barrier" problem, one may even say, epic.

Encounter Along The Forest Path!

Episode 6: Having A Bad Were Day?

One of the advantages of starting a new module is being able to incorporate new ideas and concepts that are missing from the first designed module. One such idea I wanted to look at including was the Curse of Lycanthropy. For while the were creature has always been a staple from the first edition D&D, it has grown into quite the gaming element by the time it reached the third edition, which NWN2 is based upon. Sadly, although the OC appeared to include the concept of Lycanthropy in its world (and included such things as belladonna to defend against shapeshifters), the actual mechanics for a PC contracting the curse never appeared to make it into the game. That's where my latest additions come into play.

THE CURSE OF LYCANTHROPY

It is safe to say that there are quite a few interpretations of how the curse may be implemented within the game, but I like to take my lead from 3e/3.5e rules, which is quite well laid out at the D20 Resource Site. And while not every aspect of the information there may translate well for NWN2, I believe much of it can and have added the following mechanics:-

1) Any lycanthropic creature has a chance to infect a victim through its bite. (A bitten victim has a chance to save against the curse bite, and a paladin with Divine Health feat is immune.)

2) Once bitten, the victim does not know they are infected (or believe anyone telling them) unless they make another save after recovering from a transition. At which point, they gain the Change Shape feat that allows them to attempt a shape change at any time. Note, this is a chaotic and evil act, and good-aligned PCs would best avoid voluntary changes into the "beast within" or suffer class restrictions.

3) The affected PC will also involuntarily change into a were-creature on the night of a full moon (three of them in a month) or if they drop below a certain number of hit points while in combat. A PC does NOT suffer alignment changes due to involuntary changes. If the involuntary change takes place due to damage in combat, then they also suffer from "rampage confusion" until the combat is over. Fellow party members would be wise to give them a wide berth.

4) While the were-form may offer some advantages in strength and or overall constitution in a battle, the inability to access ones equipment or cast spells while in the were-form, should be a good enough incentive to try to rid themselves of the curse. That and the ever present threat of potentially killing a party member during a rampaging confusion moment of course.

5) Curing a PC from the Curse of Lycanthropy can come in a number of ways:-

• Cleric of at least 12th level with Heal or Remove Disease within 3 days of contracting it.
• Remove Curse during a full moon phase. (May take a number of attempts.)
• Use Belladonna within 3 days of curse, but reduced chance as time passes and attempts made.

Note, if the person administering the belladonna is a healer, their skills are added to the chance of curing the victim of the curse. Furthermore, belladonna is poisonous and would require further treatment to remove its own debilitating effects, even if it successfully removes the curse.

MECHANICS INVOLVED

Even though I may have veered off area design this week, the incorporation of such mechanics takes its own time to include, as I have had to write the scripts to work with the existing framework. Thankfully, I was able to use my spell hook script to work in the cure for the different spells, and even made the OC belladonna now have the ability to "cast" two different options: The original OC protection against shapeshifters ability, and now a second option of attempting to cure a person of lycanthropy when targeted by the user.

The hardest part was finding a place to include the Shape Change feat for the player to control for their PC, as the feat would "disable" if placed in a normal hotbar slot, due to the PC changing form. i.e. The feat would become greyed out when the PC transformed into a were-creature. This was unacceptable, as the player needed to have the option to click it while in beast form to voluntarily come out of the form (if they made the saves). Thankfully, the slots to the far right end of the hotbar (where the camera angles and the Althéa Main Menu are located) remain available at all times, irrespective of form, and so I was able to switch an existing (non-critical) statistics button into the Shape Change feat button all the while they had the curse. And although the button located this way does not show the "cool down" option (of five minutes between shape change attempts), I was able to add an On Mouse Enter callback that does a similar thing of displaying the time remaining as a notice text.

The various aspects also included changes to the spells and feat 2da files, as well as the TLK file, which holds the new feat texts. One of the most important changes affected the displays of the moon phases with the calendar GUI, which needed some subtle changes. Unfortunately, these changes mean the code is not going to work "properly" with older versions of the code, most likely because it does affect the timing. However, all version 2.70 and up will now have the correct code in place and be compatible with future updates. (Unless something critical ever pops up again of course.)

'WERE' TO FROM HERE?

The code now in place, I have done some basic testing, and all appears to work as expected so far. I just need to finish some belladonna item coding and the "cool down" feedback and that is done. Then all I need to do is place the were-creatures ready to infect their victims with a bite! Going forward, I intend to write a scenario based on were-creatures, and then, perhaps, maybe look into that other classic: Vampires! However, in the meanwhile, I hope to get back to area building in the weeks ahead.

Were Creature Gaming Aspects In Detail

Episode 5: What's Over There?

Now that I have taken the decision to stop further testing of v2.65 of module 1, I have been able to become more involved with developing module 2. (By the way, for those interested, here is the link to module 1 of The Scroll. NB: I will continue to upload a newer campaign version if I find any glaring issues with v2.65.) My latest toolset activity has been focussing on a new area that (originally) was not going to be in the module, as I initially considered it would be of little to no interest. However, as I looked at the area map I was currently working on, I kept on wondering exactly what was going on over in that "interesting looking place" on the map. And so I eventually concluded that if I thought that, then other players may well have their curiosity piqued too ... and so went ahead and designed the linking area required. The screenshot today is the loadscreen for the new area.

AREA BUILDING

The last week has been all about area building ... and I had to remind myself of all those aspects needed to build (what I believe to be) a "believable" area design. I am the first to admit that my art design skills in this department are only adequate. However, I do like to think that I put enough thought into other general aspects of area design, such as lighting and sounds, to make an area a cut above the average. Basically, I like to include aspects that give a place a degree of atmosphere, which lighting and sounds (if used carefully) can transform an otherwise dull area, into something quite interesting.

1) LIGHTING: You will probably have a vague idea of the type of area I was building from this week's screenshot. However, I am deliberately skipping specifics to prevent spoilers, and even the screenshot may leave the reader with questions. However, the point being, I like to vary lighting according to the type of area the PCs find themselves in. And, the working line for me is, if there is no light at all, then it should be absolutely black! i.e. I try to avoid using any lighting that does not have a source. Therefore, each area I design must come with its own selection of light sources, or the PC must provide their own light via torch, lantern or magic.

The light source objects are dictated by the area type. If it's a natural environment, like a cave, then I tend to go for glowing flora or (if inhabited) wall torches, or even a combination. i.e I try to avoid man-made (or spell-like) light sources unless they can be justified. The main point, however, is that every area should (in my opinion) be able to be lit or placed into darkness according to light sources within the area. Being caught in complete darkness should be a possibility in some situations, and the player should be conscious of this by observation of the area lighting.

2) SOUND: Another aspect of design and probably just as important as the area lighting, are the area sounds. After setting the lighting, I tend to move on to adding the sounds, including the music and ambient sounds. However, I believe it is the positional sounds that go a long way to helping the player feel immersed within their environment. These can include simple sounds of water (pouring, dripping, splashing, etc), and critters running out of sight. I even try to include sounds that may alter with time or player interaction such as camp fire crackles or claps of thunder and rainfall. This latest area came with its own selection of sounds, which I hope should all add to its mystery and allure.

3) INTRACTABLE OBJECTS: Having setup the area lighting and sounds, I always like to add an interesting selection of objects for the player to interact with. This is what gives the current scenario (or area) the "meat on the bones" as it were. Note, these objects will vary from area to area, but are normally well understood by the player, and include such things as junk piles, bookcases, and chests, etc. However, I also like to use this time of area design to try to develop something "new" if possible, even if it's just a minor interaction. This "new" object would then be added to the collection of objects I can continue to flesh out future areas for the player to interact with. Over time, the collection of objects with which the player can interact should grow bigger or have new variations of such.

4) ENCOUNTERS & EVENTS: In the course of building module 1, I have gone through many renditions of various trigger and encounter events due to the many different requirements I have needed in module 1. Thankfully, now, I have a healthy selection of them to help populate a dungeon in a way that makes combat encounters efficient and (I believe) balanced. Therefore, it did not take me long to quickly add the monster events to the area, and all I am left to do now is add some comment events as I consider what should become available to the PCs. As some of this is tied to the bigger plot, these tend to get added later.

5) BACKGROUND & PURPOSE: Once I have all the basic area design in place (as above), I like to ensure that the player also leaves an area with a feeling of accomplishment, and some kind of memory of an area. It can be a simple as having the player complete a quest stage or acquire an item of importance, or even simply have a tough fight. The bottom line, however, is I want the player to feel they have been satisfied with what they have achieved in an area. My general goal for this is: if I test the area and do not come away feeling I either learned something, gained something new, or simply experienced a different aspect of gameplay, then it has not served a good purpose. Generally, I like to be able to tick as many of these aspects with every area, but overall design determines if this is warranted or not. I certainly try to minimise those areas that feel more of a "grind" than a source of adventure.

AN OLD ISSUE

Just for the record, I experienced an old issue of a placeable object not responding to a player's left click. To remind myself and those readers interested, if a placeable has zero hit points, then any onused script is ignored! I wrestled with a new prefab object for at least half an hour before I spotted this old issue again. Thankfully, however, even though this caused me some lost time, the benefits of building with all the existing scripts available to me helps go a long way to shorten the area build time.

MOVING FORWARD

So, the area that stole my attention is now "finished" apart from some final event triggers (if I decided they are required) and some plot elements that are still in development. I am happy with the way it turned out, as I have employed all those aspects I learned from my first module, including ensuring the PCs have room to move, and any combat zones are reasonably spaced.

In the coming days, I hope to go back to the original area I was working on and to look at other areas that can be transitioned to from it. In all, there are around another four areas that I need to build from scratch that transition from the area I am currently referencing. Once they are all done, I can move onto another area of the module. At this stage, everything feels quite a long way off. However, if I can continue to build areas at the rate I am at the moment, then I am more optimistic that module 2 will see completion one day.

Learning More About The Enemy!

Episode 4: Encountering New Monsters!

Last week had me getting to grips with the overland map again. In the process, I had to start looking at the related 2da files that covered the monster encounter information, and "goodies" that the PCs may find while exploring the map. While I did not get around to the latter, I did manage to get some more updates done on the monster side of things, especially as that is one of the first major differences that the player can expect in module two.

THE 2DA FILES

First and foremost, I managed to finish putting together the terrain 2da encounter tables for my overland map. It involved ensuring the monsters that could be encountered had valid blueprints, and the correct scripts attached. I have edited the way the encounters work because of the way my campaign works, but the end result is the same as a player may have experienced before: While exploring the overland map, a miniature version of a monster may spawn nearby and potentially be the source of an encounter. The monster ones aside, I now need to sort out the "goodies" 2da that allows PCs to find stuff as they explore. This is over and above other "map elements" they may find along the way; some of which may be new areas!

THE MONSTERS

So once the blueprints were setup, I made sure there were various variant types available (e.g. archers, shaman, clerics, etc) where needed. However, I also spent some time going over some older blueprints removing original campaign string references both to the first name and description. This is because even though the description may appear blank, if a valid string ref remains, then that ref will be used with some of the code I use, which I do not want. I believe this may have been an oversight of the tool set design (i.e. a bug), but removing the original str ref resolves the issue. I also spent some time checking over module one for any missed there too, ready for its re-release.

THE BESTIARY

Once all the new blueprints were in place for the map monsters, I decided to update the Althéa Bestiary with entries to cover some of the new monsters that the PCs will encounter. Some readers may recall that I have included a bestiary (accessible from the journal as an extra tab there), that gives an image and some extra information about a creature upon its encounter, which the player may find helpful when dealing with the monster in question. So far, I have added an extra 22 entries to an already existing set. I include a full list of the images I have used for individual entries below. I deliberately removed any naming info, to keep spoilers to a minimum. Furthermore, there is a possibility that one or two of the creatures represented by the images below may still not make it into module two. The ones that I have added to the overland map encounters will, of course, definitely be included.

Note, in the image below, "animals" of the various types are covered by their own single generic image. Therefore, creatures that would fall under such titles as "domestic", "dire" or "vermin" are not shown. Therefore, the icons you see below would represent monsters outside that description. E.g. The spiders below are not of the "vermin" variety, which would include any large or huge variety the PCs may have already met.

The Bestiary Increases In Size!

FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS

As well as general building, I have been testing the campaign further, which makes for improvements of the first module too. For example, I have improved the way spell feedback works, which in turn has helped remove some strain on the heartbeat script. Most players may not notice any difference, but I definitely do, as the PCs move more smoothly in the game now.

And on the note of mentioning the first module, testing continues, all be it, somewhat less now that I am focussing on the second module. However, because I am still finding the odd minor issue (e.g. It was possible for a cleric to enter the world with a invalid god if they imported the PC from a campaign that had their own gods.), I am allowing myself just a little more time for checks.

That time has been helpful, however, as I also discovered one or two other minor issues that I have now squashed, which will all help towards a trouble free game for the player. To end on a big plus, all those points I addressed since the last post have not caused any issues since their updating. ie. The inventory/store/transitions and conversations all appear to be working fine so far.

If there is anything you want to ask, have a suggestion, or simply want to chat about something so far, then please leave a comment.

Episode 3: Mapping The Way Ahead

Some of you may have noticed that v2.65 has not yet been released, as I had originally hoped to do last week .... latest early this week. However, because of the approach I have taken to module two, I decided to take a bold step and do some fairly "major" design changes, to make moving forward easier. This meant making some important code changes to the existing campaign files, including the following: (a) Inventory/Store Access, (b) Transitions and (c) Conversations. I know, it's nothing small is it! So before I explain what steps I did for module two last week, I want to say a little more why I made these other changes.

CAMPAIGN UPDATES

1) INVENTORY/STORE CONTROL: To be frank, this code was a bit messy, having already undergone some changes in the last beta testing to make sure it worked in a multi-player environment. Basically, it had become quite bloated with a good deal of irrelevant code, and contained an annoying "glitch", which I  wanted to be rid of: One had to click twice to compare an item in a store with existing equipment. So, the bottom line was I stripped the functions and rewrote the routine to now produce a reasonably slick system. In truth, it could (perhaps) be made slicker still, but I am quite content with the latest rendition for now ... and that glitch is gone!

2) TRANSITIONS: In the process of preparing module two, which involves transitioning on and off a world map (more on that below), I found that I also have "messy" areas of duplicated code that I wanted to streamline again. After all, transitions are a key feature of a module, and I'd rather ensure a clean set of scripts for the job going forward. Basically, many duplicated routines and checks have now been moved to dedicated functions, streamlining the code .. and, in theory, making any bug-hunting easier.

3) CONVERSATIONS: Pretty much for the same reasons as the rewriting transitions above, I wanted to make the code surrounding handling conversations tidier and more streamlined for future use. Also, I finally got around to simply placing some humanoids with the various "conversation" settings on them to try to learn how the different settings affected players in a SP and MP game. Before, it was a little hazy - even hit and miss for me. Now, I am fairly confident I know when and where to use the various options. Most interesting, I learned we can send a cutscene type conversation to a single player in a MP game, without it affecting any other players. I had always assumed all cutscenes were for all players. After learning that  ... and a few other conversation tricks, I decided to rewrite the core companion/created PC conversations, and ensure all in-game conversations could no longer be "interrupted". I also rewrote them incorporating a system that enabled all "new" interaction to switch to cutscene for all players, but remained for a single player when not required.

So, that is a lot of core changes .. and as you can imagine, is why I thought it prudent to put the campaign under another short testing period to ensure these core changes remain working for any imminent release. While these changes affect nearly every aspect of the module, I hope I know enough of the key core areas to be able to do some testing that won't take overly long ... That said, I'd rather make sure before release so players have the best experience!

MODULE UPDATES

I can also add that due to the changes I made to the campaign files, I found I needed to change some of the module elements too, be it simply adding or removing a "tick" from an object, or renaming a tag of an object. Suffice to say, the module has undergone some important changes as well in preparation to adding modules.

MODULE TWO

Apart from those important updates to the existing campaign code and module one, last week was about ensuring module one linked into one of the two potential entry areas of module two. One area of entry is a lobby (if bypassing module one completely), while the other is the Overland World Map if playing straight from module one into module two. It was when I was testing the transition to the Overland World Map that I discovered some of the "inconsistencies" of the tag requirements depending upon whether a player is using their own map (for quick travel) or moving straight to the Overland Map for slower movement. (Yes, there is even more than one way that this travel can start too.) Basically, the different number of options at the start for the player are what I am putting together at this stage and hence, the need to clean up those transition scripts. After much investigation, for instance, I discovered one of my tags being search for had an extra "OMWP" in front of it, meaning the transition kept failing. This opened up the can of worms that led me to tidy up the transition code!

Anyway, here is a screenshot of the overland map in operation .... Some explanation is below.

World Map To Explore!

You may be asking what is going on in the screenshot above? What is being shown? Well, a key feature of my world map system is the "Travel Information" feedback GUI. Basically, as the party move around (controlled by the lead player in a MP game), the Travel Information GUI updates as you move with all pertinent travel info, from terrain being traversed, speed of travel, and (importantly) time, as this affects your vigour levels. i.e. Travelling this way has to be managed. Note, there are other ways to circumvent these factors, such as using a map (quick travel) or a nexus (alternative quick travel), but that is up to the player whether they choose to employ them, or even have the means to do so. The "advantage" of travelling the Overland Map, however, will be the chance to encounter monsters for combat and find many locations that may not be found by the direct paths. (Note: Some direct paths may not be available from the start anyway.)

So, if you are able to zoom in on the image above, you will also be able to see some feedback in the chat window giving an indication on how the party is fairing in their current travel with respect to their vigour and how tired and hungry they may be.

Hopefully, (am I always saying this?), I will be able to announce a release of module one v2.65 in the coming days. All I want to do now is make sure I can at least play through the first few areas, conversations, store transactions, etc to be sure all is still fine and I have not done any unknown damage. Of course, I hope if after release you do find anything, you would let me know. :)

Episode 2: Getting It Right!

One of the benefits of working on a second module is the opportunity to do it again minus the parts that one did not like so much in the first. Now, let me say from the start that I am 100% happy with the first module and that I would recommend everybody who enjoys a classic PnP (pen and paper) style D&D adventure to download and play it. However, having played it a number of times myself, I can see where I could have improved it, and it is in these areas I hope to do better in the second module.

AREA DESIGNS

1) BROADER PATHS: To be frank, my own area designs are left wanting, in many ways ... and I know that even my newest ones for the next module will be no works of art. However, one aspect of the area design I will look at "improving" is simply to make (if possible) the walk-paths easier to navigate, especially when handling a larger party. For while I have found some of the areas in the first module are good to look at, they can also be let down by too "narrow" paths when trying to manoeuvre a party through them. For instance, it is easily possible to have over a dozen characters in a single party; and while I have made a means of escaping such tight spots available to the player, even this can need some extra persuasion at times.

2) SMALLER AREAS: I have noticed that when loading areas, a MP game can take some time if the area is of the larger size. For instance, when I first designed the Holy Mountains and Ancient Crypt areas (both 32x32 or thereabouts if I recall correctly), I had not tested their load times in a MP environment. Since my own MP testing, I have decided that I will break larger areas into smaller areas to enable faster load times for all play styles. I have not determined my exact limit yet, but I am considering around 24x24 maximum - all subject to testing.

CONVERSATIONS

1) CUTSCENES: Personally, I have come to the conclusion that the cutscene conversations certainly do well to immerse the player in the game, and therefore want to maximise my usage of them in the next module. I actually started making design changes to this end with the latest version of module 1, but going forward, I hope to keep as many cutscene types as possible. Obviously, those that serve an individual player will continue to be such, but I hope to do more cutscene for the players as a party as a whole.

2) COMPANION INTERJECTIONS: These came late in the design process for module one, and did not go without teething problems with the script involved .... which was quite complicated. However, now that the script that handles these is finalised, I hope to be able to use it more fruitfully in the later modules. The script that handles these interjections is designed to intelligently supply a response from the most appropriate companion, be they provided by the plot, or created by the player. That was part of the complexity.

SCRIPTING

1) EFFICIENCY: As part of the transition from finishing module 1 and starting module 2, I have been trying to rewrite and make my campaign scripts more efficient. Part of the problem I have, however, is that some of the earliest scripts I have go back over ten years! Thankfully, my knowledge of coding has improved in that time, but with the new knowledge comes recognition of where some weaknesses are in my older scripts. Many of these scripts have been "updated" and "improved" as the years have gone by, but I may have to "lock down" some older code and rewrite some parts to be more effective moving forward. The point is, I will be building the second module with greater understanding of the way things work ... and more importantly, do not work!

2) MINIMISE NEW SCRIPTS: The thing I enjoy most (when it comes to building with the toolset) is writing scripts. And while I am no expert (even now), I do enjoy seeing the results of a script come together in a game. That said, my aim is to NOT to introduce too many more scripts, simply because they can be time-consuming and one of the quickest means of introducing extra work (at best) or bugs (at worst). My aim now is to make use of the scripts and functions I have already tried and tested simply to produce more material. If I find myself needing to write another script, then I will keep it to a minimum if possible.

ITEMS

1) RECIPE INGREDIENTS: Having made a start in the provision of items required for crafting and enchanting, I want to be able to focus more on this area of items and make further provision of such to the player. Once again, having the core crafting code already in place, I hope it will now be a relatively easier process of determining how to distribute some of those items that are less random; such as creature items.

2) MANAGEMENT: Module one already includes a comprehensive item handling system, which has taken some time to stabilise, especially with respect to keeping stackable items and/or plot items in the right count. Therefore, I intend not to go beyond what is already working here. Any future items will, therefore, hopefully be designed to work around the current system already in place.

I hope that by the time I write the Episode 3 report, I will have uploaded the latest revision of Module One and all bug searching will have come to an end, allowing me to focus completely on the new build. We shall see ... Hopefully more on the module two specific latest next time!

The Opening Loadscreen For Module Two

Here We Go Again! (Module Two!)

INTRODUCTION

I am not sure if I will ever get to the end of what I am about to undertake, but I have finally found myself tinkering with module 2 of The Scroll, with a fresh hope of being able to finish it at some point in the future. In all fairness, the second module has a considerable amount of work done to it already, thanks to those who have contributed with area designs, and the fact that the campaign code is mostly already written. However, putting it all together with a plot that works well enough to keep the player playing and intrigued is that much more difficult to do, in my opinion. And that takes time and energy: the former I am currently blessed with, but the latter, not so much. If I don't pace this correctly, then it will never happen, no matter how much I would like it to. Therefore, I will keep this blog as a record and (hopefully) an encouragement to keep going. And any feedback that you (the reader) give me along the way, may well be the make or break of it.

First Things First

1) PLOT: Thankfully, the hard part, the plot, is already taken care of ... but only in part! The point being, if I did not have a story to tell, then no matter how many area designs I have available to me, a lack of conversations or plot would quickly bring this latest project to an end. However, there is still the problem that even though I have the plot in mind, the same problems of forming a good-flowing, fully cohesive story that a player can have pleasure interacting with, remain. i.e. There are critical plot points, but I need to fill the blanks with enjoyable and meaningful content. I will need to put flesh on the bones of the plot - and that will take time to create. This also means writing all those conversations!

2) AREAS: Again, I want to thank those people who have contributed area designs for module 2, which help a great deal towards this section of the work. I can honestly say that I have been most impressed with other people's artistic talent, which have gone a long way to help inspire me with ideas to flesh out the story. If it were not for their work already, then I think this second module would never have left the ground. That said, I still need to alter some parts of some of the area designs, simply because they need some aspects changed to work with the story I have in mind, which is based upon my pen and paper campaign (PnP) from the early 80's. There are also still a few areas missing, which I need to build.

3) CONVERSATIONS: This is the part where the story starts to come to life, with the "spoken" word! Actually, I also like to move a plot line along with the written word in the likes of readable books and scrolls too, but conversations with NPCs are what give a module "breath" in my opinion. However, these also take a lot of time and care, not just for the conversation itself, but to tie in all the events and options that become available to a player as they progress.

Facing The Blank Page

Having the main framework in place is one thing, but I still needed to open the toolset and start somewhere ... and opening the toolset can be much like facing the blank page when writing. In the last few weeks, I have been fixing any problems my wife has found in her SP testing, and updating the campaign to make module to module transfer work more smoothly. That "obvious" stuff now done, I am now turning to the creative element of coding, and hence, the start of this blog record.

Thankfully, I was able to find all my old PnP notes from the past, so that I could refresh my mind with the main plot ... there was a lot to consider. To begin with, the campaign is written for both players new to the campaign and those who have played from the PnP days. Therefore, especially with the first module, I had to consider what the player's PC would know and how they would react when in the world. However, this continues in the second module, especially when the player meets with NPCs that they may have met before if they played in the PnP days ... or not.

With this in mind, and having ensured the core module to module code functioned correctly with the v2.65 release, I decided to concentrate my efforts (for now) on the "first" adventure that the players could potentially come across, either by their own exploration (or guided by the story).

Now, true to form, I will try not to spoil anything by what I write in these blogs, but now follows my latest specifics ...

EPISODE 1: RECALLING THE PAST

As I begin this series on the latest module build, I decided to do it in an episodic format, just because it helps me ... and maybe makes it feel less dry for the reader. ;)

Because the player is still joining the module in one of two backgrounds, I decided that the best course of action is to allow the player to continue with their quest, according to the remaining quests from module 1. This, ultimately, will mean travelling to Boran. However, there are a number of places they could veer off to along the way, as the opening area will be an overland map.

Irrespective of this for now, I have decided to work on some interior area layouts to do with an outdoor area that was created for me by HOSA. The outdoor area represents an area my original PnP players PCs will have visited in the past, and so I need to try to be as faithful to its original PnP design as possible, but with some poetic licence thrown in for using the NWN2 toolset.

I find that writing for such an area (like I did for New Edgeton in module one) comes with its own set of challenges, mainly because the buildings provided do not always match what I may have originally drawn. Thankfully, this PnP scenario was played over 30 years ago, and so even my most loyal player would have trouble remembering the original design. The benefits of using previously employed PnP material, however, is that it helps drive me along, much like the other player created areas do.

The other advantage of using material from so long ago is that anything I do rebuild within NWN2 gives my old time players a chance to revisit the places and even redo the original scenario (with some minor plot alterations to reflect the changes since they were last here), and be designed in such a way that the quest works for old and new players to bring them both up to speed with the main plot. After all, the old time players will have most likely forgotten much of the plot themselves in the years that have passed since we played, and so the remade scenario works all round bringing all players backgrounds to the same point.

So, that will do as an intro for now ... Basically, I am currently working on some interior areas that support the existing area by HOSA, which I have modified slightly. I will write more about this progress, and mention some of those aspects I am changing with respect to design in Episode Two, the next blog post. For now, here is a screenshot from HOSA's area to whet the appetite.

What Place Is This That The Heroes Have Discovered?

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!"