Episode 33: A Confession and A Promotion!

Confession: I have not done any update on The Scroll (module 2) for two weeks now. I gave my wife time to finish play-testing the latest version (v1.33E) of module one (which uses the same core code as module two), so that I know I am in a stable position to continue moving forward. She has now finished playing the module for a tenth time with yet another mixture of PC types, and finally I can say, the first module is released as fully tested and complete. Ten times! you may exclaim, but I hope that also helps demonstrate some of the flexibility the module has as she still had one or two differences from her previous times playing. So, maybe it's time for a new group of adventurers to consider stepping in to help save the village of New Edgeton from their plight ... Is it you? If so, download The Scroll (module 1) now, safe in the knowledge that this version should be the final. In the meanwhile, what have I been doing instead .... ?

Promoting: The NWN Scripting Tutorial

I decided to spend some time trying to put together a basic NWN scripting tutorial for beginners. A number of people visit the forums asking for help with scripting (as to be expected), and I often hear the same questions asked. When I think back to when I first started writing scripts, I can empathise with those that ask the same questions as I did back then. So, with that in mind, I decided to put together a PDF that I hope helps explain some of the more basic steps required when it comes to writing scripts in NWN2 (helpful for NWN1 too).

This tutorial is now finished (at least for the time being), and is now available for download. I tried to keep it in a similar style as I did my XML tutorial, hopefully with what people may consider a more exciting layout than simple text, helping to highlight certain aspects when needed and make it easier to read. As I say in the manual, if it helps someone to achieve a result, then it has done its job.

Soul Shaker Revamp

I have also been SP play testing my newly revamped NWN1 Soul Shaker module, (with my wife doing the same now she has finished The Scroll). This has been progressing fine with me needing only to fix one or two points that got "disturbed" in the code changes. So far I have managed to complete around 75% of the module, and hope to finish it next week, with my wife finishing her play through shortly after. After this, I hope to send the files to a beta-tester, but am not expecting any further issues from their testing. Once they have completed, I will then upload Soul Shaker v2.00 for general release. At this time, SP will have been fully tested, but MP testing will come a bit later when I have the time and opportunity to play it that way later. However, I am not expecting any issues there either. Lastly, although I have managed to fix one or two points of code where a DM support can be used, this will probably have to remain untested, as (a) I will not be in a position to be able to test it with enough players and (b) I don't think there is much call for it nowadays. However, if the module is picked up by a group of players who do want to use it with a DM, then I will give as much support as they need and prioritise help for them.

The Scroll Module Two

Now that the first module of The Scroll is finalised, and once Soul Shaker v2.00 is released, I hope to return to module two of The Scroll. I am hoping the change of topic for the last few weeks and "fresh" start upon my return will help give me a push to move forward in some of the areas that had been holding me back. In particular, I have one or two areas that I need to finish furnishing, and some important conversations to write. In total, there are about four to five plot paths that need bringing together, and I want to be able to give it the attention it needs to do correctly. My concentration suffers at the best of times, and so I need to give it my fullest attention, which I hope to be able to do so knowing everything else is working as it should be. That's the plan anyway.

Can You help The Village of New Edgeton?

Episode 32: Shaken To The Core Files!

Today's blog is a bit different this week, as my attention has been taken by a revamp project regarding my NWN module, Soul Shaker. This came about for two reasons: 1) A player showed some interest in the Soul Shaker module and 2) I wanted to give the code in The Scroll a break from any changes I am making as I write module two. However, all this still helps towards the second module for The Scroll, as I hope to explain ...

Soul Shaker Revamped

Anyone familiar with my projects will know that I have also released a NWN module called Soul Shaker, which received some acclaim back in its day for its innovative ideas. (Podcast.) However, I have now come to believe that there were some coding differences I implemented at the time, which hampered its accessibility and ease of play for players. The current revamp addresses these issues. The gameplay itself, which could raise another argument about its accessibility, is not being changed. The gameplay differences are deliberate plot and mechanic ideas that were implemented to reflect a gaming style similar to System Shock 2 (to which the module pays homage), but within a D&D mythos.

Hak Patch v Databases

Way back when I first started to write Soul Shaker, there was no reliable system in place to patch a custom module so that a player who had already started the module could fix their game if a problem occurred without having to restart the module. Sometimes one could make use of the override folder, but this could become awkward and could not be relied upon. So, at the time, as not having to force my players to start again was a priority for me (as my own group of players would not welcome such), I ended up using databases to track data, which could then be used to replace data and return a player back to the correct point in the game should the module ever need to be updated and replaced. Indeed, the system worked well, and is the only means I know of to date, which would still (to this day), allow a builder to release a module where a player could replace an entire module (not just scripts) and not have to restart their game.

When I first wrote, my coding skills were not as good as they are today, and there were one or two cumbersome operations required of a player to ensure the game updated correctly. At the time, they seemed fine to me, but latest experiences with player feedback have shown me that what may appear straightforward to one person may not be for the next. Therefore, recognising these issues from the past, I decided to look at making the whole process more streamlined for the player by revamping the module and making the whole process more straightforward and intuitive.

As I started this latest revamp, however, it occurred to me that the module components (area designs and objects within them) were now pretty much as stable as they could ever be. Therefore, module updates were not really an issue any more, and that the only real points that needed consideration were potential buggy scripts or dialogues. For these types of issues, I could address them using my own devised "Hak Patch" system, which I had figured out how to implement towards the end of writing Soul Shaker, around early 2007. Indeed, if I had discovered this idea earlier, then I may never have relied so heavily on databases, or even used them at all. However, by the time I discovered the idea, the core database files were integral to the module design and not so easily removed. Rather than do this, I released it and the rest is history, as they say.

Fast forward to today, and after a new interest from players, and my own improved knowledge of scripting, I cannot bring myself to leave the module in its current state. Yes, it works, but the code is still weighed down with inefficient scripting and (now) pointless reliance on databases that require extra unwarranted attention of the player. Therefore, with renewed skills, I decided to remove all the database storage code (that relied upon extra implementation of the player) and, instead, rely solely on the "Hak Patch" system for any future updates that may be required for this re-release of the classic.

Soul Shaker (v2.00)

So what do these changes do for the player? Basically, the revamped version of Soul Shaker will now load and save like any other NWN module. Should the module require any patching (due to a bug), it will be handled by a one hak file download, which replaces the current one being used. The player would then simply reload their current game and continue to play from where they left off with any previous problems resolved. i.e. The Hak Patch system works in a similar fashion as changing the entire campaign folder in The Scroll. (That is how The Scroll is patched.)

The new version will no longer have any "unintuitive" reloading for players, and there will no longer be any databases to deal with at all. Not one! Furthermore, I have now amalgamated all supporting third party haks (of which there were about 13) into one larger hak, making it easier to install in the first place.

All these changes also mean I have to rewrite the Soul Shaker gaming manual that explains how to install or save games as these no longer apply. As an aside, this has been complicated by the fact that I cannot find the original source file for the manual, and so am having to make changes using what I can salvage from the release manual. It is coming along slowly though.

As I have made gradual progress, I have also discovered remnants of older code from a previous system I was using with my own group of players that is simply not used, and requires removing. There is also poor usage of some official functions and a lack of custom functions, which I am now addressing as part of the revamp. I am also trying to add comments to every file that I find to help with any future patching or queries. Currently, as I look at one script, I find it points towards a dozen others, each in turn requiring attention to check the code. I often find inexperienced coding, which requires a rewrite, which in turn requires testing of its own. All this means that it is taking me some time, but I do aim to release it as soon as possible, in the hope that the revamp may encourage new players who may be looking for something a bit different.

The Scroll

Meanwhile, this means I have been able to leave The Scroll alone as play testers test some final changes to its core files that needed to be updated after discovering one or two rare issues to do with Animal Companions, stackable items, auto-storage containers and gold. Note, some of these latest issues have come about after feedback from players who may try to use "console" commands (or "cheats") to aid in their gameplay. I discovered using such can break some aspects of play. Unfortunately, adding code to help circumvent these issues in the event of players who use them without recognising the dangers added one or two teething problems in the new code. These have been the reason for the latest flurry of updates. These and also the discovery that local objects cannot always be relied upon when stored on other objects, especially when recalled at a later time. Such stored objects can become "invalid" due to the way they are tracked by the engine, and so code reliant upon such can break if the objects are no longer valid.

Yet all this is beneficial and to the improvement of the second module of The Scroll. i.e. Problems discovered now will not be present in module two. And as I have currently stopped adding new material for module two (as I revamp Soul shaker), the latest problems I am fixing with The Scroll will now be the final updates required. The v1.32E should be the last version I need to fix anything with for module one.

Soul Shaker: How It All Began!

Episode 31: The Plot Thickens!

I continue to write more material for module two as time and health permits, and am still applying the odd small fix to module one as I receive feedback from a couple of players currently playing it. For the record, I have just uploaded v1.27E (2nd Edition), which updates my new Animal Companion system to ensure the Animal Companions of companions are also handled by the new system as well as any belonging to a Main PC. I have also made a couple of minor GUI changes. Read on ...

Companions' Animal Companions

This was a quick update to the campaign to take into account a couple of things: (1) If the player had companions that had Animal Companions and (2) If the player had the behaviour setup to allow their companions to summon them automatically. It's a minor change, as previously, the default code was used for when companions did this (automatically), which meant nothing had altered. However, as a player may have more than one PC that could have animal companions, this update now makes sure each named Animal Companion is recorded with its associated master rather than just assume the player only changed the names of their own animal companions. It's an important update for those that have more than one PC that can summon Animal Companions, and like to rename them all for all.

Campaign GUI Updates

After some player feedback, I also updated two GUIs:

LOOT CONTAINER GUI: Previously, left clicking on an item within a loot pile (other than gold) would bring up the current PCs inventory and display the clicked item's examined information in the inventory GUI for the player to read about. However, this could become annoying if the player was trying to pick up individual items from a loot pile, which would force open the inventory even if they had no intention of reading the examine info for the item. So now, the inventory only opens and gives an items examine information if the player right-clicks on the loot item text within the container. If the player decided to right-click on the loot item image icon instead, they will now get both the inventory description and a second GUI offering to transfer the selected loot item to a different PC. This allows immediate distribution to another PC without having to go via the PC doing the looting.

SPELL SCROLL INFO GUI: Previously, subject to one of its two settings in the Althéa Main menu, this small scroll would pop-up with spell duration remaining information for the PC that had spells remaining of them, either (1) If the player possessed the PC on whom the duration spell was cast, or (2) If automatic pop-up was selected for the PC, then whenever the player possessed this PC, it would automatically pop-up if they had any durations spells information remaining on them. By request, I have now added a third state toggle that completely disables any scroll GUI, even if a duration spell is cast upon the PC being possessed. So now, the new "NEVER SHOW" toggle state will prevent any information popping up at any time.

Module Two: More Plot!

As far as module two is concerned, I have simply been writing more conversations. In particular at the moment, companion responses at certain trigger points. These are more involved than they might first sound, as I use my own system to do a number of checks before they start with respect to (a) if there is a specific PC in the party, or (b) if there is a particular PC type in the party, or (c) if we are simply using a default comment or (d) sometimes even if the PC is alone. The system ensures it gives the most intelligent response a party companion can give subject to who is in the party, whether the player has had companions join them from the module, or if they created their own party! i.e. It is particularly flexible and "intelligent" enough to cater for almost any party combination, but, as a consequence, does require more preparation in the conversation responses available.

I am also still in the section that requires me to have to comment or prepare feedback for both conversation and quest stages according to whether the player has selected background one or two at the start of the campaign. Hopefully, it won't be much longer before I can put this difference aside, as the two background choices eventually come together.

Module Two: More Books & Scrolls!

Alongside the conversations, I have been putting together more readable scrolls and books; the types where clicking on a placeable book or scroll (or sometimes activating a book or scroll item) will provide the player with an actual full view of the styled text inside a scroll or book GUI rather than the basic examine text. Without doubt, this offers some great immersion, and is something I hope to fully utilize in module two and moving forward.

Module two is where players who don't know about the main story will learn much about the background of the main plot, which my PnP (D&D pen and paper) players already know. Of course, all players will be able to view these texts, the new player for the first time, and my PnP players in a new light - and in game rather than as a hand-out as in times past.

The Heroes Locate An Important Library!

Episode 30: Animal Companions & Module Integrity!

I am still making gradual progress with module two, although some of the latest scripting affected module one (again) due to some of the coding I was working spilling over into general mechanics of the game as a whole. This was especially the case when my wife (who is playing module one for a ninth time and planning a tenth with other characters) noticed that the "Dinosaur Companion" feat she took for her druid/fighter failed to give her the update after levelling. Read more ...

ANIMAL COMPANION UPGRADE

Basically, my wife discovered a bug in the NWN2 game that did not allow her to use animal companion upgrade feat because she had taken it at the time she had levelled as a fighter. She had just become a 5th level druid and first level fighter, and the feat was legitimately taken. However, upon summoning her animal companion, she was attended by her normal companion and not a dinosaur as expected.

While working on the fix (to allow my wife her new dinosaur companion), she also asked if I could add an option to rename the companion. Furthermore, as I investigated the issue some more, I thought it would be a good time to also adapt the code to allow such characters who can summon animals to be able to choose the type summoned from each calling. It seemed a shame to restrict the PC to one animal type that was determined at the time of PC creation. Therefore, I added another button (alongside the new Change Name button I added) called Change Type, which allows the PC to switch their companion as long as they have the feat, it is on full hit points and they are not in combat.

New Animal Companion GUIs

MODULE INTEGRITY

I have also been privileged to have some feedback from another player. During the feedback, it came to light that the player had enabled some "cheats", which appeared to have had an adverse effect on the module. It came to light that some of these cheats had actually worked against the player due to the way my module works. Suffice to say, I recommended removing said cheats, but sadly, the damage had been done to the module and the player had to start again.

I have now added a warning to the download site, to help warn players of the dangers of applying cheats with my module. Furthermore, I have tried to help circumvent these potential pitfalls for future players in the code. Hopefully, the warning will be enough, and the integrity code will never be relied upon. However, it is now there as a potential safeguard against the player breaking their game inadvertently.

OTHER NEWS

I also recently updated module one to v1.25E after a logical flow bug was discovered in the sewer quest if a player did not speak with Grist again after finding/acquiring the sewer book. If the "expected" path had been followed, then this bug would never manifest. However, if a player should deviate by going down the sewers before speaking to Grist about the book, then it would mean the player would never receive the Sewer Access key from Jed. This has now been fixed in v1.25E. The workaround for earlier versions is just to make sure you speak with Grist after acquiring the book.

Module two is still progressing as well. I did further work on background conversation options, and continued to improve the overall efficiency of the code. I now have a number of quests in the module started, and hope to add more in the following  weeks. Here is a screenshot from one I have been working on ...

A Strange Device!

Episode 29: Blood Sucking Creatures Of The Night!

A couple of weeks back I introduced the fact that I am aiming to include vampires in module two of The Scroll ... and this is an update on that course of action. Unfortunately, I did not do as much as I hoped, due to some Windows 10 issues, but thankfully, I did manage some progression. I also managed to do some reworking of the creature drop scripts and HP Bars. To have an idea of what the player can expect, read on ...

VAMPIRE COFFINS

As most hardened adventurers will know, vampires are not easily "destroyed" ... for good. They even stand out from their undead counterparts due to their supernatural ability to avoid such final destruction. And what is the main focus of this ability to avoid such an untimely "death"? ... The vampire's coffin!

The coffin normally represents the final resting place of every mortal soul. However, in D&D, we can never take such assumptions for granted, especially when we think vampires may be around. For vampires, this normally straightforward casket is a place of sanctuary and resurrection. If an encounter with some vampire hunters goes badly for them, they can instantly turn into a gaseous form to avoid further combat and escape to their coffin. Once there, and after an hour's resting, they can quickly regenerate from their wounds and be ready to fight again!

THE ADVENTURER'S ADVANTAGE

However, like all things in D&D, what may be of benefit in one instance, may turn out to be a pitfall if an adversary (like the adventurer) knows how to use it to their advantage. For if a vampire's coffin should be destroyed before the vampire has time to flee to it, then the vampire becomes vulnerable to normal destruction, now unable to flee to its sanctuary. Furthermore, if an adventurer is able to discover a vampire's coffin with the vampire still inside, and they carry a humble wooden stake, then they can also destroy the vampire by plunging said stake into the vampire's heart even before it has time to react. Here is an in-game descriptive text for a coffin ...

In-Game Coffin Description

VAMPIRES & THEIR SPAWN

Thanks to KevL's Creature Visualizer tool, I was able to produce something other than the stock vampire model we have in the toolset. Thankfully, vampires tend to be humanoid in nature, and so I simply crated some new "vampires" from the humanoid models. At first I was concerned about not having the correct teeth for them, but then I noticed that the official vampire lord does not show their teeth either, so decided it was not a major concern. I think the player will be able to see these for who/what they are. The bottom line, I was able to make the vampires look different, be they spawn types (lesser, but still very formidable) or the full blown vampire.

The story behind the vampire connection is still in development, but I do have a major premise to work from now. I also want to update the areas lighting and sounds, which were absent from the area I have, which was kindly put together for me by Eguintir, many years ago now!

OTHER UPDATES

While working with vampires and associated code, I noticed I had currently not allowed some creatures to drop items that may be useful in crafting. This mostly affected either constructs or outsiders. Thankfully, these drops are not critical, apart from they may be useful in crafting certain items with the appropriate skills ... and my guess is these parts are more likely for higher level crafted items. Therefore, any drops, apart from any monetary value, may well have been not usable until module two anyway. That said, if I release another version of module one, then these drops will become available again, but only if the module is started afresh.

In further code updates, I changed the HP Bars for party members to green and also enabled the bar to show above the Main PC as well now. Again, it is a minor alteration, and simply a cosmetic difference that I hope will be appreciated in the next release.

Lastly, I spent some time going over some functions (especially to do with host functions) to ensure the game is ready for additional modules. This is an ongoing point, but will become less of an issue as module two grows nearer completion.

And for those who like a picture, here is a themed one for this week...

The Heroes Discover A Dark & Ominous Place

Episode 28: You Can Count On Vampires!

What a bit of a selection of things to tell you about in this blog! My efforts (for what they are) have been tested in a number of directions, as health permitted during this difficult time. There may be another word with "V" in it that we are all talking about of late, but for this blog, I am going to restrict its application for the monster, the vampire! (The other word was "Covid", but that's the first and last time I will mention it.) So, what's been happening ... read on ...

CLASSIC MONSTERS!

You may recall from a few months back that I managed to put together some scripts that will manage lycanthropy in my next module. Now, in a similar vein, I am trying to rework another horror classic: the vampire! However, none of my vampires will be "Count" like characters ... or at least, they will definitely not be like the caricatured beaten to death more times than even the hardiest of undead characters, "Dracula" if I can help it. I aim to have them simply be the monster that D&D has made them and try to escape the stereo-type portrayal if possible. But who am I kidding! I reckon the "Dracula" character is so embedded in our psyche that it will be impossible to escape some mental images of that persona.

New Visual Effects

So what's new? Well, I discovered that NWN2 did not support the gaseous form that we are familiar with when a vampire wants to avoid an untimely end. Therefore, I had to script a version of that. (See video link below for a demo.) On top of that, I was not happy with the way the vampire model relied on a spell to try to dominate its victim rather than use a gaze attack, so I updated that too.

I also applied some of my previously developed "undead" scripts to ensure level drains work alongside any Life Essences a PC may be carrying. In my modules, Life Essences can act as a barrier towards level draining, in that some undead will drain these from PCs before actual levels.

Other than that, most (if not all) other vampire aspects are covered, from needing magik weapons to hit, fast healing, blood (constitution) draining, damage and other resistances. They are quite a formidable foe, but one that can be overcome if the party of heroes go well prepared; normally with a cleric and accompanying spells.

In Development

I still have some scripting to do with respect to their coffins and stakes, but that is all going to tie in with other plot related stuff and so it will come together in time. And you can thank my wife for their inclusion, as she wanted me to write a story based upon the return of one of her favourite characters from The Scroll (module 1), and this is where it led to. I won't say who that character was, but some of you who have played module 1 already may well be able to guess. :)

GAME OPTIONS!

As most players will know, vampires have the power to dominate their victims. This led me to looking at the various effects that I would need to have the vampire employ, which in turn led to the game option function, GetScaledEffect. This function is basically called when some effects are used on a player to alter the overall effect according to the Game Difficulty settings. Unfortunately, this section of the NWN2 game appears a little buggy, and so I determined to look a little closer at this too, especially as vampires use the dominate effect.

I discovered a number of small issues, but enough differences to what I expected to make me decide it needed "fixing". It's still currently a work in progress, but I do now have a greater understanding of the various effects involved and hope to have an update to this section of the game not before too long. I may even consider releasing another update for module 1, subject to any requests for it or not. If no-one asks for it, then I may just leave it as an update if and when module 2 is released.

The Vampire Combat Video demonstrating new effects ....

Episode 27: How Do You Like Your Game Served Sir?

Another week and another blog, but a little different this week. This week serves as the divider for me about what has been done (module 1) and what still remains (module 2 plus). To mark this event I wanted to take a step back and look at the whole gamut of what makes an RPG again. I do have news on module two and a new screenshot, but this post is as much about the RPG itself than just my module specifically. So, what am I talking about? Read on ...

The Game Is Over!

Well, actually, only module one is now "over", as I have now made a final v1.21E upload that should mark the end of all patches and upgrades to it. My wife has now played through the module about eight times via various paths and I think between us we have now found everything. Bottom line now: Unless someone reports a game-breaking bug (or I happen to discover anything), this module is complete ... finished ... done ... baked! So please, download it and enjoy it. I should point out that it is what I would call a TRUE RPG, in that there is plenty of "player agency" (see next) and decisions to be made by the player. You will need to think about what you intend to do, as there will be consequences. It is not designed for the casual player!

Medium Rare or Well Done?

Having started to concentrate more on module two again, I was reminded of all those aspects of the design that I like to include for a player. As I thought of this, I also recognised that there is quite a bit of difference between the types of modules out there. There are those like mine, which cater to the more hard-core "challenges" and "tactical" player, down to the more "linear" style and "casual" player.

As it happens, I quite enjoy most styles, but I do think how a game is presented can make a difference to ones own approach to it. For instance, if I pick up a game labelled an "RPG", I would expect such a game to allow me to develop my PCs as I wanted to, and be able to explore the game areas subject to what skills and abilities I developed as a party of adventurers. Sure, there will be some limited access to certain areas to begin with, but with a recognition that if I should increase a certain skill, I would then be able to go in a certain direction of my "choosing". However, if a game requires little "input" from me (as a player) with respect to direction or tactics, or limits access to new places by plot consideration only, then, personally, I would consider that more akin to an "adventure" game than an RPG. Note, however, they both deliver a story (the meat of the game), but in very different styles (cooking).

Player Agency

Basically, what I just described above is about a game mechanics concept referred to as "player agency". I am NOT the first to coin the phrase, but I do appreciate what is meant by it and believe builders and players (especially of NWN mods) should be more aware of its influence when considering the type of game they either like to play, or even build. The issue we have with NWN (both 1 and 2) is that in its original design and release, it is very much an RPG. However, the toolset is very flexible (even if an awkward beast at times), and unless a builder keeps player agency in mind (on behalf of the player), then we end up with modules that while may still fun to play (if you like other styles of games like "adventure" games), are not, strictly speaking, RPGs! i.e. Just because a module is built using the NWN toolset, does not automatically mean you are going to end up building (or playing) an RPG.

I hope I have not offended anybody by saying this, as that is not my agenda. As I stated above, personally, I enjoy most styles of games built with the NWN toolset, from the more "linear" style to the more "sandbox" offerings. I simply wanted to highlight that some players will be expecting higher player agency from a module advertised as an RPG, or simply just because it is as a module built using the NWN toolset.

Player Agency Examples

So let's look at some real in game examples that differentiate the gaming styles ...

1) PC DEVELOPMENT: This is one of the clearest guidelines to help determine what style of game you are building or playing. If the game does not support multiple classes and races, and/or the ability for the player to develop their skills over the course of the game, then it lacks player agency. Note: Games that alter a PC on your behalf (or severely limit your choices as a player), have less player agency than those that do not restrict such development.

2) ATTRIBUTES, FEATS & SKILLS: On the back of the first point, if the game or module does not offer many aspects of gameplay that test any skills or attributes that you are "developing" for your party as a player, then it lacks player agency. For example, even if you can develop/level a character, if there is nowhere the attribute or skill will be of much use, then it lacks player agency. If a game offers only one or two diplomacy type check in its entire course, then it does not (should not) qualify as an RPG. I would consider that "lip service" only.

3) COMBAT CHALLENGE: Connected closely to the above points, a game that does not offer any challenge in combat, and where equipment and statistics make little difference, lacks player agency. I experienced this when I played MS "Dungeon Siege". I could actually walk away from the game and know that I would win a combat irrespective of my input or lack thereof. NB: It was not a "bad" game for this, but it did disappoint some of my expectations. Once I had accepted the gameplay for what it was, I eventually finished the story anyway.

4) THE WORLD ECONOMY: Surprisingly, but perhaps not to everyone, I am quickly disheartened upon finding vendors in a game that sell every super item one could ever expect to find. It makes treasures, equipment and all related choices simply subject to how much gold I can horde. Games or modules that swamp a player with such goods has effectively robbed a player of an area of gameplay: improving their capabilities with equipment. Furthermore, just because the item is expensive and I cannot afford it as a PC, does not make it a player agency potential. Rather, it trivialises the items in a game.

5) LOCKED DOORS & CHESTS: If there are no doors or chests to find locked, which can be unlocked with a PC with the skill, then the module lacks player agency in this area too. NOTE: I enjoy discovering doors that require a certain key (and I use them in my design too), but they should be the exception when referring to locked doors rather than the norm. If every locked door requires a key, then it is an "adventure" style game and not an RPG.

Well Done Please!

The bottom line is to report that module two is being designed with the same level of player agency as The Scroll module one has. In other words, it is being designed in such a way that the player drives the game forward, rather than the game leading you along a determined path. That's not to say there isn't a definite story, which there certainly is! The difference is, the path you take will determine how the story turns out for you and what your party will be like at the end of your game. Did you build all your party, take some companions, change the way the party developed, etc? This is my preferred style of game design: A true RPG!

That said, because I am just one man, I am limited to how much material and direction I can add, and the various paths I do write in take more time to prepare than if I was writing for a more casual linear style game. The game still has to work as a cohesive whole, no matter how you (as a player) approach it ... and one of my other design concepts is to ensure the game plays as if you found the true path, irrespective of the path you end up playing. Furthermore, the path should appear clear to you, whichever path you end up deciding to try first.

Rest assured though, whatever choice you make will have to be supported by other choices you make for you and your party. If you lack a thief, how will you bypass a lock? Do you have a wizard with Knock, or maybe a fighter can bash down a door? Will you buy a new weapon or save gold by making a repair yourself because you have the skill to? Will you simply keep saving the gold to be able to afford to do some crafting, or offer it at an altar for increased benefits now? Basically, there are many choices in the World of Althéa and it requires a conscientious player to find their path through it. Are you up for the task?

For the record, I had to make another area for module two .... ;)

The Heroes Finally Make It To Boran!

Episode 26: Are We There Yet?

I have to confess that I did not expect The Scroll (module 1) to have taken as many versions as it has to reach the state that I now hope it has reached ... DONE! I have said this so many times before that it is uncomfortable for me to say it again ... but ... v1.18E (2nd release) does appear to be the FINAL for module 1. Although, I confess that I may release a v1.19E (or jump to v1.20E) to mark its absolute final release, even if there are no changes from v1.18E (2nd release), just because I like to mark its place with a round number. For those of you more interested in module 2, and its latest news, read on ...

THE CRYSTAL MECHANICS

Between finalizing code for module 1 fixes, I have also been looking over the code I have in place for some new "crystal" mechanics in the next module. Much to do with balancing and ensuring certain abilities are available at the right time, as well as writing conversations that bring a player more background relating to such. That's all I can say for now though ... sorry ... it's too much of a spoiler to explain more, except to say that it plays a big part in one section of the module in a similar vein as the rune stones did in module 1, but more so!

MORE GENERAL BUILDING

I have been continuing to fill areas with interesting objects and events. However, the areas I am currently working with tie quite a bit to the new mechanics above, and so I am tending to switch between the two aspects as required. I have also hit a critical plot point of logic that is requiring me to wrestle with a number of alternative ideas, which has currently stalled my progress in this area of the story. The good news is I have a couple of approaches I think will work, but I need to consider the repercussions of these approaches fully before I commit to them. Once I am happy the logic works, I can start to write the story around it again. In the meanwhile, I am considering working on another area of the module to allow my subconscious to work on a solution too. Sometimes just letting it sit for a while like that can work for me. However, I have something to fall back on in a worse case scenario.

SETTING THE SCENE

It's fine when we have a dungeon (or area) and the player party is making their way to resolve their quest, but ... I just cannot escape the need to build more into an adventure (or any quest) for the player to discover before they embark on the adventure (or quest) itself. I don't want to rob the player of discovering their way (the journey) before dealing with the task (the destination) itself. It's true we can get away with less stage setting when delivering side-quests (to more of a degree), but even here I find I am wanting to flesh these out with more substance than I have previously. As a consequence, I have found the conversation sizes have increased, and surrounding storyline has broadened. It's not a bad thing in my thinking, but with respect to module delivery time, it does make it feel like taking one step forward, while taking two steps backwards. The price to pay for trying to create a particular scene I guess.

FEATURING THE ANKHEG

The bottom line is that there is not much I can add to the last few weeks of module building due to the various distractions of module 1 fixing and limited info I can divulge with module 2. So, rather than post a picture this week, I thought I might encourage readers by posting a video instead! It is part of module 2, and something I have posted elsewhere. However, this is the first time I posted it in this blog. Just to show I am working on various aspects still...

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 24: Continued Development.

I write with mixed feelings today, as I have just discovered I introduced a module one game breaking bug back in v1.06E (27th December 2019), which I only just discovered while testing something else today. It is so frustrating when something like this happens, especially when I am doing so little with scripts that may affect that module now. (This has now been fixed in the latest version available.) On a more positive note, I have been making reasonable progress on module two of the campaign, including making another home-brew placeable that the PCs will discover. (Included as this week's screen shot, as it is only a minor spoiler at most.) Read on ...

SCRIPTS LOCKDOWN

From today, I am forcing myself to make sure I add another line of code to critical scripts to ensure I do not break existing code that module one relies upon. This should, in theory, mean there should be no further "breaking" of module one. I know I have said this kind of thing before, but sometimes I thought the change I was making was insignificant. How wrong I can be! As a lesson learned, adding any new code to existing scripts will now be properly segregated from module one.

AREA DEVELOPMENT

Much of the last fortnight has been to do with continued area building for the module two, especially for those areas related to the main quest. It was during this time when I discovered an issue with "rope" in the game. Rope is used for some situations and so has extra associated scripts. However, it also has an "item placeable" object associated with it, which means a new placeable is created when it is dropped. The problem was, however, is that once dropped, I could no longer pick it up. This led me to a fix for v1.10E. When I went to test the rope fix in module one, that is when I discovered the On Area Enter issue ... which led to the essential update I speak of in the introduction.

It was during this time that I also discovered playing more than one sound at the same time could potentially cause an issue by only playing one of the sounds. This was also fixed in the latest campaign release.

NEW PLACEABLE BOARD

During my area building, I was reminded of some games that show a profile map of an environment, where the different vertical levels of said environment are shown in relationship to one another. I think of games System Shock 2 and more lately, Prey. As the layout of the environment I am currently working on is a bit different to the standard "one level directly on top of another", I thought I would also provide a map showing the unusual vertical layout for the player.

My first attempt was to use the "painting" model, which I am familiar with already. However, the model was too small to present the picture I had prepared. Therefore, I decided to look for another existing model that was bigger to do the job. I eventually opted for the arcane chalk board, but transferring my image to that turned out to be more tricky than I thought it would be.

On my first attempt, the image wrapped around so that it did not show correctly. Eventually, I was able to see that the original image did the same, and that if I wanted to present an image unwrapped, then it needed some alterations, which finally worked after some experimentation. However, this led to a second issue ... the text was mirrored and on the wrong side. Thankfully, simply inverting all the images related to the arcane board and the text in my own image sorted the issue. The screen shot of the final result is this weeks screen shot.

PC BACKGROUND CONVERSATION NODES

I also worked on more conversations, and was reminded how each main PC in a game could potentially come with a character background feat/trait. For example, you have the bully, or the lady's man, etc. Not every player may select one, but for those that did, I thought it would be good to try to include some conversation options that helped to reflect their PC background choice. These conversation options would sit alongside any others that the conversation required and I hope would add flavour and encourage the player to play their role-play their PC character background role more. I ended up having to write a new script for the conversation node checks, and discovered the farmer trait to be incorrectly present in the official nwscript file. It has been fixed with my own script that simply uses basic number integers.

A Profile Map of the Citadel

Episode 23: Most Puzzling My Dear Halfling ...

One of the things I like most about D&D as a whole is its variety of play. We have exploration, we have encounters, we have combat ... and we have puzzles! Furthermore, NWN2 is a great platform for all of them. Where else can you create an entire party of adventurers by yourself or with friends and play a D&D campaign of a home brew design sporting its own unique new GUI puzzles? Personally, I like a campaign that provides puzzles, and this post is about some of the new ones that I am hoping to bring to supporting players when it is finally released. Read on ...

NEW PUZZLES

Players of The Scroll (module one) will have experienced quite a number of puzzles in my campaign already. From "ripped scrolls" to "combination chests" and from "chameleon stones" to "cryptic puzzles". It has a fair number for the player who likes the occasional change of pace and a chance to flex their "thinking caps". And let us not forget the "rune puzzles"! For those who prefer not to tackle puzzles though, there is also the option to bypass many of them, with the exception of one or two game important ones.

The puzzles of the second module will, I hope, be of similar design. The three I show in the video below are actually part of a main dungeon design, and so are designed specifically with that dungeon in mind. However, with minor alterations, I may be able to use them in other areas of the module too. Anyway, here is the video ...

THE JOURNAL REMINDER

While on the topic of new GUIs, I also decided to update one of my other GUI designs to act as a JOURNAL REMINDER. Basically, if the player receives a journal update (maybe even in the middle of a conversation), then my SHOW GUI now keeps a worded reminder that the entry needs checking and remains present until the entry is accessed via the journal. 

Furthermore, the player needs only HOVER over the SHOW GUI (when the reminder is present) to open the journal to read the latest entry. The new system also works alongside the new JOURNAL NOTES system, whereupon a slightly different worded reminder is presented in the SHOW GUI alongside a sound file informing the player that the journal NOTES section has been updated. The reminder is cleared after the player HOVERS to open the journal and enters the NOTES tab section of the journal for such entries. This weeks screen shots image show the update in action. (See below.) And for those that would like to have access to this update now, then you will be pleased to know that The Scroll (module one) supports this from v1.09E.

AREA BUILDING

The last couple of weeks has also seen me going over some of the areas, gradually filling them with objects and creating a "lived in" environment. From a scripting perspective, progress is smooth as I am able to use scripts that are now quite stable and work well for my needs. e.g. I have dedicated encounter triggers that are more flexible to use than those officially provided ... and I have been making good use of them.

As I have continued to develop the areas, I have also been able to consider various side quests and various plot twists that come to mind. How many will make it into the final, only time will tell. It involves more conversation writing, of which I already have quite a bit still left to do.

CONTINUED IMPROVEMENTS

As I continue to design the second module, I find myself being able to improve older scripts, which continue to have improvements on module one. This is why module one has also had an update to v1.09E. However, this is bound to slow down sooner or later, as many of these updates are mostly cosmetic now. So unless further improvements have a reasonably significant impact on module one, they may not be seen until the second module is released, at which point all the other minor campaign improvements will be added then.

ALTHEA WEATHER SYSTEM

For those who may be interested, I also managed to update the Althéa Weather System to v2.0, which is basically the same system I use in the latest version of The Scroll. So, if you want a fully implemented weather system for your NWN2 campaign, then maybe it's worth considering. Version 2.0 basically runs more efficiently than earlier versions.

New Journal Update Reminder System

Episode 22: May The Force Field Not Stop You!

With the toolset issues behind me, I am now able to push forward with the creation of module two of The Scroll with more ease. Especially in the department of working with sounds and VFXs. I am not an expert in this area at all, but find I am able to rework some of those VFXs that others have made or come with the toolset already. To this end, when I found myself in need of another VFX for the latest dungeon I am working on, I was pleased to find I was able to make the VFX I needed. Read on ...

FORCE FIELD VFX

So if you had not guessed from the title already, the new effect was a Force Field. I don't think I give any spoilers by mentioning it, because I have not yet decided just how "menacing" the final encounter with it shall be. Suffice to say, the effect turned out as I hoped, with the only caveat being that I had to separate the sound part of the effect from its visual effect. This was because the sound of the VFX could not be easily managed in scripting if I did not. It was going to be this week's screenshot, but as the full impact could not be easily portrayed in a soundless 2d image, I am treating readers to a small six second video link to take a look instead.

AREA BUILDING

I also managed to start building another interior area to support one of the exterior areas I am currently working on with respect to the main quest. It's one of a few interior areas I knew I was going to have to build, and as I have just updated the HAK folder for the campaign, it gave me the opportunity to check one of the yet unused tile sets: Cellars by rjshae. This week's screenshot is from that interior area in it's early design.

CONVERSATIONS

I have also started to add templates for more conversations that are needed for the mega-dungeon section I am working on. These conversations are reasonably straightforward ones, but like anything to do with the "mega" status, I simply need more to accommodate the dungeon size. And while on the subject of the mega-dungeon, I can add that I have also continued to work on its various areas too.

SCRIPTING

Thankfully, writing scripts is one of the less taxing aspects for me, which I have been able to keep reasonably well up to date as required. On the subject of scripting, I have also decided to move all scripts, including altered official campaign ones, to the root directory of the campaign folder. This is because if they are stored within their own sub-directory (like they had been), they were not checked when using the "compile all scripts" option. While this may not be an issue much of the time, there are some circumstances when missing these scripts during a compile check may have an impact in future, because I often forget what these scripts refer to. So basically, it's a precaution moving forward from v1.08E (next release) of module one. As an example, the "invisibility" scripts required recompiling after I removed a function they referred to. Thankfully, the removal made no impact to the spells at all in any past releases, but I won't be taking the same risks moving forward.

BACKSTORY & QUESTS

I have also been taking time to put together back story in my Readable Books format (*) and develop some more side quests. The latest book written has over 2 x 6 pages! It is designed to answer some of the questions the player may have been wondering about, but they can choose to read or simply skip through. Either way, the game will continue regardless of how much detail the player chooses to read ... but I hope they are encouraged enough to want to know more of the story anyway. (*) Latest version in The Scroll campaign files only.

As I have stated previously, my aim is to try to provide some side quests that will complement the main quest more naturally than in the previous module. It's more of a subtle change, but one that I hope may make gameplay feel more natural ... perhaps. They take the shape of "while you are at it" approach, as opposed to "here is something else".

The Cellar is Cold, Dark and Dank!

Episode 21: Encountering Toolset Problems!

Building a module is not always a plain sailing affair. In fact, ask any builder, and I can guarantee they will have a bunch of "issue" stories as long as their module quests list relating to the building of their behemoth! For any module can become a monster to wrestle with when the NWN toolset is involved, irrespective of module size. I too, have not been without issues in the making of my modules, and over the last week or so, I can, at last, say that I have put two such particularly nasty encounters behind me. Read on ...

SOUND CRASH ISSUES

The older of the two issues I encountered goes back a few months, and was when I noticed that trying to play a VFX (with a sound attached) within the toolset VFX Editor crashed the toolset. I soon learned that the only way I could work around this problem was to "remove" the sound file prior to playing the VFX. However, this was not satisfactory and I was always concerned that this may be having an impact on the module for players too, as I also occasionally crashed in game in a sound intensive environment.

I tried the usual approach: reinstall sound drivers, reinstall NWN2; neither of which were fruitful, and even required me having to do a restore of Windows 10 to recover from further issues I managed to introduce while trying to fix this one. In the end I decided to just let it go, resigned to the idea that probably only a Windows "reset" would fix the issue; something I was not prepared to do at this stage.

Move forward to this week, and a post on the forums about another player experiencing Game Crashes (where VFX were noted) made me look into the problem again. I continued down the path I had started and looked further into any potential CODEC issues by using the KLite Codec Tweak Tool.

Using this utility I was able to ascertain that the DirectShow filters appeared to be deregistering when using the toolset's VFX Editor. With further searching, I eventually found this page that discussed similar issues and this page that recommended removing some of the DirectShow filters. So now it was just a case of experimenting with my own filters to see if I could find a combination that fixed my own sound problems ... and I did. (See the image to see which filters needed disabling to fix the sound crash in the toolset.) In fact, after discovering which filters were the culprit, I decided simply to uninstall the programs that had installed these filters (Nero Essentials and Cyberlink PowerDVD), especially  as I no longer used these programs anyway. The toolset problem is now gone, and I hope such changes will make for a more stable gaming environment too.

Disable These Filters If You Are Having Sound Problems!

HAK SIZE MATTERS

Along with building a second module comes new content. No problem, I thought, I can simply add to my campaign hak, and have it ready for the next module .... wrong! Having added nearly 2 GB of data to an already 500 MB file, making a total of 2.5 GB (or there about), came with its own inherent problem that was not immediately noticeable.

The problem was that while all the new content looked good within the toolset, by the time I went to view it in the game, one placeable would have been replaced by another! i.e. The placeable in game was nothing like the one I had positioned in the toolset. At first discovery I had no idea what had caused this, as I was ignorant of any kind of hak size limit, which I am now led to believe may be around 2GB.

What made this latest discovery worse, however, was the fact that I just uploaded v1.05E, with every folder based upon this new large hak build. In quick testing of module one prior to release, all appeared to be OK, but I had not checked every placeable object. As quick as I could, I repacked the hak into a smaller size (with less content than before) and re-released it as v1.06E. Sadly, there had been at least three downloads of the larger files, and so I just hope their game is not compromised by the error.

Furthermore, I released a second version of the v1.06E Campaign folder, which removed the "replacement" WAV files I had been using during build time that were helping me to avoid the SOUND CRASH ISSUE I mention above. Unfortunately, I also discovered that these replacement WAV files did not always work well within NWN2, and so I hope the one person who had managed to download v1.06E in the time before I re-uploaded it, manages to get its second release minus the temperamental WAV files.

TREASURES

So, while I don't have much to say about module two this week, (preferring to use this post as a cathartic exercise for the last two issues), I will, however, leave you with one image that I hope will make it all worthwhile ... Here's an image of some valuable treasures you should keep your eyes open for in module two... Hopefully, I will have more to report in my next post now that these issues have been dealt with.

Treasure: Some Priceless Paintings!

Episode 20: Adventuring Proper!

This last fortnight has seen me delving back into the second module of The Scroll ... and for proper adventuring stuff too! And while module one v1.04E was also released during this time, that was simply as a result of improvements in module two that sorted out some module one AI at the same time. That aside, everything has been about adding new content to the next module, and there were three areas I looked at in particular. Read on ...

CONVERSATIONS

First off, I continued to develop conversations for NPCs to complement both sub-quest and main quest lines. One NPC had quite a number of lines added that works with my newly developed SP/MP handling. i.e. When the conversation required MP (multi-player) handling, it does so, but the minute the content is angled more towards SP (single player), such as purchasing items, then the conversation seamlessly switches to a SP environment, allowing other players to continue with their own actions. Where this system is still quite new (even to me who developed the idea), I am still quite slow while making sure all the variables are being set as I need them to subject to which section of the conversation is taking place. Suffice to say, the ones I have updated so far work well, and include potential companion added comments if the payer has such in their party.

JOURNAL ENTRIES (QUESTS)

Tied closely to the conversations I have written are the (sub) quests that I have also added since last posted. I have managed to start three new quest lines as well as continue to add entries for existing quests. As it currently stands, I have now started around 25% - 33% of the total number of quests I hope to include by the time of release for module two. My goal regarding sub-quests is that they serve to either add more backstory or some form of greater reward for doing them. In this way, I hope such sub quests do not detract from the main story line, but help to give the player something extra to consider as they progress through the main story.

AREA DESIGN

This last week also had me back at area designing ... or rather continuing with an area that I had already started a few months ago, before I was sidetracked with both other material and seeing the Enhanced version of module one released. It's one of four interior designs that are required for the current quest I am writing. (This week's screenshot is from the area.)

For me, area designing is both a "love" and a "hate" thing. The "hate" is due to having to fill an otherwise large empty space with interesting stuff that will keep the player interested in spending time there ... and I do not have a lot of patience when it comes to filling in details like you find in some of the better designed games that can be bought and played. That said, however, I do find that when I start to fill an area with placeables, it can sometimes inspire me for a quest idea, and that is something that happened in the latest area design. This as a definite boon for any would-be player, as these design diversions are what bring an area to life in my experience.

i.e. It's not so much about what an area looks like or the content it has, but what a player can expect their PCs to do while there. A blandly designed area may be a "minus" point, but if the player is too involved with the action/plot/gameplay to notice, then that negative point can, hopefully, be swallowed up in the experience. That is how I find games work for me, and I hope the same applies to others that end up playing my modules. The only downside is I then get side-tracked to work on this new gameplay aspect before finally getting around to finishing off the area design itself. This is what happened this time too. Basically, the area is required for a main quest, but I like to add ideas that make the area interesting in and of itself.

CREATURE VISUALISER

I have also had the opportunity to try out KevL's Creature Visualiser plugin in the last few uses of the toolset, and am please to say that it works well as an alternative viewer to the "Armor Set" tab that a builder may have problems using in the official toolset. KevL says the plugin is still in alpha stage, but if it continues to improve at the rate it has been, then I guess it won't be long before it's good for many others to consider using too. I found it useful even at this stage!

And here on your right is the kitchen!

Episode 19: The Lore of the Land.

Writing for module two of The Scroll is back underway, after the last few weeks of preparing the first module for its "Enhanced" version release has come to an end. Now, at what I believe to be a stable v1.03 E (Enhanced), the first module has been "put aside" to allow me to concentrate on module two once more ...

ANOTHER AREA

I really thought I would not need to design yet another area, but circumstances dictated otherwise. Simply put, I felt reluctant to have a player reach a location where everything took place outside. So, although unscheduled, I designed an area where a player would also learn more about the lore of the land ... a Sanctuary. (This week's screen shot.)

RELIGIOUS TEXTS (LORE)

As a Christian, writing about the lore or religion of the world is something I find quite difficult. Not because I don't have an imagination for it, but because I do not want to write anything that could be taken the wrong way for whatever reason, or do a creation story "injustice". That's all I am going to say on the matter, except that I do think "religion" in a game is an important aspect for any world that wants to become more than something just superficial. Think of Tolkien's world of "Arda" in "Lord of the Rings" and the depth of lore involved in his world design, and you should recognise that is what goes a long way to giving his world depth.

That is the premise I used when I wrote the "history" for Althéa. Even before I wrote the first story or designed my first dungeon, I had much of the lore written down and in place. A complete world map was also drawn up, even though the main thrust of the campaign as it currently stands was only to take place on one continent: In the north-west continent called  Narborantra. I even have a version of the elf language that I use to help name the various places in my world with respect to the elvish names. E.g. Althéa is made from "alt" meaning "land" and "h(éa)" meaning world. So, we get the translation "world of land" from Althéa.

At the time I drew the world map, I also wrote the world history - and I also drew a second world map that showed how Althéa looked before a worldwide catastrophic event in its history known as the Debacle took place. The history written down served to explain what caused the Debacle and the events throughout all time, which included the coming of religions to Althéa. The bottom line: the religions of the world find their roots in this history of Althéa ... and not just from the perspective of what happened, but also from what was believed to have come to pass during that time. These are the "religious texts" I include in my campaign, written from the perspective of those who lived in that time ... and reflect beliefs and attitudes based upon "real" ways of thinking with respect to such. So, careful readers may notice logical arguments being posed around concepts not too dissimilar to our own world ... and not unlike the way Tolkien treated his own work.

However, I live in the age of computers, and while I have written a story about my world in book form, my main aim is to work such background for the world and campaign into the CRPG I am delivering to you in The Scroll for NWN2. And as the main thrust of any CRPG is more about action than cerebral study, these historical information dumps have to be handled in smaller packages than any normal book-reading may get away with. It is some of these parcels of lore/religious texts I have added this week. For those that have played The Scroll (module one), they take a similar format to those found in the Sanctuary of New Edgeton. The text themselves offer a deeper understanding behind the meaning to life in the world of Althéa, and careful readers will begin to see a deeper level of what drives characters in the world to do what they do, beyond the superficial.

I know many players will more than likely skip over these texts. However, I hope they are intriguing or challenging enough in their content to make the odd player or two sit back and think more about life, the universe and everything ... and not just of Althéa!

MOVING FORWARD

I am reaching a difficult point where I need to start bringing some of the plot lines together. At the moment, I have a number of plot lines (which the player may have followed in a number of ways), and I want to now make sure the combinations work. I also still have to finish the mega-dungeon, which is its own plot line, and a major one! I'll see what the days and weeks bring, and keep you updated.

Religious Texts To Study

Episode 18: The Scroll, Fixed, Enhanced & Polished!

DOWNLOAD The Scroll (LATEST ENHANCED)

I have to start with an apology for not bringing you anything "new" with respect to the second module ... although strictly speaking that would not be true, as there is plenty "new" that applies, but it's not so obvious to the player at first reading. It's all to do with improvements that affect the campaign as a whole, and so by default, also impact the second module. So what are these "enhancements" am I speaking about? Well, read on ...

ESSENTIAL FIXES

Let me get this out of the way for module one first: There was at least one game-breaking bug accidentally introduced in an earlier version, and a couple of others that would also break the game if the player took a certain path where the bug would raise its ugly head. The last two had gone under the radar of testing, as they were less likely to manifest. However, it would only take a slight change in direction for a player and they would be unable to continue their game too. So, most importantly, this latest release, called v1.00 ENHANCED, fixes those bugs.

ENHANCED VERSION

But what has been enhanced? This is less obvious to the player, but is certainly one of the biggest changes since earlier versions of The Scroll that the player will experience. It includes such things as:-

1) Repositioning of transitions to prevent "party squeeze" upon arriving at a destination. (Module.)
2) Removal of old scripts and some heartbeat scripts to improve performance.
3) Removed many "minor bugs", which although not game-breaking, did frustrate a player.
4) Updated core files in preparation of additional modules & improved MP support.
5) Update to the way Rules & Lore are first given.
6) Improved monster detection system & AI for more effective combat.
7) Many cosmetic improvements, such as adjusting box sizes to allow text to display correctly.

All in all, I addressed over 100 points with the earlier release of The Scroll to improve it, and as requested by players in some cases.

POLISHED!

Well, I guess builders are forever polishing their work. However, I do think that there will be less polishing of the first module from this ENHANCED version moving forward. I have gone over many scripts where I thought they needed it; my wife has been replaying for about a sixth time testing it, and all in all, I believe between us, we have now covered almost every aspect that needed addressing ... famous last words, I know. The point is, I have now done those things I always considered needed looking at and doing since initial release, and were highligted as issues as I began to work on module two.

MODULE TWO

I have started looking at module two again, as there was some crossover fixes that affected the second module more than the first. So, while new content has been short coming, although I did even add some recently, the important thing is that the campaign files are looking more robust since this latest update to the ENHANCED version.

ENHANCED RELEASE DATE

I am just running over some final transition testing and may allow my wife to reach the end of her latest play through, and then v1.00 of the ENHANCED version of The Scroll should be made available for you to download and enjoy ... I hope.UPDATE: The Scroll v1.00 E (Enhanced) was release on 19.11.19 and there is a link to its download at the top of this post.

New Rule Added To Players Information