*Module Discussion* - Gopher, Uytuun and Thorin's Mod.

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*Module Discussion*

This topic was started by with Taluntains blessing for discussing, developing and selflessly promoting our module; currently under the name Crux: Dark Awakening (which will be the first installment if it still goes ahead).

Further chat, development and such would go here instead of PM, since it is both easier and more convenient, and all the information will be kept in one place. Questions are welcome.

If however, you don't really want anything spoiled for you, we would advise you to skip through major posts at least. I'm awaiting the work people!

Current Settings
By this I mean what the module will need to run. When done, the initial installment will be in Content Installer format, so all you need to do is double click it to install everything.
The hak we use contains:

• Skies, which are treated as placables as not to take up more than a few hundred kb.
• Fences. You would not believe how useful it is to have placable fences in the toolset.
• Hills, by Waylan. These are curved, and intergrate with Raised/Lowered land for seamless landscape.
• Water. As a placable. Yummm : D
• Also featured is the Gestalt Camera Hak which lets us (the makers) change the camera angle at the whim of a script. This enables.... cutscenes..mmmm

So far, that's it. That Hak comes in at less than 3MB, which is the current size of the module (somewhere near that anyway). As it will be supplied with the mod, you won't need to go looking for it.
Uytuun, you need to talk to Thorin about the Storyline/Major Subplot he's come up with, it sounds really good.

 

Well I should introduce my self. I am the code junky and area designer. which means that I create all the good areas in the game plus I code all the hard bits of the game, that Gopher/ Uytuun think up.

You shall see me post often about the new areas I have made. So watch out people this module will be good!

 

Just a few questions:
1. The story?
2. What sets this module apart from all the others?
3. What new concepts (if any) are you introducing in this module (new stuff for the PC to do etc.)
4. Is this a single player module or is it party based?

Just thought I'd get this started and ask some basic questions.

 

*cough* *cough* all the good area's? Well what you've forgotten is that so far I've done every single area . But yes more to the point *aherm*, Torun is as so far a simple area not meant for much. Just...*there* if you like. Perhaps lilt it toward a nasty atmosphere, and i'll knock up some "We're awkward and don't like strangers, but we'll be nice if you help us" conv's.

It could be used later in Module 1 as an area where the player eventually needs to pass thru in order to gain entrance to something (major subplot idea - ancient civi? ), and needs to gain their favour. So keep it nasty.
I've knocked up pretty much all of Starmantle so far, plus surrounding area's. Road to Redwater is well underway, and we already have bare layout of Redwater. Now what else?

In answer to your questions:
1. The story is tightly (more or less) under wraps. I'm tired so perhaps ill write the basics out and put it on a different site and link it, so i dont spoil it for everyone.

2. What sets it apart is we have brilliant Story Development (Uytuun), brilliant Scripting/Area Coding (Thorin) and just brilliant everything (Guess who? ).

3. New stuff? Well mainly to interact with the world. Things such as Tradeskills and la de li da get confusing, so we're keeping it simple yet terribly effective. (for now anyway). I'm sure the other 2 can help me out on this.

4. Mainly single, but if we have time we may choose to make it multi. But because of the deep roleplay/storyline or whatever reason i'll make up, multiplayer would be confusing.

Back me up here people.

[ January 29, 2003, 00:46: Message edited by: Gopher ]

 

OK, OK, I get the idea! I didn't mean to suggest that you guys were trying to do the same thing that a lot of others have done I was just curious.
Anyway, you've given good enough answers for me and I like what I'm reading about it. I like the fact that you guys aren't trying to do everything at once. That sort of planning is good: start off with simple stuff and then expand as you learn the ropes. Now, here's a stupid question: is this done yet? is it available for download and where? (OK, two stupid questions...)

 

As a warning this is only the first part of a series, so the scope of what you can do will not be that large. Second it will not be multiplayer as it would not work properly with certian things we want in the module(scripting limitations).

People please ask your questions. If you always wanted something in a nwn module, tell us, we will look into it. Tell us what you like in modules, what you hate.

[ January 29, 2003, 01:10: Message edited by: Thorin ]

 

As Thorin said, this is only the first Installment of hopefully a long series. It will be done when it's done. Perhaps a month, perhaps 3 or 4 we simply don't know when we'll cut the story as of yet, or how deeply we'll set it.

And Tal has given us the all-go to post it on his site (here basically), so it will be downloadable from SP.

We are keeping to the ropes as you said, but you should expect much much more.

 

Hilllllllllsssss! I do love hills btw. Shame on Bioware for not including something so wonderful yet tiny in a patch. Did I mention I like hills?

 

All right, as Gopher said, I'm the brilliant story developper.

I do quests, conversations, characters and story mainly. And I can assure you that the module is going to be great. We try to create a game (series) as original and epic as possible.

Suggestions are of course always welcome.

[ January 29, 2003, 15:01: Message edited by: Uytuun ]

 

Well, it seems like you really want some sort of group effort, so I would be happy to help, at the very least by throwing some discussion in the ring.
Resting is a major issue; without prohibiting it in some way, it is difficult to achieve proper levels of difficulty. At the very least, try finding a way to heal monsters when you rest, possibly.Perhaps if every creature did a fortitude save DC 15 every heartbeat, and if successful, healed 1 pt.
This brings up magic. It's a pain in the ass being limited ONLY by the amount of resting one can do. It is very hard to balance this; I find it is easier to make a module just for non-mages, or just for mage-types than try to do it for both. Perhaps a system where when casting a spell you took (0th - 2d3, 1st - 2d4, 2nd 2d6,etc) damage against your (appropriate) stat bonus (i.e, mage with 18 intelligence casts 1st level spell, takes 2d4 -4 hp damage.) instead of decrementing your spells-loaded. Or even (dare I suggest it) using spellcraft checks in some way?
So, what are you guys going to do about it, if anything?

 

At the moment, we're taking time to build the world before we introduce such systems in it. Perhaps we'll go with the "Pay to rest in Inn" thing, or perhaps we'll think up a slightly more complicated system.
Right now however, it's not an issue, (well, much of one anyway).

 

Since it's single player, will you have henchmen and interactions with them? I'm assuming that you will be balancing it then for one player + henchman as you do not mention using multiple henchmen in your hak description.

 

Gopher, should I add your newest staff jewel in the subject? Perhaps it baits more people to read this thread, hehe

 

Well I dont have any talent in building...but! I dont play much so I'm low level character(1-2). I'd be happy to help test play any areas. If on line then Saterday nights to Sunday mornings. E-mail me at: DarKin93922@aol.com if you want any help. Good luck all and I'm looking forward to playing the final version!