Telling a good story in Neverwinter Nights can sometimes be overtaken by the requirement to include quests, otherwise, how is the player to progress? If care isn't taken. quests can suffer from feeling out of place with the story, something that can happen for a number of reasons. Take a non-linear adventure for example. In order to make the module feel free and unrestricted, a quest creator can suddenly find himself making quests that have nothing to do with the main story, and this can have a detrimental effect on immersing the player into the story.
While the "Relbonian Chronicles" will ultimately be linear, the nature of the unfolding story is such that quests are required between accepting and completing the main quest to give the player minor goals before his ultimate goal. The very nature of the main goal means that the minor quests would appear to have nothing to do with the main, so how do we keep the player immersed in the story? This isn't as difficult as one would first imagine. Allow me to explain.
Behind every module should be a main plot, the completion of which will end the adventure. While anything done on route might not be connected or even nescesary, we can tie them together in other ways so that the player is further immersed in their story. Let's take a very basic idea as an example. The player is hired to slay a Dragon that lives in a cave somewhere in the mountains. An obvious side quest might include stumbling across a burning village shortly after the Dragon has attacked it and helping to put out the fires, but what I'm trying to do is include more subtle links, making the player aware that they are part of something bigger without thrusting such obvious quests in their faces. Better to have them stumble across something which on first glance seems to be unconnected. So, in the above Dragon scenario, perhaps they find a farmer who asks for help thatching the roof of his cottage. Simple enough, just collect some materials for him, but if pressed on how the roof became damaged, the farmer blushes and seems reluctant to explain. On further pressing, he'd eventually reveal a cow fell through from the sky in the middle of the night (having been dropped by the Dragon in flight). Better still, he blames some old crone who lives on the next farm, believing she is guilty of witchcraft. Think of the consequences of what's going on in the gameworld and how you can tie quests into it. Perhaps the player encounters a caravan of evacuees fleeing their village through fear of a Dragon attack. The wagon has broken down and the villagers need help fixing it. How about why the Dragon has become enraged in the first place? Has someone in the village suddenly become wealthy through raiding the Dragon lair? Is there a new merchant in town selling suspiciously large eggs?
Okay, so this is a bit basic, but you can see what I'm driving at. If you've frequented these pages before, you probably already know that the main quest in part one of the "Chronicles" involves the God of Death sending the player to a certain location. The main difficulty I faced here was creating things to do on the journey. Initially they should appear to have nothing to do with why the God of Death has sent the player on a mission, which brings a new problem...would the player want to do some irrelevant task while on a mission set by a God? Rather than shy away from the problem, one should think about how acceptance/refusal to do a quest might influence the story, thus further enhancing the feeling of being involved in a bigger picture.
While "The Relbonian Chronicles" are ultimately linear, there are still options to take which can influence what happens around the player. One such example is a reward from the God of Death can differ depending on how the God views the player character, and this can be influenced by both conversation choices and quests undertaken. It's not yet fully implemented, but I mention it here as an example of further enhancing a storyline. I'd love to go into more detail, but don't want too many spoilers on this page, so you'll just have to play it when complete ;) Unfortunately progress is still slow owing to some bad news within the family, but rest assured it is something I intend to complete.
That's all for now. Stay tuned ;)
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Plodding On
Well...not a lot new to report, although I thought I'd share some good news which should help improve progress. For the past year spare time has been increasingly difficult to come by what with being a full time house husband caring for our son. While rewarding, I tend to be exhausted by the evenings with building being the last thing on my mind. Alas, while the weekends have at first seemed an opportunity to build while my wife took over from child rearing, the reality is the weekends are consumed by family visits and catching up with friends.
The good news is that I now own a laptop, meaning that when I venture to the inlaws, I no longer have to sit and watch something dull on television, but can instead fire up the laptop and get cracking with this module... well... that's the plan anyway ;) I've installed everything I need and all seems to run smoothly, although I will probably leave the more tedious work required for the hak on my main PC. The main reason for this is I'm using Microsoft Office to help keep track of where I am within the hak, and the laptop doesn't have Office installed.
The hak itself is still very much work in progress, but for those of you wondering, I shall I explain why I am going to the trouble of making one. As the module is set within its own world with its own mythology, magic works a little differently. Not only that, but many of the spells have either names or descriptions specifically tailored to the original Neverwinter setting, and I want to pull away from that, so many of the spell names are being replaced with new names specific to the "Relbonian" mythos.
Some of you might think this will make choosing spells a little tedious as players struggle to familiarise themselves with the new spell titles, but I believe it's a good opportunity to expand on the experience of playing in a new world setting, as some of the mythology will present itself to the players in the spell descriptions themselves. This won't matter too much for the first module in which the player assumes the role of a Fighter, but I'm keen to have the hak ready so that when creatures cast spells the player can see the new spell names cropping up. The hak should reveal itself to the full come part two of the saga, which I intend to tailor for a Sorceror to play.
That's all the news for now. Wish me luck at the inlaws ;)
The good news is that I now own a laptop, meaning that when I venture to the inlaws, I no longer have to sit and watch something dull on television, but can instead fire up the laptop and get cracking with this module... well... that's the plan anyway ;) I've installed everything I need and all seems to run smoothly, although I will probably leave the more tedious work required for the hak on my main PC. The main reason for this is I'm using Microsoft Office to help keep track of where I am within the hak, and the laptop doesn't have Office installed.
The hak itself is still very much work in progress, but for those of you wondering, I shall I explain why I am going to the trouble of making one. As the module is set within its own world with its own mythology, magic works a little differently. Not only that, but many of the spells have either names or descriptions specifically tailored to the original Neverwinter setting, and I want to pull away from that, so many of the spell names are being replaced with new names specific to the "Relbonian" mythos.
Some of you might think this will make choosing spells a little tedious as players struggle to familiarise themselves with the new spell titles, but I believe it's a good opportunity to expand on the experience of playing in a new world setting, as some of the mythology will present itself to the players in the spell descriptions themselves. This won't matter too much for the first module in which the player assumes the role of a Fighter, but I'm keen to have the hak ready so that when creatures cast spells the player can see the new spell names cropping up. The hak should reveal itself to the full come part two of the saga, which I intend to tailor for a Sorceror to play.
That's all the news for now. Wish me luck at the inlaws ;)
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Oh No! and Ho Ho Ho!
"Oh No!" because i've been drowning in tasks that have prevented me from any updates for quite a while, mainly due to a mixture of babysitting my son and Christmas shopping, which brings me neatly to the subject of "Ho Ho Ho!" Apart from an apology for the lack of updates recently, I also wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year.
Here's hoping I'll get cracking again in the New Year and have something new to report soon :)
Here's hoping I'll get cracking again in the New Year and have something new to report soon :)
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Books
Before I commence with the topic of this post, I should point out that the script shown in my last post entitled "Busy busy busy!" isn't shown as intended. There appears to be an error in the blog publishing software that removes certain characters. To view the script as intended, please refer to the comments left after the article, where Lance Botelle has been kind enough to show the script in its entirety.
Now, where was I? Ah yes, books. Books can add much to the atmosphere of a module and are often overlooked by builders. As Relbonia has a unique background and mythology, the importance of books is even higher than normal, requiring me to remove any reference to the default books and replace them with tomes of my own creation.
Books can fall into a variety of categories, sometimes requiring a different style in how they are written. For example, a book that simply covers a subject would just contain the actual content, possibly with a by line containing the name of the author to help add flavour, while a book significant to the plot might have a paragraph prior to actual content describing something else of importance.
The problem with books that just give a little background on your setting is that they can quickly become boring to the player, who may eventually decide that they simply aren't worth reading (a crime I myself committed in the original game), but how can one go about sprucing them up a little? A technique I try to employ is to give them something that not only adds flavour to your setting, but is also interesting to read, with the inclusion of information that may prove useful to the player elsewhere in your game.
As well as placing books within my module that discuss the mythology of Relbonia (which can also be read in this very blog), I shall also be including tomes that throw further light on the mythology in an indirect fashion. I've decided to post a few examples here to illustrate my ideas, and give you all a further taste of the world in which "The Relbonian Chronicles" are set:
THE FAVOURED OF MOYBALLACK
Other than the Ancients themselves, the Lith are regarded as the oldest race in all Relbonia. Indeed, some scholars openly debate that they are the race from which all other races derived, hence they are sometimes referred to as "The Old Ones".
Thought to have been created by Moyballack, it should come as no surprise that they originated from the sea and only later moved to the swamplands that they now favour.
They tend to keep to themselves, particularly as most other races regard them with low esteem due to their smell and repugnant nature. Over the years they have had a particularly hard time, gradually being shunned by those who fear them in their ignorance. While it is true to say that their slimy scaled skin and large soulless eyes give them a rather hostile appearance, most Lith are in fact reclusive in nature and quite prepared to leave the world to its' own devices. The only exceptions to this are usually the result of those who have been set upon, as they are very proud of the fact that they can be considered as original stock, and can be easily riled by what in their eyes are little more than egotistical inferior races.
Many Lith are known to follow the path of Mouys.
THE RELBONIAN CHRONICLES
The Relbonian Chronicles have been an important part of Relbonian society for many years, keeping citizens informed of news and events throughout the land, while helping to spread both faith and education to the far corners of the continent. Indeed, were it not for the Chronicle, many Relbonians would probably still lack the ability to read.
Laboriously penned by Druids in their great halls, they are sold as a means of funding for the Druid Temples.
News is spread via a network of both writers and runners, or in some cases even carrier pidgeons, although runners are considered more reliable, particularly as they tend to consist of apprentice Druids eager to impress their masters. When a runner reaches their destination, news is quickly copied so that the scribes there have a master to work from, then a fresh runner proceeds to the next destination. In favourable conditions, news has been known to span the continent in under a week.
It is now seen as a valuable commodity to the realm, allowing businesses to thrive by advertising their services in their own regional versions of the Chronicle. It is also highly favoured by the Faith Council which see it as a useful tool to maintain law and order throughout the realm.
THE EYES OF DARROK
"The Eyes of Darrok" are crystalised earth, thought to have been formed in the hands of Darrok himself.
The God of Rathna is said to have once materialised at Mad Mount to reward a Dwarf by the name of Tabanash Koovarn. As a show of gratitude for the kindness Tabanash had shown the earth, Darrok scooped some soil into his rock like hands and lifted it to his face, cupping his hands in the process. As he blew into the soil, he crushed it within his grasp, capturing the magical essence of his breath. When he unclasped his hands, a glowing gem was revealed which he then gave to Tabanash.
It should be said that while the story sounds authentic, Tabanash is generally regarded as quite mad, claiming himself to be a mighty Sorceror. Having said that, it may of course be the gem itself that grants him the power to make this claim.
There are many varieties of these gems that vary in size and function. Their most common form provides light, with the largest often used by lighthouses along the more treacherous coastlines of Relbonia. It is said that a stone such as this was broken into the smaller stones sometimes found in jewelry.
That's it for now. Watch this space for the next update installment, where I hope to go into more detail for the intended player characters.
Now, where was I? Ah yes, books. Books can add much to the atmosphere of a module and are often overlooked by builders. As Relbonia has a unique background and mythology, the importance of books is even higher than normal, requiring me to remove any reference to the default books and replace them with tomes of my own creation.
Books can fall into a variety of categories, sometimes requiring a different style in how they are written. For example, a book that simply covers a subject would just contain the actual content, possibly with a by line containing the name of the author to help add flavour, while a book significant to the plot might have a paragraph prior to actual content describing something else of importance.
The problem with books that just give a little background on your setting is that they can quickly become boring to the player, who may eventually decide that they simply aren't worth reading (a crime I myself committed in the original game), but how can one go about sprucing them up a little? A technique I try to employ is to give them something that not only adds flavour to your setting, but is also interesting to read, with the inclusion of information that may prove useful to the player elsewhere in your game.
As well as placing books within my module that discuss the mythology of Relbonia (which can also be read in this very blog), I shall also be including tomes that throw further light on the mythology in an indirect fashion. I've decided to post a few examples here to illustrate my ideas, and give you all a further taste of the world in which "The Relbonian Chronicles" are set:
THE FAVOURED OF MOYBALLACK
Other than the Ancients themselves, the Lith are regarded as the oldest race in all Relbonia. Indeed, some scholars openly debate that they are the race from which all other races derived, hence they are sometimes referred to as "The Old Ones".Thought to have been created by Moyballack, it should come as no surprise that they originated from the sea and only later moved to the swamplands that they now favour.
They tend to keep to themselves, particularly as most other races regard them with low esteem due to their smell and repugnant nature. Over the years they have had a particularly hard time, gradually being shunned by those who fear them in their ignorance. While it is true to say that their slimy scaled skin and large soulless eyes give them a rather hostile appearance, most Lith are in fact reclusive in nature and quite prepared to leave the world to its' own devices. The only exceptions to this are usually the result of those who have been set upon, as they are very proud of the fact that they can be considered as original stock, and can be easily riled by what in their eyes are little more than egotistical inferior races.
Many Lith are known to follow the path of Mouys.
THE RELBONIAN CHRONICLES
The Relbonian Chronicles have been an important part of Relbonian society for many years, keeping citizens informed of news and events throughout the land, while helping to spread both faith and education to the far corners of the continent. Indeed, were it not for the Chronicle, many Relbonians would probably still lack the ability to read.Laboriously penned by Druids in their great halls, they are sold as a means of funding for the Druid Temples.
News is spread via a network of both writers and runners, or in some cases even carrier pidgeons, although runners are considered more reliable, particularly as they tend to consist of apprentice Druids eager to impress their masters. When a runner reaches their destination, news is quickly copied so that the scribes there have a master to work from, then a fresh runner proceeds to the next destination. In favourable conditions, news has been known to span the continent in under a week.
It is now seen as a valuable commodity to the realm, allowing businesses to thrive by advertising their services in their own regional versions of the Chronicle. It is also highly favoured by the Faith Council which see it as a useful tool to maintain law and order throughout the realm.
THE EYES OF DARROK
"The Eyes of Darrok" are crystalised earth, thought to have been formed in the hands of Darrok himself.The God of Rathna is said to have once materialised at Mad Mount to reward a Dwarf by the name of Tabanash Koovarn. As a show of gratitude for the kindness Tabanash had shown the earth, Darrok scooped some soil into his rock like hands and lifted it to his face, cupping his hands in the process. As he blew into the soil, he crushed it within his grasp, capturing the magical essence of his breath. When he unclasped his hands, a glowing gem was revealed which he then gave to Tabanash.
It should be said that while the story sounds authentic, Tabanash is generally regarded as quite mad, claiming himself to be a mighty Sorceror. Having said that, it may of course be the gem itself that grants him the power to make this claim.
There are many varieties of these gems that vary in size and function. Their most common form provides light, with the largest often used by lighthouses along the more treacherous coastlines of Relbonia. It is said that a stone such as this was broken into the smaller stones sometimes found in jewelry.
That's it for now. Watch this space for the next update installment, where I hope to go into more detail for the intended player characters.
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Busy busy busy!
Well... I've been away for a while, Cornwall to be precise, land of legends... oh... and of course clotted cream and pasties... mmmmm.
While I've been gone, two playtesters have got back to me with some very encouraging feedback. I know that sounds a bit like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but I should point out that one of them did some extensive testing (setting out to break it in fact), and discovered a few problems that needed ironing out. I'd like to take this opportunity to offer my good friend PixelKnight my sincerest gratitude for finding time in his busy schedule to provide such valuable feedback to me, without which, an opportunity to further improve the work done so far would have been missed. Thanks PixelKnight! I should also of course thank my other tester, Nulthra Bloodeye, who provided further encouragement in his feedback.
Most of the flaws have been minor issues very easily corrected, but easily missed too, otherwise I would have spotted them myself much earlier. A fresh pair of eyes going over your work is a valuable asset not to be under rated.
One of the issues raised by PixelKnight was that for a story driven module, he was surprised that there was no reaction to his carrying of a weapon in the introductory area of the city of Kerral, particularly near the docks where the local militia have set up a blockade. It is something I did dwell over, but I was concerned in bogging myself down in too much detail, especially when aiming the module at an audience that didn't like to just run around and hit things. He does however have a valid point, so I've decided to compromise. Rather than have guards run up to you whenever you draw a weapon, I've placed a script on opening lines of conversation under the "Text Appears When" tab, so that people refuse to speak to you (or at the very least react differently) if you have a weapon equipped. I had a bit of a problem setting this up initially, as Lilac Souls Script Generator (which I rely on quite heavily at times) would only generate a script that catered to a specific weapon being equipped, and I had trouble finding the relevant code needed from the Lexicon site. Fortunately for me, I was able to call on the services of Lance Botelle, another Neverwinter Nights fan who I recently discovered lives only a twenty minute drive away from me! He was kind enough to provide the following solution:
#include "x2_inc_itemprop"
int StartingConditional()
{object oPlayer = GetPCSpeaker();
object WeaponRH = GetItemInSlot
(INVENTORY_SLOT_RIGHTHAND, oPlayer);
object WeaponLH = GetItemInSlot
(INVENTORY_SLOT_LEFTHAND, oPlayer);
if(IPGetIsMeleeWeapon(WeaponRH) == TRUE
GetWeaponRanged(WeaponRH) == TRUE
IPGetIsMeleeWeapon(WeaponLH) == TRUE
GetWeaponRanged(WeaponLH) == TRUE){return TRUE;}
return FALSE;
}
Basically, by placing the above script in the "Text Appears When" section of the first line of a conversation, you'll make the attached line of conversation only be spoken if a weapon is equipped, so it's perfect for a line such as "If you think I'm gonna talk to you while you've a weapon drawn, think again!"
Apart from ironing out the creases spotted by my testers, I've not done much else to the mod at the moment, partly because I wanted to perfect what had been done to date, and partly because of some artwork I've been working on. I've recently finished a horse portrait which I hope to host over at my DeviantArt page within the next day or two, and am about two thirds of the way through an ink drawing that I promised to Nereng (Hang on in there Nereng! It's coming, I promise!). Maybe I'll host that one here once it's done if Nereng has no objections.
That's it for the time being. I hope to have finished the ironing phase within the next week or two, then I can push on with getting past the main intro into the heart of the module, although I might have to consider finishing the haks first so that the magic changes are in place, but more about that later ;)
Bye all, and thanks for watching. :)
While I've been gone, two playtesters have got back to me with some very encouraging feedback. I know that sounds a bit like I'm blowing my own trumpet, but I should point out that one of them did some extensive testing (setting out to break it in fact), and discovered a few problems that needed ironing out. I'd like to take this opportunity to offer my good friend PixelKnight my sincerest gratitude for finding time in his busy schedule to provide such valuable feedback to me, without which, an opportunity to further improve the work done so far would have been missed. Thanks PixelKnight! I should also of course thank my other tester, Nulthra Bloodeye, who provided further encouragement in his feedback.
Most of the flaws have been minor issues very easily corrected, but easily missed too, otherwise I would have spotted them myself much earlier. A fresh pair of eyes going over your work is a valuable asset not to be under rated.
One of the issues raised by PixelKnight was that for a story driven module, he was surprised that there was no reaction to his carrying of a weapon in the introductory area of the city of Kerral, particularly near the docks where the local militia have set up a blockade. It is something I did dwell over, but I was concerned in bogging myself down in too much detail, especially when aiming the module at an audience that didn't like to just run around and hit things. He does however have a valid point, so I've decided to compromise. Rather than have guards run up to you whenever you draw a weapon, I've placed a script on opening lines of conversation under the "Text Appears When" tab, so that people refuse to speak to you (or at the very least react differently) if you have a weapon equipped. I had a bit of a problem setting this up initially, as Lilac Souls Script Generator (which I rely on quite heavily at times) would only generate a script that catered to a specific weapon being equipped, and I had trouble finding the relevant code needed from the Lexicon site. Fortunately for me, I was able to call on the services of Lance Botelle, another Neverwinter Nights fan who I recently discovered lives only a twenty minute drive away from me! He was kind enough to provide the following solution:
#include "x2_inc_itemprop"
int StartingConditional()
{object oPlayer = GetPCSpeaker();
object WeaponRH = GetItemInSlot
(INVENTORY_SLOT_RIGHTHAND, oPlayer);
object WeaponLH = GetItemInSlot
(INVENTORY_SLOT_LEFTHAND, oPlayer);
if(IPGetIsMeleeWeapon(WeaponRH) == TRUE
GetWeaponRanged(WeaponRH) == TRUE
IPGetIsMeleeWeapon(WeaponLH) == TRUE
GetWeaponRanged(WeaponLH) == TRUE){return TRUE;}
return FALSE;
}
Basically, by placing the above script in the "Text Appears When" section of the first line of a conversation, you'll make the attached line of conversation only be spoken if a weapon is equipped, so it's perfect for a line such as "If you think I'm gonna talk to you while you've a weapon drawn, think again!"
Apart from ironing out the creases spotted by my testers, I've not done much else to the mod at the moment, partly because I wanted to perfect what had been done to date, and partly because of some artwork I've been working on. I've recently finished a horse portrait which I hope to host over at my DeviantArt page within the next day or two, and am about two thirds of the way through an ink drawing that I promised to Nereng (Hang on in there Nereng! It's coming, I promise!). Maybe I'll host that one here once it's done if Nereng has no objections.
That's it for the time being. I hope to have finished the ironing phase within the next week or two, then I can push on with getting past the main intro into the heart of the module, although I might have to consider finishing the haks first so that the magic changes are in place, but more about that later ;)
Bye all, and thanks for watching. :)
Monday, September 17, 2007
Some Screen Caps
I figured it was about time I showed you all how the game is taking shape by sharing a few screen caps. The game starts in the area shown here, a tavern called "The Frothy Beard"...
This area serves as an introduction to the world and our main character, a Dwarven Warrior who goes by the name of Gerbilaf Bandiwide and works in some nearby mines. At this early stage in the game conversation takes precedance over combat, allowing the player to find out more about the world in which they are interacting with. The game starts at night, so eventually the player will want to leave the tavern and head home, which is when the first cutscene occurs...
The story centres around a meeting with the God of Death. I don't want to give too much away here, so all I'll say is that it becomes apparent that the player has to leave Kerral by way of the docks...
Unfortunately, leaving is not as simple as it seems, as a blockade has been set up through fear of a possible riot on the docks as the populace panic at the prospect of plague within their city...
As the start of the module leans more toward roleplay, I wanted to check that what I've made so far works, otherwise I'd have to consider a different approach before getting into the story properly. The good news is that I have some playtesters to hand who are giving me feedback on this early section, and the early comments have been very encouraging, particularly regarding the second cutscene which I recently finished, which portrays what happens once the player is on board a ship and making the crossing to the mainland. That cutscene has been, and is likely to remain, the most complicated part of the module so far, so I'm quite relieved that it's now behind me.
As I ready myself to move forward, it's looking hopeful that the main intro section and journey to the mainland is now complete. In order to have a break from some of the heavy conversation sessions I've had to endure, I've started implementing some of the other areas needed for later in the story, such as the castle that will feature heavily toward the end...
Well, that's pretty much it for the time being. I could post a lot more pictures, but want to leave some surprises for when it's ready to be played.
Next week I'm off to Cornwall for a holiday. It's a great place for local legends, so who knows, maybe I'll get some further inspiration while there.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Oh no! I've gaught a gold!
The headline to this article is in fact telling you I've caught a cold. My nose is blocked as I type this sucking on one of those disgusting menthol sweets that sucks the life out of you. I figured it was about time I posted an updqate, and funnily enough, my jokey title links to one of the things I'm doing in my module.
Conversations are an often overlooked opportunity in NWN to further enhance the feeling of playing in another world. I've a fair few conversations finished at the moment, and many of them differ in their style of writing. It's important to do this in order to have NPCs feel like individual characters, as opposed to something plucked from a template.
That's all well and good, but how do you make conversations feel different? Some of you may be familiar with having alternate conversation branches dependent on the intelligence of the PC. What's to stop you switching things round? What I mean is, why have all your NPCs of equal intelligence? Throw in a dumb one, and instantly you have someone with a more unique style of speech...
NPC: 'eh?
PC: Do you know where I can get advice on conversation styles?
NPC: 'eh?
PC: Conversation styles... you know... like what that Quillmaster fellow was talking about on his blog.
NPC: Blog? I'm afraid I ain't got a clue what you're talkin' about man/woman.
"Shortenin' words is a good way o' portrayin' someone 'oo ain't 'ad the benefit of an education. You gotta be careful that the words you use aren't too big an' clever for the person usin' 'em."
So, we can see that the manner in which we write can help, but what other methods can we use? Maybe a speech empidement, such as a lisp...
NPC: Can I help you thir/madam?
PC: Er... yes please. I'd like to buy a shield
NPC: A thield?
PC: Er... no, a shield.
NPC: Thatth what I thaid ithn't it?
Think of the characters you are typing for. A Bard would be flowery, especially toward the opposite sex. A Paladin precise with few wasted words. A Sorceror might babble occasionally. It's not just characters, but monsters too. Ever considered how a Goblin might talk?...
NPC: What pigman wont?
PC: Stand asside! I'm trying to finish reading this article!
NPC: Me say tuff, me here first, me wont wead it first!
PC: Then you leave me no choice!
NPC: Bah! You pigmen all same!
Careful selection of the voiceset used can also further enhance how memorable a conversation will be. Neverwinter Vault holds a document that lists the soundset filenames with a brief description of each set. Once you've identified the filename, you can use other sounds from the set by playing them at the relevant conversation nodes. Simply select the "Other Actions" tab at the bottom right of the conversation editor, where you'll find a pulldown menu to select the sounds to play.
Well, that's it for today. I have been trying to movie capture my first cutscene, but haven't had any luck with the software I'm using, so my hopes of using YouTube are fading fast. The good news however is that I've completed work on the second cutscene which is quite complex. I'm pleased with the overall effect of the pitching camera during the scene, which adds much to the effect of feeling like you're at sea on board a ship.
Right, I'm off for a Lemsip now. I might put up some in-game screen caps soon.
Cheerio and happy gaming. :)
Conversations are an often overlooked opportunity in NWN to further enhance the feeling of playing in another world. I've a fair few conversations finished at the moment, and many of them differ in their style of writing. It's important to do this in order to have NPCs feel like individual characters, as opposed to something plucked from a template.
That's all well and good, but how do you make conversations feel different? Some of you may be familiar with having alternate conversation branches dependent on the intelligence of the PC. What's to stop you switching things round? What I mean is, why have all your NPCs of equal intelligence? Throw in a dumb one, and instantly you have someone with a more unique style of speech...
NPC: 'eh?
PC: Do you know where I can get advice on conversation styles?
NPC: 'eh?
PC: Conversation styles... you know... like what that Quillmaster fellow was talking about on his blog.
NPC: Blog? I'm afraid I ain't got a clue what you're talkin' about man/woman.
"Shortenin' words is a good way o' portrayin' someone 'oo ain't 'ad the benefit of an education. You gotta be careful that the words you use aren't too big an' clever for the person usin' 'em."
So, we can see that the manner in which we write can help, but what other methods can we use? Maybe a speech empidement, such as a lisp...
NPC: Can I help you thir/madam?
PC: Er... yes please. I'd like to buy a shield
NPC: A thield?
PC: Er... no, a shield.
NPC: Thatth what I thaid ithn't it?
Think of the characters you are typing for. A Bard would be flowery, especially toward the opposite sex. A Paladin precise with few wasted words. A Sorceror might babble occasionally. It's not just characters, but monsters too. Ever considered how a Goblin might talk?...
NPC: What pigman wont?
PC: Stand asside! I'm trying to finish reading this article!
NPC: Me say tuff, me here first, me wont wead it first!
PC: Then you leave me no choice!
NPC: Bah! You pigmen all same!
Careful selection of the voiceset used can also further enhance how memorable a conversation will be. Neverwinter Vault holds a document that lists the soundset filenames with a brief description of each set. Once you've identified the filename, you can use other sounds from the set by playing them at the relevant conversation nodes. Simply select the "Other Actions" tab at the bottom right of the conversation editor, where you'll find a pulldown menu to select the sounds to play.
Well, that's it for today. I have been trying to movie capture my first cutscene, but haven't had any luck with the software I'm using, so my hopes of using YouTube are fading fast. The good news however is that I've completed work on the second cutscene which is quite complex. I'm pleased with the overall effect of the pitching camera during the scene, which adds much to the effect of feeling like you're at sea on board a ship.
Right, I'm off for a Lemsip now. I might put up some in-game screen caps soon.
Cheerio and happy gaming. :)
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Taking Shape
I thought I should post some info about my intentions with the planned modules.
It's all very well explaining the mythology here, but that's not the only thing I regard as unique in the way the game will take shape. Sure, the mythology is important, extremely so in fact, for much of the unfolding story deals with what's happening among the Gods. The unfolding story will unfold in "chapters", with each one revealing part of the broader picture from the perspective of a different character. In effect this will mean each mod will be playable as a seperate entity, but playing them all will give a far greater overall picture of what's happening for the player.
The first module is being designed for a Dwarven Fighter, but don't let that rather bland character class put you off from exploring this new world. As I mentioned earlier, Gods don't take a back seat in what's going on, and this first module will be no exception. Our story starts with the Dwarf stumbling upon the God of Death as he goes through the motions of introducing plague to the port town of Kerral for reasons that become clearer later in the game. Our first encounter with Death takes place as a cut-scene (watch this space for an exclusive preview of the scene), but another encounter occurs later in the game, where I am currently busy typing away at his conversation file.
Although the story itself might appear a little linear (such is the nature of a good story, but that's another subject entirely), efforts are being made to make certain actions responsible for differences within the game. While our player character will be a given alignment, with conversation choices limited to such, variation still exists, making it possible to attain a different level of gratitude from the God of Death, depending of course on how you want to play it. It's difficult to comment more on the subject without giving too much away.
Progress is good at the moment, with area creation steadily ahead of game progression. Area creation is one aspect of the NWN1 toolset I enjoy the most.
I like the challenge of clever use of placeables, sounds and lighting to create areas some may never have considered, such as the top floor of the lighthouse which you can see here. The second major (and most difficult) cut-scene is near completion, and work on the Hak has begun, making magic more tailored to the "Relbonian" setting.
That's all for now. Thanks for watching. :)
It's all very well explaining the mythology here, but that's not the only thing I regard as unique in the way the game will take shape. Sure, the mythology is important, extremely so in fact, for much of the unfolding story deals with what's happening among the Gods. The unfolding story will unfold in "chapters", with each one revealing part of the broader picture from the perspective of a different character. In effect this will mean each mod will be playable as a seperate entity, but playing them all will give a far greater overall picture of what's happening for the player.
The first module is being designed for a Dwarven Fighter, but don't let that rather bland character class put you off from exploring this new world. As I mentioned earlier, Gods don't take a back seat in what's going on, and this first module will be no exception. Our story starts with the Dwarf stumbling upon the God of Death as he goes through the motions of introducing plague to the port town of Kerral for reasons that become clearer later in the game. Our first encounter with Death takes place as a cut-scene (watch this space for an exclusive preview of the scene), but another encounter occurs later in the game, where I am currently busy typing away at his conversation file.
Although the story itself might appear a little linear (such is the nature of a good story, but that's another subject entirely), efforts are being made to make certain actions responsible for differences within the game. While our player character will be a given alignment, with conversation choices limited to such, variation still exists, making it possible to attain a different level of gratitude from the God of Death, depending of course on how you want to play it. It's difficult to comment more on the subject without giving too much away.
Progress is good at the moment, with area creation steadily ahead of game progression. Area creation is one aspect of the NWN1 toolset I enjoy the most.
I like the challenge of clever use of placeables, sounds and lighting to create areas some may never have considered, such as the top floor of the lighthouse which you can see here. The second major (and most difficult) cut-scene is near completion, and work on the Hak has begun, making magic more tailored to the "Relbonian" setting.That's all for now. Thanks for watching. :)
Sunday, August 19, 2007
The Art of Placement
You'll be surprised at what you can build in NWN1, particularly with imaginative use of how you place objects. Such things should be given careful consideration if your module is to look fresh to those that play.
Fortunately there is a much under used tool available that's been a real boon to me since I discovered it. Truth be told, I knew it was possible for a while, just didn't know how simple it was to call it up.
For those of you wondering what tool I'm talking about, have you ever placed an object on a table, then gone back to it later on, left clicked to select it, then discover it's fallen through to the floor? Perhaps, like me, you just destroyed the object and placed a new one on the table? Well, that can get a bit tiresome at times, but what's especially nice about this tool is it can be used to help you place anything, so, if for example you've grown tired of paintings always being a default height on the wall, you can use it to adjust the height.
I am of course talking about the "Adjust Location" tool, accessable by right clicking on any placeable then selecting "Adjust Location". There... that wasn't too difficult now was it? ;) Use this tool to bring up the details of an objects location, and alter the numbers to adjust it accordingly. Ever placed a papersheet on a rug, then become frustrated because the rug blocks out the papersheet? Simply adjust the height of the papersheet so it's .01 higher than the rug then presto! All is revealed! The same technique can be used on adjoining objects to stop that flickering you sometimes get in game.
I might post some example screen caps of the type of thing I mean when I give my next update on how Chapter 1 is coming along, so watch this space. :)
Fortunately there is a much under used tool available that's been a real boon to me since I discovered it. Truth be told, I knew it was possible for a while, just didn't know how simple it was to call it up.
For those of you wondering what tool I'm talking about, have you ever placed an object on a table, then gone back to it later on, left clicked to select it, then discover it's fallen through to the floor? Perhaps, like me, you just destroyed the object and placed a new one on the table? Well, that can get a bit tiresome at times, but what's especially nice about this tool is it can be used to help you place anything, so, if for example you've grown tired of paintings always being a default height on the wall, you can use it to adjust the height.
I am of course talking about the "Adjust Location" tool, accessable by right clicking on any placeable then selecting "Adjust Location". There... that wasn't too difficult now was it? ;) Use this tool to bring up the details of an objects location, and alter the numbers to adjust it accordingly. Ever placed a papersheet on a rug, then become frustrated because the rug blocks out the papersheet? Simply adjust the height of the papersheet so it's .01 higher than the rug then presto! All is revealed! The same technique can be used on adjoining objects to stop that flickering you sometimes get in game.
I might post some example screen caps of the type of thing I mean when I give my next update on how Chapter 1 is coming along, so watch this space. :)
Friday, August 10, 2007
Effective Use of Sound Effects
If there's one thing that bugs me, it's a module let down by poor use of sound effects. I think sound placement is a major factor in helping immerse the player into the world you're trying to build for them, and I'm not just talking about the ambient sounds you select under area properties.
Placed sound effects can make a huge difference in making your module feel alive, but they can be far more powerful than simply placing them where you think sound should be present. Okay, I admit that for a majority of sounds that's all that's required, after all, a waterfall for example is pretty much going to be constant and not likely to change position.
It seems that some people miss the opportunity to customise their sounds. If you go to sound properties and click on the advanced tab, you'll see a number of options that determine when the sound is played, such as play all the time/day only/night only/specific hours. It's a good idea to make copies of the master sounds if you're going to tinker with them, particularly as it enables you to select them from the custom sound menu for later use. So how can we make use of the above options? That all depends on the type of sound you're placing, so here are a few examples that I've dealt with in the past:
Day Only
Placed sound effects can make a huge difference in making your module feel alive, but they can be far more powerful than simply placing them where you think sound should be present. Okay, I admit that for a majority of sounds that's all that's required, after all, a waterfall for example is pretty much going to be constant and not likely to change position.
It seems that some people miss the opportunity to customise their sounds. If you go to sound properties and click on the advanced tab, you'll see a number of options that determine when the sound is played, such as play all the time/day only/night only/specific hours. It's a good idea to make copies of the master sounds if you're going to tinker with them, particularly as it enables you to select them from the custom sound menu for later use. So how can we make use of the above options? That all depends on the type of sound you're placing, so here are a few examples that I've dealt with in the past:
Day Only
- Seagulls - They rarely cry out at night. Making them day only makes ports feel more alive during the day.
- Crowd Noises - Even if you want them all the time, make two versions, with the daytime one being louder than the nightime one.
Night Only
- Frogs - Place near a pond. They're much louder at night.
- Owls - A little obvious perhaps.
Specific Hours
- Bells - If placed by something that resembles a bell tower, have them play at 9am, 12am, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm. They help inform the community of the time, and players will soon realise they don't play all of the time.
- Cockeral - Have this one play the same hour that your module has designated as morning.
The above are perhaps a little obvious, but you'll be surprised at how much more alive your module will feel.
Another trick is in the placement of them. If you have a city dock where seagull can be heard, make a copy a little less loud, and place it beside doors or windows in interior areas accessed via the dock area. It really helps create the illusion that the worls is still going on outside.
If you want to go a little more advanced, there's always the option of having sounds fired by script. If scripting scares you, fear not, for it doesn't get much easier than this. Let's say for example that on boarding a ship and talking to the captain, the captain says something along the lines of "We're departing now, raise the anchor." It would be pretty neat to have something that sounded like the anchor being raised at that point. First, we have to find a sound that suits the purpose. If you look under the civilisation category in your sound list, you'll find "Crank Creaks Large" which pretty much fits the bill. Make a copy of it, and change the tag name to "raise_anchor". Now, place the sound where you want it to be played, then right click on it and select "properties". Under the "Advanced" tab we need to change the play style to "Once only", otherwise it'll sound like they're forever raising the anchor, and we also need to make the sound inactive so that it will only play when we activate it via script. Got that? Good. Calling it from script is pretty easy. If we go back to our conversation where we want to activate it from, we can click on the "Actions Taken" tab of a conversation mode and build the following script:
void main()
{
object oPC = GetPCSpeaker();
object oTarget;
oTarget = GetObjectByTag("raise_anchor");
DelayCommand(5.0, SoundObjectPlay(oTarget));
}
The delay command gives a five second delay before the sound is actually played.
Of course, there is an even simpler way, and that's to click on the "Other Actions" tab of a conversation node, and select the sound you want played under "Play Sound". The advantage of this method is that you don't have to physically place the inactive sound in your area, while the dowside is you have to know what your sound file is called (although you can get round that by looking it up in the properties of a placed sound). To be honest, for something this simple I'd probably opt for the latter, but the above code can be a handy thing to know if you're starting to dabble with scripting.
That's it for now. Hope this article has been of use to someone :)
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