LightPhoenix's "Creating a Module" Journal

[LightPhoenix]

Why? Because I feel like it, and because no one here has really talked about how they've gone about making their modules.

So here we go...

So I created a basic inn for use online, using Eric's module as inspiration and a few ideas I have to make it better. It's modelled after a campaign world I have mostly designed.

I just started making it today.

So I tried (operative word) to get three things set up - one, a group of dwarven merchants; two, a bulletin board to announce changes; and three, a placard for a sign outside one of the rooms.

I go in the module, neither sign works, and the dwarves attacked me

Hence was my first introduction to factions. The "Advanced" tab of the Faction Editor is sooooooooo much easier to understand than that bar-graph thing.

Trying to fix something with the boards, and then we'll see if it works...

Well, 50/50.

The dwarves don't attack me, and the shop works fine, so that's good at least.

Signs are another matter. It's back to the drawing board. Maybe I'll open up the Prologue see if I can figure it out. Btw, I tried opening Chapter 2 and my comp barfed... too much info. I have a really low processor speed though.

 

[Broken Fang]

Keep me posted on the signpost/placard info. I have yet to figure out "how to" as well.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Okay, basic signs as they were done in the SP mode -

What I had to do was...
1) Go to the Placeable Objects tab, and go to Custom.
2) R-click and select New anywhere you want (I did it in Penants & Signs).
3) Assign the category (again, I did Penants & Signs, but it really doesn't matter)
4) Enter a name for the blueprint - make sure it's what you want the sign to say. Click Finish.
5) R-click on the new object, choose Edit. Change the Appearance Type to whatever you want. Placards are "Freestanding Merchant's Placard". Click OK.

You now have a template which can be used to place various signs. If there's an easier way, please let me know.

As for conversing with a sign, I'm still working on that.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Okay. My module got corrupted.

Anyway, I'm going to try to see if I can recover it, otherwise I guess I know what I'll be doing tomorrow...

Still no progress on the conversable sign.

Did make some nice magical items though - a Wand of Minor Summoning (casts SMII) and a Staff of Summoning (SMI, II, III, and IV, and VII as a single-use). All in all I don't think the magical item editor is strong enough. Actually, I think it's quite flaccid. I'm a little upset that I can't change something as simple as caster level. I'd really like to know how to add more properties and more spells.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Well, it looks like the module (and in fact a lot of stuff) is on permanent standby:

http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16141

On this note, should I be able to get some data back, I am steadfastly refusing to use the editor until the folks at BioWare get their heads out of their asses and fix it.

 

[machine]

my comp barfed... too much info. I have a really low processor speed though.

My computer has had a couple of 'hiccups' as well while playing the single player game. Nothing much to speak of, just drops be back to the desktop. This has happened twice and I'm a little miffed. My PC is darn near brand new (Alienware Area 51 PIV 2.0gig processor with 512meg ram).

While building then playing modules, I've not had a problem....

 

[Lazybones]

Actually, I've had a lot of success with the item editor. Last night I created two new items for my game, a less powerful version of an existing protective amulet and a sword, complete with a back story and a few minor powers (and one drawback for the user in the form of a save penalty). Sure there are things you can't do but there are a lot of possibilities as well. I like that you can have different descriptions for the unidentified and identified item, and the choices for item properties seem sufficient for billions of unique items. The item pictures are a little limited but I'm sure the community will take care of that quite rapidly (my own skills do not go quite as far as designing objects from scratch).

 

[LightPhoenix]

Well, suffice to say a lot has changed in two days.

I've pretty much learned how to make some incredible item scripts, once my server is running I'll let you all test them out

My module is mostly rebuilt to where it was before, and while I still haven't solved the conversable sign problem, I'm almost there I think.

By the time my server is up (which looks to be Saturday, hint hint ) I should have quite the show to put on. A few previews -

Potions - Glibness, Heroism, Hiding, Sneaking, and Vision. These are relatively easy and once I have them working I promise to share the code.

Languages - Differentiating what languages a character can or can not speak. Simple use of a token with a script attached, which will allow for a lot of roleplaying value.

Perhaps a hacked version of some spells, we'll see. Definately magic items with non-standard casting levels and/or metamagicked spells.

Also, one project which I'm keeping quite secret, but will be very cool if I can get it to work. This will take a while though.

 

[LightPhoenix]

Progress has been made, but it's going slower than I would like. If I really wanted to push myself, I could get the server up tomorrow evening, but my gf is leaving this weekend and I won't get to see her again for quite a while. Personally, I like my gf, and I'm not about to spend my last weekend with her working on NWN all the time

That said, things are going good. I'm working on scripting potions right now, and let me tell you, it's really easy once you know what you're doing. It take maybe a minute or two to do all the scripting. I'll post a tutorial this weekend, I promise, using a Potion of Heroism.

Random treasure... wow. ConInclude is quite the program. I've gone through and gotten all the function calls out of it, and I've experimented some. I will definitely post something more on that this weekend, because I've found that there are a few premade common scripts included which can be used very quickly. You've probably noticed them - treasure chests spawn with one already in place.

I've just finished making my first dungeon today, and let me tell you, it's not a masterpiece. I'm working on learning the ins and outs on encounters, and it shows. So I have to go back and retool all the encounters, and I think I'm going to actually have the bare minimum of storyline involved as well. I also have this problem of getting lots of spell components... I'll have to see what I can do about that.

I haven't started work on language tokens yet, but that's next on my agenda. I'm debating how exactly I'm going to implement it - there's a number of ways. You could use local variables, but those get erased when you leave - not a desirable option. The two ways I'm looking at now are tokens (either invisible or visible, haven't decided yet) and the journal. I'm leaning towards tokens though. I also have to figure out how I'm going to implement bonus languages based on Intelligence... I'm thinking of throwing an event when you start the module which checks to see how many languages you know and if you know less than you should it lets you choose some. We'll see how that goes.

I've also learned a bit about how the forge works, which is something that eventually will be included in the module. Also, possibly a spin on that, I want to include an Alchemy Lab, where you can mix potions. These are a long ways off though. First things first.

Oh, I got conversable signs working, I was kicking myself when I found the answer on the bioware boards.

So I need to redo the one dungeon I have, and I want to add at least one more before release. I still want to add more potions, and I have to work on language tokens. And of course, I want to post information about random treasure and scripting items.

Right now I'm looking at a release date around July 2nd. This may get pushed back to July 4th, if I can't get everything done - I have to help my gf pack on the 3rd, and I want to go see MiB2, plus one of my friends is getting pack the 3rd, I wanna get together with him. So not a lot of time that day.

 

[pensiv]

Have you seen the tutorial? http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/pdf/AuroraToolsetTutorial.pdf