83 réponses à ce sujet

[Jenna WSI]

As a player, do you have a problem with downloading haks in order to try a server? Would you rather just be able to login and give it a go... or does all that custom content appeal to you more? 

There's a few new tilesets (worms, wild woods) that I've been drooling over.. but I'm not sure how much work the average player really wants to put into testing a server. Thanks for the imput.

[Fester Pot]

No problem at all. With connection speeds being what they are today, haks add so much more to the game and once you have them, you're good to go.

I'm building an SP module using Worm's Seasonal Forest. I just wish he'd hurry up and update his Cypress Swamp set.

FP!

Modifié par Fester Pot, 30 juillet 2010 - 06:37 .

[Shia Luck]

I agree. D/L a hak is not an issue so long as the links are up to date and the info available before you login (screenies, major system changes, magic level, RP level etc) is informative enough to let you know whether you would likely enjoy the server.

Personally, I would not join a server without improved head choice and armour/clothing haks and crafting because designing the image of my character to suit her RP is important to me.

Tilesets like Worms' ones tho? They ought to be compulsory *grin*

Have fun

[SHOVA]

Gotta agree as well, in fact at this stage of NWNs life I admit, I only play and build with Haked MODs. I even use overrides when playing the OCs. As far as dl times, even if your on the worst dial-up there is, and out where I live that can be 16k, there are still free wifi places you can go and dl stuff in seconds. Buy a jump drive and have at it, most librarys offer free DSL and comps to use.

[olivier leroux]

I don't know how the average player feels about it ... ME, I wouldn't mind at all. If the theme of the server is interesting and you put up lots of beautiful screenshots, the download would be no obstacle for me and the cool tilesets an additional motivation.

Then again, lots of beautiful servers I know that use haks - even Worms' own server - are pretty deserted. But yours already got a solid playerbase - so what do your regulars think about it? In any case, if you intend to use additional haks, I'd make sure you don't keep adding to them and you don't change the hakpak every month or so. Because it's one thing to download a hakpak once (a lot of players did it with CEP, too) but it's another to have to download updates on the regular. And make it very clear what haks are required and help your players find and install them. It might sound strange but to me it seems a certain percentage of players who complain about haks don't have issues with the download but with the installation - they obviously can't be bothered to learn how to use a simple file manager like the Windows Explorer...


Hope that helps. And btw, I like your new avatar. 

Modifié par olivier leroux, 30 juillet 2010 - 07:15 .

[Jenna WSI]

Heh. Thanks Oliver, I really hate not being able to use custom avatars. C'mon we customize everything else about NWN... why wouldn't we want our own avatars too?



But yeah, our regular playerbase was fine with adding CEP... most so far are fine with haks as well. I just don't want to close the door on new server hoppers. Personally, I had no issue downloading and installing a hak just to try a server if they made the download and install process easy. And trust me, some did not. Remembering how aggravating it was to put in a set of disorganized haks, I won't do that to any players myself.

[Shadooow]

Jenna WSI wrote...

As a player, do you have a problem with downloading haks in order to try a server? Would you rather just be able to login and give it a go... or does all that custom content appeal to you more? 

There's a few new tilesets (worms, wild woods) that I've been drooling over.. but I'm not sure how much work the average player really wants to put into testing a server. Thanks for the imput.

Actually as player, I had problem with haks . When I was trying random servers, I skipped those required haks or CEP2. But if I knew that server is cool I would have not problem with that, which is how I think as a builder . Anyway have CEP(2) in name of module is really good idea, same with links to haks in module description .

[Jenna WSI]

Thanks, we do have CEP2 in the server name on GS, just so people know.

[TSMDude]

We are not normal. Let me say that again. We who are here are not normal players.



Would our base have a problem downloading a hak to play on our server? No. Woudl a New Player looking for a server been inclined. Some will. Some will not.



I feel your pain as I want Worms stuff or Amethyst Archer Quivers. But most normal players, rather than us hardcore fantatics of course mind. People justw ant to play. Of the Top Five Populater Servers, only Higher Ground I think has its own haks. The other few use CEP or none.



So depends on what you are doing this for as in player numbers or because you want to do it. And at this Stage in the NWN World I would say almost all of us are doing it because we love it.

[_six]

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I myself couldn't bear to let pesky logistics get in the way of something I'm passionate about... Anyone who cares more about getting more players than realizing their vision has already lost my interest. Make yourself a world created flawlessly in your own image and half a dozen genuinely interested players you get along with, and you'll have a much better time of it playing small-time-god than trying to cater to the masses in my opinion.

...so uh, yeah, cynical. And quite possibly slightly biased, for reasons I'm certain I can't possibly fathom.

Modifié par _six, 30 juillet 2010 - 07:47 .

[TSMDude]

Which is why I stated that last line, six.

[Shadooow]

_six wrote...

Anyone who cares more about getting more players than realizing their vision has already lost my interest.

No you are not, this is very great insight.

[_six]

TSMDude wrote...

Which is why I stated that last line, six.

And why I should actually read threads I post in. Not to worry!

[B_Harrison]

ShaDoOoW wrote...

_six wrote...

Anyone who cares more about getting more players than realizing their vision has already lost my interest.

No you are not, this is very great insight.

Agreed, couldn't have said it better.

[AndarianTD]

_six wrote...

Anyone who cares more about getting more players than realizing their vision has already lost my interest.

What he said.

[Jenna WSI]

AndarianTD wrote...

_six wrote...

Anyone who cares more about getting more players than realizing their vision has already lost my interest.

What he said.

I'm going to go against the grain here. There's more than one way to share a vision. Many of us used NWN when it didn't have so many haks and CC options, and we still shared (a very good) vision. The quest, the story... that doesn't require a country road that looks nicer than the one in 1.69. The story still works. Also, I feel that if I've shared a vision but no one else is there to enjoy it, it's been something of a waste. I am -certainly- not saying I want to cater to the masses. I don't want to be another Amia or Arelith. But I want someone other than me to enjoy it, and since players literally make and shape the story in a good rp PW... it's pretty nessecary.

Another good point was made, those of us that posted whom are builders, cc makers, dms, etc.... we're really not the average player. I wish all players were more like the hardcore dedicated ones though. >.>

Modifié par Jenna WSI, 30 juillet 2010 - 09:12 .

[Bard Simpson]

Jenna WSI wrote...

The quest, the story... that doesn't require a country road that looks nicer than the one in 1.69. The story still works.

I definitely agree; the story is of paramount importance to me. While I love beautiful tilesets, and other CC, a good story will always get me. It's like making movies -- an interesting tale with great special effects is something wonderful, but a movie made as an excuse to show special effects doesn't cut it.

[B_Harrison]

Those are very good points, Jen.

But my response would always be - why not have both?

[Jenna WSI]

I want both, but we're cautious before adding on something that may hinder the average player from participating. If the average player has become comfortable with using CC, then there's no problem. Why not exclude those who aren't willing to use CC? Same reason as stated above, a world that needs players to grow and evolve should cater to those players.

Modifié par Jenna WSI, 30 juillet 2010 - 09:25 .

[jmlzemaggo]

Woooohoo! This is what I call having a discussion! Vision... What a word...

You made my shameful only SP heart melt...

Sorry, just passing by but leaving immediately.

[Karvon]

As both a builder and player, I can appreciate both sides of the issue.



There are a lot of really nice haks out there, and a new look - and more options, often help fire the imagination of both players and builders.



I think if you're building a module for use in a DM campaign, or SP/MP mode, then a collection of hak's is going to meet less resistance as you already have your player base.



OTOH, a PW builders have to realize that the more haks you require, particularly if they are a customized collection, the less inclined folks are to DL and take a look. On those days when I have some time to kill and decide to visit some new PWs, unless I've read or heard a lot of good things about a PW requiring a lot of haks, I generally can't be bothered. Worse yet are those places that give no indication in their server info haks are required and/or where to get them. Those definitely get skipped.



Furthermore, while I concur with the idea of building your own vision of things, that inevitably narrows the field of folks who may pay your work a visit. In a sense, PWs are online art exhibits. Like tastes in art, tastes in NWN will vary widely. What one will rave over another will despise, you will never satisfy all tastes.



As for myself, I build what I would enjoy playing, and replaying myself. If some others happen to find it enjoyable, that's a bonus



Karvon

[_six]

Personally I've always been a highly aesthetic person. To feel truly immersed in any setting the visuals and just as (or more) importantly the sound have to demonstrate exactly the emotions I am supposed to be feeling. The job of the writing is to create the emotional content of the module, but it's the look and sound and feel of the setting that have to hammer it home and make me feel it. Of course, there are some situations where this is more important than others, but generally I find the real depth of a story isn't always found explicitly in the writing but in how it directs you to interpret the setting and environment. Anyone who's written fiction knows that pathetic fallasy is most definitely FTW.

Which sort of not exactly brings me to the point that whether or not you decide on extra haks or not, I would most certainly reccomend using custom music. It can totally change the feel of any area or event in a game, and given that unlike haks its an entirely optional extra download for players I find it really sad that it's not used more.

Modifié par _six, 30 juillet 2010 - 09:58 .

[Jenna WSI]

You mean an override, for the music? So it substitutes something in place of a bioware song?

[_six]

Jenna WSI wrote...

You mean an override, for the music? So it substitutes something in place of a bioware song?

Well what I had in mind would be to simply use additional custom music in your music folder with a custom 2da in override when building the mod. If players don't have the music and 2da file in their respective folders they won't get any music, but there won't be any errors as such and they can still play fine.

[Jenna WSI]

Excellent idea.