165 réponses à ce sujet

[kamalpoe]

Me: Builder of an evil campaign.
You: Opinionated back seat driver with the balance sense of a Russian ballerina. Preferably picky. Must be willing to kick puppies.
 
Know the secrets of Edinmoor? No longer a mere Wizard's Apprentice? Now a Risen Hero? Turned White Plume Mountain into White Plume Molehill? Well the baddest, evilest, most puppy kickingest campaign on the block needs playtesters.
 
Synopsis:
Several years after the war against the King of Shadows, the Beggar's Nest has been virtually abandoned by the Neverwinter City Guard as they focus on rebuilding elsewhere. The Nest has been left for fend for itself... leading many to take up lives of crime, including yourself and your friend Kvas. When the Neverwinter Guard finally does take action in the Nest, they haul off your father, looking for something.... Fortunately, Kvas was there when your father was taken
away, and has stolen the item they apparently were looking for, a small iron symbol.

Perhaps it's better to get out of Neverwinter before the Guard figures out you have the symbol. You were already going to strike out on your own, and no time like now to get some training and get out if the Neverwinter Guard wants you.
What does the Neverwinter Guard want with a small iron symbol with a minor enchantment? You'll have to stay ahead of the Guard until you can find more information about it to see if you can use it yourself....
 
Features:
   Actually, you know, being able to be evil. (Good pc's are not blocked, but the writing assumes you are evil and the game engine will make you quickly enough since evil points for killing good creatures is built in to default scripting.)
   Four completely different paths for your first four levels, depending if you are a fighter, arcane, rogue, or divine type.
   Open ended gameplay. You're not told what to do for the main plot.  You might think of it as "plot light", but you are the villain. Villains don't have npc's telling them where to go and what to do next. There's an overarching goal, you have to figure out what to do to accomplish it.
   Eight potential companions. All as evil as you. None required after Neverwinter. Four at a time for a party of five.
   A player controlled stronghold (like Crossroad Keep, but with more evil) with...
   Minions: Have them carry out up to 80% of the main plot on your behalf.
   Unusual locations: Calimport, Halruaa, Murann, others.
   OC style crafting. Unique overland map.
   Feat buying: You can have npc's train you in some feats.
   Kaedrin's pack supported. I am personally testing with it.
   Estimated average playtime: 30+ hours. 200+ areas, 150 quests. About 80,000 words of dialog.
   Not all encounters are level balanced. You might want to come back later, or you might discover a pushover (Make sure you laugh maniacally when you do).
   Level 1 to about level 14. There's no cap, it depends on how much stuff you do.
   Underground locations that are actually dark. No seriously. Many areas are pitch black. Bring a torch. 
 
Doesn't feature:
   Cutscenes (I'm just one guy)
   Voice acting (Ditto)
   Music (on purpose, outside of taverns, enjoy placed and ambient sound)
   Romanceanble companions/npc's, companion influence systems/alignement adjustments.
   Powerful magic: magic is plentiful, but a +3 item is really good. Elemental enchantments on weapons generally do a single point or two of damage.

Your reward for being a playtester? If you wish, I will make you a purchasable slave or put you in as a headstone on a grave ingame.
 
What's needed: Path of Evil is one of the few NWN2 modules focused entirely on being evil. As such I want to provide the most complete bad guy experience possible. Logical reasons to do evil things not already accounted for are welcome and will be added if possible. Balancing may be a weakpoint, so feedback on that is most welcome as well. Plus reporting bugs of course.

Note: I used OC death to cover the first few pc levels, which are in Neverwinter, SoZ death afterwards. MotB and SoZ required.

Total download is slightly over a gig. Path of Evil is big.
Modules
Other files

Wiki is my wiki for reporting broken stuff, it also has the current buglist (nothing too major, I've been testing for a long time). If you prefer, I'll accept any other way you want to make reports.

Modifié par kamalpoe, 15 septembre 2010 - 06:15 .

[Dorateen]

Well, I've always felt Content is King (as in, the more of it the better) so I think this will be a real treat.

Harumph!

[Quixal]

My time is pretty short at the moment but I can probably squeeze a little playtesting in. I may not be the kind of person you are looking for though as my design philosophy involves a preference for deliberately uneven balance (though your encounter description makes me wonder).

[kamalpoe]

Quixal wrote...

My time is pretty short at the moment but I can probably squeeze a little playtesting in. I may not be the kind of person you are looking for though as my design philosophy involves a preference for deliberately uneven balance (though your encounter description makes me wonder).

Head for Chult, the Anauroch or a few other places right away on the overland map if you want to get wiped out. 

[rjshae]

Poke, poke.... eww, evil. Sorry, not really to my taste. But good luck with it. :innocent:

[Quixal]

kamalpoe wrote...
Head for Chult, the Anauroch or a few other places right away on the overland map if you want to get wiped out. 

To be fair, I would expect a swift death in either of those locations in a pen and paper game as well.

[dunniteowl]

Downloading the files as I type this. I have been looking forward to this module for some time now. I am not exactly the dog kick-- errm -- puppy kicking hobnailed boot type, but I do consider myself a strong Role Player. In high school and college I was too innocent looking in drama and never got to be the bad guy. Now's my chance, mwuah hah hah hah hah HHHAAAAHHH!

dunniteowl

[Shaughn78]

Downloading now. I've always had a bit of trouble playing the evil character, but will give it a go through. While following your blog you've sparked my interest. Don't have much time this week but will be able to spend a fair amount of time beginning of next week. Any particular races or classes under represended in the playtesting so far?

[WyrinDnjargo]

will try this weekend

[kamalpoe]

Shaughn78 wrote...
Any particular races or classes under represended in the playtesting so far?

Much of the class specific content is in the first module. That all should be rock solid since it was part of the intro module I released at the beginning of last year. Most class specific stuff later on assumes you have at least 4 levels in a class. Your initial character level determines all the path specific content in Neverwinter. I say path because instead of giving each individual class a set of quests I grouped them into the four archetypes, divine, arcane, rogue, melee.

If you play an non typical race you will find that others of that race might have different conversations with you than they would with another race. But there really isn't much race specific quest content, civilized elves (not wild/drow) and certain genasi have the only race specific quest options I can think of, but these are well tested. ECL races are going to have a tougher time initially of course.

In the Neverwinter Docks in an inn there is a fire genasi npc named Tester, he is out of character help, and can help you out with any quests in Neverwinter, advancing journals or giving you plot items.

[kamalpoe]

I should add that after Neverwinter, virtually all quests are optional. So if your concept character is evil but does not believe in slavery, you can refuse slavery quests for instance. Of course you miss out on that content, but there should be plenty else to do.



There's also plenty of tongue in cheek evil and "humorous evil". If you've ever read the sourcebooks on evil like Book of Vile Darkness they actually discuss how to handle an evil campaign. It boils down to the fact that a pure evil campaign will quickly become no fun by being too dark and disturbing. Give players an opportunity for some meta enjoyment by allowing them to smite the paladins they usually play = fun, carrying out the details of dark rituals the villain is typically up to = no fun.

[nicethugbert]

So, what do we get to do to Austin Powers in Path of Evil?

[Haplose]

This module really sounds terrific.



I just started Wyrin's LoWPM and have very limited time in general, so I won't be helping with the testing, but I definately look forward to playing this after the release. Been looking forward to this for a long time.

[dunniteowl]

I should be starting to play this in the next day or so. I still have to finish creating my economic power house of a Civ in Civ III (I 'sperimentate w/CivIII to create Civs that never fight and still win.)



I also am wrapping up some project assignments I have promised to complete for others, so I have to divide my time. Still, I am looking forward to some puppy kicking fun while thumbing my nose at the NeverWinter Guard and beyond. I've gotta dig out my hobnailed boots and my baby seal club from the storage boxes, but even without them, I think I can manage.

dunniteowl

[Shaughn78]

Added a few more things in the Neverwinter section on the wiki

[kamalpoe]

Shaughn78 wrote...

Added a few more things in the Neverwinter section on the wiki

reads wiki....

you killed Springapple, Kvas' sister? You really are trying to break things! (That's good btw.) Yes, she needs to be plot. You must speak with her after the quest that takes you into the sewers right next to her. If you already killed her, after you finish in the sewers, go speak with Tester in the inn in the Docks and ask about Kvas' mother. That will start the quest Springapple is supposed to give you. This is a main plot quest so you need to do it.

[Name Goes Here]

I think I've run into some problems right away so I guess I've messed up the installation or something. I'm unable to talk to most shopkeepers and when I visit my home I don't get any items that I had "hidden under my bed", it's not supposed to be that way, right?



Is there some kind evil person who could help point me in the right direction?

[Shaughn78]

kamalpoe wrote...

Shaughn78 wrote...

Added a few more things in the Neverwinter section on the wiki

reads wiki....

you killed Springapple, Kvas' sister? You really are trying to break things! (That's good btw.) Yes, she needs to be plot. You must speak with her after the quest that takes you into the sewers right next to her. If you already killed her, after you finish in the sewers, go speak with Tester in the inn in the Docks and ask about Kvas' mother. That will start the quest Springapple is supposed to give you. This is a main plot quest so you need to do it.

I'm evil, she was annoying....

I saved before hand and reloaded when nothing too exciting happened.

[Shaughn78]

Added to wiki.

Having a fun time with this game.Did notice that Kvas is shorted some abilit points.
Question about a "point of interest" The statue behind the crypt. I get the 50xp for going there I can use the statue and a speak string appears. Is there anything else I can do. Forgot what exactly the string said but seemed like I should be able to find or doing something more.

The points of interest are a good touch. It makes you want to explore everywhere and walk down every dead end hall.

edit & spoiler:

Seemed to run into a dead end.

After freeing kvas's mother and fighting the NW guard outside the crypt. My companions told me I had leave and I should smuggle myself out. I have gone to the dock district. I talk to three captains. 2 in the seedy tavern and the 3rd is on the dock closest to the dock district entrance. But I have no convo options to get out of the city. Same with the harbor master. Am I missing something? The tester has an option to finish Kvas mother quest and get harbor pass so I think I'm lookin in the right area.

I didn't add this to th wiki but the placed guards don't care if i go up and talk to them. I understand the Nest guard doing nothing since I bought them off but the guards at the dock should maybe recognize me. Maybe consider making a group of guard that wander back and forth on the area and turn hostile if they spot you. Have them respawn each time you enter the map to stress you need to leave.

Modifié par Shaughn78, 20 septembre 2010 - 12:20 .

[kamalpoe]

Points of interest are just that, interesting tidbits lying around. Go behind the church in the northeast slums for my favorite. The statue is actually manipulated to unlock the crypt door it's behind when you use it. It also functions as the "trainer" that there are POI. The POI disappear after Neverwinter. You have more experience, you've seen things, things are no longer interesting enough to give xp. I suppose I could include more POI if people like them.

To get out of Neverwinter, talk with Captain VanRijn in the inn in the Docks (she's the one with a mohawk). She will tell you her ship is headed south, but she needs a Harborpass to leave since things are generally locked down in Neverwinter after the events in the OC (you could presume this all takes place roughly around the time of SoZ). Once you know you need the Harborpass there are a number of ways to get it from the Harbormaster.

[kamalpoe]

Those are lots of good things! Or should I say evil things? Keep them coming! Details get overlooked when you're staring at your own work.



Also, the imp is paranoid so it thinks everyone's after it. Bringing it back is only on the arcane path, but you can talk to Hemlock about it. Iirc he says he's already sent his apprentice after it... It's one of the places I referenced other paths you could take.

[kamalpoe]

I broke magic in my last update, the one I announced, fixing right now.

Problem was in a hak. You need this one, replace the existing one with the same name. This one will finish uploading in 15 minutes or so.
Fixed hak

Modifié par kamalpoe, 21 septembre 2010 - 01:55 .

[kamalpoe]

Name Goes Here wrote...

I think I've run into some problems right away so I guess I've messed up the installation or something. I'm unable to talk to most shopkeepers and when I visit my home I don't get any items that I had "hidden under my bed", it's not supposed to be that way, right?

Is there some kind evil person who could help point me in the right direction?

Err, no, it's not supposed to be that way. There is one broken shopkeeper without a conversation, Urran the potion and weapon merchant. There is a chest under the bed that you should be able to access, it's the bed on the right when you come up the stairs.

[Shaughn78]

Out of NW and exploring the map. I made the mistake of going straight to the library and meeting the group of "overpowing" adventurers. I think I lasted about 2 rounds.
I have been exploring areas near the shipwreck now, but the majority of battles are with "very difficult" CR npcs. Without raise dead abilties, trying to find a merchant that sells the scrolls, I find I am doing a lot of loading and going to different areas as I get repeatively destroyed. Could be my character choice with the +2 lvl adjustment. Any suggestions on a good area to go to levelup and lootup? I'm @ lvl3 (ranger2/rogue1), Kvas lvl5, Tan lvl4 and the wizard is @ 5.

Went to Murann.
picked up Aliva and have gained 1 level so far running around doing the various non-combat quest. Nice use of skills in this area to complete the various task.

Modifié par Shaughn78, 22 septembre 2010 - 07:16 .

[kamalpoe]

I expect a player will head to either Murann or al-Qasr when they leave the wreck. Murann has 2 potential companions (Alira and Timoteo), al-Qasr has two (Carcarin and Mu'tasin, though you can only get Carcarin at first). Both Murann and al-Qasr focus on levels 5-7 or so. al-Qasr's main quests are scaled encounters and minor combat/skill use. al-Qasr has a hidden quest that is not given to you by a questgiver, this is higher level.



When you're strong enough, adventurers are a good loot source, they have all that tasty loot they've taken from other evil people. :-)



Calimport I expect is mostly 8-10, but there are several skill or minimal combat quests.



Remember, PoE is generally free rest, unless the environmental conditions prevent it (scorching desert without shade for instance).



If there's things that are really difficult and close to the shipwreck, let me know.



Yes, ECL 2 is going to make things tough at lower levels, it always does. Looking at your party, I suggest ambushes and traps.



Ranger/rogue was how I did Risen Hero :-)