I'm at the point where I want to test some group activities - conversations, encounters, etc., with some of my companions. However, I am not sure the easiest way to accomplish the task of creating/spawning my companions in a particular area.
Is there a fast/easy way to achieve this? I've taken a look at some of the scripting for adding companions to my party, and that works when I have placed the companion in the area where they are meant to start, and I initiate that code through the conversation.
But how do I go about it when I'm in some other zone later in the story? If I want to test an area later on, I assume there has to be a quick way to spawn my companions and add them to my party so I can test encounters.
How are you forming your party for testing?
Débuté par
ColorsFade
, févr. 28 2013 02:06
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#2
Posté 28 février 2013 - 02:11
kamal_
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Test module with everyone in a single area or two.
#3
Posté 28 février 2013 - 02:17
Tchos
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In my starting area, I have an NPC whose conversation allows me to teleport to every location I've created, including the locations of my companions. If you don't want to have your companions temporarily in the starting area (or test module), you can teleport to their locations, pick them up, and teleport back to the starting area to go to the next area you want to test.
You can also pre-add all companions to your roster, so they can be added or dismissed from the player menu, or have a guest registry or similar item whose function is to open the party roster.
You can also pre-add all companions to your roster, so they can be added or dismissed from the player menu, or have a guest registry or similar item whose function is to open the party roster.
#4
Posté 28 février 2013 - 04:39
ColorsFade
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Tchos wrote...
In my starting area, I have an NPC whose conversation allows me to teleport to every location I've created, including the locations of my companions. If you don't want to have your companions temporarily in the starting area (or test module), you can teleport to their locations, pick them up, and teleport back to the starting area to go to the next area you want to test.
You can also pre-add all companions to your roster, so they can be added or dismissed from the player menu, or have a guest registry or similar item whose function is to open the party roster.
I like the idea of guest registry. Good suggestions all around. Thanks guys.
#5
Posté 28 février 2013 - 04:41
Alupinu
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Mmm... Maybe I don't underatand the queation but no, not really… The besty way I’ve been able to accomplish this is just by making blueprints of all my party members assigning each one a simple conv that say’s. “Join my party?”ColorsFade wrote...
I'm at the point where I want to test some group activities - conversations, encounters, etc., with some of my companions. However, I am not sure the easiest way to accomplish the task of creating/spawning my companions in a particular are. is there a fast/easy way to achieve this?
Then I make another npc blueprint for handing out xp. Assign this npc that has a simple conv of xp . This is so you can level up you party to the nessary lv.
As far as different area’s go, paint down your start point to that area you want to test. Paint down your npc party members along with your xp npc and you should be ready test.But how do I go about it when I'm in some other zone later in the story? If I want to test an area later on, I assume there has to be a quick way to spawn my companions and add them to my party so I can test encounters.
As far as a two click instant party goes, well may or may not be possible I’m not one to judge but I haven’t seen it yet.
Modifié par Alupinu, 28 février 2013 - 04:44 .
#6
Posté 28 février 2013 - 05:53
MokahTGS
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In case you don't know, there is a Module Testing Toolkit avaiable on the Vault that I use all the time. It has a bunch of options and is pretty easy to import into any module.
#7
Posté 28 février 2013 - 06:37
kevL
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Universal Companions could be handy.
Add companions to its database, then they're available for respawn into the party from the playerMenu.
( review thread )
Add companions to its database, then they're available for respawn into the party from the playerMenu.
( review thread )
#8
Posté 28 février 2013 - 07:50
Morbane
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ColorsFade wrote...
Tchos wrote...
In my starting area, I have an NPC whose conversation allows me to teleport to every location I've created, including the locations of my companions. If you don't want to have your companions temporarily in the starting area (or test module), you can teleport to their locations, pick them up, and teleport back to the starting area to go to the next area you want to test.
You can also pre-add all companions to your roster, so they can be added or dismissed from the player menu, or have a guest registry or similar item whose function is to open the party roster.
I like the idea of guest registry. Good suggestions all around. Thanks guys.
I use this method in tandem with a placeable that I can paint down wherever I need to test - touch it and gather the necessary comps
#9
Guest_Iveforgotmypassword_*
Posté 28 février 2013 - 07:58
Guest_Iveforgotmypassword_*
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My PC's are so lovable, charismatic and dynamic that nobody ever leaves them:innocent:.
But seriously what I do is put all their equipment on the PC then change start positions with level 1 basic copies of them hanging around in whatever area I'm testing. Give them a can I join you conversation ( as mentioned above ) that includes ga_reset level so they're up to the PC's level, then give them their stuff back and bash everything in sight !
But seriously what I do is put all their equipment on the PC then change start positions with level 1 basic copies of them hanging around in whatever area I'm testing. Give them a can I join you conversation ( as mentioned above ) that includes ga_reset level so they're up to the PC's level, then give them their stuff back and bash everything in sight !
#10
Posté 28 février 2013 - 08:21
Tchos
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I've tried that Module Testing Toolkit that Mokah suggested, and it's pretty good. I especially like the multi-function, context-sensitive item it gives you in order to quickly get through the module to test things.
#11
Posté 01 mars 2013 - 05:47
ColorsFade
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I found what I was looking for in Bill Hall's Toolset Notes, Volumne IV. Toward the end he has some pretty useful scripts (like using party's best appraise skill when opening a shop, instead of just the PC).
He had a spawn companion script that I altered slightly (just to make it faster to type).
I make sure to keep the RosterName, Tag and ResRef on a companion the same, so all I have to do is enter DebugMode and type rs spawn_companion("companion_name") and it spawns them and adds them to my party.
From there, I'm sure I can add enhancements to the script to perform automatic level ups based on a level up plan. Like be able to type rs spawn_companion("name", level). And to make it even faster, I could create combos. Like, rs spawn_party (1, level) and it would automatically spawn and add a pre-configured set of companions for me at the specified level.
I will take a look at the Module Testing Toolkit though. That looks pretty cool on the surface. I don't know if it will be easier/faster than me writing my own scripts though.
One thing I was thinking about for easy testing was writing scripts that consolidate all of the necessary steps to get you prepared to test a very specific encounter. I'd like to just be able to type something in Debug like rs run_encounter(id/name of encounter) and have it automatically spawn my party, level them up, and set all the necessary journal entries and variables so the encounter is properly staged and ready to go. And to do that, I'll have to write custom scripts for every encounter I want to test that way. But I think once you have one script that does that, the rest is pretty easy. Just copy/paste and adjust the variables/journal entries.
I'm a firm believer in testing the bejeezus out of stuff, but I want testing to be easy. There's no NUnit for this... so I have to do what I can to make testing easier.
He had a spawn companion script that I altered slightly (just to make it faster to type).
I make sure to keep the RosterName, Tag and ResRef on a companion the same, so all I have to do is enter DebugMode and type rs spawn_companion("companion_name") and it spawns them and adds them to my party.
From there, I'm sure I can add enhancements to the script to perform automatic level ups based on a level up plan. Like be able to type rs spawn_companion("name", level). And to make it even faster, I could create combos. Like, rs spawn_party (1, level) and it would automatically spawn and add a pre-configured set of companions for me at the specified level.
I will take a look at the Module Testing Toolkit though. That looks pretty cool on the surface. I don't know if it will be easier/faster than me writing my own scripts though.
One thing I was thinking about for easy testing was writing scripts that consolidate all of the necessary steps to get you prepared to test a very specific encounter. I'd like to just be able to type something in Debug like rs run_encounter(id/name of encounter) and have it automatically spawn my party, level them up, and set all the necessary journal entries and variables so the encounter is properly staged and ready to go. And to do that, I'll have to write custom scripts for every encounter I want to test that way. But I think once you have one script that does that, the rest is pretty easy. Just copy/paste and adjust the variables/journal entries.
I'm a firm believer in testing the bejeezus out of stuff, but I want testing to be easy. There's no NUnit for this... so I have to do what I can to make testing easier.
#12
Posté 01 mars 2013 - 07:29
Morbane
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i just give the PC an item that can be activated for specific journal/quest nodes
#13
Guest_Iveforgotmypassword_*
Posté 01 mars 2013 - 07:52
Guest_Iveforgotmypassword_*
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Bear in mind that if you are mixing up companions and they're of different levels the xp awarded will change too because of the party average level.
#14
Posté 01 mars 2013 - 09:49
rjshae
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Morbane wrote...
i just give the PC an item that can be activated for specific journal/quest nodes
Yes, that's what I use. My equip item script for a "ring of testing" equips the player character then causes the NPCs to join the party leveled up, fully equipped, and ready for action. I can customize it as needed. At other times I've used a lever that moves the PC to the appropriate quest variable settings and sets things up appropriately, depending on how many times I click it. It's a bit of a nuisance to maintain, but saves time during testing.
ColorsFade wrote...
I found what I was looking for in Bill
Hall's Toolset Notes...
Umm thanks, but it's Bob, not Bill.
Modifié par rjshae, 01 mars 2013 - 09:54 .
#15
Posté 01 mars 2013 - 11:47
PJ156
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I test in two parts. A peaceful test to test the convos scripts ect and a combat balance test.
For the former the npc does not have to be in the party if thier tag is called on a convo line only in the area. Thus I tend to drop a npc with the correct tag into the area and then run around with my pc tripping all the triggers or talking to the npcs.
I use a 26th level fighter pc for this so that they can dust up the fighting.
Once I have the module working from start to finish I then play the whole thing to balance the combat. In my opinion this is the only way to balance combat since you need to know when the player will level up and what effect that has on the fighting.
On some occasions the npc needs to be in the party but these can be sorted by a single line convo as Tsongo suggested.
PJ
For the former the npc does not have to be in the party if thier tag is called on a convo line only in the area. Thus I tend to drop a npc with the correct tag into the area and then run around with my pc tripping all the triggers or talking to the npcs.
I use a 26th level fighter pc for this so that they can dust up the fighting.
Once I have the module working from start to finish I then play the whole thing to balance the combat. In my opinion this is the only way to balance combat since you need to know when the player will level up and what effect that has on the fighting.
On some occasions the npc needs to be in the party but these can be sorted by a single line convo as Tsongo suggested.
PJ
