448 replies to this topic

[rjshae]

Jeebus. Every time I peek at what you're up to I realize what a hopeless dabbler I am at this stuff. When do you SLEEP?!

 

I know from experience that Lance never sleeps...

[kamal_]

I know from experience that Lance never sleeps...

Lance never sleeps, he waits...

[Lance Botelle]

Hi All,

Maybe I ought to clarify something here ....

I have problems sleeping due to a condition that I have, now complicated with additional back problems/pain. I grab sleep as and when I can, but it is very poor and is why I have had to give up work due to extreme tiredness/fatigue.

This is the only hobby I have, which thankfully, allows me to pop into as and when ... For instance, although I have had the time, I have not been well enough to do as much as I would have liked in the last few days/week or so due to fatigue/limitations.

The bottom line is ... I don't work ... and so I have the time to dabble as and when I can here .... It's been that way for a few years now, which may make it look more than it is. Believe me when I say, people like Kamal would have had my module done and dusted within a year or so tops!

I am just a slow plodder ... that would like to sleep better than they do.

Cheers,
Lance.

[Tchos]

My deep sympathies, Lance.  I would not wish the curse of sleeplessness on anyone.  Mine is fitful and easily interrupted, but still manageable, so I'm sure yours is much worse.

[Lance Botelle]

My deep sympathies, Lance.  I would not wish the curse of sleeplessness on anyone.  Mine is fitful and easily interrupted, but still manageable, so I'm sure yours is much worse.

Hi Tchos,

Thanks ... Not having a job makes managing my life possible now. i.e. I can rest when I need to and I can pace all my activities to maintain a degree of stability. I have lived like this for a number of years now, and so manage to avoid the really bad days mostly, but it has meant a radical change in hobbies ... much less physical than I used to be ... and I even have to make sure I don't overdo the thinking too much either .... hence the long delay for my module.

But, thankfully, I can work at my own pace with this hobby, and I do get satisfaction from it. I hope others get satisfaction from playing when it gets out there.

Cheers,
Lance.

[Lance Botelle]

#30 Beta Test 9.0 (Part 10)

http://worldofalthea...90-part-10.html

Another couple of hours play and another handful of those hard to find bugs (now solved) ... and updates ...

FIXES

1) CONTAINER WEIGHT - Fixed a bug where containers did not show their total weight.
2) RUNE LOCK ATTEMPTS - Fixed "exploit" check. Could be reset with two consecutive rests.
3) TREASURE ITEM DECAY - Fixed a decay time that was decaying much too quickly.
4) LOOT DEAD CREATURES - Made accessing dead creatures more stable. (Added backup.)
5) COMPANION AI - Created PCs had the wrong On Perception script attached.

UPDATES

1) Added "Gather Party" facility to help get around path-finding issues.
2) Added party "Stand Ground" on enemy perceived if "PAUSE ON ENCOUNTER" enabled. (*)

(*) NOTE: Rather than pause immediately on any encounter (with this setting), I found that simply having the PCs "stand their ground" until the creature actually attacked was the better solution. Otherwise, PCs could potentially "pause" the game even before the creature was able to be targeted by the player. The player can still manually pause (before the automatic pause) if they want to, of course.

CURRENT PLAY TIME: 37 hours and 40 minutes.



To Battle!



And Treasure!

[Lance Botelle]

#31 Immediate Crafting Information (Modern Recipes)

http://worldofalthea...ion-modern.html

Once more I decided to tackle the issue of making crafting as easy as possible for the player. I noticed in my own play testing that simply checking enchanting or crafting requirements from each recipe could be a laborious process ... or at the very least hard to keep track.

The Scroll supports every OC crafting system, but with some heavy improvements to make crafting much simpler. To help differentiate between the various OC systems, I now simply refer to the "ANCIENT" (uses molds and essences) and "MODERN" (uses recipes) systems.

I don't intend to use this post to speak about the various differences between the two systems, but to announce how I have made further improvements to the "MODERN" recipe system.

INTELLIGENT RECIPE BOOKS

The initial improvement I made to this system was to make gathering recipes easier by automatically placing each recipe into its appropriate recipe book for ease of reference. However, I have now taken this automatic help one stage further by having intelligent feedback from each book and its contents.

When a player now hovers their mouse over one of these recipe books, it will give feedback about the recipe pages that are collected within it and whether the party meet the main criteria to use each recipe contained therein. This information is sent to the chat window without the player even needing to open the book if they choose not to.

At a glance, the player will now know what recipes each book contains, and by the colour of the name used, be able to tell if they can immediately use the modern recipe (green font), or need a workbench to complete the task (blue font), or be unable to use it at this time (default font).

Furthermore, additional party information is given with respect to the skills and feats being required/used, the gold the party carries and whether they have an Enchanter's Satchel to use in place of a Magician's Workbench.

If, after all this initial information, the player wants further information (e.g. What exactly are they missing?), then they can simply open the book and read the recipe requirements after clicking on its page. Or ... if they left click on the icon to try to activate the recipe, that will also give detailed feedback about what is missing/required.

Check out these screenshots for further information ....



Enchantment Recipe Book - With New Rune Enchantments!



Weapons Recipe Book - Both Possible If Workbench Found



Alchemy Recipe Book - A Single Page Remains!



Wondrous Items Recipe Book - Many Potentials Await!



Armour Recipe Book - All Used!

[rjshae]

The drawback of making coding changes at this point is that you may be introducing more bugs. But hopefully that'll work out for you. 

[andysks]

One of my professors who teaches planning on projects etc said yesterday that for everything that changes when in beta stage 2 more things will come up problematic. Now, many times optimizing is needed of course but these changes you make on things working perfectly fine... I'm not sure if it falls under that category. I agree with Bob on two things. One, that I hope it works out for you and two though, I can't stop thinking of the Sisyphus reference he made a while ago.

[kevL]

[don't let 'em get to ya, Lance] lol

[Tchos]

No, no.  There will be no new bugs caused by this, so no need to check for them.  Just release as planned. 

[Lance Botelle]

Hi All,

 

I hear you.

 

I admit that there is always that risk (new bugs will alterations), but I am working on two precepts here:-

 

1) The code is independent from the rest of the module code, apart from the inventory script. However, that would (theoretically) either work or fail after the alterations I have made.

 

2) I still have a few more hours left of my own beta gameplay to see if I have messed up anything.

 

And, of course, the added benefit is that it may encourage players (like it has me) to actually do some crafting because it is now more straightforward to see what is or is not available to my party without the need to check each recipe in turn and then hunt to see if I have the gold, learned the spell, have the skill or feat and/or am missing items required.

 

The only frustrating thing (in my opinion) is that some aspects of crafting will remain "impossible" in this module simply due to the fact that the PCs are unlikely to have access to all they may need in one way or another. Practically speaking, (apart from the basic recipes and new rune scroll recipes), many of the more powerful creations will have to wait until modules 2 and 3 .... God willing.

 

NOTE: In my own testing, I can confirm that enchanting and crafting items is still a viable option and worth doing, because even the minor "item creation" benefits at this stage give an edge.

 

Cheers,

Lance.

[Happycrow]

Can't wait to see Chapter 1....hint hint... 

 

[Lance Botelle]

Can't wait to see Chapter 1....hint hint... 

Soon ... very soon now ....

I am as eager to get this module out and start module 2 at some point now ... after sorting any other issues players might report ... which should be very very few ... I hope.

Cheers,
Lance.

[Lance Botelle]

#32 Beta Test 9.0 (Part 11)

http://worldofalthea...90-part-11.html

Another couple of sessions, discovering those pesky bugs ... and testing updates ... See my last post for more details regarding the new Recipe Book system.

FIXES

1) RITUAL BOWLS - An earlier fix introduced duplicated items/tags, preventing work. A nasty one!
2) RITUAL BOWLS - Fixed problematic/intermittent container opening.
3) REST WITH SUMMON - Fixed broken "remnant" portraits of summons after resting.
4) FACTION PAUSE - Fixed a conversation from pausing too soon.
5) COMPANION AI - Fixed spell casting (etal) from ending when switching PCs during turn-based.

UPDATES

1) RECIPE BOOK INFO - Instant information when recipe books hovered over in inventory.
2) FEEDBACK IN COMBAT - Reduced some "normal" feedback while PCs in combat.
3) LIFE ESSENCE USAGE - Removed need for Life Essence use with Enchanter's Satchel.

CURRENT PLAY TIME: 40 hours and 38 minutes.

I'll leave you with a screenshot of my last battle, which turned out much more difficult than I first thought it would be. It required me to make good use of my turn-based system, and careful use of spells and resources. Believe it or not, I lost this battle from this position on the first attempt!



A Tough Battle!

[kamal_]

Iused to keep running lists of bugs and bugs fixed. It was amusing for me to look at.

[Lance Botelle]

Iused to keep running lists of bugs and bugs fixed. It was amusing for me to look at.

Hi Kamal,

It helps me to stay focused as well.

Not long now.

Cheers,
Lance.

[ColorsFade]

Iused to keep running lists of bugs and bugs fixed. It was amusing for me to look at.

 

I still do. I have a giant Excel sheet with about 20 tabs. One of those tabs is a To-Do list of features & bugs. Marking stuff off the list and resorting it is some kind of weird fulfillment. 

[Lance Botelle]

#33 Beta 9.0 (Part 12)

http://worldofalthea...90-part-12.html

The time is drawing ever closer to release, and today marks the beginning of the final stages of testing. I believe this may even be my last "beta testing" post entry (ignoring responses to this post), and my next post may be announcing the release of this module in a new "Support" post! It really all depends upon what I find in the next (potentially last) session. Anyway, onto the latest list of finds:-

FIXES

1) PLOT FEEDBACK - Removed some superfluous feedback regarding plot items.
2) PARTY RALLY - Now ignores henchmen and Main PC that could give erroneous feedback.
3) SECRET COMPARTMENT - Changed default action to use. (Sometimes prevented lock GUI.)
4) CONVERSATIONS - Fixed a couple of typos, an incorrect link and some missing cameras.
5) MASTER MAPPER - Fixed a couple of events where the auto-mapping was not auto-restarting.
6) VFX INSTANCES - Fixed VFX removal where more instances were present than I realised.
7) ANIMAL PRESENT - Fixed a "REMOVE ANIMAL" warning missing from a check.
8) UNDEAD WEAPON - Fixed a missing SLAM attack on some undead creatures.
9) MONSTER POSITION - Fixed/added missing post locations of some creatures.
10) PLACEABLES - Stopped some placeables from disappearing after use (that were not meant to).
11) LOOTING - Prevented some looting on a placeable before the PCs were meant to.
12) COMPANION AI - Removed some AI alterations done on PC swap. (Redundant code of mine?)
13) DEATH ANIMATION - The main PC did not always look dead - Hopefully, this fixed it.
14) JOURNAL ENTRY - Fixed an illogical entry and some XP based upon it.
15) ENCOUNTER TIMING - Removed 0.5 second delay that allowed PCs to move too far.

UPDATES

1) PARTY RALLY - PCs now mainly appear behind the Main PC rather than around it.
2) ANIMAL PRESENT - Added an option to allow an animal to STAY in the area when dismissed.
3) ENCOUNTER - Added an encounter where I felt one was needed.
4) EQUIPPED WEAPON - Altered some feedback when giving player equipped weapon info of PCs.
5) BARBARIAN RAGE - Made "raging cry" more creature generic.
6) DATE FEEDBACK - Added the hour to any date feedback given.
7) JOURNAL ENTRY - Added some extra information in the journal for a quest reminder.

CURRENT PLAY TIME: 42 hours and 0 minutes.



We Have Come A Long Way!

[Lance Botelle]

#34 Beta Testing (Last Entry)

Finally, I have reached the end of my own beta testing. Or rather, I have reached a point where I am satisfied that further beta testing will not be worth the time compared to being able to release the module. This I did yesterday: 4th May 2016 ... or 4, 5, (1)6 ... or as Star Wars fans might say, "May the fourth (be with you)". At least, it's a date I should remember easily enough.

For those interested in playing the completed module, The Scroll (The First Day), please go to this download link: http://neverwinterva...2/module/scroll

PLEASE NOTE: There is a new post in these forums announcing the release of this module for those who wish to post after-release comments.

For the sake of completion, I will make this final post on the discoveries I made and the fixes it required. Even at this very last stage of testing, I had to make some "significant" changes, simply due to the code being so messy and inefficient. Read on ...

FIXES

1) Fixed a "placeable item" drop name.
2) Fixed a description update that was not updating when a level item updated.
3) Creature AI: Added a missing variable to encourage a creature to use its spell abilities.
4) Removed "cleric" description from Jagged Tooth scroll.

UPDATES

1) Rewrote the OnAcquire and UnAcquire scripts, which were in a very haphazard state.
2) Rewrote the sbfunctions include script, which had some very inefficient coding.
3) Rewrote the Rune Puzzle GUI to enable players with low resolutions to drag the GUI apart.
4) Redesigned the item required system for crafting. (Previous system could not handle larger loops.)
5) Updated some journal entries to be more informative regarding the quest at hand.
6) Added weapon equipped feedback when PC swapped.
7) Added a mage workbench to an area.

Basically, much of what was required in the last set of coding was rewrites of OLD poorly written code and making other code work more efficiently. I still see this kind of thing scattered around the module, but the good news is that most of the important sections have now been addressed, and any that still needs attention can be addressed as I continue to work through modules 2 and 3, as they are campaign scripts, which will be backward compatible.



I think its time for a lay down.

[ArtemisJ]

Lance this type of module is not my personal preference.. however I want to give a huge shout out to the level of quality, polish and skill you made this module in.

 

I did play it a bit just to see what kind of systems and ui designs you did.. amazing.

 

I know there is a huge demographic of players that will truely enjoy a co-op romp like this.

[Lance Botelle]

Lance this type of module is not my personal preference.. however I want to give a huge shout out to the level of quality, polish and skill you made this module in.
 
I did play it a bit just to see what kind of systems and ui designs you did.. amazing.
 
I know there is a huge demographic of players that will truely enjoy a co-op romp like this.

Hi ArtemisJ,

Thanks for your positive feedback ...

Just out of interest, what kind of "preferences" do you look for?

I can learn from the feedback of people whose preferences differ from my own.

Cheers,
Lance.

[ArtemisJ]

Hi ArtemisJ,

Thanks for your positive feedback ...

Just out of interest, what kind of "preferences" do you look for?

I can learn from the feedback of people whose preferences differ from my own.

Cheers,
Lance.

 

Oh sure..

However I will say that my preferences may not be a majority.. or even a minority..

Also.. I think your module did do many of these things.. Just in a different way with a different emphasis that didn't hit the notes for me.

 

• I am definitely more into story focused modules and by that I mean equal dialogue / story elements to combat. I prefer context for why I am traveling or fighting something.
• Emphasis on encounters over "dungeon romping"
  • I love difficult combat and killing as much as the next person but when I am running through fields of spawning enemies that slowly grow in power to match my own.. I lose interest.
  • I would prefer fewer fights that are more difficult or nuanced then a high density of combat.
• I prefer Single Player experiences over co-op / party members. I would guess I am the minority there.
• I prefer detailed quests with multiple resolutions or resolving quests in different ways that don't involve fighting.
  • Sneaking, Coercion or even more complicated avenues.
• I like to avoid "Open World" in NWN2 styled games.
  • I dislike procedural generated maps, content and randomized loot.. and prefer hand crafted levels and hand placed loot.
  • Definitely prefer a more linear progression with some off shooting to optional side quests or areas.

 

One of many things I felt your module did very well was the sense of exploration and finding hidden things. I didn't play the module in great depth but I felt it was a very polished and very deep experience.. there was a lot to find if you are inclined to dig into it and the bonus abilities you gain at the beginning of the game can add a lot of depth when chained together with multiple group members.

 

 

One personal Pet Peeve (Since you -asked- for feedback)

I really dislike NWN2 Overrides that change my dialog.tlk or the default UI.. Sometimes it has to be done.. but I don't think any campaign or module should be changing the splash screen of my main menu or anything outside their own campaigns.. I know you heavily rely on a database for characters but try not to change things outside your own module when it can be avoided... 

[Lance Botelle]

Oh sure..
However I will say that my preferences may not be a majority.. or even a minority..
Also.. I think your module did do many of these things.. Just in a different way with a different emphasis that didn't hit the notes for me.

• I am definitely more into story focused modules and by that I mean equal dialogue / story elements to combat. I prefer context for why I am traveling or fighting something.
• Emphasis on encounters over "dungeon romping"
  • I love difficult combat and killing as much as the next person but when I am running through fields of spawning enemies that slowly grow in power to match my own.. I lose interest.
  • I would prefer fewer fights that are more difficult or nuanced then a high density of combat.
• I prefer Single Player experiences over co-op / party members. I would guess I am the minority there.
• I prefer detailed quests with multiple resolutions or resolving quests in different ways that don't involve fighting.
  • Sneaking, Coercion or even more complicated avenues.
• I like to avoid "Open World" in NWN2 styled games.
  • I dislike procedural generated maps, content and randomized loot.. and prefer hand crafted levels and hand placed loot.
  • Definitely prefer a more linear progression with some off shooting to optional side quests or areas.

One of many things I felt your module did very well was the sense of exploration and finding hidden things. I didn't play the module in great depth but I felt it was a very polished and very deep experience.. there was a lot to find if you are inclined to dig into it and the bonus abilities you gain at the beginning of the game can add a lot of depth when chained together with multiple group members.
 
 
One personal Pet Peeve (Since you -asked- for feedback)
I really dislike NWN2 Overrides that change my dialog.tlk or the default UI.. Sometimes it has to be done.. but I don't think any campaign or module should be changing the splash screen of my main menu or anything outside their own campaigns.. I know you heavily rely on a database for characters but try not to change things outside your own module when it can be avoided... 

Hi ArtemisJ,

Thanks for this feedback.

Just for your information, I made a change in the splash screen to help the player know they had things installed correctly.

(It does not interfere with the rest of NWN2 modules in any way.)

Cheers,
Lance.