NWN Persistent on cloud

Jak

Rev any chance you could swap out or check the persistent world on cloud at the mo?

I noticed there was something new on it - so i stopped in to take a look. Only played for about 30mins, but the links to the forest zone (i think it was) were not in place. Also it was mostly empty ... there was some ambush and after that nothing.

Also things don't seem to respawn so I'm afraid it is a lot more empty now than originally ... as I killed all the bar staff, the old people and some irritating kid in the bar out of boredom.

Cheers,

JAK.

Rev Hellfire

Server changed to blackjack inn

I'll await suggests from the populous as for a replacement.
I'd also like to resume the creation of a 'boards.ie' persisent world, so whos up for it. A few more than just me and mantel, I'm looking at you devore and you jay and lolth you can stop hiding behind that chair we all see you lurking there.

Jak

Cheers Rev.

A boards.ie world ... as in something we made up ourselves?

I reckon we could easily make up something if we got a general idea together and all just took sections.

The only prob might be making something with replayabilty ...

Mantel

Ah bramblemire I was forgetting about that, must stick a few more things into it especialy after playing a few of those modules I got a few ideas that.. um.. I can't really remember right now

I'm sure lots of nice stuff has been posted to the nwn scripting fourms scince I've looked at them.

Jak

Blackjack ...

A one room module ...

With a broken gambling script ...

Is this your way of making us code up something new?

JAK.

Ill have a go at the dealer I reckon

Mantel

hehe you better come up with something good Jak or Rev will get out the codeing whip to 'ecourage' you

LoLth

I'd be well on for it.

I'm no great shakes at the whole coding side of things (but I'll learn what I can), but story character and conversation developement are grand for me

BattlingCheese

I would also be up for this.

What exactly is involved. Is there going to be one server(world) and we constantly create areas to add on to it??

DeVore

I'm up for this too...
Jayk and I were talking about it earlier and we figured the best way was to take separate areas and work on them and then join them, but with this many people we should break into designers (who design and build the world) and coders (who script and make it all "go"), with everyone having input into the overall kinda genre and feeling of the world.


My views on it are:

1. Persistent worlds are kinda cool but I just want to bash stuff and get better loot. Actually more specifically I want to bash stuff with people I know and have a laugh while doing it. The stuff we bash and the loot we get are just there to facilitate the laughs and banter.

2. I would prefer a world with say, a dozen interconnected quests (one to two nighters) which we can build on further if we wanted to. Each quest would have a recommended level for it so that our differing groups can always find something fun to play.

3. In-jokes are fine but I wouldnt want it to be a Simpsons Does RPG. Theres room for one decent pisstake though

4. A strong story line would help us toss all this together. Something that doesnt involve Elves with unpronouncable names. I'll put my thinking hat on.

DeV.

Jak

Well zone design is something anyone can do really. Just drag and drop the infrastructure in, place triggers around the place for some encounters, drop in a few characters and put zone transitions in place.

Characters conversation files are also something easily done.

The major issue is scripting quests and linking this in with characters so they use appropriate conversation files and hand in/hand out what is needed.

I will finish up the three zones I did up (and maybe simplify them by removing some things) and then mail or upload them somewhere for you. They are a village (linden village ), a pub and a crypt type thing.

We could use a few little house zones designed, some open areas and a second bigger village maybe.

I would say we make a hack n slash type thing with a few non technical npcs to amuse a little - i.e lets forget the idea of a major integrated story line at first .. seeing as we all have day jobs and loved ones to attend to.

JAK.

DeVore

Erk, I'm not suggesting some technically linked storyline, rather one that is logically linked. So:

Episode 1. Boy gets lost in forest, parents hire level 1-2 adventurers to find him. After fighting their way through the dark hordes of rabbits and ill tempered badgers they find his bones gnawed and only his neck charm remains in tact. They either bring this back to the parents or arse around and get eaten by the GREAT BIG FECKING WEREWOLF.

Episode 2. Some villager is up in arms about his sheep getting eaten by wolves. You have to go kill all the wolves (now that you are 3-4 levels) and you find more SCARY EVIDENCE OF BAD THINGS.

Episode 3. etc etc..

Now, you can skip to episode 12 if you can handle the big bad nasty wizard who created the WEREWOLF OF DOOM but not if you are just level 3 noobs! (well you can try and die horribly!)
So there isnt any TECHNICAL link between the adventures just stuff to get and stuff to hand in.

That lets us build a central hub thing and then sprawl from there with people working on various bits, but no real interaction between the bits apart from the storyline we make up.

DeV.

Nevyn

Was just wondering what type specs are needed to run a NWN server? May be having a house lan and give it a whirl.

Also i do believe the Darkside Lan boyz were talking about having an rpg section DS5 in the new year, would it be much hassle to set up a NWN server for that assuming there is a module ready to run by then ?

BattlingCheese

Had a go at using the toolset last night and as Jak says, it's fairly easy to create a small world using the default objects, textures etc. I was surprised how easy it was. The toolset is pretty powerful.

It would be the little details that are hard to do. Downloaded a scripting tutorial on how to place characters on chairs which took a bit of fiddling to get right and that was an "easy" script.


That's a good structure Dev.

3. In-jokes are fine but I wouldnt want it to be a Simpsons Does RPG. Theres room for one decent pisstake though

I want my Knights who say Ni

LoLth

I made out a map for an area surrounding a trading post and a few notes on locations.

main idea:
Trading post: PC spawn and safe haven, healing and equipment.
--- events on world, trading post can be raided by creatures once a spawn count gets too high. (me have fond memories of players defending Ultima town against a horde of undead)

North: hills, giants, trolls and orcs in this area. maybe a lair.
North east: Forest, maybe a minor dungeon or two for experience bumping (area deeper in wood for further developement - me gots eeeeevil idea)
North West: marshland: site of ancient battlefield. UNDEAD! Yippee! (also maybe a plot hook to be developed)
East: Sea shore, furhter developement would involve an island off the coast (script for a boat trip?)
West: Mountains: Main linked story line dungeons, each for increasingly hard levels and a good mix of combat and trap/puzzle solving.
South West: Mountains too high to cross. Some creatures, Umberhulk etc. a lair or two.
South East: Swampland, maybe a sunken temple?
South: pass to main city (if you travel to the city, you enter the portal to other NWN servers)

Each area would be populated at different times ensuring something new each time (perhaps a rotation).

Advantages:
Good mix of dungeon crawl and wilderness adventuring.

Healthy mix of creature types by location, so people that hate undead can steer clear of undead by not going to the battle field.

A good many possibilities for developing storyline and sub-plots

Players can Hack and slash or follow story, or do a bit of trading. Freeform.

Disadvantages:
probably too big unless implemented in segments but that would take away from the "freedom".

PK areas would have to be clearly defined (restrictive) or set to anywhere outside a radius around the trading post (poor newbies).

A fair bit o' scripting for NPCs, especially if we want the whole "feel of ongoing story".

A good lot of co-operation needed between story developers and again a lot of co-operation between developers and coders.

Rev Hellfire

I too have fond memories of raids on Ultima towns, stealthing around stealing black pearl from mages so they'd die a nasty death so I could loot them, ahh happy days.

Justice

I wouldn't mid getting involved in this as well.
i havent really used the toolset but im a programmer so i dont think i will have to many problems. motivation is my problem and if i have to do it for other people that would help me.
i will look at the toolset over the next day or so and familiaerize my self with it.
as for the game world i like the idea of several short quests for various character levels, (whats the starting level and up to what level)
one idea i do have would be for a party v party adventure. would there be enough players? any thoughts?

note i have played some of the campaign with NWN (didnt finish it though, my counter strike addiction got in the way), i havent played online yet though but thats what i really want to try but only with other irish players.

Rev Hellfire

Well if you're looking for other players to play with pop into #nwn.ie on wednesday or friday around 8:00 which is when we tend to play the more orgainsed games.

Justice

cheers.
i will log on some time, 8.00 is very early for me. thats my main problem, i dont usually start playing games untill about 11 onwards.
but i wanna try out NWN online before i loose too much interest. (and counter strike takes over my life!)