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The NEW NWN Team Corwin Thread
November 19th, 2008, 00:00
Any and all suggestions though, will be gratefully accepted!! 
For anyone who would like to join in, we are going to be playtesting ffbj's new mod beginning this week. Anyone who played his previous PW (Second God War) will know how tough he makes them!!!!

For anyone who would like to join in, we are going to be playtesting ffbj's new mod beginning this week. Anyone who played his previous PW (Second God War) will know how tough he makes them!!!!
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If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
November 19th, 2008, 01:17
You may be right, and you are not alone. So far I have only had comments about how hard it is from all the people who have play-tested it. One guy even quit after reaching 7th level, and another one has suspended play after getting to 12th, mainly since he is a rogue and needs a companion.
There are just a few places, at the moment for lower level characters:
Crypts level 1 & 2
Central Slums
Creek of the Moors
Creek Tower
There are just a few places, at the moment for lower level characters:
Crypts level 1 & 2
Central Slums
Creek of the Moors
Creek Tower
November 20th, 2008, 03:46
File sent, and I want to thank you all since I got quite a bit of work done on it recently with the hope that I can whip it into shape and give you all something memorable to play in.
November 20th, 2008, 19:33
ffbj, I got the two files, but I had not installed the first one. I just installed the second. Just checking with you that I understood you right. If not post here or email me.
I did make a new character for this, a barbarian elf. How is that for mixing it up. The mod ran fine. I only entered the staging area to test that it was installed ok. See everyone Friday.
I did make a new character for this, a barbarian elf. How is that for mixing it up. The mod ran fine. I only entered the staging area to test that it was installed ok. See everyone Friday.
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Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
November 21st, 2008, 01:49
Barbarian Elf. Hey that's what I was going to roll up. It should be right, the second file that is. Look for the one that's a bit bigger. So what is everyone going to be?
So far I think:
Peter-Paladin
Jo-Wizard
Cm-?
Corwin- Druid
Me-Rogue/Fighter
You really need someone with good spot/listen. I would prefer not to be the scout as that would be the pc leading the party, but I will if no one else wants to play one. Healing types should take skill in healing to use the magic bandages, and remember that you cannot heal players while you or they are in combat, at least with the bandages.
So far I think:
Peter-Paladin
Jo-Wizard
Cm-?
Corwin- Druid
Me-Rogue/Fighter
You really need someone with good spot/listen. I would prefer not to be the scout as that would be the pc leading the party, but I will if no one else wants to play one. Healing types should take skill in healing to use the magic bandages, and remember that you cannot heal players while you or they are in combat, at least with the bandages.
November 21st, 2008, 20:39
Which level are we supposed to start at and what kind of items are we allowed to bring? Only non-magical or some kind of magical. If magical then how strong can they be (similar to +1, +2 or what)?
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Paladin of Tyr
Paladin of Tyr
November 22nd, 2008, 01:11
Level one only and any illegal stuff will go poof on you. I am just going to get stuff in the mod I think. Or can we sort it out in just a few min when I can get back and load up skype.
--
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
November 22nd, 2008, 08:37
Thanks for the play-test. It was fun though a bit messed up. I wanted to put up a bit of a critique of the run.
1. It was not clear to people that they should only have starting gold about 1000 and starting items. This is not a big problem but it is hard for me to gauge when a few people have items that real players on the server would not have, until they were many levels higher, they just would not have the gold to buy them, until they were much higher level.
2. I don't think anyone used their rings at all, which are probably the most powerful items they have, though CM did use her horn to summon falcons.
3. The spawns will be much harder if a party is not moving in stealth. Even if it's not a stealthy character cutting your speed in half means you are at least trying not to be noticed. So some of the spawns look at characters stealth and respond accordingly. Also night is more dangerous but people are aware of that.
4. I led the party, or at least suggested the party check out the tower, which led to a catastrophe, but here once again just charging off toward the tower was an error. Parties should move slowly and cautiously to their objectives, though even then this party was weak for what it hit. So, sorry about that.
5. This campaign/module is counter to many natural impulses people have in the game. i.e. the standard approach to play. That is charging around with no regard for stealth, as I mentioned earlier, is an error, as is standing and fighting. Slash and dash, or hit and run, probably work best. The concept is that you are hitting an area and it is hitting back. In fact all our natural impulses, the normal method of play, are probably wrong.
Well thanks again and I hope nobody takes this critique the wrong way, I just thought I should make a few comments.
1. It was not clear to people that they should only have starting gold about 1000 and starting items. This is not a big problem but it is hard for me to gauge when a few people have items that real players on the server would not have, until they were many levels higher, they just would not have the gold to buy them, until they were much higher level.
2. I don't think anyone used their rings at all, which are probably the most powerful items they have, though CM did use her horn to summon falcons.
3. The spawns will be much harder if a party is not moving in stealth. Even if it's not a stealthy character cutting your speed in half means you are at least trying not to be noticed. So some of the spawns look at characters stealth and respond accordingly. Also night is more dangerous but people are aware of that.
4. I led the party, or at least suggested the party check out the tower, which led to a catastrophe, but here once again just charging off toward the tower was an error. Parties should move slowly and cautiously to their objectives, though even then this party was weak for what it hit. So, sorry about that.
5. This campaign/module is counter to many natural impulses people have in the game. i.e. the standard approach to play. That is charging around with no regard for stealth, as I mentioned earlier, is an error, as is standing and fighting. Slash and dash, or hit and run, probably work best. The concept is that you are hitting an area and it is hitting back. In fact all our natural impulses, the normal method of play, are probably wrong.
Well thanks again and I hope nobody takes this critique the wrong way, I just thought I should make a few comments.
November 22nd, 2008, 09:15
My turn!! 
I realise that none of us bothered to read any instructions that may have been available at the beginning (what else is new for gamers), but it was not clear without your guidance what we should be doing. You mention the rings. We got them engraved, thanks to you (how would people know to do that?), but USE them???? We have to USE them???? I had no idea you needed to do anything other than wear it, just like the boots. How should we have known they needed to be activated, etc???
I accept that perhaps we should examine things more, but 'normal' players like ourselves, tend to assume (rightly, or wrongly) that things in NWN always work the same way. This is more a criticism of ourselves, than your mod, BUT I expect we're a fairly typical bunch!!
May I suggest that you invent a 'guide' to show people around (like a tutorial) who will do the job you did, untill players are ready to leave the first main map. Make him optional, so at least people can't complain if they refuse his/her help. Now, I need to check out my ring next week to see what it is capable of doing!!
Again, this is NOT a criticism of either you or the mod, rather more a criticism of your typical gamer. I think doing things in a new and different way will be good for us; we're used to simply rushing off/in and taking care of business after many years and MANY mods!! lol

I realise that none of us bothered to read any instructions that may have been available at the beginning (what else is new for gamers), but it was not clear without your guidance what we should be doing. You mention the rings. We got them engraved, thanks to you (how would people know to do that?), but USE them???? We have to USE them???? I had no idea you needed to do anything other than wear it, just like the boots. How should we have known they needed to be activated, etc???
I accept that perhaps we should examine things more, but 'normal' players like ourselves, tend to assume (rightly, or wrongly) that things in NWN always work the same way. This is more a criticism of ourselves, than your mod, BUT I expect we're a fairly typical bunch!!

May I suggest that you invent a 'guide' to show people around (like a tutorial) who will do the job you did, untill players are ready to leave the first main map. Make him optional, so at least people can't complain if they refuse his/her help. Now, I need to check out my ring next week to see what it is capable of doing!!

Again, this is NOT a criticism of either you or the mod, rather more a criticism of your typical gamer. I think doing things in a new and different way will be good for us; we're used to simply rushing off/in and taking care of business after many years and MANY mods!! lol
--
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
November 22nd, 2008, 17:30
I just thought people knew they needed to activate their rings. That was the one item I did not specifically tell people how to use. My bad, I made an assumption there, since people were using them the first time we played. I remember Jo complaining that they did not last that long. As a result of her comment I upped the time somewhat, and added a level extender. They last longer as you go up in levels.
The typical party comment is accurate too. Other play-testers do exactly the same things, ooh pretty green lights. After many years of playing mods I too know how players, in general react, so, shame on me, I use that against them. The approach here is totally different from typical modules.
For example:
I use half a dozen different spawning methods, the one that hit us in the Creek, works on the basis of 5 charts of monsters, each a bit harder, and based on levels of pc's and other variables. So chart 1 would have mad crows, while higher charts would have wolves instead. The variables the party can control, time of day they enter the area, and moving in stealth, moves up to the next chart where monsters are tougher and more numerous.
So in that particular case where if the party was moving in stealth during the day they would be spawning monsters from chart 2, our party was spawning monsters from chart 4, non-stealth at night. Admittedly once you are in combat you are not in stealth anymore, so you will move up 1 chart on the next spawn cycle. Which is why fights tend to get progressively worse.
This is completely against the grain of most modules where you face x number of monsters and then x minus as you kill them off, here your spawning cycle is typically adding monsters x plus after the first encounter. The spawn objects are a rudimentary example of this. If you stand next to an active one it will keep spawning every hb until it burns out after a certain number of spawns. So you could have a dozen zombies in very short order, and even for a moderately tough party that would be bad. But, I guess the point is you did not have to stand there and keep spawning zombies. The cycling encounters are different since you have less control. You can only control the time of day you enter and whether you are in stealth.
The goblin fence is a typical place for an encounter. You are all the way across the area, and are approaching the ruined tower. Now the goblins show up coming through the fences, that's they idea at least, and it really is a trap. The tower being the bait. Things you can do is immediately run for the tower, or retreat down the hill, but most players stand and fight, which is the natural reaction.
I'm just glad you guys are taking the time to play it. No worries about any comments or criticism. I have already made a few changes due to things you all have said.
The typical party comment is accurate too. Other play-testers do exactly the same things, ooh pretty green lights. After many years of playing mods I too know how players, in general react, so, shame on me, I use that against them. The approach here is totally different from typical modules.
For example:
I use half a dozen different spawning methods, the one that hit us in the Creek, works on the basis of 5 charts of monsters, each a bit harder, and based on levels of pc's and other variables. So chart 1 would have mad crows, while higher charts would have wolves instead. The variables the party can control, time of day they enter the area, and moving in stealth, moves up to the next chart where monsters are tougher and more numerous.
So in that particular case where if the party was moving in stealth during the day they would be spawning monsters from chart 2, our party was spawning monsters from chart 4, non-stealth at night. Admittedly once you are in combat you are not in stealth anymore, so you will move up 1 chart on the next spawn cycle. Which is why fights tend to get progressively worse.
This is completely against the grain of most modules where you face x number of monsters and then x minus as you kill them off, here your spawning cycle is typically adding monsters x plus after the first encounter. The spawn objects are a rudimentary example of this. If you stand next to an active one it will keep spawning every hb until it burns out after a certain number of spawns. So you could have a dozen zombies in very short order, and even for a moderately tough party that would be bad. But, I guess the point is you did not have to stand there and keep spawning zombies. The cycling encounters are different since you have less control. You can only control the time of day you enter and whether you are in stealth.
The goblin fence is a typical place for an encounter. You are all the way across the area, and are approaching the ruined tower. Now the goblins show up coming through the fences, that's they idea at least, and it really is a trap. The tower being the bait. Things you can do is immediately run for the tower, or retreat down the hill, but most players stand and fight, which is the natural reaction.
I'm just glad you guys are taking the time to play it. No worries about any comments or criticism. I have already made a few changes due to things you all have said.
November 22nd, 2008, 19:24
Btw I did tone down the spawns a bit as a result of last nights run. Also I noticed a mistake I made which was using detect mode in one of the scripts, not stealth as it should be. So things would have spawned whether in stealth or not, though the chart would not have been as high. So that was a useful thing for me to realize.
November 23rd, 2008, 00:05
One minor point concerning your spawns. You say don't keep standing at the spawn point, BUT when you're surrounded by those spawns fighting them to stay alive, it's just a trifle difficult to MOVE!!
--
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
November 24th, 2008, 20:56
The mod is a challenge which I like personally, even if I do moan and groan during the game.
The steps to do could be handled in two ways, one being a tome that must be read in the staging area before you are allowed to proceed. A second might be a short speach from the engraver before you can have your ring done, that you must say, "yes I get it" then it goes in your inventory. The unique items you have and what they can do are wonderful, but since they are unique most players will not sort them out properly on their own. The idea just doesn't come to us because we have never seen anything like them before. I had fun, dispite the unavoidable interruptions we had. Hopefully next week we will be more adapt at using all the things we learned and not get ourselves killed so many times.
The steps to do could be handled in two ways, one being a tome that must be read in the staging area before you are allowed to proceed. A second might be a short speach from the engraver before you can have your ring done, that you must say, "yes I get it" then it goes in your inventory. The unique items you have and what they can do are wonderful, but since they are unique most players will not sort them out properly on their own. The idea just doesn't come to us because we have never seen anything like them before. I had fun, dispite the unavoidable interruptions we had. Hopefully next week we will be more adapt at using all the things we learned and not get ourselves killed so many times.
--
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
November 27th, 2008, 00:30
I think I need to expand on the explanations probably. Though the hints sign specifically tells you how to use each item. It's in the starting room, but I don't think anyone read it. But I still have to be careful in assuming players will just understand everything.
I will probably send you and update prior to Friday since we have no quests and everyone has saved their local characters. I am bringing a dwarf, just a fighter to help out. That elf I had was too weak.
I will probably send you and update prior to Friday since we have no quests and everyone has saved their local characters. I am bringing a dwarf, just a fighter to help out. That elf I had was too weak.
November 27th, 2008, 00:44
I'm playing an elf
I'll be on my laptop with dialup again this weekend, so I might have a few lag issues to deal with.
I'll be on my laptop with dialup again this weekend, so I might have a few lag issues to deal with.
--
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
November 27th, 2008, 17:47
Hello everyone! just checking in to see if your all alive (and maybe even managed to get some loot?
).
I will have some more school but soon the holiday is here and i will be able to play some. are you playing nwn1 or have you moved on to nwn2 with all the fancy expansions?
anyway, hope you'r all allright and we'll see eachother soon.
).I will have some more school but soon the holiday is here and i will be able to play some. are you playing nwn1 or have you moved on to nwn2 with all the fancy expansions?
anyway, hope you'r all allright and we'll see eachother soon.
November 27th, 2008, 23:42
Greetings Little One, yes I'm much wealthier these days now that I have the opportunity to grab some of the loot!!!!
We're still playing NWN1; I don't even have 2 installed anymore. We also play an hour earlier just to help out you Europeans.
Check in here for current news, but we have just begun playtesting ffbj's new PW mod and be prepared to die quickly and often- even the goblins are TOUGH!!
We're still playing NWN1; I don't even have 2 installed anymore. We also play an hour earlier just to help out you Europeans.
Check in here for current news, but we have just begun playtesting ffbj's new PW mod and be prepared to die quickly and often- even the goblins are TOUGH!!
--
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
If God said it, then that settles it!!
Editor@RPGWatch
November 28th, 2008, 20:42
Hi
I will get early to bed tonight so I won't play this night. Sorry about that.
I will get early to bed tonight so I won't play this night. Sorry about that.
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Paladin of Tyr
Paladin of Tyr
November 29th, 2008, 00:09
Sorry you will not be here Peter, we will miss you and see you next week.
FFBJ sent me a new file. I just wonder if it will mess up the save game? I will wait to install it until I find out and check here later to see.
@ Taxen0, the Little One, You have to get back to playing, Corwin is bragging constantly about the fact he has taken over your job and has all the money. At least you only admitted it when we pressed for the answer of why all the chests are empty. And you didn't let me die cause you were cleaning out the treasures. lol Glad you are well and if you get to join us soon it is starting at 6 pm Central Daylight in the US.
Glad you are well and hope to see you soon.
FFBJ sent me a new file. I just wonder if it will mess up the save game? I will wait to install it until I find out and check here later to see.
@ Taxen0, the Little One, You have to get back to playing, Corwin is bragging constantly about the fact he has taken over your job and has all the money. At least you only admitted it when we pressed for the answer of why all the chests are empty. And you didn't let me die cause you were cleaning out the treasures. lol Glad you are well and if you get to join us soon it is starting at 6 pm Central Daylight in the US.
Glad you are well and hope to see you soon.
--
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
Bart and Corwin should just admit that when it gets down to it, I will have the final say.
November 29th, 2008, 18:19
I want to complement you both on what, for me, was a most satisfactory play-test. We were much more cohesive as a party and it showed. Like CM said you are getting to know my tricks. One thing I am trying to do is evoke a feeling of danger, maybe even paranoia where the player is often on edge, at least in hostile areas. One player, from SGW (second god war) complained that he could never relax when playing in my world. My answer, yes things are trying to kill you and that is not a relaxing environment.
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