chevalier
Wed, 18th Aug '04, 6:42pm
Here are today's Neverwinter Nights 2 forum highlights, collected by NWVault (http://nwvault.ign.com) from Obsidian Forums (http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showforum=21). Please take into account that these are only single parts of various threads and should not be taken out of context. Bear in mind also that the posts presented here are copied as-is, and that any bad spelling and grammar does not get corrected on our end.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Brian Lawson, Graphics Programming</font>
Graphics ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7074&hl=')
<hr />Well I seggest you go look at screenshots of KotOR 2 to put your fears aside. I have a good feeling that it will look just as good or even better.<hr />The graphics engine for NWN2 will be completely unrelated to that of KotOR 2's.
More: <hr />I just hope it will look better....<hr />Rest easy my friend.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Erik Novales, Programmer</font>
Conversation scripts ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7632&hl=')
<hr />Hey, I just have some few suggestions. One of them is that it seems that some of the wizards for the conversations could just be part of the conversations, instead of making a new script each time. I've noticed that, many of my scripts when I create modules, end up being used to adjust alignments or check if the PC has an item. It would be nice if I wouldn't have to create a new script with the wizard to adjust the alignment of the PC by 1 point instead of 5. I suppose that the folders for scripts in one of the other topics would be a partial solution to this problem.<hr />This will be fixed by the addition of parameter passing for conversation scripts. For example, you would create a script to modify the PC's alignment, and then pass in parameters specifying the type and direction of the alignment adjustment.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Ferret, Developer</font>
A better box, full of goodies ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=5336&hl=')
In my experience, publishers are the ones that control what goes inside a box. I do miss the days of the early Ultimas when you got the game and got to "oooh" and "aaah" over all the cool knick knacks inside. But my wife glares daggers at me whenever I get more trinkets to stuff in our overcrowded home, so perhaps it's for the best this trend has abated.
Be as faithful as possible to core PnP 3.5 ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=5555&hl=')
A part of me really enjoyed just how faithful ToEE was to D&D, but I recognized at times that philosophy diminished gameplay. I'm a big old D&D geek, but I think for computer games there are good changes that can be made that are faithful to the spirit of the PnP rules that provide more entertainment. That said, all things being equal I like CRPGs that stick to their pen-and-paper rules. 3rd edition D&D is a fantastic system that is well-balanced and entertaining. So sticking to that when it's in harmony with CRPG is a no brainer. But in many cases things aren't equal and strategic changes can make for a better game.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">FrankK, Programmer</font>
Henchmen ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7614&hl=')
<hr />Unless they greatly improve the AI, such things wont be possible with NWN1 style henchmen.<hr />You're right, that's why we are rewriting the henchmen mechanics. More to be revealed in the months to follow...
Set Name Function ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7569&hl=')
<hr />There was some mysterious fundamental problem with the NWN that wouldn't allow for this function, no matter how many of us begged an pleaded for it. Any chances that it could be implemented into NWN2 script? Pretty Please?<hr />The problem is a localization issue. As with any problem, there are solutions and something will probably be put in place.
[ August 20, 2004, 18:29: Message edited by: Mollusken ]
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Brian Lawson, Graphics Programming</font>
Graphics ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7074&hl=')
<hr />Well I seggest you go look at screenshots of KotOR 2 to put your fears aside. I have a good feeling that it will look just as good or even better.<hr />The graphics engine for NWN2 will be completely unrelated to that of KotOR 2's.
More: <hr />I just hope it will look better....<hr />Rest easy my friend.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Erik Novales, Programmer</font>
Conversation scripts ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7632&hl=')
<hr />Hey, I just have some few suggestions. One of them is that it seems that some of the wizards for the conversations could just be part of the conversations, instead of making a new script each time. I've noticed that, many of my scripts when I create modules, end up being used to adjust alignments or check if the PC has an item. It would be nice if I wouldn't have to create a new script with the wizard to adjust the alignment of the PC by 1 point instead of 5. I suppose that the folders for scripts in one of the other topics would be a partial solution to this problem.<hr />This will be fixed by the addition of parameter passing for conversation scripts. For example, you would create a script to modify the PC's alignment, and then pass in parameters specifying the type and direction of the alignment adjustment.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Ferret, Developer</font>
A better box, full of goodies ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=5336&hl=')
In my experience, publishers are the ones that control what goes inside a box. I do miss the days of the early Ultimas when you got the game and got to "oooh" and "aaah" over all the cool knick knacks inside. But my wife glares daggers at me whenever I get more trinkets to stuff in our overcrowded home, so perhaps it's for the best this trend has abated.
Be as faithful as possible to core PnP 3.5 ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=5555&hl=')
A part of me really enjoyed just how faithful ToEE was to D&D, but I recognized at times that philosophy diminished gameplay. I'm a big old D&D geek, but I think for computer games there are good changes that can be made that are faithful to the spirit of the PnP rules that provide more entertainment. That said, all things being equal I like CRPGs that stick to their pen-and-paper rules. 3rd edition D&D is a fantastic system that is well-balanced and entertaining. So sticking to that when it's in harmony with CRPG is a no brainer. But in many cases things aren't equal and strategic changes can make for a better game.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">FrankK, Programmer</font>
Henchmen ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7614&hl=')
<hr />Unless they greatly improve the AI, such things wont be possible with NWN1 style henchmen.<hr />You're right, that's why we are rewriting the henchmen mechanics. More to be revealed in the months to follow...
Set Name Function ('http://forums.obsidianent.com/index.php?showtopic=7569&hl=')
<hr />There was some mysterious fundamental problem with the NWN that wouldn't allow for this function, no matter how many of us begged an pleaded for it. Any chances that it could be implemented into NWN2 script? Pretty Please?<hr />The problem is a localization issue. As with any problem, there are solutions and something will probably be put in place.
[ August 20, 2004, 18:29: Message edited by: Mollusken ]