chevalier
Sun, 3rd Sep '06, 1:07pm
Here are today's Neverwinter Nights forum highlights, collected by NWVault (http://nwvault.ign.com). 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">Derek French, Live Team Producer</font>
Patch problem (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495395&post=4295857&forum=42&highlight=)
Show some patience for the servers to update to 1.68? http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_evillol.gif
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Georg Zoeller, Designer</font>
Did CopyObject() ever copy effects when used on a creature? (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495238&post=4294714&forum=47&highlight=)
I don't think we ever copied effects with CopyObject.
"Commercial Exploitation" (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=494345&post=4294721&forum=56&highlight=)
The scenario that we and our our publisher take very seriously is Pay to Play servers where people have to pay a fee or donate in order to play or in order to get special benefits (such as items, wings, feats, etc).
We had initiated legal proceedings in a handful of cases in this regard since NWN launched and as far as I know, all of those cases were resolved.
I am not a lawyer and can't give you any good advice on the topic, but as far as I know, we never had a problem with server operators paying for a hosting and bandwith at a hosting service.
Top 10 things to make me not want to play on YOUR server (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=485223&post=4294847&forum=56&highlight=)
Excellent Thread!
Pre-1.68 Modules (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495312&post=4295113&forum=42&highlight=)
try putting the dyekit script (the compiled .ncs version) into override, that should enable dying in most legacy modules, unless they override the script themselves.
More:<hr />He is correct, I tried every dye kit with every option and those dang capes wont dye. In fact the only place i see the new cloaks and all are in Vanillia neverwinter. EVERY other mod, Premium mod and even Expansion packs Im getting the tan un dyeable ones. Did I hit a bug or something?<hr />You are
a) playing on a server that has overridden the dye spellscript or vital cloak resources
b) have files in your override directory
c) playing a module overriding the dye spellscript or other vital cloak resources
d) playing a module with a hakpak (such as CEP) overriding the dye spellscript or other vital cloak resources
e) applying the wrong type of dye - cloaks are NOT just using the cloth palette, for maximum visual customization they are using the metal and leather palette as well, and it depends on the type of cloak you are dying which type of dye works on them.
The fact that it works in Vanilla NWN and not in other modules is related to most modules making use of hakpaks (such as CEP) and these hakpaks need to be updated in order to make the changes from the patch visible. If your override directory is empty and your cloaks appear and work in an newly created module that uses no hakpaks, the patch worked and there are NO bugs. All issues perceived in other situations are related to custom content, hakpaks such as CEP, overridden scripts or animations and files in override.
This is one of the reasons why 1.69 will be the last patch - at this point introducing any new feature is hindered by the hak system that has made NWN very moddable, but that is not very friendly for us developers. NWN has been modded and developed into directions never forseen when the game was initially conceived nearly a decade ago and the limitation on systems such as the 2da structure and hakpak technology are starting to become a major hinderance for us.
1.69 WILL force another round of 2da and hakpak upgrades, but, if everything goes alright, it will be the last time people will have to update those http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
Seeing the amount of confused people with limited technical knowledge flinging "it's bugged" posts around teh forums, I would love to be able to flip a switch and force people to update their hakpaks or be unable to play the game at all, but we never made use of that ability in NWN - however the behavior on the boards in response to community content causing issues with the patch makes an interesting case for killswitch technology in regards to custom content in future titles.
Don't get me wrong, the problem lies in the inflexible content delivery framework conceived for a very different game a long time ago, not with the technically limited users - it's our own fault to have advanced and supported NWN for this long http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
Maybe we should just do that for 1.69, after all there is a beta period in which people can update their modules and hakpaks...
More:<hr />Im really puzzled now, does Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark use Custom or CEP Haks because I have the same problem with those "Official Expansions".<hr />Nope. However any files in override affect any module you play.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Craig Welburn, Live Team Programmer</font>
1.68 Cloaks (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=494920&post=4294855&forum=42&highlight=)
<hr /> I have played ALOT of arena PVP and I can say from my experiences the bug does excist, though it would be very uncommon in any other setting than a pvp arena. It isn't just a sneak attack coming out of stealth, the sneak attack has to actually kill you in that one shot coming out of stealth. This would be rare in most mods but not uncommon with constant combat of PVP Arena mods.<hr />No one has ever sent in a bug report stating that a "one shot kill" was required to reproduce the problem. That detail may be quite helpful if it happens to be the missing link we've been looking for.
Any particular feat/skill/equipment/damage bonus that must be used during the one shot kill as you come out of stealth?
For example does this only happen with one or more of the following?
Does it always have to be a Sneak Attack? Can a non-Rogue player still cause the crash if they don't have sneak attack?
Death Attacks
Critical Strikes
Overwhelming criticals
Devistating Critical
Whirlwind Attack (I believe this was a HotU specific animation, so it could potentially be a cause if removing the HotU animations fixes the issue).
Stunning Fist
Call-Shot
Power Attack
When using a weapon with specific damage bonuses
When casting a spell as the killing blow.
Using Hide in Plain Sight.
Does anything about the killing player's appearance make a difference (i.e. Wearing a Robe, having Wings or a Tail. Robes/Wings were added in HotU)?
Using any other feat when delievering the killing blow.
Does using a ranged weapon vs. a melee weapon make a difference.
Does dual wielding make a difference.
etc
etc
etc
About custom Icons and Baseitems 2da (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495292&post=4295032&forum=48&highlight=)
<hr />Also can I have something that requires 2x5 spaces in character inventory?<hr />Yes if you are running version 1.67 (or later) of the game, 2x5 slot icons should work fine.
For Infinite Dungeons we created a portable camp that used a 6x10 slot icon (taking up an entire page of your inventory) and it worked fine.
More: I believe that the tga always needs to be a power of 2 in size (i.e. 2,4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, etc).
Then any extra areas around the bottom or side of the texture that you aren't using should be left blank (similar to how the portraits work in the portraits tutorial http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/portraits.html).
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Derek French, Live Team Producer</font>
Patch problem (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495395&post=4295857&forum=42&highlight=)
Show some patience for the servers to update to 1.68? http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_evillol.gif
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Georg Zoeller, Designer</font>
Did CopyObject() ever copy effects when used on a creature? (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495238&post=4294714&forum=47&highlight=)
I don't think we ever copied effects with CopyObject.
"Commercial Exploitation" (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=494345&post=4294721&forum=56&highlight=)
The scenario that we and our our publisher take very seriously is Pay to Play servers where people have to pay a fee or donate in order to play or in order to get special benefits (such as items, wings, feats, etc).
We had initiated legal proceedings in a handful of cases in this regard since NWN launched and as far as I know, all of those cases were resolved.
I am not a lawyer and can't give you any good advice on the topic, but as far as I know, we never had a problem with server operators paying for a hosting and bandwith at a hosting service.
Top 10 things to make me not want to play on YOUR server (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=485223&post=4294847&forum=56&highlight=)
Excellent Thread!
Pre-1.68 Modules (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495312&post=4295113&forum=42&highlight=)
try putting the dyekit script (the compiled .ncs version) into override, that should enable dying in most legacy modules, unless they override the script themselves.
More:<hr />He is correct, I tried every dye kit with every option and those dang capes wont dye. In fact the only place i see the new cloaks and all are in Vanillia neverwinter. EVERY other mod, Premium mod and even Expansion packs Im getting the tan un dyeable ones. Did I hit a bug or something?<hr />You are
a) playing on a server that has overridden the dye spellscript or vital cloak resources
b) have files in your override directory
c) playing a module overriding the dye spellscript or other vital cloak resources
d) playing a module with a hakpak (such as CEP) overriding the dye spellscript or other vital cloak resources
e) applying the wrong type of dye - cloaks are NOT just using the cloth palette, for maximum visual customization they are using the metal and leather palette as well, and it depends on the type of cloak you are dying which type of dye works on them.
The fact that it works in Vanilla NWN and not in other modules is related to most modules making use of hakpaks (such as CEP) and these hakpaks need to be updated in order to make the changes from the patch visible. If your override directory is empty and your cloaks appear and work in an newly created module that uses no hakpaks, the patch worked and there are NO bugs. All issues perceived in other situations are related to custom content, hakpaks such as CEP, overridden scripts or animations and files in override.
This is one of the reasons why 1.69 will be the last patch - at this point introducing any new feature is hindered by the hak system that has made NWN very moddable, but that is not very friendly for us developers. NWN has been modded and developed into directions never forseen when the game was initially conceived nearly a decade ago and the limitation on systems such as the 2da structure and hakpak technology are starting to become a major hinderance for us.
1.69 WILL force another round of 2da and hakpak upgrades, but, if everything goes alright, it will be the last time people will have to update those http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
Seeing the amount of confused people with limited technical knowledge flinging "it's bugged" posts around teh forums, I would love to be able to flip a switch and force people to update their hakpaks or be unable to play the game at all, but we never made use of that ability in NWN - however the behavior on the boards in response to community content causing issues with the patch makes an interesting case for killswitch technology in regards to custom content in future titles.
Don't get me wrong, the problem lies in the inflexible content delivery framework conceived for a very different game a long time ago, not with the technically limited users - it's our own fault to have advanced and supported NWN for this long http://forums.bioware.com/_commonext/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif
Maybe we should just do that for 1.69, after all there is a beta period in which people can update their modules and hakpaks...
More:<hr />Im really puzzled now, does Shadows of Undrentide and Hordes of the Underdark use Custom or CEP Haks because I have the same problem with those "Official Expansions".<hr />Nope. However any files in override affect any module you play.
<font size="3" face="Verdana, Arial" color="#cc6600">Craig Welburn, Live Team Programmer</font>
1.68 Cloaks (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=494920&post=4294855&forum=42&highlight=)
<hr /> I have played ALOT of arena PVP and I can say from my experiences the bug does excist, though it would be very uncommon in any other setting than a pvp arena. It isn't just a sneak attack coming out of stealth, the sneak attack has to actually kill you in that one shot coming out of stealth. This would be rare in most mods but not uncommon with constant combat of PVP Arena mods.<hr />No one has ever sent in a bug report stating that a "one shot kill" was required to reproduce the problem. That detail may be quite helpful if it happens to be the missing link we've been looking for.
Any particular feat/skill/equipment/damage bonus that must be used during the one shot kill as you come out of stealth?
For example does this only happen with one or more of the following?
Does it always have to be a Sneak Attack? Can a non-Rogue player still cause the crash if they don't have sneak attack?
Death Attacks
Critical Strikes
Overwhelming criticals
Devistating Critical
Whirlwind Attack (I believe this was a HotU specific animation, so it could potentially be a cause if removing the HotU animations fixes the issue).
Stunning Fist
Call-Shot
Power Attack
When using a weapon with specific damage bonuses
When casting a spell as the killing blow.
Using Hide in Plain Sight.
Does anything about the killing player's appearance make a difference (i.e. Wearing a Robe, having Wings or a Tail. Robes/Wings were added in HotU)?
Using any other feat when delievering the killing blow.
Does using a ranged weapon vs. a melee weapon make a difference.
Does dual wielding make a difference.
etc
etc
etc
About custom Icons and Baseitems 2da (http://nwn.bioware.com//forums/viewpost.html?topic=495292&post=4295032&forum=48&highlight=)
<hr />Also can I have something that requires 2x5 spaces in character inventory?<hr />Yes if you are running version 1.67 (or later) of the game, 2x5 slot icons should work fine.
For Infinite Dungeons we created a portable camp that used a 6x10 slot icon (taking up an entire page of your inventory) and it worked fine.
More: I believe that the tga always needs to be a power of 2 in size (i.e. 2,4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, etc).
Then any extra areas around the bottom or side of the texture that you aren't using should be left blank (similar to how the portraits work in the portraits tutorial http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/portraits.html).