The game is broken balance wise. It is at least broken for epic levels. The best classes are fighting classes with devastating critical, by far. Magic does not scale past 20. It's far too weak. The 'epic' spells for wizards are fairly pathetic. Hellball, that beam thing, the summoning spells, they are largely useless. Only the epic defensive spells have any merit. I've been playing crpgs since 2001 and BG in particular. One of the biggest flaws is lack of scaling. The DnD ruleset has barely been improved after 3.0 (and 3.0 is imo the very worst version). Both damage and penetration of level 1-9 spells have to scale up in effectiveness if NWN EE is going to be more than a smattering of melee builds being effective in pvp. the min-maxing stuff is really absurd and ruins the fun.
BD says they are working together with several modders and former employees of the original game, among these are the guys from NWValut ... one thing I wonder, for years the CEP and NWNX are the basis for playing NWN in multy and molty PW, why then does not BD implement them? would not it make more sense? instead of having to download all the files every time?
In my opinion, modding it is part of this game, some modders don't play, only make mods or haks for other people play it.
But there are two principal reasons:
1- CEP (comunity expansion content) is a dynamic set, it has periodical actualitzations from the comunity of players, and modders. You may include it now, but tomorrow will has a new compilation again with new content.
2- NWNX is for multiplayer only, if you want to play solo, don't need it. And has the posibility to add plugins from the comunity.
In other words, all of them are optional content, and can be modified from the comunity.
I prefer BD make other things, that modders cannot do, like improve the graphic engine.
It would be great if you could see all feats, even those you don't have the pre-reqs for. They could be just greyed out but readable. It would help planning your progression without having to dig up a manual.
E.g. I know there's an Improved Knockdown feat, but the game doesn't tell me what I need to have in order to pick it.
IMO the NWN:EE rule engine should be completely open so if somebody wants to us the BEMCI, AD&D 0 (pre-advanced/original), 1, 1.5 (unearthed arcana), 2.0 or 2.5 (black books+player's/DM options) rules they should be able to implement them. For some people 3.0 is not retro enough
IMO the NWN:EE rule engine should be completely open so if somebody wants to us the BEMCI, AD&D 0 (pre-advanced/original), 1, 1.5 (unearthed arcana), 2.0 or 2.5 (black books+player's/DM options) rules they should be able to implement them. For some people 3.0 is not retro enough
I will admit as an adult that you and @Malclave are both correct. In my truest of opinions I think that is the best solution. However I am being tongue in cheek and this being the internet I am going to rail against Thac0 as if it personally stole my bacon for no other reason because internet.
IMO the NWN:EE rule engine should be completely open so if somebody wants to us the BEMCI, AD&D 0 (pre-advanced/original), 1, 1.5 (unearthed arcana), 2.0 or 2.5 (black books+player's/DM options) rules they should be able to implement them. For some people 3.0 is not retro enough
I'd like to jump forward and implement 5e rules.
The bounded accuracy and limited magical gear concepts are great. And finally Wizards are sensibly flexible in 5e.
I hope the devs will keep easy rules conversions in mind when unhardcoding things.
Add a new script commands GetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - returns the tag of the target specified by the door. SetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - sets the tag of the target specified by the door.
Add a new script commands GetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - returns the tag of the target specified by the door. SetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - sets the tag of the target specified by the door.
1. Please make all epic feats available based on character level not class level, even if it means that a character above 20 can take 1 level in mage to get Hellball.
2. Please roll hit die behind the scenes for all character levels at character creation in order to prevent save scumming for hitpoints. This will give gameplay closer to the true rules while still making it seem like hit die are rolled for each level up.
3. Please give mode toggles, e.g power attack and parry etc., a clear 'on' or 'off'.
The way it is now you often click the buttons, but then have to wait several seconds for the character's round to finish in order to see floating text above the character's head. But what often happens is that the mode does not engage and you have to try again.
Modes also switch off when you give your character another command.
2. Please roll hit die behind the scenes for all character levels at character creation in order to prevent save scumming for hitpoints. This will give gameplay closer to the true rules while still making it seem like hit die are rolled for each level up.
3. Please give mode toggles, e.g power attack and parry etc., a clear 'on' or 'off'.
The way it is now you often click the buttons, but then have to wait several seconds for the character's round to finish in order to see floating text above the character's head. But what often happens is that the mode does not engage and you have to try again.
Modes also switch off when you give your character another command.
2) If someone wants "scum" the hitpoints he will do so no matter if you hide them. There is also a hak packs that allows to do this - but some experienced scummers might know how to edit the hak pack and see it again. Anyway, 99% worlds uses maximum hitpoints ini setting added in 1.69 - each character gets the maximum roll each level automatically so nobody is forced to scumming the system by redoing the levelup or losing xp after level up.
2) Possessable animal companions (animal companions are quite weak, if we were able to possess them it would improve their usefulness)
6) Enable put counterspell ability into quickslot.
7) Casting spells in polymorph (aka Natural Spell feat)
Unhardcoding spellcasting and the animal companions/familiars systems, to whatever extent is feasible for BD, would be brilliant. When I can implement a comparably genuine-feeling Psionics system I'll be one happy camper.
Add a new script commands GetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - returns the tag of the target specified by the door. SetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - sets the tag of the target specified by the door.
already done - Set/GetTransitionTarget
Already done in the new NWN or in some other tool?
Add a new script commands GetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - returns the tag of the target specified by the door. SetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - sets the tag of the target specified by the door.
already done - Set/GetTransitionTarget
Already done in the new NWN or in some other tool?
- Full party control. The lack of it has always been an albatross around NWN1's neck, and it's a significant hindrance to module development. Module creators could make much more interesting and complex encounters if they knew the player had full control. In addition to controlling them in combat, I'd also like to control how my companions level up, what spells they have, and so on. Basically, just do what NWN2 did. I'd stop short of being able to choose their class, because class is often an essential part of a character's identity, but that shouldn't be hardcoded. It should be something module creators can decide on a case-by-case basis. If Beamdog don't want to implement this themselves, they could at least un-hardcode whatever is preventing modders from implementing it, so that the community can have this feature. A lot of people want full party control, and I personally think that NWNEE would be worth it for that feature alone.
- The ability to alt-tab freely. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but alt-tabbing always crashes NWN1 for me.
- Make the dialogue box customizable. Let us change its size, position, and so forth.
- A quickcast menu that's just like the one from NWN2. There are a lot of things I dislike about NWN2, but the quickcast menu was ingenious. Far more elegant and convenient than having to drag all your spells onto the bottom quickbar, especially if you change spells frequently.
- The ability to use more than one tileset in a single area.
- In general, un-hardcode as much of the game as possible. Open up everything you can to modders. That way, if NWNEE is lacking a feature the community wants, they can add it themselves. You can't go wrong with making the game more moddable.
I think I've listed a number of these in other locations, but to make sure that I have my the most important requests/suggestions provided that I've thought of (so far), I'm posting them here. It's really great to see that Beamdog is soliciting feedback about what we'd like to see added, so thank you very much for that.
New/Updated Functions
AddFeat
DeletePC - //To give multiplayer players the ability to delete the .bic files of old/unwanted PCs in their servervault
GetArmorCheckPenalty
GetBaseAC
GetFirstArea
GetNextArea
GetSoundsetID
GetWizardSpecialization
RemoveFeat
ResetNWServer - //To allow players (DMs/Admins) of a PW the *in-game* ability to restart NWServer. Would be nice to include a flag in this function to specify what module to load on restart (or simply just use the currently running module on restart)
SetAbilityScore
SetBaseAC
SetConversation
SetGender
SetGold - //Use to silently set the amount of gold in a PC's inventory. Useful for custom Pick Pocket systems, for example
SetItemValue
SetCasterLevel
SetCurrentHitPoints
SetMaxHitPoints
SetRace
SetSavingThrowBonus
SetSkill
SetSoundsetID
New/Updated Events
OnPoisoned - To allow the ability to override default behavior when a character is poisoned
OnDiseased - To allow the ability to override default behavior when a character is diseased
OnPlayerChat - Enhance this to get tells sent by GetPCChatSpeaker, and the PC target of the tell. This is needed for quick non-item use to target other players for voice commands. Additionally, have text sent by SpeakString and ActionSpeakString trigger this event as it does not currently do so
OnUseItem - To allow the prevention of item animation use. Or to allow builders to stop all items from functioning for someone who is polymorphed to a creature appearance that doesn't have hands (for example)
OnUseFeat - To hook into feat use, such as Smite Evil by Champions of Torm, so that their implementation can be modified
OnToggleMode - To hook into mode use. I am specifically thinking this would be a way to prevent Hide in Plain Sight (stealth), from being spammed multiple times per combat round
OnExamined - Allow for an object's description to be modified based on any number of factors affecting the individual who is examining it
Just noticed this and wow, the things we could do with these. Obviously there would be a lot of considerations, but this seemed like a very well thought through list so i'd just like to voice my agreement with it.
As a sidenote the IsPersistent column from the nwn2 feat.2da was extremely useful and, depending on what other enhancements end up going in, could be very useful if added to nwn1. Ultimately It should make life easier for PW admins trying to merge passive custom feats into their modules.
Alright, this is going to be a wild one and probably impossible to implement but:
Lore being necessary to identify NPCs, creatures, and monsters. Instead of creatures instantly showing what they are ("Rakshasa", for example), a placeholder like "Humanoid" that is only removed and replaced with Rakshasa after a successful lore check.
Alright, this is going to be a wild one and probably impossible to implement but:
Lore being necessary to identify NPCs, creatures, and monsters. Instead of creatures instantly showing what they are ("Rakshasa", for example), a placeholder like "Humanoid" that is only removed and replaced with Rakshasa after a successful lore check.
I did this in my HR base with a custom examine system, they are shown as creature and you use a creature lore check(you could switch easily to lore). So it can be done.
Alright, this is going to be a wild one and probably impossible to implement but:
Lore being necessary to identify NPCs, creatures, and monsters. Instead of creatures instantly showing what they are ("Rakshasa", for example), a placeholder like "Humanoid" that is only removed and replaced with Rakshasa after a successful lore check.
I did this in my HR base with a custom examine system, they are shown as creature and you use a creature lore check(you could switch easily to lore). So it can be done.
I think the implementation he has in mind is probably client-specific; DM's could always see the real name, and PC's with different lores would see different names depending. Without requiring NWNX.
Allow a gameplay option to toggle off the XP penalty from pets, summons and familiars. It's annoying to have a disincentive against using some class abilities.
Create true returning weapons, that would help make throwing style builds more viable and again, less annoying.
Allow a gameplay option to toggle off the XP penalty from pets, summons and familiars. It's annoying to have a disincentive against using some class abilities.
Create true returning weapons, that would help make throwing style builds more viable and again, less annoying.
This can already be done in v1.69, throught sript coding.
And for returning weapons, i'm not sure if can find it on the vault, but is easy to make something slimilar to: When used Delay 1 second, destroy it. Delay 2 seconds, create a copy of it in the inventory.
Allow changing the timing in combat (set a value in ms)
Change from by-turn to by-time (in ms)
Make script object-oriented for faster use and less commands per second being run. Keep all vanilla functions working for backward compatibility.
More triggers (onRoundBegin/End, onTurnBegin/End, onSpellTypeCast, onEnergyTypeUsed, onCrit/Fail, basically make a trigger for EVERYTHING)
More qualifiers for feat trees
Ability to make more base caster types
Ability to increment/decrement individuals spells, by spell type, by spell class, by spell level, by slot specifically given by an item, etc.
Remove hard-coded position of sorcerer caster type
Option to enable mana-point systems for casting. Attach a spells_mana.2da so each spell can be defined with a specific value, rather than by level costs.
Keys on a character can turn on features: Key1 + Key2 gives SpellX or FeatY. Spells or abilities only visible if key exists on character.
On/off mode for wearable items which enables/disables anything under a certain tree node. For instance, instead of having a visual effects overlay that goes on swords, but only fits swords of 3 feet in length, allow the visual effects to be added to a vfx tree node. Add a code to turn this node on and off (render) while in game. Maybe an unidentified sword does not have fire on it.
Unidentified inventory icon
No cap on number of body nodes. As long as modders define the position in the base model, and also give it a UI position, there is no reason we couldn't have FAR more body nodes. This would allow REAL open-faced helments AND hair styles at the same time. It would also allow for more custom body types. Allow modders to do ALL the work by simply opening up the possibility.
Change slowing and timing effects so that everything works in ms rather than percents and integers.
Ability to disable shifting around in combat.
More reasonable method of defining movement speed and animation rate
Ability to have zero-movement creatures that don't also glitch
Ability to set multiple vision types, as well as vision range by type, without having to do it all with 1000 lines of script
Unlimited animations you can call by name. Unlock it so any animation a modder installs in a model can be called.
Ability to set a stance animation. Instead of returning to standing, default to the selected stance. Same in combat, instead of using the normal standing ready animation, use the stance animation.
Override the value of any item using a 64-bit value
Scrap the way that items automatically calculate their value
I agree with the majority of your list. Just a couple of questions/comments...
What do you mean by an "unidentified" icon? If I find, let's say, a pair of boots, I'm going to know they're boots, even if I don't know their properties. What kind of icon would you suggest be used in place of their default one?
I actually like the dance of death. One of the things I dislike about NWN2 is how boring combat looks when the characters just stand still taking turns swinging at each other. I think NWN simulates how an opponent can force you to move into possibly undesired positions as you counter his attack. And you can adjust your position without using a turn if you keep within a 5 foot step.
Overall though, a great list, especially the added event triggers and the increment/decrement spell function and mana system.
More events (or pseudo-events) would help e.g. Equip/unequip event for associates. On transition click event with the option to stop the transition and do something else instead (see for example the exit I made in nw_g0_transition in Travel Builder, but coded more elegantly of course). Journal entry change event (some more modern games like Dragon Age treat quests as objects, which is much less error prone once you get the hang of it). The more events we can intercept, the better.
Enable state linkage between objects in the toolset. So, for example, lever A toggles door X open/closed or placeable Y activated/deactivated without scripting.
Maybe Merricksdad means an icon that doesn't say 'unidentified' or otherwise indicate it's magical at all. Just as in D&D, one might find an old pair of leather boots, and not realize they are magical.
Comments
But there are two principal reasons:
1- CEP (comunity expansion content) is a dynamic set, it has periodical actualitzations from the comunity of players, and modders. You may include it now, but tomorrow will has a new compilation again with new content.
2- NWNX is for multiplayer only, if you want to play solo, don't need it. And has the posibility to add plugins from the comunity.
In other words, all of them are optional content, and can be modified from the comunity.
I prefer BD make other things, that modders cannot do, like improve the graphic engine.
It would be great if you could see all feats, even those you don't have the pre-reqs for. They could be just greyed out but readable. It would help planning your progression without having to dig up a manual.
E.g. I know there's an Improved Knockdown feat, but the game doesn't tell me what I need to have in order to pick it.
The bounded accuracy and limited magical gear concepts are great. And finally Wizards are sensibly flexible in 5e.
I hope the devs will keep easy rules conversions in mind when unhardcoding things.
GetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - returns the tag of the target specified by the door.
SetDoorTarget(object door_tag) - sets the tag of the target specified by the door.
character above 20 can take 1 level in mage to get Hellball.
2. Please roll hit die behind the scenes for all character levels at character creation in order to prevent
save scumming for hitpoints.
This will give gameplay closer to the true rules while still making it seem like hit die are rolled for each
level up.
3. Please give mode toggles, e.g power attack and parry etc., a clear 'on' or 'off'.
The way it is now you often click the buttons, but then have to wait several seconds for the character's
round to finish in order to see floating text above the character's head. But what often happens is that
the mode does not engage and you have to try again.
Modes also switch off when you give your character another command.
3) already done, should be in release notes
1) Customizable spontaneous spellcasting (meaning cleric's cure spells)
2) Possessable animal companions (animal companions are quite weak, if we were able to possess them it would improve their usefulness)
3) Lvl 60 support (I don't ask for more, just for 60 as majority of the arrays already has 60 lines.
4) PlayMovie function
5) Enable select custom races
6) Enable put counterspell ability into quickslot.
7) Casting spells in polymorph (aka Natural Spell feat)
8) function to turn on/off tile animloops
9) function to highlight object (as if TAB key was pressed)
10) change how many tiles in advance will character reveal/explore (8 is default value which often reveals full map...)
Dave
- The ability to alt-tab freely. I don't know if anyone else has this problem, but alt-tabbing always crashes NWN1 for me.
- Make the dialogue box customizable. Let us change its size, position, and so forth.
- A quickcast menu that's just like the one from NWN2. There are a lot of things I dislike about NWN2, but the quickcast menu was ingenious. Far more elegant and convenient than having to drag all your spells onto the bottom quickbar, especially if you change spells frequently.
- The ability to use more than one tileset in a single area.
- In general, un-hardcode as much of the game as possible. Open up everything you can to modders. That way, if NWNEE is lacking a feature the community wants, they can add it themselves. You can't go wrong with making the game more moddable.
As a sidenote the IsPersistent column from the nwn2 feat.2da was extremely useful and, depending on what other enhancements end up going in, could be very useful if added to nwn1. Ultimately It should make life easier for PW admins trying to merge passive custom feats into their modules.
Add extension/custom properties to player objects which can be used for persistence or other data
Improve the performance of the built-in database features
Softcode all feats, skills, abilities, spells, etc.
Lore being necessary to identify NPCs, creatures, and monsters. Instead of creatures instantly showing what they are ("Rakshasa", for example), a placeholder like "Humanoid" that is only removed and replaced with Rakshasa after a successful lore check.
Create true returning weapons, that would help make throwing style builds more viable and again, less annoying.
This a example of tweaked xp:
https://www.nwnlexicon.com/project/nwn1/script/boss-mob-experience-bonus
And for returning weapons, i'm not sure if can find it on the vault, but is easy to make something slimilar to:
When used
Delay 1 second, destroy it.
Delay 2 seconds, create a copy of it in the inventory.
Nice year!
object GetClicker();
object GetTargetClicker();
location GetTargetClickerLocation();
With this, can do realtime things, like 3 shotgun fires to diferent targets in one round (one heartbeat).
Do it please!
Thanks!
What do you mean by an "unidentified" icon? If I find, let's say, a pair of boots, I'm going to know they're boots, even if I don't know their properties. What kind of icon would you suggest be used in place of their default one?
I actually like the dance of death. One of the things I dislike about NWN2 is how boring combat looks when the characters just stand still taking turns swinging at each other. I think NWN simulates how an opponent can force you to move into possibly undesired positions as you counter his attack. And you can adjust your position without using a turn if you keep within a 5 foot step.
Overall though, a great list, especially the added event triggers and the increment/decrement spell function and mana system.
Equip/unequip event for associates.
On transition click event with the option to stop the transition and do something else instead (see for example the exit I made in nw_g0_transition in Travel Builder, but coded more elegantly of course).
Journal entry change event (some more modern games like Dragon Age treat quests as objects, which is much less error prone once you get the hang of it).
The more events we can intercept, the better.
So, for example, lever A toggles door X open/closed or placeable Y activated/deactivated without scripting.
-JFK