Reviving the DM-Friendly Initiative and NWN:EE

Carlo_One

The recent success of NWN:Enhanced Edition, along with Beamdog’s excellent support and continued development of the platform, has spurred something of a renaissance in the NWN community. So it seems like a good time to revive the DM-Friendly Initiative (DMFI). It existed previously (and now exists once again) as a Neverwinter Nights community organization dedicated to promoting DM/multiplayer gaming.

A number of DMFI products for NWN are still available and in use today, with the two most visible ones being the DMFI Wands and Widgets 1.09 package and the DMFI 101: So You Want to be a DM tutorial module.

For NWN:EE and NWN, the priorities for new content are organizing an official update of the DMFI 1.09 Wands and Widgets package - for which the DMFI will be looking for scripter contributors on its Design Team - and updating the DMFI 101 mod for NWN:EE. I'll also be working to consolidate and promote the scattered other DMFI-related content, including articles and DMF-certified mods that are available for download on Neverwinter Vault. In the longer term, I hope that the DMFI will again be able to directly encourage design and publication of DM/multiplayer-friendly mods, including providing feedback and assistance via a revived Review Team.

The DMFI has always been a volunteer-based organization and welcomes contributions in all areas, from scripting/building to DM training to module review. This is true whether people want to contribute to particular projects, or simply participate in community discussions.

DMFI project forums are headquartered at NWN Campaigns (thanks to site admin Venture). On the DMFI boards, more details are posted and project information will be regularly updated, although I expect to be active here at the Beamdog forums and on Neverwinter Vault as well.

Hope to see interested people there and I welcome contacts here as well. It looks like I’ll have significantly more time to devote to the NWN community for a while, and look forward to contributing whatever I can.

MadHatter

Really amazing to see you around here Carlo.

dTd

Nice

GM_ODA

I love the DMFI, but, please consider paring down the code a bit on this go-through. We used the prior version and our Lead Scripter removed about 100k of code from and had it functioning better than the original (all features, less code).

Carlo_One

I'm aware that a number of community members have since modified, enhanced and further developed the 1.09 DMFI Wands and Widgets script package. Anyone who would like to contribute to an official update of the package for the general community, and naturally receive credit for it, is welcome to. Scripters who want to participate can have a direct affiliation with the DMFI Design Team, and/or are also welcome to share existing updated code.

GM_ODA

I'm not sure how much we might be able to share (it got knitted into our other systems, and they are legion, perhaps inextricably). I'll see what can be freed up tho.

ShadowM

I done many changes and update related to DM tools, include unlimited music/sound played, DM feedback about selected item/creature/placeable/area, condensed conversation, fixing BD/bioware alignment jump when shifting alignment with a custom functions, a skill roll system that can read custom skill and any amount of skills. It all just depends on what direction you want to take DMFI, like less items with more function, DM feat tools, a single conversation system. Let me know what direction you want to go and I will help on or anything specific you may like and give some feedback and code.

Carlo_One

Thanks very much for both of the above comments. At this early stage, believe that the short-term objective for updating the existing 1.09 Wands and Widgets package is to implement/incorporate any minor fixes still needed in the published version, optimize code to the extent possible, review the install process to make sure it is as easy as possible to do in both existing and new mods, and (if possible) add a few of the top functions/features in high demand by the multiplayer community.

In the longer term, I would say there's a good deal of scope for creativity with new functions and perhaps some redesign. I would also very much like the project to take full advantage of any new NWN:EE functions going forward, either for enhancing existing code performance or opening up new features. The last NWN (1.69) patch made a big difference for the current version, for example.

Moving forward on this will depend on reconstituting the Design Team. Different past iterations of the script package have usually been headed up by just one or two (competent and well-organized) scripters, although there's certainly room for multiple contributors, whether as active developers or code submitters. Ideally I'd like to see a new team (and/or one interested and motivated person designated as Lead) take a look upgrading to a version 1.10 of the package. After that, the project can evolve further in tandem with NWN:EE advances, and I would envision Design Team members interacting with Beamdog on DM/multiplayer-related scripting issues.

The project also should avoid duplicating other existing DM tools already available to the community (like ShadowM's HR tools, which have a lot of expanded features). The original goals of the Wands and Widgets package were for it to 1) be easily installable by a novice DM/builder into any new mod, and 2) provide a common and intuitive way for any DM or player to enter a multiplayer mod and know how to get a variety of "extra" things done in-game with the tools provided. It also provided a base for additional desired customization (as with the languages etc.), so being able to enhance that aspect of the package would be another valuable goal going forward.

I plan to post on the scripting forums as well, and will also engage with people individually based on expressed interest.

Carlo_One

A project update note has been posted on the DMFI forum: http://nwncampaigns.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=65&t=987

Summary version:
– Thanks to the Neverwinter Vault admin for the major update to the DM-Friendly module list and individual mod pages
– Plans to move ahead on new projects such as: a DMFI base mod for builders using NWN:EE; updating the DMF1 101 tutorial mod for DMing in NWN:EE; revising and updating DM training articles/resources
– Interest in identifying NWN:EE mods that could be considered DM-friendly; promoting resources for builders of new DM-friendly mods
– Waiting for a suitable Design Team lead volunteer to take charge of the official DMFI Wands and Widgets package

Carlo_One

The DMFI forum has now been integrated into the new Neverwinter Connections forums, as a sub-forum of the Dungeon Master's Forum - https://neverwinterconnections.org/forums/2209891

Since the above, the DMFI 101: Enhanced Edition DM tutorial mod and the Multiplayer Starter Mod for NWN:EE have now been published on Neverwinter Vault, along with updated articles on Creating and Running a Neverwinter Nights Campaign and DMing in a Persistent World Environment.

It would be great to see a new Design Team project on revamping the 1.09 Wands and Widgets package, as well as more multiplayer modules reviewed for inclusion on the DM-Friendly list at the Vault, but it's likely (especially the former) will require additional volunteer interest.