Once upon a time I hosted a Dark Sun persistent world. One of the things in the base game that drove me nuts was that my spellcasters couldn't actually use polymorph or shapechanging effects without gutting their spells because of the changes in primary stat and/or loss of bonus slots from losing gear. We addressed this by creating a system that ensured that your primary casting stat and any bonus slots were not lost at any time during the shift. This allowed anyone who had shapeshifting abilities to not gimp their spells when shifting.
I wonder if Beamdog could address this when updating the game. Shapeshfiting via abilities or spells should not gut your prepared spells or spontaneous slots.
If the scripts would help to show how we did it I might be able to dig through some old backups and find them. Our system worked flawlessly and I habitually tossed the scripts into my override so I could use shapeshifting spells/abilites in single player campaigns without gutting my spells.
In PnP you don't lose spell slots from shapeshifting so I don't think we should lose them in NWN either.
In addition to my above post, on my PW we also altered the Magic Weapon and Greater Magic Weapon so they could be used on ranged weapons and ammunition. The spells would add an attack bonus to a ranged weapon and a damage bonus to the ammo. While this necessitated ranged weapon users to use two castings to get the same benefit as a single casting on a melee weapon, it at least allowed them to benefit from the spell.
Magic Weapon and Greater magic weapon should not be melee weapon exclusive.
Is it possible to script a Mirror Image spell that would work properly? So that it would create actual duplicates of the caster that would reflect all actions and fool even players? That possibility would open the door for other cool illusion shenanigans for DMs and players too.
Can we have more than 5 SubRadSpell entries in spells.2da? I just noticed it from answering a question on this topic regarding making summon spells into a selectable list. For summon spells, 5 is really too limiting.
Can we have more than 5 SubRadSpell entries in spells.2da? I just noticed it from answering a question on this topic regarding making summon spells into a selectable list. For summon spells, 5 is really too limiting.
I believe 5 is the limit.
I have considered allowing custom summons control via chat command, but haven't bothered. How many are you generally looking to manage?
@shadguy Yup, I've got the spells.2da open now and there's 5 columns so the limit is definitely 5. I'm not actually too interested in this personally, I just noticed it's a thing when answering 1varangian's question. It seems like an easy de-hardcoding win which is why I suggested it.
It's just a many-to-many relationship in the data so fixing it should just be a case of making a seperate subspells.2da with the columns parent_spell_id, subspell_id.
Allow the feat bonus to reduce the dispell magic DC of 11+ spells caster level. Ie. A focus bonus of 2 would change the dispell check to 9+ spells caster level.
1. Open up the combat engine so it isn't hardcoded, allowing for custom weapon feats and allowing weapon specialization/focus for custom weapons 2. Allow for custom ranged weapons to be added without overwriting the existing ranged weapons 3. Allow Flurry of Blows to work with custom weapons
This was something I wanted to post, but I also noticed, as much as there were a lot of nice additions, that there was no support for:
Bards and Sorcerers suffer from taking Prestige Classes - this really, really, really needs to be looked at and fixed. Currently if you have Bard or Sorcerer and take any PrC that advances spellcasting of said classes only get the benefit of extra spells per day and not spells known.
Alternative/additional Spellbook support: It's possible to add a lot of custom spells, but not possible (or easy?) to add classes with their own custom spellbooks. This prevents the addition of new class types such as Psion without doing awkward things
Speaking of Psionics, the ability to add extra pool trackers (Displayed alongside HP) for classes with the ability to script it to follow specific things would be nice. (Either Powerpoints, or perhaps Bard Song or Turn Undead uses) -This may be an unrelated fluff issue
- Cross posted from old thread
Bards and Sorcerers suffer from taking Prestige Classes - this really, really, really needs to be looked at and fixed. Currently if you have Bard or Sorcerer and take any PrC that advances spellcasting of said classes only get the benefit of extra spells per day and not spells known.
Thats the price you pay for PrC. It isnt a defect.
I would like to see a GetLastEvent() function that returns one of the new EVENT_SCRIPT_* constants depending on which event triggered the script. This would allow a single script to handle multiple events and have different actions depending on the event that called it.
Currently, this can be emulated by creating an event hook script for each event; the hook sets a local variable and then calls the desired script, which checks the local variable to see which event called it. This is clunky and requires a good 70-something scripts for full event coverage. A single stock function could fix that.
1. Update the rule set from 3.0 to 3.5...I've heard and read from other players on NWN and NWN2 that the 3.5 update fixed a lot of complaints players had with 3.0. Even though the original NWN used 3.0, I think updating it to 3.5 for the Enhanced Edition will make it more attractive.
Oh yes, plus all the 3.5 errata. As long as 4th Edn is avoided
...Do not remove parry as a skill. Some might not like it, but others enjoy the fun of riposting attacks and quite frankly it hasn't been hurting anyone since it was added in the very beginning.
Indeed, Parry is useful as a safer way of defeating a tough opponent that's beating you, it's kind of a shields up option, slows down your HP loss and enables you to concentrate on HP potion drinking while your character primarily defends with the odd riposte.
So what's it doing in there if it's not authentic rules?
Bioware added Parry and Discipline as homebrew skills because there weren't enough class skills for Fighters.
Climb, Swim and Jump would be great (official) replacements for D&D Fighter class skills. They've also been already done by modders, with animations even.
And when those skills are in, modded or official, Discipline becomes a nasty skill point tax. Parry is actually a smaller criminal because it can just be avoided but you need Discipline for something that everyone can do automatically in D&D.
So what's it doing in there if it's not authentic rules?
Answer from the neverwinter nights manual pg. 80
"Note: Parry is a Neverwinter Nights skill. It is not a part of the Dungeons & Dragons® game experience but is a necessary part of the Aurora Engine technology."
Fear aura: Fear aura has always been a slow and painful death in the game. Besides it's silly how long they last, considering terrifying rage's fear aura only lasts for 1d3 rounds.
I've always preferred rogues/melee builds (low will) and hence I've always thought of this as an issue.
Dragon fear which has a DC based on hit dice. I actually like dragon fear as it's a big part of what makes those fights so difficult. NWN isn't a game of diminishing returns or cool downs. Until you can actually make a saving throw you are feared.
I would like to see a GetLastEvent() function that returns one of the new EVENT_SCRIPT_* constants depending on which event triggered the script. This would allow a single script to handle multiple events and have different actions depending on the event that called it.
Currently, this can be emulated by creating an event hook script for each event; the hook sets a local variable and then calls the desired script, which checks the local variable to see which event called it. This is clunky and requires a good 70-something scripts for full event coverage. A single stock function could fix that.
I don't know if there is a reason why animated meshes can not fade away when tilefade is activated. It is strange to see the top of a windmill fade away while the windmill vanes remain. To make the placing of items easier for builders it is a good idea to make the foliage of trees tilefade, but this is only possible if the foliage is not linked to the tile's animation node; however if it is not linked to the animation node, emitters and other animated objects (creatures, doors, etc) are not rendered behind the foliage. It is also impossible to have night/day animations for windows in higher stories because to have those animations they have to be linked to the animation node and once they are linked to that they no longer tilefade.
It would be nice if someone could check if there is a good reason for animated meshes not to fade or if this could be changed.
I'd also like to see another feature implemented into NWN. Tiles have three different "animloops". It would be really nice if those could be turned on and off by scripts. If for example you have a window with shutters that can be either open if animloop 1 is active or closed if it isn't, the builder has to decide if they want the shutters to be open or closed and they have to stay that way. If the animloops could be accessed by scripts, the windows could be opened when the shop opens and closed when it is closed. There are many other uses for this, like candles that can be lit and unlit.
That reminds me - is there any good reason why, on death or destruction, corpses & placeables can't vanish instantly?
The 5 second minimum for corpse fade in the toolset can be worked around by destroying the object or making it invisible, but even that seems to take about 1 second for large objects.
Maybe corpses don't have to fade on modern computers? You should be able to see where a battle took place. It would be a big plus for immersion especially on PW RP servers where light hearted characters can gasp in horror at the carnage.
True, but there are cases where builders want the object to vanish instantly so that some other vfx, animation or objects can be spawned without visual conflict.
I see. Well, nice to know it is possible, anyway. Thanks! I wonder how much work it'd be for BD to implement though? Not everyone's familiar or comfortable with NWNX (even if I should be. ).
Softcoded script function version of Hide in Plain Sight that does everything the feat does but without the player needing the feat.
Softcoded script function to toggle on/off movement penalties for skill modes like stealth and detect, but also allow them to be applied to other skills for modders like survival/tracking without being an "effect" and without being seen by "get effect" loops.
Add a column to the classes.2da called XPTABLE that the game engine reads. The default for each class can be set to the default exptable.2da, but this lets modders create their own experience charts for different classes if they want to emulate older editions without messy scripting work-arounds.
Is there a simple way of scripting something like undead being healed instead of damaged by negative energy, not just the spells but also weapon damage?
If not, I would like "negative" damage vulnerability for all damage types to be added to allow this in a simple way.
If you look in the creature's events you'll need OnDamaged, alternatively I think you can use the onhit armor property too. The script could be a reactive heal using the function GetDamageDealtByType(int nDamageType). Otherwise if they're invulnerable to the damage type then you can check GetLastAttacker() and GetItemInSlot() and check the item properties, alternatively use an onhit which heals undead based on the item properties.
I don't know if there is a reason why animated meshes can not fade away when tilefade is activated. It is strange to see the top of a windmill fade away while the windmill vanes remain. To make the placing of items easier for builders it is a good idea to make the foliage of trees tilefade, but this is only possible if the foliage is not linked to the tile's animation node; however if it is not linked to the animation node, emitters and other animated objects (creatures, doors, etc) are not rendered behind the foliage. It is also impossible to have night/day animations for windows in higher stories because to have those animations they have to be linked to the animation node and once they are linked to that they no longer tilefade.
It would be nice if someone could check if there is a good reason for animated meshes not to fade or if this could be changed.
I'd also like to see another feature implemented into NWN. Tiles have three different "animloops". It would be really nice if those could be turned on and off by scripts. If for example you have a window with shutters that can be either open if animloop 1 is active or closed if it isn't, the builder has to decide if they want the shutters to be open or closed and they have to stay that way. If the animloops could be accessed by scripts, the windows could be opened when the shop opens and closed when it is closed. There are many other uses for this, like candles that can be lit and unlit.
@Zwerkules Do you have any preference where (which category) to better put these suggesions on the Input board? Do any existing cards cover your suggestions partially?
I haven't seen anything else that covers it partially. They both probably fit best into the "Engine" category. They are about animations too, but it is not so much about the graphics than about what is done with the animations.
Comments
I wonder if Beamdog could address this when updating the game. Shapeshfiting via abilities or spells should not gut your prepared spells or spontaneous slots.
If the scripts would help to show how we did it I might be able to dig through some old backups and find them. Our system worked flawlessly and I habitually tossed the scripts into my override so I could use shapeshifting spells/abilites in single player campaigns without gutting my spells.
In PnP you don't lose spell slots from shapeshifting so I don't think we should lose them in NWN either.
Magic Weapon and Greater magic weapon should not be melee weapon exclusive.
I have considered allowing custom summons control via chat command, but haven't bothered. How many are you generally looking to manage?
-Dave
It's just a many-to-many relationship in the data so fixing it should just be a case of making a seperate subspells.2da with the columns parent_spell_id, subspell_id.
Spell Focus : Abjuration
Allow the feat bonus to reduce the dispell magic DC of 11+ spells caster level.
Ie. A focus bonus of 2 would change the dispell check to 9+ spells caster level.
Thats the price you pay for PrC. It isnt a defect.
I would like to see a GetLastEvent() function that returns one of the new EVENT_SCRIPT_* constants depending on which event triggered the script. This would allow a single script to handle multiple events and have different actions depending on the event that called it.
Currently, this can be emulated by creating an event hook script for each event; the hook sets a local variable and then calls the desired script, which checks the local variable to see which event called it. This is clunky and requires a good 70-something scripts for full event coverage. A single stock function could fix that.
Also weapon sizes, one/two-handed wielding and feats like monkey grip.
Support for multi-armed creatures like Lamia having more than two weapon slots etc. would be neat, as well.
Climb, Swim and Jump would be great (official) replacements for D&D Fighter class skills. They've also been already done by modders, with animations even.
And when those skills are in, modded or official, Discipline becomes a nasty skill point tax. Parry is actually a smaller criminal because it can just be avoided but you need Discipline for something that everyone can do automatically in D&D.
"Note: Parry is a Neverwinter Nights skill. It is not a part of the
Dungeons & Dragons® game experience but is a necessary part of
the Aurora Engine technology."
I've always preferred rogues/melee builds (low will) and hence I've always thought of this as an issue.
To make the placing of items easier for builders it is a good idea to make the foliage of trees tilefade, but this is only possible if the foliage is not linked to the tile's animation node; however if it is not linked to the animation node, emitters and other animated objects (creatures, doors, etc) are not rendered behind the foliage.
It is also impossible to have night/day animations for windows in higher stories because to have those animations they have to be linked to the animation node and once they are linked to that they no longer tilefade.
It would be nice if someone could check if there is a good reason for animated meshes not to fade or if this could be changed.
I'd also like to see another feature implemented into NWN. Tiles have three different "animloops". It would be really nice if those could be turned on and off by scripts. If for example you have a window with shutters that can be either open if animloop 1 is active or closed if it isn't, the builder has to decide if they want the shutters to be open or closed and they have to stay that way. If the animloops could be accessed by scripts, the windows could be opened when the shop opens and closed when it is closed. There are many other uses for this, like candles that can be lit and unlit.
The 5 second minimum for corpse fade in the toolset can be worked around by destroying the object or making it invisible, but even that seems to take about 1 second for large objects.
Softcoded script function to toggle on/off movement penalties for skill modes like stealth and detect, but also allow them to be applied to other skills for modders like survival/tracking without being an "effect" and without being seen by "get effect" loops.
If not, I would like "negative" damage vulnerability for all damage types to be added to allow this in a simple way.
They both probably fit best into the "Engine" category. They are about animations too, but it is not so much about the graphics than about what is done with the animations.