Half-Year Updates

Module changes

I looked over my module at around September this year and realized that my process had been pretty shabby. I am a student, as I have stated before, and for that reason, I can't help but work on my module in random spurts of time. My previous process had rendered me unable to work because I would put off the module for a month or a few weeks, and when I resumed work - I would have forgotten exactly what I was doing.

Other issues:

• Too many areas to effectively manage in the game
• A shabby opener that didn't really seem interesting at all
• My plot had holes in it and some details given in some conversations were inconsistent with others
• Dialogue had a bad form to it and the variables system was not scalable
• The AI system was too segmented - I had 13 different scripts for every AI type

So - in September, I threw out most of my items in the module and started over.
The only things I kept were my prized systems jewels:

• The magic crafting system (MagiCraft) - The execution for that took a lot of work and it's pretty clean.
• The magic school's incantation system

The things I am working on now

• A very dangerous tactical AI - As my junior year independent work, I am designing a map-analyzing, combat-maneuvering, survivalistic AI for the Neverwinter Nights game. Because I am presenting this to the Computer Science Department at my university at the end of December, I am pressured to make it really good. Therefore, in the case of success, you will be fighting this AI in game. The AI design itself will be complete by January and I will probably release pieces of it to the NWVault for public consumption (though I will have to check with my university's guidelines on intellectual property). Maybe other programmers can tweak it for compatibility in NWN2.
• A better, cleaner story-line guided module - I have the Prologue finished and am on Chapter 1 at the moment. The beginning of the module is much more interesting now and my conversation design system is much better this time around, so I can keep track of exactly what is said and what details are given at each conversation.
• The 300-year backstory - The ancient history and motivations are pretty much complete at this point, but I still have the last 100 years of "recent" history to finish.

Stick around! I guarantee you I have not forgotten this module and you should definitely look around for new developments. No matter what, I WILL finish this module, even if it takes me two more years. I pray that people are still playing NWN by that time.

Cheers,
linus

July Updates on Bastion's Break

Bastion's Break will be getting a complete remodeling on some key places. I will be keeping all of the systems I've created and a great amount of the plot elements, but I am currently in the process of writing a comprehensive back-story to my city of Bastion that spans up to three centuries before the story begins.

Secondly, I will be rewriting the beginning of the module - starting the story back when you are at the ripe age of 14. There will be a nice "Great Escape" sort of thing where you actually get to flee from the poorhouse that has tormented you for years, and actually pick up certain items (depending on what you find) that will either help in Bastion or the forest scene right before entering Bastion.

There will be more updates coming as Bastion is being completed.
As a side note - the name of "Bastion's Break" may be changed to just "Bastion."

Having said that, stay tuned!

linus

June Updates on Bastion's Break

Hello all,

It's been a while since I made an update on the progress of Bastion's Break. I haven't done any plot-work in a while.

However, I've done a lot of development on the systems of the game as a whole.
Below, I will list some of these changes:

Updates
1. Bastion originally had 10 guilds operating within the city. The number has now been reduced to 9. What had originally been the golem-making guild and a lycanthropic guild has now been replaced with a pirate/warrior-type guild, called the Arm of Kalya. The reasons for this switch are:
a) The lycanthropic guild, called the Shapemorphers, was pretty lame to implement. Besides an item-usage ability to shapeshift, there was really no other specialty to it.
b) The golem-crafting guild, the Red Watchers, while cool, was overpowered in its implementation. Each guild has its own unique system, and having a system where you can make golems and send them at people would be fun but too easy. Perhaps if I ever make a higher level module (Bastion is lvls 1-11), golems would be interesting to make, as a system.
c) You get to craft specialty grenades with the Arm of Kalya and be a very "srs-bznz" warrior lobbing 'nades akin to modern-day riflemen. But wielding swords and such.

2. Systems that have now been implemented include:
a) (Global) A food system: Yes - you can now starve to death in Bastion and get points nerfed if you don't eat for a while. However, it shouldn't spoil gameplay too much because you can rest off the nerfing and because food takes an in-game average of 10 hours to digest. (Of course, different types of food have different digestion times to them.) It's an on-heartbeat decrease, so resting won't kill you and you can probably eat about once every ten minutes. Also - food merchants now have a use, as well as restaurants/taverns. :)

b) (Global) The magic crafting system (MagiCraft): This has been explained in previous blog posts. Look back one or two posts to read up on it.

c) (Guild) Separate incantation systems for the two mage guilds: You'll understand when you play. Made for the Black Hand and the Blue Mages guilds.

d) (Guild) Grenade crafting system: Made specially for the Arm of Kalya guild, you can find different components to make specialty grenades on the go. (In progress)

e) (Guild) Ki Phrases: There are certain phrases monk characters can utter to channel ki in different ways (similar to attack modes like Power Attack). However, the system is flawed at the moment and may be scrapped at some point in the future, so don't count on having this stay. Made for the Golden Fists guild.

3. Systems to come:
a) Poison projectile crafting system: Made for the two rogue/assassin guilds. You can use different materials to create poisonous darts/bolts/arrows/shurikens/throwing axes/bullets that can put your enemies to sleep, paralyze them, stun them, etc.

b) (Speculative) Key moulding system: Currently partially created as a special task in a quest, I am thinking of allowing members of the two rogue/assassin guilds (the Night Dancers, and the Silent) to be able to purchase key moulds to make keys for doors that other characters cannot enter or would need a specific key to enter. Certain enchanted doors would be resistant to these moulds, but most wouldn't.

c) Unique auras system: Like the paladin auras from the Twilight/Midnight series, the cleric/paladin guild can potentially have auras, but with special and different effects. Made for the Truthbringers. Perhaps a similar aura set will be given to the blackguard/evil cleric guild, the Cabal of Samas.

d) Extra feats: There will be potentially extra feats available in Bastion's Break. These feats can be reviewed through a plot item (currently a mirror) that cannot be sold, given away, etc. This same item will also allow you to examine how hungry you are.



So that's the scoop!
These are all systems, current and potential, that I have been working on instead of doing plot. There are right now only a measly 7 quests (in)complete. However, there may potentially be a very smart casting AI coming soon.

Cheers, and do comment or email me if you have queries.
linus

The Magical Crafting System is Now Complete!

Hello everyone ~!
I have some great news today - after four days of working nonstop on Bastion, I have completed the magical crafting system that I promised in the last blog post.

"MagiCraft"

Working on potions and magical trinkets in an open-air laboratory

Every single detail that I described in the post has been accounted for -  players can now buy or find components and, depending on their character's skill or class, make some useful magical items to carry around. All of the crafted items are one-use only but the expense it takes to buy the materials is usually around only 50% or sometimes even just 15% of their "store price" counterparts.

There are about 50 different components, 8 sealants, 4 different containers and 2 tools. There are about 50+ different crafted items, only 30 of which will be revealed through conventional means (magical training or common sense). The others will be hidden throughout the module, and I am thinking of even making one or two  revealed through trial and error only (although I doubt any but the most bored, stubborn, die-hard players will go to such great lengths to make a few items, so this point is a maybe).

As I have said before, the basic rules for magic-craft are as follows:
Cantrip Items
- Free to make for anyone, so long as the basic recipe is followed

1st Level Spell Items
- Wizards, sorcerers and bards of any level do not suffer any checks.
- All other classes must pass a spellcraft and intelligence d20 check under a certain difficulty. If the player fails the check, the components will meld together in the wrong way and explode (non-damaging, however, unless there is a demand for more realism). You, of course, lose the components this way and will need more.
- If a book called the "Wizard's Brewbook" is obtained, the player no longer needs a check to make 1st level spell items.

2nd Level Spell Items
- Wizards, sorcerers and bards of any level do not suffer any checks.
- All other classes must obtain a "Wizard's Brewbook" before being able to create any 2nd level spell items.
- When any player that is not an arcane magic user attempts to create a 2nd level spell item, they must undergo a more difficult spellcraft and intelligence d20 check. If the player fails the check, they will botch the combination and the components will explode and be lost.

3rd Level Spell Items
- Characters must have at least 5 combined levels in the wizard, sorcerer, red dragon disciple, palemaster and bard classes before they can successfully create 3rd level spell items. (A level 2 wizard, level 2 sorcerer and level 1 bard, for instance, can create 3rd level spell items - the notion is that they have enough magical experience, if not training, to successfully create these items.)
- Characters without 5 combined levels in the arcane classes will botch the operation and the components mix into an explosion and be lost.
- Non-arcane classes will not be able to create 3rd level spell items. Happily, the components for non-arcane classes will not explode if some coincidence led a character to have an accidental combination. If an arcane magic user coincidentally has the components for a 3rd level spell item before 5 arcane levels, they will explode, unfortunately.

4th Level Spell Items
- Characters must have at least 7 combined levels in the wizard, sorcerer, red dragon disciple, palemaster and bard classes before they can successfully create 4th level spell items. The same rules as before apply.
- Failing to have at least 7 combined levels will cause the components to explode.
- Like before, non-arcane classes will not be able to create 4th level spell items. However, accidentally having the right components will not cause the components to explode for these classes. Arcane magic users under 7 arcane levels will have their components explode.

5th Level Spell Items and higher (at this point, information will be almost copied and pasted)

- Characters must have at least 9 combined levels in the wizard, sorcerer, red dragon disciple, palemaster and bard classes before they can successfully create 5th level spell items and greater. The same rules as before apply.
- Failing to have at least 9 combined levels will cause the components to explode.
- Like before, non-arcane classes will not be able to create 5th level spell items and greater. However, accidentally having the right components will not cause the components to explode for these classes. Arcane magic users under 9 arcane levels will have their components explode.



A few handy tips
If you are going to use a non-arcane class in Bastion's Break and want to create magical items, you will want points in spellcraft, as well as a pair of handy "Gloves of Magical Knowledge" (basically "Gloves of Spellcraft" for non-casters) or a pair of "Greater Gloves of Magical Knowledge" (basically "Greater Gloves of Spellcraft" for non-casters). Having 14 intelligence, the "Wizard's Brewbook," a pair of "Greater Gloves" and 2 spellcraft will allow your crafting to fail only 5% of the time. And of course, even greater statistics in this vein will reduce your failure rate to nothing. Despite not being able to create 3rd level items, you will be able to make some pretty darn useful goodies that other non-casters would never have access to. (Like the "Darkness" spell, cheaper "Invisibility" magic and "Balagarn's Iron Horn," as a little sneak peek.)

I am excited to see the implementation of this system in the greater Bastion plot and gameplay.
And as always, I'd love your feedback.

All the best,
linus

A New System and The Progress of Bastion's Break, Part I

It's been a while since my last blog post, so I've decided to make give you all some updates on exactly how Bastion's Break is coming along.

General Housekeeping


Updates on the General Shape of Bastion's Break
Bastion's Break is split up into three general "chapters." However, in game, there will not really be an indication of where Chapter I ends and Chapter II begins. These "chapters" are simply another way to think about the overall plot of Bastion. Once a core number of players have played the game, I will perhaps, if there is demand, release a descriptive 'manual' on the Bastion's plot and a few hidden secrets. For those who are afraid of spoilers, worry not - most of the secrets in Bastion will not be published until players figure it out themselves.
As a general note:
Chapter I is short, and Chapters II and III pretty much blend into each other, with about the same amount of gameplay hours in each.

Quests
In contrast with the development timeline that I posted about Bastion, I've already begun work on the quests. In fact, this past week, I've just about finished the general programming for the Chapter I. There's around an hour of uninterrupted game-play, and the quests are somewhat unconventional.

A New Magical Item System


Nerfing and Boosting Mages
I am in the middle of incorporating a nice little item-crafting system that will help all classes, but especially mages. Since the module restricts resting to only inns, personal beds and hiding places, these items will be a great boost to mages and add a little bit of fun roleplaying realism.

Sneak Peek
There will be merchants on the central market of Bastion - on a street called Market Square in the Trade Sector - who sell components. Characters who wield arcane magic and who choose to study with a magic-focused organization in the city will learn a series of very useful recipes for a number of single-use magic items, akin to potions, but not limited to potions. There is not an item for every arcane spell, but there are a large quantity of items available. And these are not spell components. Mages can still cast spells normally, but can carry around these items (or the components to create the items on the fly) for the times when they have no spells left.

And for hardcore role-players (like me), I can tell you these items are like magical totems crafted by witch doctors. While the conventional spells cast by wizards, bards and sorcerers are cast from sheer power of soul or from education, these items are the results of when casters use arcane knowledge to make use of the magical properties of everyday (or unique) plants, elements and animals.

An example recipe:
These items must be created with or without a containing object (depending on the item), tools (depending on the item), a sealant and a number of components that range from one to four different components.

The spell "Daze" can be "cast" with an item called a "Vial of fermented scarab."
To create a "vial of fermented scarab," the player will need to have an empty vial, termite saliva (the sealant in this case), a dead scarab beetle and some fungal rot (as well as access to a personal alchemist apparatus).
There are 50 different components, 8 types of sealants, 4 types of containers and 2 tools available.

While all classes can create items that cast cantrips, only mages can combine ingredients without an intelligence and spellcraft check. The breakdown is as follows:


Cantrip items: All classes can create such items without any checks needed.

1st level items: All classes can create such items, but the bard, the sorcerer and the wizard will need no ability and skill checks. All other classes will have to undergo an intelligence and spellcraft check. Rogues do not get to use the "Use Magic Device" skill for this process because these are not class-restricted magical items for which rogues can "pretend" well enough to use. Instead, this process is one of learning and study, and knowing how to act like a wizard will not help when it comes to mixing the components right.


2nd level items: Only the bard, wizard and sorcerer can create these items without aid. All other classes can potentially create level 2 items, but they must have obtained a book called "The Wizard's Brewbook" somehow. If player characters find "The Wizard's Brewbook," they can create level 1 items without any checks, and they can create level 2 items with the previously described intelligence/spellcraft check.

3rd level items: Only the bard, wizard and sorcerer can create these items at all, and only if they manage to obtain a book called "Advanced Arcane Brews."

4th level items and higher: These recipes are secret, but they exist. Arcane magic users can craft these items only if they are of the following levels:
4th level - level 7+
5th level - level 9+
6th level - level 10+
There will be snippets of these recipes lying all around the module.

As usual, I'd love some feedback on what others think of this system.
Some questions that I'd want answered from players are:
- Does this system make magic users too powerful in game?
- Should there be fewer or more components?
- Is this system too complicated for players to use?

Thanks for viewing,

linus

A Map of the City

Bastion is a gigantic city.
As I was testing some of the quests, I began to realize that the city was so large that I needed a way to let the player know the layout without traveling blindly. I, having created the city, knew where everything was, but there would be no way that a player completely new to Bastion could find the locations of quests and how to get to one district from another.

Of course, it may be a bit difficult to imagine how much a map helps at the moment. However, once you begin to play, perhaps you will understand Bastion's scale and the necessity that brought me to develop this system.

The Map of Bastion

To have a slightly interactive map of the city, I have created a Stone-of-Recall-esque item and allowed the player to teleport to an area called "The Map of Bastion." Using the Map will save your location, so you can always return to your exact previous location via the portal in the area. The Map, in terms of plot, is simply a piece of parchment; the area is a visual manifestation of this parchment in a way that is most legible to the player.

For this reason, you, as the player, will have to suspend a bit of disbelief when your henchmen teleport to this location with you. Or you can explain it away by simply saying that the henchmen are "looking on with you" as you examine the map.

Some important notes:
- You cannot use the Map of Bastion as a way to escape combat. You cannot rest in the map's area, and the map's "Unique Power - Self Only" will not work if you're in combat (and you'll get a floating text string that tells you so), so it will not become a cheat by which you can down a few potions and rest.
- I am considering whether or not to include descriptions (or histories) of the different streets in Bastion inside this map. My hesitation comes from my desire that the player interact with the areas' NPC's to figure out the city's lore. However, perhaps I will include some slightly vague descriptions that will entice the player to explore the city in its (prospective) depth.

Feedback on this would be welcome, as always.
Cheerio,
linus

Sneak Peek: The Berserker

Amid the chaotic aspects of midterms and the relaxing nature of spring break, I have managed to get a new AI type created. It's a treat for those who would like to fight bosses that do fun things, like smash through doors and placeables, or whack you with a hit strong enough to send you flying. I won't be putting up all the AIs I make onto this blog. (Where would the surprise be if the players expect everything?)

However, to generate some excitement, I present to you:

The Berserker

When it hits you so hard that dust flies

The Berserker AI type was inspired by a number of more modern games, among them Diablo III (or the preview videos, at least). I was a big fan of those bosses who could really represent their size. I found it frustrating that huge creatures like the gray render/dust elemental, the giant and the ogre could only whack you the same way a kobold would. True, there was the knockdown feat, but it looks no more impressive than an ogre bonking you on the head with a club and you falling to your knees.

However, in the DIII previews I saw, there were bosses that hit you and that pick you up. There were enormous creatures that charged at you and made craters in the floor.

For this reason, I have added a bit more spice to monstrous creatures by giving them some nice physical area-of-effect moves and some ferocity. 

Passive Abilities

Juiced Up: Packing a Punch

The Berserker gets a special form of rage that barbarians don't get. They howl like minogons (but deal damage instead of stun) and will always get a haste buff and a boost to their dexterity, strength and constitution. This rage lasts for two minutes no matter what and the Berserker is endowed with a orange, burning glow that identifies it as dangerous. Thus, Berserkers always look like they are almost twitching in their battle fever.

Inescapable

When I play Neverwinter Nights, I am usually very mobile. I kite a lot using archers and I use doors to get extra sneak attacks with rogues. Other times, I use doors to block my opponents and buy myself time for a potion or two.

Well, with a Berserker, this option is no longer available. Berserkers are so powerful that they literally smash right through the door to keep on running after their fleeing enemies. The only way to escape from a Berserker is to disappear. As a converse of the popular maxim, you can hide, but you can't run. (Unless hasted.)

The Power Moves

The Berserker, as it is designed now, has two automatically triggering AOE attacks. They are not creature abilities, so the Berserker does not waste a round using them.

The Ground Smash

The Berserker has a chance each turn of running a ground smash attack that damages all other creatures (hostile or friendly) in front of it through a dust-raising pulse attack. The Smash scales with level, so (for instance) low-level Berserkers will not be doing 10+ damage to level 5 characters and their henchmen with each AOE.

The Knockback

Instead of the Ground Smash, the Berserker can sometimes swing its arms in an AOE knockdown attack that throws all unfortunate creatures a short distance away onto their backs. The Knockback deals some damage, but it also scales with the Berserker's level. 

Fortunately, the Knockback only pushes the character down for two floating seconds, a third of the time that characters stay down for the Knockdown feat. This is to make combat more fluid and less frustrating. In game, your characters pop right back up after a Knockback, so you don't have to lose control and so it doesn't disrupt the flow of combat.

A Dramatic Death

The Berserker is usually large enough that when it dies, it shakes the earth hard enough to send up a cloud of dust and sometimes knock your characters down. Advice - kill the Berserker last! (Or other creatures will get attacks on you while you're down from the Berserker's death.)

"Overpowered Much?" You Say.

I promise the Berserker is definitely not an OP AI. There are many ways to fight Berserkers, and they are usually specialized enough that you will encounter them mostly by themselves. Even if Berserkers had henchmen, their AOE attacks would damage their own henchies as well.

This module is set to end with your character at level 11, at most. For this reason, you will not be ordered to enter caves full of ogres and giants (an overused plot device anyway), and you almost never encounter more than one Berserker at a time. It would be a tad silly (especially when I note that Berserkers can damage and push each other down).

My advice when facing Berserkers is to fight smart and with a balanced party. Summoned creatures can tank for you, and archers and mages won't be damaged by the AOE's if they are far enough.

More AI types are yet to come! Any feedback would be very much appreciated. :)

Smart Combat

I've been playing Neverwinter Nights for a long time now, and one of the things I always yearn to see with each module is a means to smarter combat. I want to find enemies that hide, chase down or ambush enemies that run away, and pit myself against bosses that, if large enough, can actually throw you or your henchman backwards with a good physical area-of-effect move.

So, with this goal in mind, I've mapped out a few systems that will give players more options for smart combat, and that will add more realism to Neverwinter Nights. As a preceding leading question: if you've played Neverwinter Nights, haven't you ever raged at how the NPC enemy seems to know exactly where you are in combat, even if you've hid behind three separate closed doors?

Here are a few extra things I am designing to give players a boost in creativity (just a sneak peek at a number of new systems I plan to code):

- A better hide-and-seek game:
If you've attacked an enemy and managed to get around a corner ahead of time to hide, the NPC enemy shouldn't know where you are. Instead, it will round the corner and will look for you in Detect Mode, rather than simply chase you down to attack. If you manage to hide successfully and pass the Listen and Spot checks, the enemy will assume (and sometimes say) they've chased you away. This should provide better ways for rogues who are not shadowdancers to survive being spotted while infiltrating an enemy base.

- New placeables with which the PC can interact without starting a conversation:
There will be useful placeables scattered around Bastion with which the player will interact without starting a conversation, granted the player knows how to use them. This will prove handy when the player is in combat and needs to think fast. Examples are: ladders that allow players to ascend to Bastion's rooftops when chased by muggers and thugs; placeables next to bodies of water that will allow players (only in combat) to escape an ambush by jumping into the harbor and being carried away to safety (with caveats, of course - i.e. would a paladin in full plate be able to swim well?); destructive placeables that will make ambushing opponents easier and more fun; and more. Of course, these placeables will be distributed in a balanced way and will by no means be the be-all-end-all of combat.

I will also be designing about a dozen new AI's that will make combat against NPC's more interesting. A few examples are:

- The Sneak Caster AI
The sneak casters are mages that will not simply cast invisibility, buff, then fire spells. Instead, they will have ranks on the Hide and Move Silently skills, and will cast spells, then run around a corner and into hiding before casting more spells at the PC out of the shadows.

- The Coward AI (or the Mobster)
Cowards/Mobsters will appear largely in groups. They are generally weak and low on attack rolls, but with a moderate amount of health and a small amount of regeneration. They aim to surround the PC and will flee one by one to hide and regenerate before amassing and attacking once more. Usually, attacking a group of Cowards-type creatures head-on is a bad idea, an action that will sap the player's resources.

Lastly, here are three screenshots of Bastion's Break:

Screen 1: A bright day outside of Bastion

Screen 2: Will you dare venture into the misty unknown?

Screen 3: Sink or swim

Bastion's Break - Development Timeline

September 2011 - Work on Bastion's Break commenced
October 2011 - Bastion city design and layout completed
November 2011 - Quest planning largely completed
December 2011 - Main plot planning completed
mid-December 2011 - New combat placeables designed - (cracked pillar, oil jar/brazier, alchemist fire barrels)
January 2012 - All "skeletons" of Bastion outside areas built
February 2012 - New combat AI design commenced (and new Ambusher AI completed)

Projected dates:
Summer 2012 - Quest scripting and variables to begin; area creation to be completed; main plots and side plots to be completely written
Spring 2013 - Quest scripting to be completed; debugging and testing to commence
Fall 2013 - Bastion's Break to be released to NW Vault

Bastion's Break - An Introduction

I created this blog when I realized (a bit troubled) that I did not have a space to post notes on the progress of the development of the Neverwinter Nights (I, not II) module that I had been working on, titled Bastion's Break. I've been building the module pretty consistently for the past six months now, and it has taken quite a defined shape.

Thus, without further ado, I will now transition into and focus on Bastion's Break.


--- Bastion's Break ---

Your whole short life, you've been a poor, young outcast - shut out of opportunities and forced to survive alone in a forest after running away from a Waterdeep poorhouse. But when fortune strikes in the form of a friendly wizard who teleports you to a bustling city, what will you do? What kind of name will you make for yourself in the city of Bastion? A hundred paths arise.

** An urban epic. **
Gameplay hours: 10 - 30, depending on the amount of side-quests one does.

Commentary:
Bastion's Break is a game at once open-ended and linear. The module is about the city; the focus is on its flourishing life and complexity. Bastion is a fictional city that I have created, which has never before been seen in the greater Dungeons and Dragons lore. You have the freedom to join any one of its ten guilds - good, neutral or evil - and your actions will affect inter-guild relations and the political state of Bastion. The linearity comes from the main plot which, though big, is only a relatively small portion of the module as a whole. No matter what guild you join, the main plot will play out almost the same way (though with different motivations driving each guild).

I have attempted to create this game with fluidity in mind. While combat is certainly a way to solve your problems, it will not be the only nor the most fun way. The goal is to prefer no classes over others. Magic-users have their own advantages, as do warriors, thieves/rogues, clerics and bards.