66 replies to this topic

[Cuv]

Some of you like battle shots... so here is one. My PC is a Fighter/Mage. Space is getting a little short at IEEAIS for these screenshots, so some or all may be deleted soon.



Here

Cuv

[Cuv]

Many of the testers complained about the beholder lair being just the same old pattern... so I've made a new tileset for this part of the King Strohm Quest and changed up the passages quite a bit. At this rate, there wont be any areas reused from the original game:p



Here

Cuv

[Michel]

(edit)

Testing image link.

Yay! Works.

picture removed again,
(edit)

[Xyx]

Xyx - Death

You just had to show that bit, didn't you?

[Escuan]

i Can't view your pics damn it!! I hate AOL sometimes, they have some really bad probs sometimes.

                    AOL is the devil! BTW I like the new Beholder lair .

[Escuan]

i Can't view your pics damn it!! I hate AOL sometimes, they have some really bad probs sometimes.

                    AOL is the devil! BTW I like the new Beholder lair .

[Raistlin]

Yeah, the screens look great. A lot of work is going into this. I'm especially looking forward to the roleplaying involved. Despite the holdup, I'm glad you're editing some of the re-used areas so the mod feels brand new. How many hours of gameplay do you think your last year's work will amount to?

[Cuv]

Thanks for the interest Raistlin:p

Hmmm.... it hasnt changed much, I dont think. Somewhere between 7-9 hours of new game play. That might be a low estimate as there are many easter eggs and more mini quests than simply the King Strohm encounter.

*Group of Knights in the dungeon have a little quest of sorts
*Finding Vidar's coffin will not be easy... its well hidden
*Releasing the captive knights requires a key that will need to be recovered. For testing, its simply on a table... but it wont stay there.
*Easter Egg
*Karlash the Unmerciful has a quest to recover his Phylactery from a thieving goblin named Darius
*Darius has a quest
*You can talk to the dragon for an hour if you like:D He has about 30,000 words of possible dialog... or you can shut him up quick and fight him.

I am thinking about a puzzle too.... an elaborate maze test with passages that change as you move through it. Just not sure how or where to incorporate it into the mod. This can be done with closed door bitmaps that open and close with open and closed impassible blocks but without actual door outlines that can be seen. This might have to wait for my next project... although it isnt as hard to do as it sounds.

Cuv

[Raistlin]

Thanks for the effort ;-)

7-9 hours is a good amount. I'm curious about the dragon dialogue. After 30,000 words, how many possible outcomes are there? Is it basically a fight or leave conclusion or is there more to it?

My very unexpert opinion would be to not include the puzzle. Too, too many sidequests take away from the main story (ie. chap 2, SoA) and personally, the puzzle type stuff was never really my favourite part of the BG series. The dialogue and combat were. Just my two cents.

[Dark Phantom]

I disagree. The puzzles are the most fun! I am not the best tactician, so say illych (The improved kind) Is a MAJOR frustration (Just trying some fun, but man! The danm ogylyth is too much. it is hard to figure out what to play, a mage of some kind, as Magic is potent in these games, but...)

[Raistlin]

The heavy magic battles have always been my favourite. From the Demonknight (feels odd referring to it as powerful) in ToTSC to Ascension, magic's been the most fun.

I don't mind some puzzles. I didn't mind the type of stuff that was in the Asylum. The type of puzzles I don't like are ones that take away from the game itself. Meaning, my character should be able to answer the question "why is this here?" as opposed to myself, because I know exactly why its there: for the sake of having one. If there isn't a logical reason (a reason based on the plot or goals in the game, not of the developers) for a puzzle, I'd prefer it weren't there. I guess this would be considering it from a role-players perspective. Realism within fantasy ;-)

[Dark Phantom]

and how do you know he does not have a reason for it?

[Cuv]

Thanks for the effort ;-)

7-9 hours is a good amount. I'm curious about the dragon dialogue. After 30,000 words, how many possible outcomes are there? Is it basically a fight or leave conclusion or is there more to it?

Hehe.... it all depends on your choices and who is in your party. Anomen and Keldorn will cause you problems talking the dragon down. So will Jan.. as he is obnoxious and might provoke the dragon to fight.

There are basically three possible outcomes to the basic dragon encounter:

-Fight
-Allow you to leave
-give up on his plans of world domination and give you all his stuff... go off and die in solitude.

But there is a time limit in getting to the Cobalt dragon... as he is preparing for some type of dark ritual. If you get there too late and he has had enough time to complete his conjurations then you will have a tougher time talking him down and a much tougher fight... although, once that is completed, he might also be even less fearful of you. Players who find the books in SoA or Watchers Keep about what he is talking about will also gain an advantage in the conversation.

Saving all the knights will not be easy to do... he wont just let them leave if he decides to let YOU leave. He is intrigued by your heritage, but not so much so that he fears you in the slightest, he just feels that your destiny parallels his own in many ways. He will listen and talk with you for a bit.. he doesnt wish to kill you, but he will not hesitate to do so. The other denizens of the dungeon are another matter and have their own agendas. Fighting the dragon is purely voluntary (unless you are a paladin..then you have no real choice). I know this all sounds confusing, but he is basically an optional fight... there should also be a way to avoid a fight with him even if you are a paladin... depends on your conversation and your courage:p

There are also three possible endings to the quest with respect to the Order. There is plenty of room for combinations of this and that... all depends on your stats and your choices, and how you wish to play your character. How you interacted with the dragon, Vidar, Enghrath and the knights will all come into play as to whether you are titled,rewarded... or possibly even attacked by the Order. There will be other factors also; your final alignment, Wisdom and Charisma. And something else that I wont mention here:p


As for the puzzle thing... it was just a thought and probably wont get added. I cant think of a logical place to put it yet or a real reason for it other than to have a puzzle.

Cuv

[Raistlin]

I remember way back when more of this was on the Bioware boards something about torture and evil options being available. None of the results from the dragon conversation seem to end in anything utterly evil, but are there still other parts of the mod that still include this? I find it difficult to believe they don't exist with Quitch working on it...

In the end, I don't think I'd be able to resist fighting a dragon, but I'll still try to roleplay it ;-)

Just curious, are there NPC's that provoke the opposite of a fight? Do any of them refuse or are reluctant to fight him?

What books in SoA or ToB? New items or one of the several that 99.9% of players ignore?

Phantom - saying he isn't sure where to incorporate it is pretty good evidence that he doesn't have a reason for it.

[Michel]

I think we'v given enough spoilers now dont ya think?

[Gospel]

I remember way back when more of this was on the Bioware boards something about torture and evil options being available. None of the results from the dragon conversation seem to end in anything utterly evil, but are there still other parts of the mod that still include this? I find it difficult to believe they don't exist with Quitch working on it...

HEY! :(

[Cuv]

I think we'v given enough spoilers now dont ya think?

Yes... too many spoilers already.

Just curious, are there NPC's that provoke the opposite of a fight? Do any of them refuse or are reluctant to fight him?

The books are new. No more spoilers:D

Cuv

[Raistlin]

Hehe, fair enough B)

Just don't make me wait long enough to almost forget about it again

[ak404]

Most excellent stuff, guys.

Just an old nit, though: are quotation marks really necessary?