Area Design IV | 03.19.10

Building 101 - Area Design Part 4 PART 3 RECAP In our last entry, we took the time to define the area and broke it down based on the use of sounds and their play sequence. We touched on avoiding random sounds playing within a defined radius due to the spike it can cause to an area. "The main reason for this is it can cause a noticeable hiccup when the player enters the area. Each time the sound is played, the engine needs to determine from what random location within the specified Volume Distance it will fire from. It will then determine how near that sound is from the player, which then needs to determine the volume of the sound before it fires." We also touched on the atmosphere you're going for and how good sound placement can really add to an area, so much so that at times, music is not required. Good background sound will make any area come alive when placed properly and with care. CREATING A VISUAL ORGASM Placeables! "Too many will cause lag." "Too many will ruin pathfinding." "Too many gets my character stuck!" Alright, we've all read about it and know that it's true. Each point is valid but it's how one goes about placing a placeable that matters. First of all, let me discuss the first point. Lag. In a single player module, which is my primary focus, lag exists. It's not just the stuttering one can experience but the load times. Really, it's lag because you're left waiting. That's where nice looking loadscreens come into play but that's another entry altogether. So yes, lots and lots of placeables can cause lag but it's how you create those placeables that matter. The STATIC CHECK BOX is your friend. You do not need to have the static check box unchecked for any reason unless there is some form of animation you want the placeable to apply. This is known as the ACTIVATED selection on a placeables PROPERTIES -> ADVANCED -> INITIAL STATE option. Otherwise, leave it static. As BioWare has also made claim to, try to avoid putting a placeable that sits on the + section of the grid. How do you go about checking this? ENVIRONMENT -> DISPLAY GRID I'm unable to find the original post regarding this, so if you have the message available, let me know so I can update this section. I've read it enough times on the official Neverwinter Nights forum from many builders that it seems like a good rule to follow. The second and third point go hand in hand. Do your best to avoid dropping placeables in the walkable zones. Of course, it's difficult to define this but from my point of view, it's simply playing your module and walking through your created masterpiece that will allow you to determine if that tree, rock or bush is in a location that a player might take a shortcut through or happen to get stuck on while moving in a straight line. Much of placeable design comes from edges of an area, the part of a tileset where a player simply can't walk along due to having a lack of a walkmesh to begin with. Sadly, this does not stop a player from attempting to walk there who then becomes stuck on the placeables you've placed. In any well designed and beautiful looking area, a player will attempt to cross a boundary they were never meant to in the first place. With 1.69, there is now a friendly placeable that can help you make sure no one can go there. STANDARD -> MISCELLANEOUS -> INVISIBLE WALL Create your well defined area with your placeables and follow up by adding a few of the above mentioned placeables and anyone attempting to walk there will receive the typical "NO" click sound. It's a quick and easily solution to keep players from getting stuck. So, with some of that in mind, it's time to deliver the placeables for our area. PLACEABLE DESIGN With the few points that have already been mentioned, it's time to dress up the area we've been creating. Looking back to the Area Design II entry, each corner did have an interest for the player to explore, which helps define what placeables are going to be in that specific location. The rest of the area then becomes filler for whatever catches your mood. PART 2 RECAP Let's recap what we had in mind for each location and follow it up with a shot of all the placeables to bring the entire area together. 1. As already noted, we want the player to start here. During the creation of the area, we want to make sure the player is drawn to location 3, either when they first come to the area or eventually by exploring all four corners of the area. At one point or other, they'll have to cross the middle of the map. 2. The rock fissures are small and do not stick out unless the player moves close enough to learn that information. Having two of them allows the creation of the caves and caverns below to either connect or not. Even if they do connect below, we're giving the player a choice on which side they enter from. 3. Here is the location of our petrified villager and it's the most important location in the area for it brings truth to what the villagers were speaking about. As noted, with three of the four corners of the map exploration locations, the player is bound to find the villager before anything else. Plus, a petrified villager will stick out like a sore thumb when players hit TAB. 4. Remember that other hill in the top right corner? This is where a boat crashed at one point, grounding itself on the hard rocky surface, cracking its hull and eventually sinking. The remains of the boat still exist but its contents are long gone. ?. These are up in the air design choices. The question mark in the bottom right isn't a bad place for an encounter of some kind as it is out of the way and secluded but the encounter should have nothing to do with what's turning the villagers to stone. The second question mark could be much of anything. Perhaps a small container that floated away from the broken hull of the ship or an item one of the villagers dropped while trying to flee. FINAL DESIGN So how does it end up looking based on the information provided? 1. This is the arrival location of the player, who will come to this part of the swamp via a raft. So it's a wise choice to offer these visuals for the player to relate to on their journey. A coil of rope has been added as a useable placeable, tied down to the STATIC placeable raft. When the time comes for the player to leave this area, the useable rope is their means of exit. This exit point is always in the same location, allowing the player to know what corner they need to return to so they can move forward. As well, we've taken the time to add placeables along the tile's edge but also taking care not to place them on the hill where the player will move their character. 2. The rock fissures are certainly not easy to see but as the character moves to these two locations, they will enter a trigger which will fire a conversation description alerting them to a cave entrance that dives down into the earth. Once again, a direct route is made available, placeable free, to keep the player from getting stuck while exploring these sections of the map. We also keep the majority of placeables to the very edges of the map, where the swamp is the thickest. 3. This is the location of our petrified villager, surrounded by three pillars and two scattered swamp cypress trees. Once again, we're going out of our way to avoid massive placeables in this part of the map because it is a focal point for the player to find and thus, have to move through. 4. The second hilly region that the player can explore offers a ruined boat tipped on its side. A few barrels and debris scatter the edge of the hill but is otherwise open for the player to explore. A conversation will fire here, offering a description of the location they've stepped into. ?. During the creation of the area, two question marks were created due to not knowing what would go in these locations. As the rest of the area has come together, the choice here was for one question mark to be home to a set of ruins from an old cabin. The second simply has debris and floating barrels the player can explore and possibly find some helpful items. FINAL STEPS Our final steps will include lighting as it too can create a wonderful experience for the player. Color that bounces off of placeables can even bring them more wonder and awe and make your vision POP!

Happy Holidays | 12.24.09

Ho-ho-ho, Auren! I've wrapped up a few new screen gifts for those who visit from time to time, which you'll get more of here than on the Vault. Three new area projections were required for the next stage of your journey, so here they are. Sorry, no detail or locations this time, otherwise one will be able to piece together the module areas before it's released. Don't want too many spoilers! Happy Holidays and may you all enjoy your time with family and loved ones right through the New Year and beyond.

Area Design III | 11.29.09

Building 101 - Area Design Part 3 PART 2 RECAP In our last entry, we took the time to define the area and broke it down based on the four corner rule. That is, to offer the player something to do in all four corners of our area. This is so the player doesn't feel they're wasting their time exploring what we've created and to offer an event of some kind to keep the player interested. "Not every corner needs to POP out at the player but it should offer something. Even the most basic text display describing a strange looking tree or finding an empty bottle floating in the swamp creates area depth. All that's been done so far is the creation and layout of the area, which consists of two hills, one in the bottom left corner and the other in the top right corner. The rest of the area is split up between land and water. We've also determined that the player will transition to the hill in the bottom left corner of the area. They'd be coming here because of rumors they heard in the village close by of people coming into the swamp to hunt for a rare fish not returning. Some speak of finding villagers, friends and family members turned to stone." Finally, we've defined the area and what we're going to offer the player to do and find while exploring it. NOTE: No lighting or placeables have been placed in the area at this point. CREATING AN ACOUSTIC SYMPHONY Sound is very important and should always be made available when creating an area. An area that has enough placed sound pieces and area background sounds can go without music, creating a different type of atmosphere for the player. Sounds that play at specific hours are a huge bonus to adding a little extra that the player may not have heard during their first visit simply because they were not in the area during those specific hours. An Owl that hoots every 30 seconds during the night is one sad and desperate Owl. What female is going to respond back to a guy begging for a mate all the time? Wolves, Dogs, Cats, etc., fall under this rule. Continuous sounds are those that always generate sound. Waterfalls, rushing rives, windmills, etc., would fall under this rule. NOTE: Try to avoid using the "Plays from a random position each time it is played" option in the POSITIONING TAB of the sound. The main reason for this is it can cause a noticeable hiccup when the player enters the area. Each time the sound is played, the engine needs to determine from what random location within the specified Volume Distance it will fire from. It will then determine how near that sound is from the player, which then needs to determine the volume of the sound before it fires. "Plays from a specific position" is always your best option. SOUND PLACEMENT So what does this area consist of? Swamp like sounds of course. The majority of what you see in the screenshot above is that of water sounds. Know that every sound placed in the area is set to "Plays from a specific position" to avoid the random hiccup that can be generated, as noted above. When placing sound, think of what you want the player to be able to hear in that part of the area. In the case of water sounds, they're placed along the edge of the water where it meets land and a few in the middle of the water where the player can walk through. So here's the full area breakdown for sound, which only consists of ambient sound. No music is available in this particular area. Area Properties Wind Forest [Area Properties - Ambient Sound, Day] Wind Forest [Area Properties - Ambient Sound, Night] Forest [Area Properties - Environmental Audio Effects] Placeable Sounds Water Pool Small (34) [Area Location: Varies] - Plays from a specific position. - 15.0 Volume Distance. - Play at all times. - Seamlessly looping play style. Water Pool Splashes (4) [Area Location: Random] - Plays from a specific position. - 25.0 Volume Distance. - Play at all times. - Repeating play style. - Random play order. - 30.0 second interval between splash sounds. Fly (11) [Area Location: Random] - Plays from a specific position. - 5.0 Volume Distance. - Play during the day. - Repeating play style. - Sequential play order. - 11.0 second interval between fly buzzing sounds. Thunder Claps Far (1) [Area Location: Heard Area Wide] - Plays everywhere in area. - Play during specific hours [AM: 1, 4, 7, 10 PM: 12, 3, 6, 8, 9] - Repeating play style. - Random play order. - 60.0 second interval between fly buzzing sounds. Swamp Sounds Day (1) [Area Location: Heard Area Wide] - Plays everywhere in area. - Play during the day. - Seamlessly looping play style. Swamp Sounds Night (1) [Area Location: Heard Area Wide] - Plays everywhere in area. - Play during the night. - Seamlessly looping play style. Rock Crumbles (1) [Area Location: 4] - Plays from a specific position. - 10.0 Volume Distance. - Play at all times. - Repeating play style. - Random play order. - 32.0 second interval between rock crumble sounds. Ship Creaks (1) [Area Location: 4] - Plays from a specific position. - 10.0 Volume Distance. - Play at all times. - Repeating play style. - Random play order. - 35.0 second interval between ship creak sounds. Wooden Beam Creaks (1) [Area Location: 4] - Plays from a specific position. - 10.0 Volume Distance. - Play at all times. - Repeating play style. - Random play order. - 12.0 second interval between ship creak sounds. BRINGING IT TOGETHER The next steps we'll be covering is placeables and lighting.

Fate of the Auren Update | 10.23.09

You're dead, Auren Where does the time go? I get so caught up in area building, conversation and plot design when free time comes knocking, that I don't even realize how much time has passed since the last update. Today though will be a few screens from the final chapter in the Auren saga, which if you did not catch in the news on the Vault, can be viewed below. Bramblewood Moor is a hot festering bog, created from the memories of the very strange and unique creatures that call it home. The very rocks that burst through the soil in the Stonelands are said to be so sharp, that a simple slip of the foot can easily cause one's death. Stranger still is that of Fyr Glen, home to beings that farm the towering fungi forest of the Felwood. But worry not, Weaver. Not all things are strange and unfamiliar. For this is where the true home of the Auren Society of Weavers can be found.

Area Design II | 09.10.09

Building 101 - Area Design Part 2 PART 1 RECAP In our last entry, we covered the basic history and reason for creating the area, a 6x6 swamp area, for the player to explore. All that's been done so far is the creation and layout of the area, which consists of two hills, one in the bottom left corner and the other in the top right corner. The rest of the area is split up between land and water. We've also determined that the player will transition to the hill in the bottom left corner of the area. They'd be coming here because of rumors they heard in the village close by of people coming into the swamp to hunt for a rare fish not returning. Some speak of finding villagers, friends and family members turned to stone. NOTE: No sounds, lighting or placeables have been placed in the area at this point. DEFINING THE AREA Sure, an area can be created quite quickly and patched together but care and thought should always accompany such design. One important process to think about is the flow of the area and how we want to give information to the player as they explore our creation. Defining what's in the area will give strength to the backdrop of the story we wish to tell. In this case, it's petrified villagers, turned to stone in some of the most unimaginable positions as they attempt to flee what it is they last saw with their living eyes. Of course, there hasn't been a villager yet who can speak of what it is that's turning people into stone statues, so wild rumors can flow from their lips and even create false trails the player may or may not fall for. AREA BREAKDOWN The flow of information for any story can come from a number of means but one should also be careful not to divulge too much information as to spoil the atmosphere we want to create. Let's take a look at how the area will unfold as we progress to its completion. Each red numeric circle is some sort of event, small, medium or large, that the player can find something worth exploring. Take note of how each corner of the area has a red circle. By keeping to this general standard when creating an area, you define a sense of reason for the player to explore everything, yet not feel empty by creating a "running around" syndrome. Not every corner needs to POP out at the player but it should offer something. Even the most basic text display describing a strange looking tree or finding an empty bottle floating in the swamp creates area depth. AREA FLOW Now that the highlights of the area has been determined, we can begin to create the area and bring its design to life. 1. As already noted, we want the player to start here. During the creation of the area, we want to make sure the player is drawn to location 3, either when they first come to the area or eventually by exploring all four corners of the area. At one point or other, they'll have to cross the middle of the map. 2. The rock fissures are small and do not stick out unless the player moves close enough to learn that information. Having two of them allows the creation of the caves and caverns below to either connect or not. Even if they do connect below, we're giving the player a choice on which side they enter from. 3. Here is the location of our petrified villager and it's the most important location in the area for it brings truth to what the villagers were speaking about. As noted, with three of the four corners of the map exploration locations, the player is bound to find the villager before anything else. Plus, a petrified villager will stick out like a sore thumb when players hit TAB. 4. Remember that other hill in the top right corner? This is where a boat crashed at one point, grounding itself on the hard rocky surface, cracking its hull and eventually sinking. The remains of the boat still exist but its contents are long gone. ?. These are up in the air design choices. The question mark in the bottom right isn't a bad place for an encounter of some kind as it is out of the way and secluded but the encounter should have nothing to do with what's turning the villagers to stone. The second question mark could be much of anything. Perhaps a small container that floated away from the broken hull of the ship or an item one of the villagers dropped while trying to flee. BRINGING IT TOGETHER The next steps we'll be covering is sound placement, placeables and lighting.

Area Design I | 08.30.09

Building 101 - Area Design I thought I'd take a few down the path of how an area design leaves my mind and becomes part of the building process, which I hope to offer every Sunday until the area is complete. LOCATION and REASON This evening I'm going to create a swamp that will offer the player character enough to do and also pull them into the very reason for being there in the first place. As this is one of the first areas of a quest, it requires that jolt of input to shape what it is we want the player to experience. What information the player gathers before heading off here, is that a few villagers have been turned to stone as they venture deeper into the swamp to find a rare type of fish that offers a lot of gold on the open market. Due to its high demand, villagers take the risk of heading into the swamp to find them. As more and more villagers fail to return and those that do return speak of finding friends and family members as stone statues in the swamp, the talk in the village soon changes from finding rare fish to what villager was found as a stone statue. Soon, none of the villagers even want to risk going near the swamp in fear of becoming a stone statue themselves. Sadly, without the income from the rare fish, the villagers are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Local crops just can't compete. So, like any player looking for some adventure, it offers the player character something to do, either as a side quest or part of a greater plot. One should never exist without the other when creating an area. Each and every area you create needs to have a purpose for existing, otherwise don't bother spending the time it will take to design it. THE AREA Welcome to a generic 6x6 (width x length) layout. For the sake of saving time, I've already plotted out its general design, adding in two small hills in the bottom left and top right of the map, along with some raised ground, all nestled between a dark layer of swampy water. Some trees do dot the landscape but they're part of the area tile itself. Placeables have yet to be added to this current area. Pretty simple, for the most part. Now I try to keep an area pretty small because I don't like the idea, as a player, running around through empty space. So, when I do build an area, I do my best to offer the player something to do in every corner. That's my number one rule because wasting the time of the player is never, ever a good thing. TIDBITS In the behind the scene information, the village is south of this area, so the player will be entering on the bottom left in this area. The water current, although never an issue in any area built with water, is moving from the bottom left to the top right. This is handy information if you use a boat to transition from one area to the next. Does one paddle with the current or against it? In the weeks to follow, I'll detail the hot spots of the area, sound placement, as well as lighting and placeables.

Companions | 08.19.09

In death they roam. . . For those who brought along a companion from Almraiven and then through Shadewood, they fought and died along side of you in battle. Fate of the Auren offers a total of three companions based on choices made in Almraiven and Shadewood and two new companions one can find in the Land of the Dead. The former are found through a specific side-quest associated to the companion you traveled with in Almraiven and Shadewood while the latter come across as spirits you meet during your adventure. In the Land of the Dead, they roam. Annex | Falis Goodmane | Shayla Shay | Ahlias Nox | Chaj-ja Annex [Druid Female (Grower)] "The very eyes of this Human Female pierce right through you as she catches you watching her and memories swirl of a previous existence within your mind. There is a feeling of calm that suddenly washes over you and the smell of flowers seem near. Her hair shimmers in the moonlight and the old black and cyan robe she once wore is now stitched in earthly shades and colors." Annex is a result from completing the Darwien's Disappearance quest in Almraiven. You saved Darwien but also had to kill Falis for not saving his sister Wundra. A Druid that comes with an animal companion named Patterfoot, Annex is the most difficult of the three companions to attain. Her journey with you through Shadewood was a helpful one for it took place in her true element, where she brought forth a different view of what was happening in the wood. Dying at your side, her spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead. Falis Goodmane [Fighter Male, (Dancer)] "The very glare directed toward you from this muscular Human Male is cold. Crisp blue eyes that once captured your gaze now leave you feeling empty and lost. Blood stains his light colored hair while torn cloth and stitch hug scars and deep wounds that cut right into his very soul." Falis is a result from completing Wundra's Wonder quest in Almraiven. You helped find his sister and saved her from the Werefolk who had her locked up in the sewers. Falis specializes in the quarterstaff and is very quick on his feet but does not have any experience in adventure travel. His problem with bugs was made perfectly clear during your journey through Shadewood but as the end drew near, his focus in protecting you outgrew that fear. Dying at your side, his spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead. Shayla Shay [Sorcerer Female, (Guardian)] "The projected memory of this Human Female is not what you recall from your previous existence. Eyes that were once cyan color are now black and the staff she once held does not have the same weave as it did before. The staff pulsates blue, shifting in size and design as if alive." Shayla is a result from completing the Something in the Works quest in Almraiven. You helped find her sister and save her from the slave traders who had her locked up and ready to be shipped out. Shayla also experienced fighting Blackend Souls and knows first hand what the Darkness did in the depths below Almraiven. Her knowledge of this continued in Shadewood as the two of you moved to unlock the mystery of the wood. It is where she also came to terms with the very man who was responsible for the capture of her sister Kira. Shayla comes with an intelligent staff named Nala that she is bound to by magical means and both died at your side. Her spirit now exists in the Land of the Dead. Ahlias Nox [Ranger Male, (Wilder)] "The wary eyes of this Human Male watch you from where he stands. A green and brown cloak, stained with mud and soot along the edge, drapes over his large frame. A long sword carried by the man hangs off his left hip by a crude loop made of rope while a bow string hugs his chest from the shortbow slung over his shoulder. Dark browns, shades of tan and a touch of green lace in and out of the fabric of his cloth and stitch." Ahlias Nox is from a distant projection where the very edge of the Emptiness meets the realm. His travels south got him caught between the Darkness that had begun to swallow the Land of the Dead and if not for small pockets, his spirit would have been consumed by shadow and filth. He now travels northward toward Twyll, his home, where he hopes to rest his spirit and relax. Chaj-ja [Fighter Female, (Hunter)] "Chaj-ja's large golden reptilian eyes dance wildly as if expecting an attack at anytime. Many of the multiple horns at the back of her head are cracked or have been snapped off. She's a renowned warrior of the Chah-kra Tribe, hunting and killing numerous Stoneless that dwell deep in Bramblewood Moor." Chaj-ja is very ignorant when it comes to projections outside of Bramblewood Moor, the projection she has existed in since arriving to the Land of the Dead. Existing in a festering bog, Chaj-ja is quite content with hunting and fishing but becomes drawn to the realm beyond after hearing stories and reading books on the subject. She is clumsy out of her element and makes a lot of noise when she moves about on land, stomping and walking into things without much effort. At first sight, spirits see her as a Troll but her large blinking eyes and twitching ears soon put an end to that.