Hearkenwold
Re: Hearkenwold
That looks awesome! Will be lots of fun to have the help. I have a similar type encounter at the very end of Lanterna, but I had to use the addCharacterToParty function back then so it is good to hear that the new summonAlly script works in this situation.
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youngneil1
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am
Re: Hearkenwold
Great work on getting multiple allies in! The ibscript system is amazing - when all the dust has settled, it will be a cornerstone (but also huge) task to adjust its scope to all the new fucntionalities of the engine.
Re: Hearkenwold
Yes, the engine scripting is quite powerful. In this case, I was working off the "add temporary allies to this encounter" ga script. In the IBscript to summon allies, I needed to add three additional lines to account for the other NPCs, and increase the paramters up to parm 11. All the data was input on the single line in the encounter property. Looks like a builder could customize the script have any number of NPCs join a battle in this way, all under the player's control. Makes for some interesting combat possibilities.
Re: Hearkenwold
March Update
I have been diligently working on the paladin guild adventure, which I mentioned in the last update would be next in line to appear in Hearkenwold. The sponsor for the order, called the Holy Zephyrs, was in fact the first such NPC I inserted to discuss the guilds, when I was developing the idea for class specific content. When found, he is your typical smiter of evil decked out in armor and with fiery rhetoric. Thus, in contrast, I decided to make the head of the guild a man of more simple demeanor. Although he has an interesting backstory himself that he will gladly share with paladins seeking membership. This is the Guildmaster:
For the quest, I am making a return to Asherim, which was the two desert maps I added to the campaign a few years ago, as a sort of a side adventure. This left the content rather unresolved, as the party then would make its way back to the lands of Hearkenwold. Thus, the completion of that arc is weaved into a paladin's objective. Going over those couple of maps, I switched out a new tile for the walls of the desert canyon, using golden sands and rocks. This might be a clash with the original texture, however I still want the ground to reflect the burning red sands of Asherim.
A new area has opened up north of the desert canyon, finally allowing the party to reach the Hills of Asherim. While there is a waterway that feeds the oasis, the land itself is still barren.
And just as uninviting.
There is plenty of more work to be done. This new map for example, contains entrances to new locations, and there are yet further areas for a brave party to explore in pursuit of their goal. Progress is going well so far, and although I do not think I will have it all finished by the end of the month, a new version of Hearkenwold in April should be manageable.
I have been diligently working on the paladin guild adventure, which I mentioned in the last update would be next in line to appear in Hearkenwold. The sponsor for the order, called the Holy Zephyrs, was in fact the first such NPC I inserted to discuss the guilds, when I was developing the idea for class specific content. When found, he is your typical smiter of evil decked out in armor and with fiery rhetoric. Thus, in contrast, I decided to make the head of the guild a man of more simple demeanor. Although he has an interesting backstory himself that he will gladly share with paladins seeking membership. This is the Guildmaster:
For the quest, I am making a return to Asherim, which was the two desert maps I added to the campaign a few years ago, as a sort of a side adventure. This left the content rather unresolved, as the party then would make its way back to the lands of Hearkenwold. Thus, the completion of that arc is weaved into a paladin's objective. Going over those couple of maps, I switched out a new tile for the walls of the desert canyon, using golden sands and rocks. This might be a clash with the original texture, however I still want the ground to reflect the burning red sands of Asherim.
A new area has opened up north of the desert canyon, finally allowing the party to reach the Hills of Asherim. While there is a waterway that feeds the oasis, the land itself is still barren.
And just as uninviting.
There is plenty of more work to be done. This new map for example, contains entrances to new locations, and there are yet further areas for a brave party to explore in pursuit of their goal. Progress is going well so far, and although I do not think I will have it all finished by the end of the month, a new version of Hearkenwold in April should be manageable.
Re: Hearkenwold
Looks great! I haven't made it Asherim in my current play through as of yet. It be nice to have the updated maps if they are ready by the time I get there... No rush of course as I am moving slow these days (work audit time, happens every three years).
Re: Hearkenwold
The paladin quest can be started, so one of the new maps is present in the game. It is possible to leave Asherim and return later. But if a player wants to do it all in one go, I'd say a few more weeks and I will have Asherim completely finished.
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youngneil1
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am
Re: Hearkenwold
These are some really nice and meaty screenshots there 
. I love the waterway shaping the terrain on it's way from the oasis, especially the cliff side looming over it. The new desert mountains fit the burning grounds well, no need to worry. Hehe, and a grappling hook made from a gallows rope is surely a unique piece of equipment, for sure - might be a favoite of the party's assassin, if present .
. I love the waterway shaping the terrain on it's way from the oasis, especially the cliff side looming over it. The new desert mountains fit the burning grounds well, no need to worry. Hehe, and a grappling hook made from a gallows rope is surely a unique piece of equipment, for sure - might be a favoite of the party's assassin, if present .Re: Hearkenwold
Thanks, youngneil1. It is fun playing with the height and different tiles such as the water. And of course, the animated waves prop.
Re: Hearkenwold
April Update
I downloaded and started working with build 188/189. The big change for me was how the status, or debuff, effects are notated on characters and creatures in battle. In the sample below, it shows combat with monsters who are under the effect of a hold spell and a sleep spell, as well as characters who have been poisoned. You can see the little purple image or the blue "z's" just above, while the green markings for poison appear in the top right corner of the token, as well as on the character portraits.
I would like to hear more feedback about this change. Personally, I think the addition of the status effects on the portraits are a good idea. However, on the combat map, I really miss those hold, sleep, and web spells engulfing either player characters or enemies. I forgot to mention, one of the Death Dogs was also webbed. It seems to me the new smaller icons on the combat map are just not visible enough at first glance. In fact, at first, it was not always easy for me to tell spells had landed successfully. Besides, it is just fun for me, if I create a web spell, I want to see that black sticky stuff all over the monsters on the map. Likewise, for holding creatures in place or under the influence of sleep. The same goes for player characters. I want that immediate feedback of seeing the effect smothering the affected token.
For comparison, here is an old screenshot with a beetle put to sleep. There is no mistaking that spell worked and the bug went nighty-night. Very satisfying.
And here is that witch battle, with the characters who have been webbed. It is communicated very clearly and immersive that they are stuck in webbing.
I don't want to suggest something that is not feasible in the engine, but it would be nice to have the option as a builder to maintain the larger status effects on characters and creatures in battle. Again, the icons on the portraits are fine. But I think the new method on how they display in combat is too small.
Now, some addition new screenshots from Hearkenwold, here is a new area, the Fields of Night.
A barrow location that the party can enter. Maybe digging their own grave.
This is all work that I'm doing to finish the guild adventure for paladins. It is almost complete, I just have a final dungeon level and the climactic encounter with the main antagonists. Then it is a matter of tying it all together, post-adventure stuff like returning to the guild master in Hearkenwold. All of it should take me a few more weeks, so I am hoping I have have a new version of the campaign available before the end of April.
I downloaded and started working with build 188/189. The big change for me was how the status, or debuff, effects are notated on characters and creatures in battle. In the sample below, it shows combat with monsters who are under the effect of a hold spell and a sleep spell, as well as characters who have been poisoned. You can see the little purple image or the blue "z's" just above, while the green markings for poison appear in the top right corner of the token, as well as on the character portraits.
I would like to hear more feedback about this change. Personally, I think the addition of the status effects on the portraits are a good idea. However, on the combat map, I really miss those hold, sleep, and web spells engulfing either player characters or enemies. I forgot to mention, one of the Death Dogs was also webbed. It seems to me the new smaller icons on the combat map are just not visible enough at first glance. In fact, at first, it was not always easy for me to tell spells had landed successfully. Besides, it is just fun for me, if I create a web spell, I want to see that black sticky stuff all over the monsters on the map. Likewise, for holding creatures in place or under the influence of sleep. The same goes for player characters. I want that immediate feedback of seeing the effect smothering the affected token.
For comparison, here is an old screenshot with a beetle put to sleep. There is no mistaking that spell worked and the bug went nighty-night. Very satisfying.
And here is that witch battle, with the characters who have been webbed. It is communicated very clearly and immersive that they are stuck in webbing.
I don't want to suggest something that is not feasible in the engine, but it would be nice to have the option as a builder to maintain the larger status effects on characters and creatures in battle. Again, the icons on the portraits are fine. But I think the new method on how they display in combat is too small.
Now, some addition new screenshots from Hearkenwold, here is a new area, the Fields of Night.
A barrow location that the party can enter. Maybe digging their own grave.
This is all work that I'm doing to finish the guild adventure for paladins. It is almost complete, I just have a final dungeon level and the climactic encounter with the main antagonists. Then it is a matter of tying it all together, post-adventure stuff like returning to the guild master in Hearkenwold. All of it should take me a few more weeks, so I am hoping I have have a new version of the campaign available before the end of April.
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youngneil1
- Posts: 148
- Joined: Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:01 am
Re: Hearkenwold
The gold pile/gold nuggets(?) in the last screen look dangerously tempting 
...
I will add an option to display the effect icons full size again, maybe even as an individual setting for each effect. The icons on the death dogs likely look a bit misplaced (too high) because the death dog is using a large creature size setting (2x2) while the death dog drawing itself more fills a wide creature space (2x1). Or that's my guess, at least.
...I will add an option to display the effect icons full size again, maybe even as an individual setting for each effect. The icons on the death dogs likely look a bit misplaced (too high) because the death dog is using a large creature size setting (2x2) while the death dog drawing itself more fills a wide creature space (2x1). Or that's my guess, at least.