NWN2, shit's too small, I can't see

[Severian Silk]

So, I'm playing MOTB on my 1080p 23" monitor and the interface text/buttons/whatever are WAAAAAAAAY too small. Is there a fix for this? I'm old, have old eyes.

 

[Bester]

It's a "Let me google it for you" kind of question. Yes, there's a mod on nexus. Just go get it.

 

[Severian Silk]

This thing?

http://www.nexusmods.com/neverwinter2/mods/81/?

Or is there another?

 

[Bester]

Yes.

 

[Severian Silk]

Okey dokey.

 

[Severian Silk]

I can't seem to be able to move the camera far away from my character, and only within certain corridors. In dungeons the camera movement is erratic, almost like tetris. Is there a way to make it behave like a normal game?

 

[ProphetSword]

The camera in NWN2 sucks ass. It's one of the biggest complaints about the game. I really wish they had used the same kind of camera they had for NWN.

Anyway, have you tried changing the camera modes using the * key to switch between them?

 

[Severian Silk]

I'm using strategy mode. It works okay, but it is stuck to only ~20m around my character. I can't scroll the whole map.

AoD had good camera.

 

[Roguey]

I'm using strategy mode. It works okay, but it is stuck to only ~20m around my character. I can't scroll the whole map.

That's intentional. Memory limitations.

 

[Skittles]

I can't seem to be able to move the camera far away from my character, and only within certain corridors. In dungeons the camera movement is erratic, almost like tetris. Is there a way to make it behave like a normal game?

Like most of NWN2's design decisions, you either need to learn to love suffering through the camera with stoicism or you should move on to greener pastures.

 

[Severian Silk]

I'm using strategy mode. It works okay, but it is stuck to only ~20m around my character. I can't scroll the whole map.

That's intentional. Memory limitations.

Wat? But NWN2 isn't on consoles...

I can't seem to be able to move the camera far away from my character, and only within certain corridors. In dungeons the camera movement is erratic, almost like tetris. Is there a way to make it behave like a normal game?

Like most of NWN2's design decisions, you either need to learn to love suffering through the camera with stoicism or you should move on to greener pastures.

Yeah, I don't think I can learn D&D 3.5 again either. Too much crap to remember. I picked my race and class because the character model and starting outfit looked cool.

 

[Average Manatee]

If you are stuck very close to the character, go to the menu and set the camera to something like free camera movement rather than close to character movement. You should be able to scroll a good 1-1.5 screens away from the PC.

 

[Sentinel]

Memory limitations can be both engine and hardware related issues.

 

[Roguey]

Wat? But NWN2 isn't on consoles...

It was going to be. http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...s-had-its-slam-dunk.51096/page-3#post-1378259

Also, PC games still have memory limitations to deal with. Even the original NWN had triggers you ran over that would spawn in creatures before you could see them.

 

[Severian Silk]

If you are stuck very close to the character, go to the menu and set the camera to something like free camera movement rather than close to character movement. You should be able to scroll a good 1-1.5 screens away from the PC.

Aha! That fixed things. Thanks.

 

[Average Manatee]

Also, PC games still have memory limitations to deal with. Even the original NWN had triggers you ran over that would spawn in creatures before you could see them.

Don't think it was memory limitations, MP servers ran fine with creatures running everywhere at once. They used the triggers to make sure stuff wouldn't wander around or get in fights/killed before they were needed and break the script or something.

 

[Roguey]

Don't think it was memory limitations, MP servers ran fine with creatures running everywhere at once. They used the triggers to make sure stuff wouldn't wander around or get in fights/killed before they were needed and break the script or something.

Why would the AI fight itself?

Keep in mind that new games have to be playable on hardware that's a few years old.

 

[Skittles]

Don't think it was memory limitations, MP servers ran fine with creatures running everywhere at once. They used the triggers to make sure stuff wouldn't wander around or get in fights/killed before they were needed and break the script or something.

Why would the AI fight itself?

Keep in mind that new games have to be playable on hardware that's a few years old.

NWN would fucking break in some scenes if it needed an actor to complete an action and it was already dead. He's not talking about the AI fighting itself; he means the PC killing enemies too soon.

 

[Severian Silk]

Also, PC games still have memory limitations to deal with. Even the original NWN had triggers you ran over that would spawn in creatures before you could see them.

Don't think it was memory limitations, MP servers ran fine with creatures running everywhere at once. They used the triggers to make sure stuff wouldn't wander around or get in fights/killed before they were needed and break the script or something.

Yeah, I call "bogus!" on the memory limitations as well. Singleplayer RPGs haven't needed more memory (except video memory maybe) in nearly two decades IMO.

I have seen the RTS Homeworld 2 run out of memory though due to spawning too many units over time. But that was after hundreds of units and more than an hour of playing.

 

[Iznaliu]

I'm old, have old eyes.

Your eyes are probably due for replacement.

 

[Average Manatee]

Don't think it was memory limitations, MP servers ran fine with creatures running everywhere at once. They used the triggers to make sure stuff wouldn't wander around or get in fights/killed before they were needed and break the script or something.

Why would the AI fight itself?

Keep in mind that new games have to be playable on hardware that's a few years old.

If a fight is going on nearby, AI might be drawn to heal friendlies or something. Or the player casts summon spells at the edge of their vision range and draws hostiles in.

Like I said, MP servers with vastly more stuff active at once across huge areas were a thing.

 

[Roguey]

NWN would fucking break in some scenes if it needed an actor to complete an action and it was already dead. He's not talking about the AI fighting itself; he means the PC killing enemies too soon.

Random trash mobs in a dungeon though?

Yeah, I call "bogus!" on the memory limitations as well. Singleplayer RPGs haven't needed more memory (except video memory maybe) in nearly two decades IMO.

I have seen the RTS Homeworld 2 run out of memory though due to spawning too many units over time. But that was after hundreds of units and more than an hour.

Pillars of Eternity.

In my NWN2 experience, the frame rate would plummet if a ton of creatures were on the same screen. Bioware's engine was incredibly memory-inefficient (so was Obsidian's version of Unity).

Another example: Vizima's trade quarter in The Witcher. Framerate drops like a stone in just that one area.

 

[Severian Silk]

Pillars of Eternity.

In my NWN2 experience, the frame rate would plummet if a ton of creatures were on the same screen. Bioware's engine was incredibly memory-inefficient (so was Obsidian's version of Unity).

That is kind of a vague/generic symptom. It could have been lack of video memory. Are you sure it was system memory causing this? I suppose if each creature has an AI that could also bring the CPU to a crawl...

 

[Skittles]

NWN would fucking break in some scenes if it needed an actor to complete an action and it was already dead. He's not talking about the AI fighting itself; he means the PC killing enemies too soon.

Random trash mobs in a dungeon though?

Yeah, the game would suck ass if eighty-three randos "hiding in the shadows" didn't spawn in behind your magic users every three steps. NWN is just that hardcore.

But seriously, enemies spawning in from unexpected directions is one frequently abused leveraged tool in NWN2's encounter design to increase combat interest and difficulty. I hate it, but I think it was a play-focused design decision rather than merely a practical limitation.

 

[Roguey]

Yeah, the game would suck ass if eighty-three randos "hiding in the shadows" didn't spawn in behind your magic users every three steps. NWN is just that hardcore.

But seriously, enemies spawning in from unexpected directions is one frequently abused leveraged tool in NWN2's encounter design to increase combat interest and difficulty. I hate it, but I think it was a play-focused design decision rather than merely a practical limitation.

That was actually a product of Obsidian's ineptitude. Patrick Weekes publicly called them out on it http://www.rpgcodex.net/forums/inde...re-release-thread.75304/page-246#post-3388492 (he's since purged his account and unfortunately I didn't save the entire thing)

They had it mostly figured it out with MotB though.