Level of Detail
You can now specify LODs via a new file type ".lod". When the game loads the model mymodel.mdl, it will look up mymodel.lod. Inside that file, add the following lines:
mymodel_0
40 mymodel_1
80.5 mymodel_2
The game supports LOD files with up to three levels, as shown above. You may omit the last entry. The first line is the high-resolution model; the other two are meant to be lower-resolution model files, that will be dynamically swapped out as the camera reaches the given distance.
Please note that LODs are highly dependent on the screen resolution of the client. The actual mechanisms here need to still be figured out; but for now, we'd suggest choosing LOD distances as if the user had a 1080p screen. To support other resolutions, there is a configuration slider in the debug settings (Ctrl-Shift-F12, select "Config", key: "graphics.lod.scale-factor") that users can influence LOD distances with.
Animation Slots
The game now supports 50 more custom animation slots (LOOPING_CUSTOM21 -> 70).
Script call to swap out textures on the fly
A new script call was added:
// Makes oPC load texture sNewName instead of sOldName.
// If oPC is OBJECT_INVALID, it will apply the override to all active players
// Setting sNewName to "" will clear the override and revert to original.
void SetTextureOverride(string sOldName, string sNewName = "", object oPC = OBJECT_INVALID);
Changes made through this call will appear immediately on clients.
NWSync
When downloading something via NWSync, disk writes now happen asynchronously while more content is downloaded. This should minimise occurrences of "Waiting On Storage". If this is giving you grief, you can turn it off in settings via the key "nwsync.transfer.flush.async".
The NWSync Downloader UI was swapped out with a new version, which is now rendered in Nuklear. It has a fancy graph and a pause button.
Finally, the Storage Manager (Options -> NWSync) now has two tabs: Servers, and Modules. Server manifests (i.e. when joining a PW that offers files) show up in the Server tab.
The Modules tab will show all singleplayer/offline modules you have downloaded via NWSync. To facilitate this, the Storage Manager UI now can download offline modules for you; however, by default, no remote repositories offering this are added to your game. Stay tuned on the community websites for upcoming download repositories of offline modules!
Modules downloaded this way will show up under "Other Modules" when clicking Singleplayer -> New Game.
New Scripting Functions
- GetSpecialization(), GetDomain()
int DOMAIN_AIR = 0;
int DOMAIN_ANIMAL = 1;
int DOMAIN_DEATH = 3;
int DOMAIN_DESTRUCTION = 4;
int DOMAIN_EARTH = 5;
int DOMAIN_EVIL = 6;
int DOMAIN_FIRE = 7;
int DOMAIN_GOOD = 8;
int DOMAIN_HEALING = 9;
int DOMAIN_KNOWLEDGE = 10;
int DOMAIN_MAGIC = 13;
int DOMAIN_PLANT = 14;
int DOMAIN_PROTECTION = 15;
int DOMAIN_STRENGTH = 16;
int DOMAIN_SUN = 17;
int DOMAIN_TRAVEL = 18;
int DOMAIN_TRICKERY = 19;
int DOMAIN_WAR = 20;
int DOMAIN_WATER = 21;
// Returns oCreature's spell school specialization in nClass (SPELL_SCHOOL_* constants)
// Unless custom content is used, only Wizards have spell schools
// Returns -1 on error
int GetSpecialization(object oCreature, int nClass = CLASS_TYPE_WIZARD);
// Returns oCreature's domain in nClass (DOMAIN_* constants)
// nDomainIndex - 1 or 2
// Unless custom content is used, only Clerics have domains
// Returns -1 on error
int GetDomain(object oCreature, int nDomainIndex = 1, int nClass = CLASS_TYPE_CLERIC);
PostString()
int SCREEN_ANCHOR_TOP_LEFT = 0;
int SCREEN_ANCHOR_TOP_RIGHT = 1;
int SCREEN_ANCHOR_BOTTOM_LEFT = 2;
int SCREEN_ANCHOR_BOTTOM_RIGHT = 3;
int SCREEN_ANCHOR_CENTER = 4;
// Displays sMsg on oPC's screen.
// The message is displayed on top of whatever is on the screen, including UI elements
// nX, nY - coordinates of the first character to be displayed. The value is in terms
// of character 'slot' relative to the nAnchor anchor point.
// If the number is negative, it is applied from the bottom/right.
// nAnchor - SCREEN_ANCHOR_* constant
// fLife - Duration in seconds until the string disappears.
// nRGBA, nRGBA2 - Colors of the string in 0xRRGGBBAA format. String starts at nRGBA,
// but as it nears end of life, it will slowly blend into nRGBA2.
// nID - Optional ID of a string. If not 0, subsequent calls to PostString will
// remove the old string with the same ID, even if it's lifetime has not elapsed.
// Only positive values are allowed.
// sFont - If specified, use this custom font instead of default console font.
void PostString(object oPC, string sMsg, int nX = 0, int nY = 0, int nAnchor = SCREEN_ANCHOR_TOP_LEFT, float fLife = 10.0f, int nRGBA = 2147418367, int nRGBA2 = 2147418367, int nID = 0, string sFont="");
PERFORMANCE
Overall game performance has been improved drastically - in some cases, up by 200%. Lower bound performance should be vastly improved, especially on slower hardware.
- Perf optimisation: Timer-related updates with many AI objects.
- Perf optimisation: The config system is now smarter in tracking updates.
- Perf optimisation: Shadows are now much cheaper on the cpu.
- Perf optimisation: Texture units are now managed more efficiently.
- Perf optimisation: Transformation matrix updates have been optimised.
- Perf optimisation: Buffer uploads to the GPU have been made smarter.
- Perf optimisation: Texture caching has been optimised.
- A new renderhint "NormalTangents" was added, that omits checking for specular maps.
- Perf optimisation: nwsync setup and updates now avoid excess memcpys and should be much faster.
PATHFINDING
Pathfinding when clicking near objects was improved:
FIXES TO WYVERN: CROWN OF CORMYR
- The module now includes all script sources
- Fixed "horse hat", and "cannot mount, your tail is in the way" issues
- Lucinda's Warhorse sometimes vanished upon creation, in Thunderstone
- Empty joust journal entries now read properly
- Tile repairs (Castle Barrow, end game bridge, a couple odds & ends)
- Soundset.2da conflicts with Heros of Neverwinter fixed
- Realigned all horse and snake blue prints to use proper soundsets
- Removed duplicate/conflicting SET, ITP, 2DA and TGA files
- Lifted a Z-fighting prop in Jousting Grounds
- Replaced missing doors in Polter's Fort (Lower/Upper)
- Fixed broken transition between Wyvernwater Castle Stables and Wyvernwater Castle
FIXES TO PIRATES OF THE SWORD COAST
- The module now includes all script sources
- Eliminated content from haks duplicated in XP3.bif, merged 2DA's where possible
- Performance fixes for PotSC-Exclusive tiles (TCN01)
- Fixed a few cases where henchmen could go hostile in cutscenes and break the game
MISC
- Module compatibility has been bumped to 1.80.
- ResMan can now use more than 256MB of memory for caching. There is a configuration option to specify the percentage of detected physical memory that ResMan can use. Additionally, new defaults in place will avoid I/O churn, resulting in vastly improved performance in complex scenes.
- [Windows] We fixed large strings, such as chat logs, disappearing if they exceed 1024 characters.
- We addressed an issue where models/resources would leak over when hopping servers, sometimes resulting in a crash.
- We updated the crash reporter text and URL.
- The data build has been updated, containing the mentioned tileset fixes (ovr/ has been cleaned out into the keyfiles as well, in case you were wondering).
- ruleset.2da now exposes the following chargen-related constants: CHARGEN_ENABLED_PHENOTYPES, CHARGEN_ABILITY_COST_INCREMENT2, CHARGEN_ABILITY_COST_INCREMENT3, CHARGEN_ABILITY_COST_INCREMENT4, CHARGEN_BASE_ABILITY_MIN, CHARGEN_BASE_ABILITY_MIN_PRIMARY, CHARGEN_BASE_ABILITY_MAX, CHARGEN_ABILITY_NEUTRAL_VALUE, CHARGEN_ABILITY_MODIFIER_INCREMENT, CHARGEN_SKILL_MAX_LEVEL_1_BONUS
- Chargen combinations with any domain, school, spell, and companion should now work fine.
- Radial subspell count has been upped to 8 (from 5).
- Chargen now allows customisation of class, race, gender, and alignment starting clothes (chargenclothes.2da).
- We fixed cls_stat_ tables erroneously being read off by one when validating characters.
- [Windows] We fixed fullscreen resolution not being detected on first start.
- We fixed Creature and Heartbeat logging settings being conflated.
- We fixed GetCasterLevel() on AOEs/SLAs erroneously invalid values.
- We fixed Linux Steam CD key provisioning.
- Fixed tile path nodes not showing up.
- We fixed ground triggers disappearing or losing tint.
- Lighting oddities in GUI scenes with some advanced shader mechanisms have been addressed.
- The premium module Wyvern: Crown Of Cormyr no longer crashes the game.
- The GetDurationRemaining-like script calls now work properly when the duration is longer than one day.
- The game now defaults to fullscreen on all platforms except MacOS.
- [Mac] Screen Edge Camera Turning when using the MacOS builtin maximise works again.
- CopyObject() with a new tag specified no longer erroneously adds the object to the old tag lookup.
- The player name is now properly sent to the server even if the Remember checkbox is not checked.
- racialtypes.2da no longer divides by zero when the FeatPerLevel columns are 0.
- The lightning flash model was resized to full even large screens.
- pregen.2da now contains all builtin bics so they don't litter the character selection anymore.
- The parameter +password on the command line was fixed.
- Human female PLT textures now fall back to male if missing.
- Intro movies now again play correctly.
- Windows server now shows and advertises the patch revision.
- The NWSync Downloader now shows a more verbose error if it is unavailable.
- A crash in chargen when adding more lines to skills.2da has been fixed.
- A rare nullptr dereference when adding unknown party members has been fixed.
- ActivatePortal() now properly uses relays if needed.
- Learn Scroll no longer hangs the server.
- ELC for Sorcerer and Bards with too many spells has been fixed.
- Class IDs > 15 now get spells in the radial.
- Support for >17 bones.
- When reading configuration variables, 't' and 'true' are now valid trueish.
- When reading configuration environment override variables, . and - are now replaced with _.
- Spells in the spellbook are now sorted (alphabetically). You can turn this off in settings.tml: ui.spellbook.sort-spells
- New ruleset.2da toggle: ALLOW_CUSTOM_PORTRAITS (in chargen)
FIXES
- The priorities of userpatch, modules, haks, and override have been restored.
- We fixed a shader issue that would result in illumination appearing on content that was intended to be black (e.g. the tile borders in the “Dungeon” tileset).
- We fixed mipmaps not being generated for non-compressed textures.
TOOLSET
- Toolset now allows selection of heads from custom slots 50-99.
- The up and down arrow keys for Adjust Position now progress in perfect sequence.
- We fixed a bug where double-clicking on an area entry could cause parts of the toolbar to grey out.
- We fixed a truncation issue when using search & replace in the script editor.
- You can now add a NAME CExoString field to your custom tileset palettes, instead of having to put a STRREF.
- Object descriptions over 2000 characters long are no longer truncated.
- The toolset no longer crashes when moving the start location between areas open in multiple tabs.
- A group of raised objects now retains their z-level when moved.
- The script editor no longer freezes when trying to compile **/**.
- Shield equipping logic in the creature editor was fixed.
TILESET CHANGES
- Collision (250+) Added necessary spacing for "drive-through" transitions, and fixed faulty walkmeshes
- Lighting (150+) Fixed lights with improper flags set, for performance.
- Emitters & Animations (150+) Tiles with bad settings on emitters, and improper animation sequences, were fixed
- All doors in game (192) checked for animations, transitions, collision. Transition meshes changed to reflect door art.
- Over 850 optimization and beauty fixes for Castle Exterior, Rural set imported from the Tyrants of the Moonsea premium module
- Major pathfinding fixes for Castle Exterior, Rural
- A handful of new doors to fit the tile art better
- A new "Doorcap, Interior" Feature Tile for TNI02 and TNI01, to allow drive-through transitions for doors placed on very edges of areas
- Doors with improper orientation arrows were fixed where discovered, as well as negative values in the SET files
- Off-height and blocking walkmeshes fixed for bridges in Sea Caverns and Steamworks sets
- Repaired 2 TNO01 tiles for SQRT Error
- Repaired the 2x2 smithy in TNI01, and made the DoorCap, interior a unique tile
- Fixed a shadow leak in the hobgoblin head model (seen in WCoC intro cutscene)
- Performance fixes for TCN01 (stock assets)
- Fixed a blocky water VFX on a TCN01 Temple's fountain (TCN01_W03_01)
- Fixed blocky smoke on a couple forest campfires (TTF01_T13_01 and TTF01_S16_01)
- Repaired a few reported broken walkmeshes, in various sets
- Fixed a regression in 2 water tiles, appearing in Blacklake District et.al.
