NWN Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition - Beamdog's final enhancement - now with new premium modules

[ga♥]

[Before you edited your msg]
Who are you interviewing? Qwinn?

 

[Lilura]

No, not Qwinn. Someone else.

Cross You're complaining about the omission of a few tracks? Give me something concrete, please.

Anyway, none of this matters. PST:EE got Avellone's blessing. Also, Beamdog opened up +facilitation of modding. Plus, there is this:
https://forums.beamdog.com/discussion/68123/mod-beta-ps-t-unfinished-business-reloaded/p1

 

[ga♥]

You can't say who you are interviewing? Need to remain anonymous to protect his life or something?

 

[Sherry]

Hi!

gosh. Gosh. GOSH!

I am exhausted from following so many links and articles and videos and reading the forum at Beamdog with all the noise of posts and wants by the community but at least the office is full of activity like a new tileset, Steam Workshop support, Steam Friend inviting to multiplayer game and 64bit integration but I do not know how that will make my game more enjoyable. There is also a thread about Aielund saga which I played a few months back and it looks really nice with the screens posted to showoff high texture skys and even one tiger companion looked awesome but still had the same boxy look that I have in my gog copy.

The full party control has not made their workflow charts yet it looks like but it can now be voted on and then with enough votes it gets upped into a proposed production queue and is either iceboxed or becomes actively worked on so there is progress being made but there is a long way to go from what I have been reading since yesterday. There is a video tomorrow I am going to watch on Twitch it is something they seem to have been doing on a weekly basis so more information is still due out with the next .8154 patch introducting bug fixes, new scripting commands and some brand new features.

Still not enough incentive to purchase this though but worth keeping an eye on and following when gog makes it free again.

Thanks,
Sherry

 

[d1nolore]

Adding in game server listings is a massive positive. Then if they could have auto hak downloading and at least steam workshop for searching for modules. Ease of accessibility is the most important thing for keeping player numbers. As it is now you really have to go out of your way to stumble across servers or mods.

 

[Lilura]

Ease of accessibility

"Putting files into folders makes my brain hurt."

 

[d1nolore]

Ease of accessibility

"Putting files into folders makes my brain hurt."

Your thinking is backwards. The ability to log into a server and have the haks auto download greatly increases new player numbers. This is why most servers resisted using haks for many years. Once the game listings went down this really killed the number of new players logging in. This is where most surviving servers created their own NWN launchers and started using haks since the launcher could check for and download needed haks. But a new player needs to go out of their way to find a game server and its launcher. Thus its mostly old players hanging around.

Same for single player modules. I need to search the web for recommended modules, the find them on the nwvault, imagine all the mods players never find out about? The (new)nwvault is great but its an outdated delivery platform, yes technology advances. Steam workshop would give people the ability to find new content through Steam, greatly increasing accessibility.

Now imagine if Beamdog added the ability to search for modules and install them ingame similar to a multiplayer listing? This again would greatly increase player numbers for mods which would be a great thing for players and builders. (Not expecting this to be implemented though)

This line of thought is why we use cloud storage systems to share/access data, rather than still sending around megaupload links. "Yeah because uploading the file and emailing the link is so hard..."

 

[Lilura]

But a new player needs to go out of their way to find a game server and its launcher.

"Going to NWNList Scry makes my brain hurt."

Same for single player modules. I need to search the web for recommended modules

"Going to neverwintervault.org makes my brain hurt."

Overall, "thinking and doing - even just a lil' - makes my brain hurt."

 

[Infinitron]

Lilura I find your posts amusing but you're being hypocritical here. The things that you've claimed to like about NWN: EE in this thread come across as no less petty than what d1n4l9q7 is talking about. Many of them can no doubt also be addressed by mods and other "manual" methods.

Seriously, why is "new shaders" or whatever a good thing we should get excited about but a server list is bad and popamole? I think you're just being argumentative for its own sake now.

 

[Lilura]

My agenda aside, care to share your views on Beamdog, as they currently are, and your views on NWN:EE, as it currently stands?

 

[Jimmious]

I only have to say that d1n4l9q7 is not an acceptable nickname even in this age of time. A random word generator would probably do better

 

[Lilura]

To be fair, it suits a xvart.

 

[Tacgnol]

Why the fuck would anyone be against quality of life improvements?

I don't see how a server browser or easier mod installation is going to dumb down the game.

 

[Stokowski]

I only have to say that d1n4l9q7 is not an acceptable nickname even in this age of time. A random word generator would probably do better

I hate it when I register for a site and get the username and password fields mixed up.

 

[d1nolore]

I only have to say that d1n4l9q7 is not an acceptable nickname even in this age of time. A random word generator would probably do better

lol yes I specifically made the username to be unmemorable and unremarkable. Something that'd get lost in the ether. You guys made me laugh out loud though. I should probably change it since I keep trying to engage with people here.

I think Lilura just shits on anything I post here because she didn't like me disagreeing with her or feels I defamed her character
Never actually adds any counter points, just insults.

 

[Infinitron]

I only have to say that d1n4l9q7 is not an acceptable nickname even in this age of time. A random word generator would probably do better

lol yes I specifically made the username to be unmemorable and unremarkable. Something that'd get lost in the ether. You guys made me laugh out loud though. I should probably change it since I keep trying to engage with people here.

I think Lilura just shits on anything I post here because she didn't like me disagreeing with her or feels I defamed her character
Never actually adds any counter points, just insults.

Contact DarkUnderlord to change your username.

 

[Jimmious]

My job here is done

 

[Palomides]

I'm happy Sherry is back.

 

[Delterius]

Overall, "thinking and doing - even just a lil' - makes my brain hurt."

googling is an important institution worth defending, its the mark of true intellection -- a unprofessional blogger

 

[Dzupakazul]

But a new player needs to go out of their way to find a game server and its launcher.

"Going to NWNList Scry makes my brain hurt."

Same for single player modules. I need to search the web for recommended modules

"Going to neverwintervault.org makes my brain hurt."

Overall, "thinking and doing - even just a lil' - makes my brain hurt."

"Mucking around with WeiDu for a few minutes makes my brain hurt" was the main selling point of the original EEs.

 

[fantadomat]

Why the fuck would anyone be against quality of life improvements?

I don't see how a server browser or easier mod installation is going to dumb down the game.

You need to be at least level 3 hack wiz to be able to install the game!

Joke aside i do agree with you.

 

[Infinitron]

Source code in your changelog, now that's hardcore: http://blog.beamdog.com/2018/01/nwnee-head-start-patch-notes-v748154.html

NWN:EE Head Start Patch Notes v74.8154



Attention Head Start players! Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition patch 8154 is ready to download in the Beamdog Client! Today’s patch focuses mainly on bug & memory leak fixes, but also sets a few things up for the future.

If you’ve been watching the NWN:EE Trello boards, we’re sure you’ve noticed the team’s been busy adding and organizing community recommendations suggested through the Beamdog forums.

If you’re not watching the NWN:EE Trello boards, what are you waiting for? Check out the Roadmap Board and the Input Board to see what the team is working towards!

Bug Fixes

• Servers will not crash anymore when applying damage to a caster will trigger a Concentration check, but the originating player has left the server.
• Servers will not read invalid memory anymore in OnApplyTrueSeeing if no blindness effects were present.
• Servers will now update internal effect pointer housekeeping properly on Effect Removal. This fixes a rare case where a movement speed penalty would not go away after removing an ability penalty (and maybe others too).
• A dozen memory leaks have been addressed.

Regression Fixes

• Server will not crash anymore when you queue up a player character export and then the player leaves before the export runs.
• Area instancing: Player- and DM-clients are now kept in sync properly about new/deleted areas (no more empty names).
• Area instancing: Server will not crash anymore when areas are added/removed and internal exploration bitmap array goes out of sync.
• Familiar/DM-possession: Server will not write to bordering memory anymore on unpossess when areas are added/removed and the player is in someone else’s body.
• Area instancing: CopyArea should now copy all objects into the new area properly
• Area instancing: CopyArea will not create duplicate object IDs, sowing confusion.
• Direct Connect UI Panel: We broke it in 8153, and now we fixed it again.

Features

• [VM] SetDescription(..): Limit bumped to 128KB. (Was: 8KB). Although we increased the size limit, we recommend keeping this as small as possible as this is sent to clients on each view.
• [C++/Low-Level]: NWNXEntryPoint for Windows and macOS has been exported, paving the way to support it on those platforms. GetBuildNumber has been exported too, which will allow nwnx to fail gracefully on version mismatch, instead of catching fire.

New Script Commands
These new scripting commands allow more options for player minimap management. They go hand in hand with area instancing, as they will allow save/load of exploration states on a per-player-and-area basis (with some scripting).

// Sets if the given creature has explored tile at x, y of the given area.
// Note that creature needs to be a player- or player-possessed creature.
//
// Return values:
// -1: Area or creature invalid.
// 0: Tile was not explored before setting newState.
// 1: Tile was explored before setting newState.
int SetTileExplored(object creature, object area, int x, int y, int newState);
// Returns whether the given tile at x, y, for the given creature in the stated area is visible on
// the map.
// Note that creature needs to be a player- or player-possessed creature.
//
// Return values:
// -1: Area or creature invalid.
// 0: Tile is not explored yet.
// 1: Tile is explored.
int GetTileExplored(object creature, object area, int x, int y);
// Sets the creature to auto-explore the map as it walks around.
// Valid arguments: TRUE and FALSE.
// Does nothing for non-creatures.
// Returns the previous state (or -1 if non-creature).
int SetCreatureExploresMinimap(object creature, int newState);
// Returns TRUE if the creature is set to auto-explore the map as it walks around (on by default).
// Returns FALSE if creature is not actually a creature.
int GetCreatureExploresMinimap(object creature);

 

[Infinitron]

http://blog.beamdog.com/2018/01/january-12-livestream-recap.html

January 12 Livestream Recap


“You gonna love something bones to bone to make something very cool” ~ Trent Oster

Beamdog CEO Trent Oster and Studio Director Phillip Daigle kicked off 2018 sharing the latest Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition news, updates to the NWN:EE Roadmap board, and answered all kinds of questions from the community. They also spoke about the the 2.5 patch for the Infinity Engine games and hinted at announcing unannounced internal projects in 2018.

Missed the stream? It's on YouTube and Twitch!

Here's a quick summary of the highlights from today’s livestream:

• Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Head Start is available now. The new v74.8154 build focuses on bug fixes, but also contains new features and new script commands. See the full patch notes here.
• The team has been busy adding and organizing community recommendations on the Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition Trello boards. Watch the NWN:EE Roadmap board and the NWN:EE Input board for all the latest development news.
• There’s no third separate Trello board for bug fixes, but we always format each patch notes on our blog. You can also see them in the “Shipped with” categories of the Roadmap board.
• One of the things that moved from the Input board to the Roadmap board this week is the card for updating the player character models. More than 160 people voted for this feature and we’re investigating the request.
• The most interesting is the “Active” category of the Roadmap board. Cards in this category are features that are currently in development. You can see such items as New Master Server Integration, Add Steam Workshop support, Multiplayer Tunneling (NAT hole punching), Steam Friends List and Add new tileset there.
• The card for New “Build Hak” function using only module utilized assets is now in the “Icebox” category, which means we’re looking into it, but not immediately.
• The request to resize characters (scaling) has turned out to be a bigger task than we had actually anticipated, so it’s still in development.

“Game development reflects on rolling your face at the brick wall. Eventually, the wall breaks” ~ Trent Oster

• Regarding restoring the cut content in original Neverwinter Nights, - we can look at it on the case by case basis. Adding new content is more appealing to us, though.
• To those voting for the “Director’s Cut” version of the original Neverwinter Nights campaign, - be very cautious for what you’re asking for. Trent’s vision for it has an emphasis on “Cut”.
• Regarding requests for new classes in NWN:EE, - we’re more receptive for this type of feature, as it’s about add something new. In the same time, we’re also interested in making modders and module creators able to design new classes, such as Eye of Gruumsh and Shoe Disciple.
• We are not going to introduce a ton of balance changes to Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition. If something is a bug, it’ll be fixed, but if it’s a decision made by the original game designers - we’ll leave it.
• We’re waiting on the investigation on the UI rework options: one option is to make the existing UI fully moddable, and another option is to rework the UI from scratch and provide a mod support.
• The UI scaling is going to be improved - a lot of changes and improvements are expected. Stuff will come, but not overnight. The UI of NWN:EE needs love and in the same time it needs a kick in the ass.
• If you want to get involved and help and guide what improvements Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition should get – grab the Head Start and share your input on the forums. Then during triage meetings we’ll look at the Input board, see what features are top of the voting list and might decide to move them to the Roadmap board.

Trent’s favourite class is the Barbarian, while Phillip prefers the Blackguard.

• Thanks a lot to everyone who participated in the 2.5 update open beta for Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition, Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition and Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition and shared feedback.
• As soon as the 2.5 patch finishes the beta stage, it will be available across all stores and platforms, including the Mac App Store. We thank every Mac App Store customer for being patient.
• There’s no news about localizations for Siege of Dragonspear, but it may be something we’ll address in 2018. More news on development of Siege of Dragonspear for tablets soon.

Excited for what’s next? Come and join the next livestream next Friday!

 

[octavius]

Much ado about patching.

 

[Lilura]

My commentary on the above livestream quoted by Infinitron.