andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Apr 2, 2014 3:22:32 GMT
Since there was a thread for discussing the Sanctum of the Archmage modules on P&T, I thought I should create one here too. There's been ongoing interest in progress on the Sanctum 2 remake, so I wanted to give a brief update on that. Unfortunately, I've had to put my modding work completely on hold again until I can make some more progress on my novels. The good news about that is that I'm just about ready to release a first teaser chapter this month, and have given myself a deadline to publish the first novel by the last week of August at the latest. I've got all the technical issues worked out now, such as how to create and format e-books that look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Once the first novel is out on Kindle, finishing and releasing the Sanctum 2 remake should be the next item on my to-do list.
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Post by Magpie on Apr 3, 2014 15:17:58 GMT
Since there was a thread for discussing the Sanctum of the Archmage modules on P&T, I thought I should create one here too. There's been ongoing interest in progress on the Sanctum 2 remake, so I wanted to give a brief update on that. Unfortunately, I've had to put my modding work completely on hold again until I can make some more progress on my novels. The good news about that is that I'm just about ready to release a first teaser chapter this month, and have given myself a deadline to publish the first novel by the last week of August at the latest. I've got all the technical issues worked out now, such as how to create and format e-books that look pretty darn good if I do say so myself. Once the first novel is out on Kindle, finishing and releasing the Sanctum 2 remake should be the next item on my to-do list. Ooh. I went to the site and everything looks super shiny. As soon as I get my damned NWN to work, I shall download post-haste! But seriously, you can tell a lot of work and thought went into it. You even have a map! I do really adore the NWN toolset for the sole reason that it's a perfect way for writers/artists who are interested in making a game or seeing how well a piece is enjoyed without needing a fully-staffed team to work out the codes and stuff. It can even help map out interactions for other mods (I know Shades is using it to put a mod together for BG2).
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andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Apr 4, 2014 2:41:55 GMT
Ooh. I went to the site and everything looks super shiny. As soon as I get my damned NWN to work, I shall download post-haste! But seriously, you can tell a lot of work and thought went into it. You even have a map! I do really adore the NWN toolset for the sole reason that it's a perfect way for writers/artists who are interested in making a game or seeing how well a piece is enjoyed without needing a fully-staffed team to work out the codes and stuff. It can even help map out interactions for other mods (I know Shades is using it to put a mod together for BG2). Thanks for the kind words, Magpie! I hope you like the mods. The map on the website is primitive, though, compared to the new version that'll be in the teaser. That was one of the things I wanted to make sure got a professional job of re-working for the Kindle books. NWN really is a wonderful tool for developing RPGs, with a great balance between features and ease of use and development. You can do more with NWN2 and DA, but it takes so much more time and effort that it becomes nearly prohibitive to accomplish much without a team. NWN is better at enabling the individual modder to realize their own vision than any other toolset I've seen.
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Post by Songlian on Apr 5, 2014 10:59:12 GMT
Ok, I am installing SotA, too, besides ADWR. I've been hearing a lot of good praise on it to make up my mind. Really looking forward to it!
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andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Apr 5, 2014 12:35:33 GMT
Ok, I am installing SotA, too, besides ADWR. I've been hearing a lot of good praise on it to make up my mind. Really looking forward to it! Thanks -- hope you enjoy it! I just want to offer one caution to any new players, though, in case the current status of the two chapters isn't clear from the documentation. The available versions of Sanctum 1 and 2 right now are out of sync. Sanctum 1 is currently at v4.1, while Sanctum 2 is still at v3.4. The v4 update to Sanctum 1 was a major re-write, and changed the module architecture so much that it's unfortunately no longer compatible with v3.4. That means that it's currently not possible to continue a game from Sanctum 1 v4.1 directly into Sanctum 2 v3.4. The v4.2 update for both modules to bring them in sync with each other again is what I've had to put on hold until I can make more progress on the novels. I definitely recommend playing Sanctum 1 v4.1, for which the download list is here. It's a lot, so be prepared! The downloads on the Sanctum 1 Vault page are for Sanctum 1 v3.4, so don't use them unless you want (or also want) to try the previous version. When you reach the end of Sanctum 1, there are three options right now with regard to continuing into Chapter 2: - (Recommended) Start Chapter 2 as a new game, preferably with an export of your character from the very beginning of Sanctum 1 v4.1. You may run into problems, especially with some of the custom items, if you try to import your character from the end of Chapter 1. You'll get XP at the start of Chapter 2 to level yourself up for the module. If anyone wants to try this option, let me know and I can prepare a set of console commands as well that will let you set any important variables (such as the status of the romances) from where they were at the end of Sanctum 1 v4.1. Give yourself a pile of money and take the shopping trip offered at the start to equip yourself.
- Stop playing at the end of Sanctum 1 and wait for the Chapter 2 remake.
- Do another playthrough with Sanctum 1 v3.4 (from the Vault page), and then use the option at the end to continue directly into Sanctum 2v3.4. I've had several players who liked the mods enough to do that (and have given me valuable feedback on the changes), but it's not something I'd ever expect players to want to do.
A few players have also reported a video card bug that can cause some of the plot-critical placeables not to appear in game. The dead giveaway for this is that if you reach the Master Control Room and don't see the Master Control Console and/or the Master Control Access Panel. I've prepared a "patch hak" for those cases that re-maps those models to others that do seem to work with the bugged cards -- if you run into that situation, let me know and I'll post it. Have fun, and let me know if you have any problems or questions!
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Post by Magpie on Apr 5, 2014 12:51:09 GMT
- Stop playing at the end of Sanctum 1 and wait for the Chapter 2 remake.
Why thooooooo? You don't like how it came out?
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Post by Songlian on Apr 5, 2014 13:03:39 GMT
I just want to offer one caution to any new players, though, in case the current status of the two chapters isn't clear from the documentation. Thank you for this! And have no worries, I have so many mods and games installed, you'll probably finish Chapter 4 before I am done with 1.
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andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Apr 5, 2014 13:18:48 GMT
- Stop playing at the end of Sanctum 1 and wait for the Chapter 2 remake.
Why thooooooo? You don't like how it came out? No, not at all! Hopefully, though, you'll be very motivated to keep playing at the end of Chapter 1, so that prospect of waiting will generate a frowny face.
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Post by Magpie on Apr 5, 2014 15:09:43 GMT
Why thooooooo? You don't like how it came out? No, not at all! Hopefully, though, you'll be very motivated to keep playing at the end of Chapter 1, so that prospect of waiting will generate a frowny face. I WAS GONNA SAY "Pfft, if I'm really into the mod ain't no one gonna stop me from completing the story." So this is good. I'm helping Shades with PaT move, so hopefully when all of it's done I can try it out! I'm stoked.
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Post by notabarbiegirl on Apr 6, 2014 16:36:52 GMT
I, of course, have played both versions of the mod. They are both well done and the 4.1 was surprising, in a good way, with the updated creatures and gear.
Anyone who like some challenge, and a sweet romance should most defiantly down load Andarians work. I am actually looking forward to the book release Sir., keep up the good work.
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Post by Magpie on Apr 6, 2014 23:00:40 GMT
Downloading it now! So excited!
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andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Apr 7, 2014 2:59:46 GMT
My post a couple of days ago about not being able to continue a Sanctum 1v4.1 game into Sanctum 2v3.4, motivated me to look again at the technical issues that were preventing it. And I have some good news. It's looking as though the only real problem is that some of the items that were coming across from the new, Project Q compatible version of Chapter 1 were messing up and not working with the old module design. In some cases these became un-touchable and undisplayable, leaving holes in the player's inventory that made other items randomly vanish and reappear. That's what I remember seeing when I first tested the link, and what made me conclude that it just wouldn't work.
On the (apparently correct) suspicion that this was the only problem that needed to be overcome, I spent some time building a "patch hak" for Sanctum 2 that would fix up these items so that they would be compatible with Sanctum 2. And the good news is that it seems to work. I'm partway through a playtest of Chapter 2 that I started with an export of a character from the end of Chapter 1. With the items fixed up, it plays flawlessly. I'm going to finish my playtest, and then if it still proves out, I'll post the "patch hak" for players to download. There are still some startling discrepancies in the older version of chapter 2 (such as the obsolete D&D references, and the fact that I re-built the Earthen city completely for v4), but other than that it seems quite playable.
I'm also getting motivated again to get the Sanctum 2 remake done once and for all. I think that after the "teaser chapter" of my novel comes out this month, I'm going to finish that first before returning to the novels. The teaser's mostly set to go -- it just needs some final proofreading, and my collaborator Charles is finishing the cover art.
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Post by notabarbiegirl on Apr 7, 2014 11:13:34 GMT
This news is fantastic. See how easily you can make a group of women happy Andarian . The fact that you like your own characters and story ads to the reason your work turns out so well.
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nazzy
Gibberling
Posts: 9
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Post by nazzy on Apr 7, 2014 15:39:27 GMT
Excellent news, Andarian! My druid Emmeline is itching to get back to making eyes at Orion. (and you may just inspire more fic, so fair warning)
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andarian
Kobold
Computer Scientist and Fiction Writer
Posts: 63
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Post by andarian on Nov 9, 2014 18:18:48 GMT
Here are some updates on the Sanctum of the Archmage modules. From the Sanctum Blog: Work on the Game Modules is Suspended IndefinitelySince there’s not a great deal of work left to do on the Sanctum 2 v4.2 remake, I do expect to be able to release it early next year. That will probably be just after I publish the first of the Sanctum novels ... [The modules] remain in my mind as projects that I want to find time to get back to, when and if I can. At this point in my life, however, I simply have no choice but to put other priorities ahead of them. And at the present time, those have to be the demands of my career ... and publishing Sanctum of the Archmage as a series of novels. From the Sanctum 1 Module page on the Neverwinter Vault: The first full length novel ... tells the story of the Fall of Lannamon, which Robin, Orion and Diana describe briefly in the modules. I'm hoping to finish that book and the remake of the second NWN mod and release them at the same time, hopefully sometime early next year (*fingers crossed*).
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