I've dabbled with the Foundry a bit, and I have a question or two...

lonnehart · May 2013

I've messed around with the stuff in the foundry and have learned to do some basic stuff. I do have a few questions though and I can't seem to find any good tutorials/wikis that would help explain things.

I notice there's a "budget window" at the bottom of the screen. Does it apply to the current map, or to the adventure as a whole. I hope it's not for the whole adventure as it would be difficult to make a multi floored dungeon crawl with just fifty rooms...

Is there any way to make objects into map transition objects, such as boats? And for that matter, where are the sea boats in this game (I only see airships).

And do the encounters scale depending on player level and if the player is teamed or not?

hercooles130uscg · May 2013

That is the map budget. I have maxed on the details budget on several maps in the same quest before.

You can make anything a map transition. This is done via the storyboard. When you make an objective on a new map, the Foundry asked what item to use as the transition. Just click whatever you like.

Foundry scale on level, but not on group size I believe.

tilt42 · May 2013

You can make any object into a transition object. This is done through the story board.

Encounters scale based on your level, but not party size.

wesleyeric · May 2013

First of all, and probably most importantly, yes the encounters scale! But keep in mind the game spikes up difficulty quite a bit after Level 30 or so (when your companions stop leveling if you're using the basic ones), so even though "Hard" encounters seem like a breeze at lower levels, they may be impossible for 60's!

The budget window is a little of everything. Most of what's immediately shown is per-map, so you don't have to worry about having only 50 rooms for your whole quest! That's just the room limit for one floor! Same with the details, encounters, Respawn points, Abort Doors, etc. The big limit you will find that is for your entire quest is that you can only have I think 10 Custom Maps total. If you make a ton of levels in your dungeons or have players traveling to all of your areas around the world, the Foundry will eventually pop up telling you that you won't be able to publish without deleting maps.

Pretty much any object can be made into a Transition Object. When choosing the transition you want to edit, there will be a section for you to select which Component you want to use. I think i used a Manticore Statue as a "door handle" for one of my quests. Probably one of the best objects you can use if you want to do a lot of transitions without worrying about stuff showing up where it shouldn't are the Invisible objects. Search for them, and you'll find them pretty easily under details. They work just like any other object and are perfect to place in front of doors (or boats) when you want someone to click to move to the next map.

Most of the ships in the game right now are the airships you're looking at. However, because they are Details for a map, you can move them using the 3D Edit tool to put them on the water if you would like. I believe they may even start on the ground anyway.

foundrymaker · May 2013

lonnehart wrote: »

I've messed around with the stuff in the foundry and have learned to do some basic stuff. I do have a few questions though and I can't seem to find any good tutorials/wikis that would help explain things.

All you need
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?158651-Yet-another-Video-Tutorial-series

angrysprite · May 2013

foundrymaker wrote: »

All you need
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?158651-Yet-another-Video-Tutorial-series

Well, not quite "all you need", but it is a solid start for beginners. I won't go into detail answering the OP as @wesleyeric and @hercooles130uscg did quite a respectable job of it.

I would like to reiterate in the most forceful way I can in written format without using obnoxious ALL CAPZ TYPE... Please, please, please be very careful about your combat balancing and except is specific circumstances: don't stack encounters. I played one Campaign three times: once at level 14, again at level 26 and again at level 39.

O.
M.
G.

The exponential increase in difficulty on the same maps and encounters was breath (and life) taking. Seriously - these Foundry quests easily turn into- group delves once the player gets past level 40 (and I prefer solo play myself). It becomes freakin' ridiculous. In the example Campaign I mention it took me 4 tries (and long waits) at the campfire. A few other Foundry quests that receive rave reviews (obviously from 20-something leveled players) were absolutely incompletable at level 40 (solo).

Please be careful. I am at the point now where I will likely refuse to play any Foundry quests on my main (and any alt) once I hit level 40 unless I can find the really good authors who've learned to give good balance - and I will subscribe to them on all my alts.

lonnehart · May 2013

angrysprite wrote: »

I would like to reiterate in the most forceful way I can in written format without using obnoxious ALL CAPZ TYPE... Please, please, please be very careful about your combat balancing and except is specific circumstances: don't stack encounters. I played one Campaign three times: once at level 14, again at level 26 and again at level 39.

Actually I want to create a dungeon crawl that's more exploration, so you may find combat with single groups of creatures unless it's in a populated area. What I do want to do is ensure the encounters do make sense. Finding a squad of orcs in a room that has been locked for centuries doesn't make any sense to me... you should find oozes or undead in there (oozes because they can sqeeze into small spaces, undead because they can last a long time without sustanence).

I'm also hoping to duplicate some traps I've seen in other games, such as Neverwinter Nights 2 where you had one party member operate a lever to block the path of a fireball so another party member can go across...

lonnehart · May 2013

I have another question. Is it possible to return to the previous map via a teleporter or door? You know... just in case the adventurers missed an item needed on their current floor, but that item is on the floor they just descended from?

gemstrike · May 2013

lonnehart wrote: »

I have another question. Is it possible to return to the previous map via a teleporter or door? You know... just in case the adventurers missed an item needed on their current floor, but that item is on the floor they just descended from?

There is no going back, you can only move forward. Now you can fake this by making a copy of a map and having the players go to this copy, but you can't move freely between maps. Or you could fake this again by having different levels in the same map, and use teleporters to connect the different parts together.

Smoke and mirrors my friend, smoke and mirrors.

lonnehart · May 2013

I see...

What about conversations with two NPCs. You know... where you talk with one NPC and the other also speaks to you?

tilt42 · May 2013

Just handle it through dialogue. I use the OOC tag to describe what's going on, and if two NPCs are close to each other I'll typically let them break into each other's dialogue, clearly explaining to the player what's going on. Sure, the camera won't move, but it's effective enough.

I've dabbled with the Foundry a bit, and I have a question or two...

Comments