"Decades ago, a war between the various guilds of a large city brought chaos. Several refugees fled into the high mountains. There, the small town of Coldhearth was established. You are a direct descendant of the original settlers."
Designed for 1st level (and ending around 9th), any class, single-player (it might be multiplayer-friendly, but you'll need a dm in that case because the cutscenes tend to break multiplayer). Set in a custom campaign setting (based on my old pnp sessions that were a combination of TSR sources including Greyhawk and the Forgotten Realms), the module's structure is mostly nonlinear. It's possible to start play with a character above 1st level, since many encounters scale, but that isn't recommended.
Posted by werelynx2 at 2012-01-15 12:30:54 Voted 7.75 on 01/15/12
Beautiful tilesets and astonishing ideas mixed with lack of polish.
Issues:
- huge areas(plains, wastelands in the future etc.) - spread thin
- my items cloned like 10 times in the wardens desk - caused a lag(crash mentioned below by amethyst)
- lots of backtracking
- golem disintegration suggestion: if the chamber of disintegration would be called dismemberment chamber or anything inside would dismember it would be easier to figure out how to repair golem.
- most conversations are one-shot only meaning that some quests or lines may be never achieved: great warrior quest convo with rathnor for example(couldn't do the quest)
- arena dispels dm_mylittlepony(necessary due to large areas)
- desert/snowy/swamp ecosystem - how come such areas coexist in such closeness?
- respawning critters is overdone
- bubonicus(necromancer) got killed by zombies I spawned(muaha ha ha)
- Anczera stays in plains
- shadow skeleton's spawn even after the circle disappeared
- returning from shadowplane is almost impossible(you can't travel from tower back to any other part of shadowplane(besides couldn't nightlord or merchant send you back? or even suicide option?)
- not enough bag of holding(1? in entire mod) for those amount of loot(low pricey, but heavy) and not enough money for the stuff offered by shops
- you can buy infinite goblin eggbeater cards and make them into daggers that sell for 1k, and gain infinite money, but it is tedious
- obelisk used first time did not transport my henchies
- no powerful rapiers(+1?) till the end of the game
- started 1st level, it was a little too difficult for me, you should start maybe 3rd, 4th lvl.
- one guy in thieves hideout in daggerfalls was paralysed
- at some point I became unable to summon my animal companion, it fixed itself after awhile(probably a script from the arena did not fire properly)
- sth cuthbert aaron shop is one time only or something(maybe after you kill those wolves, but I'm not sure)
- no cutscene in skullcity that is described in the readme
- skullcity guards attack me but do not turn hostile, when I try to enter palace
- how come there is quest that only 20th level can do, when the module ended I had only 12. I know I could start with for example 8th level and maybe get enough XPs, but you advise to start at first level. _________________________ Thanks Rolo:)
Posted by Copperhawk at 2010-09-03 13:34:29 Voted 8.00 on 09/03/10
Some interesting story elements but overall uninspiring and repetitive combat, large maps with many un-interactable objects and limited NPC interaction.
Hmmm...you're the first to mention such a bug so I hope it's just you. As to the rest of your points, I think I agree completely.
Posted by amethyst347 at 2009-06-08 11:06:51 Voted 9.00 on 06/08/09
One thing I forgot:
*SPOILER*
I couldn't do the Massacre at the Inn quest because it kept making my computer crash. When I surrendered to the guards and was arrested, the game just hung there for a while, then loaded the jail scene. I managed to break out of the cell, but I had to bash the desk to get my stuff out (should there have been a key on the warden's body? It would make sense...), and at the point where the desk broke, the game just froze. Had to restart my computer. Tried to re-do it a few times with no joy. Dunno if this is just a problem on my end, but thought it worth mentioning. :)
Posted by amethyst347 at 2009-06-08 11:02:19 Voted 9.00 on 06/08/09
Though I enjoyed this mod, I really wanted to like it more than I did. I think, perhaps, the non-linear nature didn't really mesh well with the standard hack-n-slash setting, whereas if this were another of your "weird" mods, the lack of direction would have been a better fit. Also, I spent a couple evenings freeing up disk space and updating to CEP 2.2 just to play this, so maybe my expectations were a little too high.
As it was, I felt quite lost and aimless most of the time, and I can't imagine I'd have finished w/o the walkthrough. The mod felt like it was trying to have a plot, but didn't quite manage to do it. I also found it a bit too difficult at times; I couldn't kill the final boss so I just cheated. :p
That said, I did have fun playing, the mod looked great and was well-designed (though I wasn't too keen on the largeness of the Great Plains!), and there were plenty of interesting details and ideas here (the River Lethe, the Arena, the Obelisks--though I wish there'd been more of them--the chaos crystal, etc). Overall, though, I just wasn't as into it as I could have been. :/
Ah thank you very much, I believe that's the first multiplayer feedback this module has received so far.
Posted by Kolyana at 2009-04-15 23:41:35 Voted 7.75 on 04/15/09
hey there.
Firstly, thanks for making a NWN 1 mod; there aren't too many of us around, and I totally appreciate you coming up with a quality mod for the community to play; keep up the great work.
I played with some friends and we unearthed some potential bugs, and I have a little feedback on how this is playing out.
LOVED hte Never Cards - but couldn't find anyone to play against early enough; I think that there should be someone in the starting village just to sink your teeth into the concept. Joseph OFFERS to play, but won't, even if you have cards. After you've spoek to him once on the subject, he never even hints at playing again.
The whole 'dead world/charon' thing is very cool, my grouped loved it, but it's buggy and gets tedious fast.
Firstly, Charon only teleported two of the 4 strong part to the soul gathering part and wouldn't let the others follow; two had to stay behind - Charon kept saying "you don't have a soul!" as if we *should have* been gathering them, but he never offered to teleport us.
Secondly, stuck with not being able to gather souls, we opted to walk across the river and lost XP - no biggy - but the pathing is weird in parts, so one of us walked across, lost xp, then had their character walk BACK around a rock and lost even more ... really annoying.
Spawning back where you died after doing this SUCKS, because typically if it was strong enough to kill you the first time, it's going to kill you again ... now you're back on the other side of the river and ready to lose more XP. If you could respawn in a safe spot somehow, or penalize LESS for crossing the styx multiple times within quick succession, it would be less annoying.
After dying, all of our characters were in a permanent ghost mode. Everyone else in the party looked 'solid' and normal, but we all observed that looking at our own characters on our own screen, we looked like ghosts.
SPOILER: the whole thing with people dying in the inn was WEIRD in multi-player. Someone was talking to the inn keeper while I was talking to the dwarf - suddenly everyone is DEAD before our eyes; it was really disjointed and we didn't know what had happened and spent a while trying to figure it out.
When one person was taken to jail ... ONLY one person was taken, leaving thr other three behind. He broke out, and ANOTHER person in the party was now hostile to all of the town for no good reason. Guards attacked and killed this second person, while the jail breaker ran around scott-free.
Can't stress that one enough - having someone in the party who WASN'T taken to jail be blamed for the jail break and be hostile to everyone, while the rest of the party of cool, is ODD and annoying to the person who keeps on getting beat down. Incidentally, when Charon teleportd player "A" to the field of souls, player "B" was taken as well, well "C" and "D" were left behind. When "A" was taken to jail and brokeout, "B" went hostile to the town, and "A", "C" and "D" were still neutral.
SPOILER: Lastly, a couple of these encounters are TOUGH for 1st level characters (playing on hard mode); the kobold chieftain, the hut next to him FULL of kobold assassin types, the orc cave with 3 orc champions RIGHT THERE at the entrance.
There's no warning at all that these encounters are going to be touch, and all 3 of them are right after the player spawns in; they are like ambushes - cheap shots by the DM with the players having no chance.
Players die - back to Charon and the Styx we go - respawn, run over styx, get stuck in pathing, lose 100xp for no good reason, and respawn surrounded by 3 orc champions. It's a bad combination of good ideas - if you could find a way to separate them out a little, I think that each good idea would shine all on its own.
Overall, the grouped enjoyed the game and we're looking forward to playing it all through, but some early things created a level of chaos, a few bugs, and a few broken seams; I think it needs just a little polish, but overall great job.
Thank you, it's always good to bring things to a builder's attention.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-09 10:01:11 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
There is a lot to love about this module and a lot of stuff that is just tedious and frustrating. It is well worth several plays just to explore various quests and to improve on previous plays. Some of the tilesets used are just gorgeous, the plot is interesting (time travel is cool!), though I can't imagine making it without the playthrough (how is one to know that the Sanitarium in Ravenwood leads to the end game?). The battles were challenging, though at times, time consuming. The conversation options were particularly frustrating as make the wrong choice and whole avenues of action are closed off to you. I liked a lot of elements though, and wish other mod builders would use the level barriers. Though the module has been described as "non-linear", I not so sure that it really is. There is an optimal way to play it in terms of sections handled and dealt with (wish I had done Trualt Orcs earlier). I don't think I ever did find the Bonus and Secret sections, but maybe I did and wasn't aware of them.
As stated before I was enormously frustrated with the Dagger of Harmony as part of the Thieves Guild quest. The dagger is a "friendly" creature and can't be attacked or pickpocketed or picked up even if you succeed in sneaking up to it. I finally gave up on that pursuit.
The George, pls re-read what I wrote earlier describing the necromancers, and the lack of visible port/door in Tesh of the Past. More Obelisks would be great for cutting back on the running around - The two pairs of Obelisks actually stopped working later on (don't know why).
Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into this mod and I look forward to trying out others that you have done.
Oh they attacked you for no reason? That would be a bug with the neutral faction then.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-09 02:10:04 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
anyways, i was just hoping to alert you to some problems. not really inspired to complete this as is, don't see how any character to get up to lvl 20 either, but after investing so much time, would be a shame to not see it through.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-09 02:07:42 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
I realize that, but as a rogue, you would think that I should be able to complete the Thieves Guild quest. And that doesn't explain why the 2 necromancers attacked my true neutral self (can't figure out what conversation would have lead to that)
Yes, there should be no way for one character to do every quest there is. Also, as the readme states: "due to the module's nonlinear nature, completing one quest may make it impossible or more difficult to complete another".
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-08 17:59:03 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
OK, but what should I do about the Thieves Guild quest and the no longer existing necromancers? give up???
Making some areas large accomplishes several things I intended for the module, but I'm glad you're having a good time in spite of any sort of issue.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-08 06:19:44 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
"got both library and academy clues on necromancers"
oh, and the cards, have tons of them but can do little with them,a bit of crafting in SkyCity and by Ned and that is it.
I also had the same problem gmfeier with my weapon (a +3 dagger in this case) adding on lower attack values for various racial types that I had fought (a whole bunch of them!!).
from hmdai's comment below, seems like the hidden quest is related to Charon as well :(....
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-08 06:08:30 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
After a whole evening of not playing and downloading 2.2. I started playing this mod with a standard rogue (elven) and true neutral. Unfortunately was not able to become chaotic enough for the Prince Alex quest, nor lawful enough obviously.
With 26 in Hide and Move Silently, I have been unable to get the 2nd dagger of harmony in spite of many tries (am lvl 10 now), and even with using an invisibility potion. I have completed every quest possible prior to the end this quest.
I also cannot capture Charon :( as Bubonicus attacked me in the swamp after Skycity, and then Jaff attacked me after giving him the mirror - both necromancers dead. (this quest is open as well). Got both library and
I can't speak/interact with Mongo and Dimitri - one goes on about liking shiny things the other about the Chaos stone. The cleric merchant in Old Coldhearth doesn't sell anything after you purchase one item (by necessity due to large areas - armor of speed). Ned also doesn't always open up his store either.
BTW, I spent a long time searching Old Tesh for something to do, the portal on the Academy is not visible at all. I will complete mod tomorrow night from Sanitarium and will vote then, but haven't discovered any secret area i think :(
In spite of early frustrations with large area maps and lots of walking, with taking wrong trees in conversations and no way to open quests other than loading saved games, I have enjoyed the mod.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-03 05:37:49 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
Thank you for your quick response. I only had CEP2.1 and earlier versions on my computer and couldn't find CEP2.2 yesterday. Am running the updater now and crossing my fingers that I have enough HD space!!! NWN to date is using 21GB out of the 40gigs I have on Drive C and I only have about 3 gigs to spare.
There is a 'cep22_v1.tlk' that I d/led on 11/13/2008. I'll look for a link for you.
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-02 08:36:36 Voted 9.00 on 02/09/09
I seem to be missing a custom talk table which hasn't happened to me in ages!! I have the full CEP2.0 installation, and have CEP.tlk, CEP2_v1.tlk, CEP21_v1.tlk, and on after reading missing files thread on the CEP forum tried out copying and renaming the CEP2_v1.tlk to CEP2_v2.tlk, but that didn't work either. I am running ver. 1.69 and I did install the cmp.hak into the hak directory. The latest cep2 hak I have is dated 7/16/2008 and is the CEP2_add_tiles.hak.
Am I missing something here? Would appreciate assistance. Thank you.
Interesting bug - When I got an ordinary and killed a bunch of orcs, it was designated an orc slayer and picked up a +1 to hit orcs. When I got a +1 greataxe and killed orcs it also got listed as an orc slayer, but the to hit was the same as for any other creature. I saw where this was going, so I bought a +2 Stonefire axe. It's 18/13 to hit in general, but, now that I've killed a bunch of orcs, it's labeled as an orc slayer but it's only 17/12 to hit orcs. You might want to revisit this one.
No, I tested it yesterday and it turns out some code was missing which I've since fixed - so thanks again for pointing it out to me. You'll have to use debug to leave that bonus area: press ~, then type DebugMode 1, then press "." (the period) to bring up the Chooser, then select the area named "Tesh", then click the top leftmost icon (Goto) to go there, then ~, and then DebugMode 0.
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