You awake out of bed in your house which resides in the city of HeavensGate
Gameplay Length
A lot of side quests along with the main quest... There are a lot of unique puzzle solving in order to advance in the game... Also some hunting zones with endless mobs for those wanting to take the time build gold and to level more to make the game easier to beat..
Number Players
1
Language
English
Level Range
1 to 18+
Races
Any
Tricks & Traps
Medium
Roleplay
Medium
Hack & Slash
Heavy
Classes
Fighter Type -- Easiest (Recommended on first game)
Wizards / Sorcerers / Rogues -- Medium
Clerics, Bards, etc. -- Hard
Takes place in the magical city of HeavensGate...
You wake again after several dreams of discovery and magic.. You decide on this day to visit the local Seer for any information on what it means.. You start a life-changing journey, and eventually become the one Hero to unlock the secrets of an ancient Realm called The Kingdom of Crystals.. You will also re-write the history books about the facts behind the true disappearance of an old race known as the Delvian..
Added a way around the Arena Event for those that are having trouble completing it (especially casters)
Added a few more spoilers in some zones
Corrected spelling errors etc.
Added a few more spoilers
Added some extra hints people were getting stuck on.
Added small fixes to avoid player error.
Added some custom ranged weapons that are a nice upgrade for sale.
Re-scripted the Hunting zones so the creatures spawn more often.
Corrected punctuation in the conversations to be less like chat. (Fine Tuned)
Added some features and prevented more important things from being damaged.
Added some extra stuff in game to provide a few hints in some parts.
Updated the ending to where it is more detailed and more of a celebration.
Had to fix A glitch I created in doing the ending.. Whoever downloaded Update7 please redo and start a game with this one.
Fixed the final Death Gate to be destroyed like it was intended, the new ending caused it to stay visible.
Added in historical references and a few extras.
Henchmen suck u can't upgrade their weapons or anything so whats the point of having them after a certain level? Good thing I had 10/3 damage reduction from racial + another 3-5 or something from my dread necromancer class otherwise I can see this being pretty hard and frustrating..
Well gonna try this out, heard it was kinda hard but I'm using prc 3.3 and using a gnoll race that gives +6str and 2dex as well as new prestige class hope this will even things out..
I played this for maybe half an hour before quitting. Since I didn't finish, I won't rate it, but I thought you might want to know the reasons why I didn't like it:
- There are a lot of places where the module lacks realism. For instance, I grew up in the city, yet the map is blacked out. There's a ton of treasure just lying around the city for the taking, including a sack of 100 gold pieces right by a group of merchants. One of the NPCs tells me to come back when I've reached 8th level. The bootmaker immediately offers to make me some legendary boots if I get him the materials he needs. A small magic shop is being run by an archmage (doesn't he have any apprentices to handle those mundane sorts of things?) All these little things make the game feel unrealistic, and thus ruined my sense of immersion.
- The city is much bigger than it needs to be, with a lot of empty space. Not only is that unrealistic, but it requires a lot of tedious walking around. You could have probably cut it in half and still fit in everything you needed. Similarly, my character lives in an awfully big house. Maybe we could afford it because of all the gold lying around?
- The first creatures I encountered - the rats - were ridiculously tough. Then again, they were also wealthy too. Where do the rats carry all that gold? I tried going out into the wetlands, and got killed by the first thing I encountered. I tried going out into Bulkar Pass, and got killed by the first thing I encountered. I get the sense that I'm supposed to start out by wandering into random buildings before I venture out of the city, but my character has no reason to do that.
- And finally, although I didn't come across any spelling errors, the dialogue came off as stilted and unrealistic.
I get that this is supposed to be a Zelda-style adventure, but for me, the lack of realism and direction and the overpowered opponents just killed my interest in continuing.
Posted by Wolfwriter at 2010-07-13 07:15:21 Voted 9.75 on 07/13/10
Not rateable in my opinion. Not because it's good, but because it's just not ready.
This is the list of the first 10 minutes of play, at which point I deleted the mod:
- maps are WAY too large. Think "scale". Think "do I really want to run all that time between shops?".
- went on my first quest for Bulgars... (aka land sharks) it IS the first quest after all, for butter for mom. You'd think it was at least vaguely possible. There were 15 live ones (no previously dead bodies to loot) at last count, so I ran away. Unfortunately, at least three or four followed me back right into the city, and nobody attacked them. Town guards ignored them, even citizens and others nominally in my faction (showed green) ignored them - and were ignored. They simply waited until I came out of a building (too low level to hit them) and killed me outright.
- toxic rats - same thing. Town guards ignored them too. As did the citizens, and everyone else.
- Did I mention the city map is WAY too large? You expecting everyone to have monk speed and haste in the first 10 minutes of play? I wasn't willing to invest any more time after that. I'll go play something that won't involve me spending all my time just running around - and doing nothing BUT run around - or getting randomly killed by monsters in the city as I try to run around.
In 10 minutes of play I barely managed to visit just ONE map, running flat out, and part of another, simply due to the sheer distances involved and the unnecessary open space between buildings, characters and shops.
I can't comment on the quests, etc., since it would probably have taken me another 30 minutes to run there.
Sounds like a lot of fun, and I like the idea that you have to think. I am drwn to modules where posters complain they are lost, don't know what to do next, think everything should be easy and linear, their head hurts, and want walkthrough for life.
Downloading now, and loking forward to this very much.
Blessings. _________________________ Evil meet thy end, right here, right now.
Posted by Wolfwriter at 2010-02-23 09:19:00 Voted 9.75 on 07/13/10
Besides a couple of minor hangups this games was totally awesome. I really enjoyed the different areas and concepts that were used throughout. The only thing I would like to see is maybe to scale down the size of the needless space inside rooms, and more merchants with a variety of items to fit with increasing levels of play. Great Job!
Have carried on. Had to use the spoiler sheet to follow quests in the right order. When I was with Frado in the dark ruins had to go it alone for most of the areas (inc leading up to). This is due to playing hardcore and Frado being attacked, attacks of opportunity. The phantoms were very hard (found a way around them but lots of resting). Am now at 9th lvl clr and it is a little bit easier. Use magic and trickery as domains, so imp invisibility and stoneskin are very good.
Not sure what other classes could do well in this.
Received hasted boots even though I didn't have all of the ingredients which has made a huge difference.
Found this in overlooked modules and wondering if I have missed something. The infected rats will hit me with their range attack so I would need a healing kit for each combat. They are classed as very difficult for a 1st lvl clr and you pick up 43 xp. The bulkars are also very difficult. AC prob as good as mine, 2 hits and I am dead or one critical. 53 xp!!!. Managed to rush to other side and found abode met a gnome can only speak to him if I am 3rd lvl. This must mean you have to be 2nd lvl to be in bulkar pass. What the heck and they have true seeing. The dog henchie was killed in 3 bites. Can not find a key or lever for town hall basement. So facing very difficult opponent will enable you to gain 43 to 80 xp and you can reach 18th lvl and the game is 60+ hours long?
Noticed a player below can play through using strategy for a wizard? I regard myself a good player but what strategy? You can enter bulkar pass cast one maybe 2 spells and make a dash for the exit rest and in you go again. 2 problems here the bulkars will follow you and so will prob be waiting for you when you enter OR they follow you into city?
Maybe if I play in easy mode or god like mode then I'd have a chance but out of the many many NWN games I have played this has to be the most ridulously unbalanced game of the lot (OK possibly 2nd, played a game where at 1st lvl you had to fight a dire spider and 1 or 2 lvls after a will o wisp and a bone golem).
Have I missed something or is this mod just a tad not good?
Wow thanks for the support and making my first mod a finalist. Anything else I can do please let me know. You can always contact me here at [email protected]
Brad Bartram
Posted by laisee at 2009-05-01 04:21:59 Voted 9.75 on 02/21/09
I have now played this mod all the way through with a wizard prior to the recent modifications on the early stages with the rats, and just have to say that this mod gets better with each replay!! my only remaining area of real frustration is the mushroom maze.
Hey there and thanks for trying the mod again... I had changed computers and all the mod tools are no longer so I will have to load in all back in and do some modifying..
I will make the rats easier and adjust that soon... I did beat the game as a warrior, rogue and wizard... but yes it was tough initially until you get going so I will adjust that.. Thanks and I will keep you posted
Brad [email protected]
I like the module and tried it long ago. I am giving it another whirl now, but the problem remains the same. I know... challenging and all that stuff, but I really can't understand the point in having a rat that fights like a dragon or a lich against a level 1 character.
For a level 1 rogue this module is impossible. I doubt level 2 would be any better, since any critter including rats can kill me on a single touch. I've been walking around for a couple of hours in the city and discovered a few places where I could. But neither of them is suitable for me. Now even the warehouse, nor even the sewers. A single bit from a rat will kill me with 8 hp, a studded leather armor and barskin, which is the highest AC I can wear and afford right now. Ranged is not a solution, and anyway I am not willing to spend half an hour running around the city to kill each rat after migrating them from another -smaller- map. That's neither role-playing nor slashing.
Traps do they no harm, alchemist fire/bombs do they very little damage (in fact they harm me much more since by the time I can release them the critter is next to my feet).
Oh! And I can't even sneak past them. I don't know what skills these mighty rats have, and hide/move silently are doing me no good either. So, suicide is the only alternative for the poor rogueish character :p
Difficulty is one thing, but this is just unbalanced.
Just my humble opinion, of course. Otherwise, great work, I really like this, but it's unplayable for me without cheating. I can play it with a tank, but that's besides my point. :)
Posted by krum at 2009-03-30 15:49:29 Voted 9.25 on 03/30/09
Also, upon raising henchman from the dead, they come back in god-mode--taking no damage from attacks. This happened with the thief and also with Kiko.
Posted by krum at 2009-03-30 15:47:23 Voted 9.25 on 03/30/09
Good mod. I have a bug issue: no bulkars spawned in Bulkar Pass so I cannot obtain the bulkar skin for the boots nor the bulkar gland for the butter. Can I spawn the bulkar skin and gland?
Posted by laisee at 2009-03-26 06:50:43 Voted 9.75 on 02/21/09
on second thought, while I agree on the underpowered henchmen, I started playing this as a wizard and with strategy it really isn't all that impossible, though very challenging ;)
Posted by laisee at 2009-03-25 07:34:00 Voted 9.75 on 02/21/09
I wholeheartedly agree with all toborx has said below both the great and the henchman problem.
Posted by toborx at 2009-03-15 01:50:41 Voted 9.50 on 03/15/09
I've made a couple of comments on the module and I'm ready for my 'final verdict'. The mod's advantages are many and clear. The mod is free of bugs, and includes a multitude of excellent, creative and fun unique creatures. Fans of 'tricks' face many situations in which they must use their mind. Fans of avoiding tricks have a detailed and well written walkthrough that they can employ. The hunting areas are nice addition.
Those who play NWN only for the "roleplaying" conversational aspects should stay away from the mod. Fans of old school action adventure games should put this high on their "to play" list. Conversation options and skill checks are not part of the experience.
The Mod has one clear disadvantage that I have already written about: difficulty level. If one plays a warrior and understands how to equip/purchase items for their character for maximum advantage, they will survive. Clerics who take a martial or exotic weapon feat, in addition to druids, also can manage within the recommended levels if built well. Those who play other character classes, or who occasionally find other quality mods too difficult, should start higher than the recommended level. However, quest giving henchman are far too puny presently; it takes a miracle to get them to survive the quests that they give you, and not only is the PC not provided with resurrection equipment, the stores do not sell it. Technically this game balance issue can be overcome by the player (e.g. DebugMode 1, ModCON), but such a move is generally considered cheating.
Posted by toborx at 2009-03-12 19:36:39 Voted 9.50 on 03/15/09
A bit further into this MOD, I still think it has the potential to be an excellent MOD of a certain genre. However, the problem of the pathetically underpowered henchman just worsens as the game progresses. It is all but a statistically impossibility that the wiz/sorcerer survives his quest unless the PC has powerful turn undead abilities. The same goes for the Dwarf: he has an AC of 22 against enemies that have a +20 to hit bonus (only a 5% chance to miss him on 1st attacks; even fully buffing him with pots leaves him more likely to die than not whenever multiple uber spiders fall on top of you when you are already in combat). The ranger also gets annihilated in the hunting grounds unless you spam pouring cure serious+ down his throat instead of actually hunting. Your unique creatures are too cool to tinker with in my view; instead you should jack up the AC and amounts of quality pots the henchmen have massively.
Posted by toborx at 2009-03-11 03:50:09 Voted 9.50 on 03/15/09
I'm only a few hours into this but I have to say that it is an overlooked MOD. It is certainly not more of the same; several fascinating new monsters so far and things are done differently but generally not poorly. Lot's of tricky little things to overcome but there is a nice spoiler/walk through document and the author is willing to provide help.
Two objections, however: The first two 'Henchman' need a better AC or more healing potions (or, even better, give them inventories the PC can adjust). They just get pummeled into oblivion all the time; even if I am sure to get the baddies focusing on me they switch to the hench mid-fight generally.
You should list the MOD as 'epic' instead of role-play unless you have many important/influential dialogue options later in the game. You can't even converse with the 1st two henchman. As you say, it is like old Zelda games: action/adventure.
Anyway, thanks for the MOD, and I'll try to remember to vote on it when I finish.
Wow it is good to see people can still discover old modules... I am really glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate your feedback and will take it into consideration.
Yeah the part about henchmens, it was designed to have certain ones with you at certain times. I found in designing the game it does not give you a lot of control with them or at least I could not design or find any detailed script to do so... So I kind of just made them a part of the game and plot but I found it interesting and challenging to work their skills (or lack of skills) to help beat the end-game.
Also can you email me again any of your old emails..? I must have missed them and might have wiped them in the junk files because I hardly get any over this module anymore.. Thanks
Brad
Posted by laisee at 2009-02-21 08:27:43 Voted 9.75 on 02/21/09
Wow!! What an Epic adventure! It is hard to believe that this is your first module!! I was thoroughly engrossed with it from beginning to end. I loved the design of the mod, the many strategic challenges, the really cool monsters (I love Ancient Beasts!). I played a Monk through to level 18 (did a bit of hunting). There were only a few minor bugs and the whole work was really quite polished. A great story and a mod that I hope more people will discover. I have e-mailed you a few suggestions and minor bug reports. My only major complaint is that the henchmen up until the last 3 or so were more of a distraction than an addition in that some were way too weak and needed constant attention/healing. You should also change the descriptor of the module to Hack & Slash = heavy as the battles were frequent and very very challenging.
Thanks to the help of a newsgroup friend, I have the solution for anyone else who might "get stuck"! Hope you never have to use it, but here's the answer just in case:
.........................................
1. Hit the tilde (~) Key
2. Type: DebugMode=1
3. Move cursor where you want character to move
4. Press the KEYPAD +
5. Hit the tilde (~) Key
6. Type: DebugMode=0 when finished
......................................
Hope this helps, it sure helped me!!
It really worked!
No really, I mean literally stuck - my character seems frozen in place and I don't know how to move him. He pivots on his own occasionally, but I can't make him actually move at all in any direction.
I'm in Hunter's Cove stuck on the NW riverbank if that matters. I save often, very often, but this has never happened to me before in all the dozens of NWN mods I've played. Is there any command I can type in to manually move my character? I only need a few inches!
Thanks in advance to anyone who knows how to do this! (I'd hate to have to start over again from my last separate save, even though that was the Wetlands entrance.)
Yeah you will get the portal stone once you enter the Seekers Temple which is found off of the Land of Ire... So no worries it will come your way then... Good luck in the game, it changes quite a bit when you enter The Kingdom of Crystals so have fun!! You can alway email me at [email protected] and I will help in anyway you need, whether it is a suggestion, a clue, what ever just feel free to email me and I will get back to you as soon as I can.. Thanks for the positive feedback so far,
Brad
aka VigaVanBorgin
I just started this mod and I'm enjoying it so far. Good work, VVB! I've also had to use your spoiler sheet a few times and it's helped me a lot. I have one question however: Where can I find a Portal Stone? I remember reading something about it online but can't seem to find any mention of it in the game itself. My character just turned lvl 5, so maybe it comes later on?
Yes where the last one "poofs" is where you step to be transported.. My guess is you got that far by now..
I did add in a part on Patch 8 where there is a return portal if you make it across the mushroom patch and did not loot the Cloak of Spores first (from the ground canyons below)
Brad
aka VigaVanBorgin
I have a "small" problem, in The Maze of M-King, the plateau, spores that start to vanish and you have to follow that path...after the fifth one vanishes,it stops, nothing else happens...Is that meant to happen, if so what next? Thanks for the response in advance...
Site
at 2012-04-24 13:38:48
at 2009-05-01 04:21:59
