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Title

World Shaper - preview release

Author

Talmud

Submitted / Updated

09-12-2002 / 11-22-2006

Category

Area

Expansions

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Table of Contents
1. What it is
2. How it works
3. Features
4. Slightly more advanced stuff
5. Setting up objects
6. Slightly more advanced advanced stuff
7. Plans for the future

Preliminary stuff:

This is a preview release of the World Shaper.  So, of course it doesn't have all the features that are planned for the official release.  It also doesn't have all the spit and polish which that release will hopefully have.  This release is all about feedback.  I want to know how people will use the Shaper, what features it needs, how it should be set up, if people even want this thing, are all questions that I would like answered.  If you have anything to say about the Shaper or any questions of concerns, please let me know by sending me email at
craig_graff@hotmail.com  or by posting in the thread I will have running in the Scripting or DM forums at BioWare or even by posting a comment under the file at NWVault.


1. What it is:

The World Shaper is a tool for DM's of all varieties, good for managing placeables and creatures in ways the DM client just doesn't let you.  It is probably most helpful to those DM's who decide during the course of a game that they need to set up an area that they hadn't planned out ahead of time.  The only limitations of the World Shaper are the limits of your imagination.  Oh.. and the limits of the scripting that went into it, of course.

2. How it works:

To test out the Shaper, just open up the included module with the DM client and pick up the Shaper.  Put the Shaper into a quickslot and click on it.  Once you click somewhere with the arrow that appears, a conversation will open.  The conversation itself will tell you how to use the Shaper.

To bring the Shaper into an existing module, go to File/Import on the toolset menu and navigate to the directory where you've unzipped this file, then choose "shaper.erf". To get the Shaper to work, you have to have the contents of the script "shp_activate" in your module's OnActivateItem event.  This can be found by going under Edit/Module Properties in the toolset's menu.  Once you've done this, open up the DM client and give yourself a copy of the wand.  It's under "Items/Custom/Special/Custom 1" on the Creator.  You can also pick it up from the center of either the "Inside" or "Outside" areas included in the shaper.erf.

3. Features

Some of the current features of the Shaper are:

- Allows you to place premade groups of placeables and creatures
- Adds copy and paste functionality to the DM client
- Allows you to reposition groups of placeables and creatures (move, rotate, etc.)
- Allows you to write in letters of fire
- Allows you to make your own groups for yourself and others to use

4. Slightly more advanced stuff

You can also use the toolset and the Shaper to make areas or groups of your own and then make them appear later by using the shaper.  Set up the group in an empty area in the toolset using placeables and creatures.  Set the group up however you want it to appear when you use the wand.  (See the "Setting up objects" section below for naming conventions to follow.)  Once you have the area set up, go into the DM client, go to the center of the group that you have set up, activate the Shaper, select "Go to utilities." Then select "Print objects to log."

Exit the game and navigate to the log file for the game.  The default is "C:\NeverwinterNights\NWN\logs\nwclientlog1.txt".  Open this file and scroll down a little bit.. copy the part indicated by: 


Start copying here ------>

[stuff to copy}

<------- Stop copying here


Paste this into the toolset's script editor, do a search and replace, replacing the word ' quote ' with the symbol ' " '.   Now just compile and save the script.  You now have a working script that will create the group exactly how you created it, but it can be created from anywhere.  Save the script as something like "shp_mygroup."
If you want to be able to make the group appear using the wand, you will have to add it to the "shaper" conversation file.

Open the conversation, navigate to the "Place pre-made group." node and find an appropriate node to add your group to (e.g. "Indoor group" or "Outdoor group", etc.)
Add the conversation node you want and attach the script you just made.  (Make sure that you loop the conversation node back to the category that you chose for your group, so that the conversation won't end after the group is placed.)  Save the conversation file and the module.  You can now use the wand to place your group, whenever and wherever you want.  Ideally, some people will be willing to share their groups, so that the entire community can use them.


5. Setting up objects

There are a few conventions that should be followed when creating groups if you want them to work properly with the Shaper.  All objects should have the same word in the Tag property as in the blueprint or "resref".  Since the blueprint can only hold up to 16 characters, the Tag must also follow this convention.

There are several ways to make sure that the tag matches the blueprint, but the easiest is probably using the appropriate wizard (e.g. the Placeable Wizard).  Just enter the desired tag when the wizard asks for a blueprint name.  Check the "Launch Object Properties" box, and change the name field to whatever is appropriate.

If you wish to share your group with others, I would ask that you put the letters "shp_" at the beginning of the name.  Something like "shp_table" is good.  I would also ask that you keep the total number of characters in the tag to 13 or under. I have some plans to use those last three characters for scripting purposes.  The name of the object (the name that players see) can be whatever you want.


6. Slightly more advanced advanced stuff

It is quite possible to script interactive groups, with creatures interacting with objects.  An example is a bar, complete with waitress, bartender and patrons.  My hope is to include several such areas with the official release of the Shaper, areas that are able to be configured according to the current needs of the DM.  If you choose to make such an area for yourself and want to share it with the community, I'd appreciate it if you could get in touch with me so we can discuss some conventions you can follow to make it easier to integrate with the rest of the Shaper.


7. Plans for the future

There are many features I would like to add to the Shaper in the future.  Some of them are the following:

- More and better groups (of course)
- Improved control over group placement
- Control over tile lighting and sounds
- A "snap to grid" function to take advantage of tile lighting presets
- An "undo" function
- Combine, compartmentalize and comment the scripts
- Improve functionality of letters of fire
   - Choose direction from which letters appear
   - Choose players from a list, so that you can communicate more easily without
	 being in the same area as the player
- More configurable: both through the conversation and a config script file.
- A whole lot more

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Format

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Type

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BioWare Standard

Description

[UPDATE]: Look for another preview release sometime in the next week or so, featuring a completely redesigned conversation system and a full-featured, configurable shop system that allows such things as stealing, browsing, bargaining and bartering. I am still somewhat feedback starved, so please tell me what you think the Shaper needs.[/UPDATE] The Shaper is meant to be a tool for any DM who ever found that they needed an area that wasn't in their module. The Shaper let's you use an empty area to make whatever area suits your needs while your players are in the game. Need a tavern for your players to rest in? Need a dungeon for the evil overlord's prisoners? a forest? a hunting camp? a Druid's grove? Do you want a god to speak to your players in 10 foot letters of flame? Use the Shaper. This is a preview release so it doesn't have the spit and polish or all the features planned for the official release. For more details of the features, current and future, see the ReadMe below.

Files

Name	Type	Size	Downloads
Shaper.zipShaper.zip Submitted: 09-12-2002 / Last Updated: 09-12-2002	zip	234.88Kb	1915
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SCORE OUT OF 10

9.5
3 votes
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Comments (25):

Posted by hexmendacious at 2007-01-20 22:14:34 Voted 9.50 on 01/20/07

Upload it, upload it! *pester pester*

Posted by Sia at 2006-04-18 17:44:39

There actually IS an updated version of this script. I will have to see if I can make Talmud upload it. . .

Posted by Ronin Medjai ( 70.189.xxx.xxx ) at 2006-04-04 17:10:32

A very useful tool though I found that when using the Clear Area command it clears area transitions too which is problematic in my PW. Other than I love this darned thing.

Posted by HumanBean at 2005-03-03 05:10:14 Voted 10.00 on 03/03/05

This is so cool!!!!!!!!!!

Posted by Timdalos ( 216.196.xxx.xxx ) at 2004-07-07 01:22:00

YAY! This is one of the VERY handiest DM tools around, overall, an update would be fantastic...

Posted by Talmud at 2004-06-15 21:32:00

Believe it or not.. yes. Just very slow in coming as I've had other projects (and mostly real life) slow me down a bit.

Posted by Talmud at 2004-06-15 21:32:00

Believe it or not.. yes. Just very slow in coming as I've had other projects (and mostly real life) slow me down a bit.

Posted by Zyphne at 2004-05-13 15:34:00

Is this still in process?

Posted by Old_Scores_Transfered at 2004-02-20 10:29:15 Voted 9.00 on 02/20/04

This is a compilation of the old system into a single score. There were 15 that made this score of 9.25 then rounded to 9.

Posted by Aas ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2003-02-23 09:20:00

This looks awesome--keep at it, eh?

Posted by Mordican ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2003-02-12 14:43:00

Hey there Talmud. I love this Shaper Script. I would like to
know what you need to help you work on this script. I'd like
to give you full support any way that you need. If you need
donations or something to work on it, let me know. I'd like
to see you come out with a full finished version of this script.

Posted by Timdalos ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2003-02-02 13:12:00

Very good news, yeah, as I really like both systems... :-) what kind of "interesting groups of placables" did you have in mind?

Posted by Timendainum ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2003-01-15 09:03:00

Good news!! I've been waiting to see this tool expand!

Posted by Talmud ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2003-01-03 12:16:00

To let people know. I have resumed work on the World
Shaper, after being sidetracked for a couple of months
with my Custom Shop System - something that was mostly
just going to be an add on to the Shaper grew quite a bit
beyond it. I am currently implementing the "planned"
stuff and integrating the shop system into the Shaper. I
could use help making interesting areas of of placeables.
Now that there is a GetResRef command, the naming
conventions can be relaxed, contrary to the ReadMe above.

Thanks, Talmud

Posted by Jaks ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-10-09 14:39:00

Im holding my breath in anticipation of that shop system.
That is a MUST HAVE.

Posted by Talmud ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-10-09 13:44:00

Thanks for the comments, ShaperMC. I am actually at the
point where I can use any information about how people are
using this tool, so your scenario rundown was especially
appreciated.
It doesn't surprise me that you could find the Shaper's
dialogue hierarchy cumbersome or confusing, since I find
it so myself and the main point of this initial release
was to get feedback on just that point - feel free to keep
that coming :) Like I said below, though, the next
preview release will be released soon, but this isn't it.

It does sort of surprise me that you would feel the need
to put the forest down on the stone tile, as opposed to
the "Outdoor" area that was provided. Were you going for
a forest at night? If so, the tile lighting presets that
are found in the upcoming preview release (yes, this still
means the same as Beta) should be helpful for such things.

So you know, for the letters of fire to work, if you don't
want to shout (and I can't imagine why you would) you need
to *Appear* so that you can be heard. The best thing to
do would probably be to select the place you want to have
the letters appear, use the map to jump out of sight of
the PC's and speak your message from there. Cumbersome I
know, but this should also be worked out for the next
release.

Posted by Shaper MC ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-10-09 12:03:00

Ok Mr Feedback starved :D

I used this in a game acouple of nights ago in a "completly
Freeform" game where there were just some sound stages and
a few prefabbed areas. There were 3 DM's including
myself. I was the only one who knew how to "control the
powers of the Mighty Shaper wand (BTW I like that you
unknowingly stuck my name in the tool :D )" I said to the
other DM's you know that there is an In game wlak through
built into the tool. . . "Yes but I still cant use it."
I think that this problem my be in the orginization of the
Conversation in the thing. It is alot of options right off
the back and to an unexperienced user of the tool quite
overwhelming. I noticed that you said that this is fixed
(well mayhaps not fixed but you changed) in this newer BETA
release.

Well how did the game go you ask. . . It went kind of
like this. Every one started out in a "shaped" tavern.
The bartender started serving drinks and the group started
talking about a forest to adventure in. . . So I ran out of
the tavern and then "shaped" a forest (which is a bit
strange to do with a simple stone tile and still feel like
a forest) and then ran back to the Tavern and tey decided
not to use the "shaped" foest that I made so nicely. Then
we headed to the prefabbed areas and no longer had a use
for the tool (well that was after over 1.5 hours in
the "shaped" area's).

My best sudgestion for this tool is if you are with a group
of people and you want to have a very Freeform night. You
can streach your imagination and if you use the Emote Wand
to do Skill and Ability Checks it is really nice to do.
Another use for it would be to have a God/Goddedd messing
with the adventurers in the similar area that you are
currently in (like trees appearing and disapearing while
wandering throught the woods) and also the letters in fire
need to be better explained (like the fact that you have to
be in the shout chat channel and have to have hit enter
before you press the write what I say {or what ever it
says})

Nice tool though, see my previous post for more info :D

Posted by Talmud ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-10-09 07:56:00

Just to let you know.. this "update" was just to let you
know that the next preview release is almost ready. I
didn't intend for the Shaper to get posted to the front
page again.
DeadHunter, I've looked into the file "meshing" only a
little, but from what I've seen it will be surpassingly
easy to combine the Shaper with HCR or any other scripts
that use the OnActivateItem event. I plan to include some
simple instructions for such things, as well as a version
which is compatible with the Dm's Helper and HCR. If you
have trouble before then, check out the simple but
brilliant "Simplifying Multiple 'Unique Power' Items"
script by tjm here on the Vault - it's one line to tie
together all such scripts.

Posted by DeadHunter ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-10-09 03:34:00

As far as I know, To merge new Scripts into the HCRs
OnActivate event etc..... You need to do something
called 'Mesh' the Files together - I have no Idea how, I
just remembered it from my Exepiances with HCRs

Posted by Talmud ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 18:19:00

I also agree with Tom. A preview release is in fact a
Beta at heart and what I'm looking for is feedback on how
to best flesh out and improve the Shaper. I don't
understand how my 15 line OnActivateItem script could be
particularly hard to combine with other such scripts, but
I could easily be missing something. This is only my
second real program. As far as advanced use goes, that is
clearly meant for people who are comfortable with the
toolset and to some small degree with scripting. In the
official release of the Shaper we are hoping to have
enough pre-built and pre-scripted areas to make the Shaper
an easy to use and useful tool for any DM who chooses to
use it.

Posted by ShaperM.C. ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 14:21:00

Hmmmm
I agree With Tom here. By no streach of the imagination is
this a MUST HAVE it is very complicated to use the advanced
features and incorperating it with other OnActive scripts
would be a huge undertaking considering the fact that the
sheer size would not want to compile with the NWN script.

Now dont get me wrong... by no way is this a bad
utility/script. It is just not a must have. I feel that
on the rare ocassion that I would need it I would be better
off to wing it than use this. From what I have gathered
you need to make most of these placeable Items and areas
before hand any ways...

As I said a little complicated for beginner/intermeadiate
toolset users. With some polish and shine it could become
a "Must Have" but as of now it seems more like a BETA,
which is a great one at that. I vote 7/10

Posted by Tom ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 13:57:00

A really great script. It truly shows creativity and
usefullness.

This is NOT a "must have"...yet. No offense intended, it
needs much more depth as the author has stated.

It will be an amazing tool in the future that no DM should
be without, but for now, I think people are too eager to
hand out their "YOU MUST HAVE THIS NOW!" kind of comments.

Tom / Doc4

Posted by Talmud ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 13:20:00

Currently the Shaper is not specifically compatible with
the HCR and the DM wand, but I believe that the only thing
necessary to make it so would be to include the contents
of "shp_activate.nss" with whatever current OnActivateItem
script they are using. I will attempt to get in touch
with the makers of these systems to verify this and to
release a compatible version.

Posted by aberracus ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 08:24:00

Excellent, awesome, incredible, a MUST...

Is this system compatible with HCR rules and the DMwand?

can you make it so if it isnt?

thanks a lot for giving something we the DMs neede
urgently, i know Bioware has done a superb product, and
now you have put the cherry on top ;)

Posted by HOT ( ..xxx.xxx ) at 2002-09-13 04:09:00

Amazing, very well done, a much needed tool for the
community, this is a must have for DM's even at this early
stage.

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