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Title

HercNav's Area Edge Transitions

Author

HercNav

Submitted / Updated

09-06-2004 / 11-22-2006

Category

Area

Expansions

Works on all versions

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The story behind "CEP A True Global World"

There are many "worlds" out there, but I would venture to say that there are no truly global worlds.  I created this module to illustrate the possibility of creating such a world.  My interest in making a globe may also come from my full-time job: HercNav = C-130 Hercules Navigator.

This demo is my most inclusive demonstration module to date.  In it, you will find "HercNav's Edge Transitions," "HercNav's Spherical Transitions," HercNav's Wells and Ropes," "HercNav's Kegs," HercNav's Jukebox," HercNav's Oven," and "HercNav's Globe of Summoning."  The caverns beneath n00e000 best illustrate my edge transitions. The areas therein are neither square nor equal in size.  The outdoor areas illustrate my idea that a "world" should be round.  The tavern showcases everything else.

As in real life, the distance between lines of longitude narrows as you approach the poles while the distance between lines of latitude remains the same.  The world I have created reflects this idea by making areas near the poles narrower (fewer columns) than those near the Equator.  All areas have the same number of rows.  In order to travel long distances east/west, it is important to note that one must initially travel towards the closest pole to cut off time--just like in real life.  Also, it is possible to cross the poles, Equator, Prime Meridian, and International Dateline.  By traveling in any one direction, you will end up exactly where you began--eventually, and if there are no obstructions like lakes, cliffs, etc.  To get where you started, you will cross 360 degrees of longitude, latitude, or both.

The areas in my module are named by the lowest degree of longitute/latitude found in that area.  For example, n30e090 is the area where the south edge is actually 30 degrees north of the Equator and the west edge is 90 degrees east of the Prime Meridian.  The north edge is 59 degrees north and the east edge is 119 degrees east--just short of the next areas' lowest degree of lat/long.

For this demo mod, and for simplicity's sake, I have made all areas bordering the Equator desert, areas at the poles rural winter, and all other areas rural. In the module I post to the internet, on occassion, I have a mix of all areas available in NWN and its expansions to date.  Althought the size of the areas are altogether smaller than my running persistent world, the number of outdoor
areas is the same--72.

Anyone using this demo as a base world should note that selecting all the transitions in an area, copy (ctrl + C), create an area equal in size/dimension, then paste (ctrl + v), will deposit all the triggers where they were previously found.  Remember to redraw any polygons that get mis-shapen in the process, rename the new area and its tag, and delete the old area.

As in my online PW, transitions from area to area can be a drastic change (like Desert to City).  The message that is sent to the PC when transitioning areas is an attempt to suspend the sense of reality: "...travel time is approximately 1 hour."  This allows for diversity on the globe that would otherwise not be achieved with the current tilesets available with NWN and its expansions to
date.

I haven't made a map to illustrate the 72 areas.  I felt that this should be left up to the Player.  Just like the old days of pen and paper, the Player should start out with a piece of paper with a simple grid--12 columns by 6 rows. The world is revealed to them as they adventure through this global world.

Edge transitions aren't the only way of getting from one area to the next.  In my online PW, and this demo, I have created a "summoning globe" somewhere in each area, or an area within.  Some are hidden and locked, others reside in temples or magic places.  For those that are locked, a key of some sort will be found only from the outside.

Created By: HercNav
Created On: 08/26/2004

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Format

Module and Code

Type

Type - Other

Includes

None

Description

This is a set of three scripts I used to create my PW, 'CEP A True Global World.' All are 'line-by-line' commented and 'newbie-friendly.' The most basic of the three allows a module creator the ability to transition between areas of different sizes/shapes in a logical manner. The creator must follow a simple area tagging system and create a separate script for each transition type (i.e. a 9x5 area to a 7x4 would be named TGW_AT_9X5_7X4 and be used only on edges where this applies). This process involves changing a maximum of four variables in the script, then 'save as....' The other two scripts allow a module creator to complete a true global world. By using all three script types, the PC will be able to walk in any direction, cross 360 degrees of latitude/longitude, and arrive at his/her point of origin (given there are no obstacles like lakes, cliffs, etc.) All of my most significant scripting is illustrated within. It is also available as a starting module for the NWN community.

Files

Name	Type	Size	Downloads
HercNav1094461015901HercNavs_Greatest.zipHercNav1094461015901HercNavs_Greatest.zip Submitted: 09-06-2004 / Last Updated: 09-06-2004	zip	366.65Kb	295
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SCORE OUT OF 10

9.67
3 votes
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Comments (9):

Posted by stacy_19201325 at 2005-12-31 20:02:36 Voted 10.00 on 12/31/05

Hmm it wasn't letting me vote...
_________________________
My Submissions:<br> [Starship Interiors] [Sci-Fi Loadscreens] [80-Color Palette Overrides] [Mil_Tailor Update for 1.67]

Posted by stacy_19201325 at 2005-12-31 20:01:32 Voted 10.00 on 12/31/05

This is absolutely magnificent. I am using this system in my module which is still in the planning stage (planning, testing, a little bit of building, scrapping, starting over... whatever :P) As a hardcore roleplayer, I am a BIG fan of realism-adding systems that don't inconvenience the player, but rather add to the ambiance of the world.

Excellent job, I just hope I can figure this out completely.

Btw, I am a complete map freak, grew up wanting to be a cartographer (yeah, I was a strange child :P) so this is a very exciting system.
_________________________
My Submissions:<br> [Starship Interiors] [Sci-Fi Loadscreens] [80-Color Palette Overrides] [Mil_Tailor Update for 1.67]

Posted by _IceQueen_ at 2005-03-13 14:42:00

Well, this is a very nice idea... and if i had time to rebuild my module using it I would... I'll just hope you'll still be around when nwn2 comes out :)

keep up the good work

Posted by MacLir at 2004-11-13 04:43:41 Voted 9.50 on 11/13/04

Awkward to get used to, but worth it.

Posted by caesarbear at 2004-11-08 10:27:49 Voted 9.50 on 11/08/04

Excellent and very useful script. Solves a problem with outdoor area transitions. This one will be put to good use.

Posted by HercNav at 2004-10-10 08:57:00

Scratch that idea.... The sunrise/sunset system will be available under the name "HercNav's True Global World."

Posted by HercNav at 2004-10-05 05:25:00

I have just completed a script that will automatically detect where a Player Character (PC) is, in a "True Global World," and adjust the sunrise/sunset accordingly. As the PC moves north, the sun rises earlier and sets later (summer), and as the PC moves east, the sun rises and sets earlier (time zones). The script automatically detects the season and adjusts for longer/shorter days. Look for "HercNav's Sunrise & Sunset" on Link

Now, not only can your world be round, complete with a geographical coordinate system, but it spins on a tilted axis, and circles the sun as well.

In order to create this script, I subsequently created a Player Character Heartbeat System, or PCHS. It will be available in the next day or so. Look for "HercNav's PC Heartbeat System."

Posted by HercNav at 2004-09-26 07:01:00

ATTENTION ALL: I only ask that if you use this script (any of my other scripts or versions thereof) in your module, please take a few seconds out of your day to vote.

Keep in mind that it took me hours to make this script, the demo, and the directions to implement the script in your module.

Posted by HercNav at 2004-09-22 11:37:00

CAUTION: Do not read the following if you are NOT interested in making a "True Global World" or are extremely simple-minded.

More "food for thought" for those of you who are considering making a "True Global World." Or a math exercise for those that don't mind using a few brain cells after graduating high school....

To make a global world, there should be twice as many outdoor areas east & west (columns) as there are north & south (rows). The number of rows must be an even number. Simply multiplying rows times columns gives you the number of outdoor areas your world will have. To use my script as I designed it (tagging each area for the number of degrees that area represents) yields another number to consider. Since there are 360 degrees in a circle, the number of degrees dividing each area is 360 divided by the number of columns in your world. Here is a chart to illustrate what I mean.
Rows: Columns: Total Areas: Degrees Between Each Area:
2_____4________8____________90
4_____8________32___________45
6_____12_______72___________30
8_____16_______128__________22.5 (Not Possible)
10____20_______200__________18
12____24_______288__________15 (last reasonable entry)
14____28_______392__________Another impossible #
until....
180___360______64800________1 (But who's that nuts?!)

CAUTION: Do not continue unless you are REALLY serious about making your world as realistic as possible. May cause headaches!

Here's another thing to consider: Each area should be as wide as the cosine of the middle latitude in that area, multiplied by the size of the distance between latitude in any area (remember, every area has the same distance north/south).

Here's an example of that:
Using example 3 above, a 6 x 12 (72) area world....
Areas near the equator could be 12x12 (Cos15 times 12)
Next would be 12 x 8 (12Cos45)
Areas near the poles would be 12 x 3 (12Cos75)

Three wide is the least I'd be willing to make an area.

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