I find myself back again asking for some advice on aspects of building modules. It’s not like I’m not taking in tons of info and spending time working my way through things but some just baffle me and I’d appreciate anyone taking the time to put me straight.
When I come to test my module the PC is always an Elven Wizard. Is there a reason for this or is that because that was the very first character I chose when I played the actual game? Can I change that?
I’ve downloaded a couple of resources just to try things out after I got some advice on it. In particular, I downloaded a Waterfalls hak ( which works) and an elfin High forest limited tileset ( which doesn’t). They both seem to download fine, unzip fine, on my computer both have only one hak file, a blank icon for the hak file ( slightly worrying) but the elven one doesn’t show up in available tile sets and the waterfalls does.
They’re by no means vital so if the easy answer is to forget it that’s fine but I’m just wondering if its something I’ve done. I am using Wine to enable me to play the game on my iMac but so far everything else has worked.
This is embarrassing. Not least because I’ve asked about it before. I’ve done various tutorials and created area transitions / doors successfully but I still find it difficult in certain tile sets. I can manage the cave ones easily as they specifically identify exits I can use but I’m struggling with transitions in non cave tile sets as they often don’t mention which resources are specifically for this - if indeed there are any.
I’ve tried using “Paint Triggers” in desperation but am unclear where to paint my pentagon and am not sure if folk use that for this simple purpose ( I know its also used for traps etc.). Even going from outside to inside a house is giving me grief. Should a house interior even be a separate area?Are there certain tile sets harder than others to put in area transitions?
Any tutorial I’ve looked at ( such as Fern" ) seems to concentrate on going from above ground to a cave and vice versa. Don’t think I’ve seen any going from a construction (house, castle) to the inside of it . If someone can point me to such a tutorial please do.
Ah yes. Aluvian Darkstar (or whatever her name is). That’s just the alphabetically first character you have locally, I believe. “Aaron the Barbarian” should fix that right up…
What did you do with the haks? Did you add them to the custom content of your module?
You can paint a door in the opening for a building assuming it’s a tileset feature and not a placeable. (you can do it with placeable buildings too but I’m not getting into that here) Then you can set up the area transition in the properties. You generally need to make it a different area so that you can use an internal versus external tileset for you insides. There should be a plain area transition door that you can use if you don’t want a visible door in the doorway. I don’t have the toolset in front of me and I don’t recall exactly what it’s called.
For ground based transitions (like going from one outdoor area to the next) you can use the area transition trigger from the palette. This will create the triggers that show blue when you tab. And again you can setup the transition in the properties (maybe in the right click menu too).
Sorry don’t have a tutorial but have you read the toolset manual? Here.
Of course that’s the reason. Never occurred to me ! May well need a well equipped barbarian ( and a well stocked chest nearby) to survive a module test given my skills.
All I did was put both Haks into the hak folder. Not sure what you mean by adding to custom content if that’s not it. I now have a working “Waterfalls” module in the Modules folder ( although strangely no backup one) and can’t even get the Elven High forest to show up in available tilesets to select it.
Aah, doors . . . Bane of my life at the moment. I’m happy enough doing area transitions if there’s an opening in the tile set feature. I completed the original Bioware tutorial “Fern” easily ( I think that’s the one you refer to but then it told me exactly which item to select).
I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong. In that original tutorial on the original tileset (Rural?) I had already completed an area transition from the rural scene to the mine. If I understand you correctly the Inn I have painted from Paint Terrain/ Groups and has a hole at the moment for a door can now just have a door from Paint Doors/Tileset specific and after giving it a tag on Basic and a destination tag on Area Transition (plus checking “Door” on Area Transition tab ), it should work?
for 2… no haks don’t just work when you put them in the haks folder. You need to actually pull them into your modules. You do that on the module properties -> custom content page. Your working waterfall module is probably the demo that came with the hak?
I never referred to a tutorial and don’t know anything about Fern. Yes, paint a door in the doorway and you can the setup an area trans there. You will also need to build the interior (as I said, in a different area with different tileset) and have a door there. Then you can connect them. If you make both areas and paint both doors first you can select the destination area on one door area transition and select the door to connect to, and let it setup both ways and that should be it.
There are a lot of docs to look at if you need help. Search for NWN University on main vault. Or maybe some nice forumite will come along and drop in the links (paging TR
Welcome aboard jimdad. Here’s a very basic pictorial guide that may help you to make area transitions.
Placing doors requires room on the tile. Some tiles under Features are dedicated door slots. In the example below I have placed the tile Door - Transition from Features while on a Drow Interior map.
Doors are under the pictured slot in the toolset. Selecting a door to place will result in a spinning door under your cursor. Moving the door towards your placed tile should stop it spinning. It should appear as the picture below
(If it never stops spinning, there is no valid slot for the door)
4. Now right click your door and select properties.
5. Under properties is a tab called area transition. When you go there you can click Setup Area Transition. You should now have the screen pictured below.
6. Here you can select the area you want to link to and the door. If there is nothing available to link to try another area. If you still can’t find anything you need to put another door somewhere.
7. Setting up the transition is as simple as selecting the door then clicking Ok. The toolset will set up a two way link between the doors.
I pulled the waterfalls into a new module and it works but don’t think its a tileset. I just raised terrain, put water below and above then used the waterfall which linked up and turned into waterfalls.
The elven forest one was different in that it is ( apparently) a tileset and didn’t appear in the list of areas when I was looking to start a new module. A horrible thought has occurred to me that maybe I need to brush up on my terminology. I assumed it would appear in the list of tile sets for creating a new area at the start. So, maybe I need to identify an area first and then haul it in? I had assumed that it saying it was a new tileset would mean it would show up as an option for a new area.
Heading off just now but will try as soon as I get home. Just wanted to thank you again for all your help.
Sorry about 3. I thought you were referring to the original BioWare tutorial where “Fern” was the area you create. I have had a look at those refs you mention but will try as you say and as Kinslayer has kindly outlined below.
Thanks for the welcome, the advice and for bothering, Kinslayer. I have a lot to learn . . . but am determined to do so.
I see your advice is to use the "SetupArea Transition button. I hadn’t used that before as the tutorial I watched on YouTube did the doors just by changing the leaving and destination tags.
I’m heading out for a night out ( and a curry !) soon but will try your suggestions when I get back . . . . hmmm, maybe tomorrow morning might be better !
Anyway, thanks again. The support from the folks here is genuinely terrific. A very positive attitude to someone learning and making foolish mistakes. I hope to be able to help newcomers as well at some point.
Waterfalls was a demo and after pulling in the .hak as you suggested I now have an incredible Elven treetop city. What a piece of work that is ! ( I’ve even managed to make a transition to/from it from another area)
Kinslayer, I managed to follow your instructions and think I have cured my doors mental block. Thank you.
This is embarrassing. Not least because I’ve asked about it before. I’ve done various tutorials and created area transitions / doors successfully but I still find it difficult in certain tile sets. I can manage the cave ones easily as they specifically identify exits I can use but I’m struggling with transitions in non cave tile sets as they often don’t mention which resources are specifically for this - if indeed there are any.
