Small Update - In Testing

[Saulus]

There's a small update today I'd like to announce that I'm sure will excite you all. I will be testing several new systems for dungeons, one of which is respawnable traps -- this will allow rogues to successfully disarm and take traps. Removing a trap will effectively remove it from the area entirely for a set period of time.

This will apply to doors as well as chests, crates etc. Also, you can now destroy chests and containers, the chances of having broken loot in them are high, but if you don't have a rogue handy this is a good way to try to at least recover some loot. Chests and containers will respawn even if destroyed. Some of you may have also noticed the darkened caves and hidden minimap that add a new tactical element.

These are many of the new features we are exploring for testing on our dungeons, skill checks (especially with new skills) will also start coming into play in such adventures.

The only region I'm testing all this in is you guessed it, Sharahan Hills and the Spittlefist Caves Level 1. If things turn out good then expect it to become the standard in Sundren.

The message I'd like to send home with this is that eventually partying in hostile environments will require certain party/group expectations. Being that fighter to run to the chest and try to grab the loot may just be the chest that zaps half your party because the rogue didn't check it first.

But with danger, comes reward. And sometimes brawn will save your ass where brains couldn't.

[Urithrand]

Once again, Sundren fills in the gaping holes left by NWN2 bringing us closer and ever closer to true PnP RP. Bravo guys, your awesomeness strikes again!

[me_less]

I haven't seen it in game yet, but kudos to all! I like where everything is going with this.

[joker]

I had my new character in the Spittlefist Caves last night. I loved the darkness in the caves. It definately adds an element of intrigue to the caves.

[me_less]

I noticed the new darkness in the Ogre caves. Scary. It definitely gives more strength to darksight, torches, and the like. With burning sword, everything had a deep red. *thumbs up from me*

[sharringtonm]

The darkness your seeing is just a taste of whats coming. Next time we update the haks, vision will go down hill really really far unless you have torches/lights/lowlight/darkvision.

[Maevan2]

The darkness your seeing is just a taste of whats coming. Next time we update the haks, vision will go down hill really really far unless you have torches/lights/lowlight/darkvision.

That is somethign we should have done a long, long time ago

But we shouldn't forget that more or less all intelligent creatures that live in such a place would suffer from the darkness too. I doubt that the ogres would live in a pitch black cave like they do now. When players are using torches they would be using torches too (at least placeables ones, i don't know what the AI would do if you give them a torch), fireplaces or what ever. There can be pitch black places but in places where these creatures usually live and gather there would be more or less light.

[Urithrand]

Depending of course on whether the creatures had darkvision themselves. Afaik, ogres have full darkvision ala-dwarf and as such would need no lights to see by.

[Rhifox]

Just did a bit of testing here. Since this is the first time I've been to the caves in a very long while, I'm not sure if this was always the case or a result of the latest updates, but the goblins and their traps are not on the same faction. So the goblins that run over their own traps will get hit by them.

[Landaren]

I know I shouldn't laugh but that is rather funny.

[darcane]

Yea Goblins are dumb,they should run over their own traps.When I play Vader , i liked casting a wall of fire and just run through it like 3 times while every goblin in the hills were following me.Just goes to show how insane he is.

Also I noticed..fire enchanted weapons give off no light in these areas.Burning sword does , but flame weapon spell and the enchant does not.Is there a reason for that or is it something in the game mechanics?

[nickbeat]

Even those with darkvision would still need torches to see colors.

[Larando]

I went down in the goblin caves earlier to check this out. All I have to say is you guys are awesome. I was very impressed with the way the darkness in the caves works. I could so see my assassin character setting traps and lying in wait to catch someone in some fun RP. The traps were a little annoying...but in the way that traps should be. So, that was awesome, too.

Another note: it was funny trying to figure out my way around without the minimap. That makes for more interesting cave trolling, also. It just adds that element to hunting that will help keep people IC. There will be the random maverick who disregards self preserverance or the person who is so into the grind that they just don't care. But, I'd say that this will add much more RP depth to the experience of hunting in caves for the bulk of the server population. I know when I was down there, I just felt a need to practice much more caution. OOCly and ICly.

Thanks for the great work. I'm curious to see how lost I can get in smoldering caves with no minimap

[sharringtonm]

I carefully chose to darken only those caves where the inhabitants have darkvision or low-light vision.

Goblins, Ogres, Smoldering Barrow, Tombs of the Necropolis.

You'll notice the cartel caves are not darkened. The inhabitants (humans mostly) can't see in the dark, so they would have them well lit indeed.

You'll notice the lizard man caves are not darkened either. Lizardmen cannot see in the dark.

So yes, we respected the inhabitants with this change.

As for the Flame Blade not giving off light, yeah, I'm aware of this.
When I made the Burning Sword spell I respected the text where it specificlly says it gives off light, thus why it gives off a red glow. If you read the description of Flame Blade or whatever its called, it doesn't say this.
Why you ask?
Check out the PNP version of this spell:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/flameBlade.htm
It's not even close to the Black Isle/Obsidian. in PNP it just creates a red hot beam of immaterial fire.
I'm unsure if immaterial fire throws light, since nothing exists like that in the real world, and its not covered in the DnD manuals.
So, I'm going to leave it be for the moment.
You really don't want me to modify that spell to PNP, trust me. It would make all the druids cry.

As for the fire enchanted weapons, yeah I noticed that. I'm thinking hard on this but haven't got an answer for you yet.

I'm glad you guys are enjoying the mapblocker's effect to 'immerse' you. I've only added it to select areas right now, eventually it will be all the darkened areas only.
No player has complained about it yet, so thats a good sign. Keep in mind, players, that the DMs are sacrificing a bit of DM mobility to enable this immersion for you.

[Elusa]

Immaterial just means it's not made of solid matter, like metal or wood, so not matter how hard you hit the opponent, it won't do extra damage. It literally is a flame blade. If it was made like the PnP, it would just replace whatever weapon you're using. And yeah, I can imagine a lot of druids would be pissed. But whatever you decide to do with it, it should cast light. Immaterial doesn't mean it's an illusion; it's actual fire.