Worlds of Ultima: Lost Sosaria

Minor module update

I’ve uploaded the latest version of the module. The changes are minor, but the key difference is that now you actually have to talk to Mala to get out of the first room of the game. This is a chance for me to test out the keyword-based conversation system.

So feel free to download it and give it a try!

To talk, just press ENTER, and then maybe try a few old Ultima keywords. Or try being polite.

Easter

I posted a series of well-wishings last year that seemed to go over really well, and I think I will post the set again with a few additional thoughts. It is fitting and in keeping with who the administrator of this website is, O Reader, to do so.

If you are Catholic: Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen! Hopefully this is a season of renewal and grace for you and your family, and if you are not able to attend Vigil Mass this evening may you have a holy and blessed [tag]Easter[/tag] Sunday and find time in the hectic pace of visiting family and preparing large dinners to partake of the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Be thankful that God does not see the world as we — being merely human — do, and praise Him for His love.

If you are Christian, but not Catholic: Christ is Risen! He is truly Risen! May this weekend be a time of spiritual growth and a season of renewal and grace for you and your family. Be thankful that God does not see the world as we — being merely human — do, and praise Him for His love.

If you are religious but not Christian: May this weekend be a time of rest and of spiritual growth for you, and may you continue securely in your journey of faith. If you are spending the long weekend with family, may you have an enjoyable time with them, and grow closer to all your loved ones.

If you are agnostic/atheist/secular: Have a safe and happy long weekend, and may your heart and mind remain unclosed to the meaning that so many people around the world attach to this blessed week. If you are spending the long weekend with family, may you have an enjoyable time with them, and grow closer to all your loved ones.

WtFD

New site layout

I didn’t like the old, green look for the site, so I used my lunch break at work to mix things up a little bit. I like this design a bit better.

Feedback can be left in the comments.

Download updates

I’ve updated some of the project files, and the new versions are now available for download. Also, I would draw the reader’s attention to two new aspects of the download page: first, files which have been changed now feature a “changelog” link to keep you in the loop about what is different in each file. Second, there is a new file for download that contains several key override packages necessary to play Lost Sosaria.

Download ((re)re)correction

I was informed that the download for the module was broken. This has (hopefully) been rectified.

UPDATE: Okay, it should all be working now. My sincere apologies to anyone who has downloaded any of the files for this module only to find them corrupted; it appears that the download manager I was using for this site (and which I am using at Aiera) was causing the file corruption.

Strangely, it does not appear to be causing corruption at Aiera.

At any rate, I’ve switched to another download manager (I’m really just interested in logging download statistics when I use these things) and everything seems to be working again.

MORE UPDATE: Apparently I’m an idiot who can’t discern the difference between user permission level “0″ and user permission level “public.” Thanks go to Petrell for pointing that out — now everything should be working.

Download the module

I’ve just added a download page to the site. Have at it, O Reader!

WtFD

Downloads coming soon; testing NWN2

Within the next few days, I’ll be uploading the “work in progress” module for Lost Sosaria to the site. That’s not to say that it’s anywhere near done — it isn’t. But I’ve completed a goodly chunk of the map, enough (I think) that the team and I can get a start on working on other aspects of the project’s development besides mapping. Specifically, we’ll be looking to implement changes to the UI, changes to the core classes of the game, event and plot-related scripting, and dialogue as we go from here, and little changes here and there will bubble their way to the website.

I’m kind of planning to base the layout of files for download on the way that they do it over at Project Britannia; updates to each file will be posted at (ir)regular intervals, with a list of changes made available for reference. Visitors to the site will be welcome to download and test the module at any point, and to leave feedback as it progresses. It’s a bit more of an open framework, and will mean that there won’t be any formal demos released at any point…but at the same time, it will also give us the opportunity to frame our progress in concrete terms for any and all interested fans, and will also (hopefully!) give us the opportunity to make corrections as we go along, as they are reported.

I’ve also been given NWN2 by my wife, and while I’ve played with it a bit, I’m hoping to experiment with the Electron Toolset a bit more in the next little while. No, this is not a prelude to an engine change for the project, but it is to suggest that if Lost Sosaria is a success, there may be a sequel in the works. Or a completely new project. Time will tell.

WtFD

Happy (Ukrainian) Christmas!

Yes, I said “Happy Christmas” — not only am I wishing you all my greetings as the weekend of Ukrainian Christmas dawns, but I’m chanelling my inner Irishman as well. Ukrainian and Irish all at once — it’s a wonder I’m ever sober!

At any rate, as a little “gift from us to you” on this weekend, I’ve posted a dozen new screenshots of a mountain range in Lost Sosaria that I’ve been working on lately. They can be viewed in the sidebar of the site.

The mountain tileset that we are using now is, in some ways, not as versatile as previous iterations of the idea that have been released for NWN. On the other hand, in some ways it is quite superior, especially where vertical scale is concerned. The mountains are towering giants now, which is how it should be. They’re a little bit harder to navigate, on the other hand, and building areas requires a bit more advance planning, as well as a goodly deal of care. But the tradeoff is worth it.

And in another month or so, it will be even more worth it; a new version of the mountain tileset is being released, and it looks immensely promising.

So, at any rate, Happy (Ukrainian) Christmas, O Reader. Enjoy the screenshots, and feel free to offer your feedback on the look of the game thus far!

WtFD

Technorati

I’m just doing some New Year’s maintenance on my various sites and whatnot, which includes updating the Technorati entry for Lost Sosaria.

To that end, I need to post this link to my Technorati Profile in a post, and have now done so.

Tags: Technorati

School’s out!

Well finals are over and I’m a free man (except for work, but that seems a lot easier on my free time than school). In other words, I should be able to get a lot done for this game, maybe even some mapping. (Screenshots!) I should also hopefully be getting some new musical tools and instruments soon, so keep an eye on the forums for new songs!