Neverwinter Nights Programming

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

I am currently in the possession of some free time, so I was thinking
about learning NWN programming/game development. However,
documentation on the scripting language in the box itself is sparse,
in much the same way the prescence of live blue whales in the Gobi
Desert is 'sparse', and while there's a zillion sites dedicated to the
game, fishing through them all is not easy. What I want/need, ideally,
is dead tree docs along the lines of an O'Reilly style book. (I've
been a programmer for 18 years -- I don't need to be told what a loop
is or what a variable is for; I need all the APIs clearly documented,
all the function calls defined and a 'cookbook' of code samples for
commonly used events, such as 'You kill this one NPC and he turns into
a demons who eats your spleen'.)

If there is no dead tree, is there a downloadable/printable file? Even
a Windows Help file would do.

Failing all that, what's the best site to jump into development with?

(BTW, if anyone needs a tech writer or a database programmer, drop me
an email...)
*----------------------------------------------------*
Evolution doesn't take prisoners:Lizard
"I've heard of this thing men call 'empathy', but I've never
once been afflicted with it, thanks the Gods." Bruno The Bandit
http://www.mrlizard.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Lizard wrote:

> I am currently in the possession of some free time, so I was thinking
> about learning NWN programming/game development. However,
> documentation on the scripting language in the box itself is sparse,
> in much the same way the prescence of live blue whales in the Gobi
> Desert is 'sparse', and while there's a zillion sites dedicated to the
> game, fishing through them all is not easy. What I want/need, ideally,
> is dead tree docs along the lines of an O'Reilly style book. (I've
> been a programmer for 18 years -- I don't need to be told what a loop
> is or what a variable is for; I need all the APIs clearly documented,
> all the function calls defined and a 'cookbook' of code samples for
> commonly used events, such as 'You kill this one NPC and he turns into
> a demons who eats your spleen'.)
>
> If there is no dead tree, is there a downloadable/printable file? Even
> a Windows Help file would do.
>
> Failing all that, what's the best site to jump into development with?

Check the Bioware website for documentation.
http://nwn.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic.html?topic=81523&forum=47&sp=0

 

[noman]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

On Thu, 24 Mar 2005 12:03:19 -0500, Lizard <lizard@mrlizard.com>
wrote:

>(I've
>been a programmer for 18 years -- I don't need to be told what a loop
>is or what a variable is for; I need all the APIs clearly documented,
>all the function calls defined and a 'cookbook' of code samples for
>commonly used events, such as 'You kill this one NPC and he turns into
>a demons who eats your spleen'.)
>

Download the NWN Lexicon at http://www.nwnlexicon.com. The size is
about 7 megs. It's an excellent reference document, as it lists the
complete API, numerous scripting examples and tutorials for playable
modules.

To get familiar with the basic editor (building maps, NPCs, area
transitions, hotspots etc) and the GUI/Toolset, check out tutorials at
http://nwn.bioware.com/builders/

In fact it's better to start from the basic tutorials at the Bioware
site and create a very simple module using the GUI alone. Once you are
at ease with the toolset, then start using the lexicon for scripting.

I am sure you'll enjoy the experience.
--
Noman

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Lizard in <pds5411u96k1i225k42obdmi8ec8k08406@4ax.com>:

> What I want/need, ideally, is dead tree docs along the lines of an
> O'Reilly style book.

I assume you've already found the seeds at
http://nwn.bioware.com/developers/
and found them wanting, because they are mostly concerned with file
formats?

The Scripting page in the NWN Custom Content Guide wiki
http://ccg.dladventures.com/index.php/Scripting
should be a good starting point, with links to tuts, a function
reference, and much more.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Lizard wrote:

>I am currently in the possession of some free time, so I was thinking
>about learning NWN programming/game development. However,
>documentation on the scripting language in the box itself is sparse,
>

The scripting language itself is sparse.

>in much the same way the prescence of live blue whales in the Gobi
>Desert is 'sparse', and while there's a zillion sites dedicated to the
>game, fishing through them all is not easy. What I want/need, ideally,
>is dead tree docs along the lines of an O'Reilly style book. (I've
>been a programmer for 18 years -- I don't need to be told what a loop
>is or what a variable is for; I need all the APIs clearly documented,
>all the function calls defined and a 'cookbook' of code samples for
>commonly used events, such as 'You kill this one NPC and he turns into
>a demons who eats your spleen'.)
>
>If there is no dead tree, is there a downloadable/printable file? Even
>a Windows Help file would do.
>
>Failing all that, what's the best site to jump into development with?
>
>

My number one resource, besides my Mk 1 Human Brane (and 30 years
programming in various languages), is the bioware forum search.
http://nwn.bioware.com/forums/search.html where I have managed to find
almost all the answers I needed, and when not, sometimes my posts
brought answers in short order. Thus I have managed to do just about
everything I ever needed to do.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

Quaestor wrote:

> Lizard wrote:
>
>> I am currently in the possession of some free time, so I was thinking
>> about learning NWN programming/game development. However,
>> documentation on the scripting language in the box itself is sparse,
>>
>
> The scripting language itself is sparse.

It isn't all that bad. While it isn't the most powerful language ever,
it is pretty interesting and does a good job at what it is supposed to do...

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.rpg (More info?)

>> Failing all that, what's the best site to jump into development with?

Go here:

http://www.nwnlexicon.com/

This is one of the best *general* NWN sites:

http://www.nwvault.com/

--
/\_./b__ _O_ <====o Lost Dragon o====> _|_ __d\._/\
(/^/(_^^' | I like people - I just can't eat a whole one | `^^_)\^\)
.._,(_😉_ <===o http://www.lostdragon.com/ o===> _(;_),_.