Toolset Tutorial

    This is a quick overview of how to create a simple adventure using the Neverwinter Nights Toolset. You will learn how to lay out an area, populate it with NPCs and monsters for players to interact with, and create a simple quest. Along the way, you'll learn how to use toolset features like making conversations, how to use the scalable encounter system, and how to use the Plot Wizard  to make quests without having to script.

Note: The pictures may take a while to load. Please be patient.

 

1. First, you have to create a new module. Usually, when you first open the toolset you get the module creation dialog. If new, click on the 'new' button on the top left corner. The first screen has nothing important on it. Hit next. Now, you must name your module. Remember, this is the name of your entire module. For tutorial purposes, we'll call ours the "Forest of Doom".

2. Hit next. Now, you create your first area. We will have two areas in our module, a small hamlet and the Forest of Evil. Choose the rural tileset for the hamlet and the forest tileset for the forest. Make both of the areas small so things are easy to find. After you are done creating your areas, hit 'Done'.

3. Now, we will lay out the hamlet. Double click on what you called your hamlet.on the pane in the left. The area will open. You can see that the hamlet is currently really boring. It is just a big field. Add houses, roads, rivers, etc. how you see fit from the right hand pane. Make some sort of transition where the player will go to the forest (like a road to the edge of the area or some trees) When you are done, save your module just in case.

4. Next, do the same thing with your forest that you did with the town. Have some sort of transition for the player to arrive at when they leave the town, like a road or clearing. Create a chest surrounded by light placeables for the item the player is trying to get.

5. Now, you need to have the code to give the player a quest. First, create a farmer who will give the player the quest. Put him somewhere in the rural area. Right-click on him and go to properties. Then, click on the conversation button near the bottom.

6. Now, you will create a conversation thread. For the purpose of this demo, this conversation will have two different states, one before the player accepts the quest and one after the player has retrieved the item. In your own module, you'll want to add more states, such as one where the player has accepted the quest but has not finished it.

7. First, enter what the farmer will say if the player has the item. It is good practice to do this, because the game displays the first conversation line that agrees with the "appear when" script. Now, in the lower right corner of the screen, click on the script wizard icon to the right of the scroll box.

8.Choose the 'appear when the player has an item' option. From here on, the wizard is self-explanatory. When you are finished with the conversation, go back to the "Forest of Doom". Add a chest containing the item the player must get and add some monsters or an encounter. Then, you are almost done!

9.Now, all you have to do is playtest the module. Make sure there are no bugs, the encounters are well balanced, etc. Sometimes, this can take the longest time in module development. But stick with it, you'll be rewarded when you have a polished and enjoyable adventure for the community to play.