Neversummer 5 Update for the Masses

[Dr_Fangorn_ns3]

Hi all -

Well, thought I'd give you a brief update on where things stand with NS5.

Things are going well, but it's slow going. So, I'm posting this as both an update and a continued request for help from the community.

Milestones:
To date, milestones we're achieved thus far are:
* Close to 100 areas
* About 1.5 Gigs of content (more than most live persistant worlds)
* About 200 creatures
* Lines of general gear created and balanced
* Many core scripting systems in place or almost complete
* Development server set up and integrated with the Worldgate download utility which greatly assists in keeping clients up to date with the PWC for the module.
* Innovative gameplay systems that build and expand on what we've learned from in NS4/NS3.
* Database integration

100 areas may not sound like a lot, but areas in NWN2 are much larger than they were in NWN1. Also, we've developed an approach which makes the areas that are in the module multiply in their effectiveness.

We're about a quarter of the way through the area development that we have planned out for the mod - the areas suited for levels 1-7 players or so. Detailed storylines have been written out and the rest of the maps for the module have been pretty much planned out, it's just a matter of implenting them.

Meet your development team:
The folks that have been involved in NS5 development thus far include folks from the NS3 and NS4 community as well as some people we're recruited from outside our community. The people that have been involved in development thus far include:

NS5 Project Leaders:
Flailer: Scripting, area development, creature creation, project planning
Fangorn: Lead area developer, shard sketcher, project planning, realm storyline

NS5 Development Team:
Shield: Scripting, database development, utility development
Netrom: Scripting
Cely: Item creation, scripting, infrastructure
Lokey: Scripting, NWN2 pitfall navigation, nerfing
Vapor: Item creation
Kurtz: Scripting
Valimer: Area development
Lusule: Area development
Invic100: Scripting
Vagastorm: Forum/website development, scripting
Kell of Neversummer: Scripting, quest development
Joran: Scripting (retired)

Current needs:
While we have a large team, we're all busy folks with real lives and jobs and can only do so much. We could certainly use a few more folks - talented preferably, but if you're not, we're willing to train if you have the time and interest.

Areas:
This is our area of greatest need, quite bluntly. Creating areas (and doing them with the quality you would expect from Neversummer) takes a while. I would love to see us double our area development team. We've handled area development on a contract basis (we dole out an area to someone to do and they get it back to us) or integrating them into our team with access to the full source of what we've done thus far. If you have any talent with graphics design, artwork, landscaping, or architecture, you probably have the inherient skills to do area development. Neither Flailer or I have this occupational background, but we have created some interesting content for everyone to enjoy. Soon. If you're interested, let Flailer or I know.

NPC Dialog/Quest Development:
Still could use some assistance from literary types with a desire for good storytelling who don't run screaming when they see the occasional script.

Creature Design:
If you're creative or at the very least have time to generate unique creatures and work on balancing them, there's a place for you here. This would involve both combat creature design and quest/townsfolk NPC design.

Scripting:
We can always use talented software developers.

Current Plans:
The first quarter of our mod is now entering post-production and some of the core scripting systems are coming into place. Our hopes and plans for the future are the following:

New Forums/Website:
We're in the process of fusing our existing Neversummer forum databases and having a unified forum structure and new website. When this is up, we'll provide more details about NS5, screenshots, etc.

Neversummer Test Server:
We plan on setting up a test server with PvP and PvM abilities so players can be testing builds and provide feedback on current systems, items, PC build balancing, etc.

Neversummer 5 beta:
The opening of our current content for testing.

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As with all things we do at Neversummer, it's hard to nail down a time when all of these things will be completed. It has a lot to do with how much help we get and how much free time we're able to devote to it all. But, we've been doing a ton of work so far and are eager to show you what we've made for you. Hope you can either help or remain patient 'til it's available.

If you're interested in talking about helping out in any way, let me know via PM here.

Cheers!