Oh, the pain.
The Designers' health was failing, mobility was impaired, pain was a daily thing, help was not in sight. To stay busy and productive in this period of frustrating decline, and to sate a decades-long desire to learn C Programming, I undertook the creation of an original Computer Fantasy Role Playing Game Campaign built using the Buildertool from the Neverwinter Nights Computer Role Playing Game.
The Argent Production Team
This engine uses mechanics very like the Dungeons & Dragons Game (with a bit of tweezing for the sake of playability in a single and multi-player environment). The best part about the Buildertool is that it uses a sub-set of the C Programming Language to create SCRIPTS which accomplish some of the more complex interactions within the game. In short THIS GAME has what it takes, it has what the original Dungeons & Dragons had which made it successful; the ability for the end user to create and run their own adventures. That is what THIS is all about; telling a story interactively. Allowing each player/ witness to be an active participant in an entertainment form. But, I digress....
I, the Designer (A.K.A. GM_ODA ['Original Designer Almighty']) was basically unwell in 2003, and somewhat uncertain about the future, but determined to make something of the time. A friend turned me on to Neverwinter Nights, suggesting I should look at the BUILDERTOOL since I was knonwn as both a computer guru and Gamemaster in a variety of PnP games. I had been desirous of learning C Programming since the late 1980's but somehow never found the time to do so. Being very familiar with Role Playing Games (RPGs) since the late 1970's, and well versed in a number of computer hardware/software configurations since the early 1980's, and having been a professional game Designer since the mid-1980's, and having been involved in all aspects of telecommunications since the mid-1980's, well, what else was the Designer to do when this friend continually told inveighed 'HEY YOU MUST LOOK AT THIS NEVERWINTER NIGHTS GAME!'. Eventually, I did that very thing. It is said, the rest is BINARY.
LEARNING THE TOOLKIT FIRST...
The Designer poured over the available materials regarding the Buildertool and other tools available to assist an aspiring Module Builder. The Designer opted to play to the strengths of the tools and design in creating something which was open-ended, manageable by a single Designer but geared to operate smoothly as a team-design/build effort. The team never jelled. Maybe someday, but presently, what you see as this campaign represents one mans dogged effort of about two hours a day each day for the last four years. Now, more than ONE THOUSAND (Area) maps later...
Now, it is with great regard and deepest gratitude
to all whose efforts assisted me in my self-education, I, GM_ODA, the Designer of the Argent Production Team's
Acerian Tradeway : City of Dohral am pleased to announce the impending debut of this extraordinary
new Neverwinter Nights Campaign.
READ MORE ABOUT THE CITY OF DOHRAL.
P.S. ( POST SURGERY ...)
My health improves, somewhat. More to the good, the project is nearing completion, and she begs to go
live online. Alas, this means a dedicated server, and that costs some dollars ... as of
the writing of this paragraph, quality hosting can be had for $150 per month. The Designer seeks
donations from friends of the Acerian Tradeway! Help support the Argent Production Team's
Acerian Tradeway : City of Dohral Project.
You can help make this come to pass with a modest donation
As long as this thing shows serious interest from the gaming public - in the form of sufficient donations, to keep her operational, I will continue to crank out the expansion work; tweazing scripts, adding adventures, locations, and SERVERS. User-donations will (hopefully) pay the costs of continued operation of this and EXPANSION servers for this same project into the future (given enough folks like this offering enough to donate).
Other burning questions?
READ MORE ABOUT THE DESIGNER.
A Neverwinter Nights Campaign