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(Rule 1 no Trolling! so given other posts I've been over as well as one of my own my advice is to Ignore someone that has nothing useful to say and only comes in to go a 'trolling.)

Ok so I've been doing my research and started brushing up on my scripting and getting myself back into the game. So I'm setting about the task of making a module, but I figured HEY there's still a community for this ye oldie game, lets ask them for their random input and ideas. So in your Opinion What to you makes a good Module and Why?
Post edited July 16, 2016 by BlackfoxKitsune
Would be easier to suggest things if you specified which game you mean. The modding process is similar, but slightly different between them. Or do you want more general suggestions that would apply to either?
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touched: Would be easier to suggest things if you specified which game you mean. The modding process is similar, but slightly different between them. Or do you want more general suggestions that would apply to either?
I'll be making modules for both nwn1 and nwn2 but not looking for help with the tool sets :) re-learning all that anyway. so its more of a General suggestion with out giving idea's for your own mods away, just what you folks feel makes a good module and any tips from Module makers on what they find works. Sorta like a community share things, were we all make this big mix of idea's and suggestions and if it pops up helps and tips. :) but again trying to protect our own idea's for stories, i know how annoying it is to have your stories stolen from you and someone else take credit. (but i wont go to deeply into that)
Post edited July 16, 2016 by BlackfoxKitsune
In that case, I think anyone who plays modules can contribute suggestions about the sort of things they like to have in the modules they play, and that can be general story-related things or game mechanics. Personally, I like modules with dialogue that supports a good variety of different kinds of characters you might be playing, and that's even if the different options ultimately lead to the same result, which is easier to make. That would be my biggest suggestion.
Keep it focused on what you intend. If you want a vast wilderness to explore, play it and make sure it's fun. Have things to find. If you want to have some great battles, build some great battles. Work out some AI moments of brilliance and geographically strategic moments for your enemies. If you want players to interact with each other, give them things to interact with that they find interesting.

Good luck!
My recommendation is to not go out of your way to prevent exploits. It is a lot of work, and the gain is rather minor, and sometimes glitches are fun. (This is assuming you aren't playing multiplayer with strangers.) As an example, I note that it is apparently possible for fast characters (like a level 21 hasted monk I saw in a video) to walk through doors; do you really want to have to avoid using doors just to prevent this?

On the other hand, you should at least handle cases that are not supposed to be possible. At the very least, put some error handling message in, just so that the game doesn't behave badly when such a thing happens. (Remember, your module *will* have bugs, so don't assume that the situation can't happen.) Also, avoid using profanity and bad language in error messages; in fact, you should avoid that in general.
A couple of good posts for new builders to read:

http://neverwintervault.org/article/tutorial/perfecting-your-module
http://neverwintervault.org/article/editorial/pen-paper-perspective

Don't even bother making a module unless you are srs. The community is spoiled these days, we have access to the best stuff from the last 10 years to compare your module to. There is quantity and quality.

These days the quantity has dropped off but the quality is insane. Check out Swordflight, for example. It's polished almost to perfection. Nothing comes close to it on the Vault. Chapter Three is coming out soon, btw.
I like modules that expect you to be clever. Forexample in one module, i came accross a group of high level enemies. It was basically impossible to kill them without cheating and i had to go through that road. One way was to make sound somewhere and they would all go at that point. You could just walk through the empty road freely after that.
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Engerek01: I like modules that expect you to be clever. Forexample in one module, i came accross a group of high level enemies. It was basically impossible to kill them without cheating and i had to go through that road. One way was to make sound somewhere and they would all go at that point. You could just walk through the empty road freely after that.
LOL I like DM's that are like that in the table top D&D.
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BlackfoxKitsune: (Rule 1 no Trolling! so given other posts I've been over as well as one of my own my advice is to Ignore someone that has nothing useful to say and only comes in to go a 'trolling.)

Ok so I've been doing my research and started brushing up on my scripting and getting myself back into the game. So I'm setting about the task of making a module, but I figured HEY there's still a community for this ye oldie game, lets ask them for their random input and ideas. So in your Opinion What to you makes a good Module and Why?
Remember there is many stories and settings.
The same stories and the same setting get boring

Module building now days is different from back in the day.
you have the community patch 1.72... of course nwncx
The game is very very moddable nothing like it as moddable.

You can turn off all default classes and create a whole new world.

How about a whole new universe of space marines with rifles?
Funny enough there is some premade resources just for stuff like that.

Unique exciting and fun...
I rather download 2gig+ spending three minutes to download for exciting unique experience.
Than the default tilesets with default music with generic npc's and wide empty space.

I would also suggest brushing up on your character building and story design skills.
Stuff I haven't even personally thought about since I was at university.
Post edited July 17, 2016 by Regals
One other tip:

Test your module. Make sure it works properly, and that it is sanely balanced.

In particular, when testing, remember to try everything, including things you wouldn't expect a player to actually do. You don't want your module to become unwinnable because you forgot to account for a case that actually happened to someone.
One thing I never saw in a custom module and which I would love to see ingame:
Punish those who were given powers from a god or goddess if they act against the dogma of their deity!
(But do offer a path for redemption)

Examples:
Druids/Rangers who slaughter animals for xp gain -> Let them loose their spells
Druids which equip "not allowed" weaponry -> Let them loose their spells
Paladins who act cruel, against their deity's dogma -> Let them loose spells and spell like abilities (devine might etc.)
Clerics which act against their deity's dogma -> Let them loose their spells

These losses must be permanent, unless the PC in question solves a path of redemption questline!

Edit:
Chars who fell from grace should also not be possible to level the class until they atoned, forcing them into multiclassing...
Post edited July 18, 2016 by passionata
More generically: (for NWN1, since the NWN2 editor gave me a headache.)

Small areas with a lot of content are much more exciting than long areas with lots of empty space.

Short modules with a tight focus are much more memorable than long modules full of clichés. Also, you're much more likely to finish a short project, and can use the stuff you learn from it to make a better, longer second one, if you want.

You need an idea, a focus and a hook. If you want to make something story-based, having tons of filler combat will probably distract from it. If you make a hack and slash module, your enemies need to be something other than stock creatures that people have seen a hundred times before.

Scripting is something many module makers can't do well. If you can't either, use Lilac Soul's script generator. But if you can, it's much easier to make modules memorable, because you'll be able to implement all kinds of puzzles and unusual tricks.

If you want to stand out, you can try and make a type of module other than a typical RPG. To name some examples: Crypt of Riddles I & II are old modules that focus on riddles and puzzles, some of which are incredibly difficult. Black Thorn is a whodunnit murder mystery where you have to talk to people to solve a crime, and there's only one fight.

I suggest downloading some popular stuff and seeing what they do that's interesting. Particularly the newer stuff: many relatively famous older modules wouldn't necessarily get attention nowadays, because production standards have gone up a lot.

However, many of the later big and (relatively) famous modules were made by whole teams of highly skilled people, or were the products of literal years of work by individuals. Extremely talented individuals. You're unlikely to rival these without some serious dedication, skill, time, and effort, but that doesn't mean you can't make something smaller that's worthwhile.
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passionata: One thing I never saw in a custom module and which I would love to see ingame:
Punish those who were given powers from a god or goddess if they act against the dogma of their deity!
(But do offer a path for redemption)

Examples:
Druids/Rangers who slaughter animals for xp gain -> Let them loose their spells
Druids which equip "not allowed" weaponry -> Let them loose their spells
Actually there was a mod that i played with a few people from GOG that something like that. I was a druid and it didnt let me cast spells while wearing a medium armor. I was so pissed.
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passionata: One thing I never saw in a custom module and which I would love to see ingame:
Punish those who were given powers from a god or goddess if they act against the dogma of their deity!
(But do offer a path for redemption)

Examples:
Druids/Rangers who slaughter animals for xp gain -> Let them loose their spells
Druids which equip "not allowed" weaponry -> Let them loose their spells
avatar
Engerek01: Actually there was a mod that i played with a few people from GOG that something like that. I was a druid and it didnt let me cast spells while wearing a medium armor. I was so pissed.
Hide Armor should be allowed for a Druid not so sure about Studded Leather Armor, the default Skin contains parts of metal. Chainshirt etc. should hinder a Druid from casting Spells. Druids of Mielikki should be allowed to wear metal armor and wield metal weaponry according to the FR wiki: http://forgottenrealms.wikia.com/wiki/Mielikki

I once played on a server which had such rules in place. I played a Paladin on that server who fell from the grace of his goddess. At first it was frustrating but then the roleplay possibilities kicked in and I had a blast playing that character.