Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir Blog Update
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The first feature on my plate was the Party Creation System. Lead Designer Tony Evans had written a very thorough design document describing what he was looking for with the Party Creation System. Fortunately, Rich and I were huge proponents of Party Creation and had already laid most of the groundwork for this feature back when we were developing the original Neverwinter Nights 2.
Because of the foresight, planning, and the clear and concise design from Tony Evans, the first feature of the game went in with nary a hitch and on schedule.
We were even able to add some extra bonus fun to the new Party Creation System, like modifying your Party at any point in the game. Is that slacker of a rogue just not pulling his weight? Get to the nearest inn and lose that Zero and get yourself a Hero - or a Heroine. We even had time to add flavor to the Party Creation System by adding text fields where the Player can add a Party Name, a Party Motto, and even a Party Biography, all of which is accessible through script for the community to use.
The Game Development Lessonâ„¢ here is that with a clear and strong design, some planning, and some lucky foresight, you can implement big features on time and usually even with some shiny extras. This is the best and rarest of development scenarios, one where the stars are aligned and harmony radiates everywhere. Unicorns frolic, rainbows appear, and music plays from an unseen source.
