Modding Contest Finale, DLC Plans, and Inkscript integration improvements

Hi folks,

Let's start with our 1st modding contest, which ended today.

Modding Contest Status - Canceled

I'd like to thank and congratulate everyone who participated in it. Unfortunately, though the contest concluded with only 5 entries, and as we didn't reach the 10 minimum entries, it will have to be canceled.

You can find the contest entries below.

Please take a moment to check them out, and give our modders some love, appreciation and steam awards :)

Our next topic for today is the upcoming Q1/22 DLC. There had been a few interesting speculations on that, and on what I am planning to include on it.

So let's make it official!

Erannorth Chronicles first DLC is coming in Q1/22

The first DLC/Expansion for Chronicles is planned for the Q1/22 and I am aiming for a March 2022 (or April 2022) release. While I'll be giving you more details as its development progresses, let's talk a bit of my general expansion plans and philosophy.

The aim of the paid expansions for Chronicles will be to add more flavor and uniqueness to the world. So they'll be further expanding the new major and minor locations I added during the free map updates of Q4/21.

This will include new challenge chains, new events, interactions, loot, allies and cards etc. that you can only experience and see by exploring certain places of the world. It won't include new classes, species, organizations etc. If/when inspiration strucks me for a new archetype, you'll get these as a free update, as you already have.

In a fully moddable game like Erannorth, all the new modding extensions and tools that I am using to develop its content, are also available to our modders. Always have been in Reborn too, and regardless of DLC ownership. For instance, any modder could have made Underworld DLC, using the modding interface included with the base game and the modding guides I provided (or any Reborn DLC for that matter).

Same is with Chronicles. You won't really need to buy any of its DLCs, as I am already giving you all the tools to create that same content yourself (if you prefer). The main reason for buying an Erannorth DLC, would be to support this effort and fund its further development.

Moving on today's patch...

Improved Ink integration

This patch adds the first round of tools that I developed to further imrove ink integration within our event system. And a few bug fixes. The details are probably of interest only to modders and you can read them in the patch notes below.

Patch Notes - 16/12 # 1.029.1

Bugfixes

Fixed an issue with ApplyStatus & ApplyDelayed effects adding blank counters if nested within a PlayOne effect. ie. Lothiel's Dragon Mirage.
Fixed a few typos in cards and perks.

Misc Changes / Additions

Changed the log message when Amplify bonus is reduced, to "Amplify (element) reduced by 25% (-x)."
Added placeholders for several Minor locations.

Modding Additions

You can 'load' information about the PC attributes, traits, equipped items and more in ink global variables and perform native inkscript checks with them. The advantage of this method is that they can then be used both for choices, inside knots, ink functions etc. While @IF is faster to check and without special setup it can only be used for choices. So use the appropriate technique for your needs.

The following variables (if they exist in your ink files) can be used to retrieve the corresponding PC attributes, traits etc, using Update:x

'Update:x' loads (updates) the global variables to mirror the player attributes that exact moment. It doesn't modify the PC in any way, neither can change dynamically but whenever you call the update command again. If you want to modify these values you should use their respective reward strings. You don't need to include all of these in your script, but just those you need and just before you need them.

Player

(int) PCFarthings
(int) PCRations
(int) PCStrength
(int) PCAgility
(int) PCResilience
(int) PCIntellect
(int) PCWillpower
(int) PCCharisma
(int) PCHP
(int) PCAP
(string) PCName
(string) PCGender
(int) PCKarma
(int) PCOrder
(string) PCLocation
(string) PCClass
(string) PCSpecies
(string) PCSpecialization
(string) PCClassification
(string) PCOrganization
(string) PCBackground
(string) PCEquippedWeapon
(string) PCEquippedOffhand
(string) PCEquippedArmor
(string) PCEquippedAccessory
(string) PCEquippedRing
(string) PCEquippedAmulet
(string) PCEquippedCloak
(bool) PCInteractingWithMap

Examples

ie. to define: VAR PCFarthings = 0
to update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCFarthings

ie. to define: VAR PCGender = ""
to update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCGender

ie. to define VAR PCInteractingWithMap = false
to update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCInteractingWithMap

Quest States

If these have 'spaces' in their name it needs to be substituted with _.

(string) PCState[State] can be used to load a Quest State.
ie. to define: VAR PCStatePoet_and_the_Pendulum = ""
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCStatePoet_and_the_Pendulum

Expertises

(int) PCExpertise[Expertise] can be used to load an Expertise rank.
ie. to define: VAR PCExpertiseStealth = 0
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCExpertiseStealth
ie. to define: VAR PCExpertiseBlood_Magic = 0
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCExpertiseBlood_Magic

Influence

(int) PCInfluence[Influence] can be used to load an Influence rank.
ie. to define: VAR PCInfluenceKate = 0
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCInfluenceKate
ie. to define: VAR PCInfluenceOrder_of_Light = 0
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCInfluenceOrder_of_Light

Perks

(bool) PCPerk[Perk] can be used to load false or true if the player has a certain perk or not.
ie. to define: VAR PCPerkSeafarer = false
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCPerkSeafarer
ie. to define: VAR PCPerkPlatinum_Bank_Credit = false
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCPerkPlatinum_Bank_Credit

Allies

(bool) PCAlly[AllyName] can be used to load false or true if the player has a certain unique, elite or company ally in play or not. This will only work if AllyName is exact match (or AllyName:1 is exact match). So avoid using for temp allies as they could be in play with an instance higher than :1.

For instance the Dog comes into play a 'Companion', so PCAllyCompanion could check for the dog but also for any companion.
ie. to define: VAR PCAllyFamiliar = false
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCAllyFamiliar
ie. to define: VAR PCAllyGrimtooth_Barnes = false
To update: # Grant:Rewards # Update:PCAllyGrimtooth_Barnes

Calendar

(string) CalDayName (Erannorth calendar has the following days: Moonhal, Dueshal, Wanehal, Thaurhal, Fryehal, Satyrhal, Sunhal)
(int) CalDay is the Day in numerical format ie. 21
(string) CalMonthName (Erannorth calendar has the following months: Algor, Beltazoran, Serpentis, Drekkal, Elorian, Erannos, Myrkaz, Ertak, Heliosar, Myrestian, Whoozhu, Kanthar)
(int) CalMonth is the Month in numerical format ie. 2
(string) CalYear (Chronicles timeline starts at 1263 EC.)
(string) CalDaytime (Dawn, Sunrise, Daytime, Sunset, Dusk, Night, Midnight)
(string) CalDaytimeS (Daytime, Night)

Erannorth Chronicles update for 16 December 2021