Is it time to bring on HAKs?

[Seven Sons of Sin]

Several MMORPGs operate on 4 major updates a year - one for each season. I think that would be a cool way to consolidate and organize haks.

And let's be real. I think people find haks daunting is because wtf is a hak. Look at it as DLC, or quarterly updates, or even expansion packs.

[gilescorey]

The only issue I really have with haks is that a lot of people play on "data limits," and having to download or update every so often would be very bad for them due to these limits.

I don't know if there's a way around that, though there's been so much wizardry done by the team I'm willing to believe almost anything's possible.

Edit: I don't know if "a lot" is the right phrase to use, but enough to make me consider the fact.

[JediMindTrix]

You can compress files to a ridiculously small size using .7z

[Cerk Evermoore]

Probably because when you hear someone say "I hack" it is not necessarily seen as a good thing.

[SwampFoot]

Another question is where to start? I believe I already have CEP as I've played Ravenloft on this PC (you think lvling is hard here? try that one). Can server-side changes be made to CEP? How long until we need a new hak? And how would updating work? I always put files in the wrong place. Can it be automated?

[Mithreas]

Where to start? You'd download a small launcher app from our website, and that would handle the download and install of everything else. That's it.

As the others have said, there's a fair bit of work required to get to that point, so don't expect to see haks any time soon. And as someone in the bad internet brigade I'll be vocal about any plans that I don't think are viable, don't worry

[Peppermint]

Every time this topic is raised, the devs mention that there'd be a downloader (i.e. zero effort on your end).

And yet people complain that haks are too complex/the devs will suddenly become bad at their jobs if haks appear.

Come on, guys. Give yourselves and the team a little credit.

[RamblerTeo]

People need to request a new cd key, dig through their program files & replace the current cd key in the NWN folder.
I'm pretty sure dragging a folder into another one is much easier than all that stuff. Haks are easy to install and if people are tech savvy enough to do the first, they sure can do the latter.
It won't 'scare away' new players, since they had the willpower to go through this process of even getting the game running.

If there's going to be an auto downloader, it's going to be even easier.

[Ebonstar]

The only issue I really have with haks is that a lot of people play on "data limits," and having to download or update every so often would be very bad for them due to these limits.

I don't know if there's a way around that, though there's been so much wizardry done by the team I'm willing to believe almost anything's possible.

Edit: I don't know if "a lot" is the right phrase to use, but enough to make me consider the fact.

As I stated before here and in the other thread, I for one, and Im sure there would be a few others as well who would be happy to burn a copy of the haks and mail them to those who are on data limits, so that everyone could play and not worry about bandwidth.

Updates every few months therefore would not be a problem, and thinking more about it, Our dev team could then structure updates in blocks which might make it easier on their end.

[Nitro]

The only issue I really have with haks is that a lot of people play on "data limits," and having to download or update every so often would be very bad for them due to these limits.

I don't know if there's a way around that, though there's been so much wizardry done by the team I'm willing to believe almost anything's possible.

Edit: I don't know if "a lot" is the right phrase to use, but enough to make me consider the fact.

As I stated before here and in the other thread, I for one, and Im sure there would be a few others as well who would be happy to burn a copy of the haks and mail them to those who are on data limits, so that everyone could play and not worry about bandwidth.

Updates every few months therefore would not be a problem, and thinking more about it, Our dev team could then structure updates in blocks which might make it easier on their end.

The thought is nice, but it's not exactly something that you can plan forever when making a decision. Sending disks between countries to uptowards dozens of people can cost a pretty penny, and what if the people doing the burning experience an economic shortage or stop playing arelith entirely?

[JediMindTrix]

You can't plan on it at all.

That being said, I'm willing to do the same. it's barely a $1 postage and I live right next to a Post Office so it's pretty convenient for me.

[Terminal_Templari]

Every time this topic is raised, the devs mention that there'd be a downloader (i.e. zero effort on your end).

And yet people complain that haks are too complex/the devs will suddenly become bad at their jobs if haks appear.

Come on, guys. Give yourselves and the team a little credit.

I keep trying to find the upvote button

As a player who came from a hak-heavy server... I would wholeheartedly support this. It takes a 15 year old game and makes it feel fresh.

[DeamonHeart]

No Haks..


Keep it simple Silly.. Plug (install) and Play Thanks

[Ebonstar]

No Haks..


Keep it simple Silly.. Plug (install) and Play Thanks

Do you have a shortcut to play on your desktop that goes around the main startup splash? 99 percent of us do if not 100 percent due to having to run the game under admin and compat you have to click two things.

Downloader and such work the same way, no updates its still two clicks. even with an update, oh good gracious, its two clicks.

Cant get any simpler

[Peppermint]

No Haks..


Keep it simple Silly.. Plug (install) and Play Thanks

Please don't make me quote myself. This is getting patently silly.

[Diilicious]

Let's face it. What we really need to do is just update the entire NWN engine with a fan-made copy, fix all the bugs, and introduce pixies that don't look like shit.

If we introduce haks, I can and may literally, steadily, single-handedly, reskin the entire game with high resolution textures, and your computer will be fine with it.

yea id help with that.

[Griefmaker]

No Haks..


Keep it simple Silly.. Plug (install) and Play Thanks

Please don't make me quote myself. This is getting patently silly.

Yeah, I kind of have to agree. Nowadays, it is more difficult to tie one's shoes or buckle a belt than it is to click on the executable to update any haks.

And now the question must be pondered about how many wear only Velcro shoes and go about beltless...

[kittenblackfriends]

I don't even bother with velcros. I use slip-on shoes or flip-flops. And no belts since I wear stretchy jeans.

[Blood on my Lips]

I think that the majority of the players want HAKs. And with this response from Peppermint, I don't think anyone can really argue about how or why it would be "too hard" for players.

Every time this topic is raised, the devs mention that there'd be a downloader (i.e. zero effort on your end).

And yet people complain that haks are too complex/the devs will suddenly become bad at their jobs if haks appear.

Come on, guys. Give yourselves and the team a little credit.

[Gulddrengen]

Yes.

[Septire]

For those worried about download limits, you should see how Project Q manages their content delivery. It basically downloads the differences between files, similar to the way git works, rather than downloading what you already have all over again, and this can be done automatically. We're not in the stone ages anymore, technology has advanced a lot in the past 15 years.

[Kizat]

I've tried a few HAK servers like Ravenloft and Sinfar now and I do like the HAKS quite a lot.

Out of all the NWN servers I enjoy Areliths ruleset and lore the most. What reduces the pleasure for me however is, and I'm sure it's a bit vain, how dated the graphics are.

Perhaps it's not fair to compare to Sinfar, which thrives entirely on novelty and cosmetic thrills, but Areliths vanilla graphics can be quite jarring and detracts from the immersion. As a side note, I'm not suggesting Sinfar's gigantic uh...."hardware" for PC's is immersive, but by God it's very detailed

For instance there's a lot of descriptions out there describing in a 2,000 word essay the intricate carvings on a statue of Sune....But what I actually see from overhead is a generic silhouette with a gold shield. I regularly see players who've gone to great pains to depict the fine details of their characters apperance, but overhead all I see is the same young male human head used by 70%+ of the male PC's here.

I mean I enjoy it regardless, and it's nitpicking but HAKS in that respect I think would be a excellent boost in supporting that side of building a setting with placeables/unique apperances etc.

[Brandon Steel]

I don't really see why Haks wouldn't be added honestly, I'd say there's a bunch better chance it would improve things than not. Plus if an auto downloader is made, it would take very minimal effort from the downloader.

[RamblerTeo]

implement skinny jeans and everyone will be satisfied

[Iceborn]

I think by this point I've heard all the pro and con arguments about HAKs, and my own opinion, the pros vastly outweigh any con.

I'm really just waiting by now. Nothing more I can do.
I offered my support with writing all the new descriptions, and I still hold by that offer. it's something that I want to see happen.