Like Troika's Temple of Elemental Evil D&D 3.5 PC Game? Want to help improve it?

[Endarire]

Greetings, all!

I've been a big fan of Temple of Elemental Evil, so much so that I've contributed mods to this game: I voice acted the NPC Human Cleric of St. Cuthbert Ronald Rynnwrathi and modded some inventory scripts for improved item availability. (Worry not about review sfor vanilla ToEE since the Circle of Eight and Temple+ mods have drastically improved this game over vanilla!)

I also felt like our communities on the Circle of Eight/Co8 Forums and Temple+ Forum have remained largely isolated from the rest of the world, including people who liked D&D 3.5, Pathfinder, Arcanum, Fallout, or/and other Troika/Interplay/Black Isle games. (Some people who worked on the original Fallout series - notably, Tim Cain - also worked on ToEE and Troika titles.)

While programmers are likely in the highest demand, if you're interested in helping in any capacity, there's likely a spot for you and something helpful to do. Great with portraits? Background art? 3D modeling? Audio? Something else that seems relevant to improve ToEE or/and its expansion modules of Keep on the Borderlands, Icewind Dale or/and something else that should be done? Let's talk! (For example, Against the Giants has been a commonly-requested module to be ported to ToEE, but certain critical aspects have been lacking, preventing working on this module in earnest.)

On the Co8 Board, contact Allyx or/and Sitra Achara. On the Temple+ Forum, contact Sitra Achara.

Regardless, tell them that Endarire sent you. Also tell them that you want to learn more about helping with ToEE or/and an associated project and in what regards (audio, background art, coding, etc.)

Together, we can improve this game, this engine, and all associated media.

Thankee!

 

[Lilura]

Temple+ is the best thing to happen to ToEE.

EDIT - I already helped a l'il with alpha testing and three promotional write-ups. If more comes out, I'll cover it.

 

[deuxhero]

The real way to improve the game is to bug the shit out of Atari till they let Tim Cain release the source code.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Circle of Eight/Co8 Forums and Temple+ Forum have remained largely isolated from the rest of the world

The Codex is not the rest of the world, Allyx and Sitra Achara are both members here and the game's modding is well known in these parts. But thanks just the same, ToEE is a great game and needs all the love and attention it can get.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

The real way to improve the game is to bug the shit out of Atari till they let Tim Cain release the source code.

Not necessary. Temple+ is essentially a rewrite of most of the engine.

 

[Sitra Achara]

Don't mod ToEE folks, you might go insane.

 

[almondblight]

I also felt like our communities on the Circle of Eight/Co8 Forums and Temple+ Forum have remained largely isolated from the rest of the world,

I mean, yeah. Co8 had the ToEE world editor for a long time and kept it a secret instead of sharing it with the larger community.

 

[Lonely Vazdru]

Don't mod ToEE folks, you might go insane.

Might ? You're quite the optimist still.

 

[Mustawd]

I also felt like our communities on the Circle of Eight/Co8 Forums and Temple+ Forum have remained largely isolated from the rest of the world,

I mean, yeah. Co8 had the ToEE world editor for a long time and kept it a secret instead of sharing it with the larger community.

Pretty sure that was just speculation.

 

[Jimmious]

At first I was tempted. I said "help TOEE" improve? Now thats a good cause! Then, I saw Python.

 

[Sitra Achara]

I also felt like our communities on the Circle of Eight/Co8 Forums and Temple+ Forum have remained largely isolated from the rest of the world,

I mean, yeah. Co8 had the ToEE world editor for a long time and kept it a secret instead of sharing it with the larger community.

Pretty sure that was just speculation.

Well it's true, they knew about it since about 2008 and kept it in the inner circle. To be fair, they contacted a former Troikan (not Tim) who advised them not to publicize it.

 

[Sitra Achara]

At first I was tempted. I said "help TOEE" improve? Now thats a good cause! Then, I saw Python.

What's wrong with python?
If you prefer C++ you can contribute to the engine itself...

 

[Jimmious]

At first I was tempted. I said "help TOEE" improve? Now thats a good cause! Then, I saw Python.

What's wrong with python?
If you prefer C++ you can contribute to the engine itself...

A programming language that is structured through indentation is pure madness... Maybe if I got paid but why suffer for free?

 

[LibertyRansom]

All ToEE needs is a new module to increase its popularity. Heck, just create a module that is a straight progression of increasing difficulty battles against different monsters in an arena, with breaks for resting, that will take you from level 1 to level 12. Would be simple to create and allow the tactical battle engine to shine for what it was made for.

Nonetheless, for some reason, most of the modding focuses on adding Arcane Rock Slinging Prestige classes, Half-Gnoll races, and fixing minor bugs. ToEE doesn't need more character progression options to play through the same original content bugbear infested module. It needs new playable content.

 

[aweigh]

*paid

 

[Modron]

All ToEE needs is a new module to increase its popularity. Heck, just create a module that is a straight progression of increasing difficulty battles against different monsters in an arena, with breaks for resting, that will take you from level 1 to level 12. Would be simple to create and allow the tactical battle engine shine for what it was made for.

Nonetheless, for some reason, most of the modding focuses on adding Arcane Rock Slinging Prestige classes, Half-Gnoll races, and fixing minor bugs. ToEE doesn't need more character progression options to play through the same original content bugbear infested module. It needs new playable content.

Did you never try Keep on the Borderlands? Granted ToEE could definitely use more than one full fledged module, it's a shame Troika never got to make more games let alone that second d&d game they were thinking of.

 

[Endarire]

LibertyRansom: Part of the point of this post was to raise awareness and recruit those willing and able to help make more of ToEE and its engine. Want a new module? The best way to get it is to (help) make it.

 

[LibertyRansom]

LibertyRansom: Part of the point of this post was to raise awareness and recruit those willing and able to help make more of ToEE and its engine. Want a new module? The best way to get it is to (help) make it.

I am helping, in a way. I am informing the community what they need to focus their energy on to reinvigorate public interest in ToEE.

In any event, there is little on the technical side I can do to help. I can offer music (I've composed music for television shows, Xbox, PS3, and Nintendo games, etc). Not sure how much this "helps," but here are two good fantasy songs (loops) I composed and can license to any module the community creates, free of charge, on a non-exclusive basis:



Here is something more ambient, like Ron Fish composed for ToEE:



I have more if this is of interest to the community.

 

[Lilura]

I am helping, in a way. I am informing the community what they need to focus their energy on to reinvigorate public interest in ToEE.

It's the greater RPG community that needs to be informed, not the 'Dex. The 'Dex knows ToEE: it hosts the Temple+ dev forum.

But yeah, making a module is a massive undertaking. It's not like NWN where you have the Aurora toolset and can pump out monocled RPGs like Swordflight (because you can focus on just making a good RPG after you slap down a few tilesets). KotB took aeons to make, IWD remake is on the backburner, and it's a pity this guy seems to have disappeared, too.

I think what ToEE needs (other than Grognards From Hell continuing their great work) is forum posters who are actually posting about how they are enjoying the game, and commentators who write up articles about the game. That's how you increase awareness.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

ToEE music definitely got repetitive when you reached the bugbears.

 

[Lilura]

Didn't really bother me... didn't bother to turn the music down or off. But if you think a more varied OST will help revitalize the game, go for it I guess.

 

[LibertyRansom]

But yeah, making a module is a massive undertaking.

Agreed. This is why I suggested a straightforward tactical arena combat module. Just have a shop and a place to rest. Teleport to an arena for Battle 1 (with well-thought out, difficult, level 1 appropriate enemies), then teleport back to shop to rest and level up, if applicable. Teleport back to arena for battle 2, rinse and repeat. Great for iron man mode (this what Low Magic Age does right now, which is a shitty OGL 3.5 simulator and its fairly popular)

I can't imagine creating such a module would be time consuming to create (no dialogue, only a few triggers, only two places). In fact, the Co8 add-on has three arena battles build in for bonus content, and the battle is really well done and difficult (various undead enemies with mages). Create this module and it will get some attention back on ToEE (in the same way Low Magic age is popular).