Shadow_Weaver_VIM

Personally, I would like for all of the resource specific to a particular module or campaign to be stored in its own folder under the campaign's or module's parent folder in a structure similar to this: \module/campaign's directory in My Documents |-\hak |-\modules (for locally stored modules, not needed for PWs or hosted games) |-\override (for testing or hot fixes) |-\pwc (for PWs or hosted games, not required for locally stored modules) |-\tlk This should also have priority over any of the hak/data files stored anywhere else and should be automatically loaded when the player starts the module or connects to a multiplayer hosted module. Having all of the resources stored in a single place like this makes it easier to deploy a module on a client's machine. Also, why have a different directory for campaigns and stand alone modules? Couldn't it just use one location for both? In the case of campaigns, they would have multiple modules in the modules folder or for stand alone modules, only 1. For example: Player A connects/loads Module A. As soon as the module starts to load, it then checks to see if there are any files stored in the \hak, \tlk, \pwc, \override folders on the client machine and loads them into memory. At some point, either before or after character generation, the 2da files loaded into the client's memory are verified against those stored on the server to ensure the player didn't modify them. Then the player is allowed to connect. In the case of a non-multiplayer module, this wouldn't need to occur since the player is free to load the module in the toolset and modify it anyway. If any of the haks, 2das, tlks, or other module specific files don't match the MD5 hash of those on the server, then the connection should be refused with a message informing the player to download the latest content from the modules website (or nwvault ) Then they simply have to grab one file and extract it into the modules folder under the Neverwinter Nights 2 folder in My Documents and then attempt reload/reconnect. That being said, there should be the option of the module builder to use haks created by other custom content teams, such as the PRC and the CEP. So in the module options there should be a check box (unchecked by default) that allows the module to load unaffiliated haks from the \hak folder in the Neverwinter Nights 2 folder in My Documents. Only the haks listed in the module/campaign properties should be loaded and not a blanket loading of all haks stored in that location. Explicit loading of haks only is the best route to go. The only parts of the actual module file(s) that should be exported for client side use is the walkmesh information and visual/sound effects. Everything else should be stored on the server and processed there. This would greatly assist in preventing characters from modifying in module resources when they are connected. After those, the largest concern is 2da files changes. These should be checked when the player connects and each time the player levels up or perhaps area transitions. Either that or have the client lock the files on the process level (like MS Word locks document files) to prevent changes to the 2das while the client is loaded. Just tossing out ideas there, nothing really solid, as I am sure you can tell.