Questions and criticism about "The Shaper of Dreams" (English-speaking users only)

[Milena]

Please feel free to post your questions, praise and criticism about our module "Planescape: The Shaper of Dreams". We will answer as soon as possible.

[chaos_himself]

I just wanted to check out the forum and repeat my compliments on the vault. Your mod is of very high quality, much better that the OC in fact, and I am really looking forward to the translation of the other chapters.I know nothing of Feline Fueled Games, but you must have great people to build this... I hope a big translation team too Is FFG a company or just a group of people that banded together to build games? Are there any plans for mods on Korgan side of the story?
Thank you for the great gaming experience.

[Teglen]

Hallo Chaos,
Congratulations you are our first English speaking visitor here in the forum.

We are no company but just a bunch of guys/gals who like to build modules for RPGs (that's why our stuff is for free....and why it takes some time to build/translate something as big as SoD). Our translation team consists of three people who are unfortunately usually a bit short on time.

[Hangman's Joke]

We are just common mortals friend. Although I am not a programmer or a scripter or a graphicman I try to deliver good ideas to the guys and ladies here on FFG. Feel free to post here anytime.

And make sure to tell your friends about us

Greetings

Hangman's Joke

[Gwydion669]

Allow me to post this here as well: A hearty thank you to everyone involved in this project -- the designers, the builders, and especially the translators that allowed me to enjoy it (being from Florida, I only speak Spanish ).

Please disregard my "Vault" request concerning rapiers; I found them on my second run through (with a separate arms merchant outside, I wasn't expecting the indoor armor merchant to have weapons as well).

I must admit to being curious about "ShadeCat." The "examine" text was in the original German, and I don't know if ShadeCat is a name or description. I'm guessing that it was a _literal_ translation ... "Grey Cat" if descriptive and something like "Midnight," "Blackie," or "Shadow" if it was a name. Being familiar with Spanish, I know all too well that common or colloquial usage throws a huge monkey-wrench into translation attempts. Actually, that reminds me ... hearty applause is due especially for the translations showing differing dialects for social status or upbringing (the use of slang, contractions, or improper language ... mostly by some farmhands, commoners, and a few tavern patrons, I believe).

Actually, there were several things I was curious about (none so much as the cat, though). I would put forth a list, but I would not want to divert the translation team's attention from future chapters. *whip-crack!* Perhaps after chapter 6 is "in the can" ....

Again, thank you ... the voice of the cleric/author is not the only person deserving of a blush.

---

Great ... now my brain won't shut off!

Question: What is the story with the rosy bloom effect around the drunken gnome in the Highwayman tavern?

As I implied before, sometimes tiny things will gnaw at the edge of my thoughts like an itch that needs to be scratched.

Also, there was a slight error in the walk-through document. I believe it said that Dilka's quest could not be solved until Chapter 2, but the diary can be returned to her before enterring the room with the painting.

Okay, that's it for now.

[Milena]

Hello Gwydion669,
Wonderfully that more and more people visit this forum ! I am glad that you has liked so much in the module. In chapter 2 there are, by the way, even more rapiers .
I can tell you something about DarkCat. DarkCat ist a member by our Team.
I have accommodated all team members (who were by the production of the german Version already with FFG ) anyhow in the module, mainly in chapter 3.
The german Dark-Cat dialogue (which I think you have played), works also in english, but we have made a new little english dialogue for the cat, which I had forgotten to insert (but now it is in the patch).
Sorry for that, but it wasn't easy to forget nothing .
And you are right, the Dilka-quest can finished in chapter 1. In a previous version the PC could not leave the mine, and I have forgotten to update the journal.
(this happened, because the english Version was build on a very old german Version ( a long time only half of it was translated.) And I had to insert all improvements of the topical German version afterwards.)

[Teglen]

Hello Gwydion,

I believe the gnome doesn't have a story (at least I didn't find one when I played the game).
Thank you for your praises it is very much appreciated.

[Feldwebel_Colon]

Hallo chaos_himself and Gwydion669!

Thanks a lot for your votes and your appreciation.

I'm glad to see that the English version is so popular.

We are currently working on the translation of chapter two but I don't know how long this will take.

Maybe Milena can make an educated guess and tell us how many conversations need to be translated for the second chapter?

[sirchet]

Hello to all you talented modders across the pond.

I just wanted to drop by and give my thanks for SOD.

I'm a middle aged man and have never played as a female, but I made an exception and am pleasantly surprised as to the fun I'm having.

Oh ... and the voice acting is WONDERFUL!! (especially the screaming and laughing in the hell scene).

A question if I may?

DO I have to solve all the kitchen and horse quests before I can find the person to talk to about the dreams?

Again, thanks for a well done a rather professionally presented adventure.

[Milena]

Thank you very much, our voice actors will be glad about your praise!
You dont`t have to do all manor-quests, but enough to get the Exp that you need to begin master Abels combat-challenge.
At the end of chapter 1 the real adveture begins and the heroine will get to know a lot about her dreams and use them later also actively.The manor and his comfortable duties will be a past. But I wanted to give to the heroine a lively background, she should be not only an adventurer without roots and name.

[sirchet]

Ahhhhh .... so, I must wait until Chapter 2 to explore the mines and have the meeting.

I hope you guys find time to translate Chapter 2 soon.

I also wanted to add, that if you need help translating from second language English to a more common English, you know ... avoiding those things that get lost in translation I would be happy to help.

I've done quite a bit of this with Markus "Wayne" Schlegel.
I was fortunate enough to work with him when he decided to bring some of his best works to NWN2 like his "A Hunt Through The Dark Remastered" Series and the "Pool of Radiance Remastered", along with "Lolthanchwi", the story after AHTTD.

My German is very very weak, been 20 years since I was there, (Army) but I do pretty well at taking the core idea that's been translated and making it flow, or feel more natural to American ears, (I would need the basic phrase and thought translated for me).

Well, just thought I'd offer.

[Milena]

Oh, many thanks we accept your offer with pleasure! Markus "Wayne" Schlegel is also known to us of course .
Chapter 2 will be soon ready and then should be tested out. We would be glad if you could help us and will let you know.
And I do not know how far you have come to chapter 1, but it ends in the mines, after the fight with Kathlyn and goes on from there then with chapter 2.
And I fear, my English is not better than your German .

[sirchet]

Just let me know and I'll be happy to help.

And yes, Wayne is very talented and believe it or not, very humble.

I got to do an interview with him on the NWN Podcast, I'm a member of the Academy of Modding Excellence and we interviewed all award winners.

btw, I'm also a builder and have more than a few areas in a few adventures and persistant worlds, so maybe I can help in other ways also.

Although I must add, it seems usually I just do the stuff no one else wants to do on the project, you know ... fixing walkmeshes, walkmesh cutters, hunting down conflicting 2das, making haks and that kind of stuff. heh heh What's a project without a challenge, right? *points to Gaming Parents Studios link in his signature*

[Milena]

I have only noted your signature when you have pointed to it . You are a member of the Trinity-project, this is realy great!
Fixing walkmeshes, walkmesh cutters, hunting down conflicting 2das, making haks ....these are exactly the things which I do not make with pleasure . If you see something in chapter 2 what we could still improve (without big difficulties, of course ), I would make this with pleasure. As soon as chapter 2 is iready to test, I will send you the link to download .

[sirchet]

Ja, ich bin ein Mitglied des GPS, EC (Marktführer auf Trinity) und ich waren beide Teil der Night Howls in Nestlehaven Team.

Ich werde Sie auf den Link oder einfach per E-Mail, wenn Sie mir glauben, ich könnte helfen zu können.

Heh heh, so much for my German.

Twenty years IS a long time to try to remember a foreign language.

[DarkCat]

Was man mal als Kind gelernt hat, vergisst man nie.

Ich denke, da fehlt einfach nur die Übung

Hi, sirchet.

[Milena]

Mit etwas gutem Willen ist es durchaus verständlich, genau wie mein englisch .

[Feldwebel_Colon]

Hi sirchet!

Thanks a lot for your offer. I think it's a good thing to have a native speaker who can help us.

You say that you worked on "Pool of Radiance Remastered" together with Wayne Schlegel? That's great. I very much enjoyed playing this mod. It reminded me of the old days when I played the original version on the Commodore 64.

Some friends of mine gave me the game as a birthday present. It definitely helped me with learning your language. Everything was written in English but I wanted to know what was going on. Thus, I took a dictionary and started playing...

So, it was very nice to play "Pool of Radiance Remastered" and to liberate Phlan again.

[sirchet]

Hey DarkCat and Milena,

Ich denke, in Englisch und haben sich daran zu erinnern, wie es im Deutschen sagen.

As you can tell, I'm sure my grammar is terrible.

Feldwbel_Colon, (or should I say Sargent) I'm always happy to hear about someone enjoying one of the adventures I had a small part in producing.
If you like Dark Elves, check out A Hunt Through the Dark series and then Lolthanchwi, (Wayne actually gave me a great deal of liberty with them and I'm really happy with the writing).

I do want to make one thing perfectly clear, Wayne is the genius I'm just a very lucky guy who gets to work with him some times.

[Faustling]

I just want to say thanks for all the fine adventures in the German language. I studied at the Free University in Berlin, but here in Oregon, I seldom have much chance to use the language, and it was so hard to learn, I do not want to forget it soon.

Thanks again.

[Milena]

If you have already seen, there is a new adventure of Gradus: Der Fluch der Zwerge - Teil 3: Kapitel 1 (Auf dem Fluss)
Otherwise we work just on a small adventure for Dragon Age.
Now the translation for chapter 2 of Shaper of Dreams soon comes to the test phase. The last translated dialogues must be still corrected by our main translator, otherwise everything is quite ready .
But this information isn't so interesting for you, because you have already played the complete campaign . You can tell sirchet what still expects him , and which chapter was the best .

[sirchet]

Sure, spoil it for me.

What have you done for Dragon Age and is it with Wayne?

Also, if the translator wants help ...

[Milena]

It`s a little science fiction mod . The PC will have a laser-gun and there are computers and other strange things . The mod ist completely with sound recording. We make this little mod to learn the DA-Toolset, which is not easy to learn. It`s in german, but perhaps we will translate it (time will show ).

[sirchet]

Just checking in to let you know I'm around and willing to help.

Der Fluch der Zwerge - Teil 3: Kapitel 1 (Auf dem Fluss) DWARFS!!

I usually play a dwarf, darn you German folks get all the good stuff.

[Manne]

Need a tester for the English chapter 2? I did a heads-up in the comment field of
http://nwvault.ign.com/View.php?view=NWN...ail&id=408

Just let me know. I am Swedish. Decent English skills.

[Teglen]

Hi Manne,
I was already afraid that I had scared you away with the question whether you are a native English speaker, good to see that I was wrong.

It is up to Milena to decide that but I don't see any reasons why you should not be one of the testers.
Chapter two is almost complete now so the testing will start soon.

[Milena]

Unfortunately, one of our main translators was ill, but now only two dialogues are to be translated, and the chapter 2 is ready to test !

[Manne]

Unfortunately, one of our main translators was ill, but now only two dialogues are to be translated, and the chapter 2 is ready to test !

Ok! Let's go then!

[Teglen]

She meant that two dialogues still have to be translated before we can start testing.

[Manne]

She meant that two dialogues still have to be translated before we can start testing.

yes, I understood that. Two dialogues didn't sound that much though, so I thought it was a matter of hours or a day or two at the most.