NWN Sinfar: How to register and Log in

[Asariphile]

There is a great Adult RP server called Sinfar on NWN. I linked to it in another post but people were confused about how to actually get it up and running. So I am going to do a little tutorial here so that people can figure it out

 

One of the first things to know is that NWN mods are not at all like TES mods. A Bethesda esp alters the main campaign of whatever game its tied to, while an NWN Module (.mod) is basically a game within itself. A hakpack (.hak) is more like what an esp file does. Modders can use hakpacks to add in custom content to their Modules. Therefore, servers like Sinfar are like mini MMOs. The module is a custom world with custom scripts and features, that contains hakpacks which add all the extra-engine content (The stuff you can't get right out of the box, like adult animations.)

 

 

There are several sites that will help you:

 

Sinfar Forums:

http://sinfar.net/forum/index.php

 

 

Sinfar Character Page (lets you edit your character portrait and description offline as well as view other player's characters and see who is on)

 

http://dev.sinfar.net/server_status.php

 

 

NWN Server Listing (Since Gamespy has dropped service, this is where you go to find new servers for NWN)

 

http://nwnserverlists.boards.net/index.cgi?


----------------Registering for Sinfar---------------------------

When you go to the forums to register one of the most confusing aspects is that they ask you to provide a secret answer that can be found on a board in the welcome area. The way this is worded one would assume that the welcome area is a forum and the board is one of the boards there. This is not the case. This Welcome room they talk about is not a forum at all, but instead is a part of the game. Its the buffer module that players log into the first time they connect to the game. In this welcome room is a literal board. A sign that with the code you need written on it.

 

So!

We have learned that in order to register in the community we need to log in to the game and write down a code. However, this method was made before Gamespy cut service. In the old days, logging into sinfar was as easy as launching the game, selecting multplayer, and finding sinfar on the server list. Sadly, this is no longer the case as game spy is gone. Therefore, I will show you how to direct connect to sinfar.

You can get the server address from the server listing board I linked earlier, but I already have it so no need to do that. First things first, navigate to your nwn install directory from there find a file called "nwnmain.exe" this is the file that will bring up the game immediately without going through the launcher.

Create a shortcut of this file and put it on your desktop, then rename it Sinfar. This is the file we will use to connect directly to the sinfar server. Right click this shortcut and select properties.

On the "Target" box you should see your install path for the game enclosed in quotation marks. Move your cursor to the end of this path and outside of the end quotes and type this (Be sure to input a space after the end quote):

+connect play.sinfar.net:5121

 

^This is the server address you would have gotten from the site linked above

Then hit apply and okay. Mine looks like this:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Neverwinter Nights Diamond Edition\nwmain_ex.exe" +connect play.sinfar.net:5121

Double click your updated sinfar shortcut and after the credits and intro you should be dropped into a character select screen. Your characters will be stored on a server vault on the sinfar admin server. Since we don't have any characters yet lets make one. You can go with a design you want to play with when we get everything running or you can make a trash character (There is an NPC in the actual game who can delete unwanted characters for you later after you get settled)

You should be dropped into the Welcome Room spoken about on the registry page. The one we thought was a forums but actually a game area. The board we need is right in the middle. The area should look like a forest and have some dogs roaming around. Read over the rules on the board and find the code we need. Write that down on a sheet of paper!

Now!

Go back to the sinfar forums and fill everything out to register. Afterwards you will have access to the full boards.

 

Before we go further please read a little about role play below....


---------------------------On RP Servers and Ettiqutte (AKA how to not get banned)---------------------------------------

-Sinfar is really good about having RP (Role Play) that is not too hardcore. You are free to play any type of character you want as long as you don't harass other players (Basically, don't kill others without their consent, rape them etc. If you want to do a rape scenerio discuss it before hand with tells. You can tell a player by clicking their portrait in the chat window or through the player list menu. Tells are considered Out of Character chat. See below)

-You are expected to respect the RP atmosphere. What this means is that you are expected to remain in character. Player and character are two different entities in Role Play. Your character doesn't know what you know. Its like acting! For instance you might be playing a Lawful Good Paladin. As a Lawful Good Person your character believes in following the rules and being a moral person. Looting someone's house, while profitable in terms of the game mechanics, is not something a law abiding character would do. Try and speak like your character would, don't use modern slang and shorthand. Try and walk (Hold Shift while moving) when you can instead of running around (If you saw a guy in full armor running down a public street that would be kinda distressing huh?) Role Play servers are places where you pretend you are the character you are playing as. Just try and think about what your character would know and not know. For instance, don't address a person by name if they have never told their name to your character.  Even though it is displayed above their head in the game interface, in the game world the character does not have a UI interface to make introductions for him.


If your character is doing a gesture enclose it in *'s

Example:

*Looks to the fellow to his right and holds out his hand* Greetings, I am Mortimer Dirkin

 

Lastly! Be sure to read the server rules, there is a lot of learning and etiquette if you are new to Role Play, and even more if you are new to Adult Role Play. Try and observe others before you go too crazy with interactions. Right click on characters and select examine to look at their descriptions, and form some ideas for your own descriptions.

Don't use the shout channel EVER! Be sure and click the little button to the left of the chat window and make sure it is set to talk, whisper, party, or DM but never shout. Talk will be heard by characters within 20 or 30 yards of you. Whisper can be heard only by those right next to you. Party can be heard only by those you are grouped with. Tell can be heard by only those you are targeting with the tell. DM can only be heard by dungeon masters (Admins.) but shout can be heard by everyone, everywhere and is extremely disruptive. DONT USE IT.

Note: Talk and Whisper are considered in character. Tell, DM, and Party are considered Out of Character.

 

Note: If you need to say something OOC in the IC (In character) areas enclose the message in //'s. The players will know this is not actually said by the character but a message from the player, don't use these too often. Mostly this is used for announcing afk or telling someone you are talking to IC that you need to log out.

Example:

I am afraid that duty calls, and I can spend no more time with idle chat. *He bows before you* Good Day. //gotta go, its late and I need sleep //


RP servers have their own etiquette to follow, but observe others and read the rules and you'll get the hang of it quickly. Sinfar is much more forgiving than most other servers and is a good place to start learning!


--------------Hakpacks-----------------------------------------------------

Now that is over with,

Go back to the Sinfar forums and look for the "Required Hakpacks" thread under the "Server Information" board, this should tell you what you need to get everything running smoothly. There is a nice all in one bin file you can download but Ive never used it. I downloaded each individual file and put them in their proper folders in your install directory like you would for Bethesda games. (haks go in the hak folder, tlks go in the tlk folder)

Once you have all the hakpacks installed, open up your sinfar shortcut and log back into the game. Move to the end of the welcome area and attempt to enter the doors to the game. It will ask you a few questions and will then teleport you into the main module. If everything is installed correctly you'll be sent to the OOC area (short for Out of Character) here you can speak freely and don't have to be in character. If you didn't install correctly a pop up will tell you what hakpaks you still need to install and then close the client.

In the OOC area are dressing rooms where you can alter you character's appearance, there is also a npc who can delete unwanted characters or change their protraits, descriptions, soundsets, and other things

You should try and write you characters description as soon as possible as it is used by the community to basically get an idea for the character you are playing, you should list what your kinks are here as well in order to find like minded individuals. Doing it through the OOC Area NPC can be a bit tedious, but if you follow the second link I listed above you can do it in your browser and your in game character will be updated almost instantly, even while logged in.

Have fun, and make friends!


Here are my main characters:

http://dev.sinfar.net/character.php?pc_id=23903

http://dev.sinfar.net/character.php?pc_id=14493

 

http://dev.sinfar.net/character.php?pc_id=25304