What should be the standard size for an area/zone?
There isn't exactly a perfect answer for this. I tend to try and keep my zones around 8X8 generally, but I use a lot of higher resolution and larger detail tilesets then the standard NWN sets, so it helps some people with older machines not have graphics lag. That isn't a concrete rule though. I have a few that are 12X9, and other such dimensions. If your using standard tilesets or know the players who will be on there have better machines you can go as you like. Though I've never made an area larger than 16X16 if it is an exterior. because every tile in that set is there. Interior though I've gone much higher because not all the space will necessarily be used. Your better off just getting a feel for what works IMHO.
What is the maxuim area's/ zone's that should be in a PW server mod?
Debateable. I've worked on PW's with over a thousand, and some with just over 100. Avernostra currently has about 90 playable zones, but I'm also the only person building, scripting, and well... doing everything.
How much do haks really slowdown a PW server?
None that I know of, little that I'm aware of. It all depends on what is in your Haks I guess. Having a few extra items is different then twenty tilesets, but I think the content itself, not the fact that there is a hak, is what matters.
Is there a size to keep it under when using haks?
Size of the hak, no I don't believe so. But I do believe they can only have 16000 resources in them at a time. Safe to keep it around 15k I think.
Should I use haks at all?
There are good arguments on both sides. My opinion is yes. NWN's users nowadays are more than willing to download haks I'd think. HDD space was an issue in the past, but not anymore really. Plus User-Generated content is one of the best parts of NWN today. Don't miss out on it.
Should I use CEP?
Up to you. CEP is really easy to install and comes with A LOT of content. Upside is most players already have it. I don't use it, but that's for entirely different reasons.
If so should I use CEP 2.6?
I can't think of a reason to use CEP 2.4 instead.
Do most people download CEP?
Yes. 2.6 has over 7.7k downloads on the vault as of this post.
Do most people mined downloading haks to play on a server?
There will always be diehards who won't, but in my experience no most people don't mind at all. Modern Connection speeds make it that you can download even CEP 2.6 in like twenty minutes. Hardly a problem.
Is NWN1 harder on a server then EQ1 (EverQuest)?
Someone else will have to answer this one. Sorry, I never ran that one.
I have found that I like area's/ zones to be about 16x16. However I thought I remember someone saying they should be no biger then 8x8 or 10x10. Not sure if this is true or not. Is it ?
Nothing wrong with it, but I've found larger areas with more placeables, more creatures, more this and more that plus 8-9 players at the same time has much more potential for lag than a smaller area with less of the same. Again I think it all depends on your content.
Also for some reason I thought I read somewhere once that 300 or 350 area's / zones was about max for NWN1. Is this true? Is it more now since we have better computers now?
No it isn't. And yes it is more now that we have better systems. Of course we're still limited to single-core, but that's another issue.
Is there a difference from say a PW server Mod with 300 16x16 areas vs a PW serverMod with 300 8x8 areas?
16X16 = 256, 8X8 = 64. Four times as much area for players, and four times as much size on the HDD for those areas.
Is there a difference between say a PW server Mod with 500 areas vs a PW server Mod with 300 areas?
See above math.
Personally I feel more than half of it comes down to personal aesthetics. Chances are, no offense, no one is building a PW that is going to attract 50 players logging in all day every day anymore. The ones that still have that level of playerbase have VERY dedicated players, and VERY dedicated DM's and Builders. Kudos to them. Those guys really have to concern themselves a lot with things like area size, placeable density, and ensuring EVERY heartbeat is necessary. For those of us running worlds with 4-5 regular players like my own... it really isn't such a massive problem.
Also, all of these are my feelings and my own criteria. There are other Admins out there who have a VERY different take on it.
