Making of Call of the Lost Goddess – Part 1: The Birth of an Idea

Back in 2003, I stumbled upon the sourcebook For Duty and Deity by Dale Donovan. The idea of rescuing a divine figure in a D&D world immediately captivated me. Waukeen, the Goddess of Trade and Wealth, was such an omnipresent character in Baldur's Gate 2, and the thought of expanding her story into my own adventure just wouldn't leave my mind. That’s when the idea to create a mod for Baldur's Gate 2 was born.

However, as with anything new, I was faced with a huge challenge: I had no experience with modding and was completely unfamiliar with graphic design software. But the passion for telling this story kept me going. I knew I had to make it happen – so I dove into the world of modding.

At that time, WeiDU was still in its infancy, and many of the tools we now take for granted didn’t exist. World map editing, for example, wasn’t possible, so I was was looking for an opportunity to send players on journeys to other worlds and planes, beyond the confines of the traditional world map. I wanted to expand the game’s universe without relying on the pre-existing geography, so the Infinite Staircase was a perfect fit.

My first steps in modding began with a discovery of the tool Corel Photopaint on a CD. I had no idea how to use it, but I immediately sensed that this was the tool I needed to create the area graphics I had envisioned. This program became my faithful companion over the years, and it still plays a key role in my modding process to this day.

I started crafting my first areas. These early attempts were far from perfect, but they were a beginning – the first step on a journey that would take me deeper into the world of modding than I ever imagined. The modding community at the time was filled with creative minds who shared their knowledge and expertise, which was incredibly helpful.

One of my first tasks was to create the Abbey of Goldspires, the area that would house Waukeen's center of worship. I wanted to make it a place of ancient power and wealth, so I took inspiration from various parts of the game world, including the Government District of Athkatla, the Temple of Lathander in Beregost, and other locations like Brynnlaw. I combined these elements to create a blend of places that would feel both familiar and entirely new to players.

So, the start of my journey was a mix of adventure, ignorance, and sheer love for Baldur’s Gate 2. It was a process of learning and experimentation, one that still drives me to this day.

Looking back now, at all the progress and improvements I’ve made over the years, I realized that I had reached a point where I could no longer push forward by simply using and combining the existing game assets. The limitations of the 2D graphics and static environments were becoming apparent, and I knew I needed to take a leap into the 3D world. I had to step beyond the game’s original assets and begin creating my own 3D models.

That’s when I purchased Bryce, a 3D landscape editor, and Poser, a 3D software that would allow me to design and integrate characters directly into the world I was building. The first attempt at creating Waukeen’s statue in the temple is a product of this transition. The design of that statue, which you can still see today, actually stems from my very first experiments with Poser 2008.

With Poser, I could create figures, pose them, and integrate them into the world I had already created. It was a huge leap from static 2D to interactive 3D models.

Transitioning from 2D to 3D opened up new possibilities, allowing me to create more intricate and dynamic spaces.

The challenge of adapting my designs from flat images to fully realized, interactive worlds was immense, but the possibilities were thrilling. It was like bringing a new dimension to my original vision, and it felt like a whole new world was waiting to be explored.

In the next part, I’ll dive into those first 3D attempts, share the challenges I faced, and how those humble beginnings helped shape the world you’ll experience in Call of the Lost Goddess. Stay with me as we explore the evolution of these first 3D models, and how they ultimately brought the world to life.