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Around the place in however long it takes! in General
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Member # 1886
Profile #34
ADoS, trying to maintain order on the bus, doesn't see the little old lady that walks in front of the bus. There are a few loud thumps, and when everyone turns to look, nothing is there, so they continue on. Reaching another stop, ADoS pulls over and opens the door.

A great knuckle dragging brute of a beast gets on the bus. It is covered with a thick, dark, hide, and appears to be wearing a loincloth, a belt, and a couple of really big mauls. The legs seem to be just a little odd, in fact they look a little short; however, they are as thick as tree boles, and appear to be able to carry the seven foot tall monster with a grace that seems incongruous with the beast itself. Its face, what can be seen above the jaw mask that it wears, is sand colored, and it has solid green eyes without pupils. A slim, pink appendage about six inches long flicks out of the small hole in the center of the jaw mask every once in a while.

Using his long arms to help keep him upright, the beast slowly moves to a seat somewhere near the middle of the bus. Lethalis, a creature whose appearance has been known to give children (and even some adults) nightmares, sits across the aisle from The Grammar Wench.

With a grunt, Lethalis pulls off the jaw mask and reveals his mouth. In his mouth are teeth which look to be nearly half inch long serrated fangs. The slim appendage seen earlier was his tongue, which is now wrapping around a peice of beef jerky and pulling back into his mouth.

[ Monday, February 17, 2003 08:53: Message edited by: Nicol Bolas ]

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"The hippogryph is an amazing creature rarely seen outside of the wild. The tricky thing about hippogryphs is their incredible jaw strength. One terrible clamp of their beaks could rip a huge beast apart in seconds. Let's see what happens when I stick my hand inside..."
*roaring, SNAP!
*rider screams
—Hippogryph rider, WC III

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Custom (or whatever) Sounds in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #3
We could operate on the honor system. Each scenario deesigner tells people what music they must listen to when play the scenario. Anyone who fails to comply could be sued for lack of following the scenario guidelines! :D

C'mon, it could work!

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
NEW ABILITY in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #14
Flaming Blade, I already said I'm EVOL enough to drop that in a scenario, but I also know no one would ever use it. That was the whole point of the posting. If someone really wanted an ability that I thought was too powerful, I'd put it in, but make the cost so high that only a fool or someone very desperate would use it. I kinda like that idea about raising undead though, the only problem then is making a scenario to use it in. :P

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
NEW ABILITY in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #12
Like I said, I'd be sadistic... maybe, actually, I might be able to come up with a storyline for a scenario, but that's about it, I doubt I would be able to even make a skill that could do that.

However, just because I'm tired and feeling goofy, I think someone should make a scenario and try to throw in the following ability:

Defile (dead/grave): Defiling a single corpse gives you the chance of making it rise as a powerful intelligent undead that fights by your side. Defiling a graveyard makes all of the graves have a chance of producing one skeleton/zombie. Corpses of undead may not be defiled, being raised once is enough; besides they have already been too damaged to make a decent beastie anyway. :)

The only thing I can think of though that might use such an ability would be a scenario set in something like a "Ravenloft" campaign from DnD. Of course if you had a reputation-like counter, every time you used the ability, your reputation among living people would decrease; but you could have it so that it would (much more slowly) raise among the intelligent undead, making them pay you more respect/attention to you, or fear you and try to aid enemies in battle against you.

Of course, making a good scenario around an ability would be an exercise in futility. See, that's another reason why I shouldn't design scenarios (as if I needed more reasons). :P

[ Monday, December 16, 2002 23:27: Message edited by: Nicol Bolas ]

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Confirmed new abilities? in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #0
I was kind of wondering what new spells/abilities might have been approved for sure, and whether there was any more news about the skill trees. (Yes, I really am impatient about finding out, but I guess I could wait for a while ;) )

If nothing has been given the go ahead yet, feel free to ignore/lock/delete this topic.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
NEW ABILITY in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #10
Sorry, my bad. Actually, I'm sadistic enough to come up with some really awesome abilities that let you crush anything in your path, but have casting costs that are lucrative. To top it off, I'd make sure that there was at least one point in the game where you had to use one of the aforementioned sadistic cost abilities.

Good thing I'm not a designer, eh?

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
NEW ABILITY in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #8
I never said it was any good. I said to balance it, you'd have to kill the character. If for no other reason than for pestering Jeff about it. I'm counting in the sadistic fun I would have if I was forced to put something into a game that I didn't want in there. "Sure you can have it, but I get to set the casting cost..."

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
NEW ABILITY in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #4
Just call it a "Summon Living Wall" spell. with size of the wall based on your character's level. Then to make it fair to use, part of the casting cost is you have to kill your strongest character to cast it, and that character cannot be revived during (or maybe even after) combat. All of their non-unique items would be lost, and the wall wouldn't be under your control, so it would choose it's own targets.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Which Spells and abilities do you want included? in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #19
But wouldn't the glove of slap be deleted as it moved from one scenario to the next?

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Monster ideas in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #29
WHAT? You mean spidweb isn't going to put in Rabid Sandswimming Dolphins?!?!? :eek:

Actually, now that I think of it, Sandworms might be kind of interesting. Something more on the scale of the BeetleJuice sandworms and not the Dune sandworms though. Could you imagine trying to fight something that could swallow a town whole, and you'd only get to use swords and bows to do it?

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Ideas for how to work around design options in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #15
Hmm I actually made a topic that was viewed as at least somewhat intelligent. If it weren't for the fact that I hate cutesy things, I'd say it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling. So instead, it gave me a body throbbing, thrash metal, sort of YEAH! rush. :)

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Monster ideas in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #19
Draghkar - Eagle & wolf cross, much like a griffon, but only about as intelligent as an eagle (i.e. pretty stupid)

Make it able to cross barriers such as water or lava, but don't worry too much about how to make it look like it's flying, just do what they did in the old Shining Force ©™ (whatever else is required) games. They didn't bother trying to make it look like it was flying, they just said it flew. Since the image doesn't change unless it's attacking, you don't have to worry about special graphics.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Monster ideas in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #12
Demi Lich: Ancient lich. The only part of it's body that remains is the skull. During combat, it pulls together a body of the dust and debris, to scare away the foolish (i.e. casts level three terror on multiple targets all at once). It can attack with the dust body, but only deals and recieves half damage. Beware its spells as they have been perfected over the centuries. It can capture the soul of an enemy within one of its gem-teeth, the soulless body dissolves into dust in less than a minute after that. To defeat it, it's skull must be destroyed and sanctified. If the skull is just shattered, it will eventually become whole again.

Give it a spirit for a body, that will always drop a skull when defeated. The skull must be destroyed using either a special skill or a custom item. Alternatively, you could allow the skull itself to attack magically as well. Anywho, it would probably be a "boss" monster, with events scripted to simulate custom spells (due to long centuries of research). I'll leave that up to you guys though.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Monster ideas in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #9
True. Oh well.
How about griffons?
Bugbears?
Lamasu?
Catoblepas?
Scuzzlebutt (yes, from Southpark :) )?
Lamia?
Linorms (Norse dragons; Worms, not Wyrms)?
Most of these are about as clear as mud unless you have a D&D Monster Manual, but still, they're not bad.
Demi Lich? (about one step below demigods in terms of magic)
Titans (giants with strength, every usable combat ability availible to players, and magic and/or priest spells)
Scyla (sp?) or maybe it was Charybdis, I can't remember.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Ideas for how to work around design options in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #8
I'm no designer, but I saw several people mention wanting ways to make scenarios that could affect eachother. I personally prefer one scenario per story.

I made this topic for people to exchange ideas about how to work around known limitations in Blades of Avernum. Not just the multiple scenarios.

If anyone has any other ideas about ways to work around any limitations that are expected, please, feel free to post them.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Monster ideas in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #7
The Tarrasque.

Or maybe something in a similar vein. Hell, you could have a scenario that revolves around killing the dang thing. Give it a low number of action points, but the ability (and stats) to kill and eat anything in its path, regenerate HP, special immunities/resistances, a high defense, etc. Then the task is to track it down, enlist the help of certain NPC's (who all show up at the final battle), and hopefully, if you're really really lucky ;) , kill it. We can forget about that whole negative 40hp and the use of a Wish to kill it though.

But that probably isn't the kind of monster you're looking for. :P

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Ideas for how to work around design options in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #5
Actually, my idea was to have an item put into their inventory, and the item would denote which specific things happened (as modnaR said). However, my idea was concerning a scenario where not only would the specific ending information be noted, but also whether thay had completed a specific task that wouldn't have affected the ending of the first scenario, but might affect the plot in the second or even third scenario. Then the problem is: is that you either have to make a whole lot of items just to denote certain things (if you have a bunch of different events that carry over), or make it so that there is an item for each event. Both methods will have problems if there are too many things carried over though, either in terms of how many new items you have to make to cover all possibilities, or the player must decide what in his inventory can be replaced easily. Of course you could also make the item a peice of equipment that the characters can wear too, so that it doesn't just sit there taking up space.

Also I wouldn't "force" players to take a "bad ending," I'm thinking more in terms of, "Well this didn't get done last time, so now you have to decide what to do about it this time." Like picking up a special item, except now everything is more difficult than it was last time and more time consuming, due to the fact that the bad guys have had a chance to reinforce the traps and sentries. Alternatively, it could also be made so that the task became easier, due to the fact that units were pulled off that location to reinforce another location. So it wouldn't be trapping a player into having to say, rebuild the society of the shapers after a cataclysmic war. Not unless you were a really cruel designer that is.

[ Monday, November 18, 2002 20:15: Message edited by: NicolBolas ]

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Ideas for how to work around design options in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #0
I'm not a game or scenario designer myself, but I still think about the technical details that go into the games I play. So, what I'm doing here is (hopefully) starting up a string where ideas can be posted. This won't be for plot or storylines, because I'm not very good at that; this is only for the technical aspects and scriptings.

My first idea: How to allow sequels, or sequential scenarios where what you do in one will affect the next one.

When players beat one part, have an item put into their inventory. This item will either hold all the codes they will need to enter; or, will itself be part of a scripted event so that the scenario looks at the item and determines what has been done. If the scenario checks the item for what needs to be set up, then you can have the scenario make the appropriate adjustments and then remove the item so that players don't need to keep dragging "special" items all over and cluttering up their inventory.

Let me know what you think, and post your own ideas as well. Yeah, I know, this is really early, but why not come up with plans now for what we know Mr. Vogel plans on leaving out of the game.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

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This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Message From Spiderweb - Brain Blocked in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #95
Weird thought (but hey, if you knew me, then it wouldn't be all that surprising)- how about making it so that if you successfully use a skill a certain number of times (make it a somewhat high number, like 30 or so), and you don't train it while you are "practicing" it, then it would go up one level as if it had just purchased another level from a trainer. The skill point cost for the next level would still increase, but you wouldn't have to pay for it that one time. It would have to be made so that you couldn't take the skill beyond a certain number of levels or a practiced skill cap (like making it so you couldn't practice it past level 5, and you could only practice it up twice).

Skills could be bumped up a little by low level characters, who, not being proficient with a given skill, almost have to improve it after each time they managed to do it right. Of course to keep higher level parties from abusing this, you would have to make it so that it couldn't be used after a certain level (not that it would stop them from just using the editor; but hey, it wouldn't be cheating).

[ Saturday, November 16, 2002 20:17: Message edited by: NicolBolas ]

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
New Class specific abilities in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #3
Ok. Thanks for the info on that though *i.
... it would still be kinda cool though. :P

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
New Class specific abilities in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #0
Here's an idea (although it has probably been mentioned beffore). Class specific abilities, much like in the Diablo games. One catch, they are _only_ available to classed characters. Custom characters wouldn't be able to get them even with an editor. This might be a way to allow newer skills and abilities to give otherwise overpowered spells, skills, and abilities the balance that they would lack in a custom character. For example, giving a mage an ability which will drain all his MP while active, but makes him the recipient of something akin to the old Divine Warrior spell.
Anywho, it's just an idea. Might be entertaining to see what kinds of things that people come up with. And, of course, if Spidweb likes the idea, and can implement it, that would be pretty cool.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00
Message From Spiderweb - Brain Blocked in Blades of Avernum
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Member # 1886
Profile #79
2 words for ya', "Chain Lightning." Kind of like lightning spray, except that it jumps from badguy to badguy, doing less damage everystrike, with a maximum of, oh, say 9 strikes. Each level would increase both damage and number of strikes. It would be able to jump only a certain distance, and if there wasn't a suitable target it would either backtrack with only half damage, or it could jump to the characters, so that players would have to be careful about its use.

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The Home of 8-bit Theater!

Some cool WoT art here

Nono! Bad Surfer!!

This is it, The Document That no Evil Overlord can do Without
Posts: 505 | Registered: Saturday, September 14 2002 07:00

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