Profile for Churl
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Churl |
| Member number | 3084 |
| Title | Apprentice |
| Postcount | 37 |
| Homepage | |
| Registered | Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
Recent posts
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| Author | Recent posts |
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| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Friday, July 4 2003 07:52
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[EDIT: Sorry for the sequential posts … it’s been a week since I last visited this thread, so I didn’t realize that I was the most recent poster. Please be gentle!] Keeping with the theme of this thread, here is a rather basic question: does anyone know whether or not BoA will allow you to script the removal of special items from the party inventory? I would imagine that regular items can be stripped via script (á là food loss in the Waterfall Warrens); I’m asking about those special, non-droppable, quest-related items that appear in the Info page’s list. (BoE vets will probably respond by saying either “Of course” or “Very unlikely.” Unfortunately, I've never designed for BoE, so I don’t know what to expect.) Tentative predictions, anyone? [EDIT, for The_Nazgul below: Thanks.] [ Friday, July 04, 2003 10:35: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Enforced "goodness" -- a good thing? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Thursday, June 26 2003 12:06
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As for carrying things (stats as well as actual items) from scenario to scenario, I’ve been told that this won’t be supported in BoA. The "What are the sort of things BoA will let you do?" thread contains some ideas for possible work-arounds. (Shameless self-promotion disclaimer: I pitch the idea there, but my ideas are definitely not original. The "Take party from scenario to scenario?" and "Sequel Support" threads touch on the same ideas — but much more concisely than I did. :) ) Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Recommend me books! in General | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Thursday, June 26 2003 11:23
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Some quick recommendations. I won’t repeat the great suggestions that others have already posted (although I have to second the Tolkien recommendation if you haven’t already read Rings). Some of these fit the “light summer reading” category, some don’t, but here goes: Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury. It’s set in an ugly future dystopia, but unlike 1984, A Brave New World, etc., it leaves you with at least a shred of hope for humanity. It’s definitely my favorite “message” book, probably because I agree with the message — anti-censorship — so strongly. Something that’s strange to note, given the book’s dim portrayal of TV and movies, is how cinematic the story is. (Of course, the Truffaut version had too much ’60s baggage for my tastes; we’ll see if Darabont does better.) Snow Crash, by Neal Stephenson. …In my opinion, better cyberpunk than Gibson’s Neuromancer (but in fairness, Stephenson was standing on the shoulders of giants). Anything by Stephenson is a lot of fun, actually. The last time I checked, his next novel (Quicksilver) is due out in September. Of course, Stephenson might be among those whom X calls “today’s vacuous sci-fi cyber-hypers.” If so, I would humbly disagree. House of Leaves, by Mark Danielewski. …Postmodern overload. Six or seven separate stories that interweave, refer to each other obliquely, and more or less turn narrative on its head. Some people complain that the book is gimmicky or self-indulgent (“stunt” layout, footnotes within footnotes, etc.), but I liked it a lot. Funny, weird, and downright scary in places — and it’s much more readable than the bizarre formatting suggests. Just about anything by Harlan Ellison. …He can be angry, funny, disturbing — often at the same time — but his writing is always interesting and intelligent. You Shall Know Our Velocity by Dave Eggers. …Two friends on a badly planned round-the-world mission of charity. They have noble intentions, but not much actual ability to carry them out. The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark, by Carl Sagan. …Sagan’s last book, and possibly the best statement of his belief in science as the ultimate defense against ignorance. I don’t agree with all of Sagan’s politics, nor his wholesale dismissal of religion as self-delusion, but overall his points are well made. It’s not exactly fluff reading, but it’s very accessible and rarely boring. And now for some truly light reading… —————————————————————— Early Carl Hiaasen. …He’s been compared to Elmore Leonard, but I like Hiaasen’s first few books better than anything I’ve read by Leonard (admittedly not a lot). His books are quasi-mysteries set in modern Florida, which is apparently populated by a handful of virtuous characters and a whole swampful of quirky, funny, and often violent sleazeballs. I recommend his early stuff because he’s used the same formula in every book, but with diminishing returns. Early Clive Cussler. …Big, dumb fun: kind of like reading a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. Sure — the characters are cardboard, the “science” is sketchy at best, and the dialogue makes you laugh out loud, but I still insist that most of Cussler’s early stuff (up to and including Treasure) was a lot of fun. Why not his later books? Well, he also suffers from the “same formula, diminishing returns” syndrome, but it’s more than that. His later novels lack a certain edge that the early ones had. In other words, there was some humor in the early books, but in the last fifteen years, Cussler almost seems to be parodying himself: too many in-jokes, lazy clichés, and a ridiculously melodramatic tone. More than anything, it’s the James Bond effect: when you know — absolutely and certainly — that the hero won’t die, the plot’s danger loses its thrill. Mind Over Matters, by Mike Nelson. …Yes, that Mike Nelson, from Mystery Science Theater 3000. This book is similar to a collection of Dave Barry essays, but smarter and less repetitious (for instance, he never once observes, “that would be a good name for a rock band”). Lots of laughs. Enough from me … get me talking about books, and I won’t shut up. :) [ Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:55: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Thursday, June 26 2003 03:34
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Thanks, Drakefyre … yes, I guess that’s a silver lining. But I’m still anxious to get my grubby mitts on that scenario editor! Although the BoA editor will almost certainly be different, I have a question for you Blades of Exile designers. Are there any guidelines to ensure that a scenario will work and display well on both Macs and PCs? I only ask because I’ve read complaints about certain BoE scenarios which contain text/response blocks that fit on PC displays but are too large for Mac displays. I’d prefer to avoid mistakes like that if possible, but unfortunately I don’t have a Mac on which to test. [ Thursday, June 26, 2003 10:12: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Wednesday, June 25 2003 07:11
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That’s great to hear, Drakefyre. That's mainly what I was hoping to learn: first, that there will be variables, and with that known, whether they’ll be typed and/or scoped. I appreciate the vote of confidence … like every other first-time designer, I’ll have to make sure that my big plans don’t get ahead of my ability (and available time) to pull them off. Out of curiosity, how long is the usual gap between Mac and PC releases of Spiderweb games? I just know that January (or whenever) will roll around, and I’ll be insanely jealous of you Mac owners! :( Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Good New!! Please read in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 16:44
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I also like the idea of being able to place things in containers. I won’t speak for anyone else here, but it’s both funny and tragic that I intend to keep my BoA house less cluttered than I keep my real-life house. :) Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Other Authors in Exile in General | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 16:21
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If Neal Stephenson played Exile or Avernum: “The adventurer belongs to an elite order, a hallowed subcategory. He’s got XP up to here. Right now he's preparing to complete his third quest of the night. His crystal plate is as clear as a Vahnatai sex toy, refracting the very light out of the air. A crossbow bolt will bounce off its GIFTSfiber weave like an imp hitting a skill:80 door, but excess perspiration wafts through it like cave wind through a freshly quickfired mushroom field. Where his body has bony extremities, the plate has ensorcelled mithrilgel: feels like graymold salve, protects like a stack of L3 spell tomes.” P.S. Great stuff, everyone! And RentBoy: I think you can insert wherever you want an extra space, like this: S pa c e = S pa c e [ Tuesday, June 24, 2003 16:36: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 14:46
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Oops, sorry … I should have transitioned between subjects more clearly. I meant in-scenario variables: whether they’ll exist, and if so, how many we’re allowed, their scope, typing, arrays or no arrays, etc. Sorry for the misunderstanding! [ Tuesday, June 24, 2003 15:20: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Enforced "goodness" -- a good thing? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 14:33
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Actually, Arancaytar, I agree with you about prefering to play good characters in games. (Call me old fashioned…) I guess I was just pitching the idea to see what people thought of more morally ambiguous characters. As for content, that would certainly be up to the designer. Some level of taste should be upheld, of course: I know that I’d abandon a scenario immediately if it celebrated truly atrocious or reprehensible behavior. Mainly I was just interested in reading people’s thoughts on playing anti-heroes and/or less-than-admirable characters. Anyone else? [ Tuesday, June 24, 2003 14:48: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Enforced "goodness" -- a good thing? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 12:31
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Here’s a question for RPG players, would-be scenario designers, and seasoned BoE designers alike: Is it acceptable or annoying when an RPG forces your character to be good? In other words: when a game outright prohibits you from killing innocent characters, destroying their property, etc., are you OK with that prohibition, or does it irritate you? Myself, I always play “chaotic good” parties … i.e., my characters dutifiully complete the saintly quests on behalf of the widows and orphans, but I’m not above swiping some rich-but-harmless fatcat’s gold when he’s not looking. :D In other words, I just don’t like the idea of playing a bad guy — but maybe that’s because few games provide interesting (and playable) repercussions/rewards for rotten behavior. Now imagine a plot that would accomodate not-so-nice (and downright evil) characters alongside the usual Robin Hood quartets. It could be very interesting. Don’t get me wrong … I don’t mean psychotic characters who go around mowing down entire towns with even less motivation than conscience. I’m talking about an entirely different set of quests and plot progression: instead of doing jobs, advancing goals, and gaining reputation with the good guys, you have the choice to do all of those things with the bad guys instead. Obviously you couldn’t just flip-flop between the two. Do enough good, and the bad guys won’t trust you; do enough evil, and you’ll either be killed or thrown in jail if you turn up at the local guard garrison. Still, by tracking the good or evil choices that the player makes during early quests, and by steering the subsequent plot accordingly, I think that some interesting (and very replayable) scenarios could result. Reactions? [ Tuesday, June 24, 2003 12:33: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 11:30
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Thanks, EEP_Karzoth — I appreciate that! It’s tough to dive into a new message board, especially with my tendency toward long-windedness. On the plus side, nearly everyone here is very literate and open minded, so hopefully they’ll tolerate my … um … meandering stream of consciousness. :) Getting back to the thread, does anyone know the latest on BoA’s variable storage capabilities? Planning scenarios would be easier if I had a rough idea of what (and how much) I can expect to store. For the record, I’ve read Jeff’s official “What to expect…” write-up; I guess I’m just looking for more specifics. Of course, I’m sure I’m not alone in this. Thanks again for the welcome, EEP_Karzoth. Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Tuesday, June 24 2003 09:31
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Understood. When game makers talk about “balancing,” I think they usually mean ensuring that the mix and power of abilities, weapons, classes, spells, etc. lead to a fun game for everyone’s play style. For example, if you play a game that is a tough challenge when your character is a fighter, but a breeze when s/he’s a mage, then it’s unbalanced. This is a bit different from the unbalance that arises from cheats. Whether those cheats are sanctioned (like Avernum’s character editor), or unsanctioned (like the save-file hacks that people discover), they all vary from the designer’s model of “official” game play. To make a long story short — too late — I think that designers try to balance “official” games across most normal play styles. They might provide user-friendly interfaces for those who wish to (ahem) “tweak” their games, but a tweaker usually tweaks with the understanding that s/he’s messing with the intended difficulty/balance of the game. Like you, EEP_Karzoth, I also think that this is fine for single-player games. We’re all playing to have fun … if a person has fun by making the game slightly easier for him/herself, then what’s the harm? After all, no one awards prizes for winning, and we’re not competing with anyone else. Online games, of course, require a level playing field for the sake of fairness and enjoyment for all, but in single-player games, I say “hack away” if you’re so inclined. (Just don’t go bragging about how your first-level fighter took down the Empire single-handedly… :) ) Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 23 2003 14:30
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wizardr6 is absolutely right. There are many more efficient (and better obfuscated) ways to mask persistent variables … I was just trying to keep my example straightforward. Note that this kind of masking could be used to carry forward more than just quest completion. Among other things, you could retain special items gained in a previous scenario, provided that A) the previous scenario knows how to encode your inventory, and B) the subsequent scenario knows how to “unpack” those codes. Again, all of this is optional, and it is certainly not necessary to create a good series of scenarios. It’s just an idea for a way to personalize the entry points of mid-story installments in a series. Note also: if scripts to accomplish this kind of persistence were well modularized, adventures could be released incrementally: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc. A designer wouldn’t have to create, test, proofread, and debug his or her entire epic all at once. Serial releases of big stories’ “chapters” could build player enthusiasm for a series, as well as give novice designers manageable milestones toward which to strive. Also, a word on the (inevitable) hacking of carry-over codes. It’s likely that some percentage of players will try to hack the carry-over codes in order to give themselves better equipment, more completed quests, etc. I say, let them. This isn’t a MMORPG; they’re not cheating anyone else. If they have fun deciphering your variable masks, great. …All of this is just my two cents’ worth. [ Monday, June 23, 2003 14:42: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What are the sort of things BoA will let you do? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 23 2003 12:20
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(Post-search update: these ideas were also explored in the “Sequel Support” thread on this board, so I don’t claim any great innovation here.) Following up on an idea I posted in the “What feature that the Avernum series lacked would you most like to see in BoA?” thread… Scenario-to-scenario persistence might be achieved through codes/passwords that are imparted at the end of the earlier scenario, then input during the first encounter in a new scenario. Consider an example with which we’re all familiar. (This will be simplified just to illustrate a point … actual codes should probably be less easily guessable.) Imagine that we want to track the major “stuff done” — i.e., the game-winning quests — from Avernum to Avernum 2. In other words, imagine that we want to seed Avernum 2’s Stuff Done table with the state of our Avernum game when we left it. *** NOTE: No, Avernum and Avernum 2 do not do this. I’m merely using them as an example to illustrate my proposed idea. *** First consider the possible outcomes of an Avernum victory: =============================================== A2 Entry Grah-Hoth Found route Hawthorne Code killed? to surface? killed? =============================================== 0 -- -- -- Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| know any good rpg's like avernum? in General | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 9 2003 10:31
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Out of curiosity, Fox Elf, do you play the Mac or PC version of Realmz? (…And if Fox Elf's Mac/PC stance is common knowledge in the Spiderweb forums, please pardon me; I'm new here. :) ) I only ask because I have fond memories of an early '90s Mac release of Realmz. However, when I downloaded Realmz for the PC (most recently in 2001, I think), I found it frustrating and unstable. It's possible that the Mac version has only gotten better while the PC port languishes. It's also quite possible that the PC version has improved since my last look at it. Your take, Fox Elf? [EDIT, for el presidente below, to avoid spamming/cluttering with one-line posts:] Thanks! [ Monday, June 09, 2003 10:55: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| know any good rpg's like avernum? in General | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 9 2003 09:46
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My opinion (nothing more, nothing less)... Back in the early '90s, Realmz for the Mac seemed good … until I later discovered Spiderweb's games. Since then, I took a look at a recent PC release of Realmz and found only an excruciating interface and a buggy engine (due, most likely, to the port). Fallout was incredible: my favorite Bioware game to date. Fallout 2 was also good, but it sprawled too much for my liking … by the end, I'd stopped caring about the plot. I hated the interface and non-RPG feel of Fallout Tactics. The Baldur's Gate/Icewind Dale series is OK … pretty, but rather linear and hack 'n' slash. Planescape: Torment was intelligent and, from all accounts, very emotionally moving, but the sheer volume of names and plot kept me from finishing it. (This wasn't the game's fault; I made the mistake of starting it at a very busy time.) Diablo and Diablo 2 were also fun for a while, but the hack-'n'-slash became dull quickly. Divine Divinity is much less linear, and it plays a lot like Diablo 2, but the hack-'n'-slash feel still sets in after 10+ hours of play. I haven't played Dungeon Siege, but friends have told me that it's an extremely linear slashfest. And yes, I realize that all of these except Realmz are commercial games. That's because (as Alorael wrote), "good shareware is hard to come by." I haven't found any shareware RPGs whose quality even remotely approaches that of Spiderweb's games. [EDIT:] Someone mentioned Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura; I'd forgotten about that. I really liked its setting and non-linearity, but (for me) its interface and combat system could have been better. It was also painfully crash-prone, even with the latest patches and hardware drivers in place. Good luck! [ Monday, June 09, 2003 10:37: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| Politicalcompass in General | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 9 2003 09:16
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What better way to alienate a newly-joined message board than by revealing political leanings which — apparently — differ from the norm? :) Anyway, here are my rankings: Economic Left/Right: 2.75 Authoritarian/Libertarian: -2.00 I must disagree with some of the site's reading recommendations for my political type, however. Although I'm a staunch individualist, I really have no patience with Ayn Rand's "self-interest above all else" philosophy. Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| What feature that the Avernum series lacked would you most like to see in BoA? in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 9 2003 04:21
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I'll add my vote for a text entry field. It would allow the obvious plot devices (non-multiple-choice riddles and passwords, etc.), but I can think of another capability that text entry might allow. Party/PC possession of custom items might be transferable from one campaign scenario to the next if the following conditions are true: 1. Both scenarios support the same custom items. 2. The earlier scenario closes by giving you an alphanumeric code which records all of the items you possess. 3. The subsequent scenario opens at or near the equivalent of a "baggage claims counter," where you can enter your code and retrieve your custom items. Certainly this would require careful scripting to encode/decode the custom equipment lists, but text entry would at least allow easy player input of such codes. (I suppose that the same thing could be done with a LONG string of traditional multiple choice responses, but simply typing in a code would be much easier for the player.) Also, it's inevitable that some players would try to decypher/hack the codes in order to give themselves ridiculously powerful inventories. I'd argue that this is fine for two reasons. First, players who enjoy finding cheats often derive more fun from "unmasking" the codes than they do from actually playing the game (and aren't we playing to have fun?). Second, it's not as if BoA will be a MMORPG (thankfully!) ... i.e., cheaters aren't cheating anyone but themselves. Of course, like most everyone else here, I don't know the exact designer capabilities that will be available in BoA. Maybe my idea won't be possible after all, with or without text entry. Still, it's worth considering until we know for sure. [ Monday, June 09, 2003 10:58: Message edited by: Churl ] Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |
| BOA Scenario Designers in Blades of Avernum | |
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Apprentice
Member # 3084
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written Monday, June 9 2003 03:33
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For what it's worth, I'm very anxious to start on my scenario as soon as BoA is released. I'm sure that there will be many great contributions! Posts: 37 | Registered: Monday, June 9 2003 07:00 |