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Field	Value
Displayed name	Poit
Member number	5274
Title	Warrior
Postcount	107
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Registered	Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00

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Blades Chat in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Sunday, January 8 2006 03:42 Profile #8 No that is a perfectly reasonable point, and an area where we both agree. To make this work we should get as many people as possible to participate. Now the original time suggested seemed to fit that criterion, it meant that for the majority of people, including europeans, the chat would take place in the evening. Maybe I read the timezones wrong but 5pm EST doesn't seem to be that late in the Netherlands. Your profile does not disclose your age but I am assuming you go to sleep early? Not to be harsh but it seems unreasonable to lock out three or more people completely (I guess most of us will be either asleep or at work that early,) to suit the particular needs of one. 5pm EST is not perfect but it seems that most people can accept it, whereas to move it back earlier would leave some people completely unable to participate. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
General Scenario Design Contest in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 19:03 Profile #6 Count me in. I should have something for you by then. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
My aMAZEing idea... in Blades of Avernum Editor
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 17:43 Profile #20 quote: NO. No freaking mazes or puzzles! How difficult is this for you maggots to understand? Yeah endless mazes of doom have been done to death around here. I'm glad you're running with the minotaur idea. [ Saturday, January 07, 2006 17:43: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
My aMAZEing idea... in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 17:43 Profile #20 quote: NO. No freaking mazes or puzzles! How difficult is this for you maggots to understand? Yeah endless mazes of doom have been done to death around here. I'm glad you're running with the minotaur idea. [ Saturday, January 07, 2006 17:43: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
General Scenario Design Contest in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 17:37 Profile #4 Sounds fine. Is this recognised by Spiderweb or is it a Lyceum thing? -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Blades Chat in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 17:33 Profile #6 quote: Um, maybe, so the Europeans will also get a chance, you could have the chat just four or three hours earlier? at 2 o3 3 pm EST? 5 pm EST That will be at 10 pm GMT (I think so), which is just too late for me. EDIT: 2 pm EST would be the best for me. that's at 8 pm GMT, which is the time I can have soem time for myself, between the news and the evening tv session with my parents. and, no offence to the Aussies, but they got their chance last time. i think we should give everybody a chance, don't you think? Unfortunately this comes down to numbers. I can think of at least three other aussies including myself intend to participate. However I'm not sure how many of us would be willing to get up at 4 in the morning to do so. By all means we should fiddle around and come up with a time acceptable to all, but I think its a little unreasonable to hold the expectation that we should choose a time that would slot nicely into your "evening tv schedule." -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
I Want to Crush Your Dreams. in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, January 7 2006 01:52 Profile #31 Edited for content. [ Friday, January 13, 2006 04:53: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Blades Scenario Chat in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Saturday, December 31 2005 14:06 Profile #13 quote: I suggested a Saturday at 5 p.m. EST, actually, to avoid making Australians wake up early on a Sunday morning Sounds good. I'm not prepared to get up for anything at 9am unless my house is burning down. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Blades Scenario Chat in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Friday, December 30 2005 21:46 Profile #1 Why it's so crazy it just might work. Count me in. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Questions in Blades of Avernum Editor
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Wednesday, December 28 2005 16:03 Profile #1 Most of the code you need should be listed under the item calls page. Typically the char_take_item(short which_char_or_group,short which_item); call can be used to remove the item, and the char_give_item(short which_char_or_group,short which_item) call can be used to give it to your party. This wiki may be helpful. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blades_of_Avernum_Script_Reference#NPCs_Joining_Party_Calls -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Questions in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Wednesday, December 28 2005 16:03 Profile #1 Most of the code you need should be listed under the item calls page. Typically the char_take_item(short which_char_or_group,short which_item); call can be used to remove the item, and the char_give_item(short which_char_or_group,short which_item) call can be used to give it to your party. This wiki may be helpful. http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blades_of_Avernum_Script_Reference#NPCs_Joining_Party_Calls -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Do we have a future? in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Tuesday, December 27 2005 01:30 Profile #11 quote: The problems with the pearl I see were this: 1) Too focused of a topic. Many of the good designers already have something in the works and will not stop for some little project like this. 2) No incentive. For a more expansive contest, it may be possible to get a few prizes out of Spiderweb. Extrinsic motivation works wonders. 3) Perceived small audience/designer base. The problem is a chicken and egg one. We do not have many players because of a slow rate of scenario release and we have a slow rate of scenario release because there are too few players to justify the effort. Addressing this was the topic of my "Active" posts. So, what should be a course of action? I have ideas, but I want to hear input first. I think you hit the nail on the head with the chicken and egg comparison, at this point I don't think we have a lot of options that don't involve staging another contest. It seems we have a need to artificially intervene and offer some cash to get the scenario production line rolling again. This is by no means a cure all, but if we can generate enough buzz around the contest maybe we can bring new players attracted by Avernum 4 into the BoA fold. I'm by no means certain that Jeff would want to even consider this but perhaps suggesting he use some surplus funds from Avernum 4 to prop up BoA is worth a try. I think we should argue that BoA has not been given time to reach its full potential and may not be able without outside aid. Personally I'm aiming to release my scenario within a month when hopefully the first round of Avernum 4 players will be looking for something else to sample. I know that Smoo, Thralni and possibly others are designing as well, so hopefully we can attract some player attention and encourage others to design. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Do we have a future? in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Monday, December 26 2005 19:00 Profile #7 quote: Do you mean a person, like me, ho is trying to understand Avernumscript, or do you mean Avernum 4 (which grately dissappointed me)? I was referring to Avernum 4. quote: I hope not. I'm seriously considering buying BoE just to play the, oh, 3 trillion or so scenarios that have been released. BoE has still managed, despite slowing down a lot, to seduce people into producing new content. Funnily enough I was considering the same thing, although in a way it would be depressing to play the fruits of a great game that is now in a terminal condition. Like the first few posters on this topic I'm a love child of the Avernum series but I've always had a certain dislocation in hearing people continually refer to BoE scenarios that I've never played. quote: Shoot, last night I stayed up till 6am playing a BOA scenario! While I was playing I kept thinking that I still like this better than the new A4, even with A4's nicer graphics. All the stuff I miss in A4 is in BOA and it just makes me want to play BOA more That's something I've found to be very interesting. I've found there to be a very widespread feeling of disappointment in the Avernum 4 graphics, not necessarily because they are different from the previous games but because they are nothing new, simply recycled from the Geneforge series. (Recycled just like the plot was recycled from Av 3.) There is a certain charm in BoA graphics, perhaps in their miniscule size. It just feels the way an RPG should to me, I like the feeling of walking into a room and seeing one hundred and one different items scattered everywhere, bread in the ovens and little touches like that. It is clear there is a demand for BoA scenarios but the question is will new designers bother to learn the skills to create them. quote: I loved BoE. It came out in an era where making your own content pretty much meant starting from scratch. But ever since the huge success of Half Life and its mods, practically every game on the market is moddable. BoA came out in this new environment, and unfortunately not enough was changed. The scripting language is weak, and what you can do is very limited. It occupies this unfortunate niche where it's more difficult than BoE to develop content, but it's not much more powerful. I don't see much of a future. I found this to be interesting. Do you mind telling what me you have liked to see in BoA? Bear in mind that no suggestions anyone offers will ever be implemented or probably even considered by Jeff. quote: BoE came out in late 1997. People have been talking about the death of BoE since 2000, if not earlier, and scenarios were still being made at a pretty good rate until just recently (and they may pick up again someday). Likewise, people have been talking about the death of BoA since the month after it came out. It's not going to die any time soon. This was my first reaction, give BoA time and eventually something will come of it. However there are different circumstances between now and when BoE was released. Firstly Jeff started making the Avernum series as his next project after BoE which was less work intensive than creating a completely new game from scratch, meaning BoE was his principle cash cow for a lot longer possbily giving it more of his attention. Secondly BoA requires a larger investment of time to learn how to use competently meaning on average less scenarios will be released in the beginning. This in itself would not be a problem if BoA was rendered "obselete" within a year by Avernum 4 and if we did not have to contend with possibly more additions to the Avernum series being released using a newer engine. The way I see it if Avernum 4 brings in completely new players who have never touched a Spiderweb game before we should try our hardest to attract them to BoA. The really crippling thing here is that the only way to attract new players to BoA is to have a database of worthwhile scenarios. As CPeters mentioned people even today are buying BoE simply because of the wealth of scenarios it has built up over the years. Without those why would people bother to learn to use a game that is quite dated in all other aspects? My fear is that we have nothing with which to attract new players and designers. The period of incubation required to produce a BoA scenario is a major drawback to our efforts to establish it as a viable alternative to Avernum 4 and whatever comes after that. I think that we have had a good year in terms of the scenarios released but I don't think we have the critical mass necessary to attract and sustain new designers and players, who will instead consider BoA outdated when comparing it to the newer Spiderweb games. [ Monday, December 26, 2005 19:03: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Do we have a future? in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Monday, December 26 2005 04:21 Profile #0 Hi everybody. The last time I posted on these forums was in happier times when BoA was brand new little program, meandering peacefully on its way through cyberspace, picking up a new scenario here and there and generally doing ok. How times have changed. Now there is a new kid on the block full of technical gimcrackery and offering some direct competition, most probably to the detriment of BoA. Not to be presumptive but I thought now would be a good time to sit back and contemplate the future of BoA. I think i is trying to discretely canvass this issue with his topic asking about the number of active BoA players, and I though this additional topic would be helpful. My question is this. Now that BoA has been superseded both in technical terms and in the attention it will recieve from Jeff Vogel and possibly players, do you think it has a future as a place for designers to tell their own stories about Avernum or will it instead be die a slow lingering death like the exile series? I confess to being a pessimest on this issue. It seems to me that BoA has done quite well in the number of scenarios produced for it, considering the time it has been released and the familiarity and expertise needed with the editor to create a passable scenario. However because of the lack of time to establish BoA as a "brand" or as a "community" or watever you want to label it, I just don't see the impetus for new designers to invest the time needed to learn how to use the editor when you have the option of playing Avernum 4 or whatever Jeff Vogel will call his next attempt to squeeze money out of a tired franchise. The way I see it the only incentive for authors to release scenarios is the individual satisfaction they will recieve from their efforts as well as praise and accolades from their fellow designers and players. Now that the door is open for more Avernum sequels and that attention is distracted I am no longer sure where BoA stands. With that in mind I ask for your opinions in this matter. Please disagree with me angrily or feed me horror stories from when Avernum was released, but BoE scenarios continued to be made but everyone lived happily ever after, because right now the only light at the end of this tunnel is from the oncoming Avernum 5, 6 and 7 trains. [ Monday, December 26, 2005 04:23: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107* \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Active Designers? in Blades of Avernum Editor
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Monday, December 26 2005 02:18 Profile #9 Yeah I've been working on a scenario on and off for about a year now. All towns, dungeons, and dialogue are done bar the final few. There are some miscellaneous scripting issues to iron out, but like Thuryl I've suddenly found myself with lots of spare time so I should have it completed in three weeks or so. Whether it will be well recieved is a another matter. [ Wednesday, December 28, 2005 16:05: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Active Designers? in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Monday, December 26 2005 02:18 Profile #9 Yeah I've been working on a scenario on and off for about a year now. All towns, dungeons, and dialogue are done bar the final few. There are some miscellaneous scripting issues to iron out, but like Thuryl I've suddenly found myself with lots of spare time so I should have it completed in three weeks or so. Whether it will be well recieved is a another matter. [ Wednesday, December 28, 2005 16:05: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Active Players? in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Monday, December 26 2005 02:10 Profile #14 I play BOA and am designing a scenario for it. The next few months will be crucial in determining whether BOA has a future. Hopefully it does. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
I won the Pearl Contest. in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Friday, December 2 2005 06:42 Profile #6 quote: Well, you're in luck, since I designed it with you in mind That made my night. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
I won the Pearl Contest. in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Thursday, December 1 2005 22:40 Profile #3 quote: You're just jealous. Well who wouldn't be? Winning the Pearl Contest is like winning an Oscar, a Pulitzer and Nobel Prize all at once. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
It's the A2Template! in Blades of Avernum Editor
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Sunday, November 27 2005 04:04 Profile #66 quote: @Poit: I'll be the first to admit it was a big undertaking but I did say that I have oodles of time. I wouldn't have started if I didn't know that I could finish it. It was ambitious, yes, but I waited until I had about 13+ sections completed in a little under 3 days before I even dared to raise the community's expectations. Frankly, it is not the sort of thing a n00b should undertake, but I knew I could cut it if I tried. That and I have worked with more complicated editors than blades. I don't claim to know it inside out, but I can't help but snigger at anyone who says that it is 'complicated'. Yeah look I don't think its terrible complicated but it certainly had the potential to be a mundane and thankless task. All in all I'm glad to see you stuck with it as this is the type of tool that will be very valuable to other designers over the years. Anyway congratulations, and I look forward to playing your scenario when it's ready. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
It's the A2Template! in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Sunday, November 27 2005 04:04 Profile #66 quote: @Poit: I'll be the first to admit it was a big undertaking but I did say that I have oodles of time. I wouldn't have started if I didn't know that I could finish it. It was ambitious, yes, but I waited until I had about 13+ sections completed in a little under 3 days before I even dared to raise the community's expectations. Frankly, it is not the sort of thing a n00b should undertake, but I knew I could cut it if I tried. That and I have worked with more complicated editors than blades. I don't claim to know it inside out, but I can't help but snigger at anyone who says that it is 'complicated'. Yeah look I don't think its terrible complicated but it certainly had the potential to be a mundane and thankless task. All in all I'm glad to see you stuck with it as this is the type of tool that will be very valuable to other designers over the years. Anyway congratulations, and I look forward to playing your scenario when it's ready. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Beta Testing Testing One Two Three Four in Avernum 4
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Friday, November 25 2005 21:50 Profile #40 quote: No, I believe I'm the slowest. I've been going through things so exhaustively (I read everything, from signposts to item descriptions), that I haven't quite hit Almaria yet. Horrible, I know, but I am still finding bugs and strange happenings. I still manage useful reports (at least, I think they would be useful). I just got the beta the other day so I assume its hit the second round of testing. Unfortunately you guys seems to have done a pretty thorough job and there isn't much left to alter. Do you know when Jeff intends to release this? -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
It's the A2Template! in Blades of Avernum Editor
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Friday, November 25 2005 21:44 Profile #63 quote: Update:Documentation is coming along nicely. I've made a few modifications to scripts, simple ones mainly. 'Balancing & Corrections' of items, monsters. If that ain't your thing, then it will be simple to remove those changes. Well congrats on getting this far. When I first heard about this it seemed like such a mind bogglingly large task that I assumed you would eventually be defeated by its magnitude and left as a shattered husk of a man. Glad to know I was wrong. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
It's the A2Template! in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Friday, November 25 2005 21:44 Profile #63 quote: Update:Documentation is coming along nicely. I've made a few modifications to scripts, simple ones mainly. 'Balancing & Corrections' of items, monsters. If that ain't your thing, then it will be simple to remove those changes. Well congrats on getting this far. When I first heard about this it seemed like such a mind bogglingly large task that I assumed you would eventually be defeated by its magnitude and left as a shattered husk of a man. Glad to know I was wrong. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00
Nephilim and ConLang in Blades of Avernum
Poit Warrior Member # 5274	written Wednesday, November 23 2005 17:32 Profile #1 I'd recommend loading up some old Avernum 1 and 2 saves and looking at the signs around the Nephilm controlled areas near Formello. I seem to recall there was some description of what their writing looked like but beyond that I don't know.. If all else fails just make it up. -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 \| Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00

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