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Annatolia or Crewl? (possible spoilers) in Avernum 4
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #12
It's the house in the northweat corner by the river. Get close to the walls and such.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
General Scenario Design Contest in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #31
At any rate, I've add a utility category. Utilities can be any computer based tool and not necessarily a BoX scenario. Utilities will also be ineligible for Best Scenario.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Help with new scenario in Blades of Exile
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #7
quote:
I'm planning to make a huge scenario
Maybe I misunderstood. Care to clarify the above statement quantitatively?

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Time Limit Discussion in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #6
You have still not answered my question:

2) Why cause trouble for the Vahnatai clan? How does this forward the primary objective?

The Vahnatai subplot seems superfluous right now. Explain how it relates and why the player should care. If it is superfluous, the time limit aspect adds little and probably subtracts. I'd like this part explained more.

If you reread my first question, "banished" would apply to the subject "Grah-Hoth". Grah-Hoth is gone, banished to the nether realms, why does Adze still serve him? What does he hope to gain by it?

Answering the above question would help with answering the one you asked. Think about motive most of all. I would advise it being more than "Grah-Hoth told him to be evil because demons should be evil".

[ Monday, January 16, 2006 15:03: Message edited by: *i ]

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Finalizing Scenario Ideas. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #15
The discussion on the time limit and Adze scenario can be continued in a separate topic:

Time Limit Discussion

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Time Limit Discussion in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #0
This continues off a post made in the no discussion topic for finalized ideas. To prevent it from being bogged down, I'll continue the discussion here:

quote:
Okay, one more time:

The Heroes are sent to investigate strange occurances in Avernum town. There are no leads, but they run into some Vahnatai, who accuse them of destroying a Crystal Soul. The Heroes must decide whether to help the Vahnatai and lose precious time, or attack them to gain an artifact that would help save the town.

I've been thinking of adding a time limit. Any suggestions?

(Also on the old post):

Sorry Drakefyre, again I didn't make myself clear. The villain is NOT a homeland slith, but an old enemy of them. At a risk of providing a spoiler to all who wish to play my trilogy when it (hopefully) comes out, here is the basic storyline:

Remember Adze-Haakai? The demon who was second-in-command to Grah-Hoth in A1? While he was killed in A1, he wasn't destroyed, and has come back (remember, Grah-Hoth also wasn't destroyed, only slain). Basically, Adze-Haakai was the first to come through the gate in A3. When the Heroes came to the Tower, Adze fled (he knows how deadly Heroes can be). Adze is still obeying his master's last wishes (eternal vengance against Avernum) and does this by war-mongering. In scenario #1, it's with the Vahnatai. In #2, it's with (pending). In #3, the Heroes try stop Adze from summoning Grah-Hoth (for what, the 5th time?).

One concern I have is this: I haven't played A4 yet. Does this storyline conflict with the events in A4 (just answer YES or NO; A3 was ruined for me when I found out early who was behind things).

Generally, time limits are to be avoided unless it is central to the storyline. In Za-Khazi, a time limit made sense as the fort was besieged. Unfortunately, the time limit aspect was never a major aspect of the story as (1) the time limit was too long, and (2) it was just a series of dungeons unrelated to any sense of urgency.

The plot you have, as it appears (with talk of investigate strange occurrences), does not lend itself to a great sense of urgency. I'm sure you could justify it, virtually any scenario could, but it does not seem central. I'd say leave it out, because for it to work well, it would have to be constantly breathing down your party's neck. Remember, more is not always better!

As for the demons, my opinions on them are well known. However, I ask you these questions three:

1) Why does Adze still serve Grah-Hoth even though he has been banished?
2) Why cause trouble for the Vahnatai clan? How does this forward the primary objective?
3) What are some traits of Adze's character? How is he different from any other run of the mill thing with tough stats?

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Help with new scenario in Blades of Exile
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #4
quote:
Originally written by megamad:

Well, I'm planning to make a huge scenario, a continue to Exile 3, but in order to reconstruct many of the original areas, I need maps of Exile and the surface, which I don't have.
So, does anyone here have these maps and can send them to megamad @ walla.co.il?
Thanks.

I really recommend trying something a LOT smaller for a first effort.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Finalizing Scenario Ideas. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #7
Could you condense the premise to a maximum of 4 sentences still?

[ Monday, January 16, 2006 08:12: Message edited by: *i ]

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Bassikhava glitch in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #1
The first character should become hostile. Leaving the scenario, reload an earlier save is the best way. Otherwise, make a script that changes the attitude back.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
January Chat Times in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #0
There will be three more Blades chats this month. The times are listed below. The chats will take place using AIM. For instructions, go here.

Saturday, January 21 at 3 pm EST
Wednesday, January 25 at 10 pm EST
Monday, January 30 at 6 pm EST

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Finalizing Scenario Ideas. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #5
I suggest we have more people speak than TM. We don't want one designer's ideas to overly influence scenario design. Please post a time.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Finalizing Scenario Ideas. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #3
I would suggest still condensing it down. The purpose is not to limit the size, but to make sure the thoughts are collected coherently. Also, if you cannot get the basic premise out in 4 sentences max, the story will likely be too complicated or jarbled.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
New Party Maker in Blades of Exile
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #5
In such a trainer "plot" becomes filler, only making the thing unnecessarily longer. I don't go in the HLPM for plot. I go in to for a tool like purpose.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
General Scenario Design Contest in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #27
BoA and BoE zones are tabulated in the same way.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Yarrr... Linux! in General
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #21
A pure democracy is equally as bad a form of government because it inherently puts power in the hands of people who do not who do not understand it.

Making coherent policies takes a lot of knowledge, research, and time. Expecting everyone to be knowledgeable enough to make informed decisions on every issue is perhaps even more utopian than communism. Ultimately, you end up with rhetoric and showmanship winning the day more than sound policy.

More democracy does not mean better necessarily, despite a populist myth of equating democracy and good. Ultimately you need people with the most knowledge of their area making decisions. A benevolent and wise transparent oligarcy is probably the best form of government, but difficult to create in the real world.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
General Scenario Design Contest in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #25
As for the Utility category, there would need to more than just the HLPM as the clear winner for that to justify it. In other words, there needs to be another really good and useful utility before entertaining that.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
I Want to Crush Your Dreams. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #108
quote:
And then what. She reacts to that and you ask her for backup before you enter the place again. Does she simply say "take 500 men and scare the hell out of the villain," or does she want you to do something before she gives you control over the army? the place is at war, so just assigning you as commanding officer seems foolish.
Generally, adventurers are good at stealthy things. Now having backup seems reasonable to do heavy fighting against an opposing army. You could have someone else command you know with the task of the forces supporting your objective to defeat the villain.

I would avoid an intermediate quest. It usually just serves as filler.

As for the mayor's reaction, it depends on the personality of the mayor and the relation with the mayor to the villain.

[ Sunday, January 15, 2006 10:38: Message edited by: *i ]

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Finalizing Scenario Ideas. in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #1
First, I would suggest writing a few sentences for your finalized version. You have a maximum of 4 sentences of reasonable length to describe your scenario such that anyone reading it would have a good idea what is going on. There will be NO commenting on the intent statements in this topic!

I will do one for Chill Factor:

You play a 1 PC preset Nephil party with no magic skills, although several people join you along the way. You are a young member of the Archer Fellowship, a secret society dedicated to the defense of Nephilim throughout the world. A plot to destroy the Fellowship has been initiated and you must figure out what is happening, elude its grip, find the cause, and thwart it before it is too late.

Once you do this, post some possible means of discussion (preferably AIM or the Lyceum), but PMs and e-mail if necessary. These will work on ensuring a sound final version, and developing a strategy of implementation.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
The death of BoE forum in Blades of Exile
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #1
We have a Blades chat, read the post on the Blades of Avernum forum. Blades of Exile is acceptable there also.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Creature Script Problem in Blades of Avernum Editor
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #9
They couldn't use light sources anyway. I'm afraid that would not be possible even using the item. A possible solution to the glowing thing could be to make a separate monster and swap the two when the item is used. Store the HP and such in a variable or something.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Creature Script Problem in Blades of Avernum
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #9
They couldn't use light sources anyway. I'm afraid that would not be possible even using the item. A possible solution to the glowing thing could be to make a separate monster and swap the two when the item is used. Store the HP and such in a variable or something.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
where is this sleater fellow? in Avernum 4
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #4
Worse comes to worst, leave for a bit and gain some levels and come back.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Might have done somthing out of order (spoilers) in Avernum 4
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #4
Yeah, sounds like you are trapped. I suggest reloading an earlier save and e-mailing Jeff about the problem. Also, I believe you killed a Drake, not a Dragon.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
av2 - Where's Pyrog? in The Avernum Trilogy
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #1
Pyrog is dead. His lair, on the other hand, I seem to remember getting there by boat via the Northern Waters. It's been so long now that I cannot be sure.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Helping Jeff advertise in Avernum 4
The Establishment
Member # 6
Profile #75
quote:
Originally written by Dikiyoba:

I don't mind "static" as much as I mind minor characters not having anything to say. I don't need an in-depth conversation but when I click on a guard, townsperson, cow, etc., I like do have some description, even if it's only "This cow, like every other cow you've ever met, can't talk. It just moos once and resumes grazing." I don't like towns where only the important characters can be talked to and no one else can.

Dikiyoba.

I sort of agree. However, given a choice between a few well developed characters and lots of sort of developed characters, I would choose the former. Right now, we pretty much had neither.

Personally I would rather wait another 2-3 weeks on a game releasing if it would have some built in interactive characters.

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Your flower power is no match for my glower power!
Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00

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