Profile for Thuryl
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Displayed name | Thuryl |
| Member number | 869 |
| Title | ...b10010b... |
| Postcount | 9973 |
| Homepage | http://thuryl.desperance.net/blades.html |
| Registered | Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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| Author | Recent posts |
|---|---|
| Article - Rollick in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Wednesday, March 9 2005 02:04
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Rollick The BoA forum recently played host to a debate on the merits or otherwise of linearity in BoA scenarios. As the debate wore on, it became increasingly clear that the main points of disagreement weren't really related to plot-based linearity at all, but had more to do with a scenario's general attitude toward the player. In short, some scenarios have rollick, and others don't. A scenario with rollick is one that allows the player to go anywhere at any time, and (within reason) to do anything while they're there. The player is in control of the party's actions and has a reasonable capacity to predict their consequences. If something unexpected comes up, the party has the ability and the opportunity to deal with it. Rollicking scenarios also tend to be heavy on sidequests, to give the party something to do while they're not following the main plot. Quite a few highly-regarded BoE scenarios have rollick. Doom Moon II has rollick, at least until near the end. At the Gallows and Spears are loaded with rollick. The Adventurer's Club trilogy has rollick up to its eyeballs. In BoA, Diplomacy with the Dead is a reasonable example of a rollicking scenario, although it's on the small side; the best rollicking scenarios tend to have an epic feel, and a size and scope to match. When designing a rollicking scenario, keep in mind that you've made the choice to hand over control to the player. Don't mess too much with the party's abilities, especially in terms of permanently removing skills or spells. Don't force them to fight an opponent (or, in general, to take any particular course of action) unless there's no reasonable prospect that anyone would want to do otherwise. And whatever you do, make sure the ending provides a satisfying resolution -- it doesn't have to be a completely happy ending, but it should be an ending that leaves the player feeling as if they've achieved something. A good rollicking scenario should be a bit of light-hearted fun without too many nasty surprises. Grit is the polar opposite of rollick. In a gritty scenario, instead of choosing where to go and what to do, the party is forced into a course of action by desperate circumstances. Some obstacles may be too fearsome to overcome despite the player's best efforts. If the player can make significant decisions at all, there won't be one correct choice that solves everyone's problems. In BoE, Revenge is a good example of a gritty scenario; the party's ability to explore is limited by the fact that they're being hunted down by powerful enemies on an island with a lethal atmosphere, leaving them constantly pressed for time. In BoA, A Small Rebellion is perhaps the best example of a gritty scenario to date: the party's actions have unintended consequences that force them into a corner, and while they can choose how to get themselves out, none of their options has completely satisfying results. Plenty of players hold high regard for a gritty scenario when it's done well, but to work, grit needs gravitas. Since gritty scenario design relies on forcing the player along a path, the player needs to be kept well-motivated to continue down that path at all times, and the scenario needs to maintain a sense of pace. Can rollick and grit coexist in the same scenario? Not very well, judging by past examples. Falling Stars is an excellent scenario in most ways, but criticisms of it have focused heavily on the way its rollicking gameplay and its gritty plot conflict. The story attempts to pressure the party to continue along the main plotline as quickly as possible; disasters strike and cities fall with the passage of time. However, players who try to avert disaster by hurrying along the central plotline are punished by missing large parts of the scenario, making it much more difficult and less satisfying. So what's the final word: should a scenario be rollicking or gritty? Some players love rollick. Some seem to play almost exclusively for rollick. The BoE scenario design community, which has had a significant influence on the BoA design community, tends to prefer grit, because experience has shown that it's easier to maintain a tight plot in a gritty scenario. Both types of scenario have benefits, drawbacks, fans and opponents; the important thing is to know which kind of scenario you're making and design accordingly. -- Thuryl [ Wednesday, March 09, 2005 02:33: Message edited by: Thuryl ] -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Article - Rollick in Blades of Avernum | |
|
...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Wednesday, March 9 2005 02:04
Profile
Homepage
Rollick The BoA forum recently played host to a debate on the merits or otherwise of linearity in BoA scenarios. As the debate wore on, it became increasingly clear that the main points of disagreement weren't really related to plot-based linearity at all, but had more to do with a scenario's general attitude toward the player. In short, some scenarios have rollick, and others don't. A scenario with rollick is one that allows the player to go anywhere at any time, and (within reason) to do anything while they're there. The player is in control of the party's actions and has a reasonable capacity to predict their consequences. If something unexpected comes up, the party has the ability and the opportunity to deal with it. Rollicking scenarios also tend to be heavy on sidequests, to give the party something to do while they're not following the main plot. Quite a few highly-regarded BoE scenarios have rollick. Doom Moon II has rollick, at least until near the end. At the Gallows and Spears are loaded with rollick. The Adventurer's Club trilogy has rollick up to its eyeballs. In BoA, Diplomacy with the Dead is a reasonable example of a rollicking scenario, although it's on the small side; the best rollicking scenarios tend to have an epic feel, and a size and scope to match. When designing a rollicking scenario, keep in mind that you've made the choice to hand over control to the player. Don't mess too much with the party's abilities, especially in terms of permanently removing skills or spells. Don't force them to fight an opponent (or, in general, to take any particular course of action) unless there's no reasonable prospect that anyone would want to do otherwise. And whatever you do, make sure the ending provides a satisfying resolution -- it doesn't have to be a completely happy ending, but it should be an ending that leaves the player feeling as if they've achieved something. A good rollicking scenario should be a bit of light-hearted fun without too many nasty surprises. Grit is the polar opposite of rollick. In a gritty scenario, instead of choosing where to go and what to do, the party is forced into a course of action by desperate circumstances. Some obstacles may be too fearsome to overcome despite the player's best efforts. If the player can make significant decisions at all, there won't be one correct choice that solves everyone's problems. In BoE, Revenge is a good example of a gritty scenario; the party's ability to explore is limited by the fact that they're being hunted down by powerful enemies on an island with a lethal atmosphere, leaving them constantly pressed for time. In BoA, A Small Rebellion is perhaps the best example of a gritty scenario to date: the party's actions have unintended consequences that force them into a corner, and while they can choose how to get themselves out, none of their options has completely satisfying results. Plenty of players hold high regard for a gritty scenario when it's done well, but to work, grit needs gravitas. Since gritty scenario design relies on forcing the player along a path, the player needs to be kept well-motivated to continue down that path at all times, and the scenario needs to maintain a sense of pace. Can rollick and grit coexist in the same scenario? Not very well, judging by past examples. Falling Stars is an excellent scenario in most ways, but criticisms of it have focused heavily on the way its rollicking gameplay and its gritty plot conflict. The story attempts to pressure the party to continue along the main plotline as quickly as possible; disasters strike and cities fall with the passage of time. However, players who try to avert disaster by hurrying along the central plotline are punished by missing large parts of the scenario, making it much more difficult and less satisfying. So what's the final word: should a scenario be rollicking or gritty? Some players love rollick. Some seem to play almost exclusively for rollick. The BoE scenario design community, which has had a significant influence on the BoA design community, tends to prefer grit, because experience has shown that it's easier to maintain a tight plot in a gritty scenario. Both types of scenario have benefits, drawbacks, fans and opponents; the important thing is to know which kind of scenario you're making and design accordingly. -- Thuryl [ Wednesday, March 09, 2005 02:33: Message edited by: Thuryl ] -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Your Thoughts .... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Wednesday, March 9 2005 00:25
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I'm mostly a wine drinker, particularly champagne (or rather, "sparkling wine", since the French tell us we can't call it champagne any more). One good thing about this country is the ready availability of high-quality yet affordable wines. (I'm told we also have good beers, but as far as I'm concerned beers divide into "drinkable", "drinkable after a few alcoholic drinks of some other kind" and "undrinkable".) -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Oh... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 23:44
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Go back to sleep. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Relative location... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 23:43
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I'm Australian. That's metric. You're annoying. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| How many? in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 23:42
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As I half-mentioned in an above post, he's most likely named after the main character from a series of novels, who also went by the name of Cairo Jim. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Oh... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 22:14
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GBTS, Spring. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Relative location... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 22:13
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Oh, of course. We switched to metric back in 1966. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Relative location... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 21:28
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Oh, you can find snow in Australia if you look hard enough. My sister lives in Mt Macedon, and it snows there sometimes -- occasionally, heavily enough that roads have to be closed, which is a great nuisance. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Background Music in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 18:12
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Nobody mentioned Avernum 1 music, although music from Exile 1 was mentioned. Go back to sleep. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Relative location... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 18:11
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+45 in the summer? I hope that's Celsius... -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| 4543 in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 17:41
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u<32549 -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Annoyance found and fixed. yeah ^_^ in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 17:40
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You're not the first to suffer from this problem. Smart quotes aren't. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Annoyance found and fixed. yeah ^_^ in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Tuesday, March 8 2005 17:40
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You're not the first to suffer from this problem. Smart quotes aren't. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| 4543 in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 16:28
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Drakey's gone on a titling spree. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Concentrated Linearity Debate (New Voices Welcome to Participate and Vote) in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 16:05
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I'm probably just going to stir up the hornets' nest again by replying, but it strikes me that a lot of the objections to linear or restrictive scenarios are based around the idea that the player ought to have complete control over the party's actions. Although this is one design model that's seen considerable use, a large proportion of the designing community doesn't adhere to it as a philosophy of design. Creator's article, Player vs. Party, gives a fair idea of where the community's coming from. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| dont know how to make this work in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 15:47
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I really, really hope that wasn't meant to be "skribbane". -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| dont know how to make this work in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Tuesday, March 8 2005 15:47
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I really, really hope that wasn't meant to be "skribbane". -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| dont know how to make this work in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
|
...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 11:47
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Putting it in the scenario script is indeed the correct thing to do with that script. The drug itself should just be a custom object that calls state 10 when used -- if you don't know how to do that, read the section of the manual that deals with custom objects scripting. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| dont know how to make this work in Blades of Avernum | |
|
...b10010b...
Member # 869
|
written Tuesday, March 8 2005 11:47
Profile
Homepage
Putting it in the scenario script is indeed the correct thing to do with that script. The drug itself should just be a custom object that calls state 10 when used -- if you don't know how to do that, read the section of the manual that deals with custom objects scripting. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Bahssikava released! in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 11:27
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The passage you can rest in was the passage to the Guardpost. If you read the message you get there, you'll notice that it's caved in recently. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Let's Play A Game! in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Tuesday, March 8 2005 01:00
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Everyone already knows I was lilith, so really the only purpose of this post is to gloat about winning. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Your Thoughts .... in General | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Monday, March 7 2005 19:52
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I'd post an image of a can of spam, but the above post speaks for itself. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| Background Music in Blades of Avernum | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Monday, March 7 2005 19:04
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The way I see it, the problem with music in a turn-based game is that the music can't really be kept in sync with the action. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
| How strange...bug perhaps?? in Blades of Avernum Editor | |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Monday, March 7 2005 19:01
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The bug's intermittent. Try it during a different phase of the moon, maybe? If it fails consistently, well, grin and bear it, I guess. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |