Playing as the Vahnatai (?)
| Author | Topic: Playing as the Vahnatai (?) |
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Apprentice
Member # 8225
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 17:28
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Apologies since I'm not certain if I am posting this in the right place, but I'm wondering if anyone else would find it interesting to have a game based on the Vahnatai? I thought it would be interesting to have either some kind of "side story" or to rework the events of past Exile/Avernum storylines to play as the Vahnatai... Posts: 1 | Registered: Saturday, March 3 2007 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 18:02
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In Jeff's view, there should never be vahnatai PCs because they are meant to be an alien and mysterious race. Stepping into their shoes and really getting to know them also makes them less exciting. Playing entirely as PCs is a little bit different, but it has similar problems. Either you would be playing as characters and in an environment too different for you to really relate and immerse or the vahnatai would have to be humanized. It would also ruin the vahnatai's wonderful ability to provide deus ex machina on demand. —Alorael, who has decided that as far as plot goes he'd rather either see races done thoroughly or left out completely. Avernum 3, for example, makes very little sense with a party full of sliths. You still fit in on the surface? You're still pale? You should play as a bunch of humans or the game should include the overwhelming complexity of having three (or four, with vahnatai) very different races. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Councilor
Member # 6600
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 18:09
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Dikiyoba thinks a game focused solely on the vahnatai would be interesting. It's probably not going to happen, but it could still be interesting. Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7420
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 20:01
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It's interesting because I've seen people complain that this would take away the mystery of the vahnatai, but I've also seen those same people complain that there is not enough known about the vahnatai to make them interesting characters. The way I see it, why not? Once Jeff is finished with Avernum, I certainly wouldn't object to a new series where you play as vahnatai. He's good at creating new worlds like that, as seen in Geneforge. -------------------- You lose. Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 21:45
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One reason a large Vahnatai scenario will never be popular - chitrachs. Chitrachs and hydras were the most common monsters down there. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 22:12
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Let's not forget demons. They deal with a lot of demons. ...yeah, a vahnatai-focused series would definitely be fun. It'd just have to be completely different from any Avernum game yet made. Vahnatai magic seems to be very different from typical everybody-else-magic. -------------------- Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. I hate undead. I really, really, really, really hate undead. With a passion. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Saturday, March 3 2007 22:13
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quote:Mostly, we're not so much complaining as restating Jeff's opinion by way of explanation as to why it won't happen. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 7538
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 00:41
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I've wondered why he didn't make the Vahnatai PCs. News to me. If he made a game, I'd probably eventually get it. However, seeing as he could just as easily make an all new game (and furthermore he's more likely to), we will undoubtedly never see a game that fits this description. -------------------- Do not provoke the turtles. They do not like being provoked. -Lenar My website: Nemesis' Refuge Posts: 743 | Registered: Friday, September 29 2006 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 6136
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 13:35
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In fact a Vahnatai game would be very funny, but it would be out of the main avernum plot. Maybe doing it after some 2 avernums maybe :D Posts: 446 | Registered: Friday, July 22 2005 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 8030
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 14:53
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A Vahnatai character would be too strong. So unless you brought in some really tough monsters, it would get rather boring. I have always wanted to have a party with a vahnatai in it, but it'll probably never happen. -------------------- WWJD? Posts: 1384 | Registered: Tuesday, February 6 2007 08:00 |
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Apprentice
Member # 4470
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 14:58
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Yeah, it would be a great thing if you could play as the alien race. Besides, if jeff wont make one, I hope you know that you can always script it and edit some things and let the human model change into an alien. I know on avernum 4 I changed the damage of bites, and i let fists use the bite damage and sound. lols, so if anyone had enough time they could create a mod. Posts: 2 | Registered: Saturday, June 5 2004 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 8030
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 15:49
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What if you could play as an ogre, troglodyte, hill giant, brigand, Empire soldier, efreet, gorgon, gremlin, dragon, goblin, kobold, golem, etc.? -------------------- WWJD? Posts: 1384 | Registered: Tuesday, February 6 2007 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 17:17
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quote:Golem: No fun in it. Besides, you'd either be controlled by someone else or patently insane. Kobold, Goblin: Too weak and short-lived. Ogre, Trog: They're just hairy, stupid humans. That's the only real difference. And one likes stone spirals. Giants: Movement would be an issue... Giant PCs would be able to cross different terrain from the others. Oh, and they'd be pretty stupid as well. Gremlin: Too disorganized. Brigand: Not different enough. Empire Soldier: Too boring. I'm personally waiting for a good BoA scenario to work with this, though. Dragon: Overpowered, the issue of flight, lifespan length, the fact that there are only like six of them in the entire cave system... Efreet: Chaotic fire-beings from another plane? Seriously? I just can't see them being real team players. Gorgon: "Why won't anybody look at me?" ...besides, who ever uses Forcecage? EDIT: Forgot gorgons, which are just as ridiculous. Not to mention the fact that only about four of these could effectively communicate. [ Sunday, March 04, 2007 17:18: Message edited by: Ephesos ] -------------------- Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. I hate undead. I really, really, really, really hate undead. With a passion. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 18:34
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I think troglodytes are actually the most plausible PC race on that list. They're not particularly overpowered, and there's no real evidence that they're stupid -- their mages are almost as good as human mages, and better than nephilim. I'm not sure how many people would actually want to play one, though. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 27
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 18:43
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I don't care what Jeff makes next as long as he continues to make and improve in making open ended games. Posts: 1233 | Registered: Wednesday, October 3 2001 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 19:26
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quote:You seem to have gotten two professions mixed up with your races. I know Jeff has said A5 won't be about saving the world, but somehow brigand seems a little too low. Besides, most brigands get slaughtered by adventurers in short order. —Alorael, who could imagine playing as a soldier. In fact, in A2 you are technically Avernite soldiers, and in A3 you are something like a combination of irregulars, spies, and scouts. Soldiering just isn't what Avernum is about, though, and the Empire definitely isn't what Avernum is about. Note the name of the series! Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Raven v. Writing Desk
Member # 261
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 19:47
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Drakes would actually be somewhat interesting. They are more or less comparable in power to adventurers, though with less of a range, they are not nearly so unique as dragons, and there are non-flying drakes. The Swamp Folk (from A Small Rebellion) would also be interesting and quite plausible. That said, NO and NO. -------------------- Slarty vs. Desk • Desk vs. Slarty • Timeline of Ermarian • G4 Strategy Central Posts: 3560 | Registered: Wednesday, November 7 2001 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7420
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 23:12
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quote:Come on, as if you didn't break into and steal from every house you came across? Being actual criminals would be awesome, the next logical step, really. Those extralegal jobs you got from that one seedy guy in Avernum 1 (steal ring, murder beggar) were some of my favorites of all time. -------------------- You lose. Posts: 2156 | Registered: Thursday, August 24 2006 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 335
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written Sunday, March 4 2007 23:30
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Oh, I can see doing something illegal and big. Sacking entire cities, setting off Phoenix Eggs in the Castle, assassinating every mage in the Tower Colony, that sort of thing. Mugging travelers on the roads just isn't that interesting when there are bigger fish to fry. —Alorael, who can see how starting out as Darkside Loyalist goons and working your way up to political assassination and overwhelming acts of arson could make an exciting game. It's just, well, unlikely. Posts: 14579 | Registered: Saturday, December 1 2001 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 5360
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written Monday, March 5 2007 15:03
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Unlikely? Alorael, my friend, think of the possible death threats from Intelligent Design-bunk believers over the Geneforge games. Hideous, isn't it? That's probably why nobody made games like them before. -------------------- May the fires of Undeath burn in your soul, and consume it. Posts: 1636 | Registered: Wednesday, January 5 2005 08:00 |