The most ambitious scenario
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Apprentice
Member # 6859
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 10:43
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I started working on a new and very very ambitious scenario - AVERNUM 3.5 (temporary name). This scenario will take long to complete, but it will be the biggest of them all, about the size of Avernum 2, and will chronologically take place in the time between Avernum 3 (the Avernite emergence to the surface) and Avernum 4. What I trully need is every bit of history on the Avernum world - this includes timelines of events (such as: Slith wars, Avernum-Empire war, etc.), major figures (King Micah, Sss-thass, Emperor Hawthorne, Gharzad, Erica, etc.), ethnic groups in the series (Sliths, Nephilim, Avernites, Vahnatai, Giants, the 5 Dragons), major settlements' history, and so on. Of course, all this info needs to be extracted straight out of Avernum 1,2,3 and 4. In BoA, info that is relevant to Avernum would also interest me if it came from one of the 4 scenarios that come inert (Valley of Dying Things, A Small Rebellion, Za Khazhi Run and Diplomacy with the Dead). I would also happily accept info from Kelandon's Bahssikava scenario as historically true, due to its fine treatment of the slith people story, and the scenario's loyalty to the Avernum stories. To my best memory, other scenarios don't have any plot connections to Avernum, but if you find such things in Mad Ambition, Canopy or Magus of Cattalon, I would consider them as well. So, in short, if you are currently playing any of these games, and you encounter anything that can be relevant to building the story of "Avernum 3.5", pls reply in this thread. In your reply, tell me in which game it is, in which location exactly ("In Erica's tower, Erica tells the story to the group after you bring her the tome she asked for", for example) and cite the information directly as it appears in the game. I will do that myself as well of course, but the more you assist me, the faster, better and tighter the new mega-scenario will be. And if you don't like or don't agree with something another member wrote as a reply, don't fight about it in this thread. You can bring another clarification, but keep the arguments in other threads. As this is a mighty chore I've taken upon myself, I need your assistance clean and accurate as it could be. Thank you all and good luck! Posts: 1 | Registered: Sunday, March 5 2006 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 6670
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 11:23
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Oh boy. I'm going to be very optimistic and not say anything about the likelihood of this getting finished. I think I'm the opposite extreme. After every member telling me to create a small scenario, I'm making a scenario with one outdoor section and 6 towns/dungeons (2 of which are VTE). Anyway, I recommend the Encyclopedia Ermariana. EDIT: Stupid UBB Code. -------------------- Turgul of Wainscotting: Gender-change operations for Drakes and Dragons since Exile II! [ Sunday, March 05, 2006 11:24: Message edited by: Dintiradan ] Posts: 1509 | Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00 |
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The Establishment
Member # 6
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 11:26
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My advice is not to do it, or at very least scale back a lot. You seem like a very intelligent and articulate person, but I am not sure you realize how long it takes to make even a small scenario in Blades of Avernum. I would suggest a chain of scenarios in the time period of interest each focusing on a different part of the story you want to tell. Not only does this make it more managable, but the chances of you releasing something dramatically increase. I have seen similar posts (usually a person's first or very close to) many times before since the release of Blades of Exile. A lot of energy and enthusiasm is generated, but nothing ever comes of it. Right now we need finished projects, and even with the best intentions, generating such a collosal effort will not do much. Just trying to give you the historical view. -------------------- Your flower power is no match for my glower power! Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 65
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 12:06
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Damn, I thought this topic said most ambiguous scenario. Well, as everyone else has said-scale back and try something a bit smaller and get that scenario out there before starting your epic. -------------------- Milla-Displacer Beastie This is also a good site Posts: 650 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3040
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 14:16
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quote:For your purposes, specifically Game Canon. That page also links to a complete text dump of the games. -------------------- 5.0.1.0.0.0.0.1.0... Posts: 508 | Registered: Thursday, May 29 2003 07:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 14:27
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High Hoper (aptly named): Just to give you some sense of the magnitude of what you're attempting, it took Jeff the better part of year to make A2. That was after he had made E2, so all he was doing was porting the darn thing. And this is his full-time job; no matter how diligent, you will not manage to spend 40+ hours per week on your scenario. People show up trying to do this from time to time. Believe it or not, this is not the most ambitious scenario ever attempted. Solodric probably wins the prize for the most ambitious scenario ever attempted. He didn't finish and was never heard from again. Many others have succumbed to the same fate, as Stareye mentioned. Virtually none have started beginner epics and finished them. What I'm getting at is this: please do not make this as your first scenario. Make a small, short, functional, 5-town first. Get that released. Then try to go for something bigger. EDIT: Designer FAQ, Q3. [ Sunday, March 05, 2006 15:20: Message edited by: Kelandon ] -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 15:54
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High Hoper, I predict that you'll have a coronary upon realizing the full magnitude of your proposed undertaking. I won't deny that it'd be awesome, but I'll say that this would be a project requiring teamwork, and lots of it. Heck, it probably wouldn't ever get done even if you had ten people working on it. -------------------- 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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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 17:59
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quote:If I were him, I wouldn't limit myself to the Game Canon page. The rest of the Encyclopedia goes far more in-depth and can basically be considered canon too. -------------------- "At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool." - Menander ==== Drakefyre's Demesne - Happy Happy Joy Joy Encyclopedia Ermariana - Trapped in the Closet ==== You can take my Mac when you pry my cold, dead fingers off the mouse! Posts: 9436 | Registered: Wednesday, September 19 2001 07:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 21:08
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quote:Well, that's a matter of opinion. By which I mean that I disagree. :P -------------------- Arancaytar: Every time you ask people to compare TM and Kel, you endanger the poor, fluffy kittens. Smoo: Get ready to face the walls! Ephesos: In conclusion, yarr. Kelandon's Pink and Pretty Page!!: the authorized location for all things by me The Archive of all released BoE scenarios ever Posts: 7968 | Registered: Saturday, February 28 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Sunday, March 5 2006 22:03
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Disagree, then. :P Anyway: quote:What distinguishes you from those who tried before is that spell most of the names right. :) (And if I sound bitter, it is simply because, like so many others, I have my own epic scenario somewhere at the bottom of my drawer, where it has lain since late 2001 or so...) -------------------- Encyclopaedia • Archives • Members • RSS [Topic / Forum] • Blog • Polaris • NaNoWriMo Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair. I have a love of woodwind instruments. Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 5274
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written Monday, March 6 2006 03:35
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Greetings High Hoper, it's good to see someone new around the place. Just to recap. You are probably tired of hearing it by now but this simply will not work. No matter your commitment and ability this scenario will never be finished. The more progress you make, the more of a waste it will be in the end when you finally burn out and give up altogether. Kelandon and *i have stated it far more eloquently then I could, but this idea is doomed to fail. If you really want to test yourself start off small, make a few smaller works, master the editor, and then make the continent spanning epic if you feel motivated to commit to such a long term project. Best of luck. [ Monday, March 06, 2006 03:36: Message edited by: Poit ] -------------------- I assume my reputation for arrogant presumption precedes me Posts: 107 | Registered: Thursday, December 9 2004 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 5567
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written Monday, March 6 2006 09:09
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Don't get your hopes too high, High Hoper. Have you tried making smaller scenarios yet? best start with that. I though I had it in me to make a scen, and I haven't even got the plot drafted or the first level done after 3 months. I think I might just give up. ;) -------------------- How many shapers are there? Why is Drypeak controlled by Zakary? Why is Barzahl a Guardian? How does the Geneforge work? What's as small as nothing? Why am I asking stupid questions? -------------------------------- Shaper teacher : "DON'T TOUCH THAT!" BOOM!! apprentice :*little voice* "Sorry..." --------------------------- CSM RIFQ Neopets Do join, it's fun. Do you know what is the answer to the greatest question ever? It's here. Posts: 576 | Registered: Wednesday, March 2 2005 08:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 6670
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written Monday, March 6 2006 10:02
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Ashbywolf and Imbanophobia 5567: quote:It's amazing how much time you have to spend just thinking about a scenario before touching the editor, even for a small one. I started thinking about my idea around early January, and didn't start with the editor until early February. -------------------- Don't touch that, you don't know where you've been. Posts: 1509 | Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 6846
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written Tuesday, March 7 2006 09:10
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It's possible, you just have to do it in small instalments, then if you finish it they can be released together in one big scenario. If you don't, then at least we'll possibly have a few smaller scenarios covering specific events. -------------------- "Build a man a fire, and he´ll be warm for a day; set a man on fire, and he´ll be warm for the rest of his life." Posts: 65 | Registered: Thursday, March 2 2006 08:00 |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Tuesday, March 7 2006 10:33
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I could repeat everything the others just said, thereby making this a useless post, or I'd rather add something new to the discussion. It is difficult to not start raising your hopes and not let everything slip out of your control when making a scenario. When I started mine, I had thought of a small scenario, had thought of all the plot, and look where I'm now. At the verge of Alpha-testing completion, but as this scenario is probably twice as big as what I had aimed for, I'm getting lazy, and lazier all the time. Simple lesson: a large scenario is a pain in the back. That said, if you make such a big scenario, there is almost no room for other scenarios. i don't know if anybody thought of this, but it is the first thing thatjumped to my mind. BoA was made so people could make their own scenarios and storys after what happened in Avernum 3 in valorim. If somebody would make a whole new enormous scenario, in which everything is said from avernum 3 to 4, there is no room for smaller scenarios in which certain things are told. I specifically mean scenario linked to the races (Nephilim, humans and Sliths) and Avernum itself. I was planning on making (after the current one is released) a scenario consisitng of two parts, in which the player travels with nephilim to their hometown (or village), trying to give the Nephilim a history and so on of their own. this wouldn't be really possible anymore with "Avernum 3.5" -------------------- Play and rate my scenarios: Where the rivers meet View my upcoming scenario: The Nephil Search: Escape. Give us your drek! Posts: 3029 | Registered: Saturday, June 18 2005 07:00 |
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Guardian
Member # 6670
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written Tuesday, March 7 2006 10:34
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By Pyrulen: quote:Never thought of that before. It's definitely possible with the import function. When my debut mini-trilogy is complete, I shall consider doing this. -------------------- IF I EVER BECOME AN EVIL OVERLORD: I will be secure in my superiority. Therefore, I will feel no need to prove it by leaving clues in the form of riddles or leaving my weaker enemies alive to show they pose no threat. Posts: 1509 | Registered: Tuesday, January 10 2006 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Monday, March 27 2006 06:35
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I say go for it. I don't know that you will succeed, but you will learn a lot from it. Of course you will need a ridiculous amount of focus to pull it off, but still, it would be awesome. Also, Huge scenarios are makeable, check out the BoE scenario AC:3 by shyguy. Now that thing was HUGE. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Monday, March 27 2006 10:55
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From the fact that we haven't seen High Hoper in quite some time, I think it's safe to assume that they've either: 1) Begun work on the epic already. 2) Given up and gone for something smaller. or, most likely 3) Got bored and gave up completely. -------------------- 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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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Monday, March 27 2006 20:22
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gahhhhhhh... didn't realize how old this post was. I start reading through old posts and respond without thinking that the topic is obsolete. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Monday, March 27 2006 21:10
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quote:I think some simple guesswork would reveal that High Hoper is an experienced designer having some fun. -------------------- quote: Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 3441
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written Tuesday, March 28 2006 06:59
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I didn't think of that. -------------------- "As our circle of knowledge expands, so does the circumference of darkness surrounding it." --Albert Einstein -------------------- Posts: 536 | Registered: Sunday, September 7 2003 07:00 |