What do you look for in a scenario?
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| Author | Topic: What do you look for in a scenario? |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Monday, September 18 2006 07:47
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I'm curious. What do most of you look for in a scenario? Poll Information This poll contains 1 question(s). 37 user(s) have voted. You may not view the results of this poll without voting. function launch_voter () { launch_window("http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=poll;d=vote;pollid=sKGuPXBpnswn"); return true; } // end launch_voter function launch_viewer () { launch_window("http://www.ironycentral.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=poll;d=view;pollid=sKGuPXBpnswn"); return true; } // end launch_viewer function launch_window (url) { preview = window.open( url, "preview", "width=550,height=300,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,status,menubar=no,scrollbars,resizable,copyhistory=no" ); window.preview.focus(); return preview; } // end launch_window   -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 3442
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written Monday, September 18 2006 08:08
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All of the above, with the exception of combat. Being a writer of some description, and only wanting to design for BoA because I have stories to tell, I went for plot. But of course, you missed that time-old classic "fun" out. There's not point in playing a scenario if you don't enjoy it. -------------------- And when you want to Live How do you start? Where do you go? Who do you need to know? Posts: 2864 | Registered: Monday, September 8 2003 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 5977
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written Monday, September 18 2006 08:49
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Though I would like to choose all accept the combat option, I chose the "good plot" option, as it's a sort of summary of all the rest in my opinion (well, actually not, but who cares anyway). -------------------- 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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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Monday, September 18 2006 10:32
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If my vote counted, I would have to say good combat, with plot and dialogue as a very close second and third. You see quite a bit of combat in scenarios right now that either is too easy or is just mind-numbing. In one or two scenarios, I actually dodged fights, not because they were too difficult, but because I couldn't stand to sit through another dull fight. EDIT: Now that I think about it, I forgot the "I don't really care" option. :) [ Monday, September 18, 2006 10:34: Message edited by: Nioca ] -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 5814
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written Monday, September 18 2006 14:10
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I look for all of those things (except puzzles. Why is that in there?). A good scenario has all of those (again, except puzzles...) and probably wouldn't be good if just one of those parts became average. I value appearance the most because if something looks bad, I'll never bother to really get into the deeper aspects such as plot and dialog. If I enter a scenario with my party and, in the first town, see two or three punctuation errors, I'll probably quit. I don't have the willpower necessary to push through all that, especially based on the chance that there might be a good plot or dialog. -------------------- quote: Posts: 1115 | Registered: Sunday, May 15 2005 07:00 |
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The Establishment
Member # 6
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written Monday, September 18 2006 14:40
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Seems like a false choice. I'd pick plot first, but most of the others are fairly important. I'd agree puzzles are the least important -- rarely are they justified but can be good in moderation. -------------------- Your flower power is no match for my glower power! Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Monday, September 18 2006 14:58
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The poll is turning out pretty much as I expected, with Good Plot at a whopping 80%. What does suprise me is that not one person has voted for combat. Considering this is an RPG, it's somewhat unexpected. -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 5132
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written Monday, September 18 2006 16:57
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I agree that plot is probably the most important thing out of those choices. I personally like puzzles, as long as they are fun and reasonably justified. -------------------- "Let us see what the new day brings." - Temas, Areni. Visit my realm! Rate My Scenarios! Fort Emerald Robbery The Nephils' Defense The Final Spire The Fifth Tower of Magi The Portal Posts: 626 | Registered: Monday, October 25 2004 07:00 |
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Triad Mage
Member # 7
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written Monday, September 18 2006 17:19
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I like scenarios that are fun :P Which generally turns out to be a combination of everything in the poll. -------------------- "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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Agent
Member # 5814
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written Monday, September 18 2006 17:44
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quote:BoA doesn't have the greatest combat system. Most people probably get their tactical and andrenaline kicks elsewhere, with games like Halo and Geneforge. And Spidweb is, as a whole, full of intellectuals. They don't care as much about combat; they'd rather examine the main character's actions in light of recent events or compare the storyline to that of an ancient play. In Geneforge, of course, combat is at the core of the game and people have gone to great lengths to perfect builds and test combat-related values such as defense percentages. You don't see that nearly as much with BoA. That is probably because BoA is simply better (or more suited) to telling stories, while Geneforge has a better combat system. -------------------- quote: Posts: 1115 | Registered: Sunday, May 15 2005 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Monday, September 18 2006 18:03
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quote:In BoE, the trend in recent years has been toward increasingly baroque, puzzle-style combat and the elimination of random monsters. Combat in BoX can be made interesting; the community responds well to it when it is, and doesn't much care for it when it isn't. -------------------- The Empire Always Loses: This Time For Sure! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Monday, September 18 2006 21:26
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The default BoA spells kinda suck when taken in the context of what the engine can do. BoA has an enormous amount of possibility for special spells, which we've just begun to scratch the surface of. Canopy is one interpretation of what one can do with them. Exodus is another. Plot is probably the most important scenario element. Without a decent plot, a scenario can only be mediocre at best. Challenges (puzzles/combat) are probably next. A scenario can survive without them, but it's hard to maintain a pure-plot scenario for very long (and I'm not sure that anyone has ever done it). Dazzle comes next, either outstanding writing or technical trickery. This is the difference between 8-range scenarios and 9-range scenarios, as far as I'm concerned (speaking in CSR terms); 8-range scenarios are good, functional, and fun, but not astonishing, whereas 9-range scenarios make you say "wow" at several points. -------------------- 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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Shaper
Member # 3442
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 05:26
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quote:I'm *attempting* it, at the moment. Suffice to say I'll leave it to the community and the players to decide whether or not I pulled it off. -------------------- And when you want to Live How do you start? Where do you go? Who do you need to know? Posts: 2864 | Registered: Monday, September 8 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 06:04
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Then it's a good thing I'm going for a perfect 10... Maybe not. But I certainly am shooting for it. I'm keeping my scenario as polished as possible, without losing the plot. [ Tuesday, September 19, 2006 06:05: Message edited by: Nioca ] -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Shake Before Using
Member # 75
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 08:00
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Johnny Favourite is possibly the only successful "plot-only" scenario that I can think of, and it received a moderate reception at best. Of course, Doom Moon II's reception could also be called moderate, and it's probably my favorite BoX scenario of all time. Posts: 3234 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 08:19
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Hmm. So far my answer is very alone. Perhaps dailogue isn't everything, but I actually hold it linked with plot, they're both important. The plot might be well done and interesting, but if the NPCs don't talk they way they've been described (one scenario which I will not mention, but.. disappointment!) it's not much fun. The dialogue has to be up to par with everything else, or I might just decide not to bother with the whole scenario. -------------------- "I'm not crazy!" "Well, whatever. Maybe you just ate something really questionable, or perhaps someone hit you on the head with something large, blunt and heavy just now. By the way..." Gil nudged Grul pointedly. Ooh! Homepage - Blog - Geneforge, +2, +3 - My Elfwood Gallery and DevArt page So many strange ones around. Don't you think? Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |
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Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 08:25
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quote:It was also pretty short. Short plot-only scenarios are possible, definitely. Making it longer, well, no one has tried that yet. -------------------- 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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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Tuesday, September 19 2006 08:35
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Too true. I'm actually a little suprised that dialogue has recieved just one vote. I think I know which scenario you're talking about, too. ;) -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Thursday, September 21 2006 16:31
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This poll needed checkboxes... That said, I put down plot anyway. -------------------- 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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The Establishment
Member # 6
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written Thursday, September 21 2006 20:02
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Even with checkboxes, they all (except for a few) are important, so you wouldn't get much. A more useful exercise might be to rank them. However, either way, I don't think it's something you can completely rank because ultimately the answer comes down to "it depends". I think plot is probably the most important. From then on, I think it's logical flow. The combat, dialogue, puzzles, dazzle, etc. all have to make sense within the context of the scenario. Just doing flashing animation for the sake of flashy animation does not win any points, but when used effectively can be a great boon. Same goes with the others. Point is, it has to fit. -------------------- Your flower power is no match for my glower power! Posts: 3726 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00 |
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? Man, ? Amazing
Member # 5755
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written Thursday, September 21 2006 21:02
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Goblins. Lots of goblins. 'Nuf said. -------------------- quote: Posts: 4114 | Registered: Monday, April 25 2005 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 7472
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written Friday, September 22 2006 05:48
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My scenario will make Salmon somewhat happy. It's not goblins, but the bad guys will definitely come in force. Though at one point, goblins were involved... EDIT: Wow. In the five minutes I took to write this, another person voted. [ Friday, September 22, 2006 05:49: Message edited by: Nioca ] -------------------- Scenarios need reviews! Please rate these scenarios at the CSR after playing them! Amnesia • Dilecia • The Empire's New Grove • Express Delivery Twilight Valley • Witch Hunt • Where the Rivers Meet Posts: 2686 | Registered: Friday, September 8 2006 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 7488
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written Friday, September 22 2006 08:56
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I like scenarios with good dialogue, good plot, good graphics, and lots of puzzles with variuos difficulties. Combat is best used to complete a mission, advance the story, or for getting your PCs to a higher level. -------------------- Either I'm crazy, or everybody else is nuts. And I know I'm not crazy because the little man who lives on my shoulder told me so. If people don't think there's something wrong with you, there's something wrong with you. Posts: 558 | Registered: Friday, September 15 2006 07:00 |
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Councilor
Member # 6600
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written Friday, September 22 2006 20:31
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Dikiyoba voted for a good plot. Good dialogue, and balanced combat come in second and third. Posts: 4346 | Registered: Friday, December 23 2005 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 2104
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written Friday, September 22 2006 21:05
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Good plot. I don't care much for combat unless it's short and sweet—although most of the time if it's very complex I'll like it. I'll take a good, involved, and even lengthy story any day. Main reason I like TM's BoE scenarios. [ Friday, September 22, 2006 21:07: Message edited by: Millicent, Dear Millicent ] -------------------- —Zxquez Zolohahni Xerch'de/Rate. Posts: 549 | Registered: Thursday, October 17 2002 07:00 |
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