Suggestion for scenario design contest.

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AuthorTopic: Suggestion for scenario design contest.
Law Bringer
Member # 2984
Profile Homepage #25
Ugh, I just noticed... one outdoor section is one heck of a small space if you don't surround it with cliff wals to prevent the party from seeing over the edge. You get a little over a quarter inside the section...

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Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair.
I have a love of woodwind instruments.
Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00
BANNED
Member # 4623
Profile Homepage #26
The judging forum is up. Now, it's ButteredToast's job to inform the other judges of it. :P

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The Great Mister

kommari@gmail.com[/url]
Posts: 417 | Registered: Sunday, June 27 2004 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #27
I've told Kelandon about the judges forum. Am still looking for one-two more judges.

Some thoughts on the challenges in the scenario.

1) The outdoor section will have to be either surrounded by high walls or possibly water then blackness. I think water might add an interesting effect to the outdoor section.

2) I think that you may have to use the Louvre for pictures of some of the new items or creatures. http://www.personal.psu.edu/staff/b/x/bxb11/boa/louvre/

3) There is going to have to be a transition between levels for the two level structure.

These are a few thoughts.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #28
Here goes. There seems to be some problems with the submission process. This is especially true with beta testing. Kelandon has written an article on what to do when testing a scenario. However, there seem to be some problems before you the beta process is started.

1) Lack of an effective email to send and receive messages. Do not use hotmail it looks like spam. Norton antivirus sometimes blocks sending messages to multiple recipients with hotmail and other free emails.

Yahoo email is fairly reliable for sending and receiving email if you want to create an account just for betatesting.

2) Do not expect that all of your betatesters will actually do betatesting. Assume at least one will not follow through. Waiting for everyone to send in reports sometimes doesn't work.

3) Factor in the time after beta- testing to fix the bugs which people spot. The person who sends out the beta test early can both fix the bugs and create scenario updates v. 1.1, v. 1.2, etc. before a contest is finished. This is true of Emerald Mountain.

4) Try and finish the beta before it is sent out. Incomplete scenarios are frustrating.

5) Assume it will take longer to create a small scenario than you planned. It took 6 days for Emerald Mountain to reach beta. It took 7 days for Edge of Ciprius to reach beta. Real life interrupts all the time. It will take at least 2 days to receive reports for a small scenario, then another 2 to fix problems. For a really fast experienced scenario designer it takes 10 days to do a small scenario. For others 14+ days.

These are some thoughts.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
BANNED
Member # 4
Profile Homepage #29
quote:
Originally written by ButteredToast:

Here goes. There seems to be some problems with the submission process. This is especially true with beta testing. Kelandon has written an article on what to do when testing a scenario...
No, no he didn't.

quote:
5) Assume it will take longer to create a small scenario than you planned. It took 6 days for Emerald Mountain to reach beta. It took 7 days for Edge of Ciprius to reach beta. Real life interrupts all the time. It will take at least 2 days to receive reports for a small scenario, then another 2 to fix problems. For a really fast experienced scenario designer it takes 10 days to do a small scenario. For others 14+ days.
1) EM took 5 days. Karzoth's scenario still hasn't reached beta.
2) 10 days for a really fast and experienced designer? You mean I don't count?

And I most definitely don't agree with some of the additions you're proposing, even among those I can understand. (Language barrier between grade levels is inhibiting my cognizance here- apologies.)

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Off With Their Heads
Member # 4045
Profile Homepage #30
While I am flattered by this case of mistaken identity, my member number is not 4, which was definitely the member number of the one who posted that article.

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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
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #31
Oops. Sorry about that. I should have said Terrors Martyr. I was a little bit tired when I posted this.

I was saying ten days because.
It took 5 days to finish the scenario-- then it took another couple of days for the beta test-- 2 days I think to receive the comments and then another 1-2 days to finish updating the fixes for the scenario so 9-10 days to have it ready to be posted. Then there was talk about doing a next version-- 1.1, 1.2, etc. I was looking at the whole process to complete a scenario and submit it for publication in the spiderweb scenarios section.

I think that it might be good for someone more experienced than me like Kelandon, Terrors Martyr, Eldiran, or someone else to give some hints on how to do betatesting and updates for scenarios if you are the designer. The point at which the scenario is finished and it sent up for beta.

Go over some of the mistakes or hints to make the process easy for someone doing their first scenario. It may be helpful for the regular upcoming Spiderweb scenario contest.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Shock Trooper
Member # 3022
Profile #32
Is the deadline still... erm... today? Since I've only noticed this thread just now, and it is kinda unrealistic for me to write an entry in minus 18 hours...
Posts: 269 | Registered: Saturday, May 24 2003 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #33
I received an entry today from Erik Westra -- Death at Chapman's in the morning. So far there are two scenarios that are definitely part of the contest Death at Chapman's and Emerald Mountain. I am hoping that Edge of Cipirus and (Xerch'de-- Johnny Zolohani's scenario) will be entered. I think that I may allow enough time for these to be finished and entered. Please give me feedback on what you think. Is this enough to have a complete contest? I am not sure about adding any new entries.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
BANNED
Member # 4
Profile Homepage #34
Four is passable, I suppose- there were only four scenarios in the second short contest, and it was... ...technically a contest. I'm not sure that you'll get the number of entries you want, so at some point, just accept the number of entries you actually get.

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Posts: 6936 | Registered: Tuesday, September 18 2001 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 385
Profile #35
Just to clarify:

quote:
I received an entry today from Erik Westra -- Death at Chapman's in the morning.
The scenario is actually called "Death at Chapman's" -- there's no "in the morning" in the title.

Question: should I wait until after the competition has closed and judging is complete before letting others have a go at my scenario, or should I announce it now? It makes no difference either way as far as the competition goes (since it closes today), but I don't want to announce it if that'd annoy the competition judge(s)...

Thanks,

- Erik.

PS: I deliberately didn't ask for beta testers, as I didn't think that'd be allowable for a competition entry. Hopefully there aren't too many bugs in it!
Posts: 33 | Registered: Thursday, December 13 2001 08:00
Infiltrator
Member # 4637
Profile Homepage #36
In about an hour, the limit time is over (in my country. A few more hours over there).

I guess tomorrow would be ok to announce your scenario, Erik. And it would be nice if you could let me know, to announce (and host) it in my site too: webmaster@boa-center.cjb.net[/url] .

edit: already noticed that your scenario is online. I'll announce it.

[ Tuesday, August 17, 2004 13:20: Message edited by: Overwhelming ]

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Visit the Blades of Avernum Center
and the Beta Testing Center

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"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:6-9
Posts: 483 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00
Apprentice
Member # 385
Profile #37
Hi Overwhelming,

In about an hour, the limit time is over (in my country. A few more hours over there).

Actually, I'm in New Zealand, so the competition closed over here yesterday :rolleyes:

I guess tomorrow would be ok to announce your scenario, Erik.

Righto, thanks -- so long as ButteredToast is okay with it, I'll post a message to the main BoA forum tomorrow, then.

And it would be nice if you could let me know, to announce (and host) it in my site too

I see you've already done that -- thanks! Oh, and I think I still owe you a reply to a message you sent out to my old E-Mail address about the BoA Editor Cookbook. You're more than welcome to host a copy of the Cookbook there, and to include a link to it from your site -- just do whatever you think is best. Sorry -- I've changed to using gmail, and I haven't been checking my old E-Mail address all that often.

Cheers,

- Erik.
Posts: 33 | Registered: Thursday, December 13 2001 08:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #38
I am okay with you announcing it in the morning. It is good to see new scenarios out for people to play. Thanks.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Infiltrator
Member # 4637
Profile Homepage #39
When can we expect an annoucement about scenario's entries and the contest results?

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Visit the Blades of Avernum Center
and the Beta Testing Center

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"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:6-9
Posts: 483 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00
Agent
Member # 2210
Profile #40
Just did some followup with posters who said they were interested in starting dungeons for contest. Should have done this about three days before contest ended. Going to leave idents alone. One said started scenario designing for contest-- had outline, start of town, and beginning of structure. Also reading through the posts, both here and on The Blades of Avernum got a couple comments about not having scripting ability yet. Another two are holding off on scenario development until later. Haven't heard back about adding other two scenarios in development Edge of Ciprius or Xerch'De.

Looking at the timing involved, I realize now that initially didn't factor in betatesting and programing together. Should have run 4 weeks to allow for new programmers.

This leaves Emerald Mountain and "Death at Chapman's" as the two entered scenarios. Both are excellent scenarios. We are running through them to get a feel for the scenarios right now.
Just a note. Both Terrors Martyr and Erik Westra are excellent scripters. Terrors Martyr wrote the first scenario for Blades of Avernum and Erik Westra wrote the Blades of Avernum Editor Cookbook.

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Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh.

Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight.
Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00
Infiltrator
Member # 2104
Profile Homepage #41
BT: I will not send in Xerch'de, for one reason: It only meets half of the requirements. I might make an outdoors, but I don't exactly get what you mean by 'encounter'. Also, I don't have an original item, and I don't think I have any original monsters.

(Also of note, if you can't spell Jonnie, spell Jonah—sorry, it just bugs me. Blame TGM! He's to blame!)

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—Zxquez Zolohahni
Xerch'de/Rate.
Posts: 549 | Registered: Thursday, October 17 2002 07:00
Infiltrator
Member # 4637
Profile Homepage #42
What's the contest status?

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Visit the Blades of Avernum Center
and the Beta Testing Center

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"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ." Colossians 2:6-9
Posts: 483 | Registered: Tuesday, June 29 2004 07:00

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