DesertPlah

2 questions:

Does one get a damage bonus for using a bow with a high bonus?

I thought that the damage bonus is 1.XXXX times the level of the weapon…? (That's not a question, but…)

tThuryl: I was being sarcastic about webbed items. I'll probably take off web throwing spiders, except in special parts, because spiders can't really throw webs . Of course, we don't want to be TOO realistic.

tThralni: What's this Avernum you keep referring to? (I have NO idea what you're talking about, really.) Maybe you mean Exile? Okay, time to stop goofing around with that. Yes that's what I plan to do, is to study what religion is presented.

Yes, web resistant items. So that my party won't be overwhelmed by what is possibly the most annoying creature ability evar. Because I totally WON'T alter the spiders.

Gawsh, I'm being too* cynical and being a jerk. That's not a bad idea, Ben.

*-EDIT

Tell me, how realistic is a colony that's 4 cities large, complete with mining, forestry, farming, and fishing going to fit in the middle of a forest?

A clear area in the middle of a giant forest is simply less realistic than an island. Besides, they look nicer on maps .

EDIT: And Thuryl, you're right about the sympathetic enemy, though I don't think they should be able to communicate with humans. I think it's best if I leave them as non talkers.

Aranea are not dumb animals, what with the spells and the government and the labs. I think that's a given.

Colonists come to an island not expecting to have to conquer a thousand and one beasts. They just aren't prepared for it. And the problem doesn't threaten the whole island (which is really rather weak, in terms of orthodox scenario design), so the "Empire" or ruling state doesn't care.

An island because I need borders that don't just happen because your party can't go further in one direction.

Most scenarios take place in one of 3 places: a valley, an island, or underground in caves. These provide simple reasons why the party can't go off the edge of the outdoor map. Other scenarios, such as Falling Stars, have mixed borders, between mountains, sea coasts, and thick forests.

I'm gonna have to think of a creative way to get around this problem:

I don't want the community/world to have "know you" talk. Meaning I don't want anyone to be familiar with you in the sense that they are very friendly/warm/talkativeaboutthepastish. I don't want them to be like Clara from AC 1 and 3. I want no…yeah. Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to be cold, I just don't want them to know you already.

I can do that just fine. But I also want the motivation to get rid of the spiders to be from within, something that you've set out to do as a service to a community that you've known for awhile, something almost personal. And if the party knows the community or has known them for awhile, that wouldn't fit as well with a neutral community.

One thing that comes to mind as I type this is having the party be a visitor to the island in times past (not directly saying that in the scenario text, but suggesting/implying.)

tThralni: What? What's Avernum? I know not what you speak of. Perhaps you refer to the land of Exile? (I reject such heresies.) No, it's definately not E/A 3.

tCreator: Your party's decision will all be explained to you at the beginning, in the third person. This only counts for the main quest of the scenario. The sidequests will have little Bobs.

The island cut in half by mountains is not really what it is. Think of it as an island with the northern side bordered by mountains instead of water. It's for the atmosphere (see further down).

I chose spiders because I thought "Hey, I don't want goblins, nephs, undead, or sliths, that's just too typical for low-to-medium scenarios (scenarios in which the party is raised from low to medium, in general). I'm gonna do…spiders!" I didn't want to go through the bleh of creating a new species just yet (had a bad experience with that). So I chose something expandable, something that I can build more types into. (Types of spiders, that is.)

There will be no reference to previous scenarios. I should really leave that part out, you're right. Though the novice BoE player (who I tend to cater to, for some reason) might want a slightly stronger than beginner party to start with.

You're not supposed to get excited about this, I don't have the interesting parts of the story thought up yet.

Another thing, from a designer's perspective. I hope to make this scenario big on atmosphere and environment. Using a Judeo-Christian universe means that this atmosphere will be different than any other scenario created (as far as I know or remember, anyway). I'm using this to also increase my ability with atmosphere and scenario design in general.

Thanks, Creato.

Look in the BLSCENED folder if you are on windows and use punctuation next time thank you

So I've got a basic idea (plus a land/set of outdoor sections to put it in) for my next scenario. I'm thinking you're on half an island (bordered on one side by mountains, but that's unimportant) where you've lived for a good portion of your life (let's say you grew up there? Maybe not, I don't want to make all the people with "know you" dialouge).

There's been a problem with the island for most all of the colony's existance (not a horrible, plague-level problem, just a setback to settling). Spiders. Not just any spiders, but advanced aranea. Around lvl4 mages in the latter half of the main mission, with a lvl 5 boss or two. There'd be warrior grunt spiders, of course, but they'd be stronger than just the generic spiders, to make up for the level of the party (I'm thinking low-medium level at the beginning.) There'd also be a few encounters with spiders (or other monsters) that require a special strategy or tactics to beat.

You're dealing with the spiders now, because you finally feel strong enough (after doing a few other quests in previous scenarios). There'd be a few side quests that are completely unrelated to the main plot (not ready to have plot-affecting sidequests yet, I don't have the experience or the effort), but serve to get the party treasure and experience. (A camp of Ogres has set up, for instance, at the end of the peninsula.)

The main quest will be divided into a few different goals. The story will take place in a judeo-christian universe (for the sake of not having ridiculous temple names such as "The Temple of Divine Healing). Mage and Priest skills will be considered gifts from G/god, and will not be looked upon as good or evil by moral authorites, they will just be part of life. (Might have a priest order you to purge the goblins, who are "minions of the devil" or something.)

The thing I look forward to doing about this scenario is that there will be no central "Bob" (the mission-giver, explained in another article/topic by…was it Thuryl? or someone else…). The party itself will be the "Bob" for the main quest. Side quests will come from citizens of high standing (priest/governor, maybe).

The point of this topic is to open my ideas to critical analysis and suggestions.

And please, no stupid suggestions, because there's a such thing as stupid ideas, despite what your teamwork counselor told you .

It'll probably happen with time then. The only thing I bug you about is RiB.

Who do I have to prod (pokes Drakey) to get the download on the Untried list? Spidweb accepted it and put it on the "Untried and Untested table". But it's not there yet.

[/annoying impatience]

Well, seeing as it's quite possibly in the Shortest 10 Complete Scenarios ever, I would agree. And since I had already done lots of debugging before testing.

@Kel: When the heck did the archive happen? I've seen, just never thought about it.

I've sent a zip to Brett and to Spidweb. Everybody can now be happy again.

I'm pretty sure I sent those with the monsters and the terrain.

Send me an emale and I'll send you them.

You have a mac or a PC? I have all bitmaps, but can convert to gifs, which should work on a mac.

It's definately not a big scenario. It should take you a half hour, at an extreme most, and that's if you read all the dialouge and see every detail. And take forever.

I take less than 10 minutes every time through, because I know what doesn't need to be seen, and because I use a mega-party for testing.

-Plah, who feels it necessary to copy Alo's sig this once.

@ ADoS circa Aug 2004: Lot impregnating his daughters was not made out as a positive thing. They created the Moabites, who were not a good nation, in general.

I would so love to introduce all to fundamentalist dispensational premillenialism, once I learn it hardcore.

EDIT: Sorry, I find it hard to back down from even the oldest of challenges. I'm horrible.

And, to make this topical, I pity you, Ben. Love your mother.

So far I've got TM and nothing more. Ben, you'd be good for a newer member (in BoE years, anyway. BoA doesn't exist in my eyes, is heresy ), cuz I don't know if you've got BoE scenarios.

Thuryl, would you be willing to test instead of warn about TM's almighty wrath?

Finally, after what seems like year (well over a year, in fact) I get to put out a call for beta testers for The Foolish Giant.

I'm looking for:

2 reletively new members (who haven't designed, or at least released, any scenarios yet)

2 experienced members (who have released two or more "good" scenarios, you know who you are )

Email (PM me if you like), is all I really need.

Don't push, I had this same problem. You have to actually "search" (look at) the wall. You don't have to get into any cells. It's in the north wall of the hallway.

Talking with Will, you ask? Heh heh heh (evil grin)…

So you can buy sticks and rocks .

EDIT: And this is post #666 for mr plah, thank you.

Sadly enough, I've never done the Gumby mission. Though it's rather pointless, I must say.

I have, however, found what you're referring to with Willy Dawson. The wall escape isn't actually in his cell, it's at the north end of the hall of jail cells. You'll have to search the wall to find it. Be prepared to fight a little.

Wha?