Ephesos

Quote: Originally written by Kelandon: Quote: Originally written by Inthrall: Also, im not sure whether to make this story set in avernum, and just make it a demon. Im not sure on many things actually. Better to keep it out of Avernum. Too many scenarios (one of them mine) are set in Avernum with demon villains. Set it on the surface... we need more good scenarios on the surface. More specifically, some dry canyon kind of place would probably work well. And it'd save you work on graphics, since you could just use the dry ground floors/cliffs/walls.

Please don't do this! Mazes are bad, particularly when they have secret passages... they just aren't fun. Quote: Originally written by Inthrall It will not have a storyline Aigh!!! Very bad! The storyline is the main reason that scenarios exist! This is an RPG, after all! I suggest that you incorporate a maze into a true scenario, and make the maze, how shall I put this... less of a maze. By which I mean, make it less intentionally infuriating to the player, and make it fit into the story. (the Deep Crawler mission in ZKR is a good example of a justified maze... and it doesn't even look like a maze, now does it?) Surely, you can be more creative than a simple maze.

Dareva, as long as you understand the scripting, you can make a scenario. And anyone here can help you with that, as well as any story-related issues (as we've demonstrated in this thread). As for the chat, next week is good with me. My classes don't start up again until the 17th, so I have nothing to do until then. (So in all honesty, given the rush with which I completed DoK, I could conceivably have a finished product by then. I probably won't, though.) And for clarification, DoK2 is not abandoned, just temporarily on the shelf. The new project (tentatively named Embers of Rebellion) is just a way for me to give myself a break from the world I've created and actually get something else released. And about the crone in Nicothodes' scenario, couldn't you just use a set_mobility call, or does that wear off in combat? EDIT: Alright! My post beat TM's!

Hm... let's see. How could a spider-pult be worked into a scenario?

Nicothodes, the old crone route doesn't quite make sense. If there's been someone who can translate magic living in the village all this time, then the isolation angle kind of collapses. Arachnid, here's an idea. Remember those swamp creature things from ASR? Flood the mine a bit, and you've got your monster problem solved. Well, not in a literal sense, but you know what I mean.

I felt genuinely bad about those adventurers... particularly once I realized that they were on the same mission as me.

I felt genuinely bad about those adventurers... particularly once I realized that they were on the same mission as me.

Uh... that's not good. I assume you managed to dispel the barriers in Fort Emerald by yourself, and that's what led to this problem. And you were supposed to make sure that the vahnatai envoy didn't get killed. How did that happen?

Quote: I need to find a decent bad guy - demons are too... cliche. And they have no real reason for taking the portal. Apart from that though... I don't think a demon is automatically too cliche. I mean, a well-characterized demon beats a poorly-characterized but creative enemy. But don't use Grah-Hoth unless you're prepared to really commit to that, because then you'll be bound hand and foot to game canon. It's much easier to invent your own enemy. And as for motivation, demons have that simple tendency to want to show off (I mean, look at all the demons of A4). Or, this one might want to escape from the netherworld/imprisonment somewhere, and see that this portal is their best shot. EDIT: Quote: Originally written by Slith Lord: Anyway I started once a scenario, but then my computer crashed. Storyline: Party shall clean a big Avernum cave to secure the burial of Motrax´ remains. Party fights many lizards. Party finds old still used Empire Fortress. Party kills big fortress residents. Party gets back and shows the "empty" caves, fights angered Pyrog´s Spirit and wins. Questions: -Still used Empire fortress? Why are they still there? Did they never hear of the truce? Wouldn't they be dead by now? (remember, well-written undead are an acceptable plot device, but random plagues are not) -Couldn't you just stick with the lizards, and have some particularly-powerful drake or something leading the pack? -Why Pyrog's spirit?

Nicothodes, having a merchant wander in doesn't seem very... sensical. It's too random. Instead, you could just have the party discover a spellbook belonging to the prophet. This could be accomplished through the party having to return a quest item to the prophet, and the prophet's convenient and temporary absence. As for the reduced scenario plan, here's mine, since I need to take a break from DoK2 for a while: Party sent to small valley on a courier mission to the local empire fort, and once the delivery is made, a large bomb tears apart the biggest town in the area. Party is left to figure out who is responsible, either the Empire or a local group of rebels. (Inspiration is from the heavy-duty explosives being developed by the rebels and Empire in ASR) And I'm running on CST.

Regrettably, it has to be a fine waveblade.

This is a good question... I'm rather curious about how many others let Rentar live...

Quote: Originally written by Contra: ..Of course, to know for sure, we would have to first ride the pylon, and then do it the Douglas Adams way. Ouch... that's even worse than Alo's double entendre... But the "most of your spirit" bit would explain the rather maniacal look of Vidrain on Fort Avernum. He was never that disheveled before...

One day, that'll be coded into the games... and then I'm sure one of the cheats will require saying "you shall not pass!"

Divine Retribution is, simply put, the best spell in A4. Fire, stunning, and a heck of a lot of targets. That, and it's just so much fun to shout "RETRIBUTION!!!" at the screen... Just kind of wanted to say that. And in an attempt to say something useful, Arcane Blow is also an area spell now, as are the strange spells Aura of Flames and Diamond Spray, which only exist in wand form. Lightning spray is kind of an area spell, though it can be really weird about what targets it hits.

Quote: Originally written by ArsonPerBuilding: Oh well...the stone circle outside of Rentars final fortress certainly gave me a startle for a moment. Has that circle actually done anything to/for anyone? Or is it just there for show?

Quote: Originally written by Glafna: dammit, i was looking forward to seeing the surface. Then play A3 again, or load up BoA. The Avernites have begun moving to the surface (and Empire citizens have moved to Avernum freely), but that's just not where the action is. The plot is in Avernum, and the Avernites been kind of cut off from the surface momentarily (if you play through, you'll see why).

Arcane Lore and Nature Lore work best when the whole party has about 20 total. However, you don't need all of that until towards the end of the game. Giving every party member 3 or 4 points early on won't hurt, as the skill point requirements are so low. Then, if you find a cache/book you can't open/read, then you'll probably be able to just use some leftover skill points to raise Arcane/Nature Lore on the spot.

Oddly enough, this could actually be a worthwhile discussion... so I'll list the better points of each (or at least how I perceive them). Blades of Avernum: -Variety in style -Creative plotlines -Not being bound to the main Avernum plot -Better graphics -Replay value (particularly if you become a designer) Avernum 4: -Far more to explore -Good ol' Avernum, for better or worse -More well-designed combat situations -Longer -More overall game to play (until Blades designers such as myself get more work out there)

The sixth test was just generally easy... by that point, you should have all sorts of ridiculous shielding spells, and nobody should be able to harm the wolves. In fact, the last time I did that one, none of the enemies even had a chance to harm the wolves... they died too quickly.

Quote: Originally written by got any skribbane? Plzz dude: skribbane is not as bad as some people would like it to sound. Its a very effective and nice herb I believe that as soon as you can obtain skribbane, you should take it since it is very good and gives blessing. and when you have become a good skribbane addict you can enter the city of skribbane addicts near some mountains in the eastern part. if you arent skribbane addict there will come a bad dialogue saying something about mad men talking gibberish and drooling attacks you. I'm starting to wonder if this is some older member in disguise... or just someone with nothing useful to say.

What on earth are you talking about? You can't make gremlin wine... you're not a gremlin, and the only two gremlins in the game are rather disinclined to make more.

Slow and Steel Skin are your friends... and actually, so are blades that curse the target (i.e.: Ghostly Blade, Frozen Blade). The weaker they get, the more likely you are to survive.

Quote: Originally written by arghhhhhhhhh: there's drakes? come on jeff you can do better then that! next you will have a mysterious cult of people who can create living beings and also fight vilish and their monster plaugers arghhhhhhhhh, register the game, for the love of all things good and pure. Just buckle down and buy it, so you can learn the plot for yourself, instead of pestering us. Avernum without the occasional drake would just be wrong. Think of all the awesome treasure we'd be missing out on. EDIT: I see you did register, now that I looked at the other thread... so play the stupid thing for yourself! You'll learn that hardly any of the drakes figure into the plot at all!

Quote: Originally written by Thralni, chicken god prophet: And no, I still don't know how to take a screenshot on a Mac (Mac OS 9.2). Apple key + Shift + 3 (captures full screen) Apple key + Shift + 4 (lets you select a part of the screen)