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Bump. Come on! I'm, sure we want other things. I give you guys one more week before closing this topic and sending it off.

Duh, for some reason I used 250 as the value for a flag. Either way, you get over 3000 days.

The abilities I am not sure. But you could track time artificially using flags by just incrementing them all the time. Three flags will allow you to track for 3125 days, ample time to finish the scenario.

No cave at 60,25? Ask him about 'task'.

Leave the section with the Efreet after speaking with him. Head east and a new cave should appear in the wall. Go through there. Take the cracked crystal and put it on the healing rune. Take it to the imaging room in the center of the dungeon and you will be given the sequence. Push the barrel in the water and make it go down the drain and smash into the wall.

It's your scenario, it's your universe, so long as you stay within some parameters, do anything you want with the mythology.

Keep: Post some discriptions and I'll add them to the list.

Keep: shop_item_quantity(short which_shop,short which_item) The add_item_to_shop() call does this already. change_item_quantity_in_shop(short which_shop,short which_item,short amount_to_adjust) Sounds good, how about change_shop_quantity()? shop_options(short which_shop,short resell,short gold_amount,short selective_buy_category,short selective_buy_category_status) I think I get the general idea. Void: Most of your things change the engine. That is NOT going to happen. I understand Jeff is reluctant to put in new calls as it would require people to redownload the game, but perhaps we can reach a specific threshold on that. I doubt engine modifications will ever happen though.

There have been some issues with AI scripts for NPCs that join up. I would stray from it.

Ummm...there already is a call party_size(). I should post my lead_char routine to the Codex.

I think that would be fine. Also, you should look a few posts down: we have some thoughts by members on the community on a few new calls that would improve BoA design features. BoA Design Suggestions

I believe those are two options. Read up on the display dialog nodes. There are several "buttons" you can select from. You can have two custom option and another one saying "Leave".

I see a lot of subjectivity on the original dungeon part. What is a 'cookie cutter' dungeon to one person is completely different to another. For instance, someone who has played a lot of BoE scenarios would see a Wizard Tower as very cliched and unoriginal. I'd say leave the originality up to the judges and not as part of the entrance criteria.

Sign up for free webspace. It is not much usually, but it should do. GeoCities has improved a bit and there is always Tripod. Look around, you might find something. Post something at the Lyceum too: http://p080.ezboard.com/bthelyceum

Okay, BoA is out and we are still in a phase where we can have updates. We should talk about things we want to be incorporated. So, reply with any suggestions you may have. A few notes: 1) Any suggestions should not modify the engine, i.e. no custom races, spells, etc. 2) Calls can only be added and not modified. 3) Keep suggestions practical. Consider any changes that would have to be made to the call list. List of Suggestions: * add_dialog_pic(which_pic), makes a call that puts a dialog picture in the upper-left corner of the dialog. * change_lighting(which_type), allows us to make the dungeon totally dark, fully lit, etc. * add_light(what_amount), gives ability to change the light level. Can be negative. * set_day(which_day), changes the day to which_day. * set_year(which_year), changes the year of the scenario to year which_year. * put_missile_animation(short source_x,short source_y,short dest_x,short dest_y,short which_sfx), missile animations. * group_member(short which_group,short which_member), Returns the creature number that is in the which_member slot of which_group. So if which_member was 1 and which_group was 2, the call would return the first creature in group 2. * short shop_item_quantity(short which_shop,short which_item) - Returns the quantity of which_item still left in the shop that can be bought with enough gold, 0 if the item is not there. * add_item_to_shop() -- Allow negative values for modifying shops. * short get_creature_memory_cell(short which_char,short which_cell) - Returns the value of memory cell which_cell of creature which_char. * short get_terrain_memory_cell(short which_script,short which_cell) - Returns the value of memory cell which_cell of terrain script which_script. * void change_shop_money(short which_shop,short how_much) - Changes (as in increment and decrement) the amount of money a shop can have for buying the players items. Similar to Geneforge. I'm not exactly sure how the 'unlimited money' switch should work, so here is just a simple suggestion. If the shop ends up having equal to or greater than 30000, the shop has unlimited money, but it can only be given that much with this call. Shops default to having unlimited money. * short shop_money(short which_shop) - Returns how much money which_shop has to buy the player's items. Returns 30000 if the shop has unlimited money. * void shop_selling_options(short which_shop,short selective_sell_category,short cant_sell_this_category,short can_resell) A call to change whether or not a shop will purchase certain kinds of goods, like in Exile. selective_sell_category is the variety of the item that is affected. The varieties are exactly the same as they are in the custom item scripts (like 1-handed,pants,ring,etc...). If cant_sell_this_category is 0, a shop may purchase items of the defined variety from the player. If 1, not. If can_resell is 0, the shop won't list the bought item back on its inventory for sale. This means that a shop can buy an item, but not resell it. All of the varieties default to being sellable by the player when possible, and can be resold by the merchant. * short item_loc_x(short which_item) - Returns the x of the location of item which_item. which_item refers to the items ID in the scenario editor. If the item has either been picked up or non-existent, call returns -1. * short item_loc_y(short which_item) - Returns the y of the location of item which_item. which_item refers to the items ID in the scenario editor. If the item has either been picked up or non-existent, call returns -1. * void calculate_ticks_forward(short num_ticks) - Makes the game calculate num_ticks forward, and of course will act upon these calculations. * void set_char_presence_status(short which_char,short which_status) To serve as a way to set the status checked in char_status (whether the character is dead, not present, etc), as opposed to the status checked in get_char_status (whether the character is blessed, hasted, etc) which is already settable. One could do neat things with splitting up the party this way * void set_up_lights(), Has the game refresh the lighting of a dungeon. * identify_item(int item_type) - Identifies all items of item_type currently in the party's possession. * identify_item_with_class(int item_special_class) - Identifies all items with item_special_class in the party's possession. * identify_item(short which_char_or_group,short which_slot) - Identifies the item on which_slot of which_char. which_slot of -1 implies all items on that specific character or group becomes identified. Should probably only be used on party members. * void put_party_outdoors(short what_section_x,short what_section_y,short loc_in_sector_x, short loc_in_sector_y) It can only be used in a town script.

We have done short contests with BoE before with moderate success. ButteredToast, I appoint you the contest coordinator.

Yes, I know and I was very disappointed. I fought for this when I was beta testing and he said he wanted to get the thing released. Now that it is, perhaps we should try again. Perhaps a command such as: add_dialog_pic(which_pic) It would place a picture in the upper-left corner of the dialog box set for the standard dialogue size. You can use larger, of course, but it may obscure the text. I do not see why this would be so hard to code in.

1) No. Only town entrances matter. 2) Just about everything. You may need to change some of the dialogue nodes such that they line up with the new town. 3) I'm not sure I understand. When you buy a room at an inn, the party automatically stays there. Of course, you can use nodes instead of the dialog preset command to change this. 4) The best way to do this is have the innkeeper send the party to a room that is inaccessible. Once the party goes to the room, have them trigger a stairway node just as they are about to leave that takes them to the next, semi-identical town.

I don't own anything about the sequels and Jeff's storyline. While it is true that I have been the most prolific writer in this department, my stories take a sharp departure from the main storyline. Nonetheless, anyone should be free to write post-E3/A3 stuff, but you should be respectful of the main storyline. This is just general policy to preserve the storyline leaving other designers the opportunity to use them. If you don't want to be ridiculed, leave the major characters alone. If you do use them, use them sparingly and don't kill/ressurect or do anything too shattering with them. Why not have her escape in the end? Also, make it different than the all too cliched Vahnatai vs. Humans angle. Sure, I use Rentar-Ihrno in one of my scenarios, but she is really there to justify a plot device more than anything else. It drives the events I have later. I invite you to play At the Gallows, it is a decent scenario for BoE.

What prequels? It's not generally a good thing for continuity to kill off any character from the trilogy, really messes with continuity between scenarios already made. Why not come up with a different Vahnatai overlord to kill?

Some curt advice: You're asking people to do all of the unexciting things about scenario design. I do not know of any good designer who enjoys just making scut towns. If you really want extra towns, make them. If you aren't willing to do them yourself, just cut them out. Your scenario will probably be better without them anyway. Also, if you are still planning on using Rentar-Ihrno, I highly recommend waiting until you are more experienced. Nothing is worse than the pathetic Blades of Exile scenarios that disrespect an important NPC such as her through shoddy, amateur design.

Flags act as permanent, global, predefined variables, at least for the duration of the scenarios. This strategy seems unnecessary and really confusing. Just keep notes on existing flags and you should be fine.

My suggestion is to stay away from Rentar-Ihrno in general. She is so cliched in Blades of Exile, it's not even funny. I hate to say this, but any first effort will not be that great. Hold off until you develop some skills to try something so grandiose.

Be sure to integrate anything you have into the Lyceum's Codex. It is by far the most stable venue the Blades Community has for storing these things.

Yeah, but I figure another reminder is not a bad idea.