Article - 10 Dread Diseases

[The Creator]

Below I list some of the many illnesses that plague Blades scenarios. Keep a vigilant eye out, so you may spot symptoms in your own work before it's too late.

 

1: Stupid Party Syndrome

 

Scenarios affected by this condition force the party to do something really dumb simply to advance the plot. For example, in Echoes: Assault you have to attack a friendly fortress to complete the scenario, despite the fact that this is about the most illogical thing you could do.

 

2: Scooby Doo's Disease

 

At the end of the scenario, everything slots together and someone explains everything that has gone on before, just like at the end of a Scooby Doo episode. This is usually followed by the big final fight. Look at Tatterdemalion for an example - this happens at the end of two of the three paths.

 

3: Verbal Diarrhea

 

This very common ailment will cause characters - usually villains - to spontaneously spew exposition, usually for unreasonably protracted periods. See Spears.

 

4: The Plague

 

Occasionally a scenario will suffer from body image issues and do it's very best to look exactly like Exile/Avernum 3. A very common symptom is monster plagues. See Wreck of the Slug.

 

5: Monty Haul Gut

 

Simply put, this comes from way too much rich food, weapons, gems, etc. See nearly anything by Brave Sir Robin.

 

6: Delusions of Grandeur

 

If you're making a scenario with the unregistered version and think it's so good that Spiderweb will give you a free registration for it and it might even win the contest, because it's really original and has custom monsters, and you have a big final showdown with Rentar-Inhro... you are already a victim.

 

7: Knocker's Migrane

 

Players get severe headaches from repeatedly banging their heads against walls looking for secret passages. Spare them the pain - keep all your doors visible. Alternatively, play Quintessence and get a dose of your own medicine.

 

8: Weapon Envy

 

Some designers just can't get it into their heads that size isn't everything. They automatically assume that bigger is always better, especially in relation to fights and weapons. Doom Moon II is a product of such thinking.

 

9: Insanity

 

Pure and simple. If there is an insane character anywhere in your scenario, amputate him. It would have helped The Draining.

 

10: Linda's Condition

 

If you are ever, ever tempted to insert a character controlled by demons, or who turns out to be a demon, or who has a fascination with demons, go lie down till the feeling passes. See (suprise, suprise) the Demon Island scenarios.

 

"Deceased" is the future tense of "Diseased". Just thought you should know that.

 

Please keep in mind that you are free to break any and all of these rules once you know why they exist.

 

************

 

Improvements?

[Custer]

Where does insanity show up? I've never seen a scenario portray it in either the "crazy crazy" or "cute crazy" sense.

 

I haven't played the worst of the worst, but surely someone of some skill must be guilty of it.

[The Almighty Doer of Stuff]

I think you were too harsh with the crazy thing. Crazy people of no great importance are fine, as long as they aren't overused.

Alec, I think what he meant by that was "AAAAH HA HA HA HA HA I AM TEH BIG EVOL GAI I AM GOING TO DESTROI TEH WORLD B-KUZ AI M KRAZIE!!!!!!!!!1111!!!11!11!1"

[Kelandon]

I AM TEH KRAZIE!!!!1111!!!

 

Also, didn't Emulations use insanity to a fairly good effect? (I haven't played it, so I don't know, but I've read about it.)

[Donald Hebb]

AC2

[The Creator]

It... sorta does. But really, the insanity aspect wasn't the good bit.

 

Yeah, I really should have included an example. I'll fix that.

 

EDIT: Possibly I should amend that to "Insanity is bad except in comedies"?

[Nasarius]

Quote:

Originally written by The Creator:
It... sorta does. But really, the insanity aspect wasn't the good bit.

Yeah, I really should have included an example. I'll fix that.

EDIT: Possibly I should amend that to "Insanity is bad except in comedies"?

I think you're over-generalizing a bit too much. Demons/demon possession *can* be done right - I can't recall any games, but Barbara Hambly's "Dragonsbane" series does it well.
As for insanity...again, it can be done right, but it should never be used as a cheap substitute for a real motive.

[Shyguy]

I prefer to think of the inhabitants of AC2 as emotionally challenged.

[*i]

I agree it's how you portray the characters. If you can do insanity/demon possession in a unique way, then it is worthwhile. If it is insanity/demon possession for the sake of insanity/demon possession, then it is probably worthless.

[Crunchy Frog]

Quote:

If there is an insane character anywhere in your scenario, amputate him. It would have helped The Draining.

HAH! That is so true. If I ever make another Blades scenario, it will have proper motives. Promise.

I'm interested that you seem to think all insanity as a plot device is bad, though. Just out of interest, what would you think about the use of an immortal villain who, say, randomly lashes out at people because the sheer interminable, grinding boredom of his eons-long existence has made him bitter and angry (he wishes to die, but he can't, and there is NOTHING he can do about it - not even commit suicide, because he can't)? Because I can actually see that happening... if I suspend my disbelief just enough to accept the "immortal" bit.

[The Creator]

That sounds very much like AC2.

 

Yeah, you're right. All generalizations are bad, including this one.

[Lilith]

I'd say that if someone knows how to make a scenario well enough that they don't need warnings, they know well enough to ignore them. After all, plenty of people liked Doom Moon II.

[Donald Hebb]

And E:A. And Bandits 2. And, for that matter, a whole slew of my scenarios.

[Vent]

In general, it's ok to quote BoE scenario despite it's a BoA forum but I'd wish to also get for each rule a BoA example or an example explained with text. If you don't want to break the humour tone of the article, perhaps you could put the examples in a sort of annex.

 

Without those sort of examples this article is a bit difficult to understand for a non BoE player.

 

There are always exception to any rules, including this one. That doesn't mean rules should be dropped. The problem comes when the rule has too many exceptions. Anyway I can' resist comment them all.

 

1: Stupid Party Syndrome

Rare, the "A little stupid party syndrome" can be seen more often but it's a difficult problem.

 

2: Scooby Doo's Disease

Are you saying that the series like Colombo, Hercule Poirot and certainly other are crap? I think you point the finger on something but it's not exactly what you explain. Or I didn't understand it well.

 

3: Verbal Diarrhea

Personally I will have add Text Diarrhea. Ok that's certainly a less general rules.

 

I will also add the Panels Diarrhea a series of panels with short sentences and only one question choice that bring nothing. Woo better get only one big panel or even better one half size panel.

 

If you really want provide that sort of text density (non verbal Diarrhea), please put the non necessary stuff inside a book that the player can't miss but can skip too.

 

4: The Plague

Can someone explain me this rule with different words or with more details? I can't understand it.

 

6: Delusions of Grandeur

All authors have Delusions of Grandeur.

 

Otherwise it seems a bit out of the context or you are meaning that custom monsters and big final showdown with Rentar-Inhro are never good scenario choices?

 

7: Knocker's Migrane

Well with right hints that's not necessary so wrong. The problem is more required secrets without hints and avoiding repetitive actions in general.

 

8: Weapon Envy

I would make a rule with mostly the same words but about sizes of area, rooms, text panels... Otherwise I'm not sure to have understand or to agree. For "weapons" bigger is better but in general Smaller is more beautiful.

 

9: Insanity and 10: Linda's Condition

Remove them or explain better.

[Kelandon]

Usually I kind of agree with you, Vent, but not this time. It sounds like you just didn't understand the Creator's post, rather than that you actually disagree with him, at least in most cases. And the ones where you do (most notably 7), well, the idea is that after playing hundreds of these scenarios, and eventually we will play hundreds of these scenarios, head-banging gets irritating. Great designers still use it (Brett Bixler, the example that the Creator gave), but articles are not aimed at great designers. They are aimed at new designers.

[Vent]

Common Kelandon, what can I do with your remark so general? If you have comments on any remarks I did don't hesitate, I'm not afraid of negative critics.

 

About the point 7, I just made a remark, I strongly doubt I didn't understand this point.

 

1 - Could you give me a longer series of BoE scenario that fail in the problem? Just one isn't enough.

 

2 - I disagree on the advice "keep all your doors visible".

The advice should have been in my opinion: Build good hints for all you secrets, the more the player will want find it the easier the hint should be. In the design of the hints, don't forget to be diversified and at least a little original.

 

Is this advice too complicate for a newbie? I'm not sure, newbie doesn't mean stupid.

 

If there's a typical error by newbies about secrets it's a wrong design for their balance between their hints and how much the player will want to find it.

 

The player could want to find it because it is mandatory. But also because you show him that there's a secret (not how find it). And if you also give hints that there could be treasures to find you raise how much he wants to find it.

 

ALL secrets should have hints that show how to find it. But the the more the player will want find the secret the easier the hints must be and the higher the number of hints must be.

 

Then if the author, newbie or not, take care of designing all secrets like that and don't forget to have diversity and some originality in hints design, then even if there's a bunch of secrets and many mandatory, that could be a great scenario, at least for me. You just won't be the good player for this scenario if you don't like this hypothetical scenario.

 

About the problem that before there was BoE and when you have BoA, you could not have BoE and be able to play his scenario. That's a problem but not up to advice to strip all secrets from newbie scenario.

[The Creator]

I think I'll just add "You are free to break any and all of these rules once you understand why they exist."

[Nasarius]

Quote:

Originally written by The Creator:
I think I'll just add "You are free to break any and all of these rules once you understand why they exist."

Well said

[Aran]

Insane characters can work wonders as comic relief even in serious scenarios (I wonder, can sudden 'bouts' of humor damage an otherwise serious scenario?)

 

Picture this dialogue:

 

Look:

 

At the very end of the precipice of this volcano stands a figure. He is wreathed in the smoke of the fire, but he doesn't seem very clear on where or who he is. Occasionally, he forces out an unnerving giggle.

 

Name:

 

"Well wouldn't you just like to know? Ha! I, the mighty Barnabas, will tell nobody my name!"

 

'BARN', 'MIGH':

 

"Oh crap." He slaps his forehead, a little too strongly maybe, and staggers back under the jolt. "Well, no matter, you will never know my TRUE name."

 

'TRUE', 'NAME':

 

"Barnabas, the fools called me. Barnabas the Bungler. Ha! I have forged myself a new name, one fitting my new station as the almighty GOD of this WORLD! Yeeehahaahaaa."

 

'FORG', 'FITT':

 

"My true name is, henceforth", He stops to take a deep breath, "Arhchdllxylxzahcrgggghh---" he has to clear his throat. He tries again: "Zaraflxylxrhrhhh---" he gets a bad coughing fit. He tries once more, but only gets out a choking noise. He gives up.

 

Ah well, got to work on that pronounciation. It looks great on paper! I'm having more success with my evil cackle..."

 

'EVIL', 'CACK':

 

"Hahaha." It doesn't sound impressive. "Heeheeheheheeeee." The giggle is slightly unnerving; it reminds you of the nightmares you keep having of cute spiders. "Well, let's try again: YEEEHAAHAHarglks!" The prolonged shout ends in a hickup.

 

'FIRE', 'VOLC'

 

"I am just trying to test out my new godlike powers! I, the mighty Barnabas, can now swim in lava without so much as a sweat! Ha! Just wait and see!" With that, he steps back a little, then dives straight into the volcano! Before he is gone, you hear a strange shout of glee. It reminds you oddly of 'Precious'. Strange.

 

(Forced conversation end, destroy monster).

 

[Nasarius]

Quote:

Originally written by Arancaytar:
Insane characters can work wonders as comic relief even in serious scenarios (I wonder, can sudden 'bouts' of humor damage an otherwise serious scenario?)

Of course not, if it's well done. Shakespeare almost always had a character or two for comic relief in his tragedies. (I was going to say 'always', but then I remembered Othello, which IIRC doesn't have any comic relief).
He did it well; it can also be done very badly. See C-3PO in Star Wars Ep. 2 for example

[Donald Hebb]

For a topical example of bad humor, see Zankozzie's cameo in Chains. Or alternatively, Harold/Valzgoth in RoR-BoA.

 

For a topical example of good humor, see my personal cameo in RoR-BoA.

 

The difference is that while Chains probably could deal with Z's cameo in its beginning, it couldn't stand it very long into the scenario- whenever the plot is "in gear", which is basically the entire scenario up from its very beginning to its very end, placing funny is a mistake. In RoR-BoA, the plot is an afterthought in the beginning, and only begins to unfold part-way through. The Jeremy-cameo before that point is okay, because the plot gelatin hasn't been added yet ( ). When it has, sticking in guys like Harold and especially Valzgoth just doesn't work as well.

[Necris Omega]

1: Stupid Party Syndrome

 

This seems to be a given. In any decently written plot, logic in the actions of the main party is a definite must.

 

2: Scooby Doo's Disease

 

This depends upon several things. Sometimes it makes sense to have everything be explained, sometimes not. If you're making a scenario with multiple endings, maybe this isn't such a good idea. If you're making a scenario that will have definite follow ups, do not do this by any means. If you're winding up a series, or do not have anything futher planned in the given setting, it could be a feesible option to end things completely. Note this doesn't have to mean nicely. Wrapping everything up can still be done with barbed wire.

 

3: Verbal Diarrhea

 

Depending on the character, the writing, and the situation, this might make sense, but use with extreme caution.

 

4: The Plague

 

Avoiding the "plague" idea is extremely hard to do, but it can be done. But by all means do NOT make anything out to be a clone of either said games. You will fail and look unintelligent.

 

5: Monty Haul Gut

 

Definitely. Don't unbalance your scenario by leaving around 20 greatswords of eternal death in every secret passage behind the local village blacksmith's shop.

 

6: Delusions of Grandeur

 

No address is needed.

 

7: Knocker's Migrane

 

Don't be afraid to use secret passages, but remember you're playing with nuclear material - be very careful. Poisonings are common.

 

8: Weapon Envy

 

Very true. A medium powered weapon with a great story or creative twist is far more entertaining than some giant cannon of a sword, and the largest battle means nothing next to the cunning villian with crazy tactics and well coded gimmicks.

 

9: Insanity

 

Uh, wrong. A poorly done insane character is no worse than a poorly done any character. Insanity is a trait just like any other major personality.

 

10: Linda's Condition

 

Yes and no. Daemons can be horribly cliche` (this is comming from a former Diablo II adict mind you) but well done daemons are fine. Saying a character is controlled by daemons and doing it well is still better than using the generic magic excuse and doing it poorly.

And yes, the Daemon Island series was awful.

 

---Your BoE-less for... gah, years now maniac, Necris Omega

[DesertPlah]

Quote:

Originally written by TM Revolution:
For a topical example of good humor, see my personal cameo in RoR-BoA.

And for a good laugh, see his personal cameo in the Inn of Blades.

[Octavo]

Insanity, demons, secret doors etc can be done right, or they can be done horribly - very little ground makes them dangerous material.

Of course if someone is enough of a genius to create something of a modern-day Kefka then they can do whatever they please with the BoA editor, as long as they do not suffer from Delusions of Grandeur.

Kefka's an exception to everything, isn't he?

[Donald Hebb]

Kefka sucks.

[Custer]

Hell, most FF villains are exact opposites of what you should do; their motivations are power, insanity, insane lust for power, and so on.

I'd say that the biggest thing to avoid in making a villain is a lust for power. Unless you can do something unique with his/her methods or give him/her a hell of a backstory, it's pretty much fruitless.

 

Purpose is an important thing, and ruling/destroying the world is a piss-poor and unrealistic purpose.

[Vent]

Never said never, and look in the future for the long series of movies with a big evil like what you advise to avoid and that will anyway have a bug success.

 

That said, be original is much better if not a necessity but, I'm sure it's still possible even with a classical big evil.

 

I agree that we need fairy tales, at least some.