Easygoing Eyebeast Dintiradan Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 This is the best table setup I've seen yet. I've tried cajoling my DM into doing the same, but for some reason he's against mounting a projector on the ceiling of his dining room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 I agree entirely. With a larger budget I'd definitely adopt such a setup. As it is there's enough whining about the cost of books. —Alorael, who also refuses to pay for little metal or plastic figurines when there are still cheap legos and even cheaper crude and homemade clay figurines. It's really only for the better if they're horrifically warped and inspire creeping dread entirely by accident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 We used to use dice to represent player characters and chits for monsters. My first game the game master threw a few handfuls of chits around the five dice representing the players and said, "You are surrounded by 200 dervishes. Are you going to roll up new characters or make me roll up the damage for your deaths?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Vent Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Dintiradan: Lol that is an amazing setup. Randomizer: What's the morale of the story??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Don't argue with the game master. The game master is always right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 i would've told him to roll up the damage just because it would make him mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Originally Posted By: You can be bacon! —Alorael, who upon further reflection is rather surprised that R. A. Salvatore's book haven't gone movie. They seem like a perfect fit. on normal book Drizzt kills so many encounters that movie would be high rated and Menzoberranzan Drows are even more bloodthirsty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 As opposed to LotR or even 300? Violence in films sells! Besides, as long as Drizzt sticks to killing villains, which he does as a general rule, things are fine. —Alorael, who also doubts that there would be immense problems in adapting the story for the screen. It's not a work of literature that survives on its subtleties. It survives on flashing scimitars, not taking itself too seriously, having fun, and occasional but not excessive angst. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody Feo Takahari Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Well, there is the fact that the lead character's a black guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Yeah, but he's a stereotypically violent black guy being chased after by law enforcement, so it's okay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Besides now that Obama's president, being black is popular. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 Originally Posted By: BA, MBA, PhD, DDS, JD, BME, Separation As opposed to LotR or even 300? Violence in films sells! Besides, as long as Drizzt sticks to killing villains, which he does as a general rule, things are fine. —Alorael, who also doubts that there would be immense problems in adapting the story for the screen. It's not a work of literature that survives on its subtleties. It survives on flashing scimitars, not taking itself too seriously, having fun, and occasional but not excessive angst. Haven't seen 300 yet and LoTR was "bit" far from Forgotten Realms and what Drizzt does is quite gore sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 No, it's quite combat-intensive. There's no reason for there to be more gore than there is during the battles of LotR or 300. Actually, 300 has exactly the kind of over-the-top ridiculous violence I'd expect from Drizzt movies. —Alorael, who would like to point out that most of the villains and monsters Drizzt kills are not, strictly speaking, human. The ones that are humanoid usually have black skin. This makes all the killing completely okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Rent-an-Ihrno Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I don't think the "gore" in 300 is over-the-top, I actually think it's still less than there was when it really happened. What's ridiculous is the way the characters are shown - the Persians were perhaps the most advanced and civilized culture in the world at that time, not a bunch of cruel freaks. Here's an idea: why not put war elephants and rhinos in A6? And cloaks with +1000 to melee damage and coolness? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 This sounds like another good time to plug Jewel of Arabia, which had a realistic and balanced implementation of a PC elephant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I suspect I would like Jewel of Arabia much more if not for the permadeath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 Hey, I never said the game was easy! The beginning is particularly difficult; your health is so low that with the permadeath, it really requires picking up a good understanding of how to survive in combat. It is definitely a game that _requires_ save-and-reload, at least in a few places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Carranzero Posted March 11, 2009 Share Posted March 11, 2009 the best story, sinceits gonna be the last avernum, is an all-out war avernum vs empire, of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Wasn't that A2? —Alorael, who thinks that that was about as all-out as the Empire could go. Keep in mind that the Empire also needs its armies to keep its own citizens pacified. (Avernum's solution is to let its citizens be sociopathic serial killers and to gently focus their efforts on monsters rather than fellow Avernites.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Well, up until said all-out war, Avernum's solution was to exile them to the Abyss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Lilith Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 How did that work, anyway? Could Avernum really spare enough guards to escort thieves and murderers across hundreds of miles of dangerous caves? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Randomizer Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 It was more of escorting them to the Spire and shoving them through the door. There were holding cells there. I doubt they had more than a handful at any time that they transported and just left them in a cell until it was time to ship them as part of a supply convoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Carranzero Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 100 years have passed.. since food went short, avernum has been sending an increasing-over-time population to the surface, successfully settling the areas surroundin for emergence with large surface-style cities... but they forgot they sent the brilliant mage Correllea, who masterminds the next guerrilla war against the Empire.. 100 years after that, Avernums successfully seized the Valorim continent, and now declares official Invasion War against the Empire (avernum's got a Long memory, after all) and invades all the other continents, being the final boss the Empire itself with 500! yess 500!! Royal Mages and another 500 Royal Guards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Alorael at Large Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 A final, climactic series battle should not involve watching enemies do things for more than five minutes at a time. —Alorael, who also does not think Avernum has good odds against the Empire. Numbers dictate otherwise. (Only 1000 enemies in the Empire's last stand? That seems very, very low.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hatchling Cockatrice Slawbug Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 You won't be happy when you see the fight involving the 500 Doomguards, then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: Inslartable You won't be happy when you see the fight involving the 500 Doomguards, then. no1 would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Enraged Slith Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Quickfire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Acky Posted March 12, 2009 Share Posted March 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: Carranzero 100 years have passed.. since food went short, avernum has been sending an increasing-over-time population to the surface, successfully settling the areas surroundin for emergence with large surface-style cities... but they forgot they sent the brilliant mage Correllea, who masterminds the next guerrilla war against the Empire.. 100 years after that, Avernums successfully seized the Valorim continent, and now declares official Invasion War against the Empire (avernum's got a Long memory, after all) and invades all the other continents, being the final boss the Empire itself with 500! yess 500!! Royal Mages and another 500 Royal Guards That might of been possible if there were another 3 Avernum games after the sixth, which will be the last. Craming all that story into a single game and still makeing sense would get messy. The Last Archon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Rent-an-Ihrno Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Who cares if it would be doable at all? Avernum as a government is not supposed to be aggressive. Whatever war it fights has to be a defensive one. Either the Vahnatai have to attack, or Avernum has to cut the Empire off its economic interests in the caverns for them to invade again. If anything. That said, I might be a fan of the epic stories of A1+2 and so on, but none of that stuff would fit A6. The second trilogy involves Empire politics, not all-out wars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rotghroth Rhapsody madrigan Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 Originally Posted By: Rent-an-Ihrno The second trilogy involves Empire politics, not all-out wars. Does A4 really involve Empire politics? I suppose the Darkside Loyalist subplot is related to Empire politics, but your interaction with them really just has to do with Avernum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Well-Actually War Trall Rowen Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 I saw A4 as the introduction to the after affects of the agreement that Avernum and the Empire entered into in A3. Avernum is a better place to hide then in the Empire so that is why the DL are in Avernum. I would say that A4 introduced the next line of the plot and concluded the first trilogies cliff hanger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ineffable Wingbolt Rent-an-Ihrno Posted March 13, 2009 Share Posted March 13, 2009 A4 did two things: make the transition from the first to the second trilogy a little smoother (Rentar) and commence the plot of the last-mentioned (Dorikas). So yes, though A4 may not host Empire politics as the most important feature, they're definately the focus of the second trilogy as far as I can see. Geez. This post took me like 10 minutes. Where's my English today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Areas for Improvement The main thing I plan to improve is the graphical engine. It is simply too old, and it doesn't do enough to take advantage of improvements in computers over the last decade or so. Our next games will use a new graphics engine that is based on OpenGL. They will still run on older machines, but they will be able to take advantage of the graphical improvements in newer systems. The graphics will still be low-budget, but we can do a lot more. hmmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious Artila Gnaeus Pompeius Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 Originally Posted By: Sss-Chah Areas for Improvement The main thing I plan to improve is the graphical engine. It is simply too old, and it doesn't do enough to take advantage of improvements in computers over the last decade or so. Our next games will use a new graphics engine that is based on OpenGL. They will still run on older machines, but they will be able to take advantage of the graphical improvements in newer systems. The graphics will still be low-budget, but we can do a lot more. hmmm... Well, as long as it does not turn out to be the next Geneforge 5. It's almost impossible to load a huge map in G5 without the system shuddering like anything(v1.0.2 Windows). That you can play their games on obsolete hardware was one of the most attractive things about SW's games apart from the story and the gameplay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 world of avernum, anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 16, 2009 Share Posted March 16, 2009 like world of warcraft? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 yeah, i'm pretty sure the graphics from world of warcraft can run on almost any computer. but then again, i was kidding. edit: grammar fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 graphics can run on any comp but another case if those graphics move on any comp. not bad idea but mmorpg-genre is quite tightly at wow's hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 i've heard that the graphics work perfectly on anything but the worst of computers, but i never cared enough about the game to do any research on that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curious Artila Gnaeus Pompeius Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 You have heard correctly Sss-Chah. Though methinks that trolling /b/ is infinitely more rewarding than playing WoW. But I digress. I hope Jeff doesn't stop making games once he ends the Avernum series. Not only are his games (IMHO) very original, you can find subtle humour and moral ambiguity that modern games lack. Very few games have been able to command the same attention from me as the Geneforge and Avernum(except for BoA and A4) series. Well, if he does end his programming career and decides to settle down, I'll have to go back to playing Rome:TW, KotOR and Torment all over again. *sighs* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyshakk Koan Sss-Chah Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 i've never been a big fan of /b/, but wow isn't really much more entertaining. either way, jeff has something up his sleeve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easygoing Eyebeast Enraged Slith Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Originally Posted By: Gnaeus Pompeius ...except for BoA... You're missing out. There are quite a few good BoA scenarios out there, including Jeff's standard four (especially ASR which includes that moral ambiguitiy you mentioned). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 maybe jeff starts new trilogies which aren't related to avernum or happen in distant future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasoned Roamer Cryomancer Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 As far as the plot/story for A6, I'm really in favor of something new...no return of old enemies, etc. Here's my idea for A6: The Empire offers for Avernum to (re)join the Empire and they'll all be a big happy family again, and any crimes on the Avernites' parts will be pardoned (with the new Surface+Underworld Mega-Nation having complete control of the caves and all the rich resources and all the surface). A faction of Avernites+Imperials opposed to this integration forms and tries to prevent the deal through either assassinations, coups, or devious political maneuvering. If the Vahnatai get involved (and I think it's ok if they don't), they might help the dissenting faction, since they still hate the Empire and Avernum (Olgai clan) or they just don't want the Empire encroaching on their territory (which it will inevitably do if the deal goes through). Your party, at the start, can choose to help either the dissenters (stop the deal and have Avernum remain its own nation) or the Integrationists (have Avernum combine with the Empire and all Avernites pardoned). Missions on each side of the conflict could be to enlist/persuade other denizens of the caves to the player's side. These could include the Sliths(maybe even *gasp* an evil tribe), the nephils (various clans), an undecided clan of Vahnatai, and maybe a group of magical creatures like the eyebeasts/gazers (like the Empire did in E2/A2). Depending on the player's actions, the conflict could be resolved peacefully or through warfare (though both ways still involve small-group assassinations, persuasions, etc.) Of course, on either side, you'll have to resort to "underhanded" tactics, like taking out key "stubborn" enemy leaders, which would involve complicated planning and artifact-finding for dealing with defenses, traps, and special enemies, etc. It could end either with the Dissenters winning and having Avernum remain its own nation (maybe with even more Empire-given benefits, coaxed out of them by the "persuasions" of the party), or of the Dissenters being destroyed and Avernum/Empire integrating and living happily ever after as one big blob of bureaucracy. The Vahnatai (and/or other races) helping the Dissenters (or Integrationists, depending on what side you chose) could either be beaten into submission, or coerced into defecting, or withdrawing altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Toby-Linn Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I think with General Redmark as Emperor, Avernum and the Empire would never be one happy family. I think the Empire is going to try to take over Avernum again (remember, General Redmark has Dorikas' old fortress at the end of A5). With that, he could coordinate an assault and take over the A5 map area. Then a battle would wage centered on the abyss and the Spire Fortress (the only way into the main part of Avernum?). It would be nice to have a choice to play as either Empire solders or Avernite adventurers. Remember, the Empire wouldn't want Avernum to be part of them again, they're too different. Plus Avernum is a lot more free with knowlege and magic use than the Empire is. For Avernum to join the Empire, they'd have to follow a lot of rules and regulations and give up a lot of freedom, which I think they wouldn't be happy with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasoned Roamer Cryomancer Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 I was thinking the Empire might want to peacefully take control of Avernum to 1) stop constant wars, having seen Avernum's power after Garzahd's failed invasion and 2) to gain control of the caves and all its rich resources and opportunities. Surely the Empire can't still be stupid enough after all these years to dismiss the Underworld as useless and too dangerous. That's just poor thinking. A lot of Avernites would be in favor of integration, since a lot of them hate the Underworld and want to be on the surface again anyway. Of course, the Imperial pretense of pardoning the Avernites and integrating their nations REALLY means the abolishment of Avernum as a nation at all. And there are plenty of opportunities in the Underworld for disposing of 'unwanteds'...like throwing them down a chasm, or dropping them in lava, or feeding them to evil monsters. The Empire would find a way even after 'integration' to continually get rid of unwanteds/misfits. Anyway, I think it would be an interesting twist. Redmark trying to take over Avernum would be really predictable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted April 7, 2009 Share Posted April 7, 2009 redmark should be busy a while securing his throne so unlikely that he will assault avernum in near future and its unlikely that empire could get enough forces to conquer avernum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Toby-Linn Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I got the sense when playing Avernum 5 that Redmark is not a nice man. He wants power and he's ruthless. I'm sure he'll figure in the next Avernum game, the only question is how? Maybe it'll be a sneaky takeover, like an infiltration, instead of a full-scale assault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Understated Ur-Drakon Earth Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 surfacers have that tiny prob that their faces aren't pale like avernites unless they have lived in cave (i think some surfacer did that) or cellar quite long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unflappable Drayk Toby-Linn Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Oh I didn't mean they'd infiltrate by sneaking in (though it did sound like that, sorry). Why would they have to sneak in when Avernum has opened up the Country to them? Think of the enterprising merchants who have travelled down to make a living in Avernum. Only maybe some merchants will have weapons stored in their cellar, and they'll have secret meetings with other fake merchants. They'd infiltrate by going in under cover, and then when the time is right, they'd jump out with their friends and massacre an entire town. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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