lamianob.pcx
Welcome, fellow game-designers, to the sixth issue of the UANL! So much has changed since the last issue... and I cannot possibly go over it all here. Without further rambling, I present the latest NewsLetter!
Game info: Author: Dika Wolf Full Title:Hunted! A Ravenloft Adventure Imported Graphics:Yes For:IBM Additional Documentation:No # of Dungeons:Well, here it is! After so long, like, since November or so, Dika Wolf has been working on "Hunted! A Ravenloft Adventure". All that time, he has been teasing us with some of the best graphics ever uploaded onto AOL. All that time, many of us - myself included - have been biting our nails and waiting.
And here it is!
Hunted!'s name doesn't exactly make a great deal of sense, since you're not hunted as far as I can tell. But that's a minor point. It starts with you awakening somewhere unrecognizable, with Mists clearing in your sight. The closest place to go is the town of Silverclaw. There, you are greeted by the lovely and cheery Gayla, owner of the local inn. And from there, you will come into conflict with strange creatures and take up a search for the Vistani, all in an attempt to escape the misty void into which you have been swallowed.
The game takes forever to download. 22 minutes is not something I'm used to anymore... I suppose I've been spoiled by the 9600 nodes. But I digress. The major question is: is the game worth the download time?
Well, the graphics, as everyone knew they would be, are literally incredible. The best graphics in a mod so far, I'd say, and better than the majority of Gold Box games.
It is a very well done game, visually, and storywise is well thought out and well developed. The end, however, is very rushed. After all the build-up there should have been a little more to the ending than kill the bad guy, then killing the Big Bad Guy with little explanation. And I was hoping for a bit more exploration into a few points in the game itself, such as two deaths that take place. They remain unexplored, and that's disappointing. Also, the random encounters on the overland are a little bit annoying. They come too often for my personal tastes. But then, I always gripe about randoms.
There is no additional documentation, which saddens me, since I generally enjoy Dika's remarks, both in his art packets and in this NewsLetter, but that's a personal thing.
All in all, Hunted! is a very good mod, with beautiful visuals and a strong story. If you can bear the d/l time, I'd say definitely get it.
Story Execution:A- Graphics:A+ Encounters:B+ Bug Control:A+ Innovativity:A- Overall:A***Nyx Nightshade***
Last issue I asked for previews, and did I ever get them! Here are a few of the shorter ones... and please, if you're working on a mod., feel free to submit a preview - a little hype never hurt anyone. :>
I am working on a new mod. right now. The working title is "The Gateway to the Ancients"; I am just getting started good on it and do not have a due date to give. However, I am sending a preview Pic of one of the minor NPCs the player will have to over-come, a Lamia Noble. The mod. will be a try at a non-linear adventure - or as close as the program will allow. The PC will be hired to find out what lies beyond the strange gateway found in a forest glade. That's it for now; keep up the good work!
-RWBarfoot@aol.com
I am nearing completion on a design (it's hard for me to believe! You should see how many half-finished thoughts litter my hard disk!). It's set in the Ravenloft world, and it's titled "Strahd's Need." I named my design long before I ever heard of SSI's "real" Ravenloft game, "Strahd's Possession," and I just didn't want to change the name because it fits the plot so well. A small plot summary for the UANL follows....
Once again, the Dark Domains will soon be reaching out and grasping at victims with misty fingers of dread. An elderly Vistani seer's voice will ring through the worlds in desperation and sorrow. The darkest lord of the darkest realm in all the domains seeks those willing to trade honor for freedom, to compromise principles for sanity, to help him achieve his heart's most terrible desire at the cost of a young girl's very soul. Dark forces will shape the destinies of those caught up in a deadly web of treachery and deceit that springs from the heart of Strahd's Need!
I would say that the design is over 80% done at present. All that is left for me to do is complete a few modules, find some specific artwork I lack, and playtest the design. I've been playtesting as I went along (all work and no play makes Lord Arion a dull boy!), so I don't expect too many bugs to leap out of Barovia during this stage (however, I'm prepared for the worst!).
-Lord Arion
I'd done a couple of mods before (long since deleted) but nothing with the sheer magnitude of a Star Wars epic. This led me to decide the first part will focus only on the first movie. I will try to use all 36 available dungeons, with a dungeon for all locations in the movie (i.e. Mos Eisley, the Rebel Base on Yavin, etc.) I am waiting for a wall editor, hopefully one will come out soon-SW won't be too good if the walls of a Star Destroyer's interior are lined with brick :) . As for other pieces of art, I've gone through all my local BBS's, looking for art...I've uploaded some Darth Vader stuff to AOL, and I've got a Combat Icon for Luke, Vader, R2D2 & C3PO (I know, it sounds lame, but it'll work - trust me.) and some pics of R2, the Falcon, and some sprites of a Stormtrooper (soon to be trashed) and Vader. I also have quite a few big pics of Tatooine, Dagobah (which won't be used...), Vader, R2 and 3PO...not much yet, but I've only been scrappin' this stuff together for about two weeks.
About the plot: the main character is Luke (perhaps I'll do a Han Solo adventure in the future...hmmmm...) and the game starts out in Tatooine, right before Uncle Owen takes Luke to buy some droids...
The text is very conversationally driven (an example: for Tatooine, there are basically two buildings, and five characters, and I've only got about 52% text left in about twenty minutes of adventuring...) Hopefully I will be able get some of the Han/Leia arguments done as well as in the movies. In the beginning you are very much led around by the hand, with Uncle Owen ordering you around...but trust me, it will be much less linear after Tatooine.
A major difference between the games and the movie is all the flying in an X-Wing that Luke does. Therefore, instead of joining the 'Navy' of the Rebellion, Luke will join 'Tactical Operations Division' (or whatever I choose to call it). This is the cool part. Luke will have missions (quests, whatever) rescuing Rebel officers from disaster in the nick of time, assassinating high-ranking Imperial officers, sabotaging Star Destroyers, learning the ways of the Force, etc. It should add a new twist to the adventure.
NPC's will added to the party in the forms of R2, 3PO, Han, Leia, Chewie, Obi-Wan, and maybe some others I'll make up specifically for the missions (commandos, etc.). As I said before I have icons for Luke, Vader, R2, and 3PO. I've found that Stormtroopers are quite hard to draw, if someone could make them... Here's a list of some of the NPCs/Monsters in the game:
*Luke Skywalker | *Darth Vader | Jawa(s)
Han Solo | The Emperor | Bantha (maybe)
Leia Organa | Grand Moff Tarkin | Aliens (diff. kinds)
Chewbacca | Generic Admiral | Rebel Commandos
*R2D2 | Generic Officer | Rebel General
*C3PO | #Stormtrooper | Emperor's Guards
Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi | #Sandperson | ?????
* = Already done with Combat Icon # = Really tough to draw
if someone else could
do it...
Some of you may have noticed I listed the Emperor even though he's
not in the first movie...well...I'll stick him in somewhere :)
I probably forgot someone, so this isn't the final list.
Problems:
There are a few things that have gotten in the way of this project. Here they are in full detail:
And, as far as I know, you can't change the music. UA's music is okay, but *nothing* touches John William's Soundtrack. <Sigh>...
As for Technical accuracy: have no fear Star Wars junkies, I am buying the Star Wars Technical Manual (or whatever it's called) by West End Games, to make sure Chewie's Laser Crossbow <ED: that's bowcaster :> kills just the right amount of Bad Guys. :)
One final note: If you know of a Star Wars BBS in Michigan, please give me the number...Mid-Michigan preferred, I guess.
Ethan G. Leon 8/94
Fifteen years after the Change, the City of Jienrenil was rediscovered, and the eastern Keep of Helkrom was captured by Lord Zearil. Occupied with the restoration of Helkrom Keep, and the defense against several attacks from hostile monsters, the City itself has remained unexplored.
The year is now 2156SY, over seven hundred years since the City of Jienrenil was forsaken. Lord Zearil has recently sent forth a proclamation to all the nearby towns and villages, asking for adventurers to come to Helkrom, and help him retake Jienrenil! So, looking for a chance to prove that you are destined for greatness, you gather your party together, and make the journey to Helkrom Keep.
RUINS is a game rich in history. History tells us why things are the way they are today. Without it, it's just another hack-n-slash game. Visiting an ancient place, one is bound to encounter the past. Learn from it, and you can deal with the present. (Oh noo! I have waxed philosophical! :-o ) I must confess that RUINS is a "Kill the Foozle!" game. But who is this "Foozle" anyway? Ha! My lips are sealed! :-X Characters will start at first level, and will be able to work up to about 9th level. Though basically linear, there will be times when the player will have several quests available to him/her; usually one Primary Quest with one or two Secondary Quests. Trust me, there will be plenty to do and see!
Artwork will include original art and many pictures captured from all the "Gold Box" games (...and anything else I can get my greedy hands on!). All of these have been remastered from the original 16-color pics into 256-color format (except those from GATEWAY, which were great anyway!).
RUINS will also use Journal Entries for the main body of text (and I'm still running out of text in my modules!). Tavern Tales will be included with the Journal. I have many maps for use with the game, but how [to] make them available is still a problem. Maybe use a PCX file. The thought has crossed my mind to make a printed copy of the Adventurer's Journal available for mail order, for a small cost. Then the graphics would be inserted into the text. Gotta' finish the game first!
RUINS, in its completed form, will use 2 overland maps and from 31 - 36 of the dungeon modules. The monster list is still growing, so no total there yet. Art work ranges from original to remastered "Gold Box" pics. The same with the combat icons. The latest artwork I've completed was two sets of stair pics for use with the STAIRS event. Now the player can "see" which way the stairs go! The first set is for the brick/rock setting, and the second is for the fire brick/lava. Unfortunately, RUINS won't be done until sometime next year. Slow and sure everyday, and playtest all the way! <ED: words of wisdom :>
There are many surprises ahead! And many long hours! In the end, I hope to create a game worth playing and replaying. And for me...a dream come true! :)
Well, there you go! I have winded. :-p "E" you later!
- FET Selonn
Free Ulov City is a fairly large game, using most of the modules available in the Unlimited Adventures format.
The game is set in the author's mythical world of King Rimon's Realm. The Realm occupies the northwest coast and inland areas of a large continent.
As the game opens, the party finds themselves in search of employment in a small coastal town. The party finds that the King has subsidized an expedition to the Island of Ulov. The purpose of the expedition is to recover and restore the once prosperous island nation to her former glory (under the auspices of King Rimon, of course!). Ulov was invaded and fell into ruin five hundred years prior to the events of the expedition. Since then, the island has been home to pirates and sub-human races, none of which bear any favorable feelings to the inhabitants of The Realm.
The King, with the guilds as allies, is hiring mercenaries and adventurers to staff the expedition. As the party soon finds out, it is cheaper to pay adventurers with booty than to underwrite an army. The party arrives on the Island of Ulov and the main part of the game commences.
During the course of the game, the party will fight pirates both on land and on the high seas. They will explore the island and the ruins of Ulov, eliminate hostile monsters and battle chaotic evil sorcerers. The party will also be required to interact with the expedition leaders and other adventuring parties.
The game is loosely patterned after the original TSR/SSI game "Pool of Radiance." The emphasis is on exploration, although combat is frequent and often deadly. "Free Ulov City" contains a substantial amount of imported artwork, including the author's original creations and material downloaded from the AOL graphics art library. The party starts the game at a minimal level of competence. However, the game will not be password protected, allowing interested players to alter the conditions as they see fit. The primary objective is entertainment and the author welcomes any suggestions and feedback.
This is the first installment of three games placed in the world of King Rimon's Realm. Future stories include life in the army of King Rimon and the adventures of a small party as they try to prevent all-out war between The Realm and her neighbors. The second installment is in progress. The third installment,"War in Ulov," is in final stages of the author's playtesting, to be followed by third party beta testing.
Shan520@AOL.COM - July 15, 1994
Bryan SM-<C>-
Using MOT as an example, here's a bit of suspense text: "The party travels deep into the rocky catacomb. As you descend, the air becomes thick and foul. Moss clings to the walls in thick, colorless lumps; mineral deposits rise out of the swirling mists and scuttling sounds echo about." Pretty pedestrian writing, I know, but it gets the point across. The party knows that there is some danger lurking below... what, I'm not telling. :>
There are several (actually, thousands) of ways to do this. You can have a lot of "Who Tries" events, where the player is forced to choose a single character to perform an action over the whole party. Instead of playing a single, faceless group, the personalities of chars. will develop. One char. will invariably become the strongman, another, the diplomat with a bad temper.
You can also have "Damage" events that randomly hit a character. Or, choose an action directed at a single character (short MOT example: "Suddenly, your torches go out! ^ <The PC> shouts in pain as multi-segmented tentacles whip about him!"). Either method involves the player much more directly.
Your goal is to make the players come alive in the combat without you directing their every action (which, by all rights, is the job of the player).
Here's a little MOT example: "Jhugar's Face explodes into a grimace of pain! He is wrenched upward and two huge hooks rip through him. Blood shoots from his open chest in hot tendrils, drenching all who stand close. A horrible creature, all grey scales and evilly hooked claws, is tearing the limp form of Jhugar apart. Inmates flee in terror, blood splattered across their uniforms."
If a dungeon is primarily 'friendly' (ie - no combats) add in a few just to give the player something to do and to spare the game from terminal boredom. Make it appropriate, though. If the party is in a friendly-held town, it is reasonable that a few thieves might be roaming the streets at night or a solitary monster has managed to make its home in a cellar. But it is NOT reasonable to assume that the friendlies would allow hordes of monsters to overrun the city (then it wouldn't be too friendly :)
And after a difficult combat, the player expects to be rewarded in some way. While money & items are good, you can't give them away every combat. The same holds true for experience. A good piece of text that briefly explains the outcome of their burst of violence can be just as rewarding.
Bryan SM-<C>
The first thing you're going to need is a model. As I'm not one of those artist that can make a picture up in his head, I need model to draw from. The model can come from other pictures, drawings, or any source you can get for inspiration. For this article, I use a live model. <ED :>
figure1.pcx
[A-K] refers to the marked scrap in FIGURE1.PCX included.
The most important feature in any figure is the face, as it is the first thing people look at in a picture. To begin the face, you need to draw an approximation of your model's head shape [A]. The shape should be filled with a color you will use for skin color. I started with the lightest color first, as it makes it easier to layer the darker shades upon. Next you, draw in the features of the face [B]. The eyes, nose, brows, and lips of the figure can be of any color other than the skin color (the nose may be excepted, as it is part of the face and skin, but try to use a dark skin tone so the nose stands out.) At this point, start to layer on the darker shades, trying to keep with the lighting on your model's face [C-D]. Also you can start detailing the eyes and nose as you continue to layer on the shades [E-H]. When I draw I often jump around the picture, fixing things here and there as I go, often modifying the shape of the head and adding details as I spot them. Until I get, a pretty workable figure [I]. At this point, I take a break, and return to work only when I can look at the picture objectively. When I start again, I notice a lot of mistakes I had made before, so I continue fixing things here and there, shrinking things that are too big (like the nose), as well as smoothing out the shading. After I have a face that I'm happy with [J], I place it upon the work area (a square filled with a mask color), so I know how much space I have to work with. Using the same techniques I use for the face, I start adding the clothes and hair while still making corrections on the face (At this point, I start grabbing people passing by, to ask for their comments on the picture. Taking their suggestions, I continue modifying the picture, as well as stopping more people for comments.) When I finally have a figure most of the passersby are happy with, I know I'm finished [K].
Using the techniques discussed in UANL4, I add a background and put it through the old image processor, to get the completed picture (in FIGURE2.PCX).
figure2.pcx
Well until next time, this is
-DIKA WOLF
When designing NPC's, you have to keep a few things in mind: is this NPC (Non-Player Character) realistic? That is the big one. When you design an NPC for your adventure, be sure to make sure that he/she/it has something to do with the storyline. Most NPCs should be humanoid, to be realistic - but that's not saying that you couldn't use an intelligent monster.
Now, monsters are a little easier to work with than NPC's because you can just let your imagination do the work. To make a new monster and the game a LOT more exciting, draw your own graphics. Avoid designing a monster that is too hard or too easy for your adventure. If it was too hard, the party would come across it and loose the fight. If it was too easy, it'd be pointless. Here is another area where Monty Haul gaming can come into effect. If a monster DOES happen to be fairly easy, don't have it guarding a treasure chest with a +4 Short Sword of Giant Strength (no such thing, BTW) <ED: not yet :>.
One of the hardest parts of designing an adventure is thinking up a story. Here I can't really help you, but think of it this way: make a game YOU would want to play. A game that is like a good book, and you just can't put it down until the end. Until next time!
Elisstar
P.S. None of the contents of this column are meant to offend anyone. They are just my opinions, from experience designing and playing UA games.
The following summary of the Unlimited Adventures program files assumes that you installed the program in the default directory (\frua) on an IBM compatible machine and that you are running version 1.2 of the program. If you have a MAC, some but not all of this information should still be useful; I have been told that most of the differences between the IBM and MAC versions are in the art files. If you have an earlier version of the program than version 1.2, then you should download the current version at your earliest opportunity. If you have a later version than version 1.2, let us know at once, as the folks at SSI told us that there would be no further revisions from them after 1.2. :>
The main \frua directory contains by default the directories "art", "disk1", "disk2", "disk3", "heirs.dsn", and "tutorial.dsn". It will contain additional directories if you have added additional adventures to the minimal default collection or have created one or more of your own. In addition, the main directory contains the following files:
drawbpic.lbm drawbpic.pcx drawcpic.lbm drawcpic.pcx drawpic.lbm drawpic.pcx drawsprt.lbm drawsprt.pcx town.lbm town.pcxThese files provide templates for creating your own artwork for UA. I recall reading something to the effect that one or more of these files (the ones for combat icons) are not aligned properly, but a corrected version is available in the AOL file library for UA. Anyone who has created artwork for UA is intimately familiar with the formats of these files, so I suspect that no further research is needed.
The file "ckit.cfg" is far less interesting. It seems to contain nothing more than the drive letters that the program is installed to and from as well as the name of the directory containing the program. This information would be of little value after installation.
I am uncertain of the purpose of the files "always.tlb" and "title.tlb", although the ".tlb" extension seems to suggest that they are artwork templates for art that is basic to the UA game.
<ED: I did a little research & actually inported the always.tlb file into a mod. It appears that this holds the 'pointer' art: the directional arrows, 'target' bracket, overland dot, etc. This could be useful...>
The remaining files seem to contain nothing but sound related information. Please let me know by E-mail if I am in error on this point, as it would definitely cause some redirection of hacking effort. The remaining files are the following:
addq1.xmi addq2.xmi addq3.xmi adlib.adv game.fon instr.ad mt32mpu.adv pcdq1.xmi pcdq2.xmi pcdq3.xmi pcspkr.adv rodq1.xmi rodq2.xmi rodq3.xmi sbdig.adv sfxdq.voc sounds.glb tandy.adv tydq1.xmi tydq2.xmi tydq3.xmi
8x8db.tlb 8x8dc.tlb back.tlb bigpic.tlb bigpix.tlb comspr.tlb cpic.tlb dungcom.tlb pica.tlb picb.tlb picc.tlb picd.tlb pice.tlb picf.tlb sprit.tlb topview.tlb wildcom.tlbThese are the files to investigate if you are wanting to devise a wall or backdrop editor.
XP Required: Use Paladin XP chart.
Unarmed
Level AC Move Damage
1 6 15 d4
2 5 16 d6
3 4 17 d6+1
4 3 18 2d4
5 3 19 d8+1
6 2 20 2d4+1
7 2 21 d8+2
8 1 22 2d6
9 1 23 2d8
10 0 24 2d10
11 0 25 2d12
12 -1 26 3d8+1
13 -1 27 4d6+2
14 -2 28 5d6
15 -2 30 4d8
16 -3 32 3d12
17 -3 34 6d6
18 -4 36 9d4
19 -4 39 2d12+12
20 -5 42 3d6+18
21 -5 48 3d4+24
(Maximum level possible)
Hit Dice: Monks receive 2d6 hit points at first level and +d6 hit
points per level thereafter.
Restrictions: A Monk must abide by the following restrictions:
Special Abilities:
Armor and Shield: Monk receives no armor, shield, or magical protective items of any kind.
Weapons: Monk receives the following:
Equipment Level Weapon None None Poor *Dagger Modest *Dagger, 5 Javelins Average *Spear, 5 Javelins Properous *Halberd, Light Crossbow, 20 Bolts +1 *Spear +1, Light Crossbow +1, 10 Bolts +1, 10 Bolts +2 *Spear +2, Light Crossbow +2, 10 Bolts +2, 10 Bolts +3 *Spear +3, Light Crossbow +3, 10 Bolts +3, 10 Bolts +4 *Spear +4, Light Crossbow +4, 10 Bolts +4, 10 Bolts-Kaviyd-
Offset 548646: The first of seven four-byte records, giving the XP requirements for each class (Cleric through Thief, including Knight between Cleric and Fighter) per level beyond 11th level. The current requirement for the Knight is 750,000 XP.
Offset 548674: The first of several ten-byte records that appear to be related to spell codes. The significance of these particular sequences escapes me, but I have enclosed them for anyone who might see a true pattern here. Each record is listed in a separate row and should be considered to end with enough values of zero to bring the row to ten bytes.
1 3 5 6 8 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 37 39 41 42 43 67 70 58 69 71 73 74 75 53 7 17 (All zeroes) 10 11 14 15 16 18 19 21 29 34 33 46 47 49 51 52 54 85 87 81 82 86 88 89 100 91 92 93 94 56 53 108 110 111 112 113 114 9 11 12 15 18 19 20 29 30 31 32 34 35 45 47 48 50 51 55 85 87 83 84 90 98 56 60 66 72 108 109 110 114Offset 548914: The first of six 16 byte records, one per race in numerical order (as per .cch file). These records give ability score limits as follows:
Byte Value 0 Minimum male strength 1 Minimum female strength 2 Maximum male strength 3 Maximum female strength 4 Maximum male extraordinary (percentile) strength 5 Maximum female extraordinary (percentile) strength 6 Minimum intelligence 7 Maximum intelligence 8 Maximum wisdom 9 Minimum wisdom 10 Minimum dexterity 11 Maximum dexterity 12 Maximum constitution 13 Minimum constitution 14 Maximum charisma 15 Minimum charismaOffset 549010: The first of six 27-byte records, one per race. The first byte gives the number of classes open to that race. The rest of the record alternates between class codes (as per those used in the .cch files for nominal class) and zero bytes. For example, the Elf entry has the following values:
7 2 0 5 0 6 0 13 0 14 0 15 0 16 0 0 0 etc.The values of 2, 5, 6, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in fact do correspond to the legal Elf classes and class combinations in UA. If anyone wishes to increase the range of classes available to different classes by hacking the main program file, keep in mind that the record size limits you to 13 legal classes per race, which happens to coincide with the current number of legal combinations for a Half-Elf.
Offset 549172: The first of six 28-byte records for initial character age by race. Each record is sub-divided into seven four-byte entries, one for each (single) class, namely Cleric, Knight, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Magic-User, and Thief. Each entry consists of a two-byte integer for base age, a byte for number of dice, and a byte for type of dice. For example, the entry corresponding to an Elf Fighter has a value corresponding to 130 + 5d6. Values for illegal classes are generally correct (according to 1st edition) for Clerics but incorrect for other illegal classes.
Offset 549340: The first of six 10 byte records for critical ages by race. Each record contains a string of five two-byte integers. For example, the record for Humans contains the values 20, 40, 60, 90, and 120.
Offset 549396: The beginning of a long string of numbers that I was unable to interpret.
Offset 549892: The beginning of the XP charts by class. Each record gives the XP requirements for each level from 0 through 11, with each level XP requirement stored as a 4-byte integer. The charts match those in the UA Designer's Journal. For the Knight class, the current XP requirement for each level from 2 to 11 is -1.
Offset 550228: This is the beginning of the spell allotment records for each of the spellcasting classes (Cleric, Paladin, Ranger, and Magic-User). For each class there are 29 9-byte records, giving the allotment of spells from level 1 to 9 for each class. For the Ranger class, levels 1-4 are Druid spells and levels 5 and 6 are Magic-User spells of levels 1 and 2.
Note that spellcasting ability does not improve beyond level 29.
Offset 551272: The beginning of a series of fourteen bytes that I
cannot interpret: 3 6 3 6 5 4 5 4 5 4 2 4 2 6
Offset 551286: The beginning of the saving throw records. Each record starts with the five saving throw values of a first level Cleric followed by the saves of a member of a class at each level from 1 to 21. If we follow the standard class order of Cleric, Knight, Fighter, Paladin, Ranger, Magic-User, Thief, then the source of the known Thief saving throw bug becomes apparent. It appears that the Knight record contains the saving throws for a Thief, while the record that should contain the Thief's saving throws is zero-filled.
-Kaviyd-
1) Blessed 2) Cursed 3) Harrassed by Snakes 4) Dispelling Evil 5) Detecting Magic 6) Immune to Electricity 7) Protected from Evil 8) Protected from Good 9) Resistant to Cold 10) Charmed 11) Enlarged 12) Barkskin 13) Friendly 14) Slow Poison 15) Reading Magic 16) Shielded 17) Able to Find Traps 18) Fire Resistant (spell) 19) Silenced 20) Carries Spiritual Hammer 21) Sees Invisible 22) Invisible (spell) 23) Befuddled 24) Duplicated 25) Weakened 26) Nauseated 27) Helpless 28) Blind 29) Diseased 30) Confused 31) Accursed 32) Blinking 33) Strengthened 34) Hastened 35) Protected from Normal Missiles 36) Slowed 37) Protected from Evil, 10' Radius 38) Protected from Good, 10' Radius 39) Affected by Prayer 40) Fire Shield, Hot flames 41) Held 42) Asleep 43) Fire Shield, Cold flames 44) POISONED 45) Invisible (ring) 46) Within Globe of Invulnerability 47) Fire Resistant (ring) 48) In Minor Globe of Invulnerability 49) Mentally Enfeebled 50) Invisible to Animals 51) Magically Highlighted 52) Immune to Dragon Breath 53) Wearing Magical Boots 54) Giant Slaying Sword 55) Immune to Disease 56) Carrying Magical Stone 57) Wearing Magical Cloak 58) Immune to Fear 59) Immune to Fire 60) Immune To Cold 61) STUNNED 62) Berserk 63) FRIGHTENED 64) Giant Strength 65) vorpal weapon 66) Resist Fire (Druid) 67) Fire Touch 68) Iron Skin 69) Shielded by Mind Blank 70) Entangled-Kaviyd-
by Aneroch (aka Louminator)
<ED: *Aneroch, after submitting three dungeon articles, has lost his account here on AOL. But fear not: a replacement will soon be found. In the meantime, please hold on to any submissions to give to the new editor. Aneroch's work will carry us for three issues...*>
Welcome to our first installment! In our quest to find ways of making our jobs easier as designers for this wonderful engine we call UA, we find many individuals who share our thirst to make quicker and easier methods of creating whole worlds and telling our epic sagas. But none of us can be expected to be experienced writers, artists, and to some extent, programmers, simultaneously. It is on networks such as these that we can collaborate our best talents and share our knowledge with each other to provide inspiration and support. Even more importantly, we are now able to bring our skills and talents together to share the combined "pool of knowledge" for all to benefit from by using forums, such as this one, and making it accessible to everyone.
This brings us here, "The Dungeon". I introduced the idea to our main editor, Coric, with a simple, basic idea: to give our readers several "generic" towns/dungeons to build as a database. These "dungeons" are designed so that they may be integrated easily into any existing mods with little or no need for alteration. Yet, there is enough free text and events available to allow designers to add their own quest events and other hidden agendas to fit their adventures easily.
To use these maps properly, you'll need to create a new directory for FRUA (I suggest calling it DUNGEON.DSN, or maybe DATABASE.DSN). Names aren't too important, so long as you know which directory to save the files under. Each of the files included in this column and all others that follow should be saved there. As we build this database, all art and GEO files will fall into place and update itself regularly. When you wish to use one, you can use the COPY FROM... option to import it into your own mods. Or you can just study it and find those items you like and use it in your own designs.
Our first map is called Stronghold. It is a generic keep with many of the basic features of any base of operations for adventurers. There's some imported art included and, as promised, a text file with all the information mentioned above. Hope you like it.
Starting with the next issue, we (that is, I) will be constructing a SUPER-Dungeon from various authors (that is, anyone who is willing to submit and work on a timely schedule). Each issue will feature the NEXT levels (and more than likely, revisions of previous levels) into the dungeon which has been added to what is already designed. And Stronghold will be placed as the home base for the characters.
For now, Stronghold is provided "as is" for your own personal use. In the next issue, we will alter slightly to fit it into the new Dungeon Campaign along with the first one or two levels of the dungeon itself. If anyone desires to see their own levels in the Dungeon (there are currently 32 slots available) E-mail me immediately for guidelines or at least a response.
So strap on your trusty blades and memorize those spellbooks, because the biggest dungeon-crawl of them all is about to take place here, in 'the Dungeon'. Next issue's topic will be about creating adventures Underwater.
With the next issue (and every issue,) you can also expect an article on just general advice and tips on designing dungeons and such. So, I've really created TWO departments for 'the Dungeon': Beneath the Mines, which is the serial dungeon; and, the Dungeoneer's Guide, which is an advice column.
Until next time...enjoy the sites while you still can!
Aneroch (aka Louminator)
(NO ADDRESS AVAILABLE)
Now, I'm sure there is a code somewhere that says which classes are available to which races and what their level limits are. If these can be altered (and I know they could), I'd like to see it done. And don't tell me about the Character Editor! It gives unlimited levels and any class, but that's not what I'm looking for. I want TRUE 2nd Edition Rules. And thank you for your consideration. :)
BTW, I don't mean to sound demanding...but it IS a WANT AD, right?
FYI, am working on "The Tomb of Horrors". The walls are up, but it is an empty place. Lots of art to create for it. Maybe by Halloween.
Character Name:Destinatia
Character Type:Personality
World:Dragonlance
Human Female mage
History Sypnosis:Destinatia was born Annabel Silverhair, a princess in a now forgotten land. She was a rogue mage when her land was destroyed in the Cataclysm; she ran to the plains. There she brewed potions to extend her life extensively, and eventually joined the conclave.
Motives: Destinatia is self driven. Her black robes reflect her soul, and she has no qualms with killing, backstabbing or lying to get what she desires.
Possible Encounters: Perhaps Destinatia is involved in the villain's plans to a degree - in exchange for power, of course. The PC's may discover this and bribe her with greater promises to reveal information on the villain. Alternately, she may begin as an ally and be won over to the villain with promises.
Class:Elven Female F/MU/T
Special Abilities:Extra hand to hand damage
History synopsis:Tavarell is the daughter of an elven barkeep. She ran away from her home to seek fame and fortune elsewhere, and has been exploring the lands ever since. She joined an adventuring team for a while, but it didn't work out. When she left, her more greedy side took over for a moment and she stole the dagger-thrower's daggers and ran. She also has several items that she came upon herself.
Motivations: Tavarell is motivated by an extreme lust for adventure. She loves the thrill, the battle, the climax of treasures. Anything that involves a difficult quest with a worthy trade-off for the danger will interest her.
Possible Encounters: Perhaps Tavarell is after the same foe that the party is after, but for the less noble goal of gaining the archvillain's treasures? Alternately, she could be encountered in an inn or tavern, resting between adventures, and used as either an NPC or Personality.
****Nyx Nightshade****
Perhaps I should start off by explaining what I hope to accomplish with this column. Stated simply, I hope to provide insight and hints to dungeon designers on how to construct a story and characters that will engage and captivate their players.
Far too many dungeon designs use worn-out plots and tired, old characters. The challenge to a designer is to make each design new and exciting. After all, if they fail at these two basic requirements how can they expect players to be satisfied with their work? The one exception to this rule is when the designer is attempting to duplicate a published "pen & paper" role-playing adventure.
As a designer you may well say, "How is a <insert your profession here> supposed to come up with new and exciting ideas? All the good stuff has been used." The answer is simple. All the good stuff has been used for thousands of years, but writers keep writing. How do they do it? They take one of those old, worn-out plots and add one or two elements that are different. Then they take a bunch of stock characters and revitalize them with odd personality quirks and new motivations. What happens when they are through results in successes such as Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels and Terry Brooks' Shannara series. Nothing much new in either one, but just enough changes to the old, used stuff to make them interesting.
What we will do together in this column is explore what a designer can do with those old used plots and characters to make them into the kind of Unlimited Adventures designs that people will want to play from start to finish...MORE THAN ONCE.
In an attempt to give a better understanding of just what it takes to get and keep your audience's attention, we will begin with the larger concerns of plot, setting and scope. Later we will get into character design, giving monsters personality and such things as moving action along without ever using random encounters.
To further explain the concepts that will be discussed we will design (in text only) an adventure from start to finish during the duration of this column.
I usually like to give a story a name before beginning it, based solely on the germ of an idea that I have. The design we will work on will tentatively be called, "To Awaken a God." Expect that to change many times as we work on the design.
Next month we will discuss "THE BIG PICTURE: PLOT, SETTING AND SCOPE",
Until swords part,
Alex D. Karaczun
DanK1@aol.com
The most exciting addition to the NL, however, is Aneroch's column. He has delivered what I promised so long ago - a serial module. With luck (and a lot of work :) this'll be the highlight of the NL. While he has left us, his work will continue.
Kent Conrad has taken 'The Dungeon' helm and trust me, he'll do a great job. Please submit all the dungeon material to him.
Alex DK has joined us this issue and I look forward to many future columns... and of course, the other eds are doing a great job too! If you ever 'see' them floating around AOL, please drop them a little thank you - they deserve it.
I'm really looking forward to the next few issues; we've got some great stuff lined up and it doesn't look like it's slowing down! Trust me when I say that many surprises await you in the future of UA.
The Mac side of the UANL is not going quite so well. To tell you the truth, it's a mess. I'm doing my best to keep up with what's going on, but it'll be awhile before it is done. So please tell your Mac-using friends to sit tight for a bit longer - it WILL come. Honest.
Now... to get back to finishing MOT... :D
Bryan Smith-<C>
(Bryan SM@aol.com)
-The UANL staff:-) *Editorial staff: Editor-in-chief: Bryan 'Coric' Smith <Bryan SM@aol.com> Assistant Editor: Kaviyd <Kaviyd@aol.com> Assistant Editor: Shdwmstr03 <Shdwmstr03@aol.com> *Columnists: Reviews & Previews: Nyx Night, Nyx N1ghts <same :> Art: Dika Wolf <Dika Wolf@aol.com> Beginner's Corner: Elisstar <Elisstar@aol.com> 'The Dungeon': Aneroch (Louminator) & *KentConrad* The Writing Workshop: Alex DK <DanK1@aol.com> *Correspondents: RWBarfoot Lord Arion FET Salonn EthanGL Shan520
So, *ALL MAIL SHOULD BE SENT TO 'BRYAN SM', NOT CORIC! (I will be removing that screen-name ASAP). Sorry 'bout the initial confusion, Bryan SM-<C>-
(NOTE: all submitted material is subject to editing for clarity, brevity, and/or vulgarity. The UANL staff accepts no responsibility for anything said or implied in the free-lance articles; if you have a gripe, see its author. ;)
Congrats to Abbot H! Your gnoll icon has been awarded the UANL Icon of the Month (let's face it: the default icon is rather bland and this one fits the bill nicely). Better yet, it can be used as a player icon (after being run through the editor). Again, congratulations for a job well done.
gnollc.pcx