The Gaming Den

Yup, Ultima 9 should be retconned into oblivion.

By the way, I'd like to see more games using the tarot cards character creation from Ultima 4.

silva wrote:Yup, Ultima 9 should be retconned into oblivion.

By the way, I'd like to see more games using the tarot cards character creation from Ultima 4.

It's not really different from the "generate character by answering vague questions" system that games occasionally use. VtM Bloodlines did it.

OgreBattle wrote:

Shrapnel wrote: Basically, I just think they could've found a better way to do it.

My thoughts on how to do invisi barriers

-Player gets a warning to turn back
-Heads ui display dissappears after a while
-Player enters cutscene describing how he's left and was never seen in the lands again
-Return to main menu screen

Depending on the tone of the game it can vary from humorous to wistful to "and then the demons won and everyone died", but it still feels like a 'player choice'.

i would second this notion, The Avernum games did an admirable job of this, although the first 2 had the advantage of being in an underground tunnel system with limited exits. but there were still several points that I remember you could escape the play area, at least 3 of them being rewards for progress in the mainquests (main-quests plural, by the way, another lesson that more games should take from avernum) the second game was a little sloppier on that front but still...[/i]

norms29 wrote: i would second this notion, The Avernum games did an admirable job of this, although the first 2 had the advantage of being in an underground tunnel system with limited exits. but there were still several points that I remember you could escape the play area, at least 3 of them being rewards for progress in the mainquests (main-quests plural, by the way, another lesson that more games should take from avernum) the second game was a little sloppier on that front but still...[/i]

I'm very interested by the concept of multiple main quests. Could you tell more about how Avernum dies this ?

Not a game mechanic in any existing game, but I had a friend who wanted to design a role-playing game where the primary resolution mechanic is based around aggregate dice pools, ala' WEG Star Wars. However, instead of using traditional 6-sided dace, he instead wanted to use Fudge dice.

For those of you unfamiliar, Fudge dice are 6-sided dice that have two faces showing a +(worth +1), two faces showing a 0 (worth zero), and two faces showing - (worth -1).

He thought these would be easier for counting up totals. He failed to realize two things:

A) You're both adding and subtracting within the same roll. Not a huge deal, but not as efficient as adding straight positive values.

B) Since there is equal likelihood on each Fudge die of getting a positive and negative value, it means that the average is always 0 no matter how many dice you roll. This is in a system where the better you are at something, the more dice you get to roll.

Once I explained this to him, he looked at me as if I just told him Santa Claus wasn't real (spoiler alert).

silva wrote:I'm very interested by the concept of multiple main quests. Could you tell more about how Avernum dies this ?

The Avernum games are pretty great, but he's overselling it. There are usually a number of quest lines that get you the gem-encrusted plot-coupons that you need to unlock the door for the final quest.

Ed wrote:

silva wrote:I'm very interested by the concept of multiple main quests. Could you tell more about how Avernum dies this ?

The Avernum games are pretty great, but he's overselling it. There are usually a number of quest lines that get you the gem-encrusted plot-coupons that you need to unlock the door for the final quest.

my memory's not as good on the third one, but the first two didn't have A final quest. they had 3 (or possible 4) major long-term goals given to you super early. in the first game it was Find the escape tunnel to the surface. kill the emperor, and kill the demon lord i think, the war with the lizard men might also be one, unless it's tied into one of the first three.

I refer to them as seperate main quests because when you reach the end of anyone of them it gives you the victory screen and more or less asks if you're done or will you do the other quests.

I'm counting any game-long quest lines that doesn't demand you do the other quest line to be seperate quests which are equally main.

Avernum really was much more detailed world design than actual multiple plots (at least, assuming that they kept the Exile plots...).