Assumptions

Well, I've gotten some of the scripting work for Casa done and sent, so I figured I'd take a break from the monotony to write a bit about the assumptions of my world. A year or so back, I realized my world was becoming too closely linked with D&D. Their cosmologies and histories were blurring together. So I decided to make some changes. Ironically, many of the changes I made ended up finding their way into D&D 4E. Still, there's some things that differentiate my setting and the generic 4E D&D setting. So let's compare the assumptions of the 4E game world versus those of my world.

In 4E...

• the world is more fantastic. This is a huge step forward. Previous editions of D&D felt the need to have every one of their lands and cultures be an analogue of some real-life culture. This was especially prevalent in the Forgotten Realms, where Oriental Adventures (Asia) and Matzica (Yucatan) were straight out of real life, and as such did not fit with the rest of the setting. Some of the cultures, such as the Ffolk of the Moonshae Isles, fit with the setting but were still so close to real life that it often broke the fantastical portion. Go with what makes sense in your setting, not what happened in reality. Shadows & Silver, like 4E will often be inspired by real life, but it will also have things for which there is no historical analog.
• the world is ancient. In Shadows & Silver, countless empires have risen and fallen, and many of them have been lost to history. Not even the immortal fae remember all of history. Those whose mythology tells them how the world or even their race was created may be correct, or the tale may have been so twisted in the countless of thousands of years of retelling that it is completely false. Because the world is so ancient, there is no end to the mysteries to be uncovered.
• the world is mysterious. Even in the scientific awakening of modernity, man knows only so much about his world. True, his empires have been vast and his explorers have gone far and wide. But danger and disaster keep most folks at home, leaving what is beyond the border to the adventurous. Most folks know some about what lies beyond their home, but only those who have been there know anything beyond myth.
• monsters exist all over. In this, Shadows & Silver differs from D&D. Monsters are thick in my world, though they have been driven from the lands and thoughts of men. They lurk in the mysterious reaches of the world, and in those old, haunted ruins everyone's always afraid to go into. In civilized lands, though, monsters are rare, and people who believe in them are rarer.
• creatures need a place in the world. Everything that exists has an origin, and fantastical races and creatures are no exception. Many creatures have their origins in the original creation, or evolution, or even magical experiments. None exist without a reason.
• adventurers are exceptional. While not everyone needs to play a great adventurer, those who do will find they stand high above the common folk. Sure, the world has its heroes, but killing an orc in battle is extraordinary. Killing a dragon is enough to make a man a legend for decades.
• magic is not everyday, but it is natural. This I disagree with most of all. In Shadows & Silver, magic is nearly a thing of the past. Those few who do believe in it are judged to be either crazy or uneducated. Wizards do exist, but they carefully hide their activities for their own safety. In less civilized areas, mages can display their power much more openly.
• "good" and "evil" mean more. 4E makes alignment actually mean something. People don't fight against evil because they're good, they are good because they fight against evil. Evil is more than just bad thoughts. Because of this, very few people are aligned to good or evil. Judging someone's alignment is no longer possible with spells; you've got to judge based on that person's actions. This flows excellently with Shadows & Silver. The shades of grey concept is easier if good and evil are not so cut and dried. Being good is not about being nice, and being evil is not about being mean.
• the gods are remote. In Shadows & Silver, the Archons still grant power to clerics, but their direct involvement is a thing of ancient times. Some suspect that the Archons are dead and that the clerics are actually tapping into forbidden arcane sources. Whatever the case, man must rely on his own deeds rather than divine intervention.
• there is one sun and one moon. Shadows & Silver does not need some fantastic astronomy or absurd setting to make it interesting. The interest comes from the stories told within it.
• there are no forced race relations. I disagree with this somewhat. Sure, just because you're playing an orc doesn't mean you have to be enemies with elves and men. But racism runs high throughout much of Shadows & Silver, especially with those races perceived to be monsters.
• death matters differently. This is something I've hated in all previous versions of D&D. Coming back from the dead was simply a spell and a bunch of diamonds. In Shadows & Silver, returning from the dead comes at an enormous cost (but I won't reveal what it is yet ;) ).
• there are fantastic locations. Too often have I seen PCs adventure in places that are just not that interesting. The places you go should be as exciting as the fights. They should have effects on the battles and on the adventure in general. Shadows & Silver will have a lot of this.
• there's less evil fighting evil. This I'm mostly indifferent about. Since the world is not good versus evil, it doesn't really matter if evil fights evil. The world isn't cut and dried. What is important, though, is that the antagonists present a suitable challenge to the protagonists.

Well, that's a fair overview of some of the assumptions of the world. We'll do a little more scripting and building before the next post. See you then!

Frustrations... Again

Well, I finally got my computer back from the repair shop today, and I'm glad, because I've been going through withdrawal after not having it for a month. I've been working on my fiancée's computer, but I've found it's extremely difficult to do anything productive on a computer not my own. Unfortunately, it'll be a while before I can actually use my computer. See, HP wiped my hard drive, which I expected. The problem is that they installed Windows XP Media Center Edition, rather than Windows Vista Ultimate, which is what I had. So now I get to spend several hours getting the computer back in order and everything set the way it needs to be before I can get anything productive done.

Further frustrations are in my scripting work for Casa. The XP system has some bugs that need to be worked out, but the biggest problem is a design flaw: it requires creatures to have a particular death script set on them. Now, that's fine for any custom creatures. But CEP creatures and those from the standard palette can't have their scripts changed, and that means creating a custom copy of those creatures. While I plan to pretty much use all custom creatures myself, thus negating this issue, Casa doesn't, which means he needs me to rewrite the default death script to use my scripts instead. Simple enough. But then it occurs to me that this problem could pop up all over the place. What about when I write a spawn system? The creatures will need custom spawn scripts. And what if I have a standard creature that needs one custom death script and another that needs two? I can't have the same script run two different things. So I'm basically rewriting all the default creature scripts to use my HCR2 1.6 creature events, and putting the original BioWare code into their own scripts, which he can set to be called if he wants. The problem is, it's insanely tedious, especially since I'm having to write documentation on each one (something everyone should do in their scripts but, lamentably, few do). Add to that the difficulty in working on someone else's computer and you see some of my problem. The good news is that I'm almost done. Hopefully this weekend the scripts will be fixed and I can go back to bug testing the XP system.

Speaking of the XP system, if anyone wants to help me test it (not sure how many folks there are who read this), please shoot me an email (squatting_monk at yahoo.com) or comment and I'll send you a sample module. I plan on posting it on the Vault when all the kinks are worked out, both in an HCR2 version and in a stand-alone version.

Frustrations

I'm rather upset right now as to my total lack of progress since my last entry. I went to Pennsylvania for two weeks to plan my wedding, but I brought along my computer so I could keep busy with building and scripting. Well, the motherboard failed, and when I called HP's tech support, the technician informed me that there is a recall on them. Wonderful. He said he'd send the boxes to my address in PA so that my computer could be fixed and shipped back to my home in Texas. It didn't quite work out that way. Instead, HP twice shipped the boxes to my Texas residence and I've never gotten anything here. I go home tomorrow, so I suppose I'll get to box up my computer then. Until then, though, I'm stuck on a Windows 98 computer with dialup and without NWN, which means I can't really be productive at all.

*sighs*

Scripting the XP System

I said that this time I'd offer some more information on the world, but instead I felt like ranting about scripting. The reason for this is that I'm needing to get a lot of scripting done before I can really build anything that's guaranteed for inclusion in the draft of the module. Earlier I listed several custom systems I'm planning on/am in the process of scripting, and they're some of the things that make up the core of the world. You've gotta have a foundation before your walls can stand.

Well, the problem with scripting is that it's not like building. With building you can open the toolset and fiddle around until you have a nifty idea or a fit of inspiration. With scripting, you need to know what you want and have already figured out how to get there. It's harder, I suppose, though I honestly prefer scripting because constant planning is more reliable for me than fits of inspiration, and I'm more likely to get a bunch of scripting done than a bit of building.

Why the rant, then? Well, I'm getting jittery. I've got so many neat ideas that I want to pull off in this world, but I'm still stuck doing the basic systems. I know that if I jump into scripting the cool ideas I have that I'll just have to come back later and restructure things to work within the confines of my base, which means more work and lots of headaches. Still, it's aggravating to still be working on an XP system, my current project. That said, I've accomplished quite a bit on it, and it's an extremely robust system that Casa and I will both be using in our worlds. The trouble is, I've had to cut some of the features because they were just impractical. That's the problem with designing large systems (and the XP system is well over 1500 lines right now): you're tempted to throw too much in, and if you're not careful, it becomes a veritable maze.

I'm to the point where I can start writing some documentation on it, and documentation helps, not only because it lets others know how to use the scripts, but also because it makes sure you've covered everything you needed to. You'd be surprised how often you can build a large system only to realize later that you've forgotten one or two pieces of the puzzle that are necessary to actually make it work. For now, though, let's look at the features of my XP system (based on Knat's Flexible PW XP System and the Vives class-based rewards). The following is a list of features I told Casa the system should have. What I've finished (for the most part) is crossed out, what I still have to do is in red, and what I've dropped from the system is grey:

• Change the overall XP gain rate in one setting
• Change XP gain for custom subraces
• Overcome multiclassing XP penalties
• Keep players from exploiting the game by not levelling up as soon as they get the chance
• Change XP gain for individual levels to make advancement easier or harder
• Change XP gain for individual classes (useful for putting those HiPS-spamming
• Shadowdancers in their place)
• Modify the XP gain of each class based on whether it's Ability, Combat, Crafting, Discovery, or Magic XP
• Change the overall Ability, Combat, Crafting, Discovery, and Magic XP gain for all classes
• Easily change whether or not XP types base their rewards on DC or flat rates
• Award extra XP for extraordinary success in skill rolls
• Reward partying in combat
• Give a kill bonus to the PC to deliver a killing blow
• Modify the XP gained from monsters too far from the PC's level
• Reduce XP for PCs too far from the average party level
• Persistently reduce XP gains from killing the same monster or casting the same spell over and over
• Give Rangers a bonus for killing their favored enemies
• Keep PCs who are miles away from the party from getting everyone else's combat XP
• Change the XP soaked up by other PCs in the party, henchmen, and summons
• Gain XP for using skills, including perception, diplomacy, and thievery
• Gain XP for using Bard Song, Animal Empathy, and combat-related feats
• Get XP for crafting based on the difficulty of making the item
• Get XP for discovering new areas, tidbits of information, and random things of interest
• And most importantly, every setting can be customized or even turned off

As you can see, things have come a long way. Using the system will be easy, but there's a lot of complicated stuff going on in the background. There's only a few things left in the list, but those things are incredibly tedious. I need to hook into Bard Song, spells, combat-related feats, and plenty of other really boring things. Hopefully I'll force myself to do it in just a couple of days and I'll have something Casa can test.

Until then, folks!

The Base, Part 4

In designing the starting city for the players, I need to settle on a few things to flesh it out. So far we've got a city that was near a battleground that has ruined the land, where food is difficult to grow, and where the poor are heavily oppressed and starved by the elite. It's good stylistic information, and you need to have a solid sense of flavor if you want your locations to stand out. But you also need some concrete details, so this time we'll work on that. Ray Winninger suggests several areas to start with:

A local authority:
Any home base needs to be at least somewhat stable. You don't want it being invaded by monsters or constantly having revolutions or wars. at least, not until your player base is sufficiently entrenched in the world to do something about it. Someone needs to keep control. In the case of our home base, we've already decided that whoever runs the place ultimately bows to the Church, so it could be run by the clergy. However, we also know that the local nobles manage to keep food locked away from the masses. Nobility suggests a monarchy. Now, while there is a historical precedent for clergy and monarchy vying for power, that smacks of the Middle Ages, and I want something more modern. Imperialism is closer to the attitudes I imagine people in this world having, so let's use that.

Our city was once part of a large mannish empire that spanned much of the known land. It had spread by conquering feudal territories, and those rules that surrendered peacefully were promoted to high-ranking government offices. Often, this meant oversight of local industry, which was controlled by the state. After the fall of the empire (due to plague and the recent war), many nobles fragmented their lands with war as they tried to carve their own feudal kingdoms from the carcass of the empire. As one of the core provinces, our city was particularly favored by the imperial Church, which worked hard to maintain order. As a result, most of the original government still stands, though lack of oversight by an emperor has allowed the officials to seek their own interests, rather than the good of the state. The government, then, is a small republic which represents the upper class: former imperial officials, wealthy families, and businessmen. Wealth gets you a place in politics, and the purpose of the political system is to maintain the privilege of the elite. The fact that the city is one of the primary trading ports in the old imperial lands means that they make quite a killing.

Who, though, is in charge? I'll settle on a fellow named Albus Engelhardt. Though he comes from a long line of nobles, he's chosen to ally himself with the imperial remnant, preferring his title of Governor to any conferring royalty. My inspiration for him comes from Havelock Vetinari of the Discworld novels. He's ruthless, but smart enough to realize he can't be brutal. As such, he courts the Church, and their charity work helps to pacify the populace. He also maintains efficient control over the republic, guiding policies so that the only entrench him more into power. Also of note in the city are the Harbormaster (who controls the docks and, thus, trade), the Marshal (who commands the city guard), and the Pontifex (the local head of the imperial Church).

That's a major piece of the puzzle, which means we need a secret about the rulers. I'm settling on the fact that Engelhardt has orcish blood in his veins, a fact he keeps quite hidden.

Townsfolk:
A city isn't just composed of rulers. They have to have someone to rule, and these are the people who the players will encounter most often. Where do they live and what do they do? What lifestyle do they have? How many are there?

I already know that the poor are starving wretches. But my more modern civilization suggests there is a rising middle class. I'm going to divide my townsfolk into three groups, then: the upper class (the aforementioned nobles, but also business owners), the middle class (merchants and shopkeepers), and the lower class (factory workers, farmers, and laborers). I know I want my city straddling a river, and this provides the perfect opportunity to split them up. The southern side of the river will be called the Southside, and is largely slums where the poor live. The Upper Side (side the Northside just doesn't sound as neat as Southside) is where the upper and middle class live, though the upper class citizens live in walled communities. The centers of business are located near the docks, so the wealthy either conduct business there or works from their homes through aides. I think my middle class's shops should be located in high-traffic areas such as the major roads and the docks, though there will be a few mingled with the general housing. The slums have plenty of little gardens and street merchants, but most of their work is done in the large factories the slums are centered around. The desperate and criminals slave away at the water treatment plant upriver. All in all, I'd say there's around 70,000 people in this city. There were far more, but many have fled or died because of famine and plague.

What's a secret for this? Those plant workers? Their bodies and minds are often horribly twisted from constant exposure to the toxins in the water, and there are a few communities of crazies scattered throughout the slums.

Shops:
Players need to buy things, and NPCs need to make money to survive. The lower class is likely to be more self-sufficient than the upper and middle class, since these two groups often specialize in their labor types. This means you'll generally find more shops in the richer quarters, and the shops will be more specialized the more wealthy those living in the location are. what types of things are for sale? What is the place known for? What is rare and in high demand? What is worthless?

Since factories are common in this city, we'll say there's plenty of manufactured goods. Metal implements are likely sold by large businesses, and they'll likely be cheaper than hand-made ones. Still, in a city like ours, crime is probably high, so basic weapons are likely to be easily obtainable. You'll be hard-pressed to find heavy armor or martial weapons here, though; those are banned by the government unless you have a licence. Wooden or cloth items are likely to be made by the general populace, though. I'm going to imagine that fine clothing, food, and books and other intellectual pursuits will be marks of wealth in this city. Local food is probably limited to bread, fish, and bland vegetables, so meat, spices, and fruit are likely to be hot commodities. I'm going to have some fun here and take a page from Firefly: some manufacturing companies have managed to synthesize proteins and combine them with high-density carbohydrates and other nutrients into bland but relatively nutritious food, sort of like protein bars. Everyone hates it, but it's cheap.

As for a secret here, I'm deciding that there's a thriving black market located in the sewers and slums. If you have the money, you can get some exquisite goods; but these are often stolen from nobles or the Church.

Temples:
Religion needs a place in most towns. Especially when people are as bad off as they are in Shadows & Silver, people need an opiate. Here, the Church fills this need. As the only sanctioned religion, it has small chapels and shrines scattered throughout the city. In the poor quarters, the chapels often are centers of charitable work, and soup kitchens are common. In the richer areas, they serve mostly to receive donations and prey on the rich's guilt over their oppression of the poor. The local pontifex makes his abode at a grand cathedral on an island in the middle of the river (which is where I'm also putting the seat of government).

Other religions are not as common as the Church of the Archons, but their cults do exist. Clergy of the Elemental Tides and the Fae Courts find their greatest supporters among the poor, who seek a change in the status quo. While the Church does not actively oppose these religions, their followers are often seen as troublemakers and are rarely trusted. Here's a secret: demon- and devil-worshippers are found most often in the wealthy sectors, where it has become vogue to dabble in black arts forbidden by the Church.

A fantastic element:
This is a fantasy, so we need something fantastic to distinguish the place and make it stand out in the minds of the players. I'm going to make this a secret about the city: some of the populace in the poorer quarters are afflicted with lycanthropy. On nights of the full moon, they roam the shadowy alleys. Their existence has never been proven, since the Church works behind the scenes to exterminate them. Gruesome killings are reported fairly often, though these are usually attributed to local gangs.

Alright, that's a lot of good stuff. But one thing is still bothering me: I don't have a name for my city. I've thought for a long time and think I've finally settled on one: Midport. I'm thinking it'll have been named for the island port in the middle of the river, which is now called Midport Proper. Sounds good!

So now I've got plenty of good solid details about Midport. How about some screenshots? The following pictures are made using the Gothic City and CC City Exterior tilesets, available on the NWVault. I think I like the Gothic City look better, since it's darker. It also feels more modern than the medieval-esque CC City Exterior shots. All of them are devoid of placeables and NPCs, though I went ahead and put some doors in so they didn't look too odd. Look at 'em and tell me what you think. First the Gothic City...






And now the CC City Exterior...







Next time we'll work some on the world at the national level. Until then, enjoy the screenshots!