The Elementalists Vortex

[Soul]

Hola,

My zone... as complete as I would like it to be is still missing something... what it is, I don't know offhand and I was wondering if anyone would like to contribute some ideas that they would ike to see go into a new zone? The first revision on the zone is finished and getting ready for playertesting (so I hear) but I would like to maybe add in another 100 or so rooms based upon some suggestions and ideas from the people who actually play around in mortland. Give me some thoughts on what you would like to see in a zone and I'll work on getting them in. Thanks guys n gals.

Soul (or B if you prefer)

[Silverking]

Could you enlighten us a bit on what The Elementalists Vortex zone theme is? Maybe just a sneak peak? Maybe then some ideas could be generated.

[Soul]

Basically the zone consists of the 4 basic elements : Earth, Air, Fire and Water. I don't want to go too in depth on it since I don't want to spoil the zone... but I am looking for ideas in general for additions to the zone. Basically I was wondering aside from extremely overpowered eq... is there anything anyone would like to see done in a zone?

[pixie]

I would like to see more any level zones, ie a zone you can run in as any leve, though attempting to kill som mobs would be kinda taterish for 1-10 characters. There are an abundant number of high level zones, as well as low level zones that are used too often, it would be nice to have a balanced zone that was run not just as an xp tunnel (sp) or because some godly eq loads there (hellas). Not that i have anything against said zones, sp is very well written, maybe people (players, not writers) just dont care to read anymore.

I would also like to see clues in room desc. everywhere so people cant just run brief compact all over. I guess i am not proposing anything you can code, sorry, ill shut up.

-Pix

[pixie]

Oh I forgot, i dont know what you call the procs, but action things, like the woman in the sea of dreams, or the monk for scipio are way cool. I love hunting them down and figuring out what makes the work, maybe portals who wander and need commands along these lines would be nice to throw in, instead of doors or fixed portals.

-Pix

[ProtoClown]

I'd hate to make such a broad suggestion as this in the late stages of your zone creation, so this isn't just for your current zone, Soul.

I'd love it if someone would combine the zonefile tricks and tips Step discussed with some of the new powers our objects are capable of utilizing. It's now easy to create a one time use object portal (for groups or individuals) that loads in random locations, for instance (or using Step's tricks, load it in different specific locations in a specific pattern). This probably won't fit your zone's theme (from the little I know of your zone), but there could be other things you might do...

;D

[Soul]

Thanks guys for your replys first off. And Pixie you go right on with sharing your general thoughts about the zones as well I'm not only looking for room, obj, and mob proc ideas, but other things you would like to see added into the world... and this just doesn't include my current zone, but the 2 others I have on the backburner as well.
I was actually thinking (shocker eh) of using that exact proc PC for making a pseudo quest zone where you have to find random objects, assemble them, to make another object which teleports you into another area that is unreachable otherwise. Then from there maybe even doing it again using the same item from the inital makeable to make another... of course since both the subareas wouldnt be reachable without this device the parts would have to be fairly reasonable to load (like the keys to the universe when people arent stashing them) and by splitting the zone into 3 subsections by doing this... you could have the lower end mobs load in the first section... the mids in the 2nd... and the deadlys in the third (and of course balancing them as you go along)... Thanks guys you have given me some great advice. I'd still like more from more of our players also if your willing to give me your 2 cents... please do so!

B

[Silverking]

Hrm, is it possible to assemble two or more items, and have them create a mobile that loads an object?

I think that would be a nice feature...

[Ciara]

Yes... You could have 2 separate assemblables and have them make another object. You could also have assembled object 1 be part of assembled object 2 to make assembled object 3. If that makes any
sense...

Obj A: part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4
Obj B: part 5 part 6 part 7 part 8
Obj C: Obj A Obj B


Or

Obj A: part 1 part 2 part 3 part 4
Obj B: Obj A part 5 part 6 part 7
Obj C: Obj B part 8 part 9 part 10

all completely do able

[ProtoClown]

Silverking said:

Hrm, is it possible to assemble two or more items, and have them create a mobile that loads an object?

What Ciara said, plus:

Once testing is done, objects will be able to load mobs using a special proc. Mobs, of course, can load objects on death using their own special proc. So, yes, very very doable. (Technically they can do it now, but we still need to test several things -- waiting on my life to become stable and Ciara's move to finish so we can test , and I can complete my object procs documentation.)

PC

[sabbath]

Short and sweet:
I am a fan of assemblable keys (except I prefer alittle more creativity than The Universe)

PS
Can't wait to see your zone, B.

[Silverking]

I just had a really strange thought... What about a set of items that must be assembeled to create a wand or weapon that is capable of killing one specific mob. For instance, this mob is invincible to conventional weapons/spells, but when this assembeled item is created, and used on the monster, it can "vanquish" that particular monster. It would be absolutly useless against other mobs, but it could kill the specific mob without a problem.

[Soul]

Or a makeable that was a device object that toggled hidden doors, (though im sure that would involve some tweaking of the code) or stopped rooms from hurting you that have a slow (or fast) damage proc if you stand in them (i'm not even sure if we have this in as a room proc but it sure would kick)... heh funny what a mention of an idea can spawn. Thanks SK

Another idea which I had mentioned before was the possibilty of mobs having a "fire, cold, lightning" aura that damages people when they are fighting a perticular mob upon a successful hit. This could then lead to the development of fire protection scrolls / spells as well. Maybe even a possibility to be thrown in with class revisions and zone modifications

[pixie]

I am a fan of the elemental spell concept, earth air water fire, and magicka as a cover all for misfit dam spells, like magic missile. air opposite earth, fire opposite water. spells from same area(fire to fire elemental) should heal, opposites (water to fire) does above average dam, 2 off element do minimal to meager damage.

Might be a way to imp something like that for your zone... no clue, just a thought

[Griffon]

Here's a tricky little thought... maybe make different pieces of eq from different elementals, and be able to combine them into one. Maybe 2x bracelets of fire, 2x rings of Earth, shoes of air, and a cape of water, and combine them into a powerful on body armor of some kind. *shrugs*

Also, I would love to see key building, and a zone where you actually have to listen to the mobs speak in order to figure out what you are suppossed to do. That would be... cool. It would make the zone much more challenging and exciting, and make builders of the future think the same way.

And if you haven't already... if you have an immortal, take a walk through some of Step's zones. I took advantage of the downtime recently to look at Ravana(sp)... it's not just how you set it up or what's to be done... for us 'hardcore mudders', it's the way the zone is described. A picture is worth a thousand words, and if a paragraph written like Step's can form a beautiful picture in my mind, then he has definitely done his job.

Just my thoughts on the matter... and if you need a playtester, I would be more than willing to take a jaunt through it.

-Nic, who thinks this mud needs a lot more creative writers.

[Cordelia]

And if you haven't already... if you have an immortal, take a walk through some of Step's zones .. <SNIP!>

Pah. Use your mort to explore and uncover wonderfully written zones. I've been a big fan of Step's zones (the ones that I have visted) ever since I first read the zone description for SP [Straight Path] and Ravenna - beautiful, evocative and sensual.

It's theme, theme, theme. Once you have fleshed out and developed the theme, everything else follows (or should that be flows?). Pour your creativity into your theme rather than simply thinking about what clever procs you can add, and I guarantee you that most of the hard work will be done.

Side note: I disagree with Pix regarding additional all-level zones. Y'see, the theme should dictate the zone level i.e. city theme would naturally have elements for all levels but a descent into the underworld will naturally be for high level characters.

All the best for your zone, Soul. Just one tip: don't be in a rush. Good zones linger in the memory, as do bad zones, for entirely different reasons.

Regards,
Cordelia

[AirIIDII]

Has work stopped on this zone or can I continue playtesting it whenever able to again?

[Soul]

Work hasn't stopped on the zone. I'm just debating on if I want to submit the smaller version of the zone which is in it's final stages or add the 100+ rooms to it and go through the process again.