New Way of Building

[elveron]

Here is an idea that I have seen and done in the past that works well, because we could use influx of new zones still (granted we have had new zones, we need more). I am sorry I haven't participated I really haven't gotten up the gumption to learn world builder again (been many moons since I used it).

Here is my idea (remember theme is just me shooting out a theme, it could be anything).

Take the theme Medieval myths (vampires, werewolves, witches).

Here is what you could do:
50 room basic zone called the Badlands of Wamphyri (Hills surrounding the mountain spires of Wamphri).

Now someone builds a basic 50 room zone with minimal mobs, lets say me.

Now here comes Tam and he goes lets add roving Wolf Packs to this zone, so he does.

Now Here comes Toons and goes lets add a Coven of Witches 30 rooms that link of this zone.

Borac goes oh I want a Vampire Clan based on Blood Rites (30 rooms).

Elveron returns and goes, you know a pack of Vampire Slayers (50 rooms for medieval) would be cool.

The idea is pick a zone and all experienced builders could add there own (original) twist to this zone. The theme is set that is it, maybe the level of the zone. It can go a lot further when we did Under Water Caves on a past mud I would add 30-50 rooms and post here is what I was thinking we could do here. Someone else would run with it and add mobs/equipment or 2-3 people would.

What you could end up with is one of the most unqiue zones you have ever seen because it will be one large linked theme zone that could be build by 10 or 11 people in reality.

Just a thought, Pirate Theme, Assassin Guild, Mystic Occultists, Zone based on roving clan of gypsies, it could easily be another theme.

Steven

[Mal]

This is tough to respond too.

As far as I know, there is nothing stopping anyone from adding to an already existing zone (once approved). Adding to an already existing zone would need to 'fit' the zone (match its theme).

So I am guessing what you are really suggesting is, instead of writing complete zones - which is time consuming, can burn out AND probably do not want people messing around too much in your work of art... instead write zones with the intention that someone else will add to it.

I really like this idea. The challenges I see would be:
1. everyone writes 'differently', if I were to write a mob into Step's zones you would _know_ it wasn't written by Step.
2. someone writing an 'interesting' 50 room zone with minimal mobs would be, well, a lot of hard work and not a lot of fun for *me*.
3. who would be in charge of keeping the 'flow' of the zone (should vampire slayers and vampires be able to wander into the same room? is every mob an eq group mob?)
4. who would be in charge of making sure people keep to the theme? (but I really want a black fire breathing dragon beside augustus!)

My intention is not to shoot this idea down, I honestly really like it, I am just trying to point out what I see and hopefully we can come up with solutions. I've considered offering some sort of prize for the best described room that meets some requirement. For example, the 50 'interesting' hill rooms is damn hard to write without just repeating yourself, instead of doing it yourself -- ask mudders to send in descriptions of a hill room, reward the person who sent in the best description (and maybe some of the runners up if you can) and then use the submitted entries in your zone to keep it 'interesting' and 'not repeating'. This is kind of what your suggesting, on a very very small scale. Another example would be, send a mob description that would be found in hills (with a theme of xyz).

If we get enough players having fun doing this, it could really rock for us. If only one person enters each time, it would be just another failed idea.

Aaron

[ching]

When Brett (aka Shoes) was writing the Underworld, he did ask for input on the various theams. "Sin" mobiles, etc. There are a few people who can see their own work in the UW area. So it can be done. However you do need somebody to tie it all together and have it keep the same flavor so it keeps a reasonable smoothness to it. There is nothing to stop people from teaming up as it is now. Brett simply just did his area via all of the normal approvals etc, he also asked for input on the mud boards. Simple stuff.