septembervirgin

Why not just have different types of lockpicks for different challenge levels and demand that the character have a lockpick to pick a lock. A character who can tap a lack with their fingernails and have it unlock is the Fonz or Elminster (or called ahead for reservations). It sounds to me as if lockpicks were going to exist as crutches rather than necessary tools for picking locks.

Hey, I just sort of thought *some* people didn't want bundles of skeleton key disintegrating lockpicks to add a 1:1 bonus to lockpicking skill. So there it is. If you genuinely love the idea, love it further. If you're just leaping to the defense of a concept that really shouldn't arise as a reality, go for that too. I guess I'm the only one who doesn't like the idea of ablative lock picks. As to lock picks being made on the sly, hey, I guess they're not bought in *stores* then? I sorta imagined it would be like security spikes. If lockpicks are being made, there's probably a tradition to making them, and craft technique improves over time. Given no real shortage in iron (unless there is a shortage in iron) and given that some lockpicks are likely to be superior in quality to other lockpicks, the superior lockpicks would be chosen over inferior lockpicks. But any set of rationales could be given to having icicle lockpicks. I really don't care to defend my position any further, as imagination can be berated at length without agreement. And I am obviously not the only one who feels that lockpicks shouldn't be self-eliminating -- if there's not just one Furry in the world, there's at least three were-tigers. So I can use "we" with impunity, even if I'm impugned as royalty for using the term. It's not really the royal we, just an assumptive we.

From the interview with Sawyer: I think that rules that permit for spending dozens of lockpicks for higher skill is not a concept granting us confidence in your serious and devoted approach to the game; we begin to think the game will be trivial, sufficient enough to joke about in an interview. Please have a bit more gravitas. I might seem like a circus clown to those more articulate and successful, but my forum antics needn't be infectious. If a person purchases a lockpick, even if you don't want to simulate the actual process of lockpicking and the variety of lockpicks that come in handy (multiple lockpocks because each job might require any of dozens of non-expendable lockpicks), you should have them buy one lockpick that is as durable as a dagger. There might be three types of lockpick, one enchanted, one masterwork and of course the typical lockpick. If lockpicks are icicles made out of sacred potions then I understand why they need be sacrificed for an ability bonus. Otherwise, please stop and reconsider. Skill rolls should not be "throw-away ideas" like the roll-under a number plus bonuses. That's one of the older concepts for skills and although not much thought seems to go into skill checks, more thought should go into it. As to what method should be used, I leave that to the greater discretion of Sawyer and his co-workers. It's easy to esteem them, but perhaps it's also easy to worry that we'll be carrying around five bundles of ninety nine icicle lockpicks.

I was thinking. What if a cavern experiences a seasonal outbreak of flesh-eating mold spore? Better yet, if cavern depths "sweat" a neurotoxin in reaction to the heat of human bodies and great heat, such as a torch, creates a highly dangerous gas?

I see three separate types of areas. Make pastoral areas with many atmospheric components. These areas can be used for camping, exploration, puzzle solving, lethal trap removal (or triggering), resource discovery or purchase, looking at something pretty, meeting Inviolable NPCs. Make dangerous areas with very few atmospheric components. These areas have dangers aplenty, treasures, hindering traps (rather than lethal) that attract opponent notice, and potentially hostile/vulnerable NPCs. NPCs should work in ordered tandem in most cases, using treasures that are effective for them. Make conditionally inhospitable areas with some atmospheric components that only activate when a player's character is close by. These areas can be dangerous if the plot signifies it becomes dangerous or if a player's character activates a ritual or somehow acts (or has acted) in a way that upsets the equilibrium. The traps in this area, if any, should be activated by magic sequences, hidden controls, or command words. The NPCs should be skittish or or non-apparent with a few clues or cues that the area could become more dangerous.

I love the idea of a pie chart or even a few pie charts. I don't see any problem with giving basic assumed costs with pie charts, no breach of privacy, just transparency. Also, a break down of funds might be useful in giving the forum members something to do besides harangue over the same few ideas they have access to. New information makes the brain come up with new ideas and though it might seem unlikely, it could attract one or two smart suggestions. Also, it could make an extra update in addition to those normally given, which should get our blood up.

There are several ways of approaching the idea of "hanging out" in strongholds (or taverns even) but please bear with a brief description? At low levels, adventuring is an extremely unlikely and unrealistic prospect. There is no real universal law insuring that low level adventurers will be met with low level opposition, especially if they're unsure of the rigors involved in exploration. I imagine that combat capable low-level characters are usually not adventurers except in very rare cases. In most situations, these characters are at varying rank in guards, militia, gangs, noble-led military, and the like. I would think lower middle level characters might band together to explore the wilds or investigate rumors of treasures and monsters, but the protagonal characters are probably unique for the story demands these characters be unique. Now, in a world full of unexpected dangers, not the least of which might be (teleporting mind-controlling invisible) cipher serial killers, capable characters will be in demand and fairly active. In a stronghold, especially a newly established stronghold, capable characters will have "lives" which are not so much on hold. In a tavern, the tavern becomes their temporary relaxation spot, but that doesn't mean they're inactive. People will hold them in esteem, people will measure their greatness by their apparent safety, people will run screaming to them with their woes as regards teleporting mind-controlling carnivorous wildebeests and vampire pumpkins. If there are monsters, there will be danger, and if there are capable characters then some of these characters are willful and lawless, mean-spirited even. So it's likely that characters who stay on in the stronghold aren't going to be dutiless, and those who stay in taverns aren't just getting drunken. If characters don't have random tales to tell of their deeds that are affixed and bound by situation, the writers aren't doing their jobs or aren't being permitted to do their jobs. Remember slots and variables, as if you're playing mad-lib with dice and also with situational rules and modifiers.

They should hire this guy. He's wonderful but somewhat hard to obtain. Listen to him though, he's perfect!

I rather like the idea of no spell icons. Temple of Elemental Evil had the best approach, IMHO.

I feel that an infernal bargain is an interesting idea. It might even be seen as similar to writing erotica for a portion of an audience one is beginning to grow estranged from (see Bioware). However, I think the player characters should be the ones who are open to the bargaining. After all, what better a way to involve the player in the game than to permit the character to damn themselves then to slowly extricate themselves from such a problematic situation. Now, if we have such a bargain available, then surely there is a structural framework for the movement and assignment of souls. Should a soul be "given" to someone with power to collect and to use that soul, it could be used in several ways, but in no way should "soul manipulation" be unexpected and outside what might be predicated by existing cipher powers. That is, if cipher powers seem to grow in a certain way, and certain powers seem to be outside their ability, even minimally, it might be guessed that no soul manipulation would permit even a variety of that excluded power. Another interesting concept to draw player attention is to present them with a real evil spirit. Yes, a cursed computer game that breaks the fourth wall and offers an actual deal with infernal spirits could be impressive to a certain growing portion of the gaming populace. Demands should not be illegal. In no way should it seem that sacrifices, violence, nor any form of illegality would be associated with this transaction. Asking the player directly if they'd like to sell their own soul might be a strong selling point and popularize this game freely, should Christian Right Wing groups hear tell about the ground breaking soul-based gameplay. Of course, the question arises as to type of sorcery to use to summon the spirt. The two traditional hermetic schools I'm familiar with are of differing mind as regards supposedly infernal spirits. One feels that no spirit is wicked so much as having been subjected to propaganda and slander. The other approaches magic from a Abrahamic viewpoint and feels that any spirit when governed by sacred names cannot do evil. Both could be called theurgy. On second thought, let's just stick to keeping our walls intact as regards this, eh? We don't want to be the inspiration for a new serial killer, right?

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60465-gods-in-eternity/page__st__40?do=findComment&comment=1222857

http://forums.obsidian.net/topic/60465-gods-in-eternity/page__st__40?do=findComment&comment=1222857

Personality is also fictional. We use the term personality loosely; it does not cover as much ground as a mile and air floats through it unhindered. Personality is the unique set of traits and characteristics that make each individual unique..... Yet these traits and characteristics change constantly. When a person believes in personality and indeed in personhood, it seems they're deluded in other ways too, much in the same way that people who believe in souls are deluded. Yes, everyone is different much in the way that every body is different, but we can examine the world for every minute difference and try to describe it this way, but it bogs down and inaccuracies occur eventually. To be accurate with such a low technology as we have, we sometimes must be succinct and we must sometimes generalize, but eventually personalities will be described as atomic variations. These variations can be put to good use. Yes. Inaccuracy blooms all around us. The Technocracy will eventually eradicate inaccuracy. The term "humankind" is also too generalized. Eventually humankind will perish -- as a term -- and be replaced by quantum definition of substance. We will be cogs in the Great Machine.

I don't think it should be part of the Endless paths. It would take too much to allure party members to the stronghold. I have played a computer game that did have a stronghold nearby a purportedly dangerous region and the game took this into account, but there were problems with NPC romancing eachother and not moving away from the spots where they talk woo to one another. Silly stuff. I've never seen it published. However, the romancing NPC were not the problem. The problem was that the game never seemed to take into account food and fresh water, clothing, etc. For a stronghold to survive there needs to be access to goods, through trade or through goats or something. Hamster fur might do the trick, should the woods be full of hamsters.

I think part of the challenge should be making sure to leave before your resources are used up. If you can waltz through old levels without a hassle, that's problematic because the dungeon is slowly becoming a cow with a ladder up its back. If you all like cows with ladders up their backs, that's fine, but some of us don't like the idea. And we're sharing a barn here. I think there should always be some challenge throughout the dungeon, so meandering about in any direction can bring a challenge. Of course, if undead manifesting is just not the thing, then maybe we're gonna be a ladder-cow barn. I suppose it could be cow-bell anyway.

When I think of mature content, I realize that my love for literary works is primarily for immature literature. Sensationalist novels, such as Borges and Beckett, allure by monumental excess. Brilliant architects and sorcerers they might be, but what they ain't is mature. John Irving and Mark Helprin, Salman Rushdie and Kathy Acker. This is not mature writing that I love, albeit the issues these authors approach are the issues of humankind. We're not being mature when we have to evoke the land of the dead, question the sanity of arch-angels, describe copulation, elicit love for bear-costumed women, and sputter out bathroom humor twisted with a punk version of hallmark greeting cards. We know we're not being mature when we gleefully tread the dried ink surfaces, noting the latest murder by so-called heroes, applauding their thievery, wishing we too could defy the gods (gods who doubtlessly try hard but are otherwise too busy for us). So mature content sure as hell isn't Fritz Leiber, Clive Barker, Samuel R Delany, Tanith Lee, nor Joanna Russ. Mature content is not going to be in Project Eternity. Nor do we seek maturity except to sanctify our transubstantiated blood sport (seen blood into the word blood). So what we will find is entertainment, dashing and vivacious. We will be surgical prize-fighters cutting into the foe and committing numb murder after numb murder, we will be the special forces of the evening star and shatter diamonds with our hard greed. We have the maturity of Sartre's The Stranger yet we will understand that novel as a Cure song about killing people of different nationalities than ourselves, because when we kill, it will be villains who seemingly deserve murder. Like humor, killing and dying is wonderful fun when you're not the target, and it's best when the target is artwork. This is what most people do not understand about Colbert and Silverman. They only mock fictional celebrities, celebrities who destroy their selfhood to unify with the wants of the people, celebrities who are transfixed by the evil hungers of the public. Feed us a Gomorrah built up of luminous dreams, we beg. Here it is, they say, and it looks like your steaming brains. I seek the same things, for I am an ogre and I love to watch the christmas lights suffer.

I think someone mentioned vampire pumpkins before on a bulletin board I was on once. So I will mention it. There is a Balkan belief that some pumpkins can become vampires and furthermore are at war. Be careful come Halloween.

To dissolve and hence drink the internal fluids of a creature, these vampires must cut the creature with their sharp stinger tongue. This means they put their mouth to the victim. Furthermore, books on international vampire myth and legend often include the Viesczy which cuts with its tongue and drinks blood *and* eats flesh. I do not see how this vampire diverges much from the widely varying legends. There are many monsters that are considered "vampiric" in that they drain life force and internal fluids yet are not specifically vampyr. To call them vampires might be an approximation that's acceptable except to "pretty vampire" fans. I always seemed to trust the hideous vampire stories more; the dashing, erotic vampire is bringing the vampire myth into a teenage love story. And that's where the "beautiful aristocratic vampire" was going all along. Forever young, forever beautiful? A teenage love story, that's where it ends. Nevermind that corpses decay and the power of evil sorcery moves the corpse to torture and kill the living people? Of course the mind rebels at a *horror* story about *scary* vampires. Egads. I think it's high time to return the vampire to its roots of being a dreadful monster that slaughters and devours. And here's a potential vampire for Eternity. I hope the designers find a use for it.

Personality is also fictional. We use the term personality loosely; it does not cover as much ground as a mile and air floats through it unhindered.

I actually like the idea of eating in pubs, rations, and making rolls to urban living or wilderness survival to resist starvation. There should be a standard city law that taxes all visitors through the common gates to cover the potential expense of starvation and privation. Hence, characters can expect they will receive blankets and basic foodstuff should they find themselves homeless. * There should be three states of hunger: hungry, starving, and dead. Hunger is a state of weakness that follows lack of sufficient nutrition. Hunger gives minor disadvantages in skills, combat, movement, "saving throws", or just reduces all attributes by a small amount. Starvation is the slow road to death, causing damage per day without food and negating any benefit of rest. Death occurs when sufficient damage has been taken by starving to kill the victim of malnutrition. * If a character is in a pub or inn, it should be assumed they're eating enough to alleviate starvation but not hunger. If they buy food, it should be of the remarkable sort or something to alleviate hunger. If they buy a room, they should receive food and drink along with the room. This should be insinuated in the cut scene for resting. In a pub or inn, a character might become hungry but won't starve. * If a character is in a city (or rural farmland) but not in a pub or inn, it should be assumed that food and drink are available, so they stop starving but do remain hungry. If a skill roll is made on Urban Survival, they manage to get sufficient food and assuage their hunger. They cannot starve but might become hungry (or remain hungry). Diseases are possible if their Urban Survival roll is a fumble. A critical success might yield an alleviation of fatigue (discovered a good place to rest). * If a character is in a wildland, they must roll against Wilderness Survival to avoid hunger. A fumble can bring diseases. A critical can alleviate disease and poison.

I like the idea but I'm not sure it would serve outside a potential story hook. Remember the prison in Dragon Age Awakening? How often was that used? We're not likely to get capturing foes as a standard game-play feature now. I tried pitching the idea earlier... but I think this game is kinda outside the concept of ransoming foes. AD&D subdual damage was useful against dragons and developed into non-lethal damage that could be used against any opponent. This was almost never used to tie up a foe and drag them back to the local lord for ransoming. *sigh*

Initially, the only bonus humans got was unlimited progression in classes that permit unlimited progression as well as the wide range of attribute spread (3-18) that signifies variety. Of course, not everyone rolled three six sided dice once the Dungeon Master's Guide was released...

The concept art is probably "proof of concept". Yeesh, it does look dated, but it's probably all he can afford presently.

I'm actually rather excited by this but I do not want to sound like an advertisement. So I'll just say that a Californian now has rights to the Ars Magica computer game and he seems to be approaching it as a single-player Grand Strategy RPG on a civic scale. I do not think it will span nations so much as cities in the same Tribunal (it looks like Stonehenge Tribunal). The year span is 1000-1100 AD. The game is multi-generational, so starting characters will probably not see the end of the game. He's trying to raise 290 grand and his due date is November 18. He's already raised 14322 and has 253 backers. I actually am not sure how much advertising he's done. There's a notice on the Atlas Games website, but I've not seen widespread mention. It's an ambitious project. http://www.kickstart...gica-video-game Here's product information about the dice and book role-playing game Ars Magica. It is a worthy successor to Chivalry and Sorcery in every way. http://www.atlas-games.com/arm5/