Torment 2: City Of Doors

[Oner]

Prequel: Nameless Begins

Vhailor=Scarecrow, Morte=Joker and Annah=Harley Quinn?

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

What about Planscape: Contentment in which we follow a group of uninteresting characters living a decent life in sigil with absolutely no incidents? No, wait, lets make it a dimension that looks exactly like a small swedish village in the 1950's where people do nothing but bake pies and talk about the weather. And in the end, you think something is going to happen, but it doesnt!

That would win an "Most Artistic Game of the Year Award".

[Tagaziel]

Precisely. Add Inon Zur as head composer and Todd Howard as designer.

 

WHAT CAN GO WRONG

[Oner]

And Uwe Boll directs the FMVs.

[HoonDing]

What's wrong with Inon Zur?

[CrazyPea]

Okay my first suggestions for a plot were universally hated and rightly so, they weren't particularly original or any good for that matter. Fair enough

 

So howabout this as an idea? Before anyone jumps on my back, I do not make any claims at being a brilliant writer (though my last NWN2 module has been moderately successful and has been published in the German magazine PC Games). Constructive criticism is welcome, constructive being the word to take note of...

 

Part One

 

Sigil, the City of Doors, The Cage; the gateway to the multiverse, is the trouble. The doors are closing and the Lady of Pain is nowhere to be seen. You are a member of the Godsmen Faction and like your brethren, you have been charged with finding the solution to the problem. Your first quest, however, is to find one of the few remaining open portals before the city becomes cut off completely.

 

The portal that you find it is unlike all of other portals in the city; rather than closing it has been wedged open and strange energy waves are pouring forth. Stepping through the portal is unlike no other experience you have ever had. Portal travel is usually quick and slightly disorientating, but here you feel like you are being ripped apart. You find yourself in a netherspace created by the opposing forces of the mysterious energy waves and the portal itself. Somehow you must navigate your way through this strange dimension.

 

On the other side you find yourself in the City of Brass. After various adventures, you find yourself in the palace of an Efreet prince. In one of the room in the palace there is the laboratory of the court Astrologer and Sage, Al

[Darth InSidious]

let me know what you think.

Honestly, IMO they're banal.

 

okay, I've thought of a few NPCs (I know your supposed work on think like plot first, but as I say this mostly for the fun of doing it). These are just thumbnails - and not set in stone - simply quick ideas just to get the old noggin working:

 

Ravashta: A male Deva trapped in the form on a homunculus. The homunculus takes the form of a winged Imp and found in a wizard

Edited August 17, 2009 by Darth InSidious

[CrazyPea]

Honestly, IMO they're banal.

 

Thank you. At least you took the time to be constructive in your criticism which I more than welcome. Yes, I agree the the characters have been done before in one form or another - of that there can be little doubt. In some cases, however, that's the point - they are archetypes that people can identify with. The mentor figure exists in most fantasy literaiture for example - Jolee, Gandalf, Merlin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Belgarath the Sorceror etc, etc - it's all the same character and they serve the same purpose in the plot. The angel and the devil are the two voices (often seen cartoons) that sit on each shoulder - again Archetypes. I do disagree with you though about those 2 characters being redundant once there identities have been revealed, however, there is so much more a character than their uses in the plot - personality counts, as of course does their use in the mchanical side of the game.

 

As for Pandb, I do disagree on the use of humour and homage in a video games - look at Morte, would he have been such a sucessful character with out the humour? The skull gimmick wore off very quickly.

[Purkake]

First of all, the "zomg portals are closing" thing has been done in at least one of the official Planescape campagins.(It might have been Faction War, but I'm not sure). Secondly, creating a whole new plane "Netherspace" is pretty much disrespecting the source material, especially when it's completely unnecessary.

 

Sigil is called "The Cage", because you can only enter and exit via portals, no other means of transportation work.

 

If you want some inspiration on creating good characters and story, check out TVtropes.

 

Apparently you're the romantic and I'm the realist.

Edited August 17, 2009 by Purkake

[CrazyPea]

First of all, the "zomg portals are closing" thing has been done in at least one of the official Planescape campagins.(It might have been Faction War, but I'm not sure). Secondly, creating a whole new plane "Netherspace" is pretty much disrespecting the source material, especially when it's completely unnecessary.

 

Sigil is called "The Cage", because you can only enter and exit via portals, no other means of transportation work.

 

If you want some inspiration on creating good characters and story, check out TVtropes.

 

Apparently you're the romantic and I'm the realist.

 

Thank you for the link, it is very interesting.

 

I did in indeed know the reason why Sigil was called the cage - however, I took that idea straight from PLANESCAPE TORMENT itself - Ravel refers to Sigil being the Lady Of Pain's Cage and Ravel was mazed for trying to free her from it (in her mind). - So what if Sigil really was a cage? And the definition you quoted above was applied long after the orignal was forgotten? As for the doors closing in PnP material I wasn't aware of it, my main source knowledge comes from the game.

 

As for being disrespectful to the source material I fail to see how - I didnt mean netherspace to be a seperate plane just the interior of the portal stretched and distorted by the energy wave thats closing the portals down.

[Purkake]

Thank you for the link, it is very interesting.

 

I did in indeed know the reason why Sigil was called the cage - however, I took that idea straight from PLANESCAPE TORMENT itself - Ravel refers to Sigil being the Lady Of Pain's Cage and Ravel was mazed for trying to free her from it (in her mind). - So what if Sigil really was a cage? And the definition you quoted above was applied long after the orignal was forgotten? As for the doors closing in PnP material I wasn't aware of it, my main source knowledge comes from the game.

 

As for being disrespectful to the source material I fail to see how - I didnt mean netherspace to be a seperate plane just the interior of the portal stretched and distorted by the energy wave thats closing the portals down.

 

I'd check all the source material before writing something using that. There's some on Planewalker and a whole bunch on The Mimir if you don't want to track down all the books.

 

Of course "The Cage" can be taken in many ways, you just asked the question and that is the default answer.(in the ficition)

 

If it's just some weird portal side-effect then don't make a special capitalized name for it and it still doesn't seem very vital to the story.

[CrazyPea]

Again I can only thank you for the links - they are extremely helpful

 

The interior of the portail isn't vital, but don't forget this isn't just a story, it is design concept for a game (albeit virtual or possibly just a mod) as well. it serves the purpose of an extra level to explore and hack and slash through for those that are that way inclined

[Purkake]

It never ceases to amaze me how there are fans of PST(who are trying to make a sequel, no less), who never bothered to actually check out any of the source material. PST doesn't even cover a fraction of the wonder that is Planescape.

 

For some great Planescape stories, check out Shemmy's Planescape story hour 1 and 2

[CrazyPea]

It never ceases to amaze me how there are fans of PST(who are trying to make a sequel, no less), who never bothered to actually check out any of the source material. PST doesn't even cover a fraction of the wonder that is Planescape.

 

For some great Planescape stories, check out Shemmy's Planescape story hour 1 and 2

 

I never said I haven't read ANY of the source material just not much of it - I am currently reading Fire and Dust, an unpublished PLANESCAPE novel. But I take your point and am suitably humbled. What us ignorant berks lose in knowledge, however, we make up for in enthusiasm and sometimes not knowing all there is to know allows for ideas unsullied by preconceptions and prejudgements, allowing for a fresh approach.

 

It is also another good reason for you to join in and lend a hand - it keeps the rest of us on the straight and narrow.

 

I don't profess to be a great writer nor do I profess that my knowledge is great. What I do profess to is that I love what I have experienced of the setting and that I am determined that it it shouldn't be forgotten or die an ignoble death.

[Killian Kalthorne]

Anything DnD would have to be 4e compliant and 4e no longer uses The Wheel cosmology in which Planescape uses. Sigil is mentioned in passing but it is no where near what it was like in earlier DnD incarnations.

[Maria Caliban]

...though my last NWN2 module has been moderately successful and has been published in the German magazine PC Games.

 

Congratulations.

[CrazyPea]

...though my last NWN2 module has been moderately successful and has been published in the German magazine PC Games.

 

Congratulations.

 

Thank you very much

 

I had hopes (and enthusiasm) of turning our ideas here into a mod if we couldn't get the attention of the powers-that-be, but the sheer weight of cynicism and negativitiy is driving me away from this place -no doubt to the collective joy and relief of the naysayers. It is a sad fact of life that so many obviously intelligent people would rather be dismissive and cynical rather than do some thing positive and productive with their lives. I find such an attitude of lofty disdain surprising, especially in those who profess to love the setting so much. It's a shame really, but that's fine with me.

 

I am taking another posters advice, I am off to do some reading and research on the PLANESCAPE setting, then I'll do something positive with it. Those of you who are interested working on such a project, find my NWN2 mod and contact me on the email address in the readme file. To those cynics who get their kicks by feeling smugly superior to others, all that I can say is that I pity you and I hope that one day you will grow up, but I fear you never will.

 

Thank you and goodbye.

 

CP

[Darth InSidious]

Perhaps if your ideas hadn't been universally vile and a travesty against Torment you might have been listened to.

 

Oh, and as always on the internet, if you're going to go, go; don't expect us to give a damn and write some flouncy "GOODBYE FOREVER CRUEL FORUM" post.

 

Honestly, the whole tone of this thread makes me think that either you haven't played Torment or you're a troll.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Darth InSidious

[Purkake]

Yes, it's sad that people are jaded and cynical, but considering Obsodian's(and Black Isle's) history, it's hardly surprising. People have been burned time and time again with canceled and unfinished games.

 

That said, there are very few forums where being overly optimistic and talking a big talk will get you very far. I'd rather keep up with Rogue Dao's Planescape Trilogy, because they actually have something to show for their ideas and there is a lot of potential there.

 

Again, sorry, but it's just hard to get excited for just some ideas.

Edited August 18, 2009 by Purkake

[Jaesun]

While not completely original, something along the lines of The Longest Journey would be kind of cool. In that you are happily enjoying your life... then suddenly you find yourself in another realm. *shrug*

[Purkake]

While not completely original, something along the lines of The Longest Journey would be kind of cool. In that you are happily enjoying your life... then suddenly you find yourself in another realm. *shrug*

 

Only if it features a sassy and sarcastic female protagonist

 

I can totally see that, by the way.

[alanschu]

Perhaps if your ideas hadn't been universally vile and a travesty against Torment you might have been listened to.

 

Oh, and as always on the internet, if you're going to go, go; don't expect us to give a damn and write some flouncy "GOODBYE FOREVER CRUEL FORUM" post.

 

 

Ironically her post seems all the more appropriate, given your response.

[entrerix]

as a side note. 4e is in my opinion unplayable without truckloads of houserules (first and foremost is putting the cosmology back to how it was before with the wheel)

 

i think 4e should have been an optional playstyle/campaign book for 3e

 

i had several houserules for 3e. but nothing like the work required to make 4e fun.

 

that said, i do like a handful of the things in 4e