Expansion Suggestion - Map Changing Events

[EdwinP]

I would like to see a player's actions and in-actions have a dramatic effect on the world around them.

 

Example: Player visits a village and learns about a threat to the village. (Map 1)

 

Path 1 Result: Player defeats the Evil Threat - Village map does not change, over time new NPCs appear in Village (Map 1 with additional NPCs)

Path 2 Result: Player ignores the Evil Threat - When the PCs return to the village they encounter a village in ruins populated by............................ (Map 2 of village in Ruins)

 

Example: Mountain Temple with Crystal Ball of Warmth (Shangri-La)

 

In a valley among the snow covered mountains lies a village with a perpetually warm climate. The climate results from the magical effects of a crystal housed in a temple. Should the crystal be removed from the valley, the land will become covered by snow and ice and the snow creatures from the mountains above will descend upon it. Most NPCs will flee the snow and ice covered village.

 

Path 1: Players stop thieves from stealing the crystal ball. (Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom)

 

An NPC approaches the Players with a Quest - Guard the temple of my village against thieves and bandits.

 

1.1 Success - No changes to the map  > Triggers Quest to find those behind the attempted theft (Bandits > FROST GIANTS)

1.2 Failure - The crystal is stolen and the map is covered in snow and ice, new monsters appear > Triggers Quest to find those that stole the crystal > (Bandits > FROST GIANTS)

-----1.21 Stolen Crystal is recovered and returned - Original Map is restored, no snow and ice

 

Path 2: Players are hired to steal the crystal ball.

 

An NPC offers to pay a handsome reward if the PCs acquire a crystal ball for him from a village within x days. If the PCs decline or fail to complete the quest within x days, the NPC will hire someone else. What will the PCs do?  Accept the job, do nothing, warn the temple or acquire the crystal for themselves?

 

2.1 Success - The crystal is stolen and the map becomes covered in snow and ice, new monsters appear

-----2.11 PCs are hired to undo the damage they did (Bandits > FROST GIANTS). If they recover the crystal from the NPC they sold it to and return it the original map will be restored, no snow and ice.

-----2.12 PC decline a quest to retrieve the crystal they stole, and the temple hires Assassins to deal with them. The village remains covered in snow and ice.

 

2.2 Failure - PCs fail in their attempted theft and escape, the map does not change

-----2.11 The temple hires assassins to track those that attempted to rob the temple

 

If the PCs acquire the crystal for themselves (an action that covers the village in snow and ice), they will have both the temple priests and the NPC's henchmen on their tail.

 

Naturally, if the Crystal is stolen and the PCs do not retrieve it this triggers Frost Giant Attack on a Village

 

Thus a path where the PCs actions can cause a  village to turn to ice and snow or another to become a map of ruins and burnt buildings

 

1. If the Crystal is stolen Village X Map turns to Ice and Snow

2. If the Crystal is recovered the Village X Map above, returns to normal

3. If the Crystal is not recovered within x days, this triggers a Frost Giant Attack on Village Y after the PCs hear news of rampaging giants. Quest to stop the Giant raids, protect the village and find the lair of the Frost Giants.

4. If the Crystal is not recovered and the Frost Giants Successfully Attacked Village Y (were not stopped/defeated by the PCs), the Village Y map is changed to become a village in Ruins and NPCs in nearby settlements tell stories of the Giant Attack on Village Y.

 

Requires: Village X Map (Normal), Village X Map (Ice and snow covered), Village Y Map, Village Y Map (in Ruins)

Edited April 23, 2015 by EdwinP

[Xosmi]

a decent idea in and of itself, it's there in a minor form already in the stormwall gorge, where the water recedes, either automatically after a specific point in the game, or through intervention of the player at an earlier point if you decide to do quests for one of the factions.

[Khalid the bear]

also water in Ondras gift rizes and falls with tide (day/night)
bounties and some quests add aditional content to some maps
AND there is one Random group of people that appears on one map after you proggres enough(i think 2 chapter)
 

[EdwinP]

Agreed there are minor map changing events.

 

But no major changes that really impacts the player when they see it - a WOW moment.

 

• Returning to a once prosperous village to see it in ruins; if they ignored or failed a quest, would have a major impact on the players perception of how their actions affect the world around them.
• Donating 3000 coin towards the rebuilding of the Temple in the Gilded Vale and returning to the Vale to see a new temple populated with NPC priests & quests would be another wow moment.

Edited April 24, 2015 by EdwinP