6 replies to this topic

[ibanix]

What the heck do these do? The only one I could actually determine, by looking careful at my stat page, was that Red gave a +1 to THACO.

[ibanix]

I got annoyed with the lack of being able to tell, so I opened them up in DLTCEP; here are the effects for those who really want to know.

 

Spoiler

 

Red Link: +1 to both THACO and damage

Yellow Link: -1 AC

Blue Link: 20k XP (kind of lame, would be better as 50k+)

Green Link: Casting time modifier of -1

Black Link: +5 save vs death, but -1 reputation

Gold Link: +10% resistance to acid, fire, cold, electricity

Grey Link: +1 attack per round; -2 THACO, -6 HP, -3 save vs death

Silver Link: +15% magic resistance

Violet Link: Regeneration of 1 HP/9 seconds

Amber Link: +7 Max HP

 

 

I would have trouble ever picking Blue or Grey. Gold and Silver are way out in front because of the amount of damage you'll not take in the long run from those resistances. Green link might be worth it for a caster. Black is very situational. Red, Yellow, Amber and Violet are all toss ups; you can get these effects from spells. 

Edited by Lava Del'Vortel, 07 January 2014 - 02:39 PM.

[Lava Del'Vortel]

ibanix, I never answered this question on purpose. I didn't want people to know because players were to understand stuff on their own. This mod was to introduce role-playing, to add atmosphere and an interesting story. People were to think about Colours and think; understand the nature of each of these and you just posted everything. That's exactly what I avoided for years.

Honestly? I got really demotivated. Why should I focus on stories, leaving some stuff uknown while people just step by and turn everything into numbers.

Edited by Lava Del'Vortel, 07 January 2014 - 02:40 PM.

[ibanix]

Story and atmosphere is great; I really enjoyed ToTDG. It was unique and interesting. The fight with Black was particularly difficult. 

 

You do have to realize that many - perhaps most? - players who are still playing 10 years later, are playing with increased difficulty or smaller parties (I am currently running with only 3 NPCs, all of them non-Bioware), and that a degree of numbers planning is necessary to succeed. It is, in fact, part of the enjoyment of the game.

 

My 'beef' with the links is not so much that the effects aren't known before you take them, but that the effects aren't known AFTER you take them! The only way to tell is by a real careful analysis of a character's info sheet. For a 16k cost in gold, this just isn't acceptable. 

[Lava Del'Vortel]

No, you can think about what created. Red is full of wrath - it increase damage and thac0. Silver is resistance, it's like a mirror - it reflect's magic. Gray is time, that's why it gives attack per rounds. You remember Green colour? Magic was the only way to reach it -- that's why Green is about magic. Black is death. Yellow was egocentric and unreachable by most but one man. Violet was sweet and give comfort. Amber is sacrefice.

 

I know, some are easier to read, others are different, but all the bonuses are not that significant. They are to give flavour. Players were to experience Colours and decide which suits the character the most. And now -- puff.... the magic is gone.

 

And after 10 years I still play to enjoy stories, not to increase the difficulty. And after notes like that I kinda get down, because I spent days on thinking about the story and how to make it interesting and not-number-oriented. 

[ibanix]

How do Gold and Blue fit with the given bonuses? 

 

Think, too, about your audience. Everyone who plays will come at it with a slightly different perspective; you can control your mod, but not the player's expectation =)

 

The 'magic' is not really gone, unless someone really wants to read the spoilers; or as I did, they can always pore over the character sheet or use a mod file reader like I did. 

 

To be honest, I have trouble seeing a player drop 16k for a link and then not say, "Ok, what the hell did that just DO?".

 

An interesting twist on these for roleplaying would be not a static bonus, but to have them actually change character behavior down the line. Got a red link? Character may randomly go beserk (with typical bonuses). Got a green link? Character has new conversation options with Irenicus, the Cowled mages, and other magic users which make those quests easier or have other, new solutions. And so forth.

[Lava Del'Vortel]

Gold is wealth and wealth gives you shelter (protection). Blue was changed like 3 times when I was working on the mod but Senex wanted to experience Blue one more time before he dies. That's why I've decided to use experience here.

 

I know I can't control expectations but as an author I can write the mod the way I would like it to be, promote it as I wish it to be promoted. I kinda wanted to encourage player to experience the story, not focus on some minor stuff. But I'm also aware of the fact that I won't be as good as Kaeloree or some other writers because I'm not native english speaker and they've been here longer than me.

 

Additional lines sounds as a cool idea but I won't change it now simply because there are way too many translations right now + I am close to finishing my new project, you know. But aye, that would be cool.