Darkgod called for zone ideas, but we probably shouldn't clutter up the 'list one thing you think should be done before release' thread with them. I'm not posting in that thread until I've done some serious thinking
Anyway, zone ideas:
Orc Deserter Hideout: cave full of deserters from the prides.
Nightfort: A huge fortress full of rebel elves who hate the sun-worshipping good guy elves. Really, I just want a zone that will let me kill elves.
Ogre Mountain: a mountain full of trails and caves which are in turn full of ogres. A gnarly Ogre King or something is waiting for you at the peak. Maybe there can be boulders crashing down the slopes as you try to ascend. Maybe the Ogre King is the one rolling them down on you.
The ancient mines of Khaz-Duran
Full of dwarf warriors that want to chase you to protect their treasure, of ghosts that can go through walls and of demons that can dig.
Frequent landslides modify the dungeon permanently, closing galleries, opening others and the mine collapsing can hurt the player or the npcs. Going there without a digger is pure suicide.
It is said that on the lowest layer, you can find a vault full of great gems protected by a strong dwarf alchemist and its golem...
The Temple of Elemental Evil
One element per level. On that level only monsters and traps appropriate for that element. Each level has a mini-boss guarding the stairs down. On the final level you get multi-hued dragons, spellcasters casting spells from every elements, and so on.
The Archipelago
Many small islands surrounded by water. You travel from islands by walkways or maybe by boats. Lots of water monsters.
A zone full of two fighting groups. Whenever a member of group A sees a member of group B, he feels he has to try to kill him, and vis versa. And who are you? Well, you're not one of us, so you must be one of them ...
An aerial dungeon. One can climb up to the top of the aerie and perhaps get the jewels and items that the roc (or big bird-like) was keeping in its nest. However, you are an intruder and every bird will be against you. Perhaps some will try to knock you back to the levels below, or you might step on a bad branch and fall back down, but perhaps you will meet the roc in its nest ...
A single-level area of abandoned golem parts. Some still move about, threatening the player. A few gems and potions to be found, but nothing particularly noticeable. (It's just meant to be an interesting random map encounter, not a challenging area.)
Market of Many Delights
Can be randomly found on the world map, but not returned to (though it can be found multiple times). A set of caravans with several merchants, all offering excellent items at 50% normal prices. Merchants can be attacked to steal their goods, but can summon many powerful guards.
The Mark of Spellblaze
An area of charred ground and rubble, with burning magic randomly hitting all within. Some normal monsters could be about, though they wouldn't last long. A few fire demons might abound, with perhaps a fire demon boss who guards a random artifact.
The Sect of Kryl-Feyjan
A dark, candle-lit, crypt-like set of small levels, populated with human assassins, warriors, wizards, and a few minor demons (imps and such). On each level you get the message "You hear an eerie chanting echoing from a distance." On the last level (level 4 or so) you get the message "The chanting grows louder. You hear a sudden high-pitched scream." In the centre of the level is a room with undiggable walls and one entrance. On opening the door you get the message "You see a female human lying unconcious on a black altar, twisted sigils scored into her naked flesh. Around her are several figures in dark robes. As they notice you one calls out "Intruder! Protect the seed of Kryl-Feyjan!"" At this point they turn hostile and attack, and if they are not defeated within 25 turns the girl dies and a demon appears with the message, "The woman lets out a sudden ear-splitting scream that turns from pain to horror as her stomach is ripped open from within by long dark claws. A towering black demon arises, rending her flesh to shreds, and replacing her dying scream with a terrifying roar." Kryl-Feyjan would be a level 35ish demon that deals darkness damage and casts magical darkness.
Killing the acolytes and getting to the girl in time triggers an escort quest to get her to Last Hope where her father, a rich merchant, rewards you with a random artifact in thanks.
Far east only. Level message: "You hear the hideous sound of jeering orcs and the beating of many drums." You find a set of orcish buildings, with a big building in the centre. Inside the big building are a large number of orcish warriors and archers, with Gulruk near the top. They become hostile once you enter.... but are not a particular threat, as they are all "dazed" for 500 turns (or bloody drrrrrunk, you might say). They'd drop some non-ego orcish loot, and the birthday boy himself would drop the following powerful artifact:
colourful paper hat, "Gulruk's Birthday Hat"
A hat made of thick paper, daubed with the coloured bloods of many creatures.
+1 Def
+10 Luck
Mithril wrote:The Temple of Elemental Evil
One element per level. On that level only monsters and traps appropriate for that element. Each level has a mini-boss guarding the stairs down. On the final level you get multi-hued dragons, spellcasters casting spells from every elements, and so on.
It some random point in the game you get magically captured by a deranged wizard and imprisoned. You start with no gear, and must survive on your wits to escape. Could add in an adventure element, almost like a King' Quest Game. After getting everything solved, you confront the wizard, but he has a special treat. A clone of yourself (with same eq, talents etc) to fight.
"You see a narrow entrance-way into a dark and forboding chasm. You throw a stone into the depths of the pit, but no sound returns."
The chasm is 87 levels long, but each level is only the size of a room, about 10x10 in size. Levels are irregularly shaped. Every time you use the stairs you have to pass a dexterity check, or slip and suffer physical damage with a chance of equipment damage. First five levels are lit, after that they're all dark. No items are ever found inside. First 10 levels or so will have a few snakes and rats. After that only molds and oozes, with many levels being completely empty. On level 87 is a 3x3 vault containing a level 50 thaurhereg.
There's no real reward (well, I guess the demon could drop a greater ego or something), and no set story or explanation - all left to the player's imagination. The idea is to have a long, suspenseful climb down, with a somewhat terrifying opponent at the bottom.
Far east only. You arrive in the south-west corner of the map. First thing you see is a few sun paladins and anorithils in a ruined building. The side facing the north-east would be the most complete, but still with some holes in it. The leader of the group is the elven Sun Paladin Thaldion. Speaking to him triggers the following dialogue:
"Sun's glory, reinforcements are here! Did Aeryn send ye? Do others come?"
A: "Uh, what? I don't know what you mean."
"Ack, my hopes were too high. We are holed up here by an accursed army of orcs. They will attack soon, and we have little hope of defending ourselves... Ah, what a midnight doom lies upon us all! Still, perhaps ye will help? Our cause is just, and if we win this day tales shall be told of our noble victory for ages to come. What say ye?"
A: "I shall try my best..."
A: "AhahahahaHAHAHAHA! Seeya!"
If you agree then in about 10 rounds a huge force of orc warriors and pyromancers begin to approach from the north-east. The Anorithils and Sun Paladins will stay in the fort, trying to fire a few spells out, but their cause is... well, hopeless. Most PCs would struggle immensely. However, if you win then you can speak to each remaining anorithil/sun paladin for the equivalent to an escort quest reward. (This is potentially quite a good reward, allowing the player to get fairly decent level auras if enough survive.)
Enemies should be scaled to player level, and there's no chance of revisiting the encounter.
Open War
Far east only. A large battlefield with a big space in the middle and some fortifications on either side of the map. On one side lots of various levelled paladins and anorithils, on the other a large host of orcs. They should be fairly evenly matched, if possible. The player would be largely ignored. No reward for completion, though maybe the main orc boss might have a few nice ego items. Most others shouldn't drop anything (to stop the player benefiting too much).
Far east only. You arrive in the south-west corner of the map. First thing you see is a few sun paladins and anorithils in a ruined building. The side facing the north-east would be the most complete, but still with some holes in it. The leader of the group is the elven Sun Paladin Thaldion. Speaking to him triggers the following dialogue:
"Sun's glory, reinforcements are here! Did Aeryn send ye? Do others come?"
A: "Uh, what? I don't know what you mean."
"Ack, my hopes were too high. We are holed up here by an accursed army of orcs. They will attack soon, and we have little hope of defending ourselves... Ah, what a midnight doom lies upon us all! Still, perhaps ye will help? Our cause is just, and if we win this day tales shall be told of our noble victory for ages to come. What say ye?"
A: "I shall try my best..."
A: "AhahahahaHAHAHAHA! Seeya!"
If you agree then in about 10 rounds a huge force of orc warriors and pyromancers begin to approach from the north-east. The Anorithils and Sun Paladins will stay in the fort, trying to fire a few spells out, but their cause is... well, hopeless. Most PCs would struggle immensely. However, if you win then you can speak to each remaining anorithil/sun paladin for the equivalent to an escort quest reward. (This is potentially quite a good reward, allowing the player to get fairly decent level auras if enough survive.)
Enemies should be scaled to player level, and there's no chance of revisiting the encounter.
I love the idea but...
This would favour those PCs with ranged and area attacks!
yeah - but "massive permanent character boost from event favoring area/ranged attacks" is... well, it seems off.
Instead, I'd have the setup be non-ruined, and give the character the choice of standing in the fortifications with the ranged fighters (who would be positioned so that they could fire without being engaged in melee, until the gate falls) inthe courtyard with the melee fighters (who would do nothing until the gate was breached, and then try to contain the hordes) or outside the gate (where you'd basically stand in front of the entire orcish army (with fire support) and try to distract them from all of the juicy elves inside). There would be enough orcs (and scary enough orcs) that without the PC's intervention, the gates will fall and the defenders will be slaughtered to a man, but if your magic is powerful enough to wipe them out before they can do too much damage, or you yourself are powerful enough to stand in their way and prevent them from breaching the gate at all...
Personally, I'd say that if this is included,there should also be two achievements - one for standing outside the gates, surviving the attack, and not having the gate fall (gate represented by a series of allied nonmoving critters with a fair amount of hit points), and one for doing the same from the battlements. If we were sticking with Tolkein, I'd seriously want to call the first "you shall not pass", but given that we're not, go with something like "perfect defender".
