Murder in Marcogg! (Or: Can I contribute to Santhworld?)

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[Shabakuk Zeborius Anfang]

Dear Arti,

Since finishing my masterwork, I’ve been thinking about what to do next. I’m not lacking ideas for new entries, but I rather fancy a new kind of challenge. In particular, I have an idea for a solo RPG story for Santhworld, but I lack the programming skills to realize it as an online game. Therefore, before I progress, I wanted to ask whether you (and possibly others) have time and inclination to cooperate with me on that.

The story is provisionally entitled “Murder in Marcogg”. It would be set in Marcogg, and the player character would get involved in investigating the murder of a prominent merchant’s daughter. I envisage the game to be longer than Seeker’s ‘Enemy’, and maybe longer than “Uninvited”, but certainly shorter than ‘Nepris’. What features the game would have would depend on what, if anything, you have time to implement: fights and a character inventory (possessions), for example, would certainly be an enrichment. But I don’t know whether it’s possible to implement those given your own time limitations.

So before going ahead and putting effort into thinking up details, I wanted to check with you. I won’t be offended whatsoever if you simply say: ‘Sorry, no time’. And I certainly don’t want to take away your energy from Nepris II. I’m sure I’m not the only one who is eagerly looking forward to that being finished. In fact, as an alternative to writing my own story, I would also be happy to help with the writing on Nepris, if participation was still possible and wanted.

Anyway, for what it’s worth, here is a teaser:

Marcogg, capital of Manthria, and trading hub for the whole province, is in a state of crisis. The daughter of a wealthy merchant has been murdered, and her family suspect a rival clan of having a hand in the crime. Longstanding tensions between two of the city’s most respected and powerful families are on the brink of descending into a feud that would destroy the peace and stability in Marcogg and beyond.

When a wizard is arrested for the murder, the mob cry for his blood. Only one man believes in the suspect’s innocence, and is prepared to pay a cunning adventurer to find the true assassin. Yet as becomes evident all too quickly, many powerful people have a personal interest in the outcome of the investigation – and if you’re intending to poke your nose into their affairs, you had better watch your back. To make matters worse, there are rumours that the ghost of the murdered woman is spooking around in the city. And for someone who is dead, this ghost seems able to muster an astonishing determination to carry out her designs, which very much involve the world of the living.

Will you solve the puzzle of the murder of Magatha Ranring, the beautiful merchants’ daughter? Will you discover the secret of the spook that is haunting Marcogg? Only the cleverest and bravest, who are afraid of neither the living nor the dead, can succeed in lifting the curse of violence that is lurking in Marcogg's streets.

What do you think?

Shabakuk

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Good to hear further ambitious plans from you Shab!

The idea you have in mind definitely sounds intriguing, and it can be surely made with Santhworld. And of course it s very much encouraged that people try something on your own. The technical stuff should be the least problem, basically what you need to know when you develop something for Santhworld is: How do the games we have operate, and if you work along these lines you know what's possible. As you can see we can handle interactive storytelling, adventure-like games, complex RPG games and multiple-choice games, so there are good options on how to build the game you have in mind. Especially with the new features we'll introduce when Nepris II is out, we'll have even more possibilities

So sure, I'd love to see a game like this being realized, and I'm sure you've got the creativity for a murder mystery like that! As I did with Seeker's module I'll try my best to assist in getting the idea on screen, so that you can focus on the plot rather than the technical side of it. At one point it should be possible that Santharians can use the editor themselves to create games, but right now its still too early.

Speaking about Nepris: Progress is slow but steady here, because it is a large addition and I don't want to make anything half-baked. And with my next vacations end of September or so part 2 out of 3 (of the additions for Nepris II) should be done. Which still leaves part 3 open to a large degre. So some assistance would still be welcome if you want to help out there. Perhaps you could try your hand on designing a certain more or less self-contained area in the swamp region? That would definitely speed up completion and I'd have time for other parts. At any rate: Help is always welcome here as well!

So in short: Love the idea of a new game, and could also use help with Nepris if you've got some time!

BTW: There's also another game I've heard about that is planned, though I didn't hear more since quite a while, so I hope this idea is also picked up again.

[Seeker]

Shabby

As you develop the ideas for your story don't underestimate the frustrations of the visual aspect.  What I mean is that you will have many ideas for which you will need a corresponding picture.  You will be surprised as you develop your story how many pictures you will need..  For the "enemy" module I drew many of the pictures to fill in the gaps that could not already be found on the site.  

I of course will be willing to help in ths department but I won't be able to illustrate an entire story for you.  So keep that in mind, you may have to fit some of your scenes to match pictures already on the site.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Yeah, that's definitely one of the difficulties... Some parts of the Nepris module also just "emerged" out of nothingness because an illustration suggests it, or I got an idea by viewing a picture on how to combine it and get the best out of it. This is somewhat easier in a game like Nepris compared to a murder story where you might need very specific locations that cannot be found yet on the site. So even with some artistic help this is also quite challenging...

But nothing's impossible The modules we have so far aren't that shabby after all I'd say, despite the illustration restrictions.

[Shabakuk Zeborius Anfang]

The modules we have so far aren't that shabby after all I'd say, despite the illustration restrictions.

*Cough, cough* May I permit myself to point out that any story I might write will be extremely Shabby  indeed?

Thanks for your generous responses, Arti and Seeker! I did consider the visual aspect, and I realize that a longer game would simply have many non-illustrated 'gaps'. I think that this just can't be helped. But of course I'd be extremely grateful for any picture contributions, as well as for permission to use existing illustrations. For example, Seekers marvellous 'feast' might fit in extremely well ...

In any case, after considering Arti's response:

I think it would be wisest for me to try my hand at something smaller, before I embark upon the big project I've proposed here. So yes, Arti, I'd be interested to look into a contribution for Nepris, and I can well imagine writing a little swamp adventure.

So how would we best set up a discussion? I'd need to know quite a bit of information that shouldn't be public, I guess, lest it spoils the eventual game experience for inadvertent readers ...

[Artimidor Federkiel]

I thought long and hard how to link "shabby" to "Shabby", Shab... But I couldn't come up with something...

As for the swamp part: Well, I can send you a PM to give you some rough ideas what you need to know about part 3 (without really revealing all, so that there are still surprises in for you). You could then operate more or les freely in your area, like add a little cave to discover, think about some sort of mini-quest, about items one has to pick up here and use there, monsters you can place etc. I'll try to give you enough information so that you know what you can do.

[Shabakuk Zeborius Anfang]

Great, Art!

I eagerly await your PM!

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Ok, the title of this thread at the moment isn't entirely accurate anymore due to the fact that Shab has disappeared in the Nepris swamps to do some research - though I hope that we'll get a murder mystery in Marcogg as well sooner or later.

Aaaaaanyway, just wanted to say: Aura +1 for Shab, as his creativity knows no bounds as far as his additions in the Nepris swamps are concerned! We're already discussing a first draft of the swamp adventures the player will go through, and while there's still a lot ahead, I'm confident that we'll get great game additions here!

[Bard Judith]

Please cc me some paragraphs of detail regarding backgrounds and illustrations for this, if you would, Art.  As you know, I'm fond of drawing swamps... and I have a Willow picture in the works back home.... and would love to continue contributing to the visual development of Santhworld....

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Cool We're still discussing the rough plan (and if you know Shab he has a lot of ideas!), so I guess once we are sure about various key points I guess we can also make a little list where a picture would be tremendously helpful - and let the artists know. And if we get an illustration here and there that makes of course a big difference.

Plus I'd be delighted if we get some more drawings from our No.1 Bard! With that new monitor of yours methinks drawing should be much more enjoyable We'll let you know as soon as we have our stuff together! 

[Shabakuk Zeborius Anfang]

  Hurray, swamp pictures from the Bard, swamp pictures from the Bard, swamp pictures fr...

*Ahem*

Oh, hi Judy, didn't notice you were still here! Um, I'd love to incorporate a willow in the story, if I may!

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