Help needed building towns in the Santharian Mud

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[Wilen Cloverheart]

Okie  

[Bard Judith]

I've got Marcogg started, just so you know, Wilen  

But any of the other small towns in the Nekoma Valley area might be good to start writing, if you are interested.  

Grensa Post is a human/dwarven trading post, as the name implies, in the little triangle formed by the two branches of the N/S O-somethingorother River.  

Chrondra is a bit bigger - probably the major ore-processing area, as Marcogg wouldn't want heavy industry very close.  Also, since most plate armour was custom-made, this is where you would have to travel to have a dwarven smith make you a suit.  Chain is a bit more flexible and can be bought 'off the rack' as t'were.  So, Chrondra is also a human/dwarven residential area, with some of the more 'modern' Thergerim actually living there in cavern-like homes alongside the human buildings.

Nathemby is a fishing village that still exists because of the Nishe (large salmon-type freshwater fish that reside in the Mashdai and O-whatever river...)  The deep, cool Tribel Lake is a major spawning/feeding ground for them.

Simsy - dunno - just a little cluster of dwellings on the Northern Road up through the Huiscen Plains.  A place to buy a drink, some food, and maybe rest the night.  If you can think of any sightseeing to do in the region, great!  

Kor Mithral is the main Dwarven city/cavern in the area and its location is secret.  Humans will not be visiting there.  However, they can visit Tyr Ethran, on the Adanian Sea Coast Regional Map (not done yet.  Shows the region which includes the Nepris Location Map, the Crazy Woman Pass Location Map, and of course the Tyr Ethran Location Map.....)

Does that make sense?  We'll have general regional maps, like the Nekoma Valley, which show where places are in relation to each other.  They are made up of location maps, which are the actual gridded, coded 'rooms' which players can move through (may represent a building, a section of road, a section of river, or some other physical area).

I'm posting the Marcogg Location Map for critique and comments today, before I start scripting.  I will also create and post the Adanian Seacoast Regional Map, which fits right next to the Nekoma Valley Regional Map, okies?

Regards from the Bard...

[Wilen Cloverheart]

I got your email with the Marcogg Map, Judith, it looks very nice, so nice I'd almost hope you'd get to look at it as an in-game map or something. Any descriptions for the cells/rooms yet?

Also, I'm a little curious on the general idea on how we do this. Should all maps be made on a regular grid, or will there be possiblities for "rooms" spanning several "cells" in the grid? Hmm, eerie flashback to HTML tables there. Travel would still be doable, though not 100% straight forward anymore.

Finally, the connections between cities, landmarks and so on. With the Nekoma valley map in mind, will there just be a few of this location maps in place with a couple of exits that lead into other maps far away, or will there be anything between the main location maps? As in, a long strip of cells consisting of the road between Marcogg and Nathembly that you traverse to get back and forward...

Is the Marcogg map done or is there a missing part to the south? The Nekoma map makes Marcogg look fairly big on the SE side of the river, yet the Marcogg detail map has a bit on one side of the river and some more on the SE side.

I could do a semi-random wilderness location map, by the edge of the Auturian Woods, the Caeytharin Mountains, or something like that, though I better finish the Horned Drake first  

[Xarl]

Alrighty, I don't know where this could be attached, but here's the road to Ximax and environs.

Road
Well, decision time again. To the west lie the reputedly haunted Shivering Woods, and to the east lies the road to [blank]. Where to, oh traveler?

Forest
You've decided that whoever named these the Shivering Woods had a gift for understatement. You can hear calls of beasts you've never heard before, and you suspect every rustle of the leaves overhead to conceal a Dark Elf archer. The road leads on to both the west and east; you believe you can see a bit of daylight ahead. But to the north there is a small animal path... to leave this eerie forest as fast as possible? Or to brave the dangers and see where the path leads?
To the north is the animal path.
To the west and east the road leads out of the woods.

Animal Path
There is a sign that you've almost tripped over in your haste to see the path ahead. It reads as follows.
Sorry, this path closed because I'm too lazy to put it up completely. It'll be up soon, I'm nice that way.
P.S: How stupid are you to have left the woods in a haunted forest? If you've read any fantasy at all you know this leads to unpleasantness.
-Xarl
To the south there is the road.

Road
The road here has broken free from the forest, and to the west you can barely make out the beginnings of the Floodplains. To either side of the road, you can see the steady narrowing into the sea. There is a sign nearby with directions on it... A dusty cloud appears wherever you set foot.
To the northwest there is a sign.
To the west is the floodplains.
To the east is the forest.

Sign
The sign has most likely been here longer than most of the surrounding terrain. In weathered-away, barely readable words, the sign reads "To the west lies Ximax, City of Magic. To the east lies [blank]."
To the southeast there is the road.

Floodplains
The land is steadily washed away here by the pounding surf, occasionally swallowed by it... you'd best quicken your step. To both sides of the road lie a fertile wasteland; evidently the flood season was recent. To your left you can see a skeleton; you wonder who he was, why he died here, and most importantly why he has been left here. However, you can recognize the patch of shifting sand between you and the bones; evidently their secrets will remain secret. To the west the Zirkumire mountains rise up imposingly; the Third Guardians as they are known to the Ximaxians... the road dwindles to a mountain path here.
To the south lie the quicksand-guarded bones.
To the west is the mountain path.
To the east is the road.

Quicksand
Well, congratulations, now you know why the bones are there; because someone was unsmart enough to try and investigate something on the other side of a quicksand patch. Were I given the ability, I'd have you be killed right now, but as is, you will be paying the penalty for stupidity by going back to the first road patch. Go into the light, please.
To the east is the light.

Mountain Path
The road is getting a bit strenuous now... rocks and such are growing more common as the path winds its way up the side of the mountains. At the top of the pass, lodged between two steep mountain cliffs hewn by sorcerors past, is a tower and a wall guarding the path to Ximax, while far below you you can see the narrow floodplains between the mountains and the mainland.
To the east are the floodplains.
To the west is the tower's doors.

Tower
As you walk up to the tower, you are struck by how much it looks like it was merely carved out of the mountain. Of course, knowing wizards and their urge to show off, no doubt it was. In any case, you are allowed through the massive rock-slab doors by a dwarven guard. To the south is a sign regarding said guard. The interior of the tower strikes you more as a cavern than as a fortress, but evidently it is both.
To the east is the way back onto the mountains.
To the west is the way to Ximax.

Ximax Outskirts

Outer City

Inner City

Guard Tower

Outer Circle

and a few more I'll have to do later.

[Xenos Ravenbeack]

see its mostly santharia thats getting done, so you guys whant any R'unorian locals

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Please re-post in the new Maps & Descriptions Forum, Xarl!

Also take a look at Judith's maps and try to come up with something similar in the end for Ximax if possible. Realization in the game can only occur if we have an exact grid layout. I guess Judith used only MS Paint, so it shouldn't be too difficult to draw similar maps, and it isn't really necessary to do beautiful ones, functional ones work as well

Finally: Before you do a town or a more important location I strongly recommend to finish a complete town entry first, so that this can serve as reference - for you and for all others in the game.

Contact Artimidor - Webmaster & World Development Admin
The Santharian Dream - Where fantasy dreams come true

[Bard Judith]

Also, creative as your description is, Xarl, I'd suggest sticking strictly to the places the player sees.  Don't, at this point, add any people interactions or thing interactions.  (for example the dwarven guard).  Those things can be suggested subtly by the environs, but should not be a part of them.  

The people and their interactions need to be designed separately for consistency's sake and for the plot's sake.  If there needs to be a guard on the door, to better give the flavour of Ximax, write him as a character.  If you have more ideas along that line, make a separate character list with some ideas and some dialogue.  Art has just such a program- a tool for creating characters and dialogue trees, which you should get from him if you are interested.

My design for Marcogg, for example, includes titles such as "Noblewoman's House" and "Chandler's Shop".  Obviously we will need a noblewoman and a merchant for those places, but they must be constructed separately.  (I note no one has asked about "Jenny's" yet.....  )

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Yes, Judith is right: People should be seperated from places. People (NPCs) will also be able to move - at least to a certain degree, so we shouldn't connect them directly to locations.

And now that you made us curious: Who's "Jenny's"?

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The Santharian Dream - Where fantasy dreams come true

[Bard Judith]

Since you asked....

A tall brick building with many windows, most with thin cracks of firelight leaking out from behind thick red drapes, greets your eyes.  A lantern, also shuttered in red glass, hangs from a pole jutting from the eaves and its light falls on a sign nailed to the red-cloth-covered door:  "JENNY'S JINGLERS".    

You listen intently.  The rest of the street is quiet, so you can hear clearly.  Sounds like quite a party is going on inside; shrieks of feminine laughter, the clink of glasses, and yes, a faint, prolonged jingling, like the shake of tiny bells.   Shadows move across the drapes, and on the second story you see a number of  red-hung windows go dark or bright constantly, with the tell-tale flicker that comes when a candle is being extinguished or lit.

To the south is the entrance to Jenny's.
To the east and west runs the Floosun Road.

Want to know more?  Stay tuned, for the Marcogg MUD!

[Artimidor Federkiel]

*hehe* Interesting, interesting...

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The Santharian Dream - Where fantasy dreams come true

[Rhuken]

You guys are making a Santharian MUD game? Sweet!

[Myrik]

yeah, I got tired of waiting on a working graphics engine.  This is going to be a great mud.

[kiahrin]

Hi all,

I hope I'm not imposing here. I stumbled across your site and have been poking around and really like what you have going here.

Having built and developed areas extensively for the past 8 years I thought I'd offer a few words of advice when writing room descriptions so I hope that they're taken with the good intent in which they are given.

1. Remember that someone isn't always coming, sometimes they're going. They're not always entering the forest because at some time, they have to leave right? They aren't always heading up the road and through the city gates. Sometimes they're really sitting when you're telling them they're standing. Whipping your head around at a sharp snapping sound is just going to give you whiplash. Jumping in surprise or screaming in terror because of a little goblin is going to make you look downright silly when you're 6'5, 280 lbs and a noble warrior. Present the scene and allow the viewer to absorb the details they find important and to react in keeping with their character. Even though light reflects from the surface of the river that lies just beyond a dense hedge of brambles, it may not be something the character 'sees' or takes particular notice of.

2. If you are writing descriptions for rooms outdoors, take into consideration that it won't always be the middle of summer on a warm clear day. Try to include varying descriptions on how 'During the day, the sun filters through the tangled canopy overhead to cast a dappled pattern across the path. In the depths of winter however, the trees are skeletal and the skies above...' etc etc. All of this of course is irrelevant if you are developing the MUD with varying room descriptions depending on weather/daylight conditions

3. If you're writing indoor rooms, again remember that someone isn't always coming through the front door into the entrance hall. They could be on their way out. Take into account the feel of a room and how that might change between day and night, keeping in mind that you can portray the feeling of a room without telling the reader how they feel. Using simple descriptive words such as cold, dank and shadowy can be more effective than 'You're filled with a sense of dread as you enter this dungeon cell.'

4. Give an idea of what lies beyond exits to the current room, referencing the exits by their mapped direction or in reference to something else in the room. 'The front door lies to the south, solid oak and reinforced with bands of iron. Through a doorway at the other end of the room lies a stairwell.' I've found that people are more likely to read a room description if it's going to give them an idea of what is in the next room, especially if you provide a hint of possible danger

5. Most MUDders have short attention spans and rarely take time to read every description of every room they walk through but don't let this discourage you from writing detailed descriptions. I have always taught my builders to write at least 3 full lines in length minimum and try to keep anything important at the beginning or end of the description. These are the parts that players are most likely to read at a glance. If you want to reference an important item, make it an object to go in the room as opposed to just part of the room description. Same goes for people and creatures.

Anyway, I could ramble forever on the subject. I hope what I've said is even a little useful. If anyone has any questions or comments on building or anything I've said, please feel free to contact me: kiahrin at hotmail dot com.

[Artimidor Federkiel]

Thanx for the tips! I'm sure they will turn out quite useful for the developers (should perhaps make a general thead concerning such things and make it a sticky topic, or make it part of the site).

Well, and as you say you have a lot of experience in this field, I of course also have to invite you to consider to contribute with room building in case you like the idea of the Santharian/Sorren project. We always need some helping hand to achieve something great together, and the more hands the better  

The Santharian Dream Webmaster - Let Fantasy Dreams come true!
World Development Admin - The Forum where Worlds are born...

[Tekradon]

I'm willing to help design maps and write descriptions, as well as work on characters.  I'd like to work on the Bolder forest, where Tek's from.  I'm already working on a char or two, and I have a few more planned.  If you don't want there to be a Bolder, though, I'm willing to work wherever I'm needed, making maps etc.

"Deep red are the sun-sets in mystical places. Black are the nights on summer-day sands. We'll find the speck of truth in each riddle. Hold the first grain of love in our hands." -Jethro Tull

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[Artimidor Federkiel]

Last 10 Shouts: Artimidor Federkiel 23 May 2013, 17:14:39 If it works, sure! Altario Shialt-eck-Gorrin 23 May 2013, 16:47:05  Art, is this your little way of forcing me to do an entry? Irid alMenie 23 May 2013, 14:01:26 I see the board has been deactivated. Lets hope for a quick solution! Artimidor Federkiel 16 May 2013, 22:20:50 Files have been replaced again, but the question remains how long this will last. SMF support will have a look at the security problem. Artimidor Federkiel 16 May 2013, 17:26:47 It has been hacked. The third time in 3 days. I need to replace the changed files again (won't happen before evening) - and then see what the SMF support recommends as a strategy. Irid alMenie 16 May 2013, 10:06:36 Arti, could you maybe take a look at the RPG board? I got a message from my anti-virus program and now I can't access the column on the right with the list of current threads and the shoutbox. Thankies Artimidor Federkiel 04 May 2013, 13:50:24 Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 03 May 2013, 19:31:50 got it! The menu to the left is so convenient, that I nearly forgot the old souce... Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 03 May 2013, 19:23:01 Artimidooor.. could you please add the Northern Sarvonian Tribe's map to the map menu? As you know, my mouse over does not work I could't find it right now, though I know it does exist somewhere. Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels 30 April 2013, 23:32:56 Huhu, huhu, huhu, ..that was my owl..

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