As you might or might not know, I've put Archipelago on hold once again--this time because I'm creating a themed scenario for Dahak's creative scenario contest. I have the basic story figured out, I have the title, and I have the outdoor map and most of the towns planned. Unfortunately, I also had planned to use a lot of custom graphics, including a dragon.
I am terrible at drawing dragons. Even after practicing on paper for the past few weeks, none actually looked good. So I eventually just sat down with my paint shop program, with a 2x2 BoE sized blank canvas and started making dots. It took almost a week of editing, re-editing, starting over with only one part kept, and quite a bit of frustration, but I finally have something that, while certainly not perfect, is actually semi-recognizable as a dragon. So I'm pretty happy about that. (Now I need to finish the other custom graphics and get started on the towns and node-ing.)
I've been making progress on writing, though I'm beginning to fear that my storyline is terrible. I've finally finished playing Geneforge the first time, now I'm going to do it differently before moving on to number two. I've been taking pictures for Ephesos's photo challenge, but I'm not good at uploading them in a timely manner. The mod is also on hold. That's pretty much it.
~Mistb0rn~
I must apologize for the tone of my last post, but I was feeling really overwhelmed that day. By now, I'm actually in Dahak's scenario contest (and am making some good progress on the story and outdoors), as well as taking a photo challenge on the forums in addition to my other responsibilities, but I've actually managed to keep up with most of it. I've caught up to Dikiyoba in the stories, so I've now joined the group waiting with bated breath for the next installment. ;-)
Regarding the contest entry, I'm finding that I need a lot more custom graphics for it than any other scenario I've attempted thus far, despite its relative shortness, in order to stay close to the spirit of Dahak's photos. Or at least, as I interpret them. So far, I'm really pleased with the results (even though the one purple plant looks like anything but!) I've posted the first screenie here, with more (hopefully) to come.
Archipelago is (once again) on hold. I simply cannot focus on more than one scenario at a time, and the contest comes first. I may decide to scrap Archipelago, as some of the coding is very badly done, but then I fear I would fall into the perpetual "I have a new, better idea" trap. So, I'm undecided.
I've recently discovered an online game called 'Runescape'. I don't know if any other Spiderwebbers are on, but feel free to add me there if so. My name is Mistb0rn, same as here. I'm not on that much, and mostly in the morning, around the 8-10 range.
Well, I can't think of much else to write, so I guess that's it for today. Oh, and feel free to check the Photo Challenge tab. I'm posting the best images I take for Ephesos's challenge to flickr and you can see them there.
~Mistb0rn~
Well. Jedi Nescioquis has decided that he's not interested in modding BoE. He says he'd rather mod Geneforge. So, I'm stuck with an un-completed mod. Of course, I'm still planning to finish the graphics conversion and just use basic BoE scripting, but that will almost certainly rule out any of the advanced features we were hoping to do. He says that if I can get at least 5 scenarios made with it by other people, then he'll help me make it better, but until then I'm on my own.
I've also got some Easter graphics to make for our cupcake decorations blog, and I'm still hoping to get in on Dahak's contest. So, between those projects, the graphics conversion, and writing, Archipelago is pretty much being abandoned. And I'm away most weekends, working, so no free time to work on any of those then. Basically, I'm beginning to think that Archipelago may never be finished, and that my wonderful idea for a 'cool' BoE mod will come to naught.
Then again, it might just be mid-winter depression setting in again.
In either case, I could use a bit of encouragement. I think I'll go finally start reading Episode 4. I'm sure it'll cheer me up.
~Mistb0rn~
Archipelago is still progressing slowly. I seem to have hundreds of ideas, and no idea how to use them. I'm out of nodes in one important town, and still have a huge dialog-multiple choice, depending on what you do, that is really necessary, but I haven't done anything on yet.
Our other project isn't progressing that well either... Jedi Nescioquis is too busy with his other projects to be much help, so I'm still trying to get the graphics converted, without any actual progress.
The mod is also sort of on hold (except the graphics conversion, which I'm still doing) until he figures out if he can re-compile it successfully from the source code, which would allow us to make it an actual mod, not just BoE with the graphics messed up. The only problem is that, due to the completeness of the graphics conversion, this mod will be completely incompatible with any scenarios not made with it, and and any scenarios will be incompatible with the original BoE.
So, progress is still not really being made, and the mod may never be finished. (At least that's that's what Jedi Nescioquis says.) It doesn't really matter. I doubt that anyone would really use it, though it would be extremely cool (in my opinion).
Well, back to the old graphic conversion, I guess.
~Mistb0rn~
I've been away this past weekend, and will be gone and unable to access the internet again tomorrow thru Sunday afternoon, so I haven't had a chance to update my site here. The Cherth Campaign was a massive flop, most likely due to some early-design work done by one of the kids that I forgot to edit.
I'm also working on another BoE scenario, this time with Jedi Nescioquis. It involves a complete graphics conversion (by yours truly) and a cool, top-secret storyline (by Jedi Nescioquis). We're working cooperatively on designing and coding towns.
But don't worry, I'm still working on Archipelago (with the kids, but keeping a closer eye on the design, this time). Almost 50% of the outdoors is completed, and I'm currently working on some of the towns. I've made a lot of new graphics for this one as well, and a few that actually look really good. In any case, I hope that it does better than The Cherth Campaign. And to any newcomers, I'd highly recommend that you at least give a try at designing a scenario or two. If we can revive BoE, that would be wonderful.
~Mistb0rn~
The Cherth Campaign is finally in the final final testing stage. I'll likely be able to release it ahead of schedule. Eclipse and Jedi Nescioquis have done a wonderful job of testing it for me, and I'm thanking them here, as well as in the readme. Thank you, guys!
Archipelago is taking a break while I come up with a better story/ side-quests/ map/ idea/ thing. I'm still planning to do it, I just need to make it good.
~Mistb0rn~
Well, I've been slowly but surely playing my way through the BoE allscen package, and now I've reached 'The Wreck of the Slug'. And you know what? It's a lot like my work-in-progress scenario Archipelago, but he already did it better! I'm not sure whether to give up or just try harder to come up with better stuff. So I'm taking a depressed break from Archipelago for a few days to think this over. That's the proble with coming in late to the BoE designing community. Even my best 'new' ideas have already been done before.
Still haven't heard back from my beta-tester on The Cherth Campaign beta 1.0.2, so I don't have that to edit. Although Jedi Nescioquis (my other alpha-tester, besides me) somehow managed to play the entire scenario through, and win it, with a brand new party. I'd say that merits mention.
Everyone else is still working on their respective scenarios, but you've probably heard more than enough vague references to them already.
I guess that's all for tonight.
~Mistb0rn~
I just finished The Cherth Campaign Beta 1.0.2, and sent it to my beta tester. (I could use a few more beta testers, email me at [email protected] if you're interested.)
I'm still working on a few of the advanced node sequences of Cherth, so I haven't made much progress on Archipelago this past week.
I've also been re-reading the two first books in the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson (I'm a big fan...) since I got book 3 for Christmas! If you haven't read them, I highly recommend them. Excellent fantasy series, very original.
But, BoE. Yes. Well, ~*Tornac*~ has been working on her scenario, a short one about a nephil invasion. Also, one of the kids (she's planning to go by Dia_Chan) has started working on one too, so we should have several coming out in the next few months. I've got an idea for my first new-party scenario for when I finish Archipelago, but that may take a while.
Happy New Year!
~Mistb0rn~
I got my first response from one of my beta-testers for The Cherth Campaign, so I've been taking a break from working on Archipelago to fix those errors. I've also been trying to come up with a condensed version of the large castle graphic, because I only have two town entrances left and I needed three for the old graphic. I think the one I've ended up with looks pretty good.
Also, I've been messing around with making some edited conversation dialog images, and it's coming pretty well. I've got a huge custom graphics sheet, including an all new floor and wall set, and I doubt I'll even end up using half of them in Archipelago. But if I ever need them in future, I'll know where to find them. ;-)
~*Tornac*~ is making good progress on her first scenario, and ZeroPointEngery is coming along well on his second. I'm hoping to have the kinks out of The Cherth Campaign in time for a Feb. 1 release.
~Mistb0rn~
I don't know what the problem was, but I couldn't get Weebly to load the past few days, so I wasn't able to post at all. Until now...
I've been working on Archipelago quite a bit, but it looks like I'm going to need to re-design two of the major towns due to special node limitations. With such a daunting task ahead, I also picked up the demo of Geneforge from the Spiderweb website for some non-exile related playing. I hadn't tried it before, and It's actually really good. I think I'll have to buy the trilogy bundle here soon. It's way better than Avernum.
ZeroPointEngery is making good progress on his second scenario. It may even be ready within a week or two.
And, of course, I'm still accepting beta testers for The Cherth Campaign. Email me at [email protected].
~Mistb0rn~