Monday - March 04, 2002
Same event. Different game.
Aside from Asheron's Call 2, RPGvault was also granted a glimpse at Dungeon Siege when they travelled to Las Vegas, Nevada as press attendees of M$'s International Gaming Festival. |
RPGvault serves up a detailed report of what they have seen of Asheron's Call at Microsoft's International Gaming Festival (formerly a.k.a Gamestock) the other day.
Here's an excerpt:
Building upon the key strengths of its first game, Asheron's Call 2 will also feature an ongoing storyline and a dynamic content system that can bring about various events such as storms, blizzards, volcanoes and even invasions. There will still be monthly events with new quests, items et al to keep players involved in the story. Even better, Jason indicated that the new gameplay engine has been designed to make them easier to implement. Also adding to the depth of experience in this area, one of the game's goals is to provide a much more interactive environment wherein players will be able to affect the world in various ways, such as rebuilding the ruined world and changing their immediate surroundings by completing quests. As players become more powerful, they will even be able to trigger certain global events like the aforementioned storms and invasions.
|
1) The Neverwinter Nights creature database at Neverwinter Vault has been updated with some new critter info.
2) ShadeRaven from Neverwinter Vault continues to analyze character classes which we will be able to play in NWN. Yesterday he took a closer look at the monk class. As always very well done and in case you're the type of gamer who day-dreams about how he's going to play a certain game it is a must read as it will help you determine if the monk class suits you or not. |
OK, the announcement on the official RatHunt website says March, 01 for these news but ever since I've first heard of RatHunt I've checked the official site several times a day and yesterday there were no news on the completion of the DCI system yet. So this is real hot news :)
Anyway, Mirage Interactive has apparently finished the so called DCI (Dynamic Character Interaction) system for its upcoming FPS/RPG hybrid RatHunt. To find out more about DCI you should visit RatHunt's gameplay page at Mirage. There's also some screenshots showing the effects of the DCI system.
Here's a snip from the DCI description:
From player’s point of view the DCI (Dynamic Character Interaction) is a system of interactive, context menus. They appear whenever a talk is initiated (whether someone starts talking to player, or vice versa). Screenshots on the left show a typical chat with an NPC (a bartender).
But the ability to talk to virtually anybody in the game is just the visible top of DCI iceberg. It is an adventure-like storyline system, reacting on every action player takes. Non player characters' actions depend on what Mason did in the past, how he was talking, whom he killed, what quest he solved and so on.
|
What would a new week be without another patch for the Pendragon test realms of Mythic's MMORPG Dark Age of Camelot?
We're still taking bets on a Pendragon version 1.47G on Friday. But first of all check out what's new in version 1.47C right here. |
Thanks to UnknownPlayer for pointing us to this story: Kelly Flock, CEO of Verant (makers of Everquest) has left to "pursue independent business opportunities". This is from Sony PR:
Kelly Flock has moved on to pursue independent business opportunities. Since its founding in 1995, Sony Online Entertainment has become the number one online games publisher, currently dominating the online subscription gaming segment. The management team of Sony Online Entertainment will continue to ensure the highest degree of quality in current and future game developments and customer satisfaction. John Smedley, Chief Operating Officer of Sony Online Entertainment, will manage the company and report to Yair Landau, President, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment. "We have a very strong senior management team here at SOE", says Yair Landau, President, Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment. " I am very confident in SOE's continued success". Day to day operations, creative innovation and development continue unchanged. The development teams at Sony Online Entertainment continue to expand the growing world of EverQuest and branch out to new genres with Star Wars Galaxies and PlanetSide.
We were told that John Smedely has taken over his duties... |
Our hosted site The Locus Inn has received news and proof of the fact that there will be roofs in Divine Divinity. It shows the very first screenshots where the houses have roofs. It has been a feature that has been asked for a long time and now it seems to be in the game.
You can also find there a new wallpaper of Chaos, and two new scribbles. One of a crystal gargoyle and the other of an insane skeleton. |
The proof is here now! Divinity will have ROOFS!!!. Check out the screenies below:
It has been on the wish lish of many fans and now it seems to be in the game.... kewl :)
There is also a new wallpaper of Chaos out, which is available in 4 sizes and two new scribbles. One of a crystal gargoyle and the other of an insane skeleton (like there is another kind :). |
Check out our latest Developer Profile from Larian Studios team member Thomas Lenzen, aka Bronthion. He is showing us a bit more than just the back of his head while he explains to us how he gets through the day:2) What is your typical working day like?
Waking up, analyzing my dreams if I can use anything as sidequest for Divinity, checking e-mail and bug database, getting the newest version of the game from our program database, nagging in the programming, graphics and sound department for things I'm eagerly waiting for and having lunch. Joining the meeting of the story team about To-Do lists for the next couple of days, going to the supermarket for resupplying and having dinner. Starting up StoryEditor and Divinity, and beginning to work on my To-Do list. At three o'clock in the morning, surfing a little bit in the web, playing a little bit Pool of Radiance II, going to bed and falling into sleep, dreaming about roleplaying... |
Shadowbane Warcry has put together a list of frequently unanswered questions (FUQ) about Shadowbane, Wolfpack Studio's upcoming MMORPG. Here's one of them:
Why are the Beta Journals so focused on the interface?
Most of Shadowbane's game features are available at the click of a pointer to a button, and all those buttons may be "torn off" and moved elsewhere on the game screen. The player's third-person view of the game world may also be changed by moving the "camera" to different angles, zoomed in or out as the player desires. Player characters also move around purely by mouse input.
All of these together mean the interface, the most prominent feature of any game, will be the first big part of any player's experience. Take it seriously. |
 Dominion Screenshots at GameSpyDaily
(PC: MMORPG) | Posted by Rendelius @ 14:35 - Top 
| Game Info | Homepage |
| A batch of very impressive screenshots from Dominion can be found at GameSpyDaily. |
Gamespy has conducted an interview with David Allen about Pharaoh Productions' upcoming RPG/multiplayer RPG Dominion. Here's a bit:
GameSpyDaily: You say that DOMINION will be playable online. How will it compare to the likes of EverQuest, Asheron's Call and Dark Age of Camelot? What kind of online experience will the player have?
David: DOMINION will feature a top-layer community called the Pharaoh Gaming Network. From here, players can meet, chat, exchange messages, view records, engage in challenges, etc. Once players are ready, they either create or join an already existing world. Our worlds will allow up to 64 players (perhaps even 128) at a time. Once you get into the world, it will feel oddly like a MMOG; the major difference being that once a world's storyline is complete (which takes quite some time), you move on to another completely different world.
Each world will have its own look and feel. For example, the first world may have many more forests and caves than the other, meaning an abundance of certain types of creatures; while the second world may have more cursed swamps, deserts and mountains - thus generating very different creatures (meaning different item drops). While most worlds will contain at least one of each realm type, the storyline will always be different, as will the propagation of the world. |
 Boundless Adventures Alpha Testing begins
(PC: MMORPG) | Posted by Rendelius @ 14:29 - Top
| Game Info | Homepage |
There's a posting at the Warcraft Beta Center about an upcoming patch:
Warcraft Beta Patch 1.10 We have been busy scouring the forums and evaluating feedback as we get ready for the next Warcraft III beta patch. The feedback has been fantastic thus far. The comments we are getting back are very helpful. We were able to quickly release the first few patches as they only contained bug fixes to existing beta game code. However, the new patch will add several new features including the remaining hero and unit abilities as well as new Battle.net functionality (the "profile" screen, icons, and the new ranking system). Finishing these features and fixing newly created bugs is time consuming. We are shooting to have patch 1.10 available in the next couple days. In the mean time, we hope you'll continue to play and perfect your strategies and techniques in preparation for the upcoming round of changes. Thanks for your patience. Blizzard Entertainment. |
Franck Sauer was partner in an interview about Outcast 2 at Outcastii.net. Here's a bit from that:
outcastii.net : Screenshots from the PC version haven’t been shown yet. When can we expect seeing them so as a video to ?
Franck Sauer : Now, the water is implemented. I'm waiting for the dynamic shadows and then, we promise you the first video (PS2 as always). Then we probably release some hi-res PC screenshots. |
Here is a Q&A from the Icewind Dale II forum.
Answering some Q's about lawfull good
Q: This is a very important point. However, in this context we are taking about "relative" concepts of "right" not the "absolute" concept of Lawful Good.
A: There is no absolute concept of anything, even if it's written in plain text. Perhaps I put too much stock in post-modern philosophy. We can only see through our own heads.
Q: Within the context of the game the term "Lawful Good" is an "Absolute", whereas the term "right" is "relative". Each character sees himself as "right" within the constraints of his alignment, but only one alignment is Lawful Good per the rules.
A: Hardly. "Lawful good" is defined through a paragraph of text that describes an attitude towards the world. How you and I intepret that paragraph is determined by our own subjective take on it.
Q: If we argue that all alignments are Lawful Good in their own eyes then what's the point of defining Lawful Good as an alignment in the first place because then everyone is Lawful Good, and therefore the other alignments don't(can't) exist.
A: That's not what I'm arguing; I'm arguing that this:
"A lawful good character acts as a good person is expected or required to act. She combines a commitment to oppose evil with the discipline to fight relentlessly. She tells the truth, keeps her word, helps those in need, and speaks out against injustice. A lawful good character hates to see the guilty go unpunished."
can be satisfied to different people in different ways. "speaks out against injustice" What is justice? College kids studying the Republic still can't answer this damned question, and an armchair DM-philosopher is supposed to be able to wing it and define, "objectively" when a character is really being lawful good for reals?
Q: We define alignments from a "Morally Absolute" perspective and then define character options from a "Morally Relative" perspective. Which is it? We can't have it both ways.
A: There is only moral relativism. That's why I dislike alignment. It tries to make concrete that which is inherently subjective.
Q: Like I said before each group has their own, yet different, definition of what lawful and what good mean. At this point we don't have a common definition of either lawful, or good, or right.
A: Sure we do; it's in the Player's Handbook, and listed above. Of course, that doesn't handle the paladin of Tyr/paladin of Ilmater agony. If I spare the murderer, I am showing kindness and compassion. Perhaps this individual will see the error of his ways and become a helpful member of society. If I kill this murderer, I am being just, and protecting the community from a dangerous individual. Both actions can be lawful and good according to the vague paragraph of text above.
Q: For Judeo-Christians, salvation lies in the "belief" that Christ sacrificed Himself for our sins. This is a "faith" based concept.
A: Christ taught his own soteriology. Without the Gospels, you have Paul. However, even Paul tells one of his communities that one cannot simply believe in Christ and commit sin, "letting grace abound". Various Christian sects will say "acts", others will say, "faith" and even more will say, "faith and acts". Obviously, faith is the root of all belief systems, by definition.
Q: In the Qu'ran, (Sura 9:5 if interested), it talks about it being right to kill and enslave non-believers if they do not convert to Islam. In the Bible killing and enslaving non-believers is wrong, unless they try and kill you first and even then it may still be wrong.
A: The Bible also tells Jews to kill priests that shave. However, the New Testament makes clear that Christianity is a new covenant, and that slavish dedication to old laws is unnecessary. But... in other places, the Bible clearly states that it is okay to follow some of the old laws, as long as they don't conflict with the new ones. Hmm. Interpreting text is a funny thing.
Q: Yes, because their beliefs and definition of right and wrong are different. We can not say that Lawful Good means the same in both instances. And, this is exactly the point I am trying to bring out. Again, in your example Lawful Good is defined in a "Relative" manner not an "Absolute" manner.
A: All text is relative, because it must be personally interpreted.
Q: Okay, now we're talking apple and oranges. Forgotten Realms fantasy novels vs. D&D. The Forgotten Realms Novels take great creative license. I am talking about the D&D rules that define the alingments as "Moral Absolutes."
A: Actually, I'm talking about the rulebooks for FR. All FR paladins must have a deity; they can't simply be "lawful good", primarily because that's such a flaccid basis for character behavior. One paragraph is hardly the foundation for unending zeal. Hell, even hardcore members of individual religions can't agree on the best way to follow their faith. "thou art Peter, and upon this rock, I will build my church." WOW, talk about the worst pun in Christian history. Ask learned Lutherans and Catholics how that line (Mat 16:18) should be interpreted, and watch the fun begin.
Q: Within the context of the game the term "Lawful Good" is an "Absolute", whereas the term "right" is "relative". Each character sees himself as "right" within the constraints of his alignment, but only one alignment is Lawful Good per the rules.
A: Yes, but we still have to interpret that as DMs and players on a case by case basis. Any given piece of behavior may or may not be lawful good to our understanding of the definition.
Q: If we argue that all alignments are Lawful Good in their own eyes then what's the point of defining Lawful Good as an alignment in the first place because then everyone is Lawful Good, and therefore the other alignments don't(can't) exist.
A: They work decently as guidelines. Generally, DMs don't put their players in agonizing situations that grind those flimsy definitions up (Harold the paladin in IWD:TotL is a stupid, but effective, example).
Q: Is the Paladin Just and Merciful, or only Just, or only Merciful? If both Paladins are working together and one wants to be only Just and the other only Merciful they would then fight each other over whether to be Just, or Merciful, or both. If both Paladins are of the same alignment then they would automatically agree.
A: The paladin strives to be just and merciful, but agonizing situations do arise. Each paladin may believe that he or she is serving the community best, in the way defined in that one short paragraph. Sometimes killing is merciful, sometimes it is just, sometimes it is neither, and sometimes it is both. The way in which you interpret it is ultimately what is important.
Ever read Orestes?
Apollo: "You have to kill your mother, because she killed your father."
Furies: "You can't kill your mother, because you have a duty to your family and the greater community."
Q: In reality both Paladins are acting in a manner they believe to be correct base on their relative definition of right and wrong, but only the paladin following the "absolute" definition of Lawful Good is being Lawful Good.
A: Okay, so tell me whether the paladin of Tyr is lawful good or the paladin of Ilmater is lawful good.
Q: The Paladins we have now are just Zeallots fighting blindly for their one narrow view (with their own specific yet different definition) of right and wrong.
A: If you and I were put in a world, and told to behave in accordance with the paragraph of text defining "lawful good", I believe you and I would behave differently, despite seeing the same words in front of us.
Q: This is not a Paladin. A Paladin is a defender and protector, not a holy jihad warrior. A Paladin would fight for anyone of any alignment because of this Lawful Good ideals of Honor, Duty, and Selfless Service as long as the overall result is within the constraints of the Lawful Good Alignment. Selflessly fighting for the benefit of Humanity in general, not just for the benefit of their deity.
A: Okay, so tell me again: is justice or mercy more important for the preservation of humanity?
Q: Also, don't try and tell me an LG Paladin would follow an non-LG Deity. This is some kind of perverted Forgotten Realms novel thing (or perverted 3e rules thing) that defies logic and common sense.
A: Some Christians are pacifists that face down opposition with stoic resolve. Others blow up abortion clinics and hold up signs that say, "GOD HATES FAGS". You tell me how this happens.
Q: If we say that any character of any alignment, not just Paladins, can follow a deity of another alignment then we might as well just hang-it-up, throw out all the rules, close-up-shop, and go home!
A: I'm sure most Christians believe they act in accordance with what Christ would want, but I have a feeling Christ might disagree with them.
Q: Does anyone else not see this glaring contradiction in trying to apply "absolute" concepts in a "relative" manner?
A: Of course; it's all relative. At a fundamental level, even those stupid blocks of text in the PHB are interpreted in a subjective manner. Thus, given that, I think it's easy to have two characters that players and DM see as "lawful good" being at odds with each other. I don't think a very selfish thief would consider himself or herself to be "lawful good" if you put the definition in front of them; but I could be wrong.
"Tell me, Artemis Entreri, do you believe that you tell the truth, keep your word, help those in need, and speak out against injustice?" |
PC Games Central has an interview with Todd Howard on Bethesda Softworks' upcoming RPG Morrowind. Here's an iteresting snippet:
Q: About how long should the game take to complete, and how nonlinear is the game itself? Will people be able to play it two different times and have different experiences/endings?
Well, it's a little hard to say how long the main quest takes to complete. It depends on how much stuff you do off the main quest. It may sound easy enough, but there's so much stuff going on around you that you start to get curious. I wonder who killed that guy? I wonder what's in that ruin? Before you know it, you've become embroiled in half a dozen things and you're having too much fun to notice you aren't working on the main quest. So, anywhere from 50 hours to hundreds of hours.
Plus, the game itself doesn't end. Even after you finish the main quest, you can continue playing the game and experiencing new things. With the plugins that will be available using the TES Construction Set, you'll be able to experience entire games within your game of Morrowind. One guy is doing his version of the entire game of Ultima Underworld, and will release it as a plugin. So you can play almost an entirely seperate game he's created within your existing game. The possibilities are endless.
As far as it being a different experience, if you play the game several times as different character types, you're gameplay experience will definitely change. There's only one "ending" to the main quest, but many ways to get there. |
Another review of Disciples 2 - Dark Prophecy is online now at Strategy Gaming Online. Once again, the rating is very favorable (8.8/10). Their last sentences sum up pretty well their feelings about the game:
Disciples 2 is a game that can be likened to chess: the combat and turn structure are formulaic but no less fun thereby. The gameplay is deeper than that. Rather, there is a rhythm to this game that makes it very appealing. It’s true that to some, the rigidity of the system is constraining – if you like your fantasy-strategy with casts of thousands and armies around every hillock, Disciples 2 probably isn’t your cup of tea. But for those who are seeking something in between an RPG and a strategy game (or both), I think that most gamers will find it entertaining. Disciples 2 is a stylistic, compelling, and memorable experience. |
84/100 - that is the rating at Gamers Pulse as they review Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance for the PS2. Here is their summary:
Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance never pretends to be something other than a scaled down, action-heavy entry into the series - aimed squarely at pleasing a console audience. Limited scope of gameplay, simplified combat, a bare-boned story; these prevent the pace from becoming bogged down in typical RPG statistic, strategic, and narrative detail. Addicting through it's ten or so hours of gameplay- and even a bit beyond due to a two player mode and character-importing system - the game is visually superior and, because tightly focused and honest in its claim, ultimately satisfying. Fans of both the series and of solid, action-packed dungeon crawls would be well served by playing Dark Alliance.
|
A review of Throne of Darkness has made its way on the pages of PC Arena. The rating: 4 out of 5 arcs, and this is what they have to offer as their conclusion:
Throne of Darkness is a solid game which produces a fun and intriguing whole which is definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Graphics and sound may be just good, not great, and it seems that the central, combat-focused element of the game could have been rendered better. Yet all of the game’s elements add up to fun role-playing game with plenty of action. If you’re a fan of the Diablo series or if you like CRPGs in general, give Throne of Darkness a good, hard look. | | Source: Voodooextreme |
A short preview of Morrowind went online this weekend at MGON. Here's something on the visuals:
Visually, the game is even more promising. Because you can really go anywhere and do anything, every minute part of the world is rendered in 3D, making nearly everything interactive. In addition, you can seamlessly move from one area to another, looking far off into the distance to guide your way. The texture sets look great, and the character models are impressive given their generally low polygon count. A large part of the visuals in the game include weather and time patterns, meaning that you’ll be trudging through the snow at night, or watching a volcano (yes, a volcano) erupt at sunrise. And we haven’t even seen the final version of the game, so things can only get better. |
| Today's Warcraft 3 preview has beein posted at Invisible Dreams. It's "just one of those...", but if you are a fan of the game, you can't get enough, can you? :-) |
A post from Ossie to the forums of TELP indicates an April, 14 release for Might & Magic IX in Australia as opposed to an end March (probably around March, 28-30) release date for Europe and the U.S. His source is EB Australia.
However, someone by the name of Ryder replied to the thread and linked to an Australian online shop where you should be able to get MMIX shortly after the European/U.S. dates (legally, of course :)). Don't quote us if it doesn't work. We're just here to inform you of stuff like that ;)
Here's the link Ryder posted. |
Josh E. Sawyer visited the boards again with a discussion about a possible paladin/rogue. Which turned out to be a length discussion:
A small story to show that strange combinations of classes can be possible
Dadaen Graves was one of the most cold-blooded muggers and burglars in Westgate. If anyone ever got in his way, he'd brain them on the spot. He'd beat up kids, throw old ladies down stairs, and kick vagrants for their daily take. One night, while he was drunk, a group of angered citizens finally struck back. They surrounded Dadaen and beat him with clubs. In his intoxicated state, he couldn't defend himself. The bloodied thug stumbled through the streets, pounding on doors in the night. Eventually, one opened. A man emerged, and pushed back the throngs. Dadaen, eyes filled with blood, stumbled inside. He could hear the man shouting out and being beaten as he fell into unconsciousness.
Dadaen woke up in a small, simple stone room. Sitting by his side was a man in gray robes -- gray stained with red and black. The face starting back at him was aged and wrinkled, but the welts and cuts made it hard to tell how aged. Despite his injuries, the man smiled.
"Well met, Dadaen. I am Bastine, Bastine of Ilmater."
Over the course of the next few months, Dadaen remained inside the church. People on the streets were still out for blood, and Dadaen's old "friends" in the gang had taken over his territory. There was nothing left for him in his old life. As he recovered, he observed the priests of Ilmater in their daily activities. When he became well, he decided to stay at the church. After long reflection, Dadaen decided that he was not cut out for the priesthood. Despite this, he felt a calling inside himself, a compulsion to serve Ilmater and all the suffering people of the world. Conversing with Bastine, Dadaen realized that he was destined to serve the church as a paladin, a holy warrior.
Dadaen continued to use his abilities of stealth and information gathering to learn about the activities of Westgate's criminals. His skill at intimidation was directed towards scaring off the thugs that preyed on the weak, just as he once had. However, Dadaen was a lawful man. He worked with the ruling powers of Westgate, despite the great difficulties of acting in accordance with such a corrupt government.
***
Hey, it's no more implausible than waking up and knowing how to cast a first level wizard spell.
But some people thought it was a bit too wild, so he came up with this
Okay, okay, since that last story was so much of a stretch, let me present this:
Tyrannar the Destructor fell asleep with thoughts of dominating Aglarond in his mind. How the Simbul's agents would burn on the fields of battle. Feul and his rivals would be mocked in the great council! Oh, the joy, that Tyrannar dreamt of.
Morning broke, and as the first rays of sun were cast upon Tyrannar's cheek, the mage realized that something inside him had changed.
"Goblins. I hate goblins! Why, were one here right now, I'd throw a dagger -- NO! I'd shoot a bow at him! I've never shot a bow in my life, but I've a feeling that I'd shoot it well at that goblin. In fact, I'd wager I'd shoot it at him more accurately than, say, a human or an orc."
As Tyrannar reached over to grab his robe, he realized that his left arm felt more limber than it had ever felt before.
"Zounds! How liberated you feel, once withered appendage! Normally, you hang limp at my side, but from this day forward, there shall a dagger pivot and weave! Where is my faithful cat familiar?"
Looking about the room, Tyrannar realized he could detect slight traces of the cat's passing. Following small tufts of hair and small muddy footprints, he found his cat, Hella, in the garden.
"Ha, ha, ha! What yesterday were simple marks in the mud, unintelligible to mine eye, now chart the progress of living creatures across the ground! Surely the fools at the council will tremble at the approach of Tyrannar, level 10 wizard, level 1 ranger!"
Of course this brought forward something else
Q: Paladins dont sneak . Climibing in heavy armour dosnt make sense. Same goes for swimming in it.
A: Why do I have to wear heavy armor? Where, in the PHB, does it say that paladins have to wear heavy armor? Where does it say that can't sneak around? When they approach wrong-doers, do they have to carry a bullhorn and shout out their approach?
"PALADIN COMING THROUGH! GET YOUR SWORDS AND ARMOR, READY, EVIL DOERS. IF YOU HAVE PEASANTS HELD HOSTAGE, PLEASE DON'T KILL THEM, AS YOU MIGHT BE LIKELY TO DO IF YOU KNEW I WAS COMING."
And about the code of conduct of a paladin
If my paladin were sitting in a park and two criminals sat down on a bench behind him, discussing another individuals' plans to kill a local merchant, would it break the paladin's code unless he stood up and shouted, "EXCUSE ME, LAWBREAKERS, I AM A PALADIN"? Do you honestly believe that?
Someone stated a paladin does not use stealth
A concealed paladin is not concealing his faith; he's concealing his presence.
Unless you, as a DM, demand that all paladins march around wearing sandwich boards reading "LAWFUL GOOD PALADIN" and shouting from a bullhorn, I can't imagine how you expect paladins to behave.
A paladin is under no obligation to reveal his presence to any one. Tresspassing is a crime. Breaking and entering is a crime. Stealing is a crime. Being quiet and sneaky is certainly not a crime.
If a paladin decided to sneak up to a window to clearly hear what people inside were saying, that would break his code of conduct? You really believe that? So, if two guys were in a tavern, discussing the location of the kidnapped children, your paladin could not move next to the window to clearly overhear what they were saying? What should he do? Loudly clear his throat as he approaches the window? Should he walk inside and say, "Before you discuss your plans any further, you should know that I am a paladin."?
Which element of the paladin's code forbids the concealment of information? In fact, no element forbids that. Read through the whole paladin's handbook and see if anything inside prevents the use of stealth. If you'd like, the section on Virtues ranges from page 32-37.
And then this
Davaen the paladin angrily paced across the room. Being able to take the anger no longer, he let out a shout. A nearby priest hustled down the hall.
"My brother, what is the matter?!"
"My chest containing my arms and armor! It is locked and I lost the key!" the paladin exclaimed.
"Excuse me, brother Davaen, but were you not once a burglar before joining our brotherhood? Why not pick the lock?"
Leaping across the room, Davaen grabbed the priest by the robes, "FOR THE LOVE OF ILMATER, MAN, DON'T YOU KNOW THAT PICKING LOCKS IS MORALLY REPREHENSIBLE?!"
The priest blinked at Davaen. "But... brother, the goods belong to you."
"DON'T TRY TO TRICK ME WITH YOUR DEMONIC SUBTERFUGE, FALSE ONE!" Davaen then beat the priest to death with his bare hands for daring to blaspheme in such a manner.
And this
No, it's not misleading anyone. The paladin isn't saying he's a priest of Malar, or a two-headed rakshasa, he's simply not revealing himself.
***
Sir Blockhead and Josiah the Artificer stood before the broad oak door in the Ruins of Kal-Mathuum.
"Hold on, Sir Blockhead. Those bandits are holding children hostage in there. Let me pick this lock, and..."
"'PICK THIS LOCK'?! What kind of devil-idolizing servant of darkness do you take me for?!"
"SHHHH! Sir Blockhead, be quiet, or the bandits will hear us."
Sir Blockhead snorted and hefted his two-handed sword. "Why don't we creep in, poison one half, and slit the throats of the others?! You can't trick me with your vile... 'reasons.'"
Josiah sighed. "Blockhead..."
"SIR Blockhead."
"Sir Blockhead, you can face them in honorable combat once we're through this door and I have escorted the children to safety..."
"And HOW will you do that? I suppose you're going to PICK THE LOCKS on their cages, too. Once you start picking locks, convincing yourself that it's for good, where does it all end? Why, I suspect you'll be arrested for stealing the crown jewels, smoking Black Lotus and ravishing the king's daughter in a fortnight."
"Sir Blockhead, just let me pick the lock... "
"BREAKING AND ENTERING IS ILLEGAL!"
"Dammit, this is the king's ancestral estate! He TOLD us to come here!"
"DO NOT BLASPHEME! OUT OF MY WAY, THIEF!"
With a shove, Sir Blockhead bumped Josiah out of the way.
"Thief? I'm a locksmith! I make all of the locks for the royal family!"
"WHATEVER! Your silly name games can't fool me."
Sir Blockhead's two-handed sword smashed into the door, barely leaving a dent.
"How is this any different, Sir Blockhead?"
"I'VE HEARD ENOUGH OUT OF YOU!"
Sir Blockhead's sword hammered against the door dozens of times. Inside, the pair could hear the screaming of children.
"Blockhead!"
The paladin's sword arm let go and smashed the artificer in the face. His sword came down hard upon the lock dozens of times, shattering it into pieces. Sir Blockhead kicked the door, and it splintered apart.
"HERE I COME, VILE, BLOOD-SUCKING BANDITS!"
Josiah leaned into the doorway and FLAMFLAMFLAMFLAMed his ear. He could hear the bandits discussing their plans. "Prepare the boiling oil." one whispered. The artificer held his hand to his bleeding nose and rushed up behind the paladin.
"Sir Blockhead, I overheard the bandits, they're preparing to dump boiling oil on us!"
The paladin looked at Josiah in disgust.
"LO, THERE, BANDITS! I APPROACH FROM THE SOUTH, MIDDLE HALLWAY. MY IMMORAL COMPANION HAS OVERHEARD YOUR PLANS FOR BOILING OIL. PLEASE DISCUSS YOUR TACTICS IN A MORE SUBDUED TONE, LEST MY BABY-DEVOURING ASSOCIATE PILFER THROUGH YOUR MINDS!"
"Baby devouring?!"
The paladin's fist smashed Josiah in the face again. Blockhead approached the room. As he stepped through the doorway, a huge cauldron of boiling oil fell on his head, searing his flesh. The paladin grimaced. Josiah finally caught up with him. The FLAMFLAMFLAMFLAMing of crossbows could be heard all around. Josiah looked left, towards the pen.
"Oh my god! They've killed the children! Now we're standing in a room full of bandits with crossbows pointing at us."
The paladin swiveled his smoking torso towards the artificer and raised his visor, revealing burned flesh beneath.
"But..." he rasped, "at least we did it without... picking locks!"
A lockpicking paladin?
You're saying that the mechanic is morally wrong when, in reality, it was the action that was morally wrong. There's nothing wrong with picking locks. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. Breaking into peoples' houses against their will, that's wrong. Breaking open a stranger's strongbox to steal their goods, that's wrong. How is picking the lock on your own chest morally wrong?
Let's take another example. An evil fighter slaughters merchants for half of his life in the pursuit of money and power. After a profound religious experience, he becomes a paladin. Should he no longer use a sword? |
HomeLan Fed has conducted an interview with Pawel Kalinowski from Mirage Interactive, formerly a.k.a Mirage Media (Mortyr) on his company's upcoming 1st person RPG RatHunt which is set in a fictional modern day environment. Click our game info link in this newsbit's header for a short summary of what the game is all about.
Here's a snip from HomeLan:
HomeLAN - What sort of RPG elements are you incorporating into Rathunt?
Pawel Kalinowski - We all love RPG games, we do excellent RPG games (like Odium and Another War, but we made our first RPG for 8-bit Atari in 1988). In RatHunt we wanted to broaden RPG games audience by accustoming casual shooter player to certain RPG elements like experience levels, distributing experience points, investing in certain weapon knowledge. Other role-playing part are quests performed with use of our revolutionary DCI system.
|
| Tiscali Games has published some new screenshots from the soon to be released Heroes of Might & Magic 4. |
| Two new screenshots from RatHunt, an upcomingRPG/FPS mix, can be seen at MagixX. |
The first part of the RPGDot improvements are online now. As you might have noticed, we have added some more links to the right side of our top section. RPGDot has so much interactivity for you that goes unnoticed, we thought it would be a good idea to let you see all the latest user comments so that you can simply click on them and read them or add your own comment.
The left side still shows the headlines (but you can choose several days to be displayed), on the right you now see our latest features, comments on certain games, comments on our newsbits and the latest addition to the support sections of RPGDot and the hosted sites. We are now adding content to our support section, for now we have a very complete collection of info for Ultima Ascension and info on Iceweind Dale 2. BTW - clickin on the headline of the boxes will take you to more detailed listings and sections.
The next part of our site update will go live in the next few days, allowing you to change the way news and info is presented to you. This will let you customize our site and make it your very personal place...
We hope you like our enhancements... |
|
