A little idea I got...

[Variaz]

As I told in the General Board, I will release beta versions of the program. And I was planning to give the beta a theme, to make it more interesting, and not just a lame, unfinished beta. The first beta would have a 20 level dungeon, with new monsters, and it would have been a "forest" dungeon where you fight a two-headed green dragon at the end, with 4 attacks/round and 2 breaths/round! Nice little monster!

However, I said to myself: "But once the real game is finished, what will happen to the green dragon? What if peoples actually liked the 20 level forest dungeon and the dragon? Sure, I could put it in the main game, but if I am to make a story, I would have to make it fit..."

And then I had this idea: how about making NewAngband "modular"? By this I mean that upon starting a new game, you could select one of many adventures that would contain it's own dungeons, towns, monsters and items! So you could a "Main Quest" type module, and then several smaller(or bigger, for that matter) modules. So in the Main Quest, you would fight zulgors, and Variaz. You could then have a "Classical Angband" where you fight all the old monsters from Vanilla, and kill Morgoth at level 100. And then you could have several others, and I would also make it so peoples can make their own. And of course, once you complete an adventure, you can keep the same character to go to on to the next! So you could have an adventure called "The Orc Forest", where you are in a small town and must kill the orc leader at dungeon level 10. Once you've done this, and leveled up your character a few levels, you load the main story, with all items and stuff you found in the Orc Forest.

With all the little features I plan on implementing to allow actual plot, better and more complex quests, and with the new monster system allowing lots of freedom, I believe this feature could be interesting. This way, everyone could create their stories, monsters, items, artifacts, towns and quests for NewAngband, and allow peoples with some ideas not to be limited by only one setting. There are many variants that were created to create a new setting, such as Cthangband, the old PernAngband, AnimeBand, etc, based on many books and universes... NewAngband would become a variant that allow ALL these settings! ;D

What do you think? I think this will be fun!

[technocracy]

This is great idea and it is already being implemented in another project called Troubles of Middle Earth or TOME... I'm not sure if you have heard of it, but I believe version 3 was going to be fully modular using a scripting language. I guess you have to decide whether you wish to keep you own game world and just modualize from within it or start branching out as you suggested into different campains...

www.t-o-m-e.net/main.php?tome_current=0

[Variaz]

Yes, I was aware that ToME was implenting modules... Though I don't plan on making everything modular. Due to the way NewAngband is, it's difficult to make classes modular. It's not like the Monster Mage and Soul Guardian would be easy to make modular if they didn't already exist. It would be fairly easy to allow player to create their custom classes with simple abilities(a physical attack, bolt/ball spell, passive bonus to skills/stats...), but special features such the Elemental Lord's favored element, the Monster Magics and the Soul Guardian's soul powers would not be possible. And I don't know how we can create a really fun class without implementing SOME special features...

I also do not like the idea of implementing a complex scripting language. Not for an open source game anyway. It's a bit of a waste of time, since you already have the sources available. So why not just modify them? This is also the only way to really implement ANY features you want. Other than that, if making an adventure requires to learn some advanced programming, then not everyone will want to make them.

The way I was thinking of implementing it is that every campaign would be a library. In other words, a set of r_info, k_info and a_info files, with town definitions, quests definitions, etc... Basically, instead of looking into /lib/edit, it would look into, let's say, /lib/OrcCave or /lib/RedDragon. When starting the game, if you choose "New", you will be able to choose what module you want to use, in other words, what library. And when you finish one, you could use the same character, and keep all your stuff, and go to the next.

I will create my own main campaign whether I make this multi-campaign thing or not, with all sort of crazy stuff ;D, and all the features I plan on implementing for plot, etc... will be implemented. I just tought it would be interesting to give others the possibility to create a completely different campaign using the same program.

Anyway, there is nothing official concerning this feature. I just wanted to bring it up, and hear opinions, to know if it's worth it and if it would be fun! Hopefully I will continue to hear your words about this idea!

[technocracy]

I think I see which way you want to head with idea and I like it... it would sort of make it like the gold box unlimited adventures... the system's in place .... anyone can make the adventures and share them. To carry the characters over from adventure to adventure would be cool as well. I think this could have potential, and like you said, it would be good for anyone who doesn't want to learn a programming language (like myself), who wants to create an adventure.

[challtdow]

I really like the idea though I think there could be a problem. If people can create their own items and each campaign has a separate library, how can you implement a change from one campaign to another and still keep the items. Everyone will have different ways of numbering the items as well as unique artifacts and possibly entire item classes not found in other campaigns. I'm just not sure if it'll be possible to implement this part. Carrying over the character and gold shouldn't be a problem.

Chall T. Dow

[Variaz]

Carrying items over another adventure is possible, if I change the way items work. Instead of using the k_info/a_info files to get the stats and abilities at any times, it would use the files as templates to generate a base item, which would then become independant. The item's name, stats and abilities would all become independant, and thus carryable to another adventure.

Of course, this is easier said than done, and I know that if I decide to code this, carrying over items will be a challenge. But I think this would make multi-adventuring even more interesting!

[technocracy]

I'm not a programer but how would you control the power of items from quest to quest... if I have a dragon slayer +100 in one power campaign - how would you implement a control system for the item...

A point system perhaps ... say an items stats equates to a certain number of points:

+1 str = 1 point
+1 dex = 1 point
Slay dragons = 20 points
Slay certain gods of creation = priceless

Old joke - not a bad concept if implemented right.

Maybe even a reset system in place that restores the +1/+1 leveling capablitly of an ego item ... just a few ideas... I'm just interested in how they would be implemented? If at all lol.

Looking forward to 1.8.0

[Variaz]

Actually, I didn't really plan on implementing a control system at first... And I wonder if it would really be THAT useful.

I'll think about it. And I will have a long time to think, because multi-adventure, I plan on keeping that for 1.9.0! I'm already taking a long time to release 1.8.0(yes, I know, too much time... ), if I start implementing that now, it's going to take a LONG TIME for the next release... so I will probably keep multi adventures for 1.9.0....

Though a beta of 1.8.0 could probably be released soon. The basic monster system is done, monster mages, soul guardians and Monster race are adapted to the new monster race at about 90%(some abilities, such as Monstrous Wave, are currently not working anymore). Only thing left is the various counters/reactions abilities of monsters, but that will be coded when I need them!