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Incline Hearkenwold - an IceBlink and DC engine Campaign

ProphetSword

Arcane
Developer
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
1,755
Location
Monkey Island
Just so you know, the effects of Stinking Cloud still affect anyone who was in the cloud for one round after they leave the cloud, whether by choice or by virtue of the fact that the spell has ended or been dispelled.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
I finished converting the recent Hearkenwold content into a second module for FRUA

HearkII2.jpg


HearkII3.jpg


This is designed as a direct continuation of the first chapter. There is the option to start with new characters, but they will be treated as if they have completed all the previous stuff and NPCs will react to the party accordingly. Newly created characters begin with 18,001 XP. That is 4th or 5th level, depending on class. And they start with +1 equipment.

It is possible to "transfer" your party from the first Hearkenwold FRUA design. This is done by first removing the characters at the start menu of FRUA (when HEARKENW.DSN is selected) and copying the CCH files from the design's SAVE folder into the SAVE folder of the new design HEARKENX.DSN

If anyone is interested to play the campaign through from the beginning, I have made some updates to the first chapter. Most importantly, I reset the magic resistance on all monsters to the default value of 0. This is necessary for the way magic resistance works in 1e AD&D, and I should not have fiddled with it. Cosmetically, I also went through and changed all the outside areas to use the forest backdrop, saving open sky only for roads and paths. These are also bordered by passable trees, and I added a few minor encounters and text events.

HearkII1.jpg


The new module is located here:

Hearkenwold II

And you can find the first chapter at the FRUA archives, or download directly here:

Hearkenwold

I have already started work on the next part of the adventure in IceBlink. That is the ongoing project I plan to release by the end of this year.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
I am working on the next stage of Hearkenwold in the IceBlink 2 engine. Picking up where the last chapter left off, a new outdoor area opens featuring a river running across the map. Of course, if there is going to be a river crossing, there ought to be an opportunity for a bridge fight.

HearkIB2River.jpg


This is a neat encounter that has the party start out on one of the wooden bridges suspended over the water, engaged with two melee fighters, while on the parallel bridge there are archers and a spell caster. The first time I tested this battle, the party's 5th level Ranger who now gets two attacks per round ran out of arrows. But in the shared inventory, I found I was still holding onto a crossbow and bolts from earlier in the campaign. He armed himself with that to finish the combat.

I also came up with a new method to sort of replicate the "Who Tries" event from FRUA, with regard to handling a treasure chest. This combines the party chat system, using conditionals to identify each character by class, with the <Full Name> token that is inserted into the dialogue option. So as the player tabs through each party member, they have the option to select the character who will trigger the action.

HearkIB2Chest1.jpg


HearkIB2.jpg


Now I need to go back and adjust some previous conversations attached to chests. This approach can be used as well for opening doors, or all manner of adventuring tasks where you would select a specific party member. It can be keyed to stats instead of class, if that is more appropriate, or other defining conditionals.

Finally, I am constructing a fortress location where the characters will eventually visit. In contrast to the castle at the start of the adventure, the objective of this area comprised of multiple maps is to include numerous hostile encounters while not necessarily making this an enemy stronghold.

HearkIB2Relmfur.jpg


In fact, the party does have business with the Duke who rules this fortress. But it is a dangerous place to explore.
 

FeelTheRads

Arcane
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
13,716
This combines the party chat system, using conditionals to identify each character by class, with the <Full Name> token that is inserted into the dialogue option. So as the player tabs through each party member, they have the option to select the character who will trigger the action.

What does the party chat system do by itself if not this, then?
I'm sort of fucking around with IceBlink at the moment, but I haven't yet got to test this feature yet, so that's why I'm asking.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
well the heart of the party chat system is simply to define player responses in conversation by things like class, race, stats, etc. So following the NPC's node, I can have a fighter say one thing, and another option be available to an elf character, and yet another to characters with greater than 16 intelligence. (An insightful response, or mentioning a bit of lore, for example). The speech bubbles on the character icons along the bottom of the screen show when they have a response available that is different from the presently highlighted character.

What I was going on about above, is just using the system more as a utility to select party members. There are no lines of dialogue at all, only Select <Full Name>. So you can choose your thief to open a chest, or a high strength fighter to bash a door, or a nimble Halfling to squeeze through a hole. It all depends on the creativity of the builder.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
Over the past couple of months, I've been working on multiple areas, expanding the campaign and the game world. One of the new locations is a village called Radura. In the screenshot below, I show some Temple of Elemental Evil influence with a battle against more than a dozen bugbears.

hearkib222.jpg


And there is this picturesque area, with a waterfall nestled among the rocks and trees.

hearkib221_1.jpg


I've also been adding content to the Fortress levels. The way it is shaping up, I'm pleased with its design as a combination of a dungeon crawl and a hub. Right now, I would say the potential for combat events outnumber friendly encounters. One NPC the party will get to meet is the old Duke of Relmfur who rules this part of the realm.

hearkib223.jpg


Finally, I went back to the first castle area and added some walls around Thespar and Abigail. This essentially creates partitions and eliminates the issue of redundant triggers. I'm also going to redo the flooring of these levels, finding a FRUA type tile that would work, like in the image above. The castle was the first area I designed in the IceBlink toolset, before I quite knew what I was doing and before we had a tilemapper tool or the function to build with tiles from within the toolset.

hearkib224.jpg


On the IceBlink 2 development front, we just released a new version, build 22. I need to play around with it and then convert the module. So far, Hearkenwold is being built and runs in version 21.
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Hey Dorateen. Are there any plans for IceBlink 2 to hit Android? I enjoyed a few modules on my tablet a lot with the touch interface. Either way, good work on these and once more progress is made I'll take a peek.

The screenshots look great, by the way. Love the overall look and feel of them.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
Are there any plans for IceBlink 2 to hit Android?

Thanks, fluent. One of the goals of IceBlink 2 was to make the PC version have the same features as what was on IceBlink application for Andriod. Since then, slowdive developed IBmini for the Android, meant to be more compact with less available large scope features. However, content wise, the module in IB2 plays the same as in IBmini.

So to clarify, I am creating Hearkenwold for the PC. But it will be converted to the IBmini format for use on the Android. If I'm not mistaken, the ibmini beta that is available for download contains the latest release I made of Hearkenwold.
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Interesting. Thanks, Dorateen!

So, why does the Android version have less large scope features? I'll have to check out Hearkenworld when it releases, preferably on Android.
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
So, why does the Android version have less large scope features?

The intention behind IBmini was to make available a program that builders could churn out modules quicker, since they would in theory be of more simple design. There are a lot of tricks being experimented with in IceBlink 2, which I have not even touched yet. Things like height mapping and light and weather effects, changing seasons, moving props, etc. So the PC has the potential to be much more advanced and customized. Right now, though, I think the only thing missing in comparing with the Android version is that it does not have music.

The chart at the bottom of the IceBlink home page gives a nice side by side comparison between the two projects:

http://www.iceblinkengine.com/
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Interesting. I hope some of those features get added to the Android version eventually (if it's even possible) as there are some really neat features there. Or maybe a second, more complex Android app could be used by those who want the advanced features. Android could use more RPGs and modules like this, IMO.
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Thanks, slowdive. Can you link the post that talks about why there are differences between the 2?
 

slowdive

Bree Arts
Developer
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
236
This is an old post and some parts are outdated:
http://www.iceblinkengine.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=470

Main points to keep in mind are that we are very few and have day jobs and family life, etc. So ibmini is meant to be a smaller scope and more achievable project. IB2 will always be the flag ship and growing, more experimental thus buggier, more bells and whistles, etc. IBmini and IB2 will continue to have most all of the main core game mechanics the same so importing your IB2 module to IBmini is automated. ..or you can use the ibmini toolset if you do not want to make an ib2 module.
 

FeelTheRads

Arcane
Joined
Apr 18, 2008
Messages
13,716
So, why does the Android version have less large scope features?

The intention behind IBmini was to make available a program that builders could churn out modules quicker, since they would in theory be of more simple design. There are a lot of tricks being experimented with in IceBlink 2, which I have not even touched yet. Things like height mapping and light and weather effects, changing seasons, moving props, etc. So the PC has the potential to be much more advanced and customized. Right now, though, I think the only thing missing in comparing with the Android version is that it does not have music.

The chart at the bottom of the IceBlink home page gives a nice side by side comparison between the two projects:

http://www.iceblinkengine.com/

What are the features either available or planned for encounters? Is it possible to have scripts during encounters? For example say stuff like activating a switch to close/open a door... or destroy parts of the environment.. anything like that?
 

Dorateen

Arcane
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
4,322
Location
The Crystal Mist Mountains
What are the features either available or planned for encounters?

One of the recent features to be implemented is to allow running scripts from the encounter map. We can get event squares in for placing triggers. An example is having squares that would damage a character, such as pits or traps or other hazards. Removing props should be possible, could be used to destroy terrain features, or perhaps simulate a door being opened. If we can call a script that sets squares to walkable/unwalkable in the middle of combat, then we can close doors and create other obstacles on the battle field.
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Hey guys. I'm on my tablet today and will be checking it out. Should I start with Hearkenworld?
 

slowdive

Bree Arts
Developer
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
236
I would start with either Hearkenwold (by Dorateen) or The Elderin Stone (by Pongo, author of The Raventhal). Those are the two best available for download in ibmini.
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Hey. I really like the initial interface for downloading and selecting modules. Very nice. Going to try Pongo's module since it's a 3-4 hour one.
 

Mustawd

Guest
Feeling like lounging around on my tablet. Might do this as well.
 

slowdive

Bree Arts
Developer
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
236
You download IceBlinkMini RPG (in beta still) from our list of other apps on Google Play and then from within the app, click on "get updates", then it will show up as one of the modules available for download or updating (if a new version of a module is available).
 

Deleted Member 16721

Guest
Ah, man. This is way cooler than it has any right to be. Nice intro to The Elderin Stone. I don't hear any sounds, though. Is this normal?
 

slowdive

Bree Arts
Developer
Joined
Nov 1, 2012
Messages
236
IBmini doesn't have music at this point, only combat attack sounds (which is a little buggy at the moment, doesn't always play).
 

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