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Ryzom Ring (R²) - Developer Diary #4
"'Bandits!' as a Scenario Example" by Daniel Miller (aka Sadge) This article describes one possible player-made 'adventure' scenario for the Ryzom Ring. If you are new to this series of articles, The Ryzom Ring, also known as R², is the groundbreaking new extension for Nevrax’s science fantasy massively multiplayer role-playing game, The Saga of Ryzom. In past articles, we’ve described some of the tools and processes that Ryzom players will be able to use to build their adventures; in this one, we’ll look how such an adventure might be played out and the challenges a player/designer might face.
Introducing 'Frank' For the sake of simplicity, we will refer to the player behind this scenario as Frank. Frank has decided to build a scenario based on a treasure hunt concept. He wants his audience to face a series of small enigmas and to have to think and explore as they play.Frank is using a Bandit Camp 'Component' as the key element in his scenario ('Components' are complete scripted game systems that can be dropped into a scenario with a couple of mouse clicks). By using a series of Bandit Camps that all share certain behaviour traits, Frank is hoping to make his scenario fun and easy to understand for his player friends. In order to make the most of the number of creatures that he's allowed to use at a time, Frank has opted to break his scenario up into a number of 'acts' (the concept of 'acts' is explained below). The first and last acts take place in one land map, where the scenario's hero lives. The other three acts each provide a different challenge with one or two bandit camps to deal with on a different map. .
Frank's Scenario
Background Frank has chosen to use a cowardly little hero called Sam. Sam's clan have had enough of his cowardice and have decided that the time has come for him to prove himself worthy. They have set him the challenge of collecting fire wood from the camp fires of each of the neighbouring bandit groups. Sam, petrified, seeks the help of brave adventurers to make the way safe.
The challenge The challenge is to accompany Sam to each of the Bandits' home islands and to make the bandit camps safe for him to come and visit them. Sam considers that a bandit camp is safe enough to approach as long as all of the players are sitting round the camp fire. This means that they will need to sit still for as long as it takes for Sam to run from the teleporter to the camp. If anyone gets up or dies, he'll run back to the safety of the teleporter point.
Act 1: Setting out The scenario begins at Sam's home village. Here, Frank's friends can gather, talk to the villagers and find Sam. When everyone's ready they go to the 'mass-teleporter' and Frank triggers the act change to Act 2
Act 2: The first bandits The players and Sam all arrive at the teleport point. The Bandits are sitting happily by their camp fire. It quickly becomes apparent that the bandits are very strong and reappear fast when they're killed, making it almost impossible to defeat them in a head on attack.Behind the bandit camp, the players will see a Zorai mage sitting behind a shrub. The mage explains that he has come to this island to study its unique flora. He goes on to explain that the local bandits have been tending a remarkable little plant in the heart of their camp. Were the players to manage to kill this plant he is sure that the bandits would go off to look for a replacement. As the players will discover, this plant has a magical relationship with the other intelligent plants on the island. It cannot be damaged as long as any of the other plants are alive. As soon as the players have done their tour of the island and killed off the plants, the little plant in the bandit camp dies and the bandits get up from their camp fire and wander off. It is now safe for the players to sit round the camp fire and wait for Sam.
Act 3: The second set of bandits On the next island there is another Bandit camp. A mage, sitting at the other end of the island, advises the players that the bandits are particularly attached to their herd of Caprini. It suffices for one to kill one or two of these to motivate the bandits to go out and patrol.The bandits' patrols are short so the players need to move fast after killing the Caprini, if they are to avoid them and take up their positions round the camp fire in time for Sam to complete his task.
Act 4: The final set of Bandits On the final bandit island, the players will discover two camps, one in front of the other. These two camps are linked. Whenever the boss of one camp is killed the bandits from the other camp come over to assist and stay patrolling for a short while.The players will need to start by taking on the bandits in the further of the two camps to draw away the bandits in the closer camp. Once extricated from the fight, they'll need to regroup round the camp fire for Sam to do his thing. This done, they'll need to take on the boss from the other camp and repeat the exercise.
Act 5: The Party Back at Sam's village, he is heralded as a hero. The villagers dance and make merry. The players can hang about here as long as they like. |
Ryzom Ring, Diary #4
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