Fidcal on 26/10/2009 at 19:08
ScaryKitties: Your ideas might be good as background story but not a trivial task to implement them as actual characters and models in Dark Mod FMs. Currently we have to work with the model characters that are available and planned by the Dark Mod team, eg, the builder types are complete and working. Anyone is free of course to make new AI and other models but as I say, that is a lot more work for them.
Any story ideas are welcome but the central core of this thread is the player character himself and his personal background to give 'soul' to FMs as I think someone put it in the other thread. Well, if not soul then at least a focus for one's imagination.
elkston on 26/10/2009 at 19:11
Quote Posted by Springheel
Back when we were discussing an official campaign we did create a backstory for Farrell.
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I like that background, Springheel! :thumb:
TheCapedPillager on 27/10/2009 at 12:51
I think that any fan missions that feature a common main character are going to suffer if released prior to a campaign of sorts featuring said character. The reason is twofold: A campaign will have the necessary scope to be able to describe the character in more detail, from where he came from to what he thinks etc. Secondly, many people might not have played all the individual missions featuring this character, so they'd 'miss out' on much of the backstory unless it was told through an extensive (official) campaign that they'd be more likely to play.
I don't know if the Dark Mod team have any specific plotline etc planned, but I've been thinking about the character and possible missions to feature in a campaign and without going into too much depth, the following is what I imagine for the character:
Our protagonist is the son of a relatively wealthy (by Victorian standards) family. During his young years his father died in suspicious circumstances. Shortly afterwards, his mother was accused of heresy and tortured to death by the Inquisition (this will be important to a later mission in the campaign).
With no family left, and a deep resentment of the Church, our antihero begins life on the streets where he is treated as an outsider by the other street urchins for having an educated background. In his later years, he joins a thieves guild when times get tough for an independent thief with the build up of the city watch (due to the return of the army following a cessation of hostilities with neighbouring city states). This is where I imagine the mission structure beginning, though I've yet to completely link the different parts of the story together.
Part of the story is about uncovering the truth about his family, but the main arc is to discover a deeper secret that has been hidden by the power brokers in the city.
Melan on 27/10/2009 at 13:01
That's mostly the story of CoSaS, isn't it? ;) (Add or take a few details)
TheCapedPillager on 27/10/2009 at 13:09
Quote Posted by Melan
That's mostly the story of CoSaS, isn't it? ;) (Add or take a few details)
Could be, I only know the story of CoSaS from the first two missions and don't know where it's headed :)
I should clarify that the main character would leave the thieves guild after one or possibly two missions, and from there the main storyline revolves around the Builders, with some interaction with nobles as well as some haunted locations.
jtr7 on 27/10/2009 at 13:14
Interesting. Is this for TDM or an FM? :)
Anyhow, since there continues to be a misunderstanding of what TDM is...these are tools, not a game, so only a collaborative effort among a team to build an FM would require such cohesion of an overall vision. When making an FM, it's whatever you want to do, as an individual or team. The Dark Mod itself doesn't need to be anything more than a starter building kit, to be modified further as one may wish, or to have as a ready, full, set of elements to impose one's own story and overall vision upon. None of the pronouns need to be used.
A campaign should, of course, have continuity, but individual FMs don't need to share any story--unless the FM-creator(s) keep(s) using the same pronouns and characters over and over for some reason (make it a good one).
I would suggest that any campaign building get its own thread, and if it becomes an actual FM creation effort, that it be continued in PMs or in a private forum so the goodies aren't spoiled for the players.
Really anything, small or large, that anybody comes up with can be discarded by anyone else, so perhaps the sharing of ideas--especially dedicated and detailed ones--should be for one's self, or for an established group effort, for the individual's or group's vision. Just as the other tools, resources, and editors for FMs, here, provide a modifiable starting point to build an FM/Campaign, with or without Garrett or any obvious Thiefisms, TDM needs no set story or character.
Think of TDM more along the lines of what it means to use DromEd or T3Ed with fan-made resources, with even more building power and creative freedom than either.
New Horizon on 27/10/2009 at 15:30
Unleash your creativity. We've setup a basic foundation for the game world, now it's up to individuals to flex their creative muscles and come up with compelling stories and characters.
Schwaa2 on 27/10/2009 at 17:37
I personally subscribe to the 'Unamed Thief' mode. Or wahtever you want to name your thief. In reality the only need for a name is in the rare times where an enemy confronts you (like constantine) and in the less rare instance of a Fence leaving you a note specifically.
For most gameplay the name is inconsiquential and unused.
I didn't care for Farrell as a name now any more then when there was a vote on it. But it doesn't matter, if someone uses it fine, I am 'Farrell' in that mission. If not I am 'Dante' or whatever.
I used Garrett in T2 mission but generally my missions strayed from thief storyline some anyway.
For DarkMod I might come up with my own name, then if I ever release multiple maps and they tie together they won't interfere conflict with anything else.
That's really the beauty of not having an official campaign, there's not a pre existing cannon to screw up. Everything goes.
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As far as factions, I have no issues that the team has similar Ai to thief. Hammers (the weapon) are a good alternative to swords and they help those AI lump together as a 'faction'. As much as a mages robe does for a mage. Easy to identify which faction/danger/combat mode exists even in dark dimly lit areas. It gives them a unique silohette.
Since the weapons aren't a part of the mesh you could have big red armored guys carrying swords fairly easily if you want.
That goes for the storyline too. If you want them to have more of a roman styled belief system you can leave clues about that in books.
Fidcal on 27/10/2009 at 18:46
TheCapedPillager: You make a good point that any discussion of a character story won't have any wide acceptance unless it is given flesh in a campaign. I thought I posted about that but maybe I just considered it and didn't post for some reason.
The Dark Mod Team itself isn't planning any 'official' FMs. The trainer is the nearest you'll get to that. Other FMs might be made by some team members and influenced by the team while other FMs are made by non-members. The ones made by team members are no more 'valid' than anyone else's.
So, as said, it's up to the community to produce their own mythology.
It isn't new advice to caution against starting a large campaign. It is a huge effort with a high chance of nothing at the end but a couple of sorry unconnected FMs if you're lucky. If a campaign is undertaken then I'd suggest:
Make it a short 6 or 7 mission campaign of relatively small FMs; something that can realistically be attained in a year depending on the crew.
A variation on the above (and I don't know if this has been done before) is to start a 1 or 2 month contest. There is much experience in managing these so good chance of success. The objective would be that each contestant has to produce an FM within a certain story framework and to a certain style. These would all then fit together to form a campaign. Each entrant's effort is still judged on its merits so you get a winner. This method would need some clever management and a good initial story. The motivation should be to produce a finished campaign quickly not to create a grand visual extravaganza that isn't completed before Thief 9 if ever. Naturally it should be a rule that any assets created during or for this contest should be freely available to all.
After that every FM maker is still free to use 'no character' or invent their own, just as they do now in Dromed. While those who prefer can start with the campaign character and story and express it in new directions.
