The Lands of Arda

Aule · Vala Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 64

Hello,

My name is Aule, and I'm a gaming addict. It all started...

Ok, never mind all that. I would like to claim Moria as something that I would like to do editing on. I will be expanding upon the existing areas. I will not be doing any crazy quests or radical updates. Just more dungeon crawl, which is more of a good thing.

If anyone else is interested in doing the same, please post their efforts here. The mini-mod is located where the HAK is downloaded, but if you want to work on expanding an area, please post it here and either Serra or myself will send you the files you need.

Enjoy,
Aule
_________________
And the reality is the bright bubbles go towards the black sky as the silver minnow smirks at the echo of a grimace.

Exavior · Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 309

Wicked...More quests are not a bad thing! As long as you don't have to do it to get through to the other side of moria Razz

CyanABX · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 168

How about an Epic Balrog, deep in the caverns of Moria?

I would like to work on Cardolan. The place just south of Bree. Maybe make it a low level dungeon(levels 6-10) with low level drops.

Also, I think that Minhearth needs to be more accessible to lower level characters. It should be the same difficulty as Rhudaur .It is also a nice place for newbies to get items. The problem it is to hard for anyone without gear. Also it would be a nice change from grinding Rhudaur and Bruinen.

mandix · Joined: 15 Feb 2007 Posts: 56

i have be asked by serra to do expansion on moria, so i have made some thoughts but its ok if u want to do it, i havent started yet, but i have just opened the minimod and it seems like there is lots of missing names like the 10 first tileset have no name but u can chose em and use em, is that a error in the minimod or is it just like that?

SerraAvatar · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 573

Oh, and before you start, this site will help you:

http://www.merp.com/downloads

All (?) merp stuff is located there and free to download. Im at the moment doing researches about the background of my bosses. And there is also a book full of middle earth items, some of them havent been used yet for arda.

There is also a merp book for Moria.

I think we should try to stay close to the merp books. In the past I wanted to put wings on some mobs cuz they looked so hot *g*, but we have to consider that we love this world since its so tolkien (or at least merp).

I think there is a book available for Cardolan too, Draco.

CyanABX · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 168

SerraAvatar · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 573

I think merp are the best resources you can get.

Your might try if "Raiders of Cardolan" helps you:
http://www.merp.com/downloads/icemerps/1stedition/readytorunmodules/

If you search a bit, you ll find amoung the downloads also background about Arnor (the north western part of middleearth to which Cardolan belongs).

CyanABX · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 168

I checked out Raiders of Cardolan but I found that Lost Realm of Cardolan more useful. Is there a certain age I should be looking for?

What I found that could be translated into Arda are the fortresses: Argond and Barad Girithlin. I was also thinking of the Old palace at Thalion.

SerraAvatar · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 573

Glad you found something useful Smile

Arda is a mix of times, we have several Saurons. But most areas are made for the age when the One was still at Bilbo.

Aule · Vala Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 64

Heya,

I wanted to let the team know that I was going to do a set of sample areas for the mini-mod. This will show off what each tileset can do that we already have. There is also a set of placeable buildings that can be used to make full cities that are not bound by tiles.

I actually needed to do this to determine which tileset I would be using for the additions to Moria.

Enjoy,
Aule
_________________
And the reality is the bright bubbles go towards the black sky as the silver minnow smirks at the echo of a grimace.

CyanABX · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 168

I would also like to add one more area just south of Cardolan-Creb Durga. It is an ancient ceremonial site of unknown origins. It was discovered by Ardagor the Warlord.

THE WARLORD (ARDAGOR)
Not all of the hideous experiments in Dol Guldur conducted by
the Necromancer (Sauron) were as successful as those that produced
the Uruk-hai and the Olog-hai. The Warlord is one of the
failures, an abomination, the result of mixing Troll and Elvish
seed. As had been intended by his maker, the Warlord is a lover of
cruelty and dark learning. He is both a fearsome warrior, as is
widely known, and a passable sorcerer, which few suspect. He also
has a pathological hatred of Orcs, and when seeing one will fall
upon it and rend it to pieces. This could have been merely a
humorous foible, but the Warlord could not restrain this habit even
when in the presence of his Dark Master. He was therefore sent to
the Witch-king. The Witch-king at last found a use for him when
a batch of Hill Trolls proved unamenable to military discipline.
The Witch-king gave them to the Warlord and unchained the lot in
the general direction of Cardolan. This has proven far more useful
than expected.
7'8" and black of skin, the Warlord's body and limbs are finely
proportioned, but his face and head are as misshapen as that of the
ugliest Troll. He wears a stout iron ring around his neck that is
imbued with the permanent illusion of a black homed helmet. The
Warlord is a skilled negotiator and, sad to say, has secret dealings
with many of his fellow Princes.

I was thinking of making him a hard boss for that region. Maybe for levels (15-20).

I would also like to include drops on all my bosses. I dont really want items, I would rather have forge pieces. These pieces can be used at the Trollshaw forge for low-med level forges. One of the best mechanics in Arda is the forge system. I would like some forges to be accessible to low level newbies.

SerraAvatar · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 573

Sounds good to me. But a good mix of forge pieces and dropps on the dropp list of bosses is still the best imo Smile

Btw, what are you going to change on the maps you wanted? Just details, like adding the ceremonial site? I think we should pay attention, since Madwack build Arda very close to the tolkien and merp maps.

CyanABX · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 168

I dont plan to change the maps at all. I just want to get a feel for the land. I am only adding towers and such. I would like to however add the ceremonial site, which would need to be a new area.

SerraAvatar · Site Admin Joined: 29 Jan 2007 Posts: 573

Oh nice

Im not sure if all Arnor exist already as maps. I guess you know better, with the map of Ex you can check. If Arnor was already complete, you could add an entrance on a map and add the ceremonial site as anotehr area.

Hope all went well with the maps I sent you.

Aule · Vala Joined: 28 Jan 2007 Posts: 64

Heya guys,

I would be very interested if everyone actively playing Arda would contribute some small thing to the creation of the world. Whether it be a simple NPC conversation, a dungeon crawl or a full up multi-area quest. I think the most bang for the buck right now is to add dungeon crawls that are relatively easy to make and give solid combat value. By expanding existing areas, there is not always the need to make new items and new monsters, which can be tedious. But new monsters and new items will definitely increase the "fun factor".

Please keep in mind that new items that are created need to be of the same strength as other items in similar areas. I know it's a typical side effect of creating areas that the author tends to make items that are interesting and useful. Please realize that useful will not include "more powerful then their contemporaries" Nearly all new area editors make items that are both unique and over powered, or they have features that when combined with other items can change the scaling of the game. This is termed "Item Inflation" in the editing/server world. It tends to make people head for new areas over old ones, but not for the right reasons.

New areas should be made interesting and fun. They should be creative and designed to fight against "the grind". I trust everyone creating areas will make this particular effort.

As a side note, all areas will go through a brief review process where the area is hosted on my test server and a small team tests it. This is always done before an area goes live. Keep in mind that not one single area, whether a new editor, a very experienced on, or myself has gotten through this process without some kind of comments and changes. If an item or creature is deemed out of scale for the area, then please make any requested changes with suitable grace. There has only been one incident that I know of that an editor required us to go in hand forcibly modify items to balance them. I fully trust that our team members are more than skilled enough to make things as near perfect as possible.

Enjoy and thanks for any effort from the team,
Aule
_________________
And the reality is the bright bubbles go towards the black sky as the silver minnow smirks at the echo of a grimace.