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<blockquote data-quote="(un)reason" data-source="post: 5998404" data-attributes="member: 27780"><p><strong><u>Dragon Issue 290: December 2001</u></strong></p><p></p><p></p><p>part 7/7</p><p></p><p></p><p>Silicon sorcery: Rather than converting stuff from in computer games this month, they instead show you how to use the area building system from The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind to build maps for your game. In the process they talk about it's particular strengths and limitations, and just how much you can create custom characters, monsters and objects. Obviously it'll take a fair bit of work, particularly building all-new creature models, but once that's done, it can actually be quicker clipping together blocks than drawing maps out by hand. Really, this reminds me that the multiplayer and worldbuilding options in Neverwinter Nights were a major factor in it's success, and didn't come from nowhere. There were other games doing it before, and the designers stole ideas from them. Who knows, they might even have read this article and though that sounds like a good idea. That'd be more influential than you'd expect of one of these little columns. So this continues to be both cool and more varied that you'd expect. </p><p></p><p></p><p>The play's the thing: Robin moves onto more physical combinations of ability scores. High strength, low dexterity. Low Strength, high dexterity. Low Strength, high constitution. I think I can guess what next month's are likely to be, if he continues to follow this pattern. And what he'll write with reasonable accuracy. This series continues to be too damn predictable and obvious to be even slightly interesting. Why is it eating up so much space here? </p><p></p><p></p><p>DM's toolbox: The toolbox very literally looks at the tools of the trade, examining the format you use to record your notes, and how it will affect the ease of organising them, using them, editing them, and referencing them in play. Ring binders get top marks overall, as you can easily take out and reorder pages, add new ones in the middle, and include dividers which let you easily flip to a particular section. Small notebooks or Index cards can be better in actual play, but for detailed campaign notes, you'll want a big, well organised folder that'll fit everything. Or if you're working on computer, you want something that lets you have multiple windows open, copy and paste between them easily, rename files, and make sure you put them in folders putting related material together in an easy to search manner. Overall, this article does feel rather dated (personal organisers are pretty much dead, subsumed into smartphones and general purpose tablet computers, and paper feels a bit passe in general.) but it maintains the strong quality and analytical approach that makes the column so valuable. They weren't to know what things would be like in 11 years time, were they. Hopefully next one will be more relevant to my current position. </p><p></p><p></p><p>Dungeoncraft: Ray finishes off talking about character types, and then starts on actual characters, A patron who can send them on adventures, but who isn't that powerful physically, and has some serious problems that'll make for a good adventure down the line. And a helpful and resourceful street rat who's actually secretly the son of a tribal chief. Both of these have clearly defined pigeonholes, but also a decent amount of nuance to their characters, and while intended as allies, you could well also wind up their enemy too if the players get off on the wrong foot. Neither are particularly powerful or well optimised statistically, and even a first level party could probably kill either of them if they were alone. So really, this is very much stuff for interacting with, not slaughtering your way through. Still, it retains it's quality as roleplaying advice, although I'm not sure I'd go to Ray for really dangerous CharOp designs. But then, Dungeoncraft has always been fairly system neutral, and that's what makes it invaluable, so that's not a bad thing overall. </p><p></p><p></p><p>What's new also discusses how to deal with treacherous thieves. Beating them at their own game seems a good way to go. The snail has finally made it 2/3rds of the way across the page. </p><p></p><p></p><p>The strong performance by most of the magazine continues, with more than enough little changes to keep me interested. Definitely can't say I'm amused about the removal of Dragonmirth, and Robin Laws is maybe starting to run out of steam here, but everything else is good so far. If this carries on, I'll definitely enjoy Jesse's run more than I did Dave's. Roll on next year, and whatever it may bring.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(un)reason, post: 5998404, member: 27780"] [B][U]Dragon Issue 290: December 2001[/U][/B] part 7/7 Silicon sorcery: Rather than converting stuff from in computer games this month, they instead show you how to use the area building system from The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind to build maps for your game. In the process they talk about it's particular strengths and limitations, and just how much you can create custom characters, monsters and objects. Obviously it'll take a fair bit of work, particularly building all-new creature models, but once that's done, it can actually be quicker clipping together blocks than drawing maps out by hand. Really, this reminds me that the multiplayer and worldbuilding options in Neverwinter Nights were a major factor in it's success, and didn't come from nowhere. There were other games doing it before, and the designers stole ideas from them. Who knows, they might even have read this article and though that sounds like a good idea. That'd be more influential than you'd expect of one of these little columns. So this continues to be both cool and more varied that you'd expect. The play's the thing: Robin moves onto more physical combinations of ability scores. High strength, low dexterity. Low Strength, high dexterity. Low Strength, high constitution. I think I can guess what next month's are likely to be, if he continues to follow this pattern. And what he'll write with reasonable accuracy. This series continues to be too damn predictable and obvious to be even slightly interesting. Why is it eating up so much space here? DM's toolbox: The toolbox very literally looks at the tools of the trade, examining the format you use to record your notes, and how it will affect the ease of organising them, using them, editing them, and referencing them in play. Ring binders get top marks overall, as you can easily take out and reorder pages, add new ones in the middle, and include dividers which let you easily flip to a particular section. Small notebooks or Index cards can be better in actual play, but for detailed campaign notes, you'll want a big, well organised folder that'll fit everything. Or if you're working on computer, you want something that lets you have multiple windows open, copy and paste between them easily, rename files, and make sure you put them in folders putting related material together in an easy to search manner. Overall, this article does feel rather dated (personal organisers are pretty much dead, subsumed into smartphones and general purpose tablet computers, and paper feels a bit passe in general.) but it maintains the strong quality and analytical approach that makes the column so valuable. They weren't to know what things would be like in 11 years time, were they. Hopefully next one will be more relevant to my current position. Dungeoncraft: Ray finishes off talking about character types, and then starts on actual characters, A patron who can send them on adventures, but who isn't that powerful physically, and has some serious problems that'll make for a good adventure down the line. And a helpful and resourceful street rat who's actually secretly the son of a tribal chief. Both of these have clearly defined pigeonholes, but also a decent amount of nuance to their characters, and while intended as allies, you could well also wind up their enemy too if the players get off on the wrong foot. Neither are particularly powerful or well optimised statistically, and even a first level party could probably kill either of them if they were alone. So really, this is very much stuff for interacting with, not slaughtering your way through. Still, it retains it's quality as roleplaying advice, although I'm not sure I'd go to Ray for really dangerous CharOp designs. But then, Dungeoncraft has always been fairly system neutral, and that's what makes it invaluable, so that's not a bad thing overall. What's new also discusses how to deal with treacherous thieves. Beating them at their own game seems a good way to go. The snail has finally made it 2/3rds of the way across the page. The strong performance by most of the magazine continues, with more than enough little changes to keep me interested. Definitely can't say I'm amused about the removal of Dragonmirth, and Robin Laws is maybe starting to run out of steam here, but everything else is good so far. If this carries on, I'll definitely enjoy Jesse's run more than I did Dave's. Roll on next year, and whatever it may bring. [/QUOTE]
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