Experience points, quests and party alignment

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Rocktoy, Jan 4, 2011.

Remove all ads!
  1. Rocktoy

    Rocktoy Established Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2010
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    0
    1.
    I was wondering if someone could tell me how the experience point generation actually work? I know that the number of characters in my group, their current level and the threat level of the creatures I kill, does effect to the point generation, but how? In short I try to gain a level between every new map via random encounters. I have reached level 10, and noticed that killing some monsters won’t give me exp. So what level creatures I should be hunting so I won’t be wasting my time?

    2.
    I have played only the original ToEE and 5.9.2 nc 5.9.3 nc and 6.0.0 nc mods so I was wondering if there is some conclusive list of mod added quests? I only accidently learned about some of the new Hommlet quests by reading this forum, so it made me think if I have missed something? It would be quite time consuming to read the change lists of all the mods.

    3.
    Someone once complained that people don’t care about their party alignment and do evil quests with good aligned parties and vice versa. I try to follow my alignment and thought why there is no repercussion for doing wrong? Like in the original ToEE my paladin would fall from grace if I did a quest for a evil temple priest or joined in a drinking competition, but nothing happened if in the mod I killed and robbed a dwarf, why so?
     
  2. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
    1. There is some complex formula that others could no doubt expain better than me, but bear in mind that it goes out the window after the original game limitation of level 10. Co8 enabled levelling to 20, but we couldn't apply the specific process to those levels.

    2. You can look at all the new content sticky threads, which have their respective added quests listed. Otherwise there is no such list.

    3. If you're talking about the first Scarlet Brotherhood quest in the Verbobonc expansion specifically, the answer is that you did that in the shady town of Nulb, where people tend to mind their own business for fear of getting offed, so no one knew about or interfered with what you did. You'll find however that you can't arbitrarily kill (very many) people in Verbobonc without repercussions.

    My general approach to alignment is quite simple: I don't like to use it to prevent players from pursuing quests. Why should that be my job? You should decide what's good or evil and consistent or inconsistent in your game, not me. Which is not to say that there won't be consequences for some of the things you do ...

    As for paladins falling, specifically, that whole business is just meh to me - hardly worth the effort. Unless you can attach some greater significance to it, just getting a ZOMG MY PALLY HAS FALLEN NOW I MUST PAY TO BRING HIM BACK is rather underwhelming. I prefer to try to make stuff as engrossing and compelling as possible, not just a series of petty irritants. :shrug:
     
    Isewein likes this.
  3. Forgalz

    Forgalz Established Member

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2010
    Messages:
    210
    Likes Received:
    1
    It would have greater significance attached if the Atonement spell were removed from the game ... or very, very well hidden. Or tied to some redemption quest.
     
  4. Rocktoy

    Rocktoy Established Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2010
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    0
    True, but there is no sticky thread about new content in Hommlet. The FAQ thread has some info, but I’m not sure if it covers every new thing. Trust me, I have read all the sticky threads, I’m just a little worried that I have missed something new and fun. :confused:

    That was exactly the quest I was talking about.

    I get that and I appreciate the player’s freedom of choice. I admit that I have never played with an evil murderous and thieving party so I would not know about the consequences of such behavior. I was just thinking out loud. Just compared ToEE with another great old game Jagged Alliance 2, where you could not make a character do something which was against the nature of that particular character, like shooting one’s spouse, killing a civilian, hit a cow etc. And I think that killing and robbing is against paladin’s nature. Still not a complaint, just a comparison.

    I agree that falling paladins can be a great irritant, especially if the reason for falling is a petty or non-obvious, like joining a drinking contest (which I have hard time seeing as evil act). On the other hand I see paladins as characters who have chosen to follow the path of righteousness and thus it should be irrelevant for whether someone sees or not if they commit an action that is clearly against their vows, such as murder. They should fall because in their hearts they (or at least their deities) know that they have stepped out from their chosen path. But it is of course just my opinion.
     
  5. Rocktoy

    Rocktoy Established Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2010
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    0
    I thought there is some thumb rule like: “when you have reached level 10 don’t waste your time fighting with creatures of threat level X or lover, since they won’t grant you any exp.”?
     
  6. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
    True ... and so I could have either scripted contingencies for paladins to fall for every evil act possible in the game or given you the Slave Traders. :p
     
  7. Rocktoy

    Rocktoy Established Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2010
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    0
    I didn’t mean to criticize your great work with the mods, I truly love the NC. I only argued why I wouldn’t see a paladin falling from grace after completing something like the Scarlet Brotherhood quests as a “ZOMG MY PALLY HAS FALLEN time to commit seppuku” thing, but only a logical and foreseeable outcome. :)
     
  8. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
    I understand, it's just that there are limited time and resources available. We have to prioritize. Something like paladin falling has to be scripted in detail (it doesn't just happen automatically), so when the time comes to decide whether to add another quest to Verbobonc or implement a meh game element, the former will usually win out.

    I suppose we could put it on the to-do list though.
     
  9. Gaear

    Gaear Bastard Maestro Administrator

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2004
    Messages:
    11,029
    Likes Received:
    42
  10. Rocktoy

    Rocktoy Established Member

    Joined:
    Oct 16, 2010
    Messages:
    355
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thank you very much! Truly appreciated. :D
    I see that there are three Hommletian and one Nulbian quests that I was totally unaware of. Now I have to figure out how to complete them. :)

    Those early quests are the easiest to miss, since I tend to play Hommlet and Nulb with a fixed routine way. New content is easier to find later in the game, since I haven’t reached Verbobonc or Temple that many times. :(
     
Our Host!