I am working my way slowly through Ted's Tutorials (http://rpg-rant.blogspot.com/2005/11/tutorial-list.html ) and was thinking what-if the TOEE game-world changed in response to player actions. Example: PCs slay Clamert - this causes the PCs to encounter temple guards from the temple in Verbonc the next time the PCs return to the temple if Terjorn is still alive. Example: PCs slay innocent townspeople - perhaps this triggers the appearance of a guard patrol from Verbonc (using the same NPCs as from the Guards in the Welkwood Bog) outside the inn of the Welcome Wrench the next time the PCs visit Hommlet. Example: PCc complete on of the Assasin's Quests. This causes Lareth to gain a level. The PCs complete another quest to Join the Assassin's guild. This causes Latet to gain another level. Example: PCs complete a Quest for Burne. This causes the Viscount and his guards to visit Hommlet Burne in his keep for a single visit. Imagine returing to Hommlet and encountering a slew of Verbonc guards and learning of the Viscounts meeting with Burne and Rufus. Leave Hommlet and return later to encounter no guards from Verbobonc as they have returned to Verbobonc. Example: PCs complete a quest for the Air Temple. This causes the High Priest of the Air Temple to gain a level. PCs complete a second quest for the Air Temple, causing their HP to gain a 2nd level.
Those would make a fair amount of sense (in a perfect world). One of my top current gripes with ToEE is what happens when you kill significant NPCs: generally nothing. You would think that a new priest would be sent to take over the Church in Hommlet, new management would take over at the various inns/shops/brothels in the game (or they would close, with no one to run them), and the various Temple factions would evolve due to changes with other temples there (Reactive Temple notwithstanding - I'm talking about Alrrem instituting a more agressive recruitment policy if Belsornig is dead et al or just generally trying to better his situation overall). Instead all these people just stand there, for the most part. The ToEE world is not dynamic, but making it so would be a pretty big job.
It will take me some time to get a handle on modding TOEE (I tried before, but then upgraded to W7 and TOEE would not load; however, last week I downloaded TOEE from GOG.com and it worked!) If I can do so, I will try my hand at making NPC actions more reactive by focusing first on the Temple of St. Cuthbert and attempt to make it more reactive to player actions and reputation.
My advice would be to start small. If you have a big idea to start with, it can quickly grow to grotesque and impossible proportions. If, for example, you wanted to have different reactions to Calmert's death on behalf of Terjon based on alignment, a gather information check, a flag/variable (did the pary do x before talking to Terjon?), and story state, you're suddenly looking at accounting for like 256 possibilities, which will mean you'll have that job done in 2019. And then most players will breeze through it in 45 seconds anyway. So think small. Make Terjon have maybe two possible responses and make the payoff itself worthwhile - a big fight or an interesting puzzle - rather than the potential C&C. C&C would be fine if we had a team of 12 writers and 24 testers to do it with, but as a solo project it can quickly make you go belly up.
Thanks for the advice. I agree, my initial goals are limited to the temple of St. Cuthbert and built around the idea of the Temple in Verbobonc responding to the death of their priest. 1st - adding dialog responses (simple) referencing Calmert's death. 2nd - Adding a wilderness encounter - modeled after the assassins encounter (after you sell Lareth's boots) but having the PCs encounter a patrol of experienced guards from Verbobonc looking for Calmer's killer. Give PCs a chance to use bluff to avoid conflict. 3rd - Adding temple guards from Verbobonc; if Terjon is still alive and Calmert is dead (creating NPCs and placing on MAP with dialogs and attack options), to guard the temple. 4th - Have Terjon hire guards for the temple if Rufus and Burne are dead. I.e. you slay Rufus and Burne then when you go to the temple you find that Calmert is no longer alone in the main hall, he has with him guards from Verbobonc. PS: Only evil PCs will likely see these events.
Good luck. :thumbsup: Sorry to be a spoil sport, but one thing to note is that the temple in Verbo is a Pelor temple, not St. Cuthbert. At least that's how it is now.
