Weblog
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
-
Even More on Classes
Technomancer
The Technomancers are a group of mad scientists who focus their entire lives towards pushing the limits of magic in their own unique way. They are, like the Dregs, looked down upon by the more austere magical factions due to their chaotic and eccentric ways. With their abilities, they are able to warp magic around inanimate objects. The Technomancer almost exclusively tries to imbue these objects with a technological style in order to make them seem more feasible within the mundane realm. Where a normal mage would summon lightning to strike down an enemy, the Technomancer would pull out a, "Ray Gun,' and channel the lightning through there. They have a fanatical love for technology and science, to the point of almost blind zealousness, but it is with that zeal that they are able to revolutionize magic in the modern era.How They Fit
In the world of Cityscape, the Technomancers are a new breed of young awakened who wander the streets with a deep and devoted passion to the modern era that we live in. They are rebels against authority and walk to the beat of their own drum. In the past, the Technomancers were the first to rise up and riot against the oppressive forces of the government and, in their history, have always been the first to fight against other magical traditions in order to keep their way of life assured. Although they have very little in terms of organizational hierarchy, they stand firm in the continual research of magic and in finding strange and passionate ways of expressing it through technology. Communication within the Tradition is usually through gatherings over coffee and information is shared through scientific journals and research papers. Many of the more experienced Technomancers spend all of their time in seclusive labs, refining the art of electricity and mechanics.More on Their Magic
The Technomancers rely heavily on the art of electricity and experimentation. Technomancers are able to harness the powers of electricity to create electromagnetic pulses that cause severe damage to any electronic devices (a huge tool when raiding corrupt research facilities,) to channel electric currents to cause damage to their foes, or even send small static shocks that simply annoy and frustrate people. They also work heavily in crafting unique and interesting gadgets such as laser pistols, mysterious serums, jet packs and other odd devices that can tantalize the imagination. They love to tinker and take things apart, using the pieces to craft something strange and unknown, even to the technomancer themselves. Many a times will you find a Technomancer rummaging through garbage dumps, or spending hundreds of thousands of dollars at electronics stores to salvage parts.What Inspired the Technomancers?
The Technomancers were influenced heavy with my experience with the tabletop game, Mage: The Ascension. In that game the Technomancers were the evil government-style oppressive force that tried to sterilize the art of magic. I wanted to mix their desire to mainstream technological magic with another magical tradition found in that game called the Sons of Ether, who were more of the personality of CityScape's Technomancers. They were the mad scientist that utilize odd and unusual tools to craft fun and exciting gadgets.
With CityScape, I wanted to once again stress the ideas of revolutionizing magic for a modern era. I wanted them to be a much more rebellious and passionate organization dedicated to the art of science and experimentation and thus they were born. I have always been intrigued by the idea of the fantastical realm of magic in a modern day and always found that people clung too much to the fantasy style fireballs. Even though that sort of magic does exist in this game, I wanted to really show the other side of the story. With traditions such as the Technomancers and the Dregs, I was able to show how the art of magic changes.What's Next?
Well I am still looking for builders so if anyone is interested, once again feel free to email me your application by following the form that can be found at the following website http://www.mudmaker.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=745
Next you will be hearing about the Hermetic Order of mages, which are the most traditional form of magician.
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
-
More on the Classes
Einherjar
The Einherjar are a very unique class that is steeped in Norse mythology. The Einherjar are, in real life mythology, the souls of incredibly warriors who were giving access to Valhalla, to eternally train and fight with fellow Einherjar. Their battles would last all day and where brutal, with many of the warriors, "dying," only to be revived each day to, once again battle. Their purpose was to train and fight with Odin at the time of Ragnarok, which is the Norse version of the apocalypse. In the world of CityScape, the Einherjar are a group of dedicated warriors. They are the most recent class to emerge in the streets and are almost a complete mystery to the other elder magical traditions.How They Fit.
The Einherjar are believed to be the souls of these grand warriors reincarnated in a mortal form. Many of the elder and experienced Einherjar claim to remember their battles in Valhalla. This tradition is very dedicated and zealous, truly believing that their purpose now is to fight the final battle of Ragnarok in the city streets. They spend their time going through the streets defying imagination with sheer brutality. Although they keep their guise in front of the unsuspecting mundanes (slang for common humans), behind closed doors and when confronted, they are the most unrelenting and berserk.
They have a very odd hierarchy that is based on blood. Those with the most kills are the elders and teachers. Many collect trophies of their kills and form them into a part of their outfits, creating the image of malice and intimidation. They are very dedicated to rearing new members of their awakened tradition, but are very quick to disregard weakness with the blade, killing and hunting any in their tradition who do not meet their requirements. It is a difficult life within this tradition, but they are by far the most trained and efficient killing machines.Their Magic
The Magic of the Einherjar is mostly emotion based. They use blood rituals, spoken word and sound based magics to achieve their needs. Many utilize traditional war chants, modern heavy metal riffs and even sacrificial cutting to pump themselves up to a higher emotional state of being, giving them an almost blind efficiency in battle. They also have many spells that increase their speed, strength and their skills with weaponry to alter their chances to hit and the damage they deal. It is even rumored that many of the elder Einherjar are able to summon valkyries and, in the most fabled of cases, Norse gods themselves.What Inspired This Class?
The Einherjar were originally going to be called the Ragnaroks, taking inspiration from the final days of Norse mythology. I wanted to give homage to a dear friend of mine who was very dedicated in learning about Norse tradition. When I did some research, I found the story of the Einherjar and felt even more compelled to incorporate their beliefs into the game. They seemed impassioned in the battle. The idea that their afterlife was dedicated to the revelry of battle was emotionally chilling to. It struck a chord and what you see here is a result of my desire to bring the Einherjar into this world.What's Happening now?
As an update to the creation of the game, I am taking a severe hiatus on the building of the project. I am a one man team at the moment and am finding it harder and harder to make any progress in that department. I am taking applications for any who are interested in taking part in the creation process for this game and can apply by following the instruction that can be found at http://www.mudmaker.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=745
I am not done building the culture of the world however, as I am continuously studying more and more of the cultures that are the inspiration of the magical traditions as well as working hard at developing more towards the story. I will be updating more and more about the other traditions and letting you know what is happening on the project. so feel free to apply and be a part of this very ambitious project.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
-
Meet the Class: The Dregs
The Dregs
The Dregs are a group of awakened magi that have dedicated their life to adaptation to the modern surroundings. Where other magi cling tightly to the practices and belief structures of their culture and of their rich history, the Dregs instead destroy all pretenses of magical structure. They utilize the most common of materials for their magical workings, garbage. "Trash Magic," as the dregs call it is the will to command and control any form of rubble and decay from the city streets and form it into whatever they wish. They can take a piece of floating paper and form it into a weapon of destruction, magically sharpening it's edges to make a dangerous weapon, or even use pieces of broken glass as shrapnel to assail their enemy. They are the wanderers, the rebels and the essence of adaptation.More on Their Magic
The actual magical structure of the Dregs can be separated into two categories, Rubblemancy and Trash Crafting. Rubblemancy (a term given to them by the more "prestigious" order of mages") is the mental control of garbage. Some forms of garbage are just simply thrown, such as glass, while others, such as paper and cardboard, can be shaped into any form they like before being used. A Dreg tends to use Rubblemancy in various forms, and almost always in the most dramatic senses. Let's use a great example of what a Dreg would be very likely to do, shall we?
Two magi are facing off, a Ceremonialist, which is a very strict order of mathamatical magi who utilize symbols and the powers of the spoken and written word, versus a Dreg. A powerful Dreg would chuck paper to the feet and mouth of the ceremonialist, immobilizing them and silencing one of their most potent powers (spells used through speaking aloud). Secondly they would then throw a large wad of paper, filled with glass that would erupt on contact, causing massive damage in a weird rudimentary grenade. This is how a Dreg would work.
The second form of magic is Trash Crafting. Dregs can form any piece of trash into a projectile weapon, but they also have the ability to craft usable items in combat. With Trash Crafting, the Dreg can form garbage into pieces of armor, or even melee weapons such as swords and clubs. This takes a lot of mental effort to keep the garbage formed in their desired shape for such a long time, but the results come in cheap, effective protection, even if it is for but a limited time.Who are the Dregs?
The Dregs are, essentially, the homeless of the city. They are the rebels who do not work around the social constructs that society places on them. They defy all forms of tradition in replacement for their own unique style. They are a group of loosely organized, passionate people who spend their time living their life to the fullest and trying to stay out of the way. As a group, the Dregs have little desire to revolt or fight against anyone. They tend to enjoy the simple life of existing and enjoying every moment of it. Others feel there is a need to fight and, thusly, a great separation exists between the new and old generations of this order. Many times, the Dregs are disregarded by the other factions of mage society, mainly because of their "archaic" uses of magic, but in reality, the Dregs are the most dedicated and passionate about their abilities. You will almost always find a Dreg willing to give shelter to any in need, giving away everything if need be to help another. They are a hidden brotherhood, who stands very dedicated to everyone, regardless of their skill and status.
With that in mind, there is no real societal structure within the Dregs. Every man woman and child has an equal standing in their world. Anyone can teach any trick of the trade if they wish, although the majority of the elder and more sagely Dregs work strictly as caretakers and teachers. They tend to gather in strange places such as back alleyways, garbage dumps and sewer tunnels, allowing for complete and utter privacy from the other factions.What Inspired the Dregs?
The Dregs were a huge inspiration for me in the world. The first thing I wanted to do was create an order of magi that dedicated their life to adapting to the world around them. If all you are surrounded with is filth, than you use filth. I gave their personal template a similar cast from myself, and really felt connected to this group. They are, what I feel, we all wish to be. A group of people who simply want to exist and never worry about where our next bite to eat comes from. We just travel, explore the world and enjoy the sites that we see. These are the Dregs. They are that little voice in our head that tells us to just pack our bags and go; that money is no issue. I really wanted to convey those feelings into a group in this game, as it perfectly encapsulates what it means to be free in a world were it may seem impossible.What's Next?
Well I am still in the works of building the City Suburbs, working on the major shopping center where players will be doing a lot of their purchasing. I have also been spending a lot of time on NPC creation, working hard on editing dialog trees so that the conversations with them seem fluid and life-like. Other than that, expect to see more on the classes of CityScape and feel free to drop a line at Aindin_Anufel@hotmail.com
See ya around!
Monday, October 29, 2007
-
Why a Mud?
Why a Mud?
Greetings again friends and fellow readers. It is that time again for a nice little update on what is happening here in the world of CityScape development. Today, I wanted to talk a bit about why I chose the medium of a Multi-User Dungeon (MUD for short) for this project. The first and foremost reason was skill. I have absolutely zero skill in programming and found that the MudMaker tool (found at http://www.mudmaker.com) was perfect for my inabilities. Secondly, I found that the power of text can convey a grander sense of atmosphere than what can be achieved through a graphical user interface. I wanted to stretch my creative muscle through the art of writing and found that a MUD would be perfect for this unique environment. The ability to craft complex areas and very lively Non-Player Characters (which I will always call NPCs) in a virtual space has always been my dream and I can not stress enough the ease of use this tool has been giving me.What Inspired This Creation?
That is an incredibly easy question to answer. I had always had a love for the supernatural and fantastical mysteries found in many cultural belief systems. I have studied the cultures of the ancient Greek, Norse, Celtic and so much more, finding a great love in ancient religions. I wanted to incorporate these long dead beliefs into a modern day environment and bring with it, a sense of the surreal supernatural powers of a fantasy creation. Many movies and books have inspired me as well, such as the Russian novels from the, "Night Watch," series which also spawned movie releases based in that world. I also found great inspiration from music such as Rammstein, Tool, VAST, Godspeed You Black Emperor and, in reality, any music that brought out the inspirational muses that help me in my writing. I wanted to bring to the table something interesting and inspiring for players. I wanted a world for them to have the freedom to act out in a fun world with other players.
It is strange to look back at what really spawned this idea. When I was younger, I fell in love with games such Zork and the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and really felt some form of connection with the worlds crafted within them. I wanted to re-create those ideas in my own way. A certain developer, Steve Meretzky, who was responsible for Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy and the incredibly inspiring Spellcasting series, really struck a chord with me. When I finished his games, I really wanted to continue playing, even though it was over. They may have been text only, but it brought out the same feeling as reading a book. I wanted to continue to know about the characters and hear of their adventures again and again. What makes the MUD world so great is that, the story never ends. It is a book that will go on as long as their are players. The stories will play out, people will find excitement, fear, joy and determination all the while forming ties and bonds with the people around them. I love this idea and will always try to support a mature social environment for these people.
So, to wrap it up, as I tend to go on and on, I am making this game so that people can enjoy it and see a world they may never have seen before and want to envelop themselves in it and, most importantly, have fun.What's Next?
I have been working very hard on creating the Newly Awakened Area for players. After finishing the tutorial, which I am increidbly proud of, I have started working on the city itself and building the foundation of where players will start their introduction to the world. This is the most crucial portion of world creation as it is what will bring the player in, as well as give them the first glimpse of what is happening in the world. Each class will have a unique and different view of the political structure of this world. They will be undergoing quests that are essential for their understanding of how each class works, and also on how your particular class views others around them. I want the players to know why they are there, begin creating their own stories and backgrounds, flesh out their looks and venture into the main branch of the city with a more self assured sense of themselves. The Newly Awakened area of the City Suburbs will be what prepares them for what is to the come and gives ech one of them a totally different and unique view of the world.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
-
Awakening
Hello again dear readers, it is I, Aindin, creator of the upcoming game CityScape. I wanted to take the time today to talk about one particular aspect of the story that is a very important concept to the world; awakening. My dear friend and cohort Doctor Fear finished one of many pieces of concept artwork that will be related to the content of CityScape and it paints a perfect picture of the emotional feel that I want to present in this game.
Awakening.What is Awakening?
Awakening can be summed up as the spiritual and supernatural awakening to the mystical forces of the universe. Awakening can differ for each person, resulting in traumatic or even mundane experiences. It happens for almost unknown reasons and many within the magical society spend their lives studying it's nature. Every player in this world will take the position of a newly awakened member of the magical societies. Each player's experience of awakening will be unique to them. It was one of the first concepts that I wanted to create. I wanted to give the player an emotional experience like awakening. Instead of programming it into the game, however, I leave it up to the player to decide how they came into the world of CityScape. I also wanted to really bring a mystical side to awakening. Why does it happen? Why are these people chosen? What happens mystically to cause awakenings? I want to flesh out this world with such a rich history and emotion that will really drive players into wanting to uncover these mysteries.
What's Next?
Right now I am really working hard on creating the spell sets for each of the classes (which I will talk about much later in this blog). Creating spells is a much more thought out and tactical process. With such a unique setting, I am struggling each day to push the limits of my creativity to provide unique and interesting spells that players can cast. Let me give you a small taste of some of these spells.
- Trash Crafting - The ability to craft weapons and items from common trash. With this ability, the mage is able to form common items such as paper, glass and metal, turning them into weapons of destruction. These items are short lasting, however, as they require a lot of concentration. The weapons involved in trash crafting are a huge inspiration for one of the classes in the game and it really shows with what types of things this skill will provide.
- Electromagnetic Pulse - the ability to short out and damage mechanical creatures. This spell was a great idea for those that are heavy into the technological area of the game. This is one of the mainstays for a mage when fighting off turrets and security devices found deep within the confines of government buildings and corporate offices (a large portion of high level areas for players).
- Wards - Wards are symbols drawn on the floor of a room to create a certain effect. These wards take a long time to create, but they also hold some of the greatest power. With a ward, a mage can invoke heavenly fire, ensnare an enemy, or even heal those found within it's area.This power, however, is only known by a certain sect of mages, making them great allies in group battle.
You can see why I am busy. This is just a small portion of what I am working on. These spells have yet to be tested in the field yet and will take a lot of fine tuning to help refine them and make them more applicable in the game. This raps up today's blog and I hope to bring to you more information. Also, know that I welcome any and all feedback and can be reached by my email address Aindin_Anufel@hotmail.com . Feel free to drop a line and tell me what you think of the world of Cityscape.
Connect
Pulse
CityScapeMud has no pulse!...
Chatboard (1)