Faerun.

[Gandalf Parker]

I would love to see more scenarios for Dom3. We really lack there. Very few of the maps have versions with built-in game settings. And fewer yet that try to merge mod with map. There is a large untapped potential there IMHO

Of course, its best (learned from experience) to not try to tackle such project all together but it can be done in stages. A great map, then package an alternative .map file for that map which creates a scenario game, then a mod to create things which another scenario places into the map. And then if you really want to get nuts, chaining scenarios MUHAhahahahaa (evil laugh).

OK sorry. Got carried away again. Of course they can all be created in a way which makes them available for use seperately. But I would like to see more full blown merges.

[Aezeal]

Hey Gandalf was my gangwars mod something like you mean?

[Gandalf Parker]

Yes. That was one of the better examples.
And of course your Domwars 3000 was another.

I think Sombre did with his WarHammer ones.
And I did D.A.R.E. and Natural Selection.

Originally Posted by Edi

I haven't read any of the stuff that came out since 3E was introduced, but even with 2E there was plenty of stuff about Tabot, Khazari, Wa, Kozakura, Shou Lung, Tu Lung and the Hordelands. I also have most of the stuff related to Zakhara, so that would not be a problem.

In the old material the areas that have the least coverage are the places south of the Sea of Fallen Stars between Chessenta and Tethyr (Chondath, Sespech, turmish, Orsraun, Shining Plains) and the Shaar and Eastern Shaar areas. Not much about the Black Jungles and the Mhair either.

Everything else has something even in the old stuff, though the greater part of that concentrates on the Dalelands and the Sword Coast North. Kara-Tur has less, as there were relatively few adventure modules made for it and just the one boxed set and what precursor stuff was in the 1E Oriental Adventures book.

There would still be enough to do nations and such based on those if you wanted and plenty of special provinces for a map, but specials would have to be redone anyway.

I have a bit of good stuff for the Shining South, all the places you mentioned, and of course Maztica (and the northern stuff described in City of Gold). Also can dig around to find old web enhancements that describe the Border Kingdoms and the chondath-to-tethyr area very well. Also, Sea of Fallen Stars gives great details for undersea races.

As far as the continents that are "blank".... all there are are vague rumors (and this is after a personal plea to Mr. Greenwood himself to explain what they were).. but apparently a map designer / DM / whoever would have carte blanche to put whatever made sense there. I am thinking of adding African-style mythos to one continent, perhaps remnant populations of the various Creator Races holding sway in some of these "dark continents". Although I am tempted to use the round one on the bottom right for a straight up copy of Rokugan (although with Shou-Lung and Wa and Kozakura we may already have our fill of OA-style provinces/nations).

In any case, Edi, send me a PM and I'll see what I can do about getting you the full-scale image. It still needs GOBS of touch up work on just the colors, and it is devoid of borders, names, and city markings (although for some reason, major roads are on there, and the Dragonwall of all things). I am only a bit concerned about the file size, although in this day of movie downloading a couple hundred meg (maybe? haven't made a non-Paint-Shop-Pro full-sized .bmp or .tga yet) should not be a problem.

Monkeyvich.

[Gandalf Parker]

I find that there is a large contingency of players who seem to love Dom3 for its ability to play on old machines and small laptops. (I hear that mostly with my MegaHugeMaxSettings maps that I like to make). But you could always chop off a piece and offer it as a partial for those folks later on.

[Aezeal]

First a lil continuation of me and Gandalfs more general scenario talk: hmmm I'd not mind making some sort of scenario again in the future but you'd have to give me feedback about the gangswars map for example so I know what works and what didn't.. all in all I got about 0 feedback and couldn't find a player to play it in MP.

Well if the whole of faerun is so well documented (I've never played a rpg but have just read a lot about it whenever I encountered it but taht obviously left me huge blank areas in knowledge) then modding it would be great.

Didn't know you ever played dom 3K either (which isn't actually a scenario but involved heavy heavy modding and mapping (for each map every single province needs to have a PD of my creation and a poptype I also had to invent myself.) I'd love your feedback there too.

On topic:
Since a lot of dnd nations seem somewhat based on RL nations and dom 3 nations have the same you should probably start by putting all nations in one age and then just take whatever nation seems to have some fitting sprites and just mod those units.. easily enough you could add the new units you need. There are also some mod nations which might very well be a base for either indie or some nations (barbarians mod, the warhammer orc mod could probably give you good stats and sprites for orc, either as race or as indies, you could lend vampire from several of the vampire mods if the vanilla ones aren't good enough.)

I think a lot of pplz here would be willing to help (though I've noticed most are better with idea's than actual work, which is alright since it's pretty hard working on one nation with more than 1 person)

YOu could probably just make a list of all nations you need and give general information and the forum could propose which nation would fit best. Maybe some would even offer to do nation themselves.

Edi seems more than willing to help on the map and he's very capable so I'd advice to let him do that if he has time.. there is plenty to do if you really want to work on this mega project so if he wants to do that you should let him and start on another part yourself.

Also.. even if Edi wants to work on the map that will take quite some time probably but you could already start with modding nations which fit on his sea of stars map... you'll need to do those nations anyway and then you could test them on his map...

I wish you gl.

I

[Sombre]

Originally Posted by Gandalf Parker

I think Sombre did with his WarHammer ones.

Nope. Haven't done any scenarios, haven't made any maps.

Zepath made a superb Warhammer Old World map and there was talk of an 'adventure' version of it.

OK guys, I am going to start hanging out in chat. I am looking at some mods and building a design doc for an all out Faerun. I have all the reference at my fingertips, so if you have a question about an area, I can find it. XD

I think the map design will at first NOT have the "new areas / Terra Incognita" but I am not destroying the "full map" so I can retcon as necessary and add areas piecemeal....

Anyhow, I am looking at the DB and the mod guide and sample mods and getting ideas about what I can do.... thus hanging out in chat will help me as I encounter conceptual issues.

Monkeyvich.

I am starting to over-think this project I believe.

The biggest problem I am having at the moment is twofold and in the same region of basic design: Nations!

OK, first off. Nations come in three Eras. Am I insane enough to want to put junk like Netheril and the Sarrukh empire in there? I have the technology but the "whole cloth" factor would eventually creep in.

I am thinking about just making every nation Late Age to start with, since the Present of Faerun is much better documented.

But then, since I've got a map with one end in Icewind dale and the other ends in Zakhara and Kara-Tur .... I start wondering if there are enough nations. And how to define them? If Dominions is a game of Deity vs Deity then logically the factions should be deity based. But that barely holds for the multi-pantheonal nations ... in Mulhorand, Horus is revered beside Selune. it's insane. So then I think.... political?

Just try to start that list. I'll do it for us all: Lords' Alliance (Waterdeep and Silver Marches), Cormyr, Sembia, Mulhorand, Thay, Amn, Tethyr, Evermeet, Rashemen, Zhentil Keep, Tuigan Horde, Shou Lung, Tien Lung, Wa, Kozakura, Tabot, Murghom, Calimshan, Dambrath, gasp pant gasp.

Maybe factions? Harpers, Zhentarim, Emerald Order, The Rundeen, various religious factions might also fit here? or some crazy combination of all of the above type of groups.....

but then just think... of the start locations :P

Input is welcomed ....

Monkevich.
*cogitating madly*

Second set of thoughts on really bringing Faerun to life.

I am considering making commanders things like Purple Dragon Knight, Thavian Slavemaster, and so forth. some will be site based, like Edi put Witches in Rashemen (if you look hard enough LOL).

But seriously I will edit this one once I have some time to think more about Nations. Although unique heroes are ironically the easiest to fit in and need no discussion if you've dabbled in D&D at all (Elminster, Drizz't, etc., etc. ad infinitum).

Sites as well will be easy to extract from source.

I am learning how much I have to learn by poking at the manuals.

Monkeyvich.