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Whispers of an Ancient Evil...[Extended Edition]

iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
While I'm picking my brain on what direction to take a sequel, I've been tinkering with the Whispers quest. With the Foundry Contest finally winding down, I decided to make a few tweaks based upon feedback received, and re-publish the quest. I was surprised the original received as many plays and reviews as it did. I will continue to make changes as ideas bubble up, and as I become more experienced or new features become available (I'm not holding my breath on the last one.) Hopefully those who enjoyed it the first time around have better experiences as I improve it. To find the extended edition, simply click on the "More by this Author" button while on the featured entry. :cool:
"I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
Post edited by iandarksword on

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  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited January 2015
    I've now reworked some more dialog, created entirely new orange hobgoblin costumes based on the 5th Edition Monster Manual artwork, added a Dragonsoul character and some other detail tidbits here and there. There is also a Zhentarim campsite and kobold campsite to investigate aside of the quest objectives. I've maxed out the encouters for the map as well. The new version has the Yellow mission text in the description. It still bookends with Drizzt Do'Urden and Storm Silverhand for those wanting their Salvatore/Greenwood fix.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • melindenmelinden Member Posts: 619 Arc User
    edited January 2015
    I played with my level 60 DC. Obviously you’ve had plenty of plays since this was in contest and you’ve gone back to it since. If you do decide to go back to it again I have a few comments for you. It is very well put together.


    East Road:

    -the barrel on the far side of the upper bridge is floating off the ground
    -the detail work at the Thayan camp is very good.
    -when reading the Red Wizard’s scroll two music pieces were playing
    -I liked the Hobgoblins!
    -even though that is a preset detailed map the area with the Hobgoblins is pretty sparsely decorated. You may want to add trees, grass, and shrubs of your own to make it feel like it matches the rest of the map.
    -I was surprised that the last map transition was simple “Press F to go to Next Map” instead of using the portal next to Storm. Did you intend to use the portal?
    Find me in game with @DoctorBadger
    (Un)Academic Field Work Foundry Campaign: NWS-DAPZB2CTZ
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited January 2015
    melinden wrote: »
    I played with my level 60 DC. Obviously you’ve had plenty of plays since this was in contest and you’ve gone back to it since. If you do decide to go back to it again I have a few comments for you. It is very well put together.


    East Road:

    -the barrel on the far side of the upper bridge is floating off the ground
    -the detail work at the Thayan camp is very good.
    -when reading the Red Wizard’s scroll two music pieces were playing
    -I liked the Hobgoblins!
    -even though that is a preset detailed map the area with the Hobgoblins is pretty sparsely decorated. You may want to add trees, grass, and shrubs of your own to make it feel like it matches the rest of the map.
    -I was surprised that the last map transition was simple “Press F to go to Next Map” instead of using the portal next to Storm. Did you intend to use the portal?

    Thank you Melinden for playing, I hope you had fun too. I put a lot of work into getting the Hobgoblins to look right, I still feel they need different teeth, but as of now, we can't change that. I actually wanted the Hobgoblin Warlord to be the Adventurer Guardian Fighter Encounter, but it kept crashing when I'd test it, so I abandoned that idea.

    -I'll look at the both barrels, I think I was trying to lay one of them on it's side (because barrels don't always land on their ends) and maybe didn't quite get it to line up with the ground.
    -The Red Wizards have one set of music and it should switch to another set of music after the scroll objective is complete, it may be the placement of the scroll between sound points, I'll check to see that circles do not overlap. It transitions for me, but I know the order of the music so I may just be anticipating it to do so.
    -I've been slowly dabbling in more details, more will likely be added, I just don't want to go overboard. I'm going to try to add to the secondary Hobgoblin camp. I will probably put some more trees (said like Bob Ross: "happy trees, happy trees") to obscure the campsite some, and add more "happy trees" elsewhere on the map.
    -The last map transition seems to default with the "Press F to go to Next Map" on the chest, but it also seemed to work with the portal as well, so I left it for both so that either would work as an exit, since they were in close proximity. I was using the portal when going through myself. (Unless the portal allows players to exit prematurely, in which case I may just change the portal to appear after Storm's next to last dialog.) I'll take a look at it and see if maybe I can change the transition text to "Return to Protector's Enclave". Again, thanks so much, it helps a ton.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited January 2015
    :: Recent Edits::
    -Floating barrel: Fixed, now somewhat buried, could be perceived as broken on the ground.
    -Double Music Issue: There were overlapping objectives from one music selection to the other. Remedied that, it should be working as intended now.
    -Details: Added some, likely an ongoing dabble here and there during post Patch/Module check ups.
    -Final Map Transition: Should now be the exit portal. Labeled "Return to Protector's Enclave"
    -Plays: Of the 200ish plays the quest has received, 160 are likely my own or my daughter "live playtesting" with one of 6 different classes. (I playtest a lot outside of the editor, then change dialog, then playtest some more, then move some details, then playtest some more, so on, so forth)
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited February 2015
    Edits 2-16-15
    -Ogre Mage campsite is now the site of a ruined Dragon Empire temple. This added more detail to the Ogre Mage fight.
    -Minor dialog added to address the existence of the temple.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited March 2015
    *NEW*
    The beginning of the quest has been redone to involve investigating a Zhentarim camp. I also incorporated the respawn campfire to the same camp, this shortens the distance between the respawn and most difficult combat via back roads through a Hobgoblin camp. I also created some more banter from Nobleman "Butthead", I mean Burkhard at the onset of the quest and included a fail dialog to leave if desired.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited April 2015
    Monthly Update:
    -Ogre Mage has been given the name Kerok, via a random Ogre Fantasy Name Generator. He has also had his creature type changed to "Oni" to reflect the 5E Monster Manual description.
    -Books can now be found in the Zhentarim and Thayan campsites to further enrich players on the lore behind creatures and locations mentioned in the quest.
    -An entrance tunnel/abort exit has been added to the beginning of the quest. (Thank you @Locksheon, I'd never initially thought of that.)
    Possible future edits:
    -Adding a refugee camp in the empty half of the map.
    -Creating a network of Troll Tunnels similar to those found in Neverwinter Nights.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    Monthly Update: (Ok, technically it was April 30, so close enough)

    -The Harpers' Wagon has been redesigned (for greater detail), you now have to "track" the wagon after leaving the Zhentarim Camp.
    -Added a troll dwelling (witch lean-to) complete with plenty of smelly garbage and a cauldron in an unused corner of the map
    -There is now a vacant hut (presumably for a hermit of some kind) complete with livestock, garden, laundry, and a cat.
    -Re-allocated encounters in various places to account for changes in enemy difficulty with Module 6, as well as aggro from split encounters. (Emissary Nikos is now part of the Red Wizard camp. He used to be grouped in the Orge Mage campsite, but this proved to be simply too "over the top" in terms of difficulty.)
    -Updated idle dialog to reflect encounter changes, and difficulty changes. For the time being, a group of 2+ is recommended at level 70.
    -Fixed some grammatical errors in various dialog to aid in comprehension.
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
  • iandarkswordiandarksword Member Posts: 978 Arc User
    edited May 2015
    -Edited Drizzt dialog to reflect his role in the upcoming Underdark expansion
    -Edited Ogre Mage scroll text
    -Now uses the Tuern Skirmish overcast backdrop
    -Fiddled with Drizzt costume facial features and body proportions
    "I don't know, I'm making it up as I go..."
    Featured Foundry Quest: Whispers of an Ancient Evil [v3] - NW-DQ4WKW6ZG
    Foundry Quest: Harper Chronicles: Blacklake - NW-DCPA4W2Q5
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