toughluck

Instead of being treated as a music (and thus turn off area music and ambient sfx), it is treated as a vocal of Tashia, meaning that despite music (and ambient effects) should be turned off, it doesn't. In fact, it usually triggers area music, meaning that both effects mix. It perhaps wouldn't be a problem with original music, since they are louder and shorter, but I've decided that two music pieces from IWD2 (namely Kuldahar Valley ('bad' music) and Targos ('good' music)) are very well suited for the task (granted, Tashia does come from the Icewind Dale). It is not a problem sometimes (when music doesn't trigger), since it fits the mood very well, but if music does trigger - well, it's weird...

Due to copyright, trademarks, reserved material, and so on...

What can one do, what content can one create/utilise in total conversion mods? What is the limit of using certain notions? And what notions are there?

If I'd be making a total conversion, can I use
- geography of Faerun (I'll stick to it, it has most copyrights of all systems, so everywhere else it'll have more breathing space);
- place names appearing in source books and novels;
- people appearing in source books and novels;
- monsters in source books and novels;
- etc.

I know there have apparently been some releases to general society, but I bet most of the content is tightly copyrighted and/or trademarked. What do people do to receive permissions to release TCMs? Is there a need for such a permission? Etc.


As for the mod... My idea was (and is, I guess) to create a total conversion of IWD2 to Dark Sun setting. I know it's foolhardy to say the least, but is it possible? With DS materials available - high quality, clear and just the right amount - they are not a problem. Neither is a plot, I am already thinking of one, and am open to any suggestions. The problems that face are:
- graphics - a total conversion to Athas means totally new graphics. Easy on one hand, since there are no consistency problems with existing graphics, but hard on the other since there really isn't a point in which to start...
-- a remake of the interface, new character portraits, and a new map are all in order - but these are by far the easiest ones to do;
-- new full screen pictures - between chapters, title screen, load screen, and so on
-- new paper dolls - this is probably the most difficult thing to do, as almost everything will have to be created anew. Even with the entire variety available in BG1/2, IWD1/2, and other total conversions, the lack of monsters indigenous to Athas is probably the most complicated issue...
-- new areas - as said above, there are no problems with consistency, so creating new graphics from scratch is easy when it comes to deserts, but would be difficult (too difficult, perhaps) when cities, or special places were considered.
- music - would BG/IWD/BG2/IWD2's music be ok? Doubtful, so the mod would require some composing, or reusing other music. I know that it would be foolish to even ponder getting a symphony orchestra to perform for free, so scratch that idea
- voicing - that, I believe, is the easiest thing to do - with the number of people with high quality equipment in their homes, and good voice talent, it is the easiest thing to do...


Now, I'd like to 'submit myself to your opinions' - would such a mod be interesting to you, would you get it if developed, and is anyone interested in creating it?

(I'm not adding a poll, it would call for too many options)

Aside from the custom-tailored enemies (e.g. custom wizards, which would equal hundreds of even the most powerful creatures), which run-of-the-mill (which can have multiple copies) enemy from FR (or any other setting) do you find the most vile/difficult/dangerous/etc.

My vote goes to illithid. Definitely. Based on BG2, they are, in fact, the only kind of monsters that give me trouble even with uber parties. Even though my characters usually make the save versus domination, stun, or psionic blast, I'm still having trouble with mind flayers coming too close to someone and *slurp* sucking their brains out. For comparison, the Shadow Dragon, or Firkraag, didn't even manage to scratch me and *puff* they were gone. Alhoon and his cronies made me reload the game 5 times before finally being able to defeat them, and even the last time was a close call...
As a side note, mind flayers have plagued me ever since EoB2... Since there were no sourcebooks available here in Poland (back in early 1990s), I had no idea what kind of monster is that that is able to kill my party so effortlessly (even after being gamewizarded). Dran Draggore gave me less problems (it seems dragons always do, for some reason), but I had to hexedit a savegame to get past the illithid.
I've developed some sort of illithidophobia due to that, and their dungeons are the only kind that cause me to get a faster heartbeat. I swear, replaying BG2 made me skip a beat when I heard them cackling...
Enough of my musings, then...

So, what are your types?

What I mean are the portraits that are originally included with NWN, not 'original artwork' of someone else. I've seen a number of interesting ones when I had the chance to play it some time (a year+) ago, and forgot (or didn't think about that at the time) to put the portraits in another location for future reference. And now I need them...

If anyone can point to a site that has the portraits up or anything, I'd be grateful.

Thanks.

So, I have been released upon the boards, mwahahaha :-)

What do you think about the so-called 'dead' campaign settings? Specifically, these ones:
- Dark Sun - it's tough to come up with a fitting description, suffice to say that I am really fond of it and this comic strip illustrates what happens when Athas collides with Forgotten Realms, and this page is the official page of Dark Sun now.
- Spelljammer - I guess there is little interest in the system, but has anyone played it? What are your feelings about it? For those that hear of it the first time (hardcore gamers, be ashamed), it is about what happens when science fiction collides with just the fiction (ie. when people that still use magic discover space travel), but it is a simplification. This page will have more to say on the topic
- Ravenloft... Have you ever wondered what Nosferatu's or Dracula's stats would be when they were ported to AD&D? Or what would happen if BG2 went on to explore the undead theme a bit more? Ravenloft happens, and it's a great setting for those of you who like to play with the lights turned off... Unfortunately, this system is one of the definitely deceased ones... The Kargatane official webpage is dead for a year, and there are no projects to bring it back to life. Well, too bad. This page is probably just a glimmer of hope...
- Birthright. Now this system is puzzling. References to it are so obscure that it would seem doubtful that the system ever existed... I know it did however, but when searching in google, BR returned irrelevant results, BR AD&D returned the game (BR: The Gorgon's Alliance), BR 3E some more interesting results, but still not really anything of interest... Did anyone here play that settting?
- Dragonlance. A setting so dead that only novels exist... And they are probably the only ones that sell really well (ok, aside from Salvatore's FR, especially the Drizzt ones, even if some people think Salvatore is a hack...), as bookstores and libraries do seem to actually have them, and they seem to be bought and read, too. Too bad, the setting itself seems interesting, but I guess it isn't that far off the FR setting to actually catch attention.

OK, I guess that is all, what are your thoughts? Guess if there aren't any responses, we can all say that these settings are deader than Bodhi after being left soulless and staked ;-)