Author Topic: Random Updates from Terry Amthor  (Read 280990 times)

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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #580 on: October 11, 2014, 01:20:04 AM »
It depends upon how he goes "off the rails." As Yamma said above, he could become a tyrant, or he could become the drooling nearly catatonic guy standing in the corner. I guess it depends upon how the story needs him to be.
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Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #581 on: October 12, 2014, 07:11:12 AM »
It depends upon how he goes "off the rails." As Yamma said above, he could become a tyrant, or he could become the drooling nearly catatonic guy standing in the corner. I guess it depends upon how the story needs him to be.

Andraax has never had an inclination to rule, however, we know that he sure likes to meddle. Not having learned from the failure of the SIx Helms, he's tinkering again with Jaiman, especially Urulan. For 'off the rails' I was thinking of him having one of his breaks where he loses it and just goes on a killing spree, but instead of lasting a few minutes, it goes on and on...
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #582 on: October 12, 2014, 07:15:00 AM »
Moving on from dark Andraax speculation...

I'm working on the big new NE Jaiman book, and the general climate/geography section. I hate duplicating too much from book to book (because I don't want people to think I am 'padding' it) but it seems like some material begs to be repeated.

For instance, I'm thinking of doing a little Flowstorm frequency chart, with rolls for each region and time of year. But should I repeat any/all of the Flowstorm material that appears in 3rd and 4th ed atlases, or should I assume that everyone has a copy?
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline yammahoper

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #583 on: October 12, 2014, 09:27:34 AM »
Include region specific material while referencing the SW Master Atlas with pg/chpt info.

Unless you are going to expand significantly on the info in SWMA, a reference should be enough.

However, for ALL spell list, include spell description.  Never rely on referring to another list...just fyi  ;D
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Offline Kulthean

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #584 on: October 13, 2014, 12:54:04 AM »
I don't think there's anything wrong with repeating some of the information as long as it doesn't hurt the page count for the new stuff.  Does that make sense?


Offline DragonReborn

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #585 on: October 13, 2014, 06:05:38 AM »
I second that. It can even be helpful if you want to get your bearings on what material you already know and where the new stuff comes in. It's good to see some familiar sections and then see them expanded.

What I don't like is reading and then realizing that it is in fact the same material just paraphrased with different words.

Concerning Jaiman and flow storms. One map I really appreciate is the map of essence flows in the Jaiman source book. I have used it repeatedly in order to check if the party was indeed located within one of those flows. If they were, I rolled a percentage chance whenever one of them cast a spell. On a success, the spell went through as planned. On a failure, they did not cast the spell they wanted to. I had them roll 1D100 to see where they actually landed. A beautifully chaotic turn of events that could be. Yes indeed  ::)
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Offline egdcltd

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #586 on: October 13, 2014, 07:08:02 AM »

Guess I should work on LL II


I think one thing you should include in LL II (and maybe add to the first book) is a Dramatis Personae. I read a comment on Amazon UK about the large number of characters, and I think without one it will be a struggle to remember who people are in LL II.
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Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #587 on: October 14, 2014, 05:45:20 AM »
I don't think there's anything wrong with repeating some of the information as long as it doesn't hurt the page count for the new stuff.  Does that make sense?



Nowadays with PDFs and Print on Demand, it doesn't 'hurt' the page count as much as make the product cost more because the page count has gone higher.

The Flowstorm material in the Atlas is almost 2 full pages, which I think is too much to reprint. I think most people running SW should have one of the two most recent Atlases.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #588 on: October 14, 2014, 05:50:47 AM »
I second that. It can even be helpful if you want to get your bearings on what material you already know and where the new stuff comes in. It's good to see some familiar sections and then see them expanded.

What I don't like is reading and then realizing that it is in fact the same material just paraphrased with different words.

Concerning Jaiman and flow storms. One map I really appreciate is the map of essence flows in the Jaiman source book. I have used it repeatedly in order to check if the party was indeed located within one of those flows. If they were, I rolled a percentage chance whenever one of them cast a spell. On a success, the spell went through as planned. On a failure, they did not cast the spell they wanted to. I had them roll 1D100 to see where they actually landed. A beautifully chaotic turn of events that could be. Yes indeed  ::)


Hah, I try not to ramble and repeat myself, but I also hate to mention something and then send the reader to some other location in the book for a more complete description when I can summarize something there. For instance, now I am working on the Wuliris GM map, with dozens of keyed Items. In the key, I am including a descriptive line for a place, and for the more interesting places, I do make a reference to later in the book where it is fleshed out, but I also give a very brief description here.

As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline markc

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #589 on: October 14, 2014, 10:42:45 AM »
Maybe you could offer the charts as a stand alone PDF?
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Offline RandalThor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #590 on: October 14, 2014, 10:51:17 PM »
As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???
When I Gm Shadow World they can be a big part, though it does depend upon the campaign (is it set in a fairly small area, or a far-traveling one?) and the PCs, such as if there are magicians and/or others who teleport on a regular basis.
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Offline zyax1

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #591 on: October 15, 2014, 05:53:09 AM »
I second that. It can even be helpful if you want to get your bearings on what material you already know and where the new stuff comes in. It's good to see some familiar sections and then see them expanded.

What I don't like is reading and then realizing that it is in fact the same material just paraphrased with different words.

Concerning Jaiman and flow storms. One map I really appreciate is the map of essence flows in the Jaiman source book. I have used it repeatedly in order to check if the party was indeed located within one of those flows. If they were, I rolled a percentage chance whenever one of them cast a spell. On a success, the spell went through as planned. On a failure, they did not cast the spell they wanted to. I had them roll 1D100 to see where they actually landed. A beautifully chaotic turn of events that could be. Yes indeed  ::)


Hah, I try not to ramble and repeat myself, but I also hate to mention something and then send the reader to some other location in the book for a more complete description when I can summarize something there. For instance, now I am working on the Wuliris GM map, with dozens of keyed Items. In the key, I am including a descriptive line for a place, and for the more interesting places, I do make a reference to later in the book where it is fleshed out, but I also give a very brief description here.

As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???

In our campaign we use the Jaiman flows map regularly and we lack these kind of maps to cover most of the northern...
Flow storms is used when GM needs it, that has not happened but twice, I think, in more than 20 years.
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Offline kyussopeth

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #592 on: October 17, 2014, 04:11:54 PM »
Quote
As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???

This map has been very important in my game based primarily in Jaiman.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #593 on: October 17, 2014, 06:53:32 PM »
Quote
As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???

This map has been very important in my game based primarily in Jaiman.

Well then I will do them! But in general, they track to mountain ranges and tectonic plate edges, and minor ones do shift.
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline kyussopeth

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #594 on: October 17, 2014, 08:23:23 PM »
Quote
As for the Flows map, well I can certainly do more. I am curious how much other GMs use the Flows, Flow Barriers and Flow Storms as a regular part of their games???

This map has been very important in my game based primarily in Jaiman.

Well then I will do them! But in general, they track to mountain ranges and tectonic plate edges, and minor ones do shift.

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Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #595 on: October 17, 2014, 10:13:20 PM »
I have started a campaign using Emer III, and would have loved a flow map to guide with the location of the stronger flows in the region.

Offline Terry K. Amthor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #596 on: October 18, 2014, 02:41:33 AM »
I have started a campaign using Emer III, and would have loved a flow map to guide with the location of the stronger flows in the region.

And so you shall have one. Major flows in SE Emer. Naturally, they can fragment and shift somewhat, but this would be the major tracks...
Terry K. Amthor
Shadow World Author, Rolemaster & SpaceMaster Co-Designer, ICE co-founder.
Eidolon Studio Art Director


"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
-- Clarke's First Law.

Offline Jinor

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #597 on: October 18, 2014, 10:24:13 AM »
During the 15 years I have played Rolemaster, I have steered away from Shadow World because it is very complicated and different in comparison to a "generic" fantasy world or Middle-Earth in my opinion, but reading this thread is slowly converting me from my generic ways. My sincere appreciation to Terry for giving a vibrant world and proper answers. Maybe one day a campaign will start in Jaiman because of this.
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Offline Kulthean

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #598 on: October 18, 2014, 06:02:47 PM »
My fondest and strongest gaming memories are in Shadow World and I'm happy to say that my new group I'm running is finally going back after a 15 year hiatus!!  I always used the Flow maps and intend to use them in the future because they are, in my opinion, partially what sets this incredible world apart from others. 

The complexity of this world is its beauty and makes it so rich with back history and lends itself to nearly infinite storyline and adventure plots.

Offline Voriig Kye

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Re: Random Updates from Terry Amthor
« Reply #599 on: October 20, 2014, 02:37:46 PM »
Thanks for the map Terry!.
So... it seems the run along the major mountain ranges... I have never before seen a connection between mountains and essaence. Is it because of the great volumes of earth and rock? The caves that run underneath?