The new Void

In June and July of this year, I recieved considerable help in creating a major new quest addition to be added to my hack. It's going under the working title of "Void Rescue". The details are here: http://terra-arcanum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=12857&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

One problem I ran into was that the area was quickly becoming too large for real-time running around. You need a world map for overland travel. Since there can only be one world map per module and Arcanum already has it, the solution was to abandon the New Void map I'd been working on and begin converting an unused section of the ocean into the new Void.

Here's my blueprint: http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o314/rroyo/Void02.jpg

Note: Only the big island and the one with Brasahalla are going to be created. Everything else is just map decoration and storytelling placement.

Also! You will not be able to use this while you are in the original Void - I would have to recreate every last detail and - uhh-uhh! Ain't gonna happen!

Nor will you be able to get to the original Void from the new. That opens up too many potential problems. I do plan to explore the possibility of using a link from the old Void to the new and from there back into Arcanum to continue the game, but that's for a later time.

As for getting this modified world map to you future players; at the moment, I can only think of two ways to do it and they are both ugly. Maybe a third option will present itself later.

In the meantime, comments and criticisms are welcomed.

 

Well, that's pretty interesting. I'm not much into modding, but I get an idea of how difficult it may be to import this world map into our copies of Arcanum. The map itself isn't overly hard to make - it's just a bunch of .bmp's. However,a ll those pink dots are locations, and that means each Void location must get it's own new coordinte, right? Oh my, editing every void map file...God save me!

 

Pink dots?
If you're thinking what I think you're thinking, those are to represent small pieces of the big island that broke off and began drifting away.

The locations are in black, and there's only six that'll accessable by the player. The top three listings are just for storytelling purposes as it is easier to mark a location on the world map than display a new picture of locations.

 

It's the island sandwiched between the words Institute and Technology.

 

i am extreamly confused

so you are makeing a mod that ads a new place for you to die in and to get to this place you go thru a tunnel in some port town and wala you are there so i could use a bit of explaneing

i have a idear about how you could incorporate the old void it would be kinda neer this new void but the people of old void cart get to new void because of the sea of nothing unless new void people made themselves a zeppolin or a clangers boat

also where was the IFS zepelin comeing from anyway...

 

In your second paragraph you're dead on. That's exactly what it is.
There's a thread called Vendigroth and Void Structures in this section where you can read how this idea got started but here's the condensed version:

The story goes that when Arronax had his hissey fit and cast the spell that destroyed Vendigroth, the most powerful magic spell ever cast slammed head-first into the greatest concentration of advanced technology the world had ever seen and something had to give.

A bubble universe was created that exists outside of space and time with regards to Arcanum. All the people and animal who were caught in that bubble mutated into reptilian lifeforms which adapted to the new enviroment, lived, bred, and died for many generations.

Using the remaining technology there were two escape attempts made; one was successful but the second attempt failed because the town was overrun by the Void Lizards and Araya. That was what you know as Liam Cameron's Portal.

Now, getting to the Void: As a rule, the only way for an Arcanumite to enter the Void is through the Banishment Spell - however.... At the bottom edge of that bubble was the port city of Vorakia, and for reasons unknown, the two worlds meet right there. For those who are both strong enough and brave enough, it is possible to cross over into the universe of the Void at that one spot and meet the last decendants of the people who had been transported into this other reality.

As for incorporating the old Void into this new one: In order to avoid messing with the various sequences already in place with the old Void, travel between the two will be limited to from the old to the new only. I've got a little story in mind to explain why, but I think I'll let you play the game to learn that.

In order to return to Arcanum and play on: One scenario I plan to try is if you use the Vendigroth device on Kergan; just after the movie of the "stargate" starting up; it cuts back to the game and a countdown begins in which you've got, say 60 seconds, to get the dwarves, get to the "stargate", and from there be teleported to the altar at the crash site.
I love this idea!

Another way out will be a teleport pod that only becomes active after a certain event - probably if you fail to reach the "stargate" in time - that will take you to the northernmost city in the new Void and from there you can walk back out into Arcanum.

As for the zephyr: given that the flying machines came from Caladon, and the angle of the blimp in the opening movie, I'd say the ship coming from Caladon.

Hope this eases your confusion and gives you something to look forward to.

 

that helps alot thanks

also on the "bridge" between worlds you could have a 30+ poisoin influence to represent the nothingness trying to absorm you and as you said only the strong would survive

 

I went with something a little nastier.....
The blue and lavender flames are the wall of the Void bubble.
Sound effect: The first few seconds of "Children of the Sun"

 

If the blimp was from caladon, why does Stennar have a matchbook from the Roseborough Inn?

Edit: It just occured to me. Maybe Stennar escaped out of the void through the weakened seals in the Ring of Stones, swiped a Matchbook just for giggle-rights on his way to Caladon to hop onto the Zephyr. Maybe there's a newspaper article loose somewhere detailing when and where the Zephyr took off?

Edit Edit: Of course, the way the the wreckage is spread out, it shows a definitive east-to-west flight pattern. If you'll notice, I think Caladon is way south of the Crash Site, and it would've crashed in a south-to-north pattern?

Edit Edit Edit: Then again if Caladon was indeed where it took off, wouldn't it have crashed in a Southwest-to-northeast pattern, as Tarant was it's destination? Lending credence to the Roseborough starting point and it's subsequent wreckage array. I'm a very deductive sleuth. Now, if you'll excuse me, the Hardy Boys require my assistance.

 

Welcome to the forum.

Most of the pre-made backgrounds speak of going to Tarant.

There isn't a large enough population in Roseborough to make it a viable stop for a blimp. However - it would make a good flyover.
"See the Ring of Brodgar from the air!"

That would make coming from the west-southwest plausible.

As for the backwards crash-pattern - The mountain air currents made the blimp spiral just before impact.

The only fly in this ointment is Stennar's matchbook.
Oh well, I still think it cames from Caladon.

 

Or the Roseborough Inn was one of the sponsors for the blimp, thereby having the right to spread advertisement in the form of matchbooks in it?

 

Way to gravedig, except that so many of the backgrounds say youv'e collected your ticket and boarded the Zeppelin from Caladon-Tarant, that even a newbie should know the correct answer! :O

 

"The Instutite of Technology"... That looks like a place worth visiting, IMO.

 

Regrettably, it's permanently closed.

 

And since when has a little thing like that posed a problem for determined adventurers?

 

"After ages of easily picking his way through doors, Merwin finally finds one with Magelock."

 

"Fortunately, Merwin realizes he still has two sticks of TNT left over from Shrouded hills."

 

"Unfortunately, Merwin left the matchbook in Shrouded Hills."