New NESes, ideas, development, etc

[Milarqui]

Looks cool, Daft. And here we thought that you had abandoned us. When can we expect this to start?

 

[erez87]

ohhhhhh shinnnnyyyy

 

[Gem Hound]

SHINYYYY! When does it start?!

 

[Terrance888]

 

[thomas.berubeg]

It's back! Ash bear reporting IN!

 

[Daftpanzer]

Thanks alot guys Yep the map is updated, but I would like to do a decent write-up this time and also replace the opening posts, in particular I was wondering if the rule section on City-States made any sense as posted??

@Gem Hound will be within days, and there are quite a few civs available if you are interested.

 

[Terrance888]

So its either tap or bank. Bank=Grow Pop. Tap=Cause Awesomesauce.

I think I got it.

 

[Optical]

For Optical; That would be fun, but I would suggest limiting the number of city-states. If you get an inspired following, you may end up with over 25.

25 would probably be a good limit. The actual number of city-states doesn't particularly matter - the familial working the players will be interacting within operates on a separate level to the cities on the map - but too many would look a bit silly

@Optical: Sounds good I'd play.

Thanks!

OptNES: Thiese cities are Yours! Looks good Optical. I might even participate, if it starts after mah hiatus.

The NES proper almost certainly will, and I'm happy for anyone to drop in at any stage since the NES's mechanics will easily allow for that. I am planning to start up the map creation thread sometime this week/weekend though, so you might miss the start of that.

 

[Optical]

Here's what I wrote up of the ruleset (well, the intro really, but leading into the ruleset) yesterday:

Spoiler :

OptNES:
Blueprint Humanity​

​

”Honor ... means that a man is not exceptional; fame, that he is. Fame is something which must be won; honor, only something which must not be lost.” - Arthur Schopenhauer​

Who do we owe our existence to? What has this world come from?

Beings have influenced this land, whether or not they have touched any other. Call them gods, spirits, whatever you choose, this is a designer world.
Now look, as we examine the details, people appear. Great cities grow, society puts out roots and, as is always the way, humans begin feuds, vendettas... wars. Soldiers die and kill at the whim of great families, rulers and cities.

It’s into this world that heroes will be born. Conflicts will tear this world apart, diplomats will sew it back together again, and only for it to be broken again... conflict and community destroy and build life, each taking their turn to kick humanity into the dust and then pick them up again.
Welcome to humanity. Madness incarnate.

When it comes to humans, nothing ever goes according to the blueprint.

...​

Welcome to our designer world. I’m Optical, and I’ll be your friendly GM for the duration of this NES, however long that ends up being (hopefully a good long while).

This NES is based around the family unit, that is, each of you are about to take control of a family striking out into our region’s equivalent of the ancient Greek ‘Heroic Age’. Each individual in your (noble) family has the power to change the course of history, because events here, in this time, will be remembered forever, as history, myth or something in between.

The aim of this NES is to build a complex, realistic and immersive world within a region of a size similar to the ancient Greek sphere of influence itself. Hopefully, we’ll achieve that, maybe even surpass it. The people who live in the world of this NES really will be the blueprint of humanity. At least, that’s what I hope for.

When you join, please fill out this template:

 

[Terrance888]

Good intro! Better than mine.

Spoiler :

That reminds me, should we as NESers keep using "Moderator" or "mod", or should we adopt "GM" instead? I feel weird the few times I referred to someone as a "Moderator", except for BJ.

 

[Optical]

Thanks!

I don't think I've ever referred to someone who runs a NES as a 'Moderator'. 'GM' and 'Mod' are less confusing. 'Moderator' seems... wrong.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Milarqui]

For those that have been interested in the X-COM NES I am planning to make, I have managed to make the algorithm for the fights between the X-COM members and the aliens. I will have to make some touches to it, and plan for the implementation of the strategies.

 

[Lord_Iggy]

Good intro! Better than mine.

Spoiler :

That reminds me, should we as NESers keep using "Moderator" or "mod", or should we adopt "GM" instead? I feel weird the few times I referred to someone as a "Moderator", except for BJ.

Thanks!

I don't think I've ever referred to someone who runs a NES as a 'Moderator'. 'GM' and 'Mod' are less confusing. 'Moderator' seems... wrong.

Just my 2 cents.

I strongly prefer the term 'moderator'... a GM is synonymous with DM for me, which is a term I reserve for tabletop RPGs.

Also, glad to see you working on that project again Daft. Sapphire Lion forever! The rules seem workable, but only playtesting will let us know for sure.

 

[Gem Hound]

I strongly prefer the term 'moderator'... a GM is synonymous with DM for me, which is a term I reserve for tabletop RPGs.

Also, glad to see you working on that project again Daft. Sapphire Lion forever! The rules seem workable, but only playtesting will let us know for sure.

So with you, Game Moderator = Dungeon Master?

 

[thomas.berubeg]

I like Mod, myself.

 

[SouthernKing]

I prefer Mod for games and Moderator for BirdJaguar's kind.
GM reminds me too much of the company so I really don't use it too often.

 

[Gem Hound]

I use the Game Moderator's forum name.

 

[Dachs]

GM for board games (and tabletop, but I don't do tabletop) including games of Risk or Diplomacy on the internet
Mod for NESes

 

[Eltain]

Mod or whatever they refer to themselves as.

Also, spoiler!

Spoiler Shakar :

Shakar,
the Dark Continent

Artist's representation​

Shakar is the smallest of the three continents, and by far the most isolated. Although once connected to the other two by a land bridge separating the Western Ocean from the Centrel Sea, a great flood smashed away portions of it, creating the island of Lavra.

Most of the northern coast of Shakar is tropical, with lots of rainfall, hot summer days, and endless sunshine. Not many monsoons make it this far off the Tempest sea, but the occasional hurricane is not unheard of. Racially, northern Shakar is split pretty evenly between Issith and Lavran.

The rest of Shakar is split in two by the Cold Mountains. The west coast is warm in the north but gets gradually cooler as we head south. Likewise, the populace changes from primarily Symphok in the north to more Lycalidk and Kaul in the south. Hurricanes are extremely common along the coast, and regularly travel inland.

The eastern half of the continent is barren, comparably. The high grasslands turn to cold deserts, and then lifeless tundras as we head even further south. Tough Issith nomadic tribes crawl the landscape here, and not much else.

---- ****---- ____ ----**** ****---- ____ ---- **** ----​

Spoiler Lycalidk :

Lycalidk warriors charging​

Very man-like in that they stand upright on their hind legs, and have opposable digits, however with the face and body of a great hyena or dire wolf. The average Lycalidk stands on its hind legs at 6'8", and has, at least when compared to the human limb, abnormally long arms. Their thick fur coats range from brown to grey to black, and are usually shed for white new growth in the hotter months. Their eyes are usually black or brown, but in very rare instances are blue.

CLothing is seldom worn by the Lycalidk save for leather loins or armor in combat or on the hunt.

Natural herders of sheep and goats, they have in the eons past lost most of their feral instinct, and innate speed. Their superhuman strength has remained, however, as well as thick coats of brown to grey to black fur. They usually live in small tribes along the W'tawni river, and never organize large cities of their own. The more peaceful of these born warriors has been spotted in the markets of human cities, trading luxuries, though.

The Lycalidk native tongue sounds much like a combination between the baying of a donkey and the shrieking of a prairie dog, but in recent memory they have adapted a gravelly Kaulic, emphasizing the longer vowels.

Military

Lycalidk infantry are armed with wooden spears, the odd well-trained bow, and their fangs and claws. They make powerful shock troops.

Lycalidk navies consist of large, crude rafts, fashioned mainly from twigs and fallen branches, used only for crossing rivers at narrow points.​

Spoiler Kaul :

Kaulic children playing drums​

The average Kaul stands at 5'5", has a dark complexion, and has hair varying from blonde to brown to black.

Kaul wear silks in the hot, wet summers and leathers or wools in the cool, wet winters.

Kaul are natural hunters and traders, and dealing with many different people (such as the aggressive Lycalidk or the finnicky Lavran) has made them adept at getting what they want out of a trading deal. Many fur trappers have a good life trading with the Lavran who send the goods across the seas, however agriculture, mining and fishing make up the majority of the economy of the average Kaulic village.

Military

Kaulic infantry are armed with wooden spears and the occasional bow, making them a good overall unit, but very good at raiding.

Kaulic navies consist of river-worthy ships (usually hewn from one single tree trunk) and rafts, but few if any ocean-going vessels.​

Spoiler Symohook :

A Symphook mother and her chick​

Symphook are identical in appearance to the giant flightless Moa bird, towering 10 feet into the air including necks, 6 feed for their 'shoulder' height. Their feathers range in color from whites to blacks to blues and browns, while their beaks are uniformly brown.

Symphook have no need nor real concept of clothing for themselves. In the cool winters they grow a layer of warm downy feathers which come moltseason they sell to Lavran traders for exotic jeweleries, fish and goods. While no agriculture has developped, a fairly advanced form of aquaculture has: large fish harvests and the culling of tadpoles as delicacies in small streams and ponds in and around the Symphook mainland.

Military

Symphook infantry generally wear leather and are armed with simple wooden spear. They are good for charging.​

Spoiler Uneguk :

An Uneguk family outside of their home​

Uneguk, on average, stand a head shorter than their mainland counterparts, at 5'3". Their skin and hair are darkened and weathered, usually twisted into three or four long, tight braids.

Uneguk generally wear leather to protect them from the harsh weather of the islands, but cotton is common and is used to insulate their often temporary stone or woven wood homes.

Seafaring comes naturally to the Uneguk, and trading their "exotic" dyes and pearls to the Lavran has become a steady mainstay of their economies. Agriculture has begun to rise as a viable means of sustenance, however the endless bounties of the sea have never failed them and the Uneguk are not big on quick change.

Military

Uneguk Infantry are armed with short stone sword-like weapons known as Kuali (meaning sharp) and long wooden throwing spear and throwers known as Atatl. They are good for tight fighting in mountainous regions as well as amphibious landing.​

Spoiler Issith :

Issith broodwarriors putting on brave faces​

The average male Issith warrior stands at a mere 5'10", whereas their Den or Queen Mothers stand at a towering 7'4", a full head and a half taller than their children/mates. Their scales vary from dark green on the younger males to green-blue or even dark blue on the older mated males, and green on the younger females to green with purple trim on the older den mothers.

Issith wear little more than protective armor during the summer, and everything from furs to leathers to living mammals in the deathly cold winters, if they need to venture from their holes.

Issith settlements are ruled by a single Queen Mother usually, and all of its male inhabitants (of which make up 99% of the population) are either the brood or adopted children of that particular Queen, and their loyalties lie only to her. Supposedly. Being carnivores, their main source of food is hunting game (whether that be bear, buck or human), or having slaves tend flocks of cattle. That being said, they have a certain amount of dependancy on their fellow creatures; being cold-blooded, they are fairly unlikely sea-farers and are insistantly terrified of open water. Often, to cross great bodies or fast-moving rivers, they have to hire (also not eat, and -be nice to-) non-Issith mercenaries to build sturdy bridges or ferry them across, which has caused many an Issith Queen no end of headaches.

Raiding outlying villages provides a large amount of wealth to pay these mercenaries, and a lot of other things as well.

The Issith languages are heavy on the extended S's, as is cliched and made fun of in many human communities. It also involves a series of inter-connected hisses and clicks all but immitatable by the human mouth, but Issith have learned to associate certain human consonants with their clicks, and have attempted on countless occasions to immitate them. For their own personal amusement, of course.

Military

Issith Infantry are well-armed with wooden spears and obsidian axes. They are good for ambushes and extended combat.​

One of the continents.

Will be posted on the first page for those wishing to get a quick rundown on each group of people. I try not to reference local factions as they will obviously change throughout the game.

 

[ChiefDesigner]

Forums, and forum games, are moderated; it's convention.