Pre-test Initial Thoughts

This is to design a branch development fork called "TMW-eA: Barbarians of the Ancean Isles". It is to be enjoyable for localhost play as well as small server play.

Purpose: To test and prepare TMW-eA's 1.5 player set expansion as well as to experiment with equipment, NPC scripting, monsters and so on. This is also a test to showcase keeping up with the server, server-data, client and client-data on the mainline while creating new areas. This method can be useful for forks and alternative servers that want to aim for original releases without having to redo mainline development efforts to keep updated quickly and effectively.

Design Overview: The mainline should be affected as little as possible, so merging the mainline has as few conflicts. Items, maps, NPCs and monsters will take an ID number bracket higher than others so any new mainline additions can be kept up with easily.

Maps: Using the existing map naming conventions and expanding on them, 501-1 (exterior), 501-2 (building interior ground floor), 501-3 (cave interior 1), 501-4 (cave interior 2), 501-5 (cave interior 3) 501-8 (building interior floor 2) and 501-9 (building interior basement) will be the only existing maps. All maps will be 500x500 with a fully designed exterior (501-1) including 3 small town or gathering place areas. Interior maps can grow with the expansion. All maps will correspond so a 10x10 building exterior will also have a 10x10 building interior. Cave entrances and exits would match coordinates on both the 501-1 map and 501-3 map, for example. Caves also follow this rule and a 501-3 map can't jump to a 501-5 map.

Equipment: Using either the 500 or 5000 ID range (depending on availability) for all BAI NPCs, items and monsters would help separate and identify branch equipment.

Weapons: One-handed slashing, two-handed slashing and polearm weapons can be made as well as matching equipment.

Armor: Introduce shields as well as match equipment to the new attack forms.

Variables: Use only one linear variable to make the full expansion, thus offering a new setting with little conflict with any existing server.

Balance: Test equipment, monster and magic balance. Offer experimental methods for equipment, equipment tiers, skills and magic within a linear variable. Other potential methods can exist.

Can it merge into the mainline? Eventually, this can be the goal, but is not a target of this project. It is more the target to offer a method for experimental development as well as fork potential while keeping updated with mainline releases. Current development has been responding to immediate content needs and desires while long term project testing often becomes boring when offered in only a testing format. This offers a localhost game to play that is unique and experiments forks often attempt to remake the wheel or offer settings that only build on top of existing maps. This offers a new way by offering original maps and original takes on game development while keeping the project updated with the mainline. Transferring equipment from the mainline to a fork can be done easily and vica versa. If a fork wants to be a "TMW Plus New Content" server, this can also be done, but there could be more conflicts if equipment is used in a significantly different way between the mainline and the fork.

Barbarians of the Ancean Isles CR1 (pre-1.5 equipment)

- Use the desert, beach and woodland tilesets to create a 500x500 island map. Map breaks the area up into three islands separated, but close enough to each other to form bridges. Each island hosts a mountain in the center, representing inactive volcanoes. Each island has a beach coast surrounding it that moves into a forest. Each island hosts a small village of 3-5 houses with a wooden wall surrounding them. Homes are tribal based, with several families potentially living inside each one or family based, with just one family, depending on building size.

- Mobs can't use the 0,0 coordinates to avoid spawning monsters away from character activity. Mobs can only be placed in currently assessable areas.

- All equipment and mobs used will be in the 5000 ID range. First weapon equipment will include the knife, sharp knife, dagger, bow and arrow. First armor equipment will include cotton and leather tank top, shorts, boots, gloves, headband and leather shield. Gemstone rings and amulets will be designed to fit in appropriate slots. All equipment will have 10 equipment IDs reserved for equipment tiers (first 5) and unique equipment (last 5). Level 1 equipment is found from monster drops. Equipment tier upgrades (tier levels 2-5) will be crafted with the chance of equipment destruction, equipment breaking will be active on the server. Unique equipment will be rarely dropped (less than 1%) and can't be upgraded.

- Mobs will only be recolorable and have 10 different varieties of each monster, testing monster levels 1, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 and threaten corresponding character levels or corresponding character levels x 2. Example scorpions would challenge character levels 1-50 (character level) while snakes would challenge character levels 2-99 (character levels x 2).

- Magic calculations would enter sometime after CR1 once equipment and monster balancing occurs.

New Thoughts

I'm still brainstorming on how to begin development of this project. Here is another way:

Write Barbarians of the Ancean Isles similar to a movie with scenes and figure out what is needed in each scene.

Scene 1

School

Setting: 500-2.tmx (Village Questing School Interior)

NPCs: Dean, Teachers, Students

Notes: Gain Trade, Emocon skills. Register for Monster Points. Gain Graduation Cap.

Synopsis: Teachers teach character basic game information and get the character started with the game's backstory. The Dean releases the character from the school, giving them a graduation cap and sending them on their way. Dean will act as a hint guide the rest of the game.

Scene 2

Town

Setting: 500-1.tmx and 500-2.tmx (Village)

NPCs: Craft, Daily Quest, Monster Point Exchange, Gossip and Rumors, Party Skill, Mini-Game, Main Quest

Synopsis: Character must talk to several people in town before the guard will let them out. Many things in town won't be available until then, but are mentioned. The first chapter of this story may involve saving the Mayor's son who got lost in the woods. Once the character knows what they are doing, they are able to leave town. The daily quests are side treks while the crafting is to gain healing items and better equipment. The monster point exchange can trade monster points for a variety of items.