Gondor vs Mordor

in the post about the rohvanian dessert, we suddenly were discussing portals and means to reducice time spent walking around. Instead of hyjacking that thread, I start a new one about travellingtime in general.

Thought behind improving access across the server:
I once played on a server where you coud join a guild. The guild operated a portal with runes. You could access set areas by pressing the runes in a particular sequence. This required no DM to access the areas when the server booted (gvm has a similar portal in the rogue area under osgil)
Some were well known secrets, others were super secret. You could do several quests to get hints and the runes changed every few months to keep the vibe going. The portal just teleported you to set parts of the map, effectively granting like 5 or so accessareas into the world - not instant teleport to boss room. Did not take the fun out of the server, still  involved plenty of hoofing but no dreaded 20+ minute endeavors to test something and fail in 2 minutes to hardknock  :sleepy2:

So why did that portal work? Cause it made experimenting with new areas a lil easier to do. Remember how many times you died in old issendor when u first came there, learning each and every step for a price payed in blood. 5 minutes of hoofing was enough of an annoyance, but people coped with it cause it was  doable. Challenging new areas work like that for me and judging by the amounts of people spending time at Khamul's and the temple of evil, I think I am not the only one

Some ideas:
- boats to connect maps to speed travelling up (like we have on the server allready)
- A guild of mages operating a teleport- or portal service
- Gnomish airships
- others?

All of the above is effectively windowdressing, but the effect is the same: connect 2 maps that are not geographically connected .So, I will refer to these connections as "portal "underneath, but these could easily be replaced by boats (or giant eagles, or a boeing 747 or whatever)

CONS
There are cons to portals. They could take the fun out of the game if they were to make things too easy. Part of the challenge and fun in GvM is getting to the WK's throneroom by going through his city and breaking in the defense. So no boeing 747 landing in the WK's thronerooms, no rogue giant badgers taking you for a ride all the way up to Galadriel's doorstep etc
Also, portals should be in the spirit of the campaign, which is based on the lord of the rings setting. Windowdressing is very important in that aspect

Increase interaction:
Portals could also increase community interaction
- Could make 1-2 portals and make it a faction area like osgil and outpost, to be claimed and used by the victor. Imagine the worth of controlling such an area in the war efforts! Could spice things a little if both sides vie for control
- Could also make a portal neutral and assign quests to operate them (e.a. complete a quest to port to set area). Party gets xp and questor(s) get a travel reward. Maybe a chain of quests to access a special area? ideas aplenty there
- a portal operated by pressing a sequence of "runes". Quests to obtain hints or sequences, change sequenes ewvery few months. Players could turn to eachother to share info or keep them secret

So:post your ideas here. post your opinions here

Cheers,
Rodriquez

i think the layout of the mod is a result of the underlying mod theme.. LOTR ... the geographic areas are very closely linked to the LOTR map following JRRT's world of middle earth

my basic mod philosophy is this..

xp farming.. one map deep from main geographic areas
mini boss .. 2 maps deep
senior boss ... up to 4 maps deep
campaign boss ... up to 6 maps deep

deeper u go the better the gear

hoofing is a pain .. i agree... teleport using runes and portals are interesting (especially homeward bound .. ToD has one btw) ... but i havent seen any specific references in the LOTR stories for teleporting.  if u can think of something 'close' and within the story line id like to hear your idea.  (includign rod's 1st post)

If your lucky enuff to run into Shadowfax, you might get to travel somewhere fast.  :shadowfax:

Just the player has to teleport, the character doesn't necessarily have to, such as the boat in pelennor fields.

Exactly! While the next map is being loaded, you could perhaps use the screeny in between to make the story complete. Add some text in perfect D&D style:

"You travel for days, through the forrest of [insert forestname], acorss the great Plane of [insert planename] before arriving at the outskirts of Yonderholme. You pick out distant columns of smokes coming from chimneys of the quiet settlement in the waning sunlight. All thoughts of the war are forgotten momentarily as you gaze upon this peacefull scene. The smell of bacon fills your nostrils as you head for the Plentifull Tankard inn"

"The Great Dawn is a magnifficent Elven ship. Sleek and fast, it carries you across the undergroundriver [insert rivername]. After [X] days of travel, you arrive at  [insert portname]. "

"Jurgen Waybread, your dwarven guide, leads you through a maze of tunnels. After 6 days of stumbling about in utter darkness, you finally emerge at [insert name]. You pay Jurgen his fee and exit into the painfully bright world outside"

"The Eagles of Manwé carry you across the great mountainrange of [insert mountainrange], before landing you close to [Y]"