arudius Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 This is my first post at the Nexus forums, but I've been a part of them since mid 2007. I almost didn't realize that the forums were here. Anyway, on to my idea. I've been working on a concept for a rather epic dungeon mod idea based on a very old game for the Atari and the Amiga called Dungeon Master. For those who aren't familiar, it was considered the first real-time first person role-playing game, and featured a large dungeon, characters, monsters, items, weapons, spells, etc. My idea isn't to make a Dungeon Master mod though, but rather to create something that had a similar feeling of "vastness", a living underworld of a labyrinth, and the deeper you went the more difficult it became. I know that is something that is pretty common in most games these days, but I wanted to recreate that feeling of isolation underground with the thrill of the unknown, but the fear of what it could hold. So to do this, here are some ideas I've had: - The dungeon's entrance could have a few possibilities. 1.) A locked door in the basement of perhaps someone's house in Bruma, or Bravil. Something that would not seem like it would be the entrance to an enormous multi-leveled labyrinth. The backstory here could be that the house was built over the entrance to a deep cave, which somewhere in it's depths has the entrance to the "dungeon". 2.) There could be a ruined priory, similar to Knight Of The Nine, that holds the entrance underground as well. Similar with the cave idea to #1. 3.) The entrance to the cave (leading to the labyrinth, as established in #1) could be hidden in the side of a mountain, hidden and some lore could be created in the world of Tamriel to support it's existence. - The monsters in the dungeon could, similarly in the original Dungeon Master game, be scaled to start out rather weak. However, it becomes apparent after you make your way down a few levels that there aren't just rats and goblins, and perhaps you start coming across some of the more sentient creatures in Oblivion (or MMM/OOO's additional monsters perhaps?). - The architecture could change but it'd be a slow progression. Starting out more "dungeon-like" in the earlier levels, it would then progress to perhaps a more ancient type, similar to the ruins in Oblivion. - In the original Dungeon Master, there were a set of about 6 of the lower levels that were connected via a second set of stairs that you could only access after gaining the "skeleton key". This made traveling between them easier, as you didn't have to go all the way through each level incase you left something on one of the earlier levels, etc. I think it would be interesting to somehow incorporate a logical "skeleton key" stairwell that allowed the player to move quickly between some of the levels. I'm still working on this idea...but to simplify, think of it more like a highway vs. local roads, at it's core concept. That's it for the basic idea. I'm still piecing the concept together but I am excited by the idea that there could be this rather epic quest awaiting that has been sealed off in a deep cave somewhere in Cyrodiil. I want to reiterate that the biggest objective with this idea is to try and recreate that isolated feeling being underground within a twisted, but logical maze. I want it to be possible for you to get lost (perhaps even with the map), so there will always be some feeling of desperation, and that the further you go, the more committed you are to the dungeon. This means there would have to be some sort of micro-economy system of things like healing potions, etc. I don't like the idea that you should have to go in fully stocked and equipped. I want it to be an adventure that's enjoyed, but is challenging. At the bottom of the dungeon could be the main "boss", whom had been sealed into the dungeon a long time ago. Since being banished and sent to this dungeon, he's warped and shaped it with his dark powers to make it sort of his kingdom, and you should get that sense the closer to the bottom you get. I don't intend this to be something that's all one giant dungeon level, either. I intend it to be somewhere like 14-16 individual dungeon levels. A side-note nod to oldschool Bethesda...the only other game that I ever felt that same type of isolation and that there was perhaps some cohesion in the enormous underground maze-like maps I was entering was Daggerfall. Oblivion is probably my favorite game of all time, yet I still think that there's room to add something like this to it. Any thoughts? Please don't flame, but I am all for being critiqued in these thoughts and concepts. -Arudius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barlas Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 I am Barlas, and I support this godly idea. Put a special room in the dungeon near the end with a cake and when you click on it, it gives you a note. On the note it reads: Dear adventurer, The note Here would say something about anything or Everything. Cause it is such An important thing to Know, Everything Is a Secret. Anything is Lovely In this dungeon. Everything though, is terrible. PS: put every capital letter in order and read it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arudius Posted June 13, 2009 Author Share Posted June 13, 2009 HAHA!! That'd be so perfect! Maybe a hidden note here and there throughout the dungeon ala Portal style to hint at this hidden treasure? Love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barlas Posted June 13, 2009 Share Posted June 13, 2009 HAHA!! That'd be so perfect! Maybe a hidden note here and there throughout the dungeon ala Portal style to hint at this hidden treasure? Love it! Knew you would ^^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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