The Fade: Mouse Mod

[TheShadyLady]

And... I just hit the backspace by accident and lost everything. Awesome. Now I have to retype this all.

 

Daniekf: I like your idea, it fits, but not enough to satisfy the players that want the mod. I know what sort of connection they are looking for already. While I agree, intelligence will dominate emotions in this mod, I cannot say it will be with your idea. Not unless it is a last resort. The problem with your suggestion is there is no face to face interaction, unless I use a lot of cutscenes to make mental projections of them interacting within the Warden's body. Which is just a pain in the ass, and what your idea does is only really add points to abilities and lack an real connection. Now if a storyline came PRIOR to it, and that move of bonding together wasa last resort, then I could accept the idea easily.

 

Lets see if I can break this down as clearly as I did before I lost the damn page:

 

Mouse's storyline progression when entering the game will be in stages. It's meant to act like how you form a friendship with your other party members, but considerin Mouse is, well, Mouse, there will have to be more attention. Let it be known, that is because the people requesting the mod WANT to give Mouse more attention. So those that will be using the mod for the purpose of just downloading it, and don't realize it, could be in trouble. He's going to have his own story that, if you do not realize nor acknowledge, will make him your enemy. Not to say he isn't even if you do realize.

 

First stage:

Gaining Mouse's respect:

This might sound easy, but it's not. Really, did you think something like Mouse would just see your display of power and be impressed? No. He's powerful, and very capable on his own. How else would he have met up with the Grey Warden by himself when there are templars everywhere? Gaining Mouse's respect will be done by making smart choices, showing him you have a balance of power, emotions, and intelligence. While he may take intelligence more highly, he does have a firm understanding that emotions run deep within those outside of the Fade. Which makes controlling them all the more important to him. Mouse will be giving his advice and philosophies here. It is up to you whether or not to listen to him. But be warned, taking everything he says could result in no respect, just as ignoring his words as well. To build respect the player must find a balance between Mouse's words, ones that could easily be lies, remember. He's quite good at manipulating others. This stage is about more than just that, it's about displaying the power between the both of you, finding balance in one anothers presence. And making him see you are the leader, and while he has the ability to do you much harm, perhaps even bring death upon you, he is will a guest, a member of your party and needs to respect your orders. After this, it will open up the ability to pursue more than just a companionship, or maintain it. I shall list both options.

 

Second stage:

Maintaining Mouse's respect:

It's a follow up to what you were previously doing, only, now there is an established position for the both of you. Either, you've become a leader with his respect, or a leader whom he does not respect, which will result is a lot more negativity towards you. Raising up that disposition will be more difficult now that he's has an idea of you. Advice and discussing beliefs will be here, which will pave the way to asking more personal questions. Mouse will respect you if you do not wish to talk about something or notices a dislike for a topic. That's temporary, though, because it will be brought up when you're more comfortable with him. To those that are treating him poorly, he will merely spit out insults or advice (rudely), and guarentee your death. Either by him or by your behavior in battle. You two have already determined your positions in the party, now comes learning one another more.

 

Pursuing a relationship:

Truthfully, it is like maintaining the respect of Mouse in the beginning, you won't see much of a difference until you start hitting certain topics that begin steering it into that direction. Direct flirtation will be an option, but it won't get you anywhere aside from amusing Mouse, or even annoying him. Spamming the same identical responses, flirt, flirt, flirt, will bore him and make him lose respect for you as a leader. Compliments, charms, and discussing logical things/ideas/beliefs/tactic, anything related to deep conversations will help him understand you, and vice versa. So you are basically continuing the respect and forming a stronger companionship between you two, but the option to start tilting it into a romance subtly shows. Like I said before, Mouse will have stages. He's a shady character who will be just that, shady, demonic, he's not going to mount you right off the bad. And as for sexual relations, Mouse's drive will be minimal. Knowledge, power, his host body, that comes first before needs, urges, emotions, etc. Essentially, you'll be forming a stronger bond with this party member, which, near the end of this second stage will become available for romance purposes.

 

Stage three:

So now you figured out what direction you'll be heading in, right? Now it's about keeping it. Figuring out just where it's supposed to go, how far. Enemies of Mouse, those that treated him like s*** until now are in for a surprise. Stage three is about transitioning what was set so far and making choices on how it's going to change the way the party works as a whole. Mouse Haters that have been cruel will face his wrath in this stage, he will become fed up and find you incompetent, there-fore he will either leave or challenge you. Those that keep a friendship/whatever you want to call it with Mouse, will be given choices with Mouse's existence. He wants to ensure he will be able to walk around your world, Warden, will you guarentee he will be or will you take a blow at being disliked by him (not losing respect, merely his disposition). Romance interests again echo that of a friendship with more personal options as well. You'll have alike options and will be able to respond more... Affectionately. His responses, however, will vary. If you appeal to his needs his disposition will rise, you have already been trying to gain his respect before, now it's about getting him to like you as a romance interest or friend, enemies, it's pretty much obvious what will happen to you. Getting him to like you brings him that much closer to him inserting emotions with logic. So rather than him logically thinking your survival is required for now, he will feel more possessive, even protective. Again, Stage three is about transitioning what was formed, and making it something more.

But as always, Mouse is a manipulator. Remember that, please. He may respond the way you want a lot of the times, but he will NOT lose his demonic persona and qualities. You're making him adapt to his new enviorment, not changing who/what he is.

 

Stage four:

Enhances what has been done in stage three. He sees your worth as a leader and acknowledges it. He will now give little to no argument on choices and tactics, rather, he will follow them out and make sure they are completed fully. Mouse will still have his wits and default persona, but his back talking is reduced due to his respect and liking of the Warden. Completing his own personal quest will help (Stage three) immensely. By now he will keep himself in reserve, if the Warden speaks to him he will relay what he thought about the recent story progression, answer questions and advice that will still be there.

For enemies he is either dead or just gone.

For romances he acknowledges you more. By that he sees your attraction, and listens all the more. This is the stage where sharing a tent becomes an option. He is now seeing you as a companion that, while can be discarded, it would not be easily. He rather enjoys your conversations and all that jazz, and rather milk it for all its worth before your end. Whose hand that is done by is still unknown. While he is fond of you it does not mean his judgement and knowledge has been discarded, choose poorly or ignorantly and he will see it, scold you for it, etc. You want to protect him? Not needed, but appreciated. Want to be a humanitarian/Elfentarian/Dwarfitarian, he'll tell you still don't be a hero, get the job done right. Romance may have offically bloomed, but he's still going to poke at your stupid moments.

 

The ending is still under construction, that is the basics. It's a slow process, but it's meant to be harder to get him than the others. He is powerful, he sees himself superior as is. He will always see himself that way, but perhaps you could gain enough respect to make him see you as something a bit more?

All major story points will be covered, origins, etc.

 

More will come. This was just covering the vague basics of the romance aspect of it, since it was currently on topic.

Abilities and all that will come shortly too.

Speaking of which, though. Yes. Mouse will be on default with magic, strong magic, with a blade in his inventory as well. There are so many aspects of him it is difficult to just set one default. He's interested in mages greatly, worthy ones. Magic is the leading factor in his combat abilities. But he's a sneaky thing, and knows how to stab someone in the back.

 

Ok. I'm tired of typing this second thing again. Read. Comment. Stop just viewing and leaving it at that, people. If you are so interested in reading on this then start giving input already on what you want from this mod and if you can help.

 

Happy days, people, I'm out for the weekend, probably.

[TheShadyLady]

Still no feedback, offers, or ideas? Nope, and no bumping threads in the mod request forums. And there's thread necromancy in there as well. http://www.thenexusforums.com/index.php?/topic/2881-all-newbies-read-this-before-posting/

So lets just say..... [/thread] 'Nuff said.

-DarkeWolf, Nexus Staff

 

I think we should cover the basis of where Mouse would appear, when first meeting the Warden and his/her party. The situation, the scene, how would Mouse be introduced, location-wise as well.

Edited March 16, 2011 by DarkeWolf
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