Multiple Start Points

[Badwater]

The folks that were working on Talus 2 when it was trying to be a NWN2 project talked some about multiple entry points. We should probably decide how to go about that. I'll get started with some comments:

Single Entry Point: The biggest reason for having a singular village or town to start in the module is that it creates a bottleneck where the builder has a greater degree of control in guiding the adventure. Adventuring gets more difficult the further away you get from the starting point and the new player isn't going to stumble upon an epic area by traveling 6 areas from where they started.

Multiple Entry Points: Multiple entry points are friendly places for your race of character. You're going to get the best prices for goods in your home settlement. You're going to have specific quests based on your race that start in your home settlement. It would avoid some (but not all) suspension of disbelief that occurs now in Peridotia port - why should a drow that is hostile underground just roam around on the surface? Aren't the guards going to do something? Are the inhabitants of a small village really so world-wise that having a frost giant walk in the middle of the town evokes not even the slightest gasp? Also, even though it involves more in the way of low level areas, a multiple entry module probably allows for more interesting things to be doing. On T1 my low levels do the same things to level. Maybe on T2 my elf, dwarf, human, and half-fiend do completely different things to get to level 10.

I'm sure I'll have more but I want to hear what others think about one build over the other. Does anything strike you insofar as one way would be really cool? What about drawbacks? What about the option that best suits your style of gaming or what you want to see in T2?

[Badwater]

If we go with multiple start points I can still bottleneck things to prevent very low levels from going into epic areas. Maybe you have to go through a pass, cross a river or ocean, or get a guide. If we go with multiple entry points I will check, by way of conversation, what the player level is. If you're not a high enough level then there will just be small talk, rather than having your level 4 character be able to take the boat to Battle Island. And die. And that happened a lot of times of T1; I was on as a DM and watching it.

[masterstrife]

I like the idea of multiple starting positions. It does add to the overall feel of realism to the world. It also sets a safe house that starting players know they can go back to when they need to interact with others of their kind or disposition.

Just like in normal societies, everyone has their own ideas on whats acceptable or not. Discrimination arises based on regional morals and beliefs, so ultimately setting up multiple starting points paves a great way to incorporate these normal conflicts among all races just as it nearly would be if we ourselves were placed in that situation. Just my view on a living world but I strongly lean toward the multiple starting points, even if it is less controlled from a builders perspective.

-MS

[slidermike]

I too like the ability have multi starting points based upon race or other factors.

The idea of starting at one location with the other starting points created ahead of time so you have time to code it up also would be acceptable with that in mind.

As for bottle necks; wouldnt it also be just as easy to put OOC signs near transitions with the warning "beyond here is level 4+ party or death." By order of the all powerful Herbert this sign was erected CY1218.

[ellis]

The only problem I see with multiple starting points early in the module release, is that the player base numbers will be to small really to support it until you can get a good number of players on. I don't think separating where people level up at the beginning could help the module until people have a feel for the module and they want to try a new starting point as a way to feel like they are doing something different then they all ready have experienced. I think once the module starts going rather well, you can start spending time on new starting points with low level areas in those spots.