It's back!

Available For Download!

What is this?

For those of you who have arrived since the last community project, or somehow missed the first two (do you live under a rock? Just asking), Piece by Piece is a project conceived by newIdea where the community works together to create a scenario. The map is divided into 25 equal squares, and the host starts the story in the first one. Then the next 23 squares are each designed by one person, with the host concluding the story in the final square. The squares are small enough to be easily completed in the four day time limit, but large enough to show off your talent.

When it's your turn, I will email you the file. You will then have four days to design your square. Email me back once you're finished with the new file. Three days will be allocated for me checking your square, fixing it if it doesn't work, and sending the file to the next person. Then it's the next person's turn.

There is no restriction on who can take part. The aim is not to make a dazzling top quality scenario, it's to have fun and create something the community can be proud of just for completing.

While you're waiting for your turn, why not take a look at the two finished community projects?

Piece by Piece, hosted by newIdea
Piece by Piece 2, hosted by Dave_Earl



What Can I Do In Four Days?

Mostly, it's up to you. If you like, you can just make your square some scenery with no triggers. If you have more time available, you can do a mini-game, cut-scene, riddle or anything else that fits into your 25x25 square.


The Grid

The following grid has been kindly made by Lord Basse:




Rules (Pinched from Dave_Earl)

GENERAL

* If I need to, I will make any further rule changes I think sensible. There is no limitation on this, and my interpretation of the rules is final (though you may argue and persuade me, I can change my mind).
* Please do not change any of the player settings (such as the colour, diplomacy, civilisation, starting age etc etc).
* Please do not change diplomacy of Player 1.
* If you want player to fight a green enemy (for example), change the ownership of the units as needed rather than changing diplomacy. It's neater anyway.
* Please avoid researching technologies. If you believe researching a technology is absolutely necessary for you square, please discuss it with me. Bear in mind that the heroes have their names changed, so technologies researched in your square will not affect them.

TRIGGERS

* Please be considerate with your triggering.
* Please give all your triggers names which mean something.
* Please keep the number of effects in your trigger to a sensible size (for debugging purposes).
* All your triggers should start in an “off” state. At the top of your trigger section, there is a trigger called “Activator.” Turning this on should activate all the triggers that need activating in your square. Exception: triggers that stop Gaia objects and trade carts from wandering around the map.
* At the top of your trigger section is a trigger named “notes.” In the trigger description box, please describe anything strange or unusual about your square.
* If you are using negative effects, please note this in the description box of that trigger. For example “Effect 3 is a negative effect, value -300.”
* Please avoid using “the invisible tile” is possible. The preferred method is “the invisibility cloak”, by newIdea. You can download a tutorial on this from The Blacksmith. If you cloak an object, please make a note of this, and the unit and the battering rams’s id in the description of your “notes” trigger. For example “Battering Ram Id#123 and Archer id#124 cloaked at map co-ordinate X:32, Y:54.”
* Please do your own play-testing. If you send me a broken square I will fix it in whichever way I feel like (and is easiest). This is probably not a good thing for you.

SOUNDS

* I'm flexible on file size, although I strongly encourage you to convert to the more economical .mp3 format.
* If you are using a sound , please make a note of this in the description box of the trigger that plays the sound. For example “Effect 4 plays sound ‘aargh.mp3’”.

MAP

* Each section of the grid is 25 x 25 squares in size.
* The squares are marked by lines of Dirt_one/Ice. You are responsible for the line described in your 'Activator' trigger.
* The default terrain is grass 1. The default elevation is 1.

AI

* The map will be using an Immobile-units style AI.
* It will be possible to include AI effects in your squares. However, these will probably be limited to chat-detection and random-effects. If you want to include these effects, please advise me of this when your turn to design arrives, and we can work together to amend the script.
* Please contact me via email if you’d like me to send you a copy of the ai so you can get started. If you won’t be including difficulty-dynamism, then something like Zandard Lothar’s Immoble AI (from the Blacksmith) will be fine.


Taking Part

All you need to do to take part is sign up here with your email included, taking one of the slots below. I do ask however that if you sign up you treat this as a commitment. I'm absolutely fine with you needing to swap with someone else or dropping out, but please don't disappear off the face of the planet without a word. If this happens, your square will be allocated to the first reserve to post asking for it. So if all the squares are taken, it's still worth signing up as a reserve.

If you don't want to post your email, you can contact me at julius749[at]yahoo.com. Please make your forum username the subject of your email!

Schedule (Subject To Change)
Square the First: -23rd November
2. 24th November - 27th November - Impeached
3. 1st December - 4th December - newIdea
4. 8th December - 11th December - Hunnic Paladin
5. 15th December - 18th December - Fattybryce
6. 22nd December - 27th December - Jimmy2
7. 29th December - 1st January - General_Short
8. 5th January - 8th January - Turty
9. 12th January - 15th January - Glython
10. 19th January - 22th January - Lord Basse
11. 26th January - 29th January - Andan
12. 2nd February - 5th February - VonCorgath
13. 9th February - 12th February - matty
14. 16th February - 19th February - Jatayu
15. 23rd February - 26th February - Tanks_fst
16. 2nd March - 5th March - Morgoth
17. 9th March - 12th March - Haroth
18. 16th March - 19th March - Popeychops
19. 23rd March - 26th March - Dave_Earl
20. 30th March - 2nd April - Lord Fadawah
21. 6th April - 9th April - Warlord002
22. 13th April - 16th April - Yoshi
23. 20th April - 23rd April - Dead_End
24. 27th April - 30th April - Imperium60
Square the Last: 1st May - 7th May
Projected Release: 8th May

Reserves (Have Priority):
Figgy
Mashek
Daftpanzer
Zebra
YoDaI
Absent Reserves:
White Champion
Dark_Reign
Cilibinarii
Madhu



Design Honours

No Bugs: Impeached, newIdea, Fattybryce, Matty, Jatayu, Popeychops, Dave_Earl, Lord Fadawah, Warlord002, Dead_End
Finished Early: newIdea, Hunnic Paladin, Fattybryce, Glython, Jatayu, Tanks_fst, Popeychops, Lord Fadawah, YoshiX100000
Best Map Design: Turtov
Best Atmosphere: Dave_Earl
Best Story Segment: Andan
Best Gameplay: Lord Basse
Julius' Personal Favourite: Jatayu

Yes, these are all subjective and don't mean anything. Just my view. None of these were straightforward choices, and there are many other good squares. Please don't hurt me.

If you wish, you may vote for your own choices in the above categories. See Post 730.



Banner by Lord Basse.

[This message has been edited by Julius999 (edited 05-16-2009 @ 03:25 PM).]