Archive: 5 posts

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During my long absence, I've discovered the wonders of Magic: The Gathering (copyrighted by Wizards of the Coast), and have been inspired to design levels and gameplay based on one particular plane: Ravnica, the City of Guilds (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Ravnica). Magic: The Gathering (MTG) is a Trading Card Game (TCG) where you play the role of a Planeswalker, a magician who is able to travel to different worlds or planes. In addition, MTG revolves around five colors of mana, the source of magic in MTG, each associated with certain creatures, concepts, and terrain. White is the color of law and order, as well as community and spirituality. White magic specializes in healing, protection, and quickly deploying organized armies of small creatures. It also occasionally unleashes divine wrath. Plains and other wide open spaces produce white mana. Blue is the color of logic and knowledge as well as deception, illusions, the sky, and the sea. Blue is the least direct color, specializing in countermagic as well as flight and stealth. Islands and other watery places produce blue mana. Black is the color of death and decay as well as ambition, greed, and general selfishness. Black is good at raising the dead as well as making things dead in the first place, and likes to get you what you want at any cost. Swamps and other dark or deathly places produce black mana. Red is the color of chaos and emotion as well as independence. Red likes to burn things with fire and lightning and also likes aggressive, though not necessarily durable, creatures. Mountains and other stony or fiery places produce red mana. Green is the color of life and nature as well as strength. Green likes big creatures, specializes in making creatures stronger, and can heal you. Forests and other places rich in healthy vegetation produce green mana.Ravnica is a plane covered almost entirely by city, making it both a city and a plane. Ravnica features ten guilds each representing two of the five colors: The Azorius Senate (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Azorius), the white-blue guild, writes the laws of Ravnica, enforces them, and judges criminals who break them. In fact, the Senate is divided into three columns that each handle one of those tasks: Jelenn (legislation), Lyev (executive), and Sova (judiciary). The Orzhov Syndicate (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Orzhov), the white-black guild, manage the money of Ravnica through their banks. They also negotiate contracts that often involve servitude, oftentimes postmortem, and run a materialistic church that worships wealth and life beyond death. The Orzhov are big on debt collection and debtors who try to renege on their payments meet unpleasant fates. House Dimir (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Dimir), the blue-black guild, specializes in stealth, secrecy, and manipulation. Once, their existence was unknown to the public, but following the destruction of the Guildpact, they now have a public face though much of their activity remains secret. The Izzet League (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Izzet), the blue-red guild, provide industrial innovation and manufacturing for Ravnica, though they easily become bored with this and thus spend their free time conducting usually dangerous magical experiments. The Cult of Rakdos (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Cult_of_Rakdos), the black-red guild, provide hard labor and slaves as well as all manner of depraved entertainment. Some of the most despicable criminals in Ravnica hail from Rakdos. The Golgari Swarm (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Golgari), the black-green guild, believe in the cycle of life and death as an intricate whole, practicing necromancy as well as agriculture. They are consequently the largest guild by numbers. The Gruul Clans (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Gruul), the red-green guild, consists of loosely organized clans all bent on destroying the city and returning Ravnica to its wild natural roots. The strongest of these clans is the Burning-Tree. The Boros Legion (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Boros), the red-white guild, enforces justice in Ravnica with far more passion and zeal than the Azorius. They are prone to breaking their own rules in the name of law enforcement and are divided into several military divisions such as the Wojeks. The Selesnya Conclave (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Selesnya), the green-white guild, seek to unite all through the Worldsoul, Mat'Selesnya. They appear benevolent and peaceful but are trying to brainwash all of Ravnica into sheep. The Simic Combine (http://wiki.mtgsalvation.com/article/Simic), the green-blue guild, is meant to preserve life on Ravnica but also conduct biological experiments to create new life forms and mutant hybrids. They also provide medical services, though they have an emotionally distant relationship with outsiders. TVTropes has an analysis page (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Analysis/MagicTheGathering) that helps explain the dynamics between the colors and the various color combinations. As for my gameplay ideas, with each level I'd like to capture the feel and flavor of a particular guild. Some basic ideas: Azorius: Flying and extinguishing fire with water. Orzhov: Search out debtors who have fallen behind in their payments. Dimir: Sneak into guarded facilities and steal key information. Izzet: Solve logic puzzles such as incomplete circuits while avoiding electrical hazards. Rakdos: A dazzling but deadly obstacle course and a fighting arena. Golgari: Hmm, something to do with life and death... Gruul: Wreck stuff, Rampage-style! Boros: Command an army of Sackbots to defeat enemies and solve puzzles cooperatively. Selesnya: Plant new trees in select locations. Simic: Extensive underwater gameplay.

2013-02-19 06:43:00 Author: Brandon Posts: 106

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Well, may my idea rest in peace then. It's probably in better hands with someone with the energy to pull it off. Don't mess it up. Look at the arts from the cards for inspiration. My favourites are Realmwright, Worldspine Wurm and non-basic lands (gates and shocklands).

2013-02-19 21:49:00 Author: FreeAim Posts: 2462

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Oh? Care to share anything about the idea you had? The input may be useful. I'm debating whether I want to connect the guild levels with a central hub level, which would provide varying atmosphere for the entrances to each guild. I just want to really nail that feel of it being a bustling city, with an undercity region through which you can access the Dimir and Golgari levels along with the streets and skyline for the rest.

2013-02-20 02:47:00 Author: Brandon Posts: 106

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In the advanced lore there are total of four factions that are in Undercity regions: Dimir, of course, Golgari Swarm, Cult of Rakdos and the actual Izzet tower has it's lower tier there. My own idea for this was to create plenty of guild-areas into same level, like up to five of them into one. It would create variety without the levels feeling like: "Oh, I can choose to play one of these mini-games?" Also it would be very much easier and overall comfortable and interesting to create. Also there is always the option, that if you want to combine the levels into one level, use a setting similar to the Tablet of the Guilds art or the art of Guildscorn Ward. There are also plenty of nice basic lands to look inspiration from, the red ones and the blue ones particularly.

2013-02-20 13:11:00 Author: FreeAim Posts: 2462

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Hmm, that is useful insight. Novijen was apparently also located in the Undercity, though I didn't see any mention of Izzet on MTGS. But perhaps the novels or website can verify that. I figure the Guildgates (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?type=+[Gate]||subtype=+[Gate]&output=spoiler&method=visual), Shocklands (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?text=+[%222%20life%22]&output=spoiler&method=visual&format=[%22Return%20to%20Ravnica%20Block%22]&type=+[Land]), and Transguild Promenade (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=253550) would make for good inspiration. The Tablet of the Guilds (http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=270355) could also play a role. As for the levels, I'd like for each guild to get its own unique level with its own unique and flavorful gameplay mechanic or mechanics. Generally the player is acting as a member of the guild. I'll have to elaborate on my previous ideas later.

2013-02-21 02:28:00 Author: Brandon Posts: 106

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