Contest - Design the new Boarshead Great Hall
-
Since Bri has been moving things around in Norwick in an attempt to kill the south fire as a social gathering point and push it back into the Inn, I was thinking how neat it would be if the boarshead was more "flavorful" as a great hall. I have some ideas but I was thinking this may be a neat idea for a player contest "Design the new Boarshead Great hall" (not changing the rooms upstairs).
I'm thinking long hall, roaring fires down the length in the middle with meat on spits, many kegs of ale, light provided by the fires bright in the middle of the room, but dark in the corners and in alcoves so folks could have some privacy…also setting up some sets of chairs in a way so that whispering doesn't block hearing for those sitting around the table (which happens in the militia barracks meeting room)...but it would be neat to involve others in getting some ideas into Narf, plus some lesser prizes for a coupel runners up.
Thus, the rules:
Everyone is allowed to enter. One submission per person. You can work as a team, but no one individual can work on more than 1 submitted design. Any "prize" can be split however you want.
Physical layout is important; it must be a "playable" design...ie: Be aware that certain placeables make whispering impossible (high tables), and design accordingly. Take into consideration lighting (always important in drinking establishments!), sound, space (don't make one easilly blocked area so noone can move in/out without fighting a crowd). A note on sounds...don't make them SO loud that folks have to turn down their speakers when they're there. When you add sounds, lower their volume...especially music.
Make sure there's a good mix of open areas where many people can meet and be addressed as a group, and dark corners where 2-4 people can conspire with some privacy.
Also important is ambiance. It has to "feel" like what it is. This isn't a generic bar...it's a smokey, vibrant barbaric hall and reflects the inhabitants of Norwick. It's not Peltarch, where they probably put your ale flagon on a coaster. Of course, there could be a fancy room or area for travelling lace handcerchief salesmen.
Note that since we're now HotU, feel free to take advantage of all the cool placeables, sounds, whatever, that it has to offer.
NPCs are neat, but Barle, Misty, etc. will be transferred over (with changes to their conversations to reflect what's going to happen to make the "new" Boarshead replace the "old". Concept ideas for new NPCs and background, etc, are welcome, but not the primary thrust of the contest.
Seperately, provide descriptions of what the engine can't show.
My idea, not written in stone, was that the Great Hall should be reflective of a Great Hall...a long rectangular stone hall, banners hanging from the ceiling, with many roaring fires down the center with meat on roasting spits, stacked ale kegs against the walls, a statue or two (one of Tarien, maybe another of a notable hero or two). Dark(er) in the corners. That was my idea, but we're having a contest to get your ideas! Take your time, think about it, mess around and don't submit your design until the deadline so that you submit your best work...it's not a race.
Time frame: "About" two weeks from start of contest for submissions, winner to be announced after the judges sift through all the designs. Have fun! Once we get an idea of the amount and quality of submissions, we'll fine-tune this.
Prizes: To be announced or bargained for. Possible ideas include you getting to design an NPC to be imported, or gold or custom magic item (of non-uber-combat ability), etc. Suggestions were that the final prize should be a function of how many submissions there are, but let's keep this flexible, because there will probably be great ideas in everyone's submission that Vron may "steal" to put in the final design, and you all deserve something for your efforts.
Judges for the contest will be Vron (for the Devs, and will modify the final design as needed for flavor and Narf-readiness), Kara_Tyr (for the PLs), and me (for the DMs). How we determine a winner will involve having our children play rock/paper/scissors (my daughter cheats Kara, so get your son practicing now)...or something. It's not really about winning, it's about having a place you like to hang out in "in" the module, that you helped make. Sure, I bet you believe that one.
Submit designs to...hrm....would it be easiest to send a copy to each of the three of us, or do a chain mail thing?
Looking forward to your submissions! Please keep this thread ONLY for on-topic.
-
You have one more day to get in a submission, that means you'd better hurry.
-
Note: We will be closing submissions at the end of this week. If you have submitted something to my narfell.com address, It doesn't work right and you'll need to re-submit it to closet_goth@hotmail.com. If you haven't submitted it yet, get off your tail.