Independant scenario development all but dead?

[Languish]

I am growing increasingly alarmed at the lack of "independant" scenario design. The few people posting specifically in this "root" forum are either non-commital (virtually none are ever finished), poorly implemented (no events, lots of user work required, dont use moddir), or chiefly unaided (Solo efforts, with maybe 2-3 others helping on a semi regular basis).

Its getting to the point where it is becoming rapidly difficult to "market" and get an appreciative audience for your work without having to descend into one of the mass efforts of collaborative scenario design. I play both the EEP and the AGC and i think they are honestly great pieces of work but by the same token they draw off any people remotely interested in scenario design into their fold.

Am i the only one frustrated by the lack of input specifically in this forum? Probably.

 

[Ayeshteni]

Languish,
I fully agree. I remember when....(yawn)...ahem.
It used to be packed full, not just here but the graphics forum as well. However, It must also be said that the Major Works are of great importance, not just AGC and EEP but AoN, MPS etc.

But saying that, independent works are also HUGELY important. We do not want those just coming into the game or just discovering how to mod, being intimidated by the large projects and reluctant to put forth their own mods. Does the scenario depot still exist? (I must admit I havent looked in donkeys)

SO COME ON PEOPLE!!! The EUII forums needs you. There is still LOADS of scope for independent efforts.
A.

 

[Hive]

I'm actually working on my own scenario at the moment. It's widely inspired by the AoN, but has a lot of other things as well. Scroll down this thread to read about it:

http://www.europa-universalis.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54116

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

 

[Languish]

Good to see there is some response.

I feel that the scenario depot should be more rigorously maintained, if in fact it even works properly? It's NEVER worked for me, even when all appeared to be well, during submission. I downloaded a few "scenarios" recently and i felt that the overall standard was utterly abysmal.

There are dozens of event scripters helping out in each of the major mods, it's tragic that hardly any of them can diversify and help out us independants.

I just find it intensely frustrating to find that the scenario i and two others have been slaving away on has received zero recognition and zero assistance. You flick across to the AGC where dozens are contributing on a daily basis and although thats great to see it does make me somewhat "jealous". I'd thought about contributing occassionally but soon realised it was simply to big a project now to even think about where to place myself. After some massive disappointment in a similiar attempt of mine for AON i just cant be bothered to suffer the same dejection again.

 

[unmerged(11318)]

Invitation!

We the torch carriers live on. The marketing strategy behind individual scenarios is not what it could be, however. I and a number of others have banded together to form a scenario to rival the GC, we are all dedicated and historians in our own right. Join us and help dis-prove your self-fears about individualized scenarios, or else you are mere echos and not a voice as we are. You all can chose to be an echo of the past, or you can undertake a new beginning, a beginning with us. We in the Mongolian Empire Scenario welcome you, the question now is do you accept to be again part of something great, or simply on-lookers?


http://www.europa-universalis.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=56017

 

[unmerged(11318)]

Languish,

I agree with what you say, but again I say we could use your help, don't be fooled by our name. And all are welcome, and needed. I believe its time to put massive group projects to shame and back in their place, and to allow true creativity to shine through, the way it was intended for such a masterpiece as EU2. Perhaps the scenario depot needs to be upgraded? Maybe we should mention this to the moderators, I would be happy to voluntare! Just let me know.

 

[unmerged(5459)]

I remember, before I started my project (somewhere in July I think), I asked around for any help, but none was forthcoming. So I set out by myself to do it, and I must be now 90% complete. But i just dont' have the time.

Problem is, I think that the Scenario Editor needs to be enhanced. SOme things just cannot be done in the editor, like editing war dates, and sometimes expiry dates of alliances have to be changed in the .eug file itself.
If the Scenario Editor was enhanced (and possibly an Event Editor?), independant scenario making would be heck of a lot easier in my opinion.

 

[Languish]

Lord Temujin - I accept!

 

[unmerged(11130)]

I am still working on my Scenario "The Byzantine Illusion." I just got kinda disheartened because instead of help I was getting people looking to make almost the same scenario as EEP's. Still nonetheless I am working on it and have a very ruff version of it witch I do not wish to post because I used Fates 1520 start, and he has not yet given me permission to use it yet. It was way to hard to make any thing work out properly when starting in 1419, so I decided to start with a later date. Besides in my scenario the years after 1520 will definitely be the most fun. With Byzantium in the Thirty Years War, a long war with Spain and the Vatican for control of Italy, and quite possibly another crusade. Not to mention a revolution in the later part of the 18th century, it is really starting to shape up I just quite posting about it. But I do still read what the people on the thread are saying, in fact Laguish, your comment about the early years being mostly about rebuilding their country was one of the final straws to speak of that made me deside to change the starting date to 1520

 

[unmerged(11318)]

Helium Hound

Sounds great, congradulations, hope you get Fate's permission soon. Rock On!

 

[unmerged(11130)]

Me too, I am glade it atleast sounds fun Also if any one is interested in helping I have still yet to get the scenario to work properly (it cdt's after one month) I am really needing help. I think the problem is in the ID numbers of the Alliances and wars (witch my mind has yet to pick up on how they work).......

 

[Languish]

Originally posted by Helium Hound
But I do still read what the people on the thread are saying, in fact Languish, your comment about the early years being mostly about rebuilding their country was one of the final straws to speak of that made me deside to change the starting date to 1520

Excellent. If you need help i would love to chip in.

 

[Languish]

Fate is an easy going guy... i would be shocked if he, for some reason, withheld permission.

 

[unmerged(11130)]

If you give me an e-mail Address I will be more than happy to send you the file for it. I am almost sure that the problem lies in the alliance and war ids, but like I said I have not idea how to fix it. Also Bigger Jarl is supposed to be fixing me up with some new unite spirits once he has time, so all in all I am really excited to get it up and working.

 

[Languish]

Have you checked havards editing guide, there is a good section on the problems you are having...

 

[unmerged(11130)]

I figured it out, it was that the original file had merchents from Ragusa going to different Trading Centers. Problem is there is no Ragusa any more!!!! Glade I figured that one out. Of course I do still need help with unite placement and relations.....

 

[unmerged(11318)]

Helium Hound,

My email is scott_casey_2002@yahoo.com
Send me what you got and I'll take a peek and see if I can help.

Merry Christmas and/or Happy Holidays!

 

[unmerged(8830)]

Languish: how I know how you feel. Most of my projects nowadays are "solo" projects. The problem is, I can't script. Or make leaders. So in my folder for EU2 I have had a New Engalnd scenario, a Civil War scenario, and my Anthony's Blunder scenario, all denuded of events, leaders, and the like. And even in my public scenario projects, I have no scripters. All are in AoN, or MDS, or IFU, or EEP, or AGC... I wish some more than the half dozen that are here were helping independent scenarios.

 

[unmerged(11130)]

I told you I was willing to help with your scenario. You should have said that is what you needed, I know how to do all that stuff, and as of just a little while ago I learned how to put alliances and wars into the start files

 

[Languish]

You know i am really pleased at the responses here. It shows there is still a reasonably sized group of independant scenario developers assistance out there that only need just a little bit of help.

I personally feel we should band together, and i have a proposal to offer those that have expressed an interest in this and other threads.

We form an informal team, a workshop, representing "affiliated" indepedant scenario developers. I would start a new thread (that i would request be stickied after) that clearly states who os affiliated to this team, what abilities they have, and what projects they are working on or involved in. It would be considered a working criteria of this team to help out other team members where possible.

For example several developers here seem significantly more knowledgable about certain periods or areas of history but lack event scriptinging, scenario design skills. Others may be somewhat less knowing, but be excellent scripters, or experienced scenario developers.

For example, i consider myself reasonable well versed in world history and especially so in certain fields, not so in others. I considered myself to be a strong event scriptor who rarely makes mistakes when compiling them. I am also experienced in designing scenario folder structures. I also have access to a wide variety of applications which allow me to design icons, installers, shields and flags.

A member of this independant community starts a new scenario, i would feel obliged to assist him with whatever i could do.

I am sure if we do it this way we can save independant and small scale scenario design outside the major mods, attract new members (perhaps even from those mods) and kick start this once thriving forum again.

What say you all?