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Caravel Forum : DROD Boards : Architecture : Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (Looking for a child-friendly hold.)
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ErikH2000
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icon Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
For Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection, I would like to have two holds. One will be a conventional hold, with probably moderate-to-high difficulty, and the story will definitely be canonical. (By the way, the holds in Halph Stories are easy-to-moderate difficulty--a nice break for players exhausted from Perfection.)

The second hold I would like to include should be child-friendly. And we will have to find a non-condescending way to say that adults who want less of a challenge can play it too. ;) I would like this second hold to be enjoyable for kids in the 5-10 age group. That range might be a little broad--I'm not sure. I'd actually appreciate a little feedback from people with experience getting their kids to play DROD. What works or doesn't work for different ages? Also, this topic is a good place to volunteer to be a private tester who would coordinate testing with a child and report on results.

The child's hold would be off-canon to allow it to engage and teach the child more effectively. Characters would be allowed to talk directly to the player, speak self-referentially, and elaborate on things that would normally be too obvious for a character to speak aloud in the context of a story.

The same criteria we've used in the past for submitting holds for Smitemaster's Selection also applies here. You need to have a previously published hold with a rating of 8 or better for your hold to be considered. Your hold can't have been publicly released.

If multiple people are interested in working on a Smitemaster's Hold, they might express intentions here and work out some kind of collaboration to make a single hold. The hold will need to be completely tested (with children) and submitted by end of March to be ready in time for the Spring 2006 issue.

-Erik

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02-20-2006 at 10:04 PM
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larrymurk
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+2)  
If you nead testers, I have a 9 year old daughter who might be happy to take a look, or might not depending on her mood..
02-21-2006 at 12:42 AM
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ErikH2000
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Great, Larry! Thanks for volunteering.

-Erik

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02-21-2006 at 05:17 AM
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kie
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
Hi Erik,
My kids would be willing testers. They are 5, 9 and just turned 11.
If you have any specific questions for them, please feel free.

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02-21-2006 at 06:34 AM
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Dali
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
What is the deadline and the limit of this contest?

02-21-2006 at 06:44 PM
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ErikH2000
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Dali wrote:
What is the deadline and the limit of this contest?
Note that this is not really a contest. I'm playing the role of editor, and asking for a certain kind of content to use in Smitemaster's Selections. The goal is not really for participants to have fun and compete with each other; the goal is to end up with a good child-friendly hold that we can publish.

I'm a little sad that nobody jumped up and said "Me! I want to make that hold!" yet. But I guess I'm spoiled by how often people usually do that. :)

-Erik

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02-21-2006 at 11:30 PM
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Chaco
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Well, I do have an idea of what little kids like, living across from a couple myself. But I wouldn't be able to make the hold, seeing as my one published work is part of an unmade compilation and thus isn't rated.

If it'll make you feel better, I'm still trying to work out the details so I can get access to SS's. One question: if I buy CaravelNet, do I still get access to the SS's, but without all the super-special disk content?

And has it moved past the point where if I got a CaravelNet account, I'd be able to download KDD 2.0 and The Choice?

EDIT:

Oh wait, it's two questions. And it's sorta-kinda barely on topic.

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[Last edited by Chaco at 02-22-2006 01:07 AM]
02-22-2006 at 01:06 AM
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Oneiromancer
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
According to January's news post, you still get all previous SS holds up until some time in April. After that point, you only get SS holds that were released (or supposed to be released) during your subscription time.

Game on,

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02-22-2006 at 01:11 AM
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Chaco
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Great. The holds are fine, I don't mind missing out on a couple essays or so...

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02-22-2006 at 01:15 AM
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forrestfire
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
I started playing DRoD when I was eight(I am almost 14 now). Making a SS to encourage kids to play sounds like a good idea.

I'd be up for making the SS, but I haven't even submitted a hold yet. :weep
I hope the one I am making will get an 8 or higher rating. I plan on releasing it soon.

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02-23-2006 at 01:08 AM
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Jacob
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
Great idea. I'd love to give this a shot, but I may not have too much time. I'll be starting a job in paediatric medicine next year, so I need to get on a kiddy wavelength anyway! I'll try to make a small hold that could stand alone or could be encorporated into a larger one.
We'll see, no promises yet...

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02-23-2006 at 06:06 PM
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Chalks
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
I have 5 brothers and sisters younger (one older) than me, ages 7-17. All of them have played DROD, and only one of them doesn't like the game. ;)

So, I would be more than happy to get a few testers. Also, as a point of interest, my 9 year old sister, and my 13 year old brother have both made several rooms. I think it would be kind of neat if you had a hold for kids, by kids...though that may be hard to compile/create.


edit: this is quite off topic, but I wanted to mention it anyway. I have 5 younger siblings, AND one older sibling. uh, so my point is... ok. I don't have a point.

[Last edited by Chalks at 02-23-2006 09:53 PM]
02-23-2006 at 09:51 PM
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zaubberer
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (+1)  
hi erik,

if you need more testers...

i like to play holds which are still i architecture...
...my english is still far from perfect...

zaubberer
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02-23-2006 at 10:44 PM
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ErikH2000
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Chalks wrote:
I think it would be kind of neat if you had a hold for kids, by kids...though that may be hard to compile/create.
That would actually be cool, although I think the main part of the hold should be carefully designed by an expert for best effect. Perhaps an extra mastery level at the end would work or some secret rooms.

-Erik

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02-24-2006 at 11:43 PM
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ErikH2000
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Jacob wrote:
Great idea. I'd love to give this a shot, but I may not have too much time. I'll be starting a job in paediatric medicine next year, so I need to get on a kiddy wavelength anyway! I'll try to make a small hold that could stand alone or could be encorporated into a larger one.
We'll see, no promises yet...
Alright! Well, from your past work, I'm sure you'd do a fine job. So if you want to commit to it later on, that'd be really cool.

-Erik

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02-24-2006 at 11:45 PM
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Jacob
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I just starting thinking through a few ideas and realised I don't fully understand the remit:
Sure, it should be a hold with the right-pitched story, difficulty, sense of humour, accessibility and so on, but can I assume familiarity with controls and basic game elements at least? Or will I have to include a few rooms of explanation of how to move Beethro, swing his sword, hit an orb, click on an orb, use a tunnel etc?
I appreciate that this is a separate issue from introducing more complex issues such as backswiping etc, I'm just asking about the fundamentals here.

I just realised that the end of March is pretty soon. In fact I'll be jetting off to Toronto on the 27th of March, giving me slightly less time. This isn't to say I'm giving up on the idea...



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02-25-2006 at 12:17 AM
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Ezlo
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
I'm thinking it should assume that the only hold played is the built in toutrial. (Or however it's spelled.) If I was making it, it would continue Beethro's time at Smiting School, but that's just me. I wish I had a 8-ranked hold.Or any hold for that matter.
02-25-2006 at 03:17 AM
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ErikH2000
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Yeah, I think starting right after the tutorial works. Might have to bump the age range up a little, or just say that the kid should be able to understand how to get through the tutorial.

-Erik

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02-25-2006 at 10:32 AM
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jdyer
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icon Re: Spring 2006 Smitemaster's Selection. (0)  
Mmf. This sounds intriguing to me (it would be a good break from my rather-higher-in-difficulty work in progress), but I know my time is lacking of late (couldn't even finish the January contest hold).

So, I'll defer to Jacob if he has the time, and also post later otherwise if I have the time.
02-26-2006 at 04:00 PM
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Jacob
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Question 2: Can I use any elements, or is it more of an introductory precursor to JtRH? Can I use things introduced later in JtRH likebrains, golems, wubbas et al?

I'm guessing, and hoping, the answer is yes.

Please note that me saying I might do this (a) is not 100% definite, although I'll try my best and (b) does not preclude anyone else from doing it, or contributing rooms to it.

So, go for it, jdyer.



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02-27-2006 at 08:54 PM
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ErikH2000
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Jacob wrote:
Question 2: Can I use any elements, or is it more of an introductory precursor to JtRH? Can I use things introduced later in JtRH likebrains, golems, wubbas et al?

I'm guessing, and hoping, the answer is yes.
Yes. Go ahead and use any elements you like.

-Erik


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02-27-2006 at 10:23 PM
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Jacob
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ErikH2000 wrote:
Yes. Go ahead and use any elements you like.

...Halph?

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02-28-2006 at 12:49 PM
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Jacob
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Update: In the one day I had access to DROD I made 2 levels of my submission and planned out a third. I anticipate 5-6 levels. I'll post something up when I get back home (either Wednesday or the weekend). Is anyone else working on a hold?

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03-06-2006 at 10:07 PM
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Jacob
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Well, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that I've done about 3.5 levels. The bad news is that I'm leaving for Canada tomorrow, and am unlikely to have any way of continuing the hold for the next 2 months. So I'll post the hold up on a beta board and hopefully someone can finish it off for me, or it will have to wait til I get back. I'm going to add (where possible) the people who replied to this thread; if anyone else wants to test, or expand the hold, please post here. Is this arrangement ok Erik? I'm sorry that I appear to be the only one working on this, and am deserting again.

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03-24-2006 at 06:18 PM
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Ezlo
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I'll help. I don't have any beta holds currently, and this one seems like a fun one to test. Add me to the list please!

EDIT: My word you're quick! Thanks for adding me! :D

[Last edited by Ezlo at 03-24-2006 06:39 PM]
03-24-2006 at 06:35 PM
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md5i
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I am interested in beta testing. I have several times been interested in introducing DROD to younger players.

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03-24-2006 at 06:42 PM
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Blondbeard
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It would be fun to see what an easy hold made by you would look like, Jacob. IŽll be happy to try it if you want me to, but I suppose this hold wonŽt make it for the next SS...
03-24-2006 at 08:06 PM
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ErikH2000
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Jacob wrote:
Is this arrangement ok Erik? I'm sorry that I appear to be the only one working on this, and am deserting again.
Sorry, to get back to this late. Let's not try to make this work for Spring 2006. I need the author of the hold to be around while we are finishing the hold and putting the issue together. I also don't feel good about not having a single person responsible for the hold. There will end up being more work for the Caravel team to get it ready.

So when the hold is ready, please submit it. Don't worry about deadlines.

-Erik

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03-26-2006 at 10:05 PM
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Jacob
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This is almost complete. Could anyone who'd like to test this, or who has kids who are willing to test this please let me know. (Although I don't want an enormous deluge of volunteers really)

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06-20-2006 at 09:53 PM
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Alneyan
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I might talk my sister into playing the hold; she's eight years and a half, and hasn't played Drod much previously (she does know the basics, but little else). She does not understand English, so she might be a good candidate if the players are supposed to figure out the hold without any external nudge (if not, I'll be translating to her).

Of course, the tricky hard will be to interest her into Drod again, as she has more or less given up the game of late. Well, those Mental Coercion courses I took up in Psychic 101 might come in handy.

That aside, I'm covered in the CaravelNet department until early August or so (hopefully, I'll have figured out a clever way to renew my subscription until then).
06-20-2006 at 10:13 PM
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