Re: (TFT) TFT Labyrinth Adventures (was TFT Quest)

["Anthony Merlock" <amerlock@execpc.com>]

> I've been thinking about Warhammer Quest conversion ever since it came up recently...I think this could be an interesting idea.  Here's my $.02 on your initial rules:

Yeah.  I had WHQ about six years ago, and only played it twice.  I liked the
presentation and the format, but didn't like the rules.  I really bought it
for the minis.  Unfortunately, the floorplans and the rules got lost in
a move, so I'm flying blind (which I think is a good idea, because I can't
copy too heavily from them if I don't have the game).

> 
> Chamber cards: you have the notion that 'if the first card drawn is
> the quest goal', replace and re-draw.  I'd recommend that the quest
> card be deliberately shuffled into the bottom half or two-thirds of 
> the pack to prevent it from being the first (or second) room.   This 
> is, of course, the WQ method.  I lay no claim to originating it.

That works.  I hate using the same approach as WHQ, just because I don't
want GW breathing down my neck, but it does solve problems with the quest
room coming up too soon.  I could also have a Quest icon on random room cards,
and everytime a card with the Quest Icon is drawn, you add one to the Quest
Pool, and roll 3d6.  If you roll less than the Quest Pool number, that chamber
is replaced by the Quest Room.  Guarantees that you can't get the Quest Room
too early, and is significantly different than the WHQ way.
 
> An alternative would be to go with a more table-driven approach,
> applying modifiers so that finding the quest room becomes more and
> more likely as you proceed.

I thought about that, and I really dislike tables.  Purely personal preference,
of course.

> I think you may find that rather than lots of 'adventure specific'
> cards, things may work better with general cards that have specific
> definitions within the adventure 'booklet'--for instance, having
> cards specifying 'static encounter x' or 'mobile encounter x',
> with look-up text in the booklet, where the meaning of static 
> encounter 1 is defined for the current adventure.  Hazards or
> nuisance encounters that would apply to all (or almost all)
> adventures could be more strongly tied to their cards.

Well, the only chambers with 'static' or 'adventure specific' encounters
would be the Quest Chambers.  I figured there'd only be a half dozen to a
dozen Quest Cards in the "original set", but probably two or three dozen
generic Chamber Cards.  The Chamber Cards would have zero, one, or two
icons on them - if they have a sword (for example), there's an encounter,
so the player draws an encounter card.  If there's a treasure chest, there's
a treasure there, so the player draws a treasure card.  So, basically
except for the Quest Chambers, all encounters are 'dynamic'.

The descriptions of the Quest Chambers can even suggest which encounter cards
to place in the Encounter Deck, so that the Quest to Slay the Liche King
will have you encountering undead rather than rabid wombats.

The references to the game booklet are primarily to let me be descriptive
while using business-card sized cards, plus it lets me use some aspects
of the MicroQuests when writing descriptions (i.e. "If you drink this potion,
or cast Analyze Magic on it, go to 432 and follow the instructions there.").


> I like your concept that gates replace doors to impossible 
> locations.

It's a pretty good workaround for the problems of random placement, I think.
Thanks!

> 
> I'm working on some corridor and room templates that would work 
> with this sort of concept...I'll send them to you if you like,
> although I'm afraid I can't produce .pdf files.   I'm superimposing hexes on 90 degree constructions, to avoid going crazy with 60 degree corridors going every which way.

Yeah, that was my plan, too (the 90 degree thing, that is).  I can read just
about any file format, although I'm going to be using Micrographix Windows
Draw for most of my work.

I'd love to see anything you can make!

Pretty much any computer can produce PDF files for free.  What you need is
the ability to produce Postscript output to files (which you can do in
Windows 98 by adding a postscript printer device, and checking the 'to file'
box), and getting a free copy of Ghostscript.  Ghostscript can convert 
Postscript to .PDF.  It's not the most efficient conversion, but it works.

Also, if you want them in PDF format, let me know, and I'll convert them and
send them back.

Tony
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