Eredan - Idea for a mod

[zkajo]

First of all, if it's not the right section, please move the topic.

A few weeks ago i had an english homework to write my own fantasy story. I did the homework well, i created my own fantasy world called 'Eredan' "(well, its a continent) and i thought it can be a good idea for a mod.

Eredan is a continet where Elves, humans, dwarves and orcs fight against each other in a tide of total war. All those nations are hostilie to each other. Drakan the III, the human king of kingdom of Akila has rided and ruined the dwarven kingdom. Then, the orcs joined in and spread their armies across the continent. Kingdom of men fallen. The last city is defending from the continuos attacks of the orcs.
Like if it wasn't enough, one of the king's best magicians created chaos army and turned against the king. (Chaos army... Skeletons, deamons etc.)

Well, this is very rough discription. If you have any questions or you are intreasted in creating the mod based on my story, please pm me or write here.

Also, apologize for my english 

Ps. I would aslo like to include fireing arms and besigeing weapons. I'm not sure if it would be possible but I would like to include option of destroying walls, towers, gates in the castles while besiegeing etc.

 

[Cuddles]

a mod called warrior of eternity is being made, and its pretty similiar to what is ritten here. dont think its gonna happen.. sorry

 

[Erwin]

Gee, a world where humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs fight against each other. How original. 

 

[Oubliette]

Gee, a world where humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs fight against each other. How original. 

But it is popular, it is myth-reinforcing - it works. Also, originality doesn't need to come from creating an alien world, but from inverting and refracting the expected tropes and archetypes of a world we feel instantly familiar with to give it a distinct flavour.

Zkajo, Cuddles is right in a way, but I wouldn't be disheartened. If I were you, the best thing to do would be to try to get involved with mods, such as Warriors of Eternity, which aim for something similar to what you would like to see. You can try to take up modelling or something practical in order to help out, but you don't have to. Even ideas and creativity are helpful, as is being someone who tests mods in development - whether that be testing for bugs, or just giving feedback on broader thematic and story aspects.

 

[l0ughn3y]

Gee, a world where humans, elves, dwarves, and orcs fight against each other. How original. 

you should really try to be a little less sceptical yeah its not an original concept but how do you know that the rest of his idea's wont be tottally original concept


and i dont see you having any idea's for a mod or at least being brave enough to post them anyways

 

[zkajo]

thanks for advices. Oh, Erwin, maybe the overview is not oryginal but the story inside is. What i wanted to do is to set up a story line where we play either as a commander or adventurer. In the oryginall story, drakan was defeated and his son apparentley killed. He wasn't really. During the battle he was knocked unconcious and dragged away by one of his friends. Then, he created rebellion, and his father, Drakan became undead.

 

[Ron Losey]

Originality is not everything ... but a profound lack of originality can be REAL bad.

I mean, WHY do they fight?  What back-story makes this world feasible?  If you do an epic good-against-evil dichotomy, several races need to band together (on one or both sides, even if some are sympathetic to one side but trying to stay out of it).  If it's a free-for-all fight over land/resources/political philosophies/whatever, then each faction needs to be believable (i.e. have good, logical reasons for feeling their way was better/necessary/whatever).

A world where the "good" factions fight among themselves and ignore a growing obvious evil is just not going to add up.  It loses suspension of disbelief, unless there is a very solid back-story for it (i.e. the evil is not obvious, or they have reason to feel it will not reach them).

It's a tough story to do.  A game mod has to have a lot more obvious elements than a novel, since the author can't explain such things (unless you are using a well-known literary source as a setting, i.e. what TLD did with Tolkien).  It gets real complicated.

Not trying to be discouraging ... just warning you, before you hit massive disappointment and/or become disillusioned at the whole thing.  Be prepared to hit a major snag running this story-line.

 

[Erwin]

thanks for advices. Oh, Erwin, maybe the overview is not oryginal but the story inside is. What i wanted to do is to set up a story line where we play either as a commander or adventurer. In the oryginall story, drakan was defeated and his son apparentley killed. He wasn't really. During the battle he was knocked unconcious and dragged away by one of his friends. Then, he created rebellion, and his father, Drakan became undead.

You call that original? A lost heir fighting evil orcs to reclaim his throne? Hello, ARAGORN?. You seriously need to rethink your story.

 

[Corinthian Hoplite]

Orcs are evil? Well, after doing what Ron suggested, try to make orcs good. That will add originality.

 

[QuailLover]

All Aragorn had to do was walk in to Minas Tirith and say he was the King, and do a few tests, to prove it.

He didn't have to fight the orcs to claim it.

Your story would be quite more interesting if the main character was an orc, instead of human, elf, dwarf, and ect

 

[zkajo]

In the story, the main character was called 'Melkor', who was a commander of drakan's armies. I never said that orcs were good or bad. War is in their nature. Humans invaded the dwarves for their technology and resources.

The son's king never wanted his throne back. All he wanted, was justice and freedom as humans were slaves. He also wanted revenge for death of his best friend (almost brother like) who once saved his life.

EDIT:

I've got an idea. Tommorow i will post the story line with explenations who, what and how. Then you will decide what to think of it.

 

[Erwin]

Orcs are evil? Well, after doing what Ron suggested, try to make orcs good. That will add originality.

Not really. Warcraft already has good orcs, so that won't be original either. Especially if you go with the tall, green, muscular kind of orc. And this is exactly why I have so much contempt for fantasy races. They're monolithic. All orcs are evil barbarians, all elves are noble and pretty, all dwarves are crafty, have beards, and fight with axes. I mean, why? There's almost infinite variety of cultures and moralities within our own human species, why not just use that instead of making up implausible homogenous societies of ridiculous looking creatures that are really just humans with one insignificant characteristic changed (like stature, skin color, or ear shape)? Fantasy races are a crutch, stereotypes for writers without imagination to fall back on. I think M&B has gone the right way excluding all this fantasy nonsense, along with magic, from its setting.

In the story, the main character was called 'Melkor', who was a commander of drakan's armies. I never said that orcs were good or bad. War is in their nature. Humans invaded the dwarves for their technology and resources.

The son's king never wanted his throne back. All he wanted, was justice and freedom as humans were slaves. He also wanted revenge for death of his best friend (almost brother like) who once saved his life.

EDIT:

I've got an idea. Tommorow i will post the story line with explenations who, what and how. Then you will decide what to think of it.

Alright, first off: DON'T name your main character after an evil demigod from a well known fantasy world. Secondly, while morality is pretty much a matter of opinion, I'd venture to say most people would equate 'warlike' with 'evil'. And thirdly, you can't really help people throw off the burden of oppression without taking charge. Notice how in the real world the leaders of revolutions tend to end up ruling the new society they created? Though I admit that revenge bit does add a hint of a darker side to the character. I love anti-heroes.

 

[Ron Losey]

Yeah, it's an ugly problem ... building something that is too stereotypical Tolkien-esque/D&D/Might&Magic/Warcraft kind of stuff.  The result usually comes out looking like a tired retread of something that has been done nine million times already.

You really want some original fantasy?  Make the races more non-human.  Some of the Elder Scrolls games had characters that were obviously cats and such.  A lot of early computer RPG stuff had unique races as well.  Not only does that give an original look, it frees you from people's expectations for certain groups.  That is, everybody expects Tolkien-type orcs and goblins to be evil.  However, if you had a race of Jackal-headed men like something out of Egyptian mythology, nobody (except historians majoring in Egyptology) would have too many pre-conceived notions about them.  That gives the author freedom to portray them however he likes (and, incidentally, forces the author to come up with an image for them instead of just assuming the same thing everybody does).

 

[HardCode]

I feel that the "human, elf, orc, dwarf" thing is no more stereotypical than the "sword, spear, horse" thing. The only difference is that the sword, spear, horse thing did and still does exist, while the elf, orc and dwarf thing are made up. I don't see any negative impact using familiar fantasy to create a good Mount & Blade mod.

However, if you had a race of Jackal-headed men like something out of Egyptian mythology, nobody (except historians majoring in Egyptology) would have too many pre-conceived notions about them.

Oh, ****! Thanks Ron! I think you have just given me the idea that I've been trying to find for such a long time for a new mod. I've been stuggling with something original as a backdrop to a mod, and perhaps ancient Egypt is it!

 

[Erwin]

I feel that the "human, elf, orc, dwarf" thing is no more stereotypical than the "sword, spear, horse" thing. The only difference is that the sword, spear, horse thing did and still does exist, while the elf, orc and dwarf thing are made up. I don't see any negative impact using familiar fantasy to create a good Mount & Blade mod.

Those things couldn't be more different. Swords, spears, and horses are just props. Fantasy races, on the other hand, represent aspects of our human nature. Orcs are violent, elves are noble, dwarves are crafty, that sort of thing.

 

[zkajo]

I don't have a clue where the 'Melkor' was already used. Oh yea... let's think...

Orcs were already used. Humans were already used. Elves were already used. Dwarves were already used. Undead were already used. Forces of chaos... Used. Lizard men, used!

In a minute you will say that i copied all of my races, the story etc. You dont like it, then shut up.  

Thanks for defending HardCode

 

[Corinthian Hoplite]

The races are fine, just try to make them somewhat different from the popular use.

 

[Merlkir]

I don't have a clue where the 'Melkor' was already used. Oh yea... let's think...

Orcs were already used. Humans were already used. Elves were already used. Dwarves were already used. Undead were already used. Forces of chaos... Used. Lizard men, used!

In a minute you will say that i copied all of my races, the story etc. You dont like it, then shut up. 

Thanks for defending HardCode

yaaay, now you've proved how mature you are! Awesome. In fact you're a pathetic prick. Can't come up with anything original and you get offensive the minute someone criticizes you (and he's right). Seriously, I've heard loads of bull****ty mod themes, but yours is by far the worst in a long time. Not only you're proposing a friggin' cliche fantasy, you're even ripping names of Tolkien off!

Hell, **** this, I'm dying to see how you manage to get dwarves ingame.

edit: I mean...Melkor is fine. It's a good badass demigod. But Drakan? Come on! Even Paoplini wasn't so stupid when he came up with Eragon.

 

[zkajo]

I didn't mean to be offensive. Sorry if I insulted anyone. I do accept 'Creative Critisysm'. By that i mean: 'I don't like the idea because <bla, bla, bla> but you can improve it by <bla, bla, bla>.'

If someone wants to write something like 'Your idea sucks, you are **** at story writing, go to hell...' then thanks very much, save some of my health and do not write at all. I said, it was just an idea!

 

[Corinthian Hoplite]

DIE, MINIONS!!!

OR

FACE ETERNAL DOOM!!!