To Map, and to keep mapping.

About a month ago, I decided I would like to fundamentally revise many DS1 "givens" which I feel the designers set in place based on current (to the early 2000's) gameplay and hardware standards. The software is still quite flexible, and could allow for a near-modern (to 2016) gaming experience, but the computers of the time weren't friendly to games that didn't limit themselves in some way. Only recently have games begun spanning and blending genres, expanding into near limitless digital spaces, and allowing the kind of systems driven AI and player driven content which DS1 in it's day could barely hint at.

So, a few days ago, I decided to start mapping. almost 15 years since I started playing Dungeon Siege 1, I'm going to build a map and populate it with my brand of Mob, tailoring every aspect of the game to my "modern" sense of fun gaming. I know this is the kind of post some of you expect to see before a modder disappears forever, and I'm not ruling out the possibility that I won't be able to pull off what I have in mind, but I don't feel like failure here will sour me on modding DS1. I feel that way because I love this game, and I can't keep my hands off it's inner workings, now that I've begun.

The map is in infancy, but I'm building a bit each day. I have no details, except that this map will only be about the size of Yesterhaven, if that. The story is a mishmash of tropes and original ideas that can tell itself fairly succinctly. The combat will NOT be the standard Dungeon Siege mass extermination for loot. Instead, I intend an experience closer to Dragon Age, where your situational awareness, strategies and tactics all revolve around pausing to switch spells/weapons and giving orders. With DS1 physics and hit detection, there won't be such a "by the numbers" approach to battle as in Dragon Age, (i.e. moving out of the line of fire will actually dodge.)

I also intend to make the terrain matter more by defying Dungeon Siege rules about trees and other "obstacles" so they WILL block movement and attacks. I Plan to set up combat scenarios that require your focus and actual play experience to master. I plan to make Mastery a goal, by punishing sub-par engagements through ACTUAL resource management balancing. I plan to make classes more malleable, and I plan to write all my own items and spells for EACH CLASS and all possible hybrids. I plan to balance loot carefully to reduce redundancy and "strictly better" items that make you wonder why Peasant Short Bow is even a thing.

My hope is that a reduced and balanced Item/Spell set for the pcontent of my map will make devising and balancing challenges of all kinds much easier. Balancing my changes to the Farmlands of Ehb all go out the window once I have the "best of" weapons for my levels, and balancing to the max possible gear for an area means if you don't get the goods, you die.

There are a few reasons why I want to make a map, most of which have to do with "intent versus execution" problems I've encountered in modding Ehb's mobs. But my main reason I think, is the story, which is of a kind I've wanted to tell forever, and fits with the assets from Dungeon Siege perfectly. Major steps in the process are clear enough to me now that I've no anxiety about continuing this project indefinitely, whether I finish a playable version or not. The potential is exciting to me, and any product is pure profit in terms of hobby time spent well.

If you're still modding or mapping Dungeon Siege 1, chances are you know things I can learn from. Any time you wanna mod with me, I'm totally down for that.
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