Enjoy.
If you are reading Kevin, and I know you are, thanks again.
. . . . . .
Are there any other products from the later era of Dark Sun that was also trimmed of its content, and what sorts of material ended up on "the cutting room floor"? I'm not asking for details of course...
Not to my knowledge. Like any gaming product (today or yesterday) there is always the chance for content to be “trimmed”, which is typically between the designer, editor, and the deadline. Since Psionic Artifacts and Dregoth Ascending were the only two I really worked on beginning to end/draft, those are the only ones I'm really able to comment on. The history of Dregoth is known, and there was no extra content for PAoA.
The fact of the matter is, the whole issue was an editing and art mistake.
Damn artists.
Well, there you have it: the great plans didn't stretch as far as we all thought and I tend to agree with the thought that there's enough Athas to go around (with maybe a couple secret passages out to other planes). In short, it's kind of up to the community now in what is and isn't possible and what will and will not be - kind of what I've been saying all along. ;)
Neat.
Back to drawing...
Damn artists.
Yeah, wipe them out - all of them.
Well, at least Ktandeo didn't have two right hands. :P
...of course, it involved fish and his being munched, but he no longer had two right arms.
1- Would Kevin still be interested in answering such questions in the future?
2- Would you think Kevin (not as a co-creator) could have an eyes on the athas.org project let's say twice a year to give is insight and ideas?
1- Would Kevin still be interested in answering such questions in the future?
There's a reason the questions from the board members were bundled. Kevin's a busy man. Though I wouldn't rule out the possibility.
2- Would you think Kevin (not as a co-creator) could have an eyes on the athas.org project let's say twice a year to give is insight and ideas?
Again, Kevin is a busy man. Though he has said he *might* review DA parts 2 and 3.
Mine may be an unpopular opinion, but I kind of find this a neat adventure hook. As long as it's handled more like a "Mystery of the Ancients" thing, instead of "Spelljamming Halflings Invasion Plan 9 from Outer Space" :bounce:, it should be OK.
Also, I hope Kevin Melka does review DA II and III. Not to imply that athas.org needs any handholding or supervising from anyone, but it would be kind of cool to have the original designer of the campaign helping with insights and constructive criticism, now that DA is being remade.
With the creation of the lifeshape items and the whole halfling-original-race plotline, we wanted to expand that a bit more to round out that portion of the world . What the Messenger was proposed (from me) to be was a “spaceship” of sorts for three halfings from the Blue Age who escaped the Brown Tide. After the events in Dregoth Ascending the Messenger would soon after crash into Athas and three powerful halflings were supposed to bring back lost life-magic and knowledge back to Athas in hope of rebuilding the world. I think we also toyed with one of the Halflings being a life-bender. That was the basis of the idea.
Sounds pretty good to me. Wonder what the SK's would have thought of these guys/gals turning up. Gulg might have welcomed them (i remember she liked the sound of the Blue Age when she was telling the story in PP5).
Halflings Invasion Plan 9 from Outer Space
Ah! hah! He revealed THE secret. THe name of the planned Dark Sun movie :D Cant be any worse than Plan 9 from Outer Space (which is so bad its actually funny)
With the creation of the lifeshape items and the whole halfling-original-race plotline, we wanted to expand that a bit more to round out that portion of the world . What the Messenger was proposed (from me) to be was a “spaceship” of sorts for three halfings from the Blue Age who escaped the Brown Tide. After the events in Dregoth Ascending the Messenger would soon after crash into Athas and three powerful halflings were supposed to bring back lost life-magic and knowledge back to Athas in hope of rebuilding the world. I think we also toyed with one of the Halflings being a life-bender. That was the basis of the idea.
I very much like this idea over the halfling version of "Mars Attacks" one. Anyone at athas.org have any plans on doing something with this?
- There was no "grand plan" for Athas - they were coming up with ideas as they went along.
- Three space halflings is a lot better than thousands.
As for 1) this means that we (or Athas.org) can breath a little easier when creating new material. If you want to make a civilization on the far side of the Silt Sea, you can. If you want to make more dragons off somewhere else, you can. And so on. It basically takes the chains off.
I very much like this idea over the halfling version of "Mars Attacks" one. Anyone at athas.org have any plans on doing something with this?
I might, or it at least will be in a sidebar as I start on the Lifeshaped project.
We'll see, want to make sure I get Kevin's ok to even include it as well.
Many kudos to Nyt for organizing these, I'm eagerly awaiting the rest.
Regards,
Eric Anondson
I have no idea how to get ahold of the guy
diesel(at)genevaonline.com
Give it a try.
The 3 Blue Aged Halflings that were aboard the Messenger. What was the major plotline behind their return? How was it going to effect Athas as a whole?
What about the plotline and long term effects of the Kreen Invasion?
Here's a few questions:
The 3 Blue Aged Halflings that were aboard the Messenger. What was the major plotline behind their return? How was it going to effect Athas as a whole?
What about the plotline and long term effects of the Kreen Invasion?
From Kevin Melka...
Do me a favor and tell them these were only first line ideas,
nothing more. If someone wants to develop them be my guest, but there is
no water from rocks or pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to be had.
If I ever had answer to these questions (like maybe the day after I
thought of them) then they were purged by brain-cell destroying beer
long ago.
:D
Thats very disheartening if not down right a shame
Uh, you do realize that he worked on Dark Sun a whole 9 months before they killed the line right?
Kinda hard to continue those thoughts when the setting was considered dead and he had to move on.
Welcome to the industry.
;)
besides part of the fun of any campaign world is taking what there is, and running with it in your own way. im happy as is, that we have those otherwise vanished ideas from the developers mind!
Uh, you do realize that he worked on Dark Sun a whole 9 months before they killed the line right?
Kinda hard to continue those thoughts when the setting was considered dead and he had to move on...
Yeah, I realize that. Just figured he'd have a bit more insight on those ideas however basic or unfinished they may have been.
I understand that with time you lose some of the details behind those unused ideas. As I said, its a shame.
Perhaps not; those ideas are just out there now, and you can take them and make them whatever you want to be. Frankly, I feel liberated: I'm going to run around the office in my boxers.
A guideline would have been nice. Meh... whatever. At least they're not hoards of alien halflings with life shaped laser rifles.
Perhaps not; those ideas are just out there now, and you can take them and make them whatever you want to be. Frankly, I feel liberated:
Agreed there. Allows DMs like myself to go crazy with it now that's it open.
One of the many reasons why I hate FR, everything is spelled out for the most part, and that's no fun.
Damn artists.
Yeah, wipe them out - all of them.
Well, at least Ktandeo didn't have two right hands. :P
Looks like its more of a communication problem.Damn the artist? Damn the editor? Damn the man! When an artist must depict a world he/she needs the proper feedback. It appears that the art director didn't know enough about Darksun to tell the illustrator that Ktandeo was human. Then the editor changed the character because it was a quick fix. Sounds like the artist wasn't entirely to blame here. In the gaming industry writers and artists are in it together. Good communiction skills benifit all.
Joboo, follow the link in my signature: it's a joke.
Forgive me Dawnstealer, it can be difficult to spot an inside joke when you are outside of it. By the way, nice website.
Maybe I shouldn't have reminded you about that. Gah!
Great interview. Have there been any interviews with some of the other original DS developers such as Troy Denning, Timothy Brown, or Brom?
Working on them as we speak.
Working on them as we speak.
Awesome. I don't know if you can see it, but I'm already drooling over here.
http://athas.org/articles/kevinmelka.php