Cave of Altura

[Maziken]

So I decided to start doing some map design with VirtualScape and here is one of the rooms I have developed so far. The others will be posted later as this is the only one I have at work. But please, I'm open to critiques and comments as to balancing issues and whatnot, please feel free to leave me some helpful information!

And here is a little guide as to how the rooms connect:

Entrance => Room 1
Room 1 North Exit => Room 3
Room 1 South Exit => Room 2
Room 2 => Room 4
Room 3 => Room 5
Room 4 => Room 6
Room 5 => Room 7
Room 6 => Room 8
Room 7 => Room 9
Room 8 => Room 10
Room 9 North Exit => Room 11
Room 9 East Exit => Room 12
Room 10 => Room 13
Room 11 => Room 14
Room 13 => Room 15
Room 15 => Room 16

Cave of Altura Entrance: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2977

Cave of Altura Room 1: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2979

Cave of Altura Room 2: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2980

Cave of Altura Room 3: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2982

Cave of Altura Room 4: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=2976

Cave of Altura Room 5: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3000

Cave of Altura Room 6: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3001

Cave of Altura Room 7: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3006

Cave of Altura Room 8: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3007

Cave of Altura Room 9: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3010

Cave of Altura Room 10: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3011

Cave of Altura Room 11: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3054

Cave of Altura Room 12: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3055

Cave of Altura Room 13: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3056

Cave of Altura Room 14: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3057

Cave of Altura Room 15: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3064

Cave of Altura Room 16: http://www.heroscapers.com/community/downloads.php?do=file&id=3065

[Shedim Kabal]

I like how you use the Castle Doors and Walls in Room 1 to make it feel like a cramped, mazelike dungeon. Really helps add to the mood.

http://www.heroscapers.com/downloads//coarm1b_796.jpg

[Maziken]

Thanks! That is kinda what I was going for. One path is essentially going to "open up" into more "free" maps, while the other path will continue with the dungeon-esque theme.

[Maziken]

If anyone has playtested any of these, let me know. I'm not going to get a chance to playtest them until Christmas so if you have any criticisms of them, please feel free to let me know. I'll have a couple more maps coming in before Christmas and I already have a change to Room 4 but I cannot fix the Virtualscape file until I get to work. >.>

[Maziken]

Okay all maps are updated. I will add more after Christmas and maybe be making some changes since I will be play testing them over the break.

[Maziken]

So I've had a chance to play test a few of these maps. The general consensus is that they are not too difficult nor too hard. My party of adventurers made it to Room 2 before they were defeated by a few lucky Drow die rolls.

I think I may need to add some more Marro units to Room 4, though.

Anyone else have any thoughts or suggestions?

[kpucblek]

Hi Maziken...

This looks pretty fun. It'll be a while until I get the chance to try it out. I've only looked at the first 4 rooms. But I'd love to try it out.

One thing I noticed... you mention that a 4 player game would allow for one player per "adventurer". It seems that the adventuring party would have a HUGE advantage over the orcs since they'd get to go 3 times per the DM's one. Just a thought.

Also, I didn't quite understand how or when Tornak gets to enter the scene. (After a squad of orcs is defeated?)

OH! And I just noticed you're from Beckley. I'm from Canaan Valley, WV. I was just there for Christmas! We don't live there anymore. (Colorado is home now).

[Maziken]

Well, when I say 4 players, it would essentially be two teams. The team of heros which would be made up of 3 players and the DM team.

The DM would place his order markers on the cards and then the three players would act as a team and place one set of order markers on their cards.

I do have some changes coming to a few of the maps as I play tested them over Christmas break with family. I'll try to get those up soon, they aren't huge or anything, but they are changes to things we found were a bit too difficult.

As far as Tornak, he will "spawn" when either all of the Arrow Gruts are destroyed or all of the Blade Gruts are destroyed. Perhaps I used the wrong terminology.

[Maziken]

I made small changes to Room 6 and Room 8. These are only changes to the text in the instructions. Room 6 now has a story description to be read to the adventurers and Room 8 has had the round of the Obsidian Guard reinforcements spawn moved from the third round to the fifth round.

[Maziken]

Just added Room 11. It gave me some real headaches and I changed is drastically several times, but I think I'm happy with it now. Room 12 and Room 13 are drawn up in Virtualscape and I just need to physically build them and make any changes as well as place enemies on them. They should be up tomorrow night.

[Maziken]

Rooms 12 and 13 are up. Room 14 is done in Virtualscape and just needs to be built and tweaked.

Room 12 is an ending point in the cave.

There will be one more room after Room 11 (which is Room 14).

Not sure how many more rooms will follow Room 13.

[Stee-Jans]

The dungeon crawl looks great and I would love to play it, but I don't have nearly enough sets and characters to play the way it is now. Perhaps I'll try to tweak them so I can use them with my limited # of sets and characters. Keep them coming.

[Maziken]

The dungeon crawl looks great and I would love to play it, but I don't have nearly enough sets and characters to play the way it is now. Perhaps I'll try to tweak them so I can use them with my limited # of sets and characters. Keep them coming.

Thanks! I have Room 15 done in Virtualscape, just need to tweak it now.

I think I may do one or two more rooms before wrapping this dungeon crawl up.

[Dargoth]

This looks like a really neat adventure. I've downloaded all the maps and am in the process of trying to acquire all the required pieces for play.

[Izner]

Just found this thread, and man does it look awesome. Rounding up players, likely gonna start this weekend. I'd be happy to provide battle reports and feedback if you'd like.

Question: How much of the information provided on the maps is "GM" exclusive? Is information like the trigger to spawn tornak and the ability to sneak past the orc/troll brawl are exclusive to the player running the campaign?

Another question!: No flying. Any limitations on moves like fey step, grappling hook, leap, thunder step, etc?

[Son of Arathorn]

Not to mention, what happens after room 16?

[GeneralRolando]

This looks really fun! I'm gonna get a couple of friends and go as far as we can.

I think i have a good idea that would be better to balance the order system for 4 players.
Have all 3 adventurers go during 1 turn then essentially the DM has 3 sets of order markers to place. My only rule to this is 2 order markers of the same number cannot go on the same card. My friends and I use this as a means to speed up larger games of 1000 points or more. Never thought that it could be used for Dungeon Crawl games.