I don't think this has been suggested elsewhere, but it is something I would really like to be able to do and perhaps as a precursor to making Age Creation Tools available.

I would really love to be able to create write my own relto pages - that is, to customize my relto with objects of my own making, so that some small part of the UrU universe is within my control and my creativity.

A great game has to deal with the stress of satisfying the distinct and opposite player needs - a) the need to be the same as everyone else (if someone gets a helmet, I want a helmet, we all want a helmet!) and b) the need to be different from everyone else (I got a helmet! I hope no one else gets a helmet!). By keeping item delivery fair (as long as I do what someone else did to get a helmet, I will get a helmet too!) we satisfy the first requirement, but then it is very hard to satisfy the second.

However, tools for personalizing relto, by leaving this in the hands of the creativity of the individual player, would satisfy the need to be unique without upsetting other players who would also have access to the same tools.

I would imagine that at first these tools might be fairly rudimentary - a strange plant here, an oddly shaped rock there, a cone, a garden gnome ( ) - but could possibly become more elaborate with practice and mastery (clouds, snow, moving constellations, elevators to the nether regions of relto, roasting duck, a winecellar, a small, blue, diamond encrusted dog that follows me around, lovingly!)

From a storyline point of view, I know, the things that Yeesha gives through the pages to us in Relto are a superior level of age writing skill, so this might conflict with story - but from a technical point of view this seems that it would be easier than learning age building per se or might even be a good starting point to releasing more difficult age creation tools later on.

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Language is that highly evolved, complex and sophisticated system whereby one human being blorfloogs with another.

kinda sounds a little like me. I had an idea before the exciting news about changing my relto so that I could live there indefinately.

Like adding a paddle wheel near the water fall for electricity. and planting a garden there or even in eder kemo. with the rain fall in both areas it wouldn't be all that hard.

with the relto books on you all the time. you could effectively bring just about anything you can carry with you. If you could produce enough power you could even have a way to keep things cold and have music also. hehe you could also have a computer or something. the possiblilitys are endless.
I know some of the things above might not be possible, but it is interesting what someone could do with the relto book and kinda scary aswell.

I'm not sure about this... remember, no one's ever written an age like Relto before; it's one of Yeesha's creations. For one, we don't even have the ability to Write (as of yet). Let alone write in the same fashion as Yeesha does.

Let's not go overboard, now. We must remember the order of things, lest in our thrill over new content, we lose sight of what's solid and true about Uru.

Shorah.

Sure, Tahm, I understand that - and I indicated the difficulty with following in the footsteps of Yeesha in my post, above...Also, and I know you will have to trust be on this, but I am keenly aware of the order of things, and have a fairly firm grip on where things are solid and true in Uru, too -- and also where they possibly might not be

But...as this is a suggestions forum, presumably suggestions for developments both immediate and future, both easily achievable and more difficult to provide and/or master, are solicited.

This would have been my number one or two selection, had it been specifically included in the online survey, so I felt it was important to put it forward here.



:squish:

nerf.

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Language is that highly evolved, complex and sophisticated system whereby one human being blorfloogs with another.

I like the idea of being able to customize Relto. I think it could be used as a beginner's tool to start learning how to write ages. Instead of writing ages at first, we start small with just little objects here and there and then build up to more advanced levels until we can learn to write ages.

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Look, it's a Bunny!

I don't think that it is such a good idea for others to be allowed to create personal content that is controlled by them. It seems fair, however, that people would be allowed to create ages, clothing, anything, and submit them to Cyan, at which time if they were approved, then anyone else could access them. Cool stuff that only you can get would encourage jealousy. But cool stuff that anyone can get encourages creativity.

ToxicMoon wrote:

I like the idea of being able to customize Relto. I think it could be used as a beginner's tool to start learning how to write ages. Instead of writing ages at first, we start small with just little objects here and there and then build up to more advanced levels until we can learn to write ages.

The problem is were already writing ages. Been doing so for at least the last year. It just wasn't till earlier this year that anyone saw the fruits of our labors.

Quote:

Cool stuff that only you can get would encourage jealousy. But cool stuff that anyone can get encourages creativity.

Actually, my original argument for this suggestion of relto object creation tools was exactly as you expressed it in the first sentence. Your second sentence tells me that you possibly misunderstand my suggestion. I am not talking about any tools that exist externally to the game - my suggestion is about (and for) in-game tools that would be provided by Cyan (thus removing any need for their approval for anything created thereby)for relto object creation. Finding stuff that no one else finds, or importing a mod that gives me stuff no one else gets - yes, that will lead to jealousy. But, if I learn to work with ingame tools so that I create something unique and personal for my relto - now, THAT will motivate and encourage others to express themselves uniquely as well, since the TOOLS to do so would be available to everyone.

Again, to Starfyre - I am aware of the ongoing and amazing age creation projects that were begun some time ago from the fanbase, and I applaud those creative efforts. But, with all due respect, I don't think you can use that fanbased development to argue against ingame story developments that might be centered around explorers discovering writing tools and learning the art of writing in stages -- even if those stages require that you take a step backwards or, rather, wait for the rest of us to catch up to you.

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Language is that highly evolved, complex and sophisticated system whereby one human being blorfloogs with another.

I'm not one for dressing up Reltos, with fancy drapes, and daffodils - but reading the posts gave me an idea.

There are places in Uru that are now festooned with material objects from the surface, many brought in by the DRC. The game designers could plant certain objects – some in Ages already completed - to be picked up by anyone and taken back to their Relto – or anywhere for that matter. A case of “look what I found” – you could even barter it for something else. I don’t mean a trading or money-making idea. The times I’ve run around completed Ages knowing full well that I’m not going to see anything that wasn’t there before. This idea would promote and encourage Explorers to return to ‘old haunts’ with that exploring feeling again that there just might be something planted there. The suggestion I’m sure would be a boon for the game designers as a gap-filler in between new content / Ages being added.

As good as Prologue was – everybody that participated was on top all the time – that is to say – we were always waiting around chatting, until something new happened like a new area being opened up – and then we would all rush off and explore and conquer whatever there was to do. Then it was back to the UU scenario again, waiting on the next event. Don’t read me wrong here – I loved every minute of it – but if you think about it – once you completed all the Ages – there really wasn’t any reason to return to them. The idea that there just might be something lying on the grass in Teledahn that I could bring back to my Relto I could even take a pic of it and post it on the display unit in the hood.

Anyway, it’s just an idea…

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oh wad some power the giftie gie us - tae see ourselve's as ither's see us

Nyrphame wrote:

Again, to Starfyre - I am aware of the ongoing and amazing age creation projects that were begun some time ago from the fanbase, and I applaud those creative efforts. But, with all due respect, I don't think you can use that fanbased development to argue against ingame story developments that might be centered around explorers discovering writing tools and learning the art of writing in stages -- even if those stages require that you take a step backwards or, rather, wait for the rest of us to catch up to you.

You know what not everyone wants fan created Relto Pages just like not everyone wants fan created Ages. I for one don't want fan created Relto Pages. But instead of saying seperate software needs to be done for Relto Pages. Why not just have Relto Pages be included into the Age Creation software. That kills two birds with one stone. Cyan only has to do half the work and you still get your Relto Page creator as well as the Age Creation community gets their Age creator.

And you know what I will always argue for fan created ages even against storylines. To me they need to be included. Thats how strongly I feel. And I get angry someone even suggests our taking a step backwards. Cause well to take a step backwards now would be futile and we shouldn't have to. We should be looking forward not backwards.

No need to get angry. I respectfully disagreed with your position, but now you have made a great suggestion which both supports your position and very helpfully clarifies mine as well. For the record, I wasn't suggesting separate software - just a way of gradually rolling out that software.

I also liked Tokai's suggestion about how we might go about creating a more personalized relto.

This is the happy give and take of a community as it goes about fostering the evolution of creative ideas through brainstorming. Nothing kills that process faster than disparaging another's idea, or attemtping to intimidate others into adopting your own. Such strategies are utlimately futile anyway since the decision to implement any suggestion rests with Cyan alone. In the meantime, let's commit to keeping our disagreements respectful.

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Language is that highly evolved, complex and sophisticated system whereby one human being blorfloogs with another.

I like Tokai's idea the best so far. It could also add a new element of fun to the game, if these items were hidden, as a sort of scavenger hunt.

One modification I'd really like for my avatar to have is a backpack - I'm not one for a whole inventory system, as that would, in my opinion, just feel too much like other games, and detract from what Uru is about. But if we did have the ability to carry one or two items in the pack, which we find and might later use, either to complete a puzzle or to decorate our Reltos, that would be a great touch.

Andrew

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Silence. Introspection.
The weighing of possibilities.
Inking the pen,
eyeing over the Elements.

Yes it is sad that us girls have the only backpack in UU. Something that was corrected in PoTS. But UU is not PoTS. Maybe they will correct that in Live.

We must have all at one time or another - whether it was in Prologue or Until Uru - invited someone back to our own realm - namely our Relto. I always feel a bit self concious about MY RELTO - and want it to look its best. I'd never invite someone back until I felt sure I had everything done, Ages complete, Video display on with my favourite Ki pics, rain on - or fireflies, dock in place - and tree in growth. But... it really is just like everyone elses Relto - it would be great if just once - someone turned round and asked me - where did you get that picture? or that monolith? etc etc.

What's the point of having a safe haven that's identical to everybody elses?

Now if I could stockpile brightly coloured rocks, or fireballs etc - I would have something to barter for that old D'ni thigamyjig that I know one of my friends found in Kadish - I always wanted one of them it will allow me to construct a better bridge to the first island. But there was only one in the whole game - and he found it. I think you get my gist.

It'd be great if - when someone invites you back to their Relto - you really wouldn't know what to expect. And if there are better Explorers at finding things - so be it.

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oh wad some power the giftie gie us - tae see ourselve's as ither's see us

I really like Nyrphame's and Tokai's suggestions. My Relto is always a peaceful place for me to come back to, and I'd love to personalize it a bit more. It would be nice to have a bit of freedom in the choices, but I also like the idea of finding things here and there that I could take back. Those surprises are just kind of nice (though I still haven't found much to do with my sticks and stones). Great ideas, whether they ever are implemented or not.