You heard it.

What do you want?

------------------
M A R T I N • T U R N E R
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FrozenHeart104.sit.bin")Frozen Heart(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FemmeFatale.sea.bin")Femme Fatale(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl?path=evo/plugins&file;=Frozen Heart - the No.hqx")Frozen Heart - the Novel(/url)

:read the topic: :spill drink: Features? From what I recall, branching was very possible in EVO. You could use that in Frozen Heart 2. I must say I am quite surprised that you are starting a sequel.

------------------
You could also make the FH2 for Nova, and EVO too.

(This message has been edited by kauthor (edited 09-19-2003).)

You are making a sequel to Frozen Heart? Im so surprised that I raised eyes. I thought Femme Fatale was meant to be the sequel... and that you were too busy with real life to work on Frozen Heart. Considering my surprisedness, it is rather blunt to say you heard it and asking what we want. Because I never played Frozen Heart, I dont know any features. I know only what I have read from boards. Asteroid mining. It would be cool, since you cant officially mine but in Nova. Tim used this in his plug-in too. And if we have a Black Hole mission again (I dont know if others want it), make sure the pilot doesnt die if it misses with its single IMP Rocket. All the effort wasted in doing the string just because you missed once. Oh yeah, make it for EVO, not only for the EVO TC for Nova.

------------------
I am eager to try to answer mission questions

Hi Martin,

I love Frozen Heart and Femme Fatale.

In the sequel I'd like to see the following:

1. A larger universe with more destinations;
2. One of the things that you could introduce is new routes that are opened up to the player as he/she progresses;
3. Alternate routes with more dangers such as the meteorite storms and mines in Frozen Heart;
4. Maybe a gravity well or a black hole that pulls the players towards it while slowly taking down shields - like the black hole in FH but including a strong gravitational effect;
5. Worm holes that transport the player to alternate systems and time - similar to
   Dr Who travelling through space and time. Travel back in time to observe the alien culture and their construction of the Pyramid, for example;
6. A hyperspace bypass map that is given to the player which shows new shortcuts across the 'galaxy';
7. A wider variety of mid-range ships;
8. A wider variety of outfits including some ridiculous/comical ones. The 'Gumbie' heat shield - ripped off from Michael Palin, John Cleese and the rest of the Circus team. A Darlek marine outfit, an R2D2 repair Droid, a Wookie navigator who has a chest of secret maps;
9. A system called G-Apple where in the landing screen the sky alternates or flashes between grey and white, when you land on the planet Number9 Number9.
10. A few missions where you destroy a space station - similar to the ones in EVGE and in New Horizons;
11. Mission sets where you help with the constuction of new Space Stations (like Paaren Station) and the setting up of new outposts and colonies.
12. Mission sets where you help with rebuilding and/or terra-forming a world.
13. More planetary, system and government changes.
14. Diplomatic missions and more discovery missions.
    I like the sense of discovery you get in the EV series.
    This is enhanced when you have system changes.
    The addition of exploration missions like the 'Nebula missions' in EVO.
    Access to certain systems which is only possible during and after completing certain mission sets - as in Foundation, Quantamire and Pale.
15. Discovery of the "Restaurant at the End of the Galaxy" as a tribute to Douglas.

Thanks

------------------

(This message has been edited by Afterburner (edited 09-19-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**Hi Martin,

I love Frozen Heart and Femme Fatale.

In the sequel I'd like to see the following:

1. A larger universe with more destinations;
   **

More spobs than Nova - done. However, fewer systems than Nova (but still more than FH original)

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
2) One of the things that you could introduce is new routes that are opened up to the player as he/she progresses;
3) Alternate routes with more dangers such as the meteorite storms and mines in Frozen Heart; **

I'm a bit played out on hazards, as that was what Femme Fatale was all about. However, I'll see if I can think of any new ones.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
4) Maybe a gravity well or a black hole that pulls the players towards it while slowly taking down shields - like the black hole in FH but including a strong gravitational effect;**

Gravity will be an important feature of some missions. BTW, I'm talking about a Nova plugin here - I posted this on the EVO Board because it's EVO players who know FH.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
5) Worm holes that transport the player to alternate systems and time - similar to
Dr Who travelling through space and time. Travel back in time to observe the alien culture and their construction of the Pyramid, for example;
**

I'm investigating as to whether time travel is possible or not (in the game that is). I do like the idea.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
6) A hyperspace bypass map that is given to the player which shows new shortcuts across the 'galaxy';
**

Probably not that, but I've got some neat tricks lined up for making tachyonic travel more obviously different from dimensional drive.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
7) A wider variety of mid-range ships;**

I was actually looking at some ship specific missions - something that requires a shuttle and ends up with you getting a Rim Prospecter, something that requires a Rim and ends with a Wanderer, something that requires a Wanderer and ends with an Orion. The new game combines FH and FF, so the wider variety of FF shipping will be available.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
A wider variety of outfits including some ridiculous/comical ones. The 'Gumbie' heat shield - ripped off from Michael Palin, John Cleese and the rest of the Circus team. A Darlek marine outfit, an R2D2 repair Droid, a Wookie navigator who has a chest of secret maps;**

Probably more subtle humour rather than farce. However, I've got robot marines lined up.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
9) A system called G-Apple where in the landing screen the sky alternates or flashes between grey and white, when you land on the planet Number9 Number9.
**

Not sure if this is possible

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
10) A few missions where you destroy a space station - similar to the ones in EVGE and in New Horizons;

Yes, I've been thinking about that for some time. I don't like the idea of destroying a planet - it's too 'E E "Doc" Smith' like, but destroying a station is a much more realistic idea.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
11) Mission sets where you help with the constuction of new Space Stations (like Paaren Station) and the setting up of new outposts and colonies.
**

Seems a fair idea

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
12) Mission sets where you help with rebuilding and/or terra-forming a world.
**

Ok

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**13) More planetary, system and government changes.
**

Yeah, the whole visbits thing is much easier with the new engine - I'm looking at systems which change several times during the same adventure as a basic in some of the new missions.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**14) Diplomatic missions and more discovery missions.
I like the sense of discovery you get in the EV series.
This is enhanced when you have system changes.
**

I've started writing a character who is a diplomat. I'm not sure if I'll go with it or not.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**The addition of exploration missions like the 'Nebula missions' in EVO.
Access to certain systems which is only possible during and after completing certain mission sets - as in Foundation, Quantamire and Pale. **

The systems will have to be somewhat different for the different characters - for example, the nice picture of Oxford could only be in the FH mission sets. The FF sets would just have Stellaport, Den Haag and Geneva on Earth - or maybe some kind of unpleasant immigration centre as well.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
14) Discovery of the "Restaurant at the End of the Galaxy" as a tribute to Douglas.
**

I'm not sure that's quite legal. However, I'll see what I can do.

Quote

Originally posted by Afterburner:
**
Thanks
**

You're welcome.

Of course, I'm not guaranteeing to release it - and I certainly won't put timescales on it.

------------------
M A R T I N • T U R N E R
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FrozenHeart104.sit.bin")Frozen Heart(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FemmeFatale.sea.bin")Femme Fatale(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl?path=evo/plugins&file;=Frozen Heart - the No.hqx")Frozen Heart - the Novel(/url)

I honestly have nothing to suggest... I simply couldn't get in to Frozen Heart at all. I think it was the odd and strange ship designs and graphics (which is always enough to make me think negatively of a plug). =/ Story sounded good from what I read though.

Glad to hear there's a sequel on the way. I wish you the best.

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Hi Martin,

How about - Douglas' Diner - located on a distant world.

Would this get around the legal problems?

The landing picture could show the inside of the retaurant with a bookshelf and reading section in the corner. There could be a few posters and of course, the obligatory sign behind the counter. A large picture window off to one side would provide a magnificent vista of the world.

Thanks for your brilliant work.

------------------

Let me see about that time travel....So just wanted to check to see if it's possible to shift the game date around the player (ie. time travel). Not sure if I'll use it, but just wanted to make sure that that avenue is open to me

Sure -- just add the number of days to the "mission completed" field -- in this case, if you're going from 2293 to 2373, you just add 29200 days upon completion of the mission.

------------------

Dude. A sequel? For real? Sweet...

1. More of the good storywriting.

2. More of the good storywriting.

3. More of the good storywriting.

I think you catch the drift...

------------------
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Quote

Originally posted by kauthor:
**Let me see about that time travel....So just wanted to check to see if it's possible to shift the game date around the player (ie. time travel). Not sure if I'll use it, but just wanted to make sure that that avenue is open to me

Sure -- just add the number of days to the "mission completed" field -- in this case, if you're going from 2293 to 2373, you just add 29200 days upon completion of the mission.

**

Time travel implies the ability to go backwards as well as forwards - that's what I'm really interested in. I haven't checked out yet whether you can put a negative number in.

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M A R T I N • T U R N E R
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FrozenHeart104.sit.bin")Frozen Heart(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FemmeFatale.sea.bin")Femme Fatale(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl?path=evo/plugins&file;=Frozen Heart - the No.hqx")Frozen Heart - the Novel(/url)

(This message has been edited by Martin Turner (edited 09-19-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by General Cade Smart:
**You are making a sequel to Frozen Heart? Im so surprised that I raised eyes. I thought Femme Fatale was meant to be the sequel... and that you were too busy with real life to work on Frozen Heart. Considering my surprisedness, it is rather blunt to say you heard it and asking what we want. Because I never played Frozen Heart, I dont know any features. I know only what I have read from boards. Asteroid mining. It would be cool, since you cant officially mine but in Nova. Tim used this in his plug-in too. And if we have a Black Hole mission again (I dont know if others want it), make sure the pilot doesnt die if it misses with its single IMP Rocket. All the effort wasted in doing the string just because you missed once. Oh yeah, make it for EVO, not only for the EVO TC for Nova.

**

FH2 isn't a sequel, but a long promised upgrade. However, as you haven't played it there are a couple of misconceptions I need to clear up. First, FH was a TC which didn't make use of any of the EVO resources, so, no, it won't be for the EVO TC for Nova, as that would be rather silly. Also, it will be Nova only - all new graphics, to take advantage of the 16 bit capabilities of Nova.

Basically this will combine Frozen Heart (char 1) with Femme Fatale (char 2) and whatever else I may choose to put into it. The FH and FF storylines won't change - but there will probably be additional side-strings, and, I'm thinking, at least one new complete character-story.

I started work on FH2 a long time ago - before Nova was adopted by Ambrosia. I stopped when Nova went into beta-testing, because I guessed that I would need to start again once Nova was finished since it was probably going to change a lot of the graphical engine (which in fact it did). Then, there was also the fact that you had to register Nova to test your plugin, and it was such a big download anyway that it was a long time before I got round to downloading it. And, also, I wanted to wait until the engine had settled down.

I'm not 100% convinced that I will actually release it - it depends if I'm happy with it when it's finished, and can get it adequately beta-tested.

Ultimately, it depends on whether or not I have a new story to tell.

In the meantime, since you mentioned real life, my other aspirations for this year are:
Get elected to the European Parliament (elections in June)
Make it into the top 100 British fencers (foil)
Get our band Str&nded; signed to a record label
Finish a children's novel called 'the Skifters'

We'll see if all or any of these are achievable.

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M A R T I N • T U R N E R
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FrozenHeart104.sit.bin")Frozen Heart(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.AmbrosiaSW.com/cgi-bin/vftp/show.pl?product=evo&category;=plugins&display;=downloads&file;=FemmeFatale.sea.bin")Femme Fatale(/url)
(url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/cgi-bin/vftp/dl-redirect.pl?path=evo/plugins&file;=Frozen Heart - the No.hqx")Frozen Heart - the Novel(/url)

I must say...Frozen Heart and Femme Fatale were inarguably the best plug-ins I ever played. In fact, I suppose it is safe to say that those two plug-ins had the best plot I've ever seen in any video game (and I'm not talking about those mindless shooters like Doom).

That being said, I would like to see the same serious storytelling that characterized your first two plugs. As well, I saw things done to the EVO engine I never thought possible...that would be great with the EVN engine. As well, some of the little awkward things could be neatly tied up with the greater capabilities that EVN affords (I really liked your space hazards).

I guess the only worthwhile piece of advice I can give you is this: do what you want with the story, not whatever anyone else suggests. It's your plot, your universe, and I would believe that you would be able to write...more 'purely' (is that really a good word) or 'truthfully' to what you really have in mind if you don't just go with all the suggestions that people offer (and you don't really like) and write something 'saccharine'.

But enough with my ranting. Do what you want; if you release it I'll play it :).

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Quote

Originally posted by Martin Turner:
**In the meantime, since you mentioned real life, my other aspirations for this year are:
Get elected to the European Parliament (elections in June)
Make it into the top 100 British fencers (foil)
Get our band Str&nded; signed to a record label
Finish a children's novel called 'the Skifters'

We'll see if all or any of these are achievable.**

Martin Turner: Man of a million talents. What kind of music does your band play?

As for the plug, I doubt I could suggest anything that you couldn't come up with after a few weeks of pondering, so I'll just say, "Good luck, I'll be looking forward to playing it."

------------------
-esw-dragoon_77: Doing what he can to fsck people up since September 2001.
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Martin, good to see it's not being made for the EV:O TC for Nova, because I haven't downloaded it

As for suggestions, even for the starting set of missions you had to be in a fast ship to do the missions on time, so could we maybe one or two more low priced fast-ish ships, like the Snow goose? Just for a bit of extra choice.

You'll definately have to include Asteroid mining in it, I never got to properly use my rim prospector in FH.

This one is a bit of a strange request, but I've always liked the Idea. Here it goes:

Space Sculptures. This is an Idea I had that I would use if I ever got around to making a TC. They would be random spobs that you coulden't land on, that are just there to look pretty, the graphics could be like abstract sculptures floating in space, a bit of modern art. You wouldent have them everywhere, you could even make a system with a whole load of them in, like a giant art Gallery. I know it wouldent really be of any use, but it would be a nice little feature to add, and it would add a little extra depth.

That's all for now, I'll see if I can think of some more.

(This message has been edited by TheRedeemer (edited 09-20-2003).)

Quote

Originally posted by TheRedeemer:
**This one is a bit of a strange request, but I've always liked the Idea. Here it goes:

<shortenator>**

Like a giant space-bound museum, or like ruins from an ancient civilization? Either would be very cool, but if the latter, I want to see the Statue of Liberty floating out there

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Quote

Originally posted by -esw-dragoon_77:
**Like a giant space-bound museum, or like ruins from an ancient civilization? Either would be very cool, but if the latter, I want to see the Statue of Liberty floating out there:)

**

A Space bound museum type of thing really. But You could put famous Earth landmarks in there, I quite like that Idea, you could have the Houses of Parliament in orbit around the Earth!

Also, I've thought of another Idea, You could have Space advertising billboards. Either ships or Spobs that look like, or have on a part of them, an advert. You could use those for the big companies in FH, Like Aluco and Galaktech. (I think those were in FH)

FH and FF were awesome--mmm..

Do more things nobody has done before (or if they did, they didn't do it very well). Quicktime Movies, multiple landing spots on a planet, space hazards-- all of those were great, and new. Find something in the bible nobody's really done and add it in..

As stated before, sideplots and random missions would be neat, more then one plot with a few turn-offs..

All I can think of now..

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Finally, someone who'll take better advantage of the Nova engine than we did.

Dave @ ATMOS

What would I like?

Exactly what you have already shown yourself capable of producing. But, to provide some feedback:

1. A plug-in where the mechanics of the game engine don't control what happens. That is, you introduce plots twists because they make sense, not to demonstrate a cool or novel use of the game engine.
2. Difficult, but not to the point of distraction. In other words, something that is difficult only until you work out how to do it. If a mission only works one time in ten for the best pilot around it's likely to be too frustrating.
3. More use of branches from refusing missions. Most missions have no consequences from saying no - make it so there are real choices to be made.
4. No excessive travelling. When you are in the middle of a mission string and most of your time is spent travelling 15+ systems to get the next mission it can get boring. (Not to say this shouldn't occur some of the time, but that deliberately putting the destination on the other side of the galaxy for no other purpose than to make the player travel long distances doesn't work for me.)
5. Most importantly, a good story. If your plug-in follows a classic literary form you could do worse - e.g. introduction, minor crisis, light relief, major crisis, denoument.

I doubt I am telling you something you didn't know but hopefully by saying it you get a sense of priorities.

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Quote

Originally posted by Martin Turner:
**You heard it.

What do you want?

**

I want a plug-in made from Martin Turner. I want to feel the awe that came when I felt like a part of a lively universe. You can do whatever you want Mr. Turner. I doubt I will be disappointed leaving things in your already proven capable hands.

And good luck in your endeavors into politics. I hope you don't get recalled.

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