While we're waiting...

Part ummmm 6? 7? of the dialogue writing thing is in draft atm, don't think I've forgotten. Here's a kwik rant and anything else I can throw together to amuse you for the moment.

My rant is a familiar theme - monsters walking over each other where players can't.

I was playing through from the beginning again to test the full install of the mod and was in the moathouse, about to go into the room with the Bandits up the top (through the door, not the secret passage from outside). So my paladin, 'Ted the Holy' (my alter-ego :-P Or should that be altar-ego? ;-)) opens the door. A bandit runs out, and Ted and Elmo thump him.

Then Zert moves in. I wanted Zert to have a crack as he was armed with a special cleaver (crits on anything above 12 - NOT in my mod as released!!) to test the critical hit voice I have activated for him. Only Zert doesn't get a swing - despite having a clear line of attack, the game decides there are too many characters near the door and he doesn't have room. [sigh]

So we kill that first bandit. My wizard tries to charm the Barbarian leader in the background, to use him downstairs as cannon fodder for the Ogre. Of course, he saves.

Another bandit runs out. We kill him too, Zert still doesn't get a shot. Spuggy tries to charm the bandit, he saves again [yawn]

So now the Barbarian comes out. Crack, he lands a massive beaty on Ted's head. Still Zert gets no go, not a surprise of course: neither is what happens next, cause it has happened so many times before.

ANOTHER bandit comes out. Never mind there is a hulking barbarian there, he squeezes in, takes a wild swing.

And ANOTHER of the FUCKING THINGS comes out, he runs PAST my characters, through the gap that is apparently Zert-proof, and flanks my party!!! Thats right, my characters can't get in there to have a swing, but they can drive COLUMNS OF TROOPS through there! I mean its like when Guderian drove the 19th Army Corps through the Ardennes, they should be talking about this for generations to come.

Its just WRONG.

Then the Barbarian cracked Ted again, [he makes saves, he never misses, he's a marvel isn't he] and Ted's down at -8.

So I think, "to Tartarus with this, where's my .50 cal?"

O of course, Ted was carrying it because he was the only one who could comfortably take the weight. I resist the urge to punch the monitor off the table (I actually did that once - don't worry, it wasn't my monitor. One of my mates was a bit pissed afterwards though ;-)

Zert at least has a target now, he chops the flanker in half and my cleric can safely get off a spell to stabilise Ted. Elmo finishes the Barbarian and other bandit and Zert goes in to kill the one with the crossbow.

He lands a critical. No voice, no floating text, nothing.

WHY DO I BOTHER!??!?