Updates from the Forge 39: Autumn 2020

[Leafly]

Issue 39: Autumn 2020

EDITORIAL

Dear reader, hopefully everyone is well, healthy and making the most of the current situation we are all going through. There's lots of great reads for you this autumn, or as some may refer to it, fall.

Great game development, musical tracks, and Exilian exclusives too - that have been designed to share with you all! There are even a few light reading articles and did you know interesting reads as well. Phoenixguard09 has released an all exclusive, find the article here on Exilian two weeks - before it is posted anywhere else: Seven Stones and a Pale Shadow - A Norbayne Campaign Log. Do not forget to let us know what you think in the comments!

Tusky announced the winner of Exilian's pub quiz as: Clockwork! Congratulations to you - your award looks excellent! If you would like to take part in the next pub quiz, Tusky plans to set another one up in autumn. Feel free to participate, Exilian users and visitors, enjoyed the last quiz - we hope you will too.

We have lots to get to, please read on!

Always, make sure you: 'Enjoy your stay!'.

CONTENTS:

• Editorial
  
• Game Development
  
  
  
  • Game Development
  • The Game Is ON
  • Balbor's Tides of the Old World
  • Warcrafthero's Iazyges mod
  • New updates on Tourney
  • KurdishNomad's Prince Caspian units
• Arts & Writing
  
  
  
  • Seven Stones and a Pale Shadow – A Norbayne Campaign Log
  • Sharing My Music and Sound Effects – Over 2000 Tracks by Eric Matyas
• Miscellany
  
  
  
  • And Another Thing (Silly/Quirky News Thread)
  • Cool things on the Open Web

GAME DEV

The Game is ON

What English idiom might involve a warning sign, a gale, and a tall building? Or how about a set of four boats and a large pile of peaches? Can you work out what number to phone to get some rest at the end of a shift, or what order a set of night-time photos should go in? You can find the answers to all of these and more in the Game is ON!

In this new project from Bigosaur, creator of great games like Son of a Witch and Windmill Kings. In this new game, Boris, a confused southeastern European trying to learn English, needs your help to discover English idioms cunningly hidden through a range of quirky puzzle levels. As you play through the game you will also be able to find puzzle pieces cunningly hidden in each level, enough of which will unlock even more idiom puzzles for you to discover. Some puzzles also have tricks that allow you to complete them in more or fewer moves, which can unlock even more puzzle piece options. The Game is ON!

Game On? (Exilian Thread)

The Game is ON Steam Page

Balbor's Tides of the Old World

In this awesome new project, Balbor is working on a big new rules supplement and expansion for Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying's Second Edition, to allow players a great deal more fun and adventure on the high seas! Rather than sea travel just being a route from point A to point B, there are a great number of perils out on the ocean from sea monsters to dark elf corsairs and Lucciniese pirate companies, and different characters and their vessels may have a wide range of ways to deal with them.

The eventual project is hoped to include naval rules for all the major factions in the Warhammer world, as well as the detailed rules for naval combat which are at the heart of the game and possible later expansions to allow aerial combat and dragons to interact with the ship combat rules. If you're a WFRP player, or if you want inspiration for how to do ship combat in any other RPG setting that you favour, this project will be well worth checking out.

Set Sail! (Exilian Thread)

Warcrafthero's Iazyges mod

Yet another new project in this issue, from the old Rome Total War mod forges. A number of planned factions were cut from the original plans for Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion, notably the White Huns and the Moors - but there were also a few files left in for three additional factions: the Iazyges, Marcomanni and Quadi.

The Izayges, the easternmost of these, were a Sarmatian people with many mounted warriors who migrated west to the Danube, and fought with Rome in Trajan's wars against Dacia before a number of wars with Rome in the second and third centuries. The Marcomanni, who had a powerful kingdom in what is now Bohemia, fought against Rome in the time of Marcus Aurelius, making them the presumed enemy in the battle at the start of Gladiator: they Christianised in the fourth century but are little heard of thereafter. The Quadi, meanwhile, occupied an area somewhat southeast of the Marcomanni and were closely associated with them, and were likely among the many Germanic peopls who crossed the Danube and founded new kingdoms in the fifth century.

Warcrafthero has worked to add these factions back to the game, replacing the Burgundii, Langobards and Roxolani. They have full unit rosters and appropriate starting locations, and allow players to replay the later history of these fascinating and oft forgotten peoples. There are a number of other minor changes in this mod too including the ability for Alemanni, Celts and Saxons to become a horde and a new repurposed model for the Celtic Kerns. Click below to find out more!

Muster Your Troops... (Exilian Thread)

New Updates from Tourney

Tourney, the indie jousting sim from Tusky, continues to grow and take shape! In this game, you get to design your tournament field, host competitions - perhaps with a finger on the scales here or there - and watch as knights prosper or fail, prove their worth or slink off in embarrassment. Along the way there will be apothecaries, roast hogs, cheering peasants, jesters, shrubberies, and everything else you'd expect from a proper contest of chivalry and honour.

Recent updates have included the lovely new stables shown above, as well as a new improved armour type for knights, and a new event management menu to help you keep track of the archery, melee, and jousting contests that you set off around your tournament ground. The environment design for new levels has also begun with a hilltop castle for the Avalon location which will be revealed in the coming months, so there's tons yet to look forward too. The devlog thread also contains numerous interesting side-pontifications from our resident medievalists so if you're interested in seeing how ideas about the medieval and games fit together, or just want to watch this brilliant and very funny game come into shape, it's very well worth a look!

The Tourney Awaits... (Exilian Thread)

KurdishNomad's Prince Caspian units

Jubal's Narnia: Total War is one of the most in-depth and complete fantasy mods for Rome Total War 1.5 - and now, new Exilian member KurdishNomad has stepped in to create a new Prince Caspian Units Patch for the game. He's working to produce a more filmic experience by providing alternative unit skins and models that match those in the Prince Caspian movie. This has included a number of beautiful new creations, including not only adapted centaurs and satyrs but also fauns and even a mighty gryphon to allow the Narnians to truly rule the skies.

These epic additions will make one of the most lovingly crafted mod additions to the Rome: Total War engine even mroe beautiful, and will allow players to experience the movie-style battles and experiences far better than in any previous versions. If you're a fan of fantasy and of Total War, this is definitely one patch not to miss.

Onward, for Narnia! (Exilian Thread)

ARTS AND WRITING

Exclusive - only at Exilian: Seven Stones and a Pale Shadow - A Norbayne Campaign Log

This is session three of this brilliant series. Set in a mystical and carefully described land, there are a group of people travelling. But where to? What for? The excellent authors behind this story did not envision the direction the storyline took but were really happy with the final story " I guess part of this may be down to how the character dynamic developed in an opposite fashion in this one. In the previous two sessions, the characters were separate and then met and came together. In this game however, all three were well known to each other, and then spent most of the session pursuing their own individual goals.". Each character is described in colour and really show their true qualities amongst their otherwise tough exteriors. The authors have even hinted an opinion "As an aside, I love _______. What an absolute nightmare of a character." - can you guess which character this is?

Check out the full story here....

Exclusive - only at Exilian: Seven Stones and a Pale Shadow
- A Norbayne Campaign Log

Sharing My Music and Sound Effects - Over 2000 Tracks by Eric Matyas

There are so many different music media providers, with subscription fees and sample tracks - but Exilian's Eric Matyas will create his music and share it with you for free. From futuristic sounds to carefully pieced together clips which you can listen to and share with others. There are looped songs that you can listen to because we know you'll really enjoy these sounds. From Winter In An Alien City to Dreaming in Digital - there is absolutely something here for you. If you like the tracks, be sure to let us know in the comments below and on Eric's website!

On Eric's Fantasy 11 page:
THE LAND OF LOST HOPE – (Looping)
https://soundimage.org/fantasy-11/

On Eric's History page:
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS – (Looping)
https://soundimage.org/ancient/

And Eric's my Sci-Fi 9 page:
WINTER IN AN ALIEN CITY – (Looping)
https://soundimage.org/sci-fi-9/

Sharing My Music and Sound Effects - Over 2000 Tracks by Eric Matyas

MISCELLANY

And Another Thing (Silly / Quirky News Thread)

Across the internet, there are so many unusual stories out there. Jubal recently posted one on our "And Another Thing" (Silly/Quirky News Thread). In the digital world, security is everything. So is access to confidential data, worth...absolutely priceless amounts. On September 15th 2020, Jubal found an article about the former Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott - and how his passport number was found on the most unlikely places there are...

Did you know that a boarding pass is not only a door to your destination, but also contains data a hacker could use to identify the most sensitive data which belongs to you? Unknowingly, Tony Abbott posted his boarding pass with a caption, to Instagram for his followers. Finding data from the boarding pass, such as the booking reference: this was used to log in to manage flights etc. A hacker known as "Alex" is able to find out all of your booking details, just by accessing your boarding pass and logging into your account with the flight provider.

And please, when you are on Instagram or any other social media channel: be sure to protect your data. All it takes is one piece of information to intercept even a former Prime Minister!

And Another Thing (Silly / Quirky News Thread)

Cool things on the Open Web

Gardening is a big hobby at the moment for many people! It is a great way to get involved with nature, make a better environment for you and all kinds of animals. Here is a fantastic blog about the different varieties of flowers, creative ways to grow produce using plastic bottles, and even recipes!

If you've never really been into gardening, now is the time to get growing! No matter what space you have available, there are so many things you can plant and grow - such as herbs, flowers, even watercress for your meals!

At times when you might not know what to do, visiting this blog could unlock several ideas for you. And do not forget, Exilian has its own gardening and food forums to visit! Happy gardening!

Cool things on the Open Web

It is now Autumn, unbelievably so. We will see you soon, in Winter. We're looking forward to it, hopefully you've enjoyed the newsletter and we look forward to the next edition! Stay well!

[bigosaur]

Hi,

I updated the YouTube video. Could you please change the video in this thread to: RO19YFK3kI0

The full link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RO19YFK3kI0

Thanks.

[Jubal]

Fixed