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Why did I make this mod?


Grim Squeaker

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I was procrastinating the other day and came across a thread on GameFAQs where they were discussing mods (and for part of it, Tyris). Some of it was praise (always good for the ego) and other parts more critical (perfectly valid). I decided to register and throw in my tuppence. Not because I was offended, but I wanted to respond some of their questions and points.

 

So this is what I posted as my rationale:

 

Tyris was originally written as a fun summer project as I hadn't coded anything for a while. I'd just played Golden Axe Beast Rider (which I'd picked up for a fiver) and was having a Sega Mega Drive nostalgia trip. So basically I took the apearance from Beast Rider (as it's slightly more tasteful than *that* bikini) and wrote her backstory based around the old Mega Drive games, the cheesy 90s comics with little bits taken from Beast Rider where they didn't clash with the rest of the canon. And obviously some stuff is just made up to flesh her out (as it were).

 

I also saw it as a bit of a mission on my part. Once I'd decided it'd be fun to write her I was determined not to make her stick out like a sore thumb. While I can't say I suceeded 100% I'm happy that I managed to insert her in a reasonably credible way and not have her Mary Sue her way through the game in the manner of some half-angel, half-drow, half-dragon demi-goddess (who apparently doesn't understand fractions).

 

Now, the mod is not intended to be sexist in any way nor is it intended to be my erotic fantasy (as that would be... weird).

 

Clearly the original Golden Axe design is very much in the style of those shameless, 80s fantasy settings where all the guys are in leather pants with oiled pecs and the women leave little to the imagination. I couldn't shy away from that as it would be something completely different to what was originally there but I used the Beast Rider asthetic as at least it's a little bit more tasteful (if still rather impractical).

 

I couldn't ignore the fact that the creators wrote her to be shameless in her dress so I decided to make it her choice. She's not like that for men, she's like that for herself (just the same as people I know who like to wear corsets when they go out). She's a woman who is a shameless flirt who, for lack of a better term, knows what she likes and likes to have a bit of fun doing it. She's not intended to be submitting to the PC, a sex object or anything horrendous like that. She just, you know, likes having a good time but on her terms.

 

As for bringing in more of the Golden Axe canon, I've tried my best to insert references in dialogue where appropriate but I chose not to have a "Death Adder invades the Forgotten Realms"-style quest as I thought it would break the Bhaalspawn's story (and it is just that, the Bhaalspawn's story). I've also tried to reference the fact that she clearly doesn't spend as much effort as she should trying to get home, something that pays off in some of the ToB talks and in the "final choice"/epilogues. And yes, my sense of humour is heavily sarcastic and whimsical so bits do break through now and again.

 

So, that's it. I'll happily answer any questions or criticisms you have. I've got a thick skin so I won't be offended if you say you didn't like it, because as I said, it was my pet project to take a break from work and as a change from my other creative outlets. That said, if you enjoyed it for whatever reason, I'm glad it gave you some entertainment.

 

All the best,

 

Grim

 

Please, please, please don't go on there and bash them for anything they've said - everyone's entitled to an opinion and I've got a thick skin. I've just posted this here as I thought it was interesting.

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Grim, you are a good dude. On a bunch of levels.

 

I'm not thrilled with the starting point the folks over there have - namely, seek out the most cringe-worthy stuff and push what they feel is the most awful; but negative criticism is sometimes the most honest criticism. Or at least gives another view, which can often be useful.

 

Unfortunately, I think the standards applied for what constitutes bad in that series of threads, when applied to the professional writing, shows absolutely no CRPG characters with interactive content would pass muster. The good news is that having the attitude that "hey, this is a fun creative project - take it as you like" is a great way to view anything you post on the internet or create as a mod.

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I've ignored those threads ever since I saw them criticize Ninde for not romancing evil PCs (actually, she does) and snark something about poetry at the Haer'dalis romance before it even came out. There's a fine line between cynicism and irrationality, apparently.

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If memory serves, I first saw a link to the first of those threads on BWL's Sheena forum. What can I say, good reading - especially since BWL keeps quiet now.

 

That said, it is usually not a good idea to come there in person. No matter how thick skinned you proclaim to be, people do tend to shy down when talking to the author personally. Which in turn reduces the amount of feedback they would have otherwise produced.

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If memory serves, I first saw a link to the first of those threads on BWL's Sheena forum. What can I say, good reading - especially since BWL keeps quiet now.

 

That said, it is usually not a good idea to come there in person. No matter how thick skinned you proclaim to be, people do tend to shy down when talking to the author personally. Which in turn reduces the amount of feedback they would have otherwise produced.

 

Not sure if you mean BWL's forums or GameFAQs right there. Since Grim has been essentially nothing but respectful, rational, and more than willing to explain in great detail his reasons for doing what he did and why, we're treating him much better than we would an author who'd come in foaming at the mouth and lashing out. As for me, I've actually been lurking here for a long time, mainly keeping tabs on the Neeshka romance mod by Domi for NWN2, but it just takes me a while to actually register at new forums and insert myself into the community. While GameFAQs is indeed a huge cesspit of the Internet, the Shadows of Amn board is very civil, provided people don't start losing their minds when talking to us. It's mainly the metagame threads that devolve into a bunch of counter-arguments, but the same could be said of any tabletop-RPG forum after enough time has passed.

 

Sorry about that bit, I tend to ramble a little. I actually love the mod, I just got super distracted for like, half a year at least and now loading up the save I have absolutely no idea what to do, but fumbling around is part of the fun for me.

 

Oh, right, my first post here, nearly forgot: Hey everyone! I'll be sticking around and being more active now that I actually registered!

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There's always gonna be people complaining no matter what. Even if it was something simple like me breathing or eating vegetables, I bet there'd be a few people against it. :p

 

Anyway, I enjoy your mod. I use her in almost every game I run. :) Hope to see more mods from you in the future!

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