Just how long is too long? Traveling through fields.

[Libby]

I have two fields at my current progress in my Dreams game, and I have placed restrictions on the characters for where they can travel at this current stage. One of the big things is that I have a balloon depot in my main town as a means of "Hey, you can use me, just not now, you arn't old enough, come back with a parent." Meaning you have to have a specific character in your party to do so.

However, part of the plot calls that you travel to a winter-based island through an underground cavern with all the fun, mystical stuff. I'm pretty much making a cavern that goes down about three floors, warps to another dungeon on the winter map, and then goes up three floors. My question is...how long is too long for your possibly third/fourth dungeon? With the bland atmosphere of the dungeons, I don't want to have my players giving up on the first few floors.


Another issue I am having concerns the previously mentioned mode of Balloon traveling. Your main character is 14, named Gretchan for easier explaination, therefor not old enought to go traveling the world by herself (yet strangely old enough to risk life and limb at the local ruins chasing a fairytale to save daddy.) AAANNYways. Later in this installment of the game, she does have the ability to travel once she gets older characters in her party (i.e. Takara). First, how would I set it up (without using another NPC) so that she wouldn't be able to use the balloons without using an event and not opening up the balloon?

Also, once Gretchan does get Takara or any adult in her party, what would be an example variable string to get rid of previously mentioned inability to use the balloon system. Is there also a way to add places onto the ballooning list once you want them to become avalible, or is gold the only way you really can do this?

(I know I could just warp them there, but that takes a good chunk of the adventuring feel out for me. Plus I hate that warping spin. :P)

[Drazus]

Re: Just how long is too long? Traveling through fields.

Yeah, you modify the balloon travel events. They're static with no way to change them. So, you can't make the selection or availability change by adding party members or modifying variables.

You COULD just do the event blockade, set up some events that'd prevent a person from using a balloon. Also, you could set up the depots so they're blocked by some visible events, that are removed later.

[Commander Obi-Wan]

Re: Just how long is too long? Traveling through fields.

How about you just make the fields more exciting?

[hitogoroshi]

Re: Just how long is too long? Traveling through fields.

First: Do the fields have random encounters? If so, you need quite a short distance to avoid boredom. Otherwise, just make it something you can stand to go through (if it's a maze, get the opinon of someone who DOESN'T know the right path.)

Also, for the whole balloon thing, you'll have to put some kind of event blocking the way to the baloon depot until you obtain an adult, then get rid of it. Use "Display off" to make it disappear entirely, otherwise, a mode change to allow you in.

As for change the selection, the only way I can think of is having to go from town to town on some sort of balloon route, not directly to your destanation. Two depots in each town, one sending you forward, and one back. Then, simply make it so the balloon going forward in each town is blocked until you're allowed to go.