Hello everybody. It's been a while since I've updated this tumblr, but now that things have settled down a bit, I thought I'd talk about a few plans for PMDU's current progression, and what is up next now that A Path to the Desert is finally complete.
The current agenda is to launch PMDU's very first Dungeon exploration activity, which should be ready sometime next week. Dungeons are a definitive aspect of PMDU that we'll be utilizing and improving constantly from this point on. Here's how it works! (illustrated version coming soon)
PMDU dungeons are a prompt-based activity where artists or writers are given a randomly generated series of rooms, each potentially filled with various entities. Using the descriptions provided, members will construct their story based on the roll they get when they generate a dungeon floor using the PMDU Atlas.
This exercise will encourage members to use their imaginations to bring their team's experience to life. What kind of traps, enemies or resources will they encounter when they step into the dungeon? How will the artist or writer visualize the rooms that generate, and how will they use these prompts to create a fun and engaging story? Teams will also encounter items and resources in these dungeons that can be pooled towards long term group projects through an upcoming donation system, allowing everyone to contribute to where our adventure takes us next, and to learn more about the world of Parai.
The first Mystery Dungeon takes the form of a network of basalt caves beneath Andalusst. The threat level is low and it provides a perfect chance for new adventurers to flex their explorative muscles. Each guild will have unique side objectives to follow as well. Threat levels from the dungeon itself are minimal, but there does appear to be a squadron of militant Barboach trying to make things difficult for our heroes. They don't seem too dangerous, but may leave intruders with some nasty...suck marks? Minor bruises? This awkward opposition must be approached with caution regardless.
The dungeon path provides a way to bypass the fog, leading to a great desert far from Andalusst city. There, the trade city of Geoda awaits. Split into two sections, half of the city is built along the underside of a mighty cliff-face overhang, shielded from the sun's fierce rays, while the other half is built atop the cliff, fully exposed to the elements. The Researchers have some presence there, so it isn't entirely unfamiliar territory. Legends persist of an unseen threat that stalks the streets of Geoda at night, and due to this urban legend, the citizens rarely venture outdoors when the sun sets, spending their time reveling and contributing to lower Geoda's legendary nightlife. Somewhere within this region, a piece of Regigigas's memory lies dormant.
Once these events are underway, the PMDU team will be focusing on releasing the currently near-completed wiki as well as cleaning up some of the existing systems and visual designs. I'm looking to bring references for NPCs up to date as well as wanting to take a look at making the rules and group guidelines more clear for newer members. There is still a lot that could be done to improve the group's presentation.
News and Question Tumblr Distinction
Up until now, it's just been me (Sundance) running the PMDU tumblr. The current tumblr is rather messy - a mixture of official news and announcements and random questions and answers. I'm going to be making this tumblr a news and production blog and creating a separate tumblr for questions. NPC ask blogs may also become a thing once we have more time to dedicate to fun stuff like that.
Thank you to everyone who's stuck with us, and hopefully you continue to enjoy the upcoming content!
