I've been working on an adventure map for quite some time now with some friends of mine. We have been watching carefully the changes that have been coming around since 1.2 (about when we began the server) and we can't bet feel frustrated at the limited control that we have over the Adventure Mode.
To make it clear why we are frustrated is, I'll explain how we planned our Adventure Map. It has many many dungeons (obviously) which hold treasures and monsters. BUT we planned this as a multilayer adventure map, meaning that each dungeon can be run more than once (576 times to before they get depleted).
The latest patch, 1.4.2, however brought something which pretty much makes the entire server absolutely useless, or in other words: in adventure mode players can use tools for their respective purpose. This is our problem. The map we are making never relied on tools, we waned the players to craft, weapons, armour, even TNT but only in order to get to the higher tier of dungeons for more riches.
What my friends and I suggest is allowing more control in Adventure Mode FOR those in Adventure Mode:
*Being able to toggle on or off the crafting of specific items -OR- *Being able to toggle block destruction (though this is more limiting than the crafting limitation) -OR- Both
I am aware that the first option is harder to code but not all Adventure Mappers want the players to break things. Our dungeons are wired with tons of redstone to make elaborate traps, to summon monsters in an unpredictable manner and to protect the dungeon from griefing. Allowing players to walk around with tools and using them will render the dungeons useless. The second suggestion would allow the usage of TNT without breaking the blocks around it (I'm not sure but maybe this option is available at the moment).
*Dispensers should be lockable on/off
Players currently can just walk into a dispenser and take all of its contents out...or mine it out and take it out. We have tried placing the dispensers in impossible-to-reach places, putting them behind cobweb or vines but all those things are either hard to achieve (the placing can be impossible especially in a dungeon that twists around itself), cobweb can be burned and...well vines are destroyable and ruin the general atmosphere. This option, especially if the player CAN'T see what is inside, would be great.
*Normal chests should be lockable on/off
For Lore and RP reasons and so on, we want to put items in chests (such as books, paper) so that when the player explores he can see a chest and say "Aaah a chest, let me see what's in there! Ahaa this chest (in this dark dusty attic filled with bookshelves) has disregarded books and paper!" and then closes is and walks of. Many players would just take the loot and make maps for example. Which can be spoiling.
Here is an example dungeon screenshot. The activation plates are visible, the result is also visible. Those dispensers dispense monsters because we want the player to fight with something and we don't want to make a dark place for the game to spawn things. The pressure plates are made to be impossible to jump over so a fight is imminent. Currently after the player passes, he can clear the dispensers out and spoil the dungeon for others.
What's more, some dispensers hold treasures as well as monsters and there is a chance for either loot or monsters. We don't want players to be able to see this or take out the loot. It is just a dispenser that dispenses.
At least this is what we suggest and would like to see. I am sure that there are a lot more Adventure Mappers who would like to see these changes
EDIT:
I forgot to mention
*Custom vendor tables (more than one table)
Being able to create custom tables with trade items for the villagers. The current system is pretty good, though being able to widen or limit the items that villagers sell will help the mappers to make more custom-ish content. Allowing certain villager types to sell accordingly would be nice.
I am aware that the moding API is coming around (soonish) and that with it we will be able to make custom content for Minecraft or to make these changes for ourselves, but we don't know how it is going to work at all, so I post these suggestions here Should the API allow for the client to get the needed files upon logging in instead of downloading them manually, would be tons of ease, but the API is an entirely different matter. I just noted it to say that we (my friends and I) are aware that it may solve these and more problems.
I like the idea. It makes it more adventurish. Though I think the idea for dispensers could be a bit more variable. For example you can have a option toggle all types of mechanical blocks, that need Items in it (Dispensers, minecarts with furnaces, etc.) , so that you can or can't loot them.
To make it clear why we are frustrated is, I'll explain how we planned our Adventure Map. It has many many dungeons (obviously) which hold treasures and monsters. BUT we planned this as a multilayer adventure map, meaning that each dungeon can be run more than once (576 times to before they get depleted).
The latest patch, 1.4.2, however brought something which pretty much makes the entire server absolutely useless, or in other words: in adventure mode players can use tools for their respective purpose. This is our problem. The map we are making never relied on tools, we waned the players to craft, weapons, armour, even TNT but only in order to get to the higher tier of dungeons for more riches.
What my friends and I suggest is allowing more control in Adventure Mode FOR those in Adventure Mode:
*Being able to toggle on or off the crafting of specific items
-OR-
*Being able to toggle block destruction (though this is more limiting than the crafting limitation)
-OR-
Both
I am aware that the first option is harder to code but not all Adventure Mappers want the players to break things. Our dungeons are wired with tons of redstone to make elaborate traps, to summon monsters in an unpredictable manner and to protect the dungeon from griefing. Allowing players to walk around with tools and using them will render the dungeons useless. The second suggestion would allow the usage of TNT without breaking the blocks around it (I'm not sure but maybe this option is available at the moment).
*Dispensers should be lockable on/off
Players currently can just walk into a dispenser and take all of its contents out...or mine it out and take it out. We have tried placing the dispensers in impossible-to-reach places, putting them behind cobweb or vines but all those things are either hard to achieve (the placing can be impossible especially in a dungeon that twists around itself), cobweb can be burned and...well vines are destroyable and ruin the general atmosphere. This option, especially if the player CAN'T see what is inside, would be great.
*Normal chests should be lockable on/off
For Lore and RP reasons and so on, we want to put items in chests (such as books, paper) so that when the player explores he can see a chest and say "Aaah a chest, let me see what's in there! Ahaa this chest (in this dark dusty attic filled with bookshelves) has disregarded books and paper!" and then closes is and walks of. Many players would just take the loot and make maps for example. Which can be spoiling.
Here is an example dungeon screenshot. The activation plates are visible, the result is also visible. Those dispensers dispense monsters because we want the player to fight with something and we don't want to make a dark place for the game to spawn things. The pressure plates are made to be impossible to jump over so a fight is imminent. Currently after the player passes, he can clear the dispensers out and spoil the dungeon for others.
What's more, some dispensers hold treasures as well as monsters and there is a chance for either loot or monsters. We don't want players to be able to see this or take out the loot. It is just a dispenser that dispenses.
At least this is what we suggest and would like to see. I am sure that there are a lot more Adventure Mappers who would like to see these changes
EDIT:
I forgot to mention
*Custom vendor tables (more than one table)
Being able to create custom tables with trade items for the villagers. The current system is pretty good, though being able to widen or limit the items that villagers sell will help the mappers to make more custom-ish content. Allowing certain villager types to sell accordingly would be nice.
I am aware that the moding API is coming around (soonish) and that with it we will be able to make custom content for Minecraft or to make these changes for ourselves, but we don't know how it is going to work at all, so I post these suggestions here
See what I mean? The rest is still a good idea