Uncivilized Area
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The Uncivilized Area (often shortened to UA) is the name given to any of the rooms and areas not part of a town or an intersection.
The UA is composed of an immense, maze-like array of rooms of many different styles, in varying states of decay, interconnected with each other seemingly indefinitely, creating a maze-like world, giving meaning to the name of the world: the Mazes. The only semblance of coherence in the UA is found in the network of roads connecting Civilized Areas, which guide the Mazes' inhabitants in the right direction.
Theoretically, there is no known end to the depth of the Mazes, and there are many more unseen and unexplored roads than those depicted on the world map. Exploring outside of the known world is a dangerous and lethal endeavor.
Rooms in the UA are in a constant state of flux, making no two trips between towns and intersections the same and affecting every aspect: the room types and states of decay, the contents of each room, and even the number of rooms separating you from your next destination. There is no known explanation for this constant state of flux; the most widely-accepted theory is that an unknown chaotic force is responsible for it.
The Theoretical Science Team has theorized that the effects of the chaotic force can be repelled by settling communities and gathering people in the same area. This results in the formation of a new Civilized Area, such as a town or an intersection. A controversial theory suggests that people who live in the UA for extended periods of time may be exposed to the chaotic force, resulting in the development of mental issues and aggressive, self-destructive behavior. This theory may explain the number of hostile creatures living in the UA, but it has not been definitely proven to be true, as there are many examples of creatures that do not exhibit hostile behavior.
Contents
Traveling in the Uncivilized Area
Choosing a destination
A traveler will find themselves in the UA if they step south of any town's Gap corridor, or through an open exit in an intersection. If leaving a town, the traveler may have to choose their intended destination, depending on the number of other towns and intersections directly connected to the one they're leaving. If leaving an intersection, each open exit corresponds to a destination. Check the maps on this article or the infobox on each individual town or intersection.
- Example: When leaving Arnett, there are three possible destinations: Elkins, Semitas, and Intersection 09.
Traveling route
Right before entering the first UA room of the trip, the player will be prompted to choose between one of three (or four) traveling route options.
- Fast: The fastest route. Medium danger level, average potential loot. Sets the base distance from the next destination to 25 rooms.
- Safe: The safest path. Lowest danger level, lowest potential loot. Sets the base distance from the next destination to 30 rooms.
- Deep: The long way. Highest danger level, highest potential loot. Sets the base distance from the next destination to 35 rooms.
The GM has the possibility to offer a fourth option:
- Skip: This is a "fast travel" option, which skips the UA entirely. No loot is found, no enemies are fought, no creatures are met, no resources are expended, and no rooms are seen or explored. In exchange, the next destination is immediately reached and 1 time period passes.
Tips for Game Masters |
Skipping the Uncivilized Area takes away about half of the fun of playing MazeWorld. At the same time, I understand the usefulness of not having to deal with randomly generated rooms and potential fights standing in the way of your next destination. Therefore, instead of taking away skip travel entirely or keeping it in the hands of the player, the possibility to skip should depend on the GM instead. Here are a few suggestions on how and when to offer skips to your players:
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Room-by-room traveling
The GM must keep track of a rooms remaining until destination counter. It starts at 20, 25, or 30 depending on the selected traveling route.
Once the traveling route has been decided, the
- Room generation: GM offers three doors - left, front, right - describing only the roomstyle and decay level of each
- Players decide which door to take
- Event generation: GM generates the events inside the selected room
- GM describes contents of the room
- Players act accordingly depending on who/what is inside
- Once the room is clear, players may ask for the next doors.
- Remove 1 from the rooms remaining counter. If a shortcut or detour was taken, remove or add rooms according to the number displayed. (see below for details)
- Cycle back to the start of the list.
Room generation
To generate a room, use the &roomstyle command. All that's needed is to roll it three times, once for each door, then show the results to the players.
Room generation will randomly generate two elements: Roomstyle and either a Shortcut/Detour or a Decay level depending on the roomstyle generated.
- The roomstyle is the overall appearance of the room. There are two broad families: roads (mostly empty rooms which have a chance of spawning shortcuts or detours but generally do not possess cover) and furnished rooms (abandoned versions of various room types seen in Civilized Areas, which have a decay level,
- Roads are mostly empty rooms with no furniture. Roads have a chance of possessing shortcuts and detours. If a shortcut is present, it is always at the front door, whereas if a detour is present, it is always at the left door. Overall, there is a 32% chance to roll a road roomstyle, with equal chances between each style.
- Furnished rooms are abandoned versions of various room types seen in the Civilized Areas. They have a decay level, which influences the chance of finding additional loot, mushrooms, functional powered room furniture such as radios or TVs, or even whether the room gets lights on at all. Overall, there is a 68% chance to roll a furnished roomstyle, with equal chances between each combination of individual style and decay level.
Shortcuts and Detours are affixed with a number representing the number of rooms skipped or added. For example, taking the door with a Shortcut 3 (-3) will remove an additional 3 rooms from the rooms remaining counter. A Detour 1 (+1) would add an additional room, canceling out the -1 normally received from passing a door, and effectively adding 0 to the rooms remaining counter.
Decay levels represent the state of disrepair of the room. Low decay levels improve the chances of finding roomstyle-specific loot (if applicable, see the section below). High decay levels improve the chances of finding mushrooms. Powered furniture refers to radios and TVs.
- Decay level 0 - Deserted: Lights are on, powered furniture is functional, 100% chance of finding extra loot, 0% chance of finding 1 bundle of mushrooms (&marisa)
- Decay level 1 - Abandoned: Lights are on, powered furniture is functional, 25% chance of finding extra loot (roll 1d4-3, loot is present on a 1 or more), 0% chance of finding 1 bundle of mushrooms (&marisa)
- Decay level 2 - Disaffected: Lights are on, powered furniture is broken, 25% chance of finding extra loot (roll 1d4-3, loot is present on a 1 or more), 0% chance of finding 1 bundle of mushrooms (&marisa)
- Decay level 3 - Overgrown: Lights are on, powered furniture is broken, 25% chance of finding extra loot (roll 1d4-3, loot is present on a 1 or more), 25% chance of finding 1 bundle of mushrooms (&marisa; roll 1d4-3, mushroom bundle present on a 1 or more)
- Decay level 4 - Blackout: Lights are OFF (Environmental blindness), powered furniture is broken, 25% chance of finding extra loot (roll 1d4-3, loot is present on a 1 or more), 100% chance of finding 1 bundle of mushrooms (&marisa)
Table of roomstyles
Roads
Roomstyle | Element | Extra loot / Furniture |
---|---|---|
Pathway | Shortcut -1 | None |
Roadway | Shortcut -2 | None |
Causeway | Shortcut -3 | None |
Highway | Shortcut -4 | None |
Byway | Detour -1 | None |
Sideway | Detour -2 | None |
Thruway | Detour -3 | None |
Subway | Detour -4 | None |
Furnished rooms
Roomstyle | Element | Extra loot / Furniture |
---|---|---|
Archive room | Decay level | 1d4 &stuff |
Armory | Decay level | 1 &wpn-firearm, random condition and ammunition |
Bar room | Decay level | 1d2 &food, radio |
Bar sitting area | Decay level | 1 &food |
Bedroom | Decay level | Bed, 1 random container |
Break room | Decay level | 1d2 &stuff, television |
Bunk beds room | Decay level | Beds |
Casino table room | Decay level | None |
Classroom | Decay level | 1d2 &stuff, 1d3 books |
Computer room | Decay level | 1 &stuff |
Dojo training floor | Decay level | 1 &wpn-melee, random condition and ammunition |
Dumpster room | Decay level | 4 &stuff |
Factory machine room | Decay level | 1d10x50 grams of &ore |
Forge room | Decay level | 1 &wpn-melee, random condition and ammunition |
Hospital bedroom | Decay level | 1 &meds |
Kitchen | Decay level | 1d2 &food |
Lab room | Decay level | 1d2 books |
Laundry room | Decay level | 1d2 &wear |
Library room | Decay level | 1d8 books |
Light farm room | Decay level | 1 &food |
Lobby room | Decay level | 1d3 &stuff |
Locker room | Decay level | 1d3 lockers |
Maintenance shaft | Decay level | None |
Mess hall | Decay level | None |
Office | Decay level | 1d4 &stuff |
Pantry | Decay level | 1d3 &food |
Pole-dancing room | Decay level | None |
Reading room | Decay level | 1d4 books |
Scullery | Decay level | Sink |
Sewer section | Decay level | None |
Shower room | Decay level | Shower |
Storage room | Decay level | 1d2 containers |
Toilets | Decay level | Sink, Toilets |
Workshop room | Decay level | 1 &crafting |