1. Crypt/catacomb rooms and hallways So players can construct their own crypts. We currently have a couple of rooms suitable for this, but what you want to allow players is a variety of different types of hallways, so that the catacombs can turn into a maze-like structure, where a player might seek out a corpse that has a treasure. So for instance, we had this in the Ultima games like U6 and U8, where there was very little of what you would call "rooms." Generally just a maze like set of hallways and passageways, some stone vaulted, some natural caverns. Variety of different types of hallways will make player construction more interesting. The less monotony, the better. This is a good way to add an underground area in a POT and have it serve a role-playing purpose for player-made quests. - a. Stone hallways with niches One example is pictured above in the U8 screenshot. This was typical of catacombs, the niches used to store remains and referred to as 'loculi.' This will generally mean narrow hallways with niches on each side. It can be two stacked, like in that case, or three or more, or just even one. The player who constructs the crypts will carefully fill the niches with objects of interest, including skeletal remains (the lying skeleton can be painfully purchased in packs of skeletons with other poses). Other players will then be sent on a quest will hunt down a particular alcove to find remains, or a chest, or other object. - b. Cavern passageways with niches A crypt may be entirely be made as cavern passageways, or might be stone hallways connected to cavern passages. True caverns made as crypts in this form are generally called hypogeums. ' - c. Stone hallways with alcoves A slightly different style than the 'niches', but serves the same purpose. An alcove in these terms would be small embedded rooms along the passage which could hold a tomb, coffin, altar, or other device. This can be a full room from the ground level, or a raised room inset in the wall, or two alcoves, similar to niches but with more space. - d. Cavern passageways with alcoves Same concept but in a cavern/hypogeum form. - e. Ossuary passageways These would be passageways with the walls lined with skulls and other bones. They might be plain passages, or have niches or alcoves as well. - e. Stairs hallways These would be long hallways with a decline and stairs, so players can avoid using rooms to shift between levels. - e. Stone ambulatory hallways An ambulatory would be a hallway piece that curves completely around, allowing the connected hallway to go back in the same direction. This would serve purposes lacking in the current 'intersection' hallways. This could be formally called a 'Intersection U' to match the current pattern. Ambulatories are common in crypts that are beneath churches. The ambulatory walls could also have niches or alcoves. - e. Stone 'ambulatory' stairwell pieces A stairwell passage that it is ambulatory in the sense that these can be connected and stacked. So, for instance, you would have one small 'u', then connect it to a facing 'u' on the next level, and to another facing 'u' on the next level, etc. Each level of the stairwell could even have a side-exit into other rooms, so the stairwell could be a centerpiece to a dungeon, and keep going down levels, while still providing exits on every level. It would be good to create these as separate pieces, both because of their flexibility in allowing players to go up and down, and also because it avoids players having to use rooms, although there could technically also exist rooms with central stairwells that serve the same purpose, though I think those would be more difficult to construct. 2. Sewer rooms and halways So players can construct their own sewers like the ones in game. Also a good way to add an underground area in a POT and have it serve a role-playing purpose for player-made quests. - a. Stone sewer hallways with stream Perhaps the most necessary component, stone arched hallways with a running stream through the center. - b. Sewer 'foyer' rooms A central room in which different sewer passages connect. the streams can be at ground level, or there can be a large cistern pool with a bridge. - c. Stone sewer side passageways These would be very narrow side passages that are absent any stream but may have a fetid stench and water dripping from the stones. - d. Stone cistern passageways These would be filled halfway with water, so that the only way through them would be to swim. 3. Grotto rooms and hallways These would be natural style cave passages, but with streams and water, such as a cavernous grotto which would exit for instance to the sea, a river, or to a lake. Also a good way to add an underground area in a POT and have it serve a role-playing purpose for player-made quests. - a. Cavern grotto passageways with low stream These would be natural cavernous passageways filled with a low stream of water. - b. Cavern grotto passageways with high stream These would be similar, but swimmable. - c. Cavern grotto passageways with full stream This is for whenever diving would be in the game. Players would have to swim underwater, because the water would be so high that you couldn't stay on the water surface, except maybe for air, if at all. - d. Cavern grotto high-water foyer entry These would be entryways where you would have to swim in order to get to adjacent passages. There would be a sun-lit passage showing the exit. - e. Cavern grotto rocky foyer entry An entryway where the outside stream of water gives way to rocks. - f. Cavern grotto sandy foyer entry An entryway where the outside stream of water gives way to sandy beach inside of a cavern - f. Mossy cavern passages and rooms Cavern passages growing with vegetation and dripping water. This would give nice atmosphere to certain parts of caves and grottoes. The rooms might include an underground grotto pool. 4. Cellar rooms and hallways These would be building player cellars (or cellars connected to other types of dungeons). This could certainly be shared with the crypt set but could also be distinct. These could either be cellars for liquors like wine, or they could be fashioned into libraries, for instance. Also a good way to add an underground area in a POT and have it serve a role-playing purpose for player-made quests. - a. Stone/brick cellar hallways With or without alcoves. The alcoves could either be used for wineracks, or they could even be used to hold bookshelves or scrollshelves, so a cellar can be adapted into an underground library. - b. Stone/brick center room A small center room which would connect to passageways. - c. Stone/brick side room A small side room, perhaps for tasting and dining, or in a library, set as a reading room. - d. Stone/brick large room Think: tavern. - e. Stone/brick 'library' foyer room. Think some wide, grand entrance to a cellar library, something like this, 4. Cavern rooms and hallways These would be cavernous rooms. Also a good way to add an underground area in a POT and have it serve a role-playing purpose for player-made quests. - a. Pillared cavern entry 'foyer'. This would be a rocky cavern entrance with stone pillars one could walk around. This setup would be good for combat, including PvP, and give a feel for natural exploration. - b. Cavern stalagmite passages Passageways filled with natural stalagmites and stalactites.
Niaca's Cueva de los Cristales ( Cave of the Crystals ) We also need a small/medium basement foyer with a secret door exit and one with a breakable wall exit. The premise for them being either someone is hiding a secret lair, someone unknowingly inherits a house with a basement that has a terrible secret, or something has burrowed into a basement from underneath giving letting the terrors below prey on those entering the basement.
@ErikRulez Yea crystal cave passages would be cool! Only downside is if we can't harvest the crystals because of game balance reasons.
if you try to harvest the crystals a swarm of novian environmentalists come and smack you with signs every time you start mining.