Annoyed with the Tent!

I wish to express my annoyance with the tent that Decimus gave me after I warned the garrisons. According to the walkthrough I use, when I use the tent I should gain all my health points back. This works fine...however according to the walkthrough I should be able to use the tent anytime there are no creatures on screen. Several times now I have tried to use the tent when I saw no enemies around...once even while I was in a secret area I found with my pathfinding skill (there were definitely no creatures anywhere near me then).Yet when I try to use the tent I am given a warning that I should not sleep when there are agressive creatures close by. My excitement that I had when I first got the tent is fastly fleeting. I dreamed of saving lots of health potions, but now it seems the only place I am able to use the blasted thing is when I've killed every last creature in the area! Argh.... > :redface:

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OW! Argh. Ooh. Stupid pothole! Don't worry head, the computer will do our thinking now!
-Homer Simpson-

Hey, the only places you can use the tent are places where there are no creatures around.
You do not need to kill everything to use it. For example, use it at the Learning tree but not at a town.

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Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
however according to the walkthrough I should be able to use the tent anytime there are no creatures on screen. ... I dreamed of saving lots of health potions, but now it seems the only place I am able to use the blasted thing is when I've killed every last creature in the area!

This is correct. "No creatures on the screen" does not mean "no creatures in sight."

You must have the entire screen empty of hostile creatures in order to use the tent.

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I'm still kind of confused on this one, too... by "screen", do they mean within the bounds of the area currently on the playing screen -- visible or not -- or do they mean the whole map square?

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Yelled at the almost-dead monsters:
Hey! Come back here with my experience points!

They mean the whole map square. Even if all of the creatures are across a river, you will not be able to use the tent because of them. Bad limitation, but it really is a nice item to have 🙂

MickyBIs

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Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
I wish to express my annoyance with the tent that Decimus gave me after I warned the garrisons. I dreamed of saving lots of health potions, but now it seems the only place I am able to use the blasted thing is when I've killed every last creature in the area! Argh.... > :redface:

If you are that annoyed with it, take it back to Gen. Decimus and ask for a new one. 😄 Now really, it's a gift, and possibly the most valuable piece of equipment you will ever own in this game. You will save hundreds of health potions before you are through. But as in any battle, you've got to defeat the foes before you can take a rest. I can't see where you have anything to complain about. ~RD

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
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Find those areas you missed the first time around. You'll want to explore those hidden areas now made accessible with Spells Expander.

Quote

Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**Now really, it's a gift, and possibly the most valuable piece of equipment you will ever own in this game. You will save hundreds of health potions before you are through. But as in any battle, you've got to defeat the foes before you can take a rest. I can't see where you have anything to complain about. ~RD

**

You're right, it is a gift so I shouldn't complain that much. It's not like I shelled out thousands of gold pieces for it. I am just annoyed because it doesn't live up to my expectations. When I read on the walkthrough that I would receive this item I was excited, but now its usefulness seems to be lacking in my mind. Sure it will save me some money by not having to go to the Inn when I am in town, but its practicality in battle isn't apparent to me. It is of course logical to me that I should not take a nap whenever there are creatures around. I just think that the parameters to which "around" is defined are a bit too much. I have to kill every creature on the screen, even if there is absolutely no way they can come attack me (ie: they are across a river with no bridge), just so I can heal myself all the way up once? It doesn't seem that useful to me, but maybe I'm just blind.

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OW! Argh. Ooh. Stupid pothole! Don't worry head, the computer will do our thinking now!
-Homer Simpson-

Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
When I read on the walkthrough that I would receive this item I was excited, but now its usefulness seems to be lacking in my mind. Sure it will save me some money by not having to go to the Inn when I am in town, but its practicality in battle isn't apparent to me. It is of course logical to me that I should not take a nap whenever there are creatures around. I just think that the parameters to which "around" is defined are a bit too much. I have to kill every creature on the screen, even if there is absolutely no way they can come attack me (ie: they are across a river with no bridge), just so I can heal myself all the way up once? It doesn't seem that useful to me, but maybe I'm just blind.

Outdoors, it is perhaps of limited usefulness, though when you're far away from the nearest town it can be very handy. The "enemies on the other side of the river" is annoying, I'll admit, but I can't think offhand of any way that it could easily be coded around. It has always seemed to me that the number of maps that never have this problem is rather greater than the number that do.

Personally, I'd argue that the tent's greatest use is when you're underground in dangerous caverns. (I'm sure you can think of a few. 🙂 ) The caves are smaller than the outdoor areas, hence easier to clear, and the enemies are powerful enough that it's worthwhile to kill them all for the XP they give. Not to mention, once you've killed them all, you probably need the rest. 🙂

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I don't know what I'm talking about.
Oh no, here comes another learning experience.
Oderint dum metuant?

The tent is also a useful item in a "not intended to be used quite this way" fashion: it's a monster detector. Try using the tent: if you can't use it, there are still monsters on the map board. If you can, the board is clear.

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Yelled at the almost-dead monsters:
Hey! Come back here with my experience points!

Quote

Originally posted by Axe:
**The tent is also a useful item in a "not intended to be used quite this way" fashion: it's a monster detector. Try using the tent: if you can't use it, there are still monsters on the map board. If you can, the board is clear.
**

Or, if you've gained the Awareness skill, you can just look for red dots on the map.
🙂

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OW! Argh. Ooh. Stupid pothole! Don't worry head, the computer will do our thinking now!
-Homer Simpson-

Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
Or, if you've gained the Awareness skill, you can just look for red dots on the map.

Assuming of course that you have explored the entire map first and thus removed the fog of war.

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Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
Or, if you've gained the Awareness skill, you can just look for red dots on the map.
🙂

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Originally posted by Stark Bledfast:
Assuming of course that you have explored the entire map first and thus removed the fog of war.

Except for the four squares which have hidden creatures which are inaccessible in the standard game and Trinity plug-in. The only present way for a player to explore the whole map in these four squares is to use a conjurer with the Relocate spell. In the square with Gewin, the Herbalist, for instance, there are two creatures hiding deep in the forest with no path leading to them. They can't get out, you can't get to them, but with Trinity loaded they are always there. Also in the square with the ogre campfire, or the square with the river portals and trolls, try using your tent when everything in sight has been killed. No red dots, no tent safety. 🙂 ~RD

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
Find those areas you missed the first time around. You'll want to explore those hidden areas now made accessible with Spells Expander.

Quote

Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
In the square with Gewin, the Herbalist, for instance, there are two creatures hiding deep in the forest with no path leading to them. They can't get out, you can't get to them, but with Trinity loaded they are always there.

That's not entirely accurate...

Try entering the map northwest of this "blocked area," and walk along the tree line. There is a hidden path into the trees and you can get to them. 🙂

(btw, I discovered this when I was running around looking for a flippin' piece of parchment!)

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Quote

Originally posted by Stark Bledfast:
That's not entirely accurate...

I'm sorry Stark, that information is accurate for any plug-in now released. The path you took was carefully cleared for a plug-in which has not been released yet. (Hmmm......what is RD talking about?) 😄 As far as entering this map from the northwest, you can't get there either without SE's Relocate. You have the skills, try it without the un-named plug-in. Remember to bring your machete because the undergrowth is thick.

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
Find those areas you missed the first time around. You'll want to explore those hidden areas now made accessible with Spells Expander.

Quote

Originally posted by Rubber Ducky:
**I'm sorry Stark, that information is accurate for any plug-in now released. The path you took was carefully cleared for a plug-in which has not been released yet. (Hmmm......what is RD talking about?):D As far as entering this map from the northwest, you can't get there either without SE's Relocate. You have the skills, try it without the un-named plug-in. Remember to bring your machete because the undergrowth is thick. **

Really? Woops. 😄

Oh, and incidentally, I don't need SE's relocate. I've got dev. 🙂

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Okay, just as my grievances with the tent had pretty much subsided,I became enraged once more when I tried to use my tent on the same screen as Berglum. I was given a message that I didn't feel comfortable camping that close to town. I understand the logical thought behind not camping when critters are about, but why can't I camp near a town? Are they afraid I might be seen by the townspeople when I am changing into my pajamas?

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OW! Argh. Ooh. Stupid pothole! Don't worry head, the computer will do our thinking now!
-Homer Simpson-

Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
**Okay, just as my grievances with the tent had pretty much subsided,I became enraged once more when I tried to use my tent on the same screen as Berglum. I was given a message that I didn't feel comfortable camping that close to town. I understand the logical thought behind not camping when critters are about, but why can't I camp near a town? Are they afraid I might be seen by the townspeople when I am changing into my pajamas?
**

The only 'logic' here is the town ordinance passed to benefit the local merchants who want your money when you stay at the Inn like civilized folk are expected to do. You can't set up your tent in any square which has a town including Dernath which does not boast of an Inn. So be it, rules is rules.

If you're in need of a jump-start to you battery in Berglum, go talk to the lady who needs some furniture moved. She'll give you a nice Elven bed to sleep in while her husband is off hunting ookwasps to be able to afford her expensive tastes in furniture. Of course, you only get invited in once because you probably misbehaved on the first visit.

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My Doctor said I was having too much wine, women, and song - so I gave up singing because 2 out of 3 is not so bad.
The (url="http://"http://www.evula.org/rduck/")Kingdom of Garendall(/url) sectional map is easily printed from gif format pages.
Find those areas you missed the first time around. You'll want to explore those hidden areas now made accessible with Spells Expander.

Quote

Originally posted by jwhite82:
**Okay, just as my grievances with the tent had pretty much subsided,I became enraged once more when I tried to use my tent on the same screen as Berglum. I was given a message that I didn't feel comfortable camping that close to town. I understand the logical thought behind not camping when critters are about, but why can't I camp near a town? Are they afraid I might be seen by the townspeople when I am changing into my pajamas?
**

Also, depending on how much you have explored, there is a tunnel entrance in a location with no monsters and not near a town. I will often pop over there on my way from one tunnel entrance to another for a quick snooze.

RBD

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Quote

Originally posted by RedBadDaddy:
Also, depending on how much you have explored, there is a tunnel entrance in a location with no monsters and not near a town. I will often pop over there on my way from one tunnel entrance to another for a quick snooze.

Very true. But you must have first visited that location before you can use the tunnels to go to it.

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Quote

Originally posted by RedBadDaddy:
**Also, depending on how much you have explored, there is a tunnel entrance in a location with no monsters and not near a town.

RBD

**

Ah, you are quite right sir...my hat is off to you.

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OW! Argh. Ooh. Stupid pothole! Don't worry head, the computer will do our thinking now!
-Homer Simpson-