I wanted to do something different for the Blacksmith Feature and discuss not one particular scenario, but the works of one of my favourite designers, Crasher. Crasher was a past member of the now inactive Dragon Gaming Design Network (or DGDN for short) and was active from around the early to mid-2000s. Few designers during this time had the mind to combine atmosphere, map design and storytelling all into one complimentary blend, but Crasher was not only able to achieve this skilfully but in a way that was meditative and soulful too. His story writing drew upon a layer of depth I had not seen in many other scenarios before, while his fantasy-based designs were inspired and highly-entertaining. If there is any mark to put to his designing, it was that it often lacked the extra ingredient or layer of polish that would have seen it achieve higher acclaim. Perhaps it was more to do with his style of alternative over grand epics, or that he never truly built into a major scenario, seemingly preferring side projects such as contest entries and cut-scenes instead. Nevertheless, his best work presented well-crafted maps enriched with atmosphere and designed to a level of detail that generally brought out the best of what the editor had to offer at the time.

Crasher's Pretty Town Contest entries, A Lost World and my personal favourite A Different World, were seemingly years ahead of their time both in aesthetic appeal and craft. They each conveyed the mood and atmosphere of desolate island communities in a way that left a lasting impression with the haunting soundtracks and well-written prose to match. These are a must view for any map design enthusiast.



Then there's the fan favourite Attack at Dawn, which is a relatively modest yet immensely enjoyable classic B&D scenario with an RPG twist. Slangam, a powerful warlord from the north, is invading the valley and the small village of Akuror stands in its way. Led by three able warriors, you must prepare to make your stand. Being one of the first scenarios I ever downloaded, Attack at Dawn gripped me from the very start with its fantasy-inspired world and intriguing map design that invites you to go exploring.



Perhaps you have a taste for the theatrical? Then Immortal Prey will not only intrigue you but whet your appetite with its multi-layered story of mystery and betrayal. This cinematic scenario was in fact a prelude to a larger campaign that was never released, although having talked to crasher over the last year he still swears he'll finish it one day! It does however provide a worthwhile 15 minutes of entertainment in what is undoubtedly one of the best cinematic scenarios at the Blacksmith.



Enter the fantastical world of crasher's designs here:

A Different World ~ Rated 4.2 | A Lost World ~ Rated 4.0 | Attack at Dawn ~ Rated 4.8 | Immortal Prey ~ Eye of the Beholder ~ Rated 4.7

[This message has been edited by Mash (edited 06-27-2018 @ 04:22 PM).]