Venery Guide

Dreasimy's Guide to Creating a Venery

Venery is my favorite test ever. Here is a guide about how I set them up.

Step 1: Get the test at U Thought, you need to be level 12.

Step 2: Build your Gathering Point (often put near a CS or other convenient location for your players to find) it requires: Built in a Small Construction Site (1 Canvas, 4 Rope).

• 100 Boards
• 250 Papyrus Paper

Step 3: Build 7 Lockboxes (assuming you want to pass the principles for the test). Each lockbox requires: Made in a Forge (2 minutes to cool)

• 1 Gold Wire
• 2 Small Gears
• 1 Fine Glass Rod
• 1 Copper
• 1 Cut Amethyst:Eyelet
• 1 Cut Lapis:Eyelet
• 1 Cut Turquoise:Eyelet
• 1 Cut Garnet:Eyelet

Step 4: If you haven't already, write the content of your venery, it should have as many 'parts' as lockboxes. (I highly suggest you spellcheck this!) Please note one of the lockboxes will be on your Gathering Point and its 'Part' will be the wrap up at the end of the venery requiring all keys and the first hint directing them to the first location and key, no keys will be found here.

Step 5: Install a lockbox on your Gathering Point by clicking the Gathering Point, Click TESTS, click Install a Lockbox.

Step 6: Create your (6) Keys. You can number them but it's more fun to give them names that reflect your content, such as "Dead Pharaoh's Key". (Click gathering point, click configure, click keys.) Note you will only need 6 keys if you are using 7 lockboxes in the format I'm describing here. If you are using more or less lockboxes totaling N then you need N-1 Keys.

Step 7: Configure the lockbox (click gathering point, click Tests, click The Venery, Configure Lockbox) tell this lockbox to require all the keys by putting an X in each square next to the keys' names.

Step 8: Write a HINT (click gathering point, click Tests, click The Venery, click Write a Hint) The hint should be the first installment of your content and direct them to the next location.

Step 9: We will come back to this Gathering Point at the end, for now let's move to your next location. Once there you will install a lockbox (BEWARE of putting lockboxes in non-permanent structures such as other people's sculptures that could be torn down).

Step 10: Hide a Key (Click object, click Tests, Click The Venery, Click Hide a Key and select your first key.)

Step 11: Write a CLUE (not a hint.) The clue should accomplish a couple of things: They should know they found the right place and it should direct them to the next location.

Step 12: Time for the next location, go there and install another lockbox. (Object>Tests>Venery>Install a Lockbox)

Step 13: Hide your Next key in this new lockbox (Object>Tests>Venery>Hide a Key)

Step 14: Write a CLUE (Object>Tests>Venery>Write a Clue) The clue should again let them know they found the right place and direct them to the next location.

Step 15: Write a HINT (Object>Tests>Venery>Write a Hint) The purpose of the hint is to direct them back one location in case they showed up here without the key from the previous spot (you may want to make it more explicit here as they are obviously lost). i.e. "Oh dear, you seem to be missing a key. Did you forget to look for the (insert name of your previous lockbox location here)? Maybe it would help if you looked near the (insert more explicit hint here)"

Step 16: Configure Lockbox (Object>Tests>Venery>Configure Lockbox) Put an X next to the Key(s) for the lockboxes before the one hidden in this lockbox.

Step 17: Now we are going to repeat Steps 12-16 for your next 4 lockboxes, do this now! :)

Step 18: We are back at the Venery Gathering Point where you should have already configured the lockbox to require ALL keys, and written a hint to direct them at the beginning of the venery. Now you need to write your completion text as a CLUE. (Gathering Point>Tests>Venery>Write a Clue) This is the wrap up of your content, and congratulating them for completing it. You can also remind them to click the gathering point again to judge.

Step 19: Finally now that you have all your venery mapped out, set the Welcome Text. I usually include how long someone can expect it to take and how far they can expect to run i.e. "This venery should take no longer than 1 hour and you will not have to run further than 1000 coords from this spot.)

Step 20: Name this Venery (Gathering Point>Configure>Name this Venery) Give your venery a cool name!

Step 21: Set the Allowed Time (Gathering Point>Configure>Set the Allowed Time) Most have no time limit but you can set one, if you want to. Drawbacks are, some people have to go afk in the middle of your venery and if they have to start over they might just say forget it.

Step 22: Compile an Overview (Gathering Point>Configure>Comple an Overview) I would compile an overview, click clipboard, paste it into a word-type program and print it out.

Step 23: Open the Venery for Designers (Gathering Point>Configure>Open the Venery for Designers) Now you can play your venery as a tester. Keep your overview that you printed out in step 22 handy. Make notes about things you want to change.

Step 24: Once you are satisfied with your venery Open the Venery to the Public (Gathering Point>Configure>Open the Venery to the Public) and put the location on the Test of the Venery page and let everyone know it's open!