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Feedback for Island of Storms and Blood River Massacre

Discussion in 'Release 22 Feedback' started by Lord_Darkmoon, Sep 24, 2015.

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  1. Citizen WarmCat

    Citizen WarmCat Avatar

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    Thanks Smack! :)
     
  2. Waxillium

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    Loved the scene. Adding ore nodes, trees and cotton plants to the scene should not be too overwhelming.

    One of the notes mentions how the humans have traded the elves tools. Where are they? Being able to leave the scene with a pick axe, a hand axe, a sickle and the skinning knife would be great.

    Letting new player harvest a few of each node unmolested would be a nice introduction to gathering. It is a farm of sorts afterall. Making them not respawn so they are not camped could solve that problem.

    The two wolves were nice!

    What if Fingers suggests you look for tools to gather resources with if looting bodies is not your thing? Could replace the broken shoes and gloves in those sacks with tools. It would encourage players to examine the whole scene (not that I need encouragement exploring but some might).
     
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  3. Duke Death-Knell

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    hmmm...a few thoughts

    1) Your path should not be tied to your class.
    I manipulated my answers to get the class I wanted. If I want to follow the path of courage I should be able to no matter what class I wanted to be.
    2) oh the hypocrisy
    You touch a body and you get the warning that looting is not a good thing. OK, I'm fine with that. But you find the bard and the first thing you have to do is loot and then buy stolen goods from another looter.....really?
     
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  4. Womby

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    Hmm, perhaps an additional question?

    "Enemies have invaded your homeland, and you have been ordered by your ruler to report for training and subsequent duty in one of these three capacities: archer, swordsman or mage. Which do you choose?"
     
  5. Beaumaris

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    Loved Isle of Storms. I'm cool with the wavy grass.

    Also agree that Blood River felt like a game with its degree of interactivity. The only constructive comment I would add for Blood River is that somehow it felt....square. A big square in the starting area, broken into squares, a small square ahead to the left. And then a bigger outdoor area that also seemed kind of square (but maybe not). Maybe it is just me, but the flow of the scene didn't feel organic. The cave area by the waterfall felt different, but so different compared to the main area that I wondered if it belonged. Maybe its just me. Given the name 'River' in the scene, I was expecting more ... flow. I still enjoyed it for the reason above though.
     
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  6. Lum the Mad

    Lum the Mad Developer Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    This... isn't exactly new.



    Not everything is a simple choice.
     
  7. Drocis the Devious

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    After seeing that Gypsy video, I think Arabella should have a Hearth of Britannia cabinet with her and one of the vials should be marked "unsolicited advice". She should give this to Avatars whenever she doesn't understand something they are saying. Then the player can hold onto that vial and use it as a house decoration. :)
     
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  8. smack

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    That implies that there is a choice to leave Blood River without being forced to do this task. ;)
     
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  9. Duke Death-Knell

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    Spent a good bit of tonight checking it out. Was no other way I could find.

    And looting all the bodies gives you a heck of an advantage gold wise, which of course gives you a heck of an advantage skill wise

    seems to me the greatest virtue is greed in this game
     
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  10. Godfrey

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    I like the scene but you're right, it's somewhat gold-heavy. You can easily walk out of there with 1,000 gold if you take the time to loot every body.
     
  11. Duke Death-Knell

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    Actually I walked out with close to 1500
     
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  12. Sold and gone

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    dangit I had just over 900, I missed some lol
     
  13. Godfrey

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    I think the gold drops are random so I would assume the amount you can get is different each time.
     
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  14. Duke Death-Knell

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    new? But it adds nothing to the game and is quite antiquated. And you missed my point. My class shouldn't require me to manipulate my answers to questions that shape my characters path to the virtues. Set me on the path of truth, or courage or love but that shouldn't dictate my choice of classes. Also, as I select a mage don't spam me with spell skills I don't want. Give me another NPC who will let me select base skill set and then radio buttons to select fire/blade/polearm. So if I want to make my dwarven fighter/mage I can select bludgeon/earth/heavy armor and then the system can auto-assign the particular sub-skills.

    Lastly, in finding my path to the virtues I should NOT be forced into corruption. Smash suggested there was a different path without becoming corrupted so I tried again. I wandered around the walls looking for a weakness or gap, nada. I even died in the fire trying to get to the water. The proper beginning would give options that properly represent different virtue choices.
    Event after I got to the other side of the bridge I went back and checked out the walls trying to find something I missed, again nada.
     
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  15. Eriador

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    The only think is that the water in the waterfall of Blood River could be also red, as the river.
     
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  16. monkeyrogue

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    Ran twice. Both times maxed about the same amount (gold)....around....1590 if memory serves (this beer says it probably doesn't) but it was exactly the same each time.

    A few things I noticed. I looted the place like a bandit. Got some decorations, and LOADS of farm implements that don't...farm. Sickles, hoes, two plows (very cool) and such.

    To be more "useful" in terms of new players, I agree there should be more going on. And some of this may be in the works but I would be remiss to not say them outloud.

    Some ideas:

    • remove the spilled foods and such from the vendor area. (it won't make sense to gather resources when I can just collect the spilled vendor stuff)
    • leave survivors who need "supplies" to leave. Human AND elves would be favorable.
    • While looting...sorry...gathering...you can find farm implements and are then instructed on how to collect some local nodes for say, garlic and such to help create minor healing potions (they aren't just given to you, you literally earn them in side quests first day on the job provided you are paying attention) You use basics of alchemy to create them, you harvest the pieces to learn to identify them (finding a garlic node in-game took me WAY too long!)
    • Have some basic nodes to help the injured blacksmith piece together something to help the survivors (harvest ore, teach us how to find it).
    • Option to dispatch Fingers with something other than looted items, threat of violence, violence, sex, whatever motivates.
    • Please tie these looted "fancy" items into the game later. Yes they sell well. But I'd rather have a momento from my first day for my house (eventually) or solve a questline "you mean you found this ring....this ONE ring...(dun dun dun)"
    • Have there still be hostile humans who are hell bent on killing the surviving elves and humans and you have to defend them either with combat or conversation.
    • Undead of the slain can easily be a target within a sectioned off area so it's not just the wolves.
    • Tie those two together (undead and survivors and aggressors) and give us a "story" way to reconcile the groups to show these aggressors that the elves are not evil, they can then escort the survivors someplace after you save both groups from undead.
    • For Tamers, those of us who want to really jump right to it; give us a one-time use taming collar for the wolves to see how that works (craft it if needed as above, or given by the local animal husbandry expert and directed how to do it)
    So clearly you've got the room to make it a proper "tutorial" per traditional RPGs, if you choose to.

    I REALLY enjoyed my time in the story. I can't wait to see how it expands out.
     
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  17. monkeyrogue

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    Oh yes, the old gypsy quandary. I ADORED that in the old games. I really did.

    I want that here. It feels more organic, and I like that.

    I agree with the others however, I need to know what I am choosing in-game wise as well as it has an ENORMOUS impact both on my enjoyment of the game immediately and how well I move into the role provided.

    Let's say my wife plays, never played an Ultima game in her life (Sorry folks, they DO exist) but she loves MMOs. She gets in and this crazy lady starts in with these questions.

    First thing she asks "how do I make it melee? Do I need magic? What do I answer to get souffles?" You name it.

    My suggestion is this, first don't make it QUITE so quick. Three questions was fast.

    Secondly, I PERSONALLY preferred Ultima IV, the cards were just so much more informative. But before you do ANYTHING and explanation should be given to the player. Something like...

    "The Virtues once guided the Avatar, a hero of myth, who has saved countless worlds. An offworlder, like yourself. Perhaps it was you in another dreaming. The Virtues are the touchstones that anchor us in our behavior, they give credence to our deeds. Most importantly, they guide us on our own paths. Let us see who you are, and what will be in store for you here in this world."

    You can even have her hand you a small book. And say
    "This is the book of virtues. Or at least what we know of them today. When you are ready to begin your journey into this world let me know, I will be waiting."

    Reading the book will basically give you a break down such as

    "Compassion - Compassion is not just staying your hand in a grim battle. Compassion is giving to others even as it may hurt you. It is seeing what is within and giving possibility hope. That enemy you vanquish could someday become a trusted friend. That beggar you give a coin to may someday save your life with a well timed alert. Focus on Compassion as a Virtue leads many to have great insight into both their surroundings and the hearts of others. (These choices will generally impact your Perception.)"

    Just to give you an idea. Forwarned is forearmed. And in the old games the discovery WAS fun. I won't lie. But in an MMO, the less "wiki" searches the better and the more grounded and whole the game will feel. Besides that, God-forbid my wife should start over just to get the sword she wants. UG.
     
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  18. Lum the Mad

    Lum the Mad Developer Emeritus Dev Emeritus

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    Two brief points:

    1) next release as part of the tutorial update there will be a popup hint explaining the consequences of your choice in that interview
    2) the amount of gold you can currently loot in the Blood River tutorial is a bug. The elf bodies are not supposed to have gold.
     
  19. Duke Death-Knell

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    That's great Lum. But once again, skill set should not be tied to virtue path. The 2 are not related
     
  20. monkeyrogue

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    *keeps looting the dead* BUT THERE'S GOLD IN THEM THERE HILLS!


    Also, thank you Lum!
     
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