About the "This is totally not an exclamation point over their heads" thing

It's totally an exclamation point over their head... by function. And I kind of feel you're going against your own values with this. I can't imagine Richard Garriott being too pleased by this change.

I actually see the benefit of it but I can't help but feel like the game lost something by enabling us to see where the quests are... there are WAY more quests in the game that I thought there were.

I know this feature is optional and whatnot but how about a cleaner solution.... like making every NPC able to direct you to a quest?

If you put a piano into the game, you better make it so that the player can play it, right? So if you put an NPC in the game, might want to write some dialogue that'll direct the player to another NPC that actually has a quest. That way, finding a quest is just about talking to ANY NPC you might see... and not about hunting that one particular NPC.

Have those NPCs comment on the quest if you've already completed said quest. They don't need to direct you to another quest. They just need to direct you to A quest.

Maybe through the rumours option? "Oh, I heard you did this favour for so and so! Good job!" or "Hey, I heard that so and so is having relationship problems... what's that all about?"

 

I know some people rail against what they see as "hand holding" but I actually like a hint. I hope the NPC wave thing works out, because it sounds like exactly what is needed.

 

@Alley Oop I know why they did it the way they did, I'm suggesting that they're attacking the problem from the wrong angle: Don't try to make quest NPCs attract players, instead make every NPC direct the players to the quest NPCs.

What you want to teach your players is that talking to NPCs is worth their time.

That's not my point, though.

 

I disagree @Gix . I think having blue glow is both different/better than ''!'' and better than nothing, for the game overall, if the 'wave' isn't complete by launch (or possible client-side).

In one sense, glow already exists for nodes and nobody has complained about that as far as I know.

I think quest notifications like blue glow should be default setting, and able to be turned off for those elites who prefer it off.

And maybe ditch the 'blue'. People didn't like the 'yellow' glow of enchanted armor, and I was one of them. A light, colorless glow for all glowing things.

 

@jammaplaya I don't think you understand what I'm trying to say...

 

That is called writing. Given they have not even managed to write all the major storyline of the game yet, and they have established consumer release is when this is written, how could they possibly have the time to go thru and have every NPC know everything about every other NPC and where they are likely to be? This can also only be done after the quests are done so the NPC know where to send you based on your quests flagged. Even if they just did rumours with bartenders and guards that is still lots of conversation trees. The blue glow is the punt so they do not have to do that, even though that writing requires no new tech. I said as much in the prior thread, dunno why you felt the need to start another thread, especially since the other thread already had devs comments.

 

This thread has already happened, and LB himself replied to it.

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...tally-not-an-”-or-quest-markers-must-go.80908

 

I don't read the "quest and lore" section because this is about R39 and my point isn't specifically about the quests themselves.

I'm not asking them to write unique dialogue for every NPC out there. It can be just as generic as that blue glow we currently have; the difference is how it functions to get similar results: to get people to find quest NPCs.

 

The dialogue has to be unique, you cannot just have the NPC say so and so shopkeeper has a quest, let me put an arrow on your map/compass like Skyrim, you instead have to say here is how you find that shop from here if you actually want to direct PC to NPC quests. "They are in the southeast section of town, take the bridge across the river, they work upstairs in the 2nd row house in the 2nd alley along the main road along the river". Obviously this is things guards and barkeeps should know, but it is a lot of work especially if NPCs are not stationary like Morrowind was, because then you have to qualify the response with time of day NPC schedules - where do they live, what tavern do they eat/drink?

 

Wait... you honestly believe that the current dialogue in SotA is that accurate when it comes to giving out directions?

If they make generic dialogue, they can later come back to it and rewrite them. They're essentially doing the same thing by un-cloning towns at the moment. Why can't they do that with written dialogue?

You let that blue glow stay, it doesn't matter in what form it takes... a wave emote or a giant "!" above their heads, the entire premise of SotA is screwed. I don't mind the "wave" emote that Richard Garriott is talking about but it doesn't really solve anything... it's just a nice thing to have... but it's just like their failed attempts at having NPCs trying to get your attention by saying "Psst! Over here!"

It's just noise! And the screen is already overwhelming with information (and I'm not just talking about GUI, the game is visually busy).

Let the player come to the NPCs and have those NPCs guide the player. That way people can play and he be comforted by the fact that, if they want to quest, all they need to do is find any NPC; instead of going on a easter egg hunt to find glowing people.

 

I never said that and think quite the opposite actually, if you bothered to read my posts and the prior thread you would know I have been critical of the lack of directed writing and the inconsequential nature of the plot. As I said before it is obvious the blue glow and even a 'come here' emote is a punt that will not be optional use because the devs no longer have time to do the directed writing, given they are well past their previous announced story complete date they clearly have more important things to do.

 

We already have a thread on this here:

https://www.shroudoftheavatar.com/f...ally-not-an-”-or-quest-markers-must-go.80908/