Choice of Story Line Disincentive for POTs

If there is some feature that I am completely missing, then feel free to inform me. I suspect that my inexperience may be speaking loudly but I assert that I will not be the only Shroud of the Avatar player to suffer from inexperience.

I am a casual player of sorts and have found the wipes to be too punitive up to this point for my ability to commit time. So I created a character after this wipe and started the Courage story line. My choice of Courage had MUCH more to do with template than an actual choice of virtue as I am sure it does for many which trivializes the choice of story lines to the point of breaking immersion in my humble opinion but that is for another discussion that will not be fruitful at this stage of development based on commentary during yesterday's Telethon.

As a casual player, I am familiarizing myself with the UI, skill system, templates, etc. and I have had difficulty navigating the control point(s?) that I must negotiate to get from Resolute to Ardoris. Let's be honest, as a POT owner with one of the most southeastern POTs, why would I choice a story line that starts me in northwest Novia when there is the Love story line that essentially starts me in Ardoris? Until I spend some time developing my character or learn how to run the gauntlet in the control points, I am marooned in the northwest as far as I can tell and unable to reach my POT in the southeast unless I am misunderstanding something.

Remember, I am not experienced at playing Shroud of the Avatar and I am not going to be the only inexperienced player once Shroud of the Avatar is released. Perhaps I am the only Early Release player with this difficulty but I doubt that this will not be a concern for new players when we have legitimately new players. Even if I misunderstand, I can't fathom that I will be the only one. Portalarium and the community want a social game where we invite friends to play Shroud of the Avatar. Right now, the STARTING POINT for story lines is a DISINCENTIVE to starting Shroud of the Avatar unless I am grossly misunderstanding something. How many control points would I need to staff to escort friends through for the Courage and Truth story lines? Perhaps I am missing something that wasn't clear to me but more experienced players are aware of.

Please, allow a choice of starting points after we complete the story lines much like we had in Ultima Online so those of us who are more casual and are building organic communities in game can start building communities in POTs rather than fumbling around in our starting regions.

 

There is a Lunar Rift in Solace Bridge, and I would assume there will be one available in each of the sectors to get to other starting areas. That would have been a good question for @RichardGarriott on yesterday's telethon...

 

@Archibald Leatherneck

In the three starting scenes you have the Lunar Rifts which conveniently can take you to the other starting scenes.

So start a path, finish the starting scene, head back in again into the scene, go to the lunar rift and wait until you can go where you want.

 

It would be interesting if the character starting template is no longer tied to the starting quest scence. Maybe add more additional questions so that players can select starting class and scene separately.

 

If you are seeking a land route:

If you are looking for an escape path out of South Paladis, use the Superstition Canyon exit into the Forsaken Vale and then travel northward and clockwise on the overworld along the Abundis River road through North Paladis and when you hit Spindrift Bay, go south to Brittany and past it into the Grunvald and down past Desolace to the East Reach Gap.

Traversing Eastreach along the side paths and jumping will easily place you to the gate out of that control point and onto the Perrenial Trail area.

 

Asked and answered yesterday; not going to happen.

 

This may still be the case, for every starting area, there should be a boat or wagon that takes you to Soltown. You can then head to Ardoris from there.

 

I tried the Lunar Rift in Solace Bridge yesterday. It took me back to the starting area where you first meet Arabella.

 

I believe it changes destination based on time of day.. but I can't outline those details for you... what you CAN do is mouse over the Rift, and it will tell you it's destination.. wait a while, and i think it will change destinations.. to that island, and the other starter scenes as well.

 

I believe what you can do is do the starting scene in Ardoris, immediately go to your POT and do any required set up, then delete your character and do whichever starting quest you want. Housing (and assume POT) are bound to the account rather than the character, so should survive a character delete (I am told - if someone knows different leap in immediately and correct me).

At the moment all characters start with some teleport scrolls, so as long as you've added them as friends they can just teleport directly to where you are without having to traverse any control points, then do the same 'set up housing then delete character to play properly' trick.

 

Ahh! I did not know that Thanks, I'll give it a try.