Courage Quest Feedback

Hi @Lum the Mad, Hi @Lord British, I made again a quick check of the current status of the main quest. Added a note where ever feedback may be of interest:

Battle of Highvale:
- Nice new model of a dying knight. Unfortunately he is hidden behind the chat window.
I just arrived from outside of Highvale. Why do I now need a key to leave Highvale? This part only makes sense if I arrived via the Moon Portal.

Nena: Nice linking, Samael was already here. I like to see him again after our adventures in the Love Quest.

Tracy: An Armor and quite some money he had. I leave it in his body. I dont take from the dead (ok, only from those dead that I killed)

Dead Elves: I like the notes.

Samael: He introduces him self as a new character. But I know him already from the full Love Quest. Please set a flag. Where are the solders he actually saved? There are only dead and two dying.
Really nice that he suddenly runs for Gawain. Unfortunately he stopped at a dead knight (it blocked his path)... I had to talk to him twice before he walked around that dead knight to follow his track again.

Note: We need more of these scenes! Many many more! These scenes have action and plot in one. Its not just clicking through text but actually moving through the world while someone tells you some fluff about it. Now and then a nice battle. Please add way more of these. In single player (actually also in multiplayer) there could be companions that guide you through their home towns. There could be any NPC with some needs, that guides you to the spot where you should help.

Little Dungeon: This is a one time only dungeon. You could fit some nice new player treasures in there as it can not be farmed. But why is there an elf in the center of the dungeon while skeletons are guarding the entrances? Did he passed them unharmed?

Scene Exit: I followed the road to the North East. But the exit gate is blocked.. why? There was not hint in the plot before that I should only escape somewhere else... (SouthEast). I assume this is rather frustrating and has no use for the story or the game progression.
Finally I left Highvale but the quest stays active that I should leave Highvalve. What have I done wrong?

Resolute:
Vella, Knight of Norgard: Can we please have voice? I would be really interested how he is pronouncing melee. ^^

Whitten: Rumors about the alchemist blew up his laboratory. I hope there is some interesting background in this. Lets look for this alchemist. --> There are no blasted ruins of an alchemist... And the alchemist Molly doesn't know more about this.

Baldwin: I really like that someone is working/praying at the shrine. Unfortunately no further plot behind.
Agnetha: Even a second caretaker at night. She says she is old but looks young. And she doesn't know anything about the children next to her. Nor about Nena.

Holly: I could see her name before talking to any of the three children. Did the dying knight told me about the Name Holly? I don't think so. Just about "Nena's charges". She stops talking when I speak about her parents, I assume this is intentionally. Poor child. Well, talked to all three of them. But the quest log doesn't update. Holly doesn't know the keyword "Nena".

Maya: She should not wear a sword. She is scared!

Children general: I know they have no parents, but still they should got to bed at midnight.

Brigid: She should not wear a sword but a mug. And her helmet should be located on the bar next to her sword. Actually she should sit, head on a table. And when I talk to her, my Avatar should sit next to her on the other side of the table. That would be the right scene. Maybe I missed it, but shouldn't there be an emote of anger when I give her the amulett? The quest doesn't update when I give away the amulett. It only updates when I speak about "go to the court in mine stead". There should be a mini journal entry that I gave away the amulett and should further discuss with her.

General: Can we have guard not wearing their weapons in hand all time but in their sheath instead? This could be further extended to avatars. Weapon on the side, bow on the back...

Arabella: "every step you take in this world wil shape those around you" Cool! I await the first examples. Why is Arabella telling me about the titans for the first time while I already met Sequanna (and may have met Boreas, if Notus was not bugged)? She should know (or I should be able to tell her) about Sequanna. She says Sequanna is not my path, but I did that already. Only the titans have seen the Oracle in person.. hm.. so even Lord British has not seen her? Is he also some kind of Titan? What is his role?

Resolute general: Each character can tell me something about Ardoris and Aerie. I don't think these keywords need to be displayed for every NPC as its not plot relevant. Only I that specific character said something about these places before or I explicitly asked for this.

Godbert, the Seneschal: I like quests linking the cities and storylines. And in addition the task of honor if I open the sealed document or not. More of that. Also a small side quest to go back to adventure in highvale. More of that. (Post scriptum: Boa, the Ardoris Quest is a real motivation blocker. Long way to go, too dangerous passes and no rewarding story. Not suited as beginners quest!)

Back in Highvale:
Note: I just slaughtered ~ 8 elves in a group (I am not a new player). I wonder if it would be feasible to implement that the last elves flees in terror after I killed his party.... Might be annoying for players but interesting mechanism for realism. Of cause he should change the bark text. And maybe after a few meters he should fall to his knees and grovel... And then.. Do you kill him? Episode 2-3?

Nena: Well I assume she is dead. How can I tell her that the children are fine? I will leave this open ended for later.

Castle: Somehow it looks like the bandits repaired the castle. The tower was burning before... and hey, they have a lute that was missing before. Nice culture for bandits. Sorry for interrupting... hm.. now I feel bad. They also cleaned up the crafting pavillion. Nice guys... ... is that by intention? Or should they actually plunder what is left? I found a note at the well that the market is now stocked with goods but I assume that is pre-bandit letter.

Bandit-Wizards: These are so low level bandits. Why should they have mages in their ranks? I would leave away the mages.

Cyannis: He is well hidden among the bandits. Luckily I knew from a year ago where to look for him. He has way to many keywords, that are irrelevant for the situation. The names of the royal family and the cities don't have to show up for him. "One time we will have to fight them both (elves and bandits)" -> Ok, when?
I found the Weapon Cutbert via SotaMap. I think we should filter against easter eggs in the map feature.

Cave: Why are there nodes now and not before in the starting scene? Ok, maybe the new player has no tools. But you could give him the hint that he can return as soon as he got the tool in a city close by.

Back to Resolute:
There is a siege on resolute. Can we have the Resolute NPCs talk about the keyword "Siege", please.
Godbert: I have delivered the report to him. Well done. But there is no follow on quest about how to sabotage the bandits or to regain control of high vale?

Ok, thats it for resolute, lets move on to Harvest. Okay, back through the siege. Hills Siege. Why is the direct way actually easier than the long way? Wasn't it planned the other way that the direct way is heavily guarded? Except for some fire I walk through there is no real danger.

Sanctus Spine Pass:
The journal does send me east towards sanctus spine, but I don't remember if she actually said so.. did she?

Emilia: Nice that she offers a save passage. She does the emote of the spy glass... again with the closed spy glass. I would give that passage some better effects. She should read that scroll, make a casting emote and then I teleport with effects.
This teleport really helped compared to the path of truth. But if that player forgot to make the Cyannis quest before, he will never be able to comeback the next month. Maybe there should still be a low level but long time passage.

Harvest:
Guard?: Why is the children with the staff called "Guard?"? Funny boy. But please give him a club instead of the skull staff. Why does he have two different answers on "Abundis"? Keyword Titan: there is a spelling error in his answer. "Grannus the TItan" Can we please have a small side quest about that funny guy? He doesn't know anything about "Parents"...

Darmok (he real guard): Can I please speak with him about the Sergeant? Ah.. he uses exactly the same words as the kid. Hmpf. Really?

Jofried Valdisdotr: Her name was revealed after Hello. But she just said "Greetings, traveler" without introducing herself. Ah, again the same words as for the little guard. Ok, then I ignore any other NPC here.

Lemmy Hawkwind: I just recognized that that guy has several rumors entries, including notes for Dysborg ruins. I should test this keyword more often. Why is "rumors" not a general entry like name, job, help?

Gringo (the Banker): Is there any background story for the banker being drunk at work? (okay its midnight but .. he is still at work) Ok, he knows something about the Sergeant, nice. Tell me more. Ok nothing.. "I'm a bit bored, but nothing happy hour can't fix"? Guy you are the banker in a bank! -> Can we please have a small side quest for this guy?

Khary: Ha, I don't seem very prepared for the journey? I have my ornate backpack equipped with a lot of stuff in it, I am prepared. Ok, tell me why. Hu, I need to wear yellow? I guess because if I wear green someone thinks I am a Kobold? But my favorite color is green.. no blue.. aaaah Ok, go on. What? They forbid Contrabands and.. COCONUTS??? Are they nuts? I don't like the Norgard people any longer. Ok, but when I tell him my business is Grannus, I can pass. Fine. And now I am allowed to pass, even with coconuts and without yellow clothes. Ok! "Passage -> If you are ready to go, we can set sail for Eastguard portside now. Are you ready to go now? -> Yes --> If you say so. ..." hmpf.. "Estgard -> If you are... to go now? -> Yes, I am ready -> You are, it's true. -> nothing happens.

Ok I would really like the side quest to get something yellow from the local tailor (unfortunately there is none..). But I assume that is not required and I just arrived at another quest BLOCKER. And again the same comment as for Etceter -> Xenos. I can just click the boat to go there. How will you manage that later. Will everyone who want to passage to Estgard have to do the quest first (once) to be able to pass to Estgard?
Okay, as I cant go further to Estgard, I will venture to the dysborg ruins as every man in town sends me there thanks to rumors.

Dysborg Ruins:
As I was sent out by rumors to this location (and Estgard didnt work, i try this. Luckily I am no new player. Else I would have been dead in the moment of spawning (two obsidian elementals). Can we please first have some rumors about easier adventuring zones before you send the new player in to his death?

There is a chest in one of the towers. Its empty. I didn't found the vault. Well, maybe I try later.

Ardoris:
Cugel: Huh, he is not interested and I should immediately go back to Resolute. That leaves very limited motivation. Again the long way including two passes for nothing? You can add that as a quest but only one out of 10 quests should be this demotivating. Definitely nothing for a new player who tried this quest as his second quest! Lets see if I know someone in resolute I can teleport to...

Ok general feedback:
Again I am missing all the side quests. At least there are two side quests at the beginning with Nena and Cyannis. That are two more than for the truth quest. I don't count the "go to ardoris" quest as it stops you playing the Courage quests and is to dangerous for a new player (two passes).

 

Estgard:
Ok, I took the ferry on the overmap without considering the quest prohibiting me. Lets see if I can proceed anyways.
Can we please have a different entry into the Estgard scene? Although you did a good job it immediately reminds me to the Harvest map due to the accommodation of the entry.
A space ship on the horizon of this lovely village. Ah.. yes.. I remember. I once lived in Estgard before I could no longer efford the taxes. Already at that time I had a ... nice?.. view from my lovely viking row lot onto that ugly metal thing. Aren't we in a war with these kobold? Can we fight it? That ugly kobold not even thought one second to at least decorate his lot. Nothing than the plain ugly ship. And it will vanish in 334 days..
As indicated in the forum I went strait to the other side of the city. To the dock. Then entered the city again (actually I should automatically be stopped but ... tech not implemented). Ok, nice reaction of the guard to the amulett. . But actually I would like to see also the option to have the right papers. The discussing about the traitor was directly cancelled by him.. hmpf. No further sidequests here in Estgard? Just pass through another location without looking left or right?
Ok, I had a quick look if any of the generic trader NPCs had something to say. The Oskar & Birger combo look like it could become funny. No one required my help. Ok, move on.

Valhold:
Heather: Survivors in red dress with shield and axe. Nice! But it looks stupid when she talks and the shield is suddenly her serving platter. And also when she is in fear and suddenly the axe and shield disappears. ... Yes, emotes are nice. But as I don't read at the same speed as the emotes appear, it just seems random and rather funny than immersive.
Wynne: I am known as Wynne, but call me corpse. .. Autsch.. Ok, I want to help. Where? Only main quest? No side quest? No wares from a destroyed building, no escort to a save place? Ok, then I will ignore you and your generic copies for the moment.
Baldwin: Ok, you have the amulett. Pass on. Some additional detail background information. Thank you, Baldwin. Crystal Blades.. uuuh, I also have one. Is that a relevant fact? Betrayed, ok, how can I help?
Castle: While the stone is destroyed the pictures are intact. Hm... suspicious. They have a real good restaurator.
Grannus: A real titan (how does he create children? poor wife). But why isn't he sitting in his throne if he is so weak? He asked my why I came. I answered "Courage".
Grannus said we fought wars with thinking machines on earth? Which kind of earth did he lived in?
Grannus doesn't know about "Valhold" really? And he has no "job" despite he starts the talk emote.
So Brigid will wander to the south to find her fate? Lets see.
In general a nice depressing scene. You directly feel that there is something wrong with Mara, while Grannus even said that Brigid was the best.

Essen:
The "Follow him quest" initiates too fast. I had no chance to read, that he wants to talk to me somewhere else. Had so switch to NPC in the chat window to find out. He should wait for me to confirm that I will follow him (simple "ok").
He is too fast into details. He should first make clear what are my intentions and why he could trust me. He is telling me the most important secrets!
Huh, he thinks I already have a quest from Mara, but actually I talked to him first. There is a flag missing here!
It stopped the chat right in the middle of the "request". -.- Had to restart the discussion to see what he actually said. Please give us an "ok, close the chat window" button. And there were so many keywords I could not try before that are now gone for ever (e.g. Aurel and Fourth Baton).

Mara: Her follow chat was better timed. But I had to open the door to the bedroom for her. She was stopping and waiting in front of it. She has no job, no rumors, ok. And she doesn't know about courage. Suspicious.
Ok, she gives me a different task then Essen. As it is a bit to obvious that she is the evil lady, I will try to play blind and follow her wish. I think there should be more commoners that say that Demig did very bad things. Not only "discuss peace" but "let kobold conquer valhold".
Grannus:
He doesn't know anything about a Baton nor a fourth baton. Old man.

Ferigs Camp (4 Skulls?):
That is already a 4 Skull level. A newbie has to run a lot here.

Skylar (Knight of Ferig): Lord Ferig is a fool. Wuhu, what an introduction.
Olivia (Archer of Ferig): She is moving her bow through her body while talking....
Quinn (Quatermaster of Ferig): Doesn't know anything about Ferig.

Lord Ferig: He says Grannus is not that tall. Well, he is 4 m high. The story about the Spare heir is nice. Poor guy. But really great written! I like him. What a pitty there is no voice. But I would like to have the side quest that I first have to get some wine before he even wants to look at the warrant.
So.. is there any.. follow up quest with Mara? I assume not, and I am to lazy to check. So lets directly head towards Demig.

Demigs Camp:
Kobolds vs. Knights. Nice battle. But these emote noice of that lady having an orgasm (is it fear?) is a bit disturbing. Is someone raping her? Please rethink. The emote also looks like everyone fears me. That are the knights of courage?
Demig: I went directly to demig. But he says he doesn't speak with me without clearance. I should return to the gate to Ser Athard. ... Why do they let me in if I have no clearance? -.-
At the gate everyone is fighting, so I pick the next knight (Nicolin). For "help" he says I should speak with Demig. Thats not helpful.
Hm, all knights at the gate are dead now while I was in the camp to discuss my clearance. What a pitty. Ok, no Ser Arthard any more.
Back to Demig. He says the same but does no longer stop the chat. Ok, I tell him "Essen" and we go on. ... Wohoo, I have the Baton from Grannus and Essen hands it to Demig and Demig hands it to the kobolds? I have to tell Mara! After the keyword he refuses to give me any other answer. Hm.. I should have talked with him about everything else before.

Valhold:
As a loyal follower of good Mara, I return to Valhold.
Grannus: Ah, this time he is sitting. Nice. Like a baby holding his axe.
Mara: She is starting again the same walk scene as last time. Exactly the same! I also have to open the door again. And she does not recognize that I gave the warrant to Ferig. And she does not listen to "baton" when I want to talk about demig. Where are my decission in the quest? Ok, so I have to follow the demig quest line. That evil traitor!
Tomorrow.

Conclusion:
I like the characters. But they are still missing some action to the text. Some flesh to the bones. Some more sideplots. And the option to actually follow the wrong way!

 

Update for @Lum the Mad, @Lord British,

New day. I am ill at home. Lets see the what the courage quest holds for us.
Skrekk:
Again a five skull area before I received any relevant XP. Considering the amount of XP required to be competitive with a 5 Skull area, all prior Quest should give me several million of XP. I am really seeing forward for these high rewarding Quests.
I took the short way through the spider cave. Its ok on my level but definitely nothing for a Quester.

Caverns of Skrekk:
There should be some scene that explains actively why I am attacked outside but not inside.

Kobold Guardian: He is not attacking me. Lets talk. First try: Instant stop of Chat. Second try. He tolds me I have to talk to Krishach and walks away (chat window still open). He still gives me an answer about Krishach, then he doesnt react anymore. .. 20 Seconds later... AH, he took the long way to get into my back and now talks again. Nice background though! Lets give that some active adventure examples! And again some talking about yellow, nice. (But where is the Human NPC in a Scene close to skrekk that actually wears yellow?)

Ok, try not to get slaughtered in one of the other chambers. Go strait.

Huh, laggy city. I get 6x the same bark text. A bit boring. Reduce the frequency of barkings and instead increase the number of different barkings.

Castle: I would expect a forced chat from the guard, asking what I want and then telling me what I should do. I should not be able to directly open the gate.

Krishach: Nice Bark-Text about yellow. Is he actively checking for Yellow? He already knows that I have something for Krishach. I remember that I said something about a gift, but by experience I assume this is not flagged? Please check.

Escort by Krishach: This is the right way. He leads me. The guards allow me to pass. Damn, the door closes between me and Krishach. Now he stops escorting me. I talk to him again, ask him for escort. He confirms but stand his ground. Nooo.
Ok, talk to him again. What for him to go down. Then talk again. Ha, Krishach announces Korabar as "King". But the guard said they only call him leader, King is only for humans.

Korobar: Nice one.

Lord Demig: The fight was not epic at all. Please improve. Demig hat 200 HP and did not fight back. In addition the kobold champion has corrupt bark text (something with brackets).

Korobar: He makes me his champion. Do you have a nice emote for this? I thought you don't like descriptive text. ... By the current experience I prefer the description as I am anyway bound to the text and my reading is not synchron with animations.

You are suddenly teleportet (thanks)

Valhold
Mara: Again no keyword suggestions. Let see what could help. "The war ends now! For Courage!". Nope.

Essen: "I come in peace!". Nice conflict. More of that. NPCs screaming at each other.

Lord Ferig: Hu, he was an elderly man before, why is he young again and black now? But he is doing well. I already said I like him!

Hu.. and suddenly Grannus teleports into the screen. Gnaa, you can have him walk into the scene at least.
Grannus: What has happened here? Well, lets through him some random keywords. "Demig died for the Courage!".
Hu, Sceptre if Dread? Why does he know about that? I did't gave a hint to that (as I didn't knew). He should first understand what happened to demig.. Too fast Grannus, too fast!
Okay. He wants to talk to me about my destiny. But actually I would first like to know about the fate of Mara. Why is he not reacting on this. Huu.. I clicked farewell, luckily he says he still wants to talk to me. That is GOOD! THANKS! Include that in even more relevant NPCs. (PS: I see you did for the dead Demig)
Hu, I used "peril" after "courage". Thus he first tells me his son is dead, and then he is told that is son is dead.
Hu.. He suddenly has real eyes and a good crown. Give him an emote for this (Tiphat). Nice.
Grannus, your companions Sequanna is free! It works! Great!

Can I join Ferig later for some wine?

Mara: Everyone else just barks (ok), just Mara has her bark text in a single line chat window.

Back On overmap:
Okay, lets meet Ferig in his camp. And check the Camp of Demig.

Demigs Battle Camp:
He is still alive. And he wants to have the Baton Headpice... I still have it, but cant give it. Window is now stuck. Please, correct this. At least add an interim commander with a different name.
Ok, then I don't check out Ferig. He will also be the old Ferig and there will be no wine for us.

Finished this questline, lets wait for the bug fix of Notus.

 

This is great feedback and we'll take action on a lot of this, thank you!