Main Quests and lower level players

More side quests will solve most of these problems related to grinding. Side quests offer more xp, a chance to swing/smite more while doing something with a better reason, and gives reasons to explore more scenes or different parts of scenes.

 

I dont, its just not really "avatarish" to run around with a group of semi-godlike bodyguards while questing

 

There also had been grinding in the Ultima (single player) games like in most RPGs. Its just there been enough interesting things to do in those games.

It would help if one of the main story line quests would either be accessible for lower level players or it the scenes would adapt a little bit. Like going down or up around 2 skulls depending on player level.

Ok, i will be looking more into sidequests and maybe search for the backdoor.

 

To play Devil's Advocate - I am totally OK with the main quests being hard. I am used to the Ultima series - a LOT of exploring, battling, questing was necessary before you faced the final scene and "solved the game" .
I do agree that more side quests would be useful; I am sure they will come as the substance of the game is fleshed out.
The first episode of the game is slated to last a year (new episodes each year for five years - remember?). Therefore that is my timetable. I need to solve those three essential quests inside the first year.
In the meantime there is character development (yeah, grinding)... I am immensely satisfied when I see my abilities increasing, and I can knock over mobs that would have flattened me just recently. Also exploring the country, talking to all the NPCs, finding the random quests and emotes they give you, decorating your house (still have a lot to do there) taking part in in-game events. Refining crafting, making stuff, interacting with friends, going on raids - the list is almost endless.

 

http://www.questsoftheavatar.com/

 

No I was talking about working skills together while adventuring. As far as I know you cannot always complete a quest line just like that if you cannot handle the quest area. It is meant to take time. One of the problems with this is some people are mostly ones who love doing quests and are not that into combat and grinding. There are too few things to do in the game at the moment in regards to quests. Although Darkstarr said we will get an achievement system and more side quests.

Ahhhh well I am definitely not a semi-godlike or most I hang out with. We definitely do our share of dying. Take Brittany sewers, yikes, talk about dying, but we did have fun together anyway.

So anyway I am one of those who quit FFXIV for one of the reasons being forced grouping to do your class quests. I did not have good experiences with the groups there. So I really don't think we should have forced grouping. I group with others to have fun and not necessarily to raise skills but that is the side benefit that just happens while we are having fun perhaps killing a dragon or boss troll.

Anyway to clarify my ramblings. I agree no one should be forced to group or interact with others but some parts of the game cannot be accessed until your avatar is worked up a bit, so it will just take longer to survive in those areas if that will be possible. It is quite often a fun challenge to try alone to figure it all out. So I guess we shall see what will be.

 

A simple solution would be to have one of the quest NPC characters look at you and say:

1. "You are not ready for this quest"
2. "You are almost ready for this quest"
3. "You are ready for this quest"

I agree with @Armar and @Lord_Darkmoon that these Virtue quests should be soloable at some point. It's MY personal avatar quest and should be the right of passage for a player to attain full avatar status. Bringing in other players into the mix because they're high level enough to make it easy completely spoils the storyline for me.

This is not supposed to be another one of those grind-for-experience farming zone experiences. We already have too many of those.

 

Or maybe... add more quests.

 

Yeah. Content is the answer here.

 

If there is enough interesting content so that it is not apparent that I am grinding while doing sidequests and exploring then this would be great. But when I get to a point where I don't have anything to do anymore and I am not good enough to continue with the main quest then grinding becomes apparent and this is bad for a story-driven game.
The chances are high that this would be the point where I would quit.

 

My problem with the quests (aside from the ridiculous ramping up of required skills to complete them) is that I'm never sure where I am within the questline. I started the path of Love, as that one was the "most polished". I did all the Soltown missions, for great XP, and moved on the Ardoris. I talked to the one king who sent me to meet with Samael. I went with him to the Necropolis and (finally) completed that. Then, I was told to go to Midras Ruins. Okay, but THEN I heard online about how I was supposed to be sent to Min Ye Tang and then go to the Shuttered Eye and do all of these other things, which I was never told to do in-game. Is this the same Path of Love, or is it another Path? Also, there's a Queen in the other castle in Ardoris. Do I need to visit her, too? is that part of the Path of Love, too?

My Journal isn't much help, as half the missions are old ones that have been completed but won't go away, and the rest are a combination of side missions and (maybe) missions that I NEED to do. Here's the embarassing thing: I play this game almost every day. I have 2 accounts and 3 property deeds. I'm part of a big Guild and really enjoy playing SoTA. Why am I so stupid when it comes to the most fundamental portion of the game, the main story quests?!?! It just seems so disjointed and random to me.

My guess is that once this game is "released", the only place to get the answers as to specifically what missions to do and how to do them regarding the 3 Path stories will come from players posting online, not the developers in-game (just like with SoTA Maps and SoTACraft).

 

-=* LOVE QUEST SPOILERS AHEAD *=-

I just did start this questline again after doing some exiting postdude jobs for guard Stanley. First i did meet the "King", then headed over to the high priestess of Love (looks real cool btw). There is a conversation line which wont right jump in your face but if you question her about the ring which had been found with one of the Shoguns she tells you to go to "the guy at the harbor" Min lin Liang (?) and question him about the ring if you doesnt believe her. He is reluctant giving you information but if you question him right he will give you the lead for the "Tower of the shuttered Eye".

Yes, thats a problem. I also did start the quest of courage but there are still notes in my journal of parts of this quest which i already finished. I hope its just text in the journal and not tied to game-mechanics.

Its that the quests are supposed to be "old school alike" on the one hand, means the system is not holding your hand athrough the story line so hints for advancement can sometimes be easily missed and then the quests still need a lot of work if they want to come close to "Ultima Legacy standards".

In case the devs will have some time at hand sometime in the future i would suggest to introduce a more convenient quest mode like in modern games. Like having a world map available with quest flags, notices on the quest locations and maybe pointers leading to the next quest character. As an player _option_.

Most probably. I think a revamp of the journal would help a lot. This journal concept here, taken from the U6 remake using the Dungeon Siege engine could be an inspiration on how to improve the journal. And it cant be that hard/expensive to code.

 

You do need to get the journal entries to advance the quests. I ran into the same problem when trying to move on from the Crypt of the Avatar. Had to get the entry to actually be able to move on.

 

But do you need to have an entry removed to complete the quest. Basicly the quest starter is still in my journal but i got the lead for advancing to the kobold king in the courage quest.

 

Moving on from "Wolf" to "large" or "really big wolf" isnt much of a excitement for me......

 

If there are any journal problems I would bug report them. I would wait on finishing the Courage quest since the reward for finishing it is pretty big.

 

These are both Story Line Quests, they might have a nice experience reward and others but since they are Story Line, they should take some game play to complete them.

Now true if you just want to "complete" them this could be difficult without achieving a higher level but.

There are always ways around harder areas, I know this sucks but just die and res closer to your end goal??

They really do not need to make these easier but they do HAVE to ensure that they can be reach without ever having to deal with PvP.

If you still find you want to go and complete these I know you can ask frost to help you make your way thru, he love to get beat up LoL

Or you can always ask just about anyone to help you out there are so many player out there wiling to escort you around.

You can add me in game and if I am on I will of course try and ensure your safe entry yo any of your locations.

 

Why wait for a big reward? Besides i probably dont make it to the kobold king anayway solo. Unless i find the back entry....

 

Thanks for the offer but its kind of boring doing it with high level bodyguards. I will look out of players in my level range. Maybe i find people for making a party. Otherwise i may just try the "suicide-method"

 

I am only in the 50 I think and an archer I will not just CRUSH everything and will work with you not just walk you thru if that is what you want to do.

I can also go start the quest and work it with you, I have not started that quest and was really waiting until they have them all actually finishe3d and the bugs worked out of the story line before I started them.

But if you still want I will happily go thru it with you ?

Just let me know