Splitpaw Saga Feedback June 16

[Saavedra]

<DIV>Please post your feedback on the Splitpaw Saga events here.</DIV>

[EtoilePirate]

<DIV>I'm going to go post a lot of complicated details on the tester only forum in a minute, but I wanted to leave a couple of public comments, because I know a lot of people are going to read this thread, hehe.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The Splitpaw zones are HARD, and I don't think they'll be easy even after the tweaks.  But they are also the most creative, most rewarding, and most fun zones I have played in since I signed up for the game.  They're challenging and rewarding.  The problem-solving is a fantastic aspect, and even though every class has to play them a little differently (I'm thinking here of being an asassin vs my significant other the shadowknight, heh), they allow different play styles so that's good.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>There's also a TON of content -- solo and heroic -- in Splitpaw.  I'm impressed at it; it's well worth the $7 or $8 or whatever it is.  </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>On the whole, publically, I've had more fun in two days hard play-testing of Splitpaw (even with ten deaths a day) than I've had in just about the previous three months of play combined.  I think that once all the kinks are worked out (and I'm sure we've all got tons of kinks to write about, hehe), Live will love it.</DIV>

[Eyes_of_Truth]

<P>This is Holypowa,</P> <P>loved it...every bit... and i was only level 18....lol now im 21 templar/...needles to say i was impressed haha</P> <P> </P>

[KudLenka]

<P>well... even i finaly learned how to go trough the preorder zone with my inquisitor after she got her cruel invocation, i would like to stress that if EQ2 is to stay casual gamer friendly (whish it needs to imho), the zones should not be that much challenging (which means uncompletable for people with not the greatest skills and equipment, most of the comments on boards regarding splitpaw come from people who report themselves using adept spells and yellow-orange top notch equipment). </P> <P>Getting smething really finished should be challenge, but if you make it too challenging, the fun is gone. Some people do not mind when theit character dies 10 times a day, some get very upset. And with splitpaw and its scaling you do not have a choice. You cant wait a level or two to acomplish what you are not up to at given time. Just make sure that some parts of the whole thing is enjoyable even for less experienced players.</P>

[Sandheaver]

Game events?  I don't know about any steenking game events, but I will tell you all about the preorder zone which i love! I've used 100% of my vitality (probably more than that, i wait for it to regen a bit before i go back in now) in there. This zone is awesome.  The loot is good, the xp is great, its fun, and the experience as a player is great also.  Highly recommended.  I forsee some number of players who wind up grinding in this zone exclusively and will come out rubbing their eyes at level 50 with no idea how places like EL and Zek are laid out, therfore making themselves useless in a group, at least for a little while. I'd like to know exactly what those arrows mean though.  I understand that a down arrow means "easier than without a down arrow" and up arrows mean "harder than without up arrows" but what exactly do they mean? <div></div>

[Feneant]

I am loving the new zone.  I know 3 of us in my guild have preordered and all 3 are spending our adventuring time in there.  It is quite challenging and the experience is nice and steady.  Actually, I've used up all my vitality there in the last 3 days whereas I'd never reached lower than 35% before Splitpaw.  I can't wait to see the rest of the adventure pack. My only gripe is the loot.  Not that it's missing, there is a ton of loot, but I wish the table varied some.  I would guess that in clearing out the dungeon we access now 12-15 times, I have come out with 4 items (3 diff ones in that) but around 10 adepts and 15 advanced recipe books.  I would like to see a system more akin to WoW (gasp! noes!- wait wait, hear me out) where each mob can drop maybe 20 different objects with a varying % of chance.  I don't mind all the adeptsrecipe books mind you, but its just that if everyone receives the same amount that I do, think of the influx of goods on the market and how prices will go down even more-especially on adepts, which hurts our crafters.  <div></div>

[Dalick]

<P>I have only been in a few times. 3 times on my main ( Monk ), 2 about 2 days ago and once lastnight. Lastnight when I went in it seemed alot more ( Dont want to say easier, but it was really ) steady paced than it was a few days ago. Few days ago I went in died 3 times in completing the first and trying for the second shards. Went in on my alt ( Berserker ) and was a slaughter fest. I never got past the first room before dieing 4 times.</P> <P> </P> <P>Now I was thinking either with in the past few days the dungeon had been tweaked a bit (?) either that or the differance between level 38 and level 40 is just that great of a differance in here. I have not been back through the dungeon with my Zerker although I plan to this morning to see if it really has been tweaked. ( Either that or I was incredibly lucky )</P> <P> </P> <P>All in all I love the new theme on puzzles and the lil things you need to figure out. I about fell out of my chair when I saw a Master Chest drop in a solo adventure. ( Got a server discovery as well <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> ) I cant wait to see the full version of this dungeon and I hope to see many more like it in the future.</P> <P> </P> <P>Dalick Bloodclaw ( Awakening - Butcherblock )</P>

[Evadne]

Copied for the public forum: I love the Splitpaw Saga.  The lore is fabulous.  There could definately be more. Dropped quests and so on...  The box moving is challenging. I find that different size characters get stuck easier etc.  Moving boxes is relatively easy for me.  Climbing a stack of them is not. I get stuck on them. So stuck once I had to move the boxes from beneath me to get unstuck.  That is a problem since the boxes can only be moved three times.  There are lips on the the ledges that add yet another degree of box placement complexity. All in all, too hard? No.  I was frustrated as heck, but--who cares, it was great to finally make it. Upper Caverns.  Mob difficulty is great.  They are a good fight for a shaman.  The numbers of creatures, particularily the ghost gnolls that pop our of nowhere is excessive--in a good way.. They just keep coming, even in a duo with a paladin, we had a hard time a couple of times.  In a duo it was a perfect challenge.  Solo the mobs were just too many. I always try everything I can to get stuck.  The only places I was stuck was on the boxes I moved myself. How that happens I do not know. The only thing I felt really needed changing, Noxious Emissions and fear spells.  Just outside of the Den, the emissions feared me repeatedly, once right off the edge to the Tremblers who killed me promptly.  Silence is bad enough, Fear is just downright impossible to deal with on a ledge.  There is no counter to it. If you are solo coming out of the den, you are forced to revive at the very top of the caverns and fight your way down to the bottem where there are group mobs, a very tough road, just to retrieve your shard.   Two options: eliminate fear from the emission aresenal or allow shard recovery at the instance entrance. I tried getting my shard at the instance zone in, even camping a long while didn't present it. Great fun!  ~Eva <div></div>

[Xmin]

I have to say this is one of the funnest places I have played in a long long time. The challenge is just about right (some people are going to have problems, this is not something you can walk into after buying your char from ebay) I encountered a few bugs however I did tell the devs on hand. I just wanted to make sure to post how great this area looks, I loved the arena testing. I would enjoy seeing a solo version of the arena testing grounds. Something that you work are hard on and perhaps finish it 1 out of 5 times or so and are locked out or get a small $$ reward. Great work to all the devs working on this zone! I will be back and testing every night. Xminos Fires of Heaven Permafrost <div></div>

[Ssinu]

Aside from the zone crashes I think the expansion pack is well done. Very innovative - (definitely moving toward a more console/creative/single player rpg feel). Not necessarily twitch mind you, just the sort of thing you would expect to see in single player games because of the complexity. With the added need for teamwork, I think as an overall concept the new zones are great. As a suggestion, with the puzzles and 'tricks' portions to the encounters, especially the logic puzzles I think some randomization would be cool.That way there arent 50 spoilers out for the answers to them. Both via the actual clues and possibly changing the names of the items and facts. So if something was first or second and named 'Bip', next time make the name 'Bip' be last or something. Just randomize it in some small fashion, essentially requiring adventurers to read the text and solve the puzzle on the spot for each puzzle, not just put in the default answers from a spoiler. Doing this would allow using such puzzles as timers before 'bad things happen' as Morituri suggested.<div></div>

[KudLenka]

well, puzzles/riddles are another thing with the devs need to be carefull with - many of the players have english as second language and many know just the very basics...  just a thought, i can see the obious answer - learn it or do not play a mmorpg...

[CasombraHellstalk]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> xentar wrote:<BR>well, puzzles/riddles are another thing with the devs need to be carefull with - many of the players have english as second language and many know just the very basics...  just a thought, i can see the obious answer - learn it or do not play a mmorpg... <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>Also not everyone is logic minded and have a tough time with puzzles.... take kids playing for example.... need to be careful here I think... you can turn fun into frustration very quickly.

[EtoilePirate]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> xentar wrote:<BR>well, puzzles/riddles are another thing with the devs need to be carefull with - many of the players have english as second language and many know just the very basics...  just a thought, i can see the obious answer - learn it or do not play a mmorpg... <BR> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE> <P><BR>It's not like playing Myst or something, trust me.  The puzzles are all situational.  You're stuck in a situation, you have X resources available, what do you do?</P> <P>Everyone on Test who has play-tested the new zones the last two nights has adored them.  They aren't language dependent, and kids and casual players will be able to sort them out with a bit of trial and error.</P>

[KudLenka]

great to hear that, thanks. the reminder stands for the future - its important to keep the game accessible to everyone, not just the elites be it language based elite or skill based elite or elite based on the time evailable for play. its ok to offer some parts of the game to the elites like extra difficult instanced zones and raids, but the core of the game (and expansion and APs) should not repel the casual gamer.

[Edowen]

<div></div>The puzzles are not language based.  They are about figuring out how to do things.  I, too, am concerned that spoilers can diminish the fun for people going through the first time.  I urge people to resist and not read them!  Really, everything has a solution. About difficulty.  I think that SoE has a tough challenge of its own.  It wants a product that is fun for casual players as well as a more hardcore crowd.  If everything is doable by a player who plays only occasionally and with dropped gear, then the game would be boring for people who are active in guilds and play for hours every day.  If all challenges must be beatable by people who want to be able to be successfully complete things on the first or second try, then there is little for people who are looking to undertake some stiff challenges and get the sense of accomplishment that comes from them.  OTOH, content that is challenging for that second group may get the first group frustrated.  SoE appears to be compromising, with various parts of the game being more or less challenging.  This sounds like a good idea, as long as we all know what to expect to find where.  As long as there is enough content of interest to any given player, it does not matter that some other content may be too easy or to hard for that person. For my part, I have been testing the new content on Test, and it is the most fun I have had in EQ2, or just about any other MMORG that I have experienced.  (That goes way back for almost 20 years of online game playing.)  There is challenge and a great sense of accomplishment for meeting the challege; innovation and creativity and the delight that comes from encountering the new kinds of interactions, environments, and puzzles.  One of the best things about the new content is that your skill as a player and ability to think things through are at least as important as your gear.  To the fellow who worries about his gear, most of what I am wearing is blue or green to me, and I have only a few adepts.  So no, you do not need uber gear to enjoy this AP.  All that you need to enjoy it is a spirit of adventure, your wits about you, and a few hours some time to jump in and play.  Edowen P.S. Frankly, it is easy enough to get gold soloing on a Live server that I would expect that most casual gamers have gear and arts/spells that are similar in quality to mine. <div></div><p>Message Edited by Edowen on <span class=date_text>06-17-2005</span> <span class=time_text>02:42 PM</span>

[Sonorod]

<P>I too enjoyed the preorder zone.  I like the idea of more puzzles in the game and the bit with using the exploding barrel was neat!  Only issues I noticed in detail was rooted gnolls would sometimes pop on top of me in the middle of combat and still be rooted.  The fulginate urn is no value making it a near pointless drop.</P> <P> </P> <P>I am looking forward to this Adventure Pack!</P> <P> </P> <P>Sonorod, 39 Coercer, 42 Sage, Lavastorm</P><p>Message Edited by Sonorod on <span class=date_text>06-17-2005</span> <span class=time_text>12:05 PM</span>

[Fire&ice]

<DIV> <P>For the little bit of time I got to hang out with a small group of friends in the new zones on Test I had a blast. There is definitely alot more to explore and the difficulty makes it worth the time. Whether you and your friends have to put your heads together to figure out how to get past a situation or just have to fight your way to an objective it is not easy but will make you feel you have accomplished something when you finish <IMG height=16 src="http://eqiiforums.station.sony.com/i/smilies/16x16_smiley-wink.gif" width=16 border=0></P> <P>So far I have to say this one is great!</P></DIV>

[Evadne]

Xminos there is a solo Arena on the other side of the den is the entrance to it. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> <div></div>

[BakkaTheo]

Pros: Really, really like the area design in terms of the areas appearance, monster placement, and paths.  Especially the Upper Tunnels.  As a Swashbucker (stealth kinda) player I am really enjoying the exploration.  The monsters are placed close enough together in small areas (but not too small) that also have some patrols.  This makes me think about where is the patrol and this point before I shanghai.  I had to beat a hasty retreat a few times and am glad the monsters do not jump the gap like I do<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> (Though it hurts imersion (j/k).) Good logic stacking and destruction puzzles.  Never felt frustrated looking for one more box or barrel.  Plus I can move them while stealthed. Cons: As a 27 Swashbuckler with middle-of-the-road-gear and skills (Adept Is for most abilities) I found a sizeable number of creatures in the zone were grouped solo 27s or single 28s yellow or single 29s.  These aren't killable by me.  I may not be as skilled as a large chunk of the player base but I am still concerned that scouts may have some issues BUT I did zone into a part of Splitpaw Delving instance at some point where the monsters were blues and whites with nearly no yellows.  Previously that zone had a few blues with mostly whites and yellow.  I think the devs may have been adjusting the challenge factor. Some crashing to character select was happening on my system in some areas and on other players.  I wasn't able to determine why it was happening.  I will say the occurances of crashing greatly dimished for me late last night.  I am wondering if I was just getting kicked from zones as the devs tweaked them. Note:  I'm a skeptic (and sometimes cynical) kind of person but this adventure pack (so far) is forcing me to uncomfortably expect to enjoy the game.<img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /> Ilfen rrm in another game

[Khale]

<P>So are the new zones soloable or are they group zones or a combo of both in each each particular zone? Im talking about the parts of splitpaw that we don't see on live yet.</P> <P>Also, with regards to the pre-order zone, it's fun and good xp I really enjoy it. Though my one gripe is that maybe there are too many mobs that can mez and stifle.</P><p>Message Edited by Khaleel on <span class=date_text>06-22-2005</span> <span class=time_text>12:25 PM</span>

[EtoilePirate]

<BR> <BLOCKQUOTE> <HR> Khaleel wrote:<BR> <P>So are the new zones soloable or are they group zones or a combo of both in each each particular zone? Im talking about the parts of splitpaw that we don't see on live yet.</P> <P>Also, with regards to the pre-order zone, it's fun and good xp I really enjoy it. Though my one gripe is that maybe there are too many mobs that can mez and stifle.</P> <P>Message Edited by Khaleel on <SPAN class=date_text>06-22-2005</SPAN><SPAN class=time_text>12:25 PM</SPAN><BR></P> <HR> </BLOCKQUOTE><BR>There are a LOT of quests and instanced zones available in the rest of the Splitpaw content.  Without ruining any surprises, there are essentially both solo and heroic versions of each thing, and you can choose which to do.  There are also some solo-only quests/zones and some heroic-only.  And a raid or two.  So basically, an astounding amount and breadth of new content.  Something for everyone, as it were.