Revamp? Everfrost and Lavastorm

[Grimlux]

    I'd like to point out that I absolutely love the progression in Kunark and it's design. I enjoy having all my quests centralized in area's and having the ability to pick up multiple quests in camp's. (as opposed to running all over a zone for one specific quest). That being said. Ive always been fascinated with Everfrost and Lavastorm. The zone's are quite beautiful. They are severely lacking in being "questing" friendly. There really is no progression like you see in Kunark. Zek, EL, even somewhat have a progression to them. Heroic mobs are smashed in with regular solo mobs, and questing is splotched everywhere randomly in the zones. It is not a zone I can say. "Wow, I can really hang out in this zone and get some great XP"The two zones have a dungeon. Permafrost and Solusek's Eye? I cant quite remember the name of the lavastorm one, however I do know that it's always abandoned. The only time people go through this zone now is because were made to do the Speak as a dragon quest for Claymore progression. (Btw. thanks for destroying glide =P) Atleast though in the Lavastorm dungeon there are many quests to be had at the entrance by NPCs. Getting to these dungeons are not an easy task for someone of equal con or even slightly less than. Which is why im led to believe these zones are relatively avoided for more popular less time sinking zones. All in all it would be nice to see a revamp to these area's to make the 40-55 game less of a hassle. Most zones though have been amazing. I would just love to be able to adventure with friends w/out the hassle in very beautifully designed zones.<3

[Freydinessa]

Unfortunately i have to disagree with you Grimlux. To topic about changes to Lavastorm and Everfrost has come up a few times before, commonly with the them of having minimal missions or being only playable by groups.It's true that in both zones, quests are not handed to you by NPCs standing around. This is because both are 'unpopulated', edge of civilisation zones, and have been designed as such. In both your are greatly rewarded by exploration of the areas; find missions under scattered bones, or behind rocks, or on dead bodies, or from some loot gained. As such, both zones reward somewhat of a different style of gameplay, bringing variety to the game as a whole. I think it would be very dull if all zones were similar in their basic design and quest progress. Don't get me wrong, i love the zones that have an overall theme and progression through them, e.g. Greater Faydark and Zek.It's true that it takes effort to get to both 'dungeons'. This occurs the first time in Lavastorm and is then not a problem again, and Everfrost itself, is much smaller in size, so adventuring over to the dungeons only takes 5-20 minutes depending whether you fight your way, or 'train'. In fact in Everfrost, you can basically avoid most enemies if you are careful enough. Once again, in these 'dungeons' missions are mostly not handed to you, but found by exploring these areas.The 'smashing' in of heroic mobs with solo ones again presents unique challenges. In both zones most of the solo mobs are able to be fought without incurring the wraith of the heroic mobs - you just have to be careful and aware of your surroundings. Again, i think this is actually a great thing; knowing that if you aren't careful you'll end up getting a sound thrashing at any moment. A unique, and different challenge from many other zones. I'm not too sure, about which server you are on, but on Antonia Bayle, it's common to have around 30 players in Everfrost.The trick to these zones is to take your time and enjoy each area. Missions are there if you take your time and look around. It is certainly a zone i feel that rewards those who enjoy a style of play akin to the saying 'it's not the destination, but the journey'.

[Grimlux]

I completely understand and to an extent believe in the values of what you have debated. While many may not agree with a change to the zone, the playability of this zone has very little to someone who solo's contested content.  (in which case I am on the side that feels it should be revamped) I look back and I think these zones in the same way that Nektulos forest used to be. Heroic mobs globbed in with regular mobs, Quests traversing in area's that were to hard to get to by a solo player, having to even pass by mob's that were higher level then the quest itself, and then because of it's remote'ness leaving little desire or ability to bring in a group of interested players to visually appealing zones. They are dead, my suggestion is revision. I have to also point out that I was never seeking to clump quests up in one place but moreso to have the zone's be progressive. As it is, you have to get a quest. Complete it, get the followup, wait 8 levels to be able to finish this. You do have the option to bring in a group of course, but honestly for the player's not in large guilds this is a huge ordeal to bring an interested party to bore through a zone with little progressional feel. I do believe a revision isnt necessary if they just want to have "dead" zones hanging around. Since I see the complaint of little to do and experience being boring and scattered (40-55 range). Everfrost and Lavastorm would be a huge anwser to some of the inquiries of others, and myself.

[Snowdonia]

While I wouldn't mind some more quests in these zones, I'd personally just rather have the loot and quest rewards revamped. Especially in the case of their dungeons, Permafrost and Solusek Eye. There is some seriously crappy loot/rewards from these places, even by standards from before RoK came out (Everfrost/Permafrost more so). There's a dropped quest for these insulated gauntlets that you ask yourself after the third step, "why am I going through this much trouble to get this crappy item?" and even answering, "to transmute" makes you wonder about your sanity since there are so many other easier ways of getting 'muting fodder.

[serilis]

I agree completely, Lavastorm is pretty much a ghost town every time I go there. Ive been trying to get a group together to hit sol A ever since I hit the 40's and most people don't even know what that zone is! why? because its so out of the way, and lavastorm isn't streamlined at all.touch these zones up a little and make them more accessible and maybe people will actually group in them.

[Vaydn]

Yeah I agree with original poster.  I pretty much skipped these zones cept for some HQ stuff and to turn in relic armor. 

[Azubi]

I found both these zones to be terrible to navigate and quest in solo as well.<div>Carpets in DOF and the Clouds in KOS are both nice touches that came later in the games life, now in</div><div>Kunark you get to travel via flight and connected paths , much nicer , as well some quests are </div><div>grouped tighter together but you still need to explore and adventure, I see the original posters</div><div>point as well understand the ideas behind these zones, there still should be some npc's to be found.</div><div>Then again im either not good at finding a mender in enchanted lands or there is no mender there period.</div>

[LionWilled]

*sigh*I don't even know if I should respond.Yes, the items need a revmamp.Yes, the quests need a revamp.Leave the rest of the zone alone.Does everything have to be so casual and solo friendly?Is it REALLY that hard to run from the docks to Sol A?No, it isn't, but it also isn't easy, and people don't like that.Not easy does not = hard. It's called a challenge, and if the masses don't want to take the time, ask some friends about it.I've done it, I leveled from 50-55 in Permafrost with a group of friends, it is a nice zone, and Everfrost is not that difficult.It doesn't make any sense for non heroic mobs here -------------------------------> heroic mobs here. It's kinda cool tothink of the non heroic baby wolves sleeping around their heroic mother, as an example. Everfrost and Lavastorms geography are co ol I think, it makes it seem more realistic, as in  a naturally occuring layout, not something a dev set up so people could treat it like a train route all along the zone in total safety with paths everywhere.People need to learn to avoid danger, and deal with it when it comes along, instead of having everything be so safe and easy, I find it more satisfying and  I will swear on my mothers grave till I die, it DOES make you a better player, even if just a little, and in certain ways.SO, revamp the loot and quests, but leave the mobs and geography alone!This type of mentality is the future of MMO's, and the reason why I and my friends are just about done with the genre, EF and Lava need help, just as Nek, Ant, CL and TS need help, they need help, NOT dumbing down for mass solo consuption without risk.

[Beldin_]

<p>Everfrost at least has some content, there are the gravestones quests, the Blood Countess and the repeatable killtasks you can do solo. Just yesterday with a 55 swashy and 53 mystik i also did Menagerie access and  the kill 20 panthers and kill 15 other heroic mobs quests.</p><p>However Lavastorm .. there is absolut null you could do solo, and i wouldn't even bother to do the heroic quests if they are near grey. I remember quests like kill 50 fire golems .. heck i even never completed these quests in the beginning of EQ2 when we ran through Lavastorm each day, because everyday there was something new who needed the Sol-Eye porter.</p>

[fbi]

For some unknown reason I took my dual box berserker/wizard to EF.Uhm, yeah, it needs a revamp.Prime example: I got a dropped quest starter that rewards a 'legendary' ring after completion-- a ring in fact that is only marginally better than the quest rewards offered in Timorous Deep -- and to get this ring I have to kill twenty five frozen gales, which are 4x ^^^ uncommonrare mobs. I'm already on another quest to kill four of those. But what do I get after six or so kills? "You did not find any quest items." LOL. Yeah.

[Beldin_]

<cite>fbitt wrote:</cite><blockquote>For some unknown reason I took my dual box berserker/wizard to EF.Uhm, yeah, it needs a revamp.Prime example: I got a dropped quest starter that rewards a 'legendary' ring after completion-- a ring in fact that is only marginally better than the quest rewards offered in Timorous Deep -- and to get this ring I have to kill twenty five frozen gales, which are 4x ^^^ uncommonrare mobs. I'm already on another quest to kill four of those. But what do I get after six or so kills? "You did not find any quest items." LOL. Yeah.</blockquote>Forget all these drop quest in EF .. they are all totally crap <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/2786c5c8e1a8be796fb2f726cca5a0fe.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" />

[Effie]

<p>The Risk vs Reward in those zones is seriously out of whack.... </p><p>They used to be endgame zones in a group-centric EQ2.... in the past few years, the focus of the game has changed greatly but these zones have remained the same. The quests are lengthy and very time consuming, the rewards are average even by lvl 50 EQ2 standards.</p><p>Back then, everyone had made the trek through lavastorm to open up the Solusek portal. There was little else to do at max level but farm and quest SolE and Permafrost. </p><p>The T5 quest lines were acceptable timesinks back then... </p><p>These days, nobody wants to spend a so much time on a quest for a reward that will be obsolete in less time than it takes to complete the quest.</p><p>These zones are in dire need of a revamp.</p><p>That most players skip them in favor of Sinking Sands speaks volumes on the overall appeal of these zones.</p>

[LionWilled]

<cite>Effie wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>The Risk vs Reward in those zones is seriously out of whack.... </p><p>They used to be endgame zones in a group-centric EQ2.... in the past few years, the focus of the game has changed greatly but these zones have remained the same. The quests are lengthy and very time consuming, the rewards are average even by lvl 50 EQ2 standards.</p><p>Back then, everyone had made the trek through lavastorm to open up the Solusek portal. There was little else to do at max level but farm and quest SolE and Permafrost. </p><p>The T5 quest lines were acceptable timesinks back then... </p><p>These days, nobody wants to spend a so much time on a quest for a reward that will be obsolete in less time than it takes to complete the quest.</p><p>These zones are in dire need of a revamp.</p><p>That most players skip them in favor of Sinking Sands speaks volumes on the overall appeal of these zones.</p></blockquote>Exactly. The risk doesn't need to be changed, the reward does.

[Freydinessa]

Yes, I don't know what any of the SOE developers were thinking - <i>and this has been posted about many many times before</i> - but the complete loot & item tables for the game are completely unbalanced. Quite Frankly, they should all be embarrassed, i know i certainly would be.And you made my day <b><i>Lionwilled</i></b>, i'm relieved there's someone else out there that actually wants these games to be a challenge. lol, for a while there i thought i was the only one.

[Rahatmattata]

Please don't nerf The Krathuk.........That is all.

[LionWilled]

<cite>Mirtai@Antonia Bayle wrote:</cite><blockquote>Yes, I don't know what any of the SOE developers were thinking - <i>and this has been posted about many many times before</i> - but the complete loot & item tables for the game are completely unbalanced. Quite Frankly, they should all be embarrassed, i know i certainly would be.And you made my day <b><i>Lionwilled</i></b>, i'm relieved there's someone else out there that actually wants these games to be a challenge. lol, for a while there i thought i was the only one.</blockquote>No, we are not alone.There are plenty of us around, however not enough apparently to garner the attention and dedication of any video game companies.Vanguard tried, and I know would have done well, but other factors took control and hope has been snatched from us.The wave of the future is not a wave  I care to ride for much longer.I reiterate, revamp the quests and loot, but leave the challenge alone, this isn't checkers or drawing stick figures, it should require some effort.But it's a non issue because SoE at MOST will give a [Removed for Content] buff to the quests and items and remove all heroics from the zone entirely and call that a "revamp".

[Terron]

Everfrost and particularly Lavastorm were designed as top end zones where toons would spend lots of time after hitting level 50.  They appeared pretty well designed for that. Unfortunately as soon as DoF came out they lost the role for which they were designed. They are nice looking zones which deserve a revamp so more people can experience them. I would not want to see them treated like Ant, or even Nek or CL. I quite like the latter two now, but there are already good alternative zones for 45-50 soloers. The mixing of heroic and solo mobs in Everfrost does make for an interesting experience, but getting a full group to kill the heroics is near impossible. I would add a level, but remove an arrow from all the ^^^ non-named aggro heroics.  That would make it a good zone for small groups. Also the long quests should be shortened or the rewards upped to modern legendary quaility. Permafrost is a good dungeon for a full group of the right level doing the statue quests together, but the rewards are poor. Make the nameds at least level 52 and give them a chance to drop level 52 masters, including ancient teachings and I think it would see more use.