I think the concept of playing a Graal game or server is really not that hard to pick up and learn or as one might believe, credit in part those servers with tutorials, but the controls should be familiar to most people right away. The social aspect is what i think sucks most people in, as you may even have tons of players playing the server casually just to chat with friends or even role-play. I’m hopeful most newer players will be expecting more of an RPG-styled server when they first step into Delteria, or at least have an understanding from the beginning of why and how the server might be different than what they were previously playing on. Also of course, those who have played any pc/console/mobile game from the RPG genre, excluding Graal, will already have a better understanding of the server’s mechanics.
You also do bring up some honest concerns regarding new players, and I also think some of the
earlier quests and tutorials can use some refinements to teach those players. (How to move, message players/admins, more in depth tutorials etc?)
First, I think you need to put into perspective that we were all randomly warped and put into this dungeon, regardless of our levels (which became obvious right away), that we were too low to undertake this dungeon.
With our random hand-picked group, we already struggled in the first corridor,
"which could also be attributed to current npc mechanics"
(
can’t really run from npc in tight S-shaped corridor," especially if they can walk through the wall)", and again lack of levels. This section probably took 15-20 mins and the range members eventually took out the npc’s without alerting them (by design or bug?).
- In fact, I find also that Npc's mechanics should be completly overhauled.
I was the first to pick up a stone and attempt to place it in the hole, but players in a group will instantly notice an ally pick up a stone, and follow along with their concepts of what to do with it. In regard to you concern with new players of Graal, consider that by the time players choose to tackle this dungeon, they will have played on the server for a considerable amount of time (I’m sure there will be thousands of instances of running around and observing other players picking up bushes).
Also, please consider word of mouth, playing in party with an experienced player, and always the option to PM/ask an admin for advice (Assuming this would’ve been addressed/seen upon a tutorial or arrival, and if not can also be added)
-Sorry, I did not understood this part.
The traps were always visible to us when you get near, but again, this section has npc’s when you first enter the room, party members also kept dying which could’ve also attributed in part to time spent on this section that you noted, and the chaos at the time would’ve delayed any planning of any real strategy.
"When it was down to just the 3 of us, we did eventually come up with a strategy we thought would best get us finally through" (
a member luring the beatles away, with fire and bombs also used for the archers) but our member luring them away eventually got caught or died by the time the second wave of archers appeared, with my lack of dmg to kill both sets of archers in time). I
actually really enjoyed the trial and error and our strategy, especially when it was just me and Vulcan after everyone left, and it wasn’t exactly impossible, but the conditions had to be perfect for us to get through and we eventually ran out of time; with difficulty or any rage associated not all that different from attempting something in an RPG like Dark Souls hahah
It was fun and maybe any concerns you had with time would’ve been solved if we had more damage and higher levels, as I realized you couldn’t really damage the baddies and wanted to to place the rocks, so I would definitely love revisit it again with you soon!
-Indeed, as I stated before, we were too weak (especially me), resulting by being blocked in that room. I don't deny our cooperation, everyone made a contribution to the whole.
I also do share your opinion on Tips, but also again consider this is a dungeon to be attempted with higher leveled players, probably near the end of their skills trees, Delteria currently open has three dungeons open atm and i’d assume this would be the hardest so far so if tips were to be implemented for this dungeon, they would have to be done carefully without it being too blatant. However,
it would make sense to add any tips in the first dungeon as it’s the first one that players encounter.
- In that point, I do totally agree with you. In fact, add some tips in the first dungeon would be a better idea.
Consider a quest(s) early game for players to come back to a Class Master after their choice of first perk to classify them into which Npc Class Master/whatevername they’d be assigned to (Warrior, Mage, Cleric, Hunter). There’s already particular quest early game pertaining to choosing your first perk, which this can be added onto. Then perhaps get rid of the “Get More” button inside perks tab, and instead have players visit their assigned Class npc/could be same npc for everyone, in order to upgrade perks in your tree with points?
Maybe even a little tutorial on how to use whichever perks/how to use hotkeys sword/shield, mage/cleric spell, bow. Then eventually how to attack with item, or only teach how to equip (I know this would certainly takes a lot of time and it’s just a suggestion
)
A more simpler suggestion is to show the class of player in player’s Profile. Perhaps the ring around player’s avatar could be different, diff revolving runes, diff color, an icon, etc. having some unique characteristic and depending on a player’s class
-Nice ideas, especially, the little tutorial could really helpful for neophytes.