Feedback request: review of recent zone changes.

[Taziar]

I understand what you are saying but I feel you are still looking at it from too heavy a PK perspective. What you talk about with fleebie style of play is a coding and game design issue that cannot be solved with zone mapping. Taking too much away from the geographic continuity and we might as well just be playing death match mud...

Taziar

[Cosmo]

What some of you call ease of travel equals ways to avoid hubs to others, which is not a good thing in a multi-player game.

The thing with zone connections is that in conjunction with ease of travel, they also make for ease of fleeing and ease of becoming virtually unkillable. Some people have said to me "but if a zone is too chokey, a newbie won't be able to run". No, if a zone is too open, anyone with a modicum of skill can live forever, which is especially problematic considering there are less chasers these days and the average skill level has gone up. Pkers get bored, frustrated and leave. Considering someone who runs already has an advantage, it just became too much.

It's a delicate balance, for sure. Every zone being like Tar Valon road would be stupid. But imo all the connections that were added at some point, e.g. Rhahime, Garen's Wall, Cairhien Road and so on opened up the center of the map too much. As for mob support in every zone, that is hardly necessary. Something to draw people to any given zone, yes. Which obviously won't work for every zone in the game, since there's only so many lures: exp for a certain level, cash, herbs, eq, etc.

Please take on board my suggestion to add the east exit 2e 4n of kaf. It wouldn't create a straight line path to run in like you are inferring with reference to TV road as it is 1s of the most northern room.

In relation to there being less chasers, I am not sure that is entirely true. I've had a full group of DS literally chase me from Chachin to Falme. I've also had many recent PK sessions in Western PK zones where people are willing to chase west. I think completely choking a zone to the point where it is a maze only benefits zerk warriors with no track. Track shouldn't be made redundant, people should still know where to block not just have to walk two rooms. Autotrack is also supposed to be a beneficial feature for the hunter class so lets keep it that way!

[Byorn]

Can confirm I do not need track to find Cosmo. I go berserk and he comes to me.

[Tamira]

uif i want to run screaming why cany tou let me?. no iducum of skills therygetting me anyways. got skills huzzah?
luiggy fm needs rejoined. s e caem needs a join. dogs breakky deadendy rooms peeoples will learn to avoud so then are useless rooms.. bottleneck oks but letme out somwheere if i am good nuff to get out. i'll pk, nearly dead. run scream,. regroup me.. come backl for more. but dont blooody force me into dung i dontwant if ican avoud.

[Santino]

Have to agree with Taziar again. Well said.

[Taziar]

These changes on the periphery of the andor zones are fine by me.. But I would advise against changing the core Andor zones: they are quite possibly some of the best designed zones in the mud and works of art

+1

Are we on the right track with leaving rooms in place, but simply removing connections? Or would you prefer to see another method when it comes to treating wide open zones? Any other feedback you wish to provide related to zones?

I would also like to add that when remapping FM and AD zone changes I seem to remember room descriptions not matching some of the the changes made to exits. I think the same thing happened with some of these recent changes and I am sure this makes a ton more work but if at all possible room descriptions being updated (when applicable) would help for new players and weirdos like me that still read them.



Taziar

Final plea: Zone changes to create a more complete and bookish environment should be top priority. Open sandbox in the world RJ created is still the major draw for me and what has kept me coming back for almost 20 years now.

[Taziar]

Ok... lied about the final plea

Just found the recent one way change down between Amadacia and Altara.

Please don't change the map like this... please

[Santino]

Ad was a great and necessary change. Really well done.

Fm is just fucked. No horse loads with the lakeside add on. South exit completely removed when it was already pretty chokey.

I can accept the changes made to Wh? I think. I ran through those today. I got confused and turned around but I can't say its bad at all. I'm sure I'll enjoy that once I learn them.

What was done to Amador/Altara?

[Rig]

The connection between Amador and Outpost zone is one way. Can't go back toward Amador after you've crossed the bridge.

[Santino]

If that's real then...Wow...what the hell