Tempest Spine exploration area

[Bradik_Losdar]

I'm sure someone must have brought this up before, but isn't it time that the area surrounding the Tempest Spine quest was made into an exploration area like the Cerulean Hills, etc?

I mean come on, it's already laid out much like the current explorer zones (in fact I'm sure it was the prototype for them), all that is needed is to make up the XP table for Slayer, Rares, and Explorer points. Many areas are already named (anyone besides me seen the Lava Bath or No Rest For the Weary areas?) DDO's new "mid levels" (8-12) could do with an additional explorer zone for XP - and Tempest Spine is ready made, easy work for the Devs.

Honestly, how often has anyone looked araound this area besides the mad dash to get to the tunnel entrance?? I've been playing this game since launch and only really looked around one time (aside from the way too common "blow off" by the boss and instant recall from wherever I landed).

There was a lot of effort put into coding this area, it's too bad it currently just sits fallow as a backdrop for the raid.

[ArkoHighStar]

I'm sure someone must have brought this up before, but isn't it time that the area surrounding the Tempest Spine quest was made into an exploration area like the Cerulean Hills, etc?

I mean come on, it's already laid out much like the current explorer zones (in fact I'm sure it was the prototype for them), all that is needed is to make up the XP table for Slayer, Rares, and Explorer points. Many areas are already named (anyone besides me seen the Lava Bath or No Rest For the Weary areas?) DDO's new "mid levels" (8-12) could do with an additional explorer zone for XP - and Tempest Spine is ready made, easy work for the Devs.

Honestly, how often has anyone looked araound this area besides the mad dash to get to the tunnel entrance?? I've been playing this game since launch and only really looked around one time (aside from the way too common "blow off" by the boss and instant recall from wherever I landed).

There was a lot of effort put into coding this area, it's too bad it currently just sits fallow as a backdrop for the raid.

There is an easy way to make the area travelled make finishing certain areas a requirement to get the doors open

[DoctorWhofan]

oooohhhhhhh......


Shiny!!!!!!!!



I WANT!!!!

[Bradik_Losdar]

There is an easy way to make the area travelled make finishing certain areas a requirement to get the doors open

Lol - then only the "needed" areas get visited.

It's much better to make it an explorer zone; that way it can be used (as mentioned above) for XP by mid-level characters.

[ShadowFox1978]

Lol - then only the "needed" areas get visited.

It's much better to make it an explorer zone; that way it can be used (as mentioned above) for XP by mid-level characters.

Nope. I will still blow by it all, goin and get the 10k xp. The only way your idea would work is if they lowered the xp for the raid itself and moved that xp to the explorer zone. Then no one would run it because it wouldn't be worth it anymore.

[sephiroth1084]

You'd need to separate the approach into a 6-man area then or it'd be a 12-man explorer (like the sub), which would probably make getting a group together for both getting to the quest and running it for exploration somewhat problematic.

If it gets turned into a 6-man area, then it will cause some of the same issues Twilight Forge has (having to split into 2 groups to reach the quest), but if it turns into a 12-man explorer area the difficulty of the area will have to be stepped up a bit, and then simply getting to the quest will cause more deaths than already happen.

I think it's a cool idea, and I agree that it is a shame that such a huge area lies primarily ignored. I just bring up the above points because I think it'll take more than a small amount of time to alter the area, and it may have secondary effects on the quest itself, which, to date, is a fairly popular one partly for the rewards vs. difficulty of the quest.

[Citymorg]

Nope. I will still blow by it all, goin and get the 10k xp. The only way your idea would work is if they lowered the xp for the raid itself and moved that xp to the explorer zone. Then no one would run it because it wouldn't be worth it anymore.

Haven't I shown you the XP value of Explorer zones yet? Don't answer that. At a level 8-12 Explorer zone, your first time through, you are probably going to get close to the same 10kxp, in the half the time the raid takes. I have been playing for a long time, and never looked anywhere but dashing to the get to the quest. The exceptions, when I got lost or had to go rescue someone. In both cases, died, recalled, and dashed from the beginning. Even if Shadowfox won't run, it's a good idea.

[DoctorWhofan]

DEVs:

Make now!!!

[ShadowFox1978]

Haven't I shown you the XP value of Explorer zones yet? Don't answer that. At a level 8-12 Explorer zone, your first time through, you are probably going to get close to the same 10kxp, in the half the time the raid takes. I have been playing for a long time, and never looked anywhere but dashing to the get to the quest. The exceptions, when I got lost or had to go rescue someone. In both cases, died, recalled, and dashed from the beginning. Even if Shadowfox won't run, it's a good idea.

The raid takes 30 minutes in a decent group. I have yet to see the explorer zone(outside of possibly the vale or Underground) that returns that kind of xp in that time frame.

[Bradik_Losdar]

You'd need to separate the approach into a 6-man area then or it'd be a 12-man explorer (like the sub), which would probably make getting a group together for both getting to the quest and running it for exploration somewhat problematic.

Ah, but there in lies the beauty of Tempest Spine....

It is a special raid. The only one with no pre-reqs needed.

Why not extend that "special" deal to the explorer zone. Allow up to 12 man exploration parties to enter (I would have said that this would make it unique, but the Subterrane already has this system). Sure a full level-appropriate party of 12 is probably going to make easy work of the explorer zone, but what of the more common, unfull, 6 or even 4 man parties that go in?

Tempest Spine is one of the funnest raids out there because everyone works together: the explorer zone around it should be just as fun - you can bring up to 11, yes 11, friends with you to look around and get some good XP kicking some giant booty together (and not fear a party wipe from encountering one random monster (aka living spells) like in the Subterrane, lol!). Just a warning - don't fall into the lava while you are battling en masse on a narrow cliff face! :p

I don't think it needs to be "upgraded" to counter a 12 man party any more than the raid does (they are both already currently balanced for 12 man teams). Give it the flexability/fun of doing it with 1, 2, 6, 9, or if you have the time to get them all, 12 people. It should stand out just as the raid does as something fun and quick for a whole mess of people!

[MrWizard]

explorere zones and me do not mix. Just takes too much time to get xp unless you are with a group that is just running through it.
For me, just explorer and rare real fast can make it worth it, but the slayer is just not time conducive for leveling..

however, if bored, I will hang with a party and just run around wow style and kill stuff.
Maybe I am saving the exploreres for other toons or other times. Doing everything in the game all at once kinda makes it lose its neatness. Always leave stuff undone or undiscovered.

[amysrevenge]

They would have to change the quest as well - several times you port out of the dungeon and back out into what would be the explorer area during progress through the quest. Also, when you're up top at the end, a simple jump (or a giant-directed push) will send you back out to what would be the explorer area.

[ArkoHighStar]

They would have to change the quest as well - several times you port out of the dungeon and back out into what would be the explorer area during progress through the quest. Also, when you're up top at the end, a simple jump (or a giant-directed push) will send you back out to what would be the explorer area.

thats is why leaving the quest as is and then adding outdoor requirements would be the best way to do it

[Spookykid]

you can make it a 12 man explorer, just drop the max level to gain exp 8 or something

[Citymorg]

The raid takes 30 minutes in a decent group. I have yet to see the explorer zone(outside of possibly the vale or Underground) that returns that kind of xp in that time frame.

Didn't I take you on a Cerulean Hills run, with level 3-4 characters, where we made 4500-5000xp in ten minutes? That is better than 10k/30 min. There are other explorer areas out there where you can make that kind of XP. It is also very level dependant. If you take a group of 4-7s into Tangleroot or Sorrowdusk for the first time, you can easily make 10K in 1-2 runs. Gianthold, the same way level 10-12, you can make huge XP just by running to explorer spots and letting everything rubberband back, if you don't want to kill it for the slayer. Even the Orchard has good XP up to level 14.


explorere zones and me do not mix. Just takes too much time to get xp unless you are with a group that is just running through it.
For me, just explorer and rare real fast can make it worth it, but the slayer is just not time conducive for leveling..

however, if bored, I will hang with a party and just run around wow style and kill stuff.
Maybe I am saving the exploreres for other toons or other times. Doing everything in the game all at once kinda makes it lose its neatness. Always leave stuff undone or undiscovered.


You are right here, though. The explorer zones are XP efficient vs. questing, only the first, and possibly (but rarely) the second time through. The XP gain is in completing the explorer to all spots, with as many Slayer and Rares as you get. It is not time/XP efficient to max out slayers. Some of the Rares in the higher level explorer zones can be worth a lot of XP, especially if you can manage to get them all for the bonus. However, it still may be fast XP levelling to quest for it.

[Tin_Dragon]

I'm sure someone must have brought this up before, but isn't it time that the area surrounding the Tempest Spine quest was made into an exploration area like the Cerulean Hills, etc?

I mean come on, it's already laid out much like the current explorer zones (in fact I'm sure it was the prototype for them), all that is needed is to make up the XP table for Slayer, Rares, and Explorer points. Many areas are already named (anyone besides me seen the Lava Bath or No Rest For the Weary areas?) DDO's new "mid levels" (8-12) could do with an additional explorer zone for XP - and Tempest Spine is ready made, easy work for the Devs.

Honestly, how often has anyone looked araound this area besides the mad dash to get to the tunnel entrance?? I've been playing this game since launch and only really looked around one time (aside from the way too common "blow off" by the boss and instant recall from wherever I landed).

There was a lot of effort put into coding this area, it's too bad it currently just sits fallow as a backdrop for the raid.

Why are we trying to get the Dev's focused on OLD CONTENT?

Old is old, and DONE (buggy, for sure in many cases) But please, new content, in most forms, is better than re hashing, messing with a Golden Oldie like TS.

Leave it be.