(Not so) New Idea for VIP benefits

[Suggestion]

A lot of players, especially VIPs have played most of the quests many times and get tired of watching the cut scenes, so of which are a bit long (spinner is one with 2 such scenes). I know the basic idea of shortening or eliminating them has been floated before, but how about an option for VIPs? If there is 1 or more VIP in the party who has set the option, the scene will be greatly shortened. This option would not apply to new expansions (released in the last month or so) so that players will be given a chance to see the scene. Also for the option to apply to a given quest, the VIP may have to have completed the various optional parts that are often ignored.

[Sqrlmonger]

A lot of players, especially VIPs have played most of the quests many times and get tired of watching the cut scenes, so of which are a bit long (spinner is one with 2 such scenes). I know the basic idea of shortening or eliminating them has been floated before, but how about an option for VIPs? If there is 1 or more VIP in the party who has set the option, the scene will be greatly shortened. This option would not apply to new expansions (released in the last month or so) so that players will be given a chance to see the scene. Also for the option to apply to a given quest, the VIP may have to have completed the various optional parts that are often ignored.

How about they just make all of them optionally skippable for everyone and stop wasting people's time as a rule. I have VIP and don't think this should be a VIP feature, this should just be a basic design principle in a game that encourages replaying quests literally hundreds of times.

[Xgya]

A lot of players, especially VIPs have played most of the quests many times and get tired of watching the cut scenes, so of which are a bit long (spinner is one with 2 such scenes). I know the basic idea of shortening or eliminating them has been floated before, but how about an option for VIPs? If there is 1 or more VIP in the party who has set the option, the scene will be greatly shortened. This option would not apply to new expansions (released in the last month or so) so that players will be given a chance to see the scene. Also for the option to apply to a given quest, the VIP may have to have completed the various optional parts that are often ignored.

The reverse (making it apply to new expansions first) would actually be easier to do, since there's a LOT hidden into old content they might not even be allowed to modify, or where there's rules based on how much they're allowed to modify. It took talking to Wizards of the Coast just to get the cooldown on the Key to Eveningstar lowered, changing whole cutscenes is WAY above that.
Meanwhile, new content still being made would be easier to handle and modify.
It would also lead to potential griefing (what if a person in the group WANTED to see that scene? Nope, VIP person shortens it for everyone)

The VIP suggestion I see floating and I'd like to have done is just a button in the Quest Log to open a quest's window, and enter a quest from there.
We could make it so it only works if someone is already in the quest (to help with instance issues).
There. Extra time-saving perk exclusively for VIPs, that implies a small modification to existing infrastructure.

[Ereshkigal]

A lot of players, especially VIPs have played most of the quests many times and get tired of watching the cut scenes, so of which are a bit long (spinner is one with 2 such scenes). I know the basic idea of shortening or eliminating them has been floated before, but how about an option for VIPs? If there is 1 or more VIP in the party who has set the option, the scene will be greatly shortened. This option would not apply to new expansions (released in the last month or so) so that players will be given a chance to see the scene. Also for the option to apply to a given quest, the VIP may have to have completed the various optional parts that are often ignored.

for the spinner cut scene that happens outside in the harbor after the quest, you can press escape and it cancels the cut scene. I only put this here because I didn't know that and had been watching the long ass thing.... as far as the ones in the quest, I think it could be problematic if some players are not VIP are sitting thru the cutscene while the vip players are moving on ahead?

[Oxarhamar]

for the spinner cut scene that happens outside in the harbor after the quest, you can press escape and it cancels the cut scene. I only put this here because I didn't know that and had been watching the long ass thing.... as far as the ones in the quest, I think it could be problematic if some players are not VIP are sitting thru the cutscene while the vip players are moving on ahead?

I can’t mash escape fast enough when that cutscene comes on

I also agree don’t think it’s a good feature for VIP

I do think reducing there’s types of nonplay time would be a big improvement

For spinner let the spinner monologue & let us start the quest then at the end monologue end the quest let us loot and recall
while she talks this leaves the monologue in place for story but allows the players to play instead of waiting & also to skip or watch the end monologue as they please

I’d probably watch it once then never again unless I was running through with someone new who hadn’t seen it yet

[Suggestion]

The reverse (making it apply to new expansions first) would actually be easier to do, since there's a LOT hidden into old content they might not even be allowed to modify, or where there's rules based on how much they're allowed to modify. It took talking to Wizards of the Coast just to get the cooldown on the Key to Eveningstar lowered, changing whole cutscenes is WAY above that.
Meanwhile, new content still being made would be easier to handle and modify.
It would also lead to potential griefing (what if a person in the group WANTED to see that scene? Nope, VIP person shortens it for everyone)


I agree that making the idea work with new content would be a lot easier for SSG than making it work with old content, but for the first several runs (i.e. the first month after releasing the content) the cut scenes could not be bypassed would allow many people to see the content and experience the full story. I was running Spinner a few months ago and someone commented about how long the scenes took and he wanted them shorter, my response was that the first few times I played the quest it was meaningful to get the full story, but having run the quest over 100 times it is getting old.

As for greifing someone, yes it is possible, but they can also go back later and replay the quest (maybe on normal this time instead of elite/reaper) and watch the scene.

[axel15810]

I can’t mash escape fast enough when that cutscene comes on



My main issue is it's SO LOUD. I have to take my headphones off every time before turning in spinner of shadows to the quest giver so the game audio doesn't blow out my ears. Devs if reading please reduce the volume on this.



Letting only VIPs skip in quest monologues would probably be too technically challenging but only devs would know if so. I'm fine with them generally as long as it isn't overdone and isn't every single quest. The last monologue in spinner I always see as bathroom break time/coffee making time.

[Tyrande]

My main issue is it's SO LOUD. I have to take my headphones off every time before turning in spinner of shadows to the quest giver so the game audio doesn't blow out my ears. Devs if reading please reduce the volume on this.
[...]

There is a trick to this. Hit [End] on your keyboard terminates the movies/cutcenes immediately from the Spinners reward person if your character hate listening to them babble.

[Xgya]

I agree that making the idea work with new content would be a lot easier for SSG than making it work with old content, but for the first several runs (i.e. the first month after releasing the content) the cut scenes could not be bypassed would allow many people to see the content and experience the full story. I was running Spinner a few months ago and someone commented about how long the scenes took and he wanted them shorter, my response was that the first few times I played the quest it was meaningful to get the full story, but having run the quest over 100 times it is getting old.

As for greifing someone, yes it is possible, but they can also go back later and replay the quest (maybe on normal this time instead of elite/reaper) and watch the scene.

I agree, the scenes are too long. Watching Elminster do his speech yet again is always a chore. But the fix is nowhere near an easy one, and not worth the expense by comparison.
We need a solution that's applicable in general, not one that needs to be added on a per-quest basis. It also needs not to modify existing content that's loaned to SSG and was approved as it currently is (so no modifying anything related to Faerun or Ravenloft, for example). Those would require an extra contract with the people giving them access to the content and might involve extra costs.

About griefing, most games in general are so against it they remove any potential ways to do it everywhere they can. We don't get to cast Greater Teleport in public zones because forcing people to click "no", a much shorter time loss than having to repeat a quest, is still too much of a chance for grief.

[ahpook]

About griefing, most games in general are so against it they remove any potential ways to do it everywhere they can. We don't get to cast Greater Teleport in public zones because forcing people to click "no", a much shorter time loss than having to repeat a quest, is still too much of a chance for grief.

I think it is more accurate to say "We don't get to cast Greater Teleport in public zones because forcing developers to code a simple model that does not include griefing is too much to ask".

As to the OP, skipping "cut scenes" or long dialog shouldn't be a VIP benefit. It should be available to all. But really the devs should be able to just make the dialogs shorter so that skipping them is not as important. Most of them go too long even the first time they happen.

[Captain_Wizbang]

how about the daily gold roll put back. oh wait, that's not a "new" idea. still...

[mikarddo]

Just let VIPs start heroics lives as level 4 after a TR. Nice and easy.

[ahpook]

Just let VIPs start heroics lives as level 4 after a TR. Nice and easy.

Since that is where much of my GoldRoll XP goes, that would be OK though not really an adequate replacement for the rolls.

[Jomee]

for the spinner cut scene that happens outside in the harbor after the quest, you can press escape and it cancels the cut scene. I only put this here because I didn't know that and had been watching the long ass thing.... as far as the ones in the quest, I think it could be problematic if some players are not VIP are sitting thru the cutscene while the vip players are moving on ahead?


I'd be happy if I can skip the ending dialog which feels like an eternity listening to the spinner saying, "She's Here, Muhahaha, Blah, Blah, Blah".

Just end the quest and spawn the chest! By far the absolute worst quest in the game to me.

[Oxarhamar]

My main issue is it's SO LOUD. I have to take my headphones off every time before turning in spinner of shadows to the quest giver so the game audio doesn't blow out my ears. Devs if reading please reduce the volume on this.



Letting only VIPs skip in quest monologues would probably be too technically challenging but only devs would know if so. I'm fine with them generally as long as it isn't overdone and isn't every single quest. The last monologue in spinner I always see as bathroom break time/coffee making time.

I agree on the loudness & the VIP issue

[Omunam10]

I'd be happy if I can skip the ending dialog which feels like an eternity listening to the spinner saying, "She's Here, Muhahaha, Blah, Blah, Blah".

Just end the quest and spawn the chest! By far the absolute worst quest in the game to me.

beans