Whatever happened to progressive quest chains?

[Knightrose]

Why have we moved away from quest chains, which were fun with interesting named loot (most of which had unique textures I might add) to.... crafting?

I could go on for hours about my argument but I'd rather just ask a simple question:

Which do you think is more fun and would rather have:

A. Quest chains that open up to us as we progress in levels and in areas. That reward us with high-end loot and/or a list of named/unique items after completion. With a few toys and good chests thrown in along the way. With top of this hierarchy being fun and puzzle-oriented raids (like the good ol days)

or

B. Grinding Shroud (or any location) for Crafting materials so you can make superior end-game items that will only really be useful in the place you made them.


In my opinion I choose A.

Crafted items are so powerful they mock anything below a lvl 16 dungeon. Hell, they mock everything except the Shroud. Where they weren't even needed in the first place. Other then the Shroud the only other challenge left in DDO is the Abbot. And that's it.

Does anyone else see this irony? Grinding away at the Shroud in order to produce gear that makes you better at... *drum roll* grinding the Shroud.


I miss the days of Waterworks, Co6, Threnal even the boring Catacombs. Because those were quests that were not only fun (and challenging at the time) but highly rewarding. But more importantly those quests felt like D&D. Or at the very least the premise of it behind DDO.

I fear that everything from Mod6 on will be FedEx/grind.

Even rolling new characters has lost the excitement it once had. All I think about when I quest with my lvl5 Ranger is 'gee, all this **** I'm obtaining now is gonna mean nothing once I start grinding the Shroud.' Sure I'll need a couple vorpals and couple cursepewers but beyond that; it's the Shroud or bust.

It has to me, been very lame.

I for one am losing interest fast.

[Citymorg]

Well, I saw the Shroud as the next incarnation of the quest chain. One that I have wanted for a very long time, a multi-part raid. I understand there isn't a quest completion between each part, but they are seperate quests in all but name.

I do not think what you are asking for are two mutually-exclusive things. We can have crafting, and a raid (or area) to grind for ingredients and multi-part chain quests, at all levels. In fact, I would argue we do. Litany of the Dead is one example, 4 5 part multi-chain quests going from level 4-5 all the way to 16. This is the most recent, and thus the highest level one. There have been others added over the last two years, and I am sure there will be more. In the meantime, since those have come out, they added the crafting as well. If the crafting is not your thing, there are plenty of quests, options, raids, favor, PvP and other things to do that you might like better.

[Impaqt]

Uh, there hasnt been a single quest chain with a static loot list (Or the newer semi-static we al know and love now) since the game was introduced.

WW
STK
Catacombs
CO6
tangleroot
Delaras
Theranal

All around since the beginning.. They quest chain w/ Static loot concept went away a LONG time ago.

[Magnyr_Delorn]

Uh, there hasnt been a single quest chain with a static loot list (Or the newer semi-static we al know and love now) since the game was introduced.

WW
STK
Catacombs
CO6
tangleroot
Delaras
Theranal

All around since the beginning.. They quest chain w/ Static loot concept went away a LONG time ago.

This is correct, and it is a shame.

The reason for this is the devs developing style. With each update to the game, we get bug fixes, UI upgrades, non quest content, etc. and only a handful(lets say 3-7) new quests. If they were to introduce any new quest chains, it would likely become the only quest addition for that update. Thats not to say I'd personally have a problem with it, but I imagine they attempt to vary the quests significantly to appeal to a broader base. It makes more financial sense.

At least thats my theory. I can only hope they didn't axe them because they thought the playerbase doesn't like them, because judging by the LFMs up at any given point, this is hardly the case.

[Angelus_dead]

This is correct, and it is a shame.

The reason there's no new quest chains is because players couldn't handle them. Someone was always forgetting to update right and not getting the reward for the series, and he'd get upset and complain.

Obviously, the correct fix for that was to put a simple warning message when you enter a dungeon without being on the right phase of the quest. But they didn't do so for literally years and years.

The biggest loss from giving up quest chains is that it was a way to extend the gameplay experience of the same amount of level-design work.

[Pellegro]

I am glad to see quest chains gone ...

It would suck if you were in the middle of one and party fell apart, or whatever ... nearly impossible to pick up in same spot again so you'd have to start over.

Just my opinion, but I'd much prefer to have 5 thematically related but independent quests then any kind of chain. Ever.

[coolpenguin410]

The reason there's no new quest chains is because players couldn't handle them. Someone was always forgetting to update right and not getting the reward for the series, and he'd get upset and complain.

Obviously, the correct fix for that was to put a simple warning message when you enter a dungeon without being on the right phase of the quest. But they didn't do so for literally years and years.

This has been implemented on Risia! If you starting a quest that you're not qued up for, you get a red warning message right aboe the OK/Cancel buttons. Very noticable too.

[Vardak]

Uh, there hasnt been a single quest chain with a static loot list (Or the newer semi-static we al know and love now) since the game was introduced.

WW
STK
Catacombs
CO6
tangleroot
Delaras
Theranal

All around since the beginning.. They quest chain w/ Static loot concept went away a LONG time ago.

The quest chain idea didn't die at launch... Necrolopolis which is also the harbinger of crafted rewards, came after launch. Only everyone hates Olympic gymnast phase undead with super stat draining glancing blows and 10000 HD.

[Impaqt]

The quest chain idea didn't die at launch... Necrolopolis which is also the harbinger of crafted rewards, came after launch. Only everyone hates Olympic gymnast phase undead with super stat draining glancing blows and 10000 HD.

Necropolis has no set quest progression and doesnt have a static reward list.

You can do the 4 quests in any order you want.
Comleting the 4 quests opens up the fifth.
Beating the fifth quest gets you a chance at sone neat namend loot, but nothing static.

This is true in all 3 Lotd Series.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Necropolis has no set quest progression and doesnt have a static reward list.

You can do the 4 quests in any order you want.
Comleting the 4 quests opens up the fifth.
Beating the fifth quest gets you a chance at sone neat namend loot, but nothing static.

This is true in all 3 Lotd Series.

Actually I like that better. While some progressives are nice for story line reasons, the number of chars I have stranded on Von3 gets agrivating... I mean really, why does it matter which order I recruit the laughing knives in? Just make me do all 4 and then let me in to von5.

[moorewr]

Uh, there hasnt been a single quest chain with a static loot list (Or the newer semi-static we al know and love now) since the game was introduced.

WW
STK
Catacombs
CO6
tangleroot
Delaras
Theranal

All around since the beginning.. They quest chain w/ Static loot concept went away a LONG time ago.

If you omit the catacombs, that's my list of the best content in the game.


(PS: VON, DQ.. Necropolis parts 1, 2, & 3, also fit the chin/reward bill in most ways)

[Fanabeam]

Uh, there hasnt been a single quest chain with a static loot list (Or the newer semi-static we al know and love now) since the game was introduced.

WW
STK
Catacombs
CO6
tangleroot
Delaras
Theranal

All around since the beginning.. They quest chain w/ Static loot concept went away a LONG time ago.

What about VON and the Demon Queen?
Oh yes, people complain bitterly about those too, don't they?

[Azoralq]

I really only agree with you on one thing here. Greensteel items are killing the game, in my opinion. Why not just make a suit of armor with Disease/poison/paralysis/magic/pierce/blunt/slashing immunity, along with deathward, and throw in slay living as well. Then make a khopesh (Cause everyone uses 'em anyway) with Acid/Cold/Fire/Holy/Force/Air blast damage, with Acid/Cold/Fire/Holy/Force Air burst damage, that is transmuting, vorpal, disurpting, banishing, and cursespewing...and can kill anything with a 25% chance, as long as you succeed on a hit.

Ok...a bit overexaguration here, but seriously...what's the point of having other items, if you can make insane items to do it all at once? This game lost it's challenging feel the moment paralyzers and vorpals dropped like candy out in the Hold...but not it's just pathetic.

I know, I know...I should just quit DDO. Well, you're right, I probably should...but that doesn't mean I can't at least say this. Turbine should really stop finding more ways for us to kill something in one hit, and find more ways to make the game interesting.

[DasLurch]

The problem with these "quest chains" isn't with the length or rewards. It lies with the way that a player must update them. The number of times that someone "forgets" to update on part 5 of tangleroot or part 3 of delera's is incredibly high. That is the real problem with these. That is also why we will not likely see a new one anytime soon.

[Amabel]

Why have we moved away from quest chains, which were fun with interesting named loot (most of which had unique textures I might add) to.... crafting?

I could go on for hours about my argument but I'd rather just ask a simple question:

Which do you think is more fun and would rather have:

A. Quest chains that open up to us as we progress in levels and in areas. That reward us with high-end loot and/or a list of named/unique items after completion. With a few toys and good chests thrown in along the way. With top of this hierarchy being fun and puzzle-oriented raids (like the good ol days)

or

B. Grinding Shroud (or any location) for Crafting materials so you can make superior end-game items that will only really be useful in the place you made them.


In my opinion I choose A.

Crafted items are so powerful they mock anything below a lvl 16 dungeon. Hell, they mock everything except the Shroud. Where they weren't even needed in the first place. Other then the Shroud the only other challenge left in DDO is the Abbot. And that's it.

Does anyone else see this irony? Grinding away at the Shroud in order to produce gear that makes you better at... *drum roll* grinding the Shroud.


I miss the days of Waterworks, Co6, Threnal even the boring Catacombs. Because those were quests that were not only fun (and challenging at the time) but highly rewarding. But more importantly those quests felt like D&D. Or at the very least the premise of it behind DDO.

I fear that everything from Mod6 on will be FedEx/grind.

Even rolling new characters has lost the excitement it once had. All I think about when I quest with my lvl5 Ranger is 'gee, all this **** I'm obtaining now is gonna mean nothing once I start grinding the Shroud.' Sure I'll need a couple vorpals and couple cursepewers but beyond that; it's the Shroud or bust.

It has to me, been very lame.

I for one am losing interest fast.

/signed

Crafting is boring, boring, boring and it looks like we'll just be getting more of it. Not to mention the way it's been implemented makes even the previous DDO monty haul look underpowered.

For those that like that sort of thing... enjoy your big shiny hamster wheel. I'm leaving it for the hamsters.

[MrWizard]

chain quests = horridness for many.

Catacombs is a chain quest...try getting your elite favor on that by having to run it three times.
A fun dungeon turned into a horror that no one wants to deal with at all because of how favor and difficulty works.

If you could open a dungeon at any difficulty that would be great...but HAVING to do it on all just plain makes it a horror.

Tangleroot is fun...but if someone cannot open last one on elite...you have to do the whole thing again just to get the last one for favor....

Thank the holy kobald they are least stopped that monstrousity from happening anymore.

crafting=grind=no adventure for me.
raids= exact same thing every run = boring for me (except when I lead tempest spine and tell the spineless ones to stop with the silly planning....lol)


please....

1- allow dungeons open any difficulty at anytime
2- stop making raids the way you have and start making long fun dungeons like tempest spine that are doable with smaller groups too.
3- crafting = just shoot me
4- kill AOC