Let's Talk: New Korthos Dungeon Master

[Melange]

Greetings <strike>DDOnians</strike> <strike>DDOites</strike> <strike>DDOtiates</strike> personages of extreme personatude!
My name is Ryon, and I am one of the newest content designers here on the DDO team. I really enjoy D&D and working here on DDO, so I hope you will all look forward to some of my content in the upcoming expansion. Let’s see, what else can I say about myself to give an idea of who I am and what I’m about?

• Ninjas > Pirates
• I am an epic level pun-o-mancer
• My favorite D&D Monster is the second edition Invisible Stalker (It has the best image in any Monstrous Manual)

And that’s a bit of yours truly. Nice to meet you all! I have ulterior motives for introducing myself today, and that’s because I’d like to pick your brains about one of our newer projects…

Some of you may have noticed new Dungeon Master text and objectives that have sprouted up in Korthos Island as of Update 13. Obviously Korthos is pretty straight forward, but the idea is that we would expand this technique to other public areas in the future once we’re confident in the implementation. Let’s get started!

Newer Players

• Was it helpful for finding your way?
• Was it easier to follow along with the story of what happens in Korthos?
• Did it help immerse you deeper into what was happening with the Korthos storyline?
• Was it distracting, and if so, what specifically was distracting?
• If you used it in Korthos, do you feel like you missed it once you reached the Harbor and no longer had it?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

[cdbd3rd]

Hi! Welcome. ...aboard.



(Woohoo! First!)

• Ninjas > Pirates
  No. CNR>ninjas>pirates>Chuck Norris ...( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLnapb-30hA&ob=av2e )
• I am an epic level pun-o-mancer
  You will be loved, or hated. Nothing in between.
  
• My favorite D&D Monster is the second edition Invisible Stalker (It has the best image in any Monstrous Manual)
  BLASPHEMY!! MM1 Succubus was pure FTW.
  

*Ahem!* Corrections above in greenisness.

But moving along...

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

Been a while since I've been out there, so will go look and return later with something returnableworthy.

edit:

Didn't play all the way thru the Island, but must say that those doubled DM voices at Jeets (being the first stop for newbs) is gonna set a bad First Impression on folks. Good overall idea for the fresh newbs hitting the island, otherwise.
Would not care to see too much of this kind of mentoring further along. Maybe some in Harbor to help newbs transition, but not in/beyond Marketplace. Exception to that = STK, as it falls in behind WW.

[geoffhanna]

Now I regret skipping the storyline when I TR'd a couple of days ago

[madmaxhunter]

I'm a vet, TRed with two guildies, we really liked the changes. Not necessary for us of course but we felt that it's less confusing for just-off-the-boat newbs.

[brightfang]

I noticed this DM guidance bugs if you made a toon before Update 13, completed the Grotto, completed Kaja's quest and then stopped playing said toon until after Update 13, at which point you log in and The Dungeon Master tells you to "Help Kaja with her troubles" even though you already did. Otherwise, very well done! I love Korthos and this helps with the storyline.

[Hutoth]

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it? Yes and Yes
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously? I'm sure it would have, had I not understood.
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking? This, everywhere.
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of? More meta-quest DM'ing, I like it.

Cool, hi, welcome.

[cheekysmile]

Hola

I noticed it but have ran Korthos to death in the past so i don't really think there was much else to miss.

Reckon it's a good idea though as i still remember the very first time i logged on and explored (smashed every barrel and everything for the pick ups, oh the time i wasted on that). The hook that got me was that you could get immersed in the storyline so any improvements to that the better.

I think once you start to group with others and invariably group with those that run the game on auto pilot, you tend to lose the whole notion that you're on a grand campaign. I had no idea what the hell shroud was about the first time i ran it, just followed everyone else.

Better signposting and immersion can only be good for the game i reckon. I'd love to redo a lot of the stuff for the first time and really get into the story again. Bit numb to it now.

Please no really long sequences that you can't skip through though. If i have to listen to the Lord of Eyes rant about chess one more time i won't be responsible for my actions.....

[Avidus]

My favorite D&D Monster is the second edition Invisible Stalker (It has the best image in any Monstrous Manual)

Yes. Yes it does.

[Feralthyrtiaq]

...I get the same feeling of nostalgia every time I TR and get asked "OI, You'e Awake!....."

But...

was level 13 on life 4 when U13 hit so will have to let you know in a few days (a Fuzz into Rank 89 and holding....)

[danotmano1998]

My name is Ryon, and I am one of the newest content designers here on the DDO team. I really enjoy D&D and working here on DDO, so I hope you will all look forward to some of my content in the upcoming expansion.

Awesome! Welcome to the fold, and yes, I do indeed look forward to some of the new content. Vigorously.

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

Yes, I noticed it. Frankly, I was very impressed. The new voice overs and guides are a huge boon, IMO. I thought it was AWESOME when I heard how the village had heard of my exploits and suggested I visit the local tavern.

Brilliant work. Bravo!!

I found myself thinking "Wow, how come more quests aren't worked this way??" and "As a newer player, this would have been GREAT!! How come it wasn't around back then?"

Yes, In my opinion it helped the storyline quite a bit. There was more immersion! Bonus!

The only thing negative I can mention is that it did not progress the storyline past talking to the captain of the ship. A minor bug, really. I already knew where to go.

[psteen1]

I didn't like how the new DM and the old DM both tried talking at the same time. It did a number on my ears. Specifically, I believed this happened as I was entering Heyton's Rest (that's the first dungeon, right?)

[Phemt81]

...I get the same feeling of nostalgia every time I TR and get asked "OI, You'e Awake!....."

"Can you move?"

[Ninety]

Greetings <strike>DDOnians</strike> <strike>DDOites</strike> <strike>DDOtiates</strike> personages of extreme personatude!
My name is Ryon, and I am one of the newest content designers here on the DDO team. I really enjoy D&D and working here on DDO, so I hope you will all look forward to some of my content in the upcoming expansion. Let’s see, what else can I say about myself to give an idea of who I am and what I’m about?

• Ninjas > Pirates
• I am an epic level pun-o-mancer
• My favorite D&D Monster is the second edition Invisible Stalker (It has the best image in any Monstrous Manual)

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

Hi Welcome

I saw the new text in korthos when I TR'ed.
I'm sorry, but I ignored it completely. I went with the lowest xp quest to the highest xp quest in korthos area when I'm there to build up streak, and the DM text doesn't go in that order.

[luvirini]

Played a while so replying to the veteran part:


>Veteran Players
>Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?

Followed it a bit, not the whole run

>Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?

No, but then I have done korthos more than hundred times sofar...

>If it ISNT helpful, what is it lacking?

I think that it is extremely helpful for someone new, but if you can do something with your eyes closed it is not that helpful.

>Is there anything that its doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

Tying together the storyline from multiple quests as a sort of "master quest".

It would be nice if there were similar master quests for the many story lines in DDO. Though a simple journal type thing with chapters like quest lines have would likely be enough. The individual quest lines would then be the chapters of that master quest.

[dejafu]

I noticed this just last night when I TR'd for the first time since the new update. While I did what many others did and quickly rushed off to Stormreach for the high XP quests, I actually got curious enough after an hour or two to go back and run the basic quests on Korthos.

After trying it out, I can say that this is a GREAT idea that was implemented VERY well. I know a lot of people complain that DDO doesn't have much in the way of story going on because they don't have the time or inclination to read the dialogue boxes. The new DM narration gives just enough information to show the underlying coherence of the story and tell you WHY you now need to go talk to the guy in the tavern for your next quest, etc. Many quest chains in DDO (of all levels) could benefit tremendously from implementing something similar (Delera's and Threnal, I'm looking at YOU).

Oh, and good choice for the voice actress as well. She and the British guy are my personal favorites (I still make it a point to turn on DM audio whenever running Lord of Blades just to hear "But perhaps there is ANOTHER way to reach the upper level!!").

[waterboytkd]

Veteran Players

• Did you notice it, and if so, did you try to follow along with it?
• Did it help you to understand anything about the Korthos story you may have missed when you played it previously?
• If it ISN’T helpful, what is it lacking?
• Is there anything that it’s doing particularly well that you want to see more of?

I did notice it, but I didn't try to follow it. Even then, I barely noticed it. I've run Korthos so much (most of my guildies skip it when they TR, but I love Korthos, so I run it every time), that I'm on auto-pilot. I noticed the new box in the corner of my screen, telling me where to go, and I noticed the green arrows, but that's about it.

It wasn't helpful, but not because it lacked anything, but because if there's one thing I don't need, it's a guide for Korthos. That said, I can say that it didn't detract from anything while running Korthos, either. So, at least from this player's perspective, though it doesn't help veterans or Korthos (isn't there a guild with that name?), it also isn't obtrusive or annoying.

[Dandonk]

Hi and welcome

I ran through Korthos recently on a TR, and yes I noticed the new DM stuff. While it didn't tell me anything I didn't know, I think this is a great addition. I have several RL friends who have stopped playing DDO, in part because they don't know where to go and what to do. This should be a great help to newer players trying out the game for the first time, and prevent other newer players from feeling lost.

It didn't detract from my own experience in any way, so /thumbs_up

[THAC0]

Nice to see a new Dev on the boards. Looking forward to some new content too!

My fav critter is the Flumph :-)

Thac0

[dejafu]

Oh, and one other thing... if you ever get around to implementing this in the Inspired Quarter, please just flat-out replace the current DM narrator in there. It's embarrassing how TERRIBLE the voice acting is for those quests. Not funny-bad like the male narrator doing the female "prisoner's" voice in Cry for Help, just BAD-bad.

[Tholar]

Greetings <strike>DDOnians</strike> <strike>DDOites</strike> <strike>DDOtiates</strike> personages of extreme personatude!

Greetings nerds. If they don't accept it at this point, they are fooling themselves.

Signed,

one big nerd.