The Official A Lesson in Deception Discussion Thread!

[SqueakofDoom]

Please use this thread to discuss the Wheloon Quest: A Lesson in Deception.

[patang01]

I liked this quest - per usual I didn't read the dialogue so I didn't know exactly what was going on. But I never felt like I was pushed forward through a straight line like with the last few releases. This feel asymmetric in narrow cramped passages and open squares with several ways of getting to the end with everything from roof top running or through the streets. Plus it even adds some sewer running with fighting lizards and stomping around in the sewage actually comes with a nasty surprise as it should. Bad for my Paladin but it makes sense.

[Grosbeak07]

I liked this quest - per usual I didn't read the dialogue so I didn't know exactly what was going on. But I never felt like I was pushed forward through a straight line like with the last few releases. This feel asymmetric in narrow cramped passages and open squares with several ways of getting to the end with everything from roof top running or through the streets. Plus it even adds some sewer running with fighting lizards and stomping around in the sewage actually comes with a nasty surprise as it should. Bad for my Paladin but it makes sense.

In addition, I also liked having to choose to do all the optionals or get the the 1 optional. Do you rescue the girl in the fire or do you save the people who got captured? This aspect was well done.

I also liked that you were being pushed along, without it being obviously timed, with no silly failure option. The cramped spaces were a lot of fun to poke around the corners.

[WargamerIV]

An interesting quest I liked it. I do have a few comments.

The packs of dogs just kept running around, even after I would hit the dogs, they kept running around most of the time rather than agro on me.

Where do the ladders and portal at the end lead to?

[Texlaw1992]

End portal does not work.

I like that the ladders vanish when you click on them at the end fight. I assume (though I didn't test) that having an extra person or two clicking on the ladders prevents reinforcements during the end fight.

[Claver]

Let me begin with the positives:

- Good Maze/dungeon layout. Not too chaotic or large. It felt like we could wander and explorer and pick our own direction without becoming entirely lost and frustrated. You would eventually get where you needed to go without knowing what direction to take.

- Very good premise of executing hostages if you waste time for chests and shrines. Helps the immersion. You should have the executed cry out before they die to establish a more emotional connection. There should be several chests provided at the end if all hostages saved especially since it will mean at least two chests were skipped inside the dungeon.

- I like the explosion at the beginning. Took me by surprise

- Having two clerics as end bosses working in tandem was a good call. I've often felt players deserve a taste of their own medicine

Now some constructive criticism:

(1)Next update, please, please, please choose a more interesting setting. The broken down wooden room is a tired video game trope used in zombie games, post apocalyptic games, and many a fantasy game. I feel like I've played in this shanty town setting a hundred times in scores of games in the last decade. I was bored before I left the first room.

We are level 28. Epic content should look Epic. Where are the fantastic locations? We should be visiting Efritti in the City of Brass, sailing across seas of glass, standing outside the gates of the City of Bone. Instead we are are sneaking through Old Ned's Abandoned Bait Shack.

The story demanded a prison city but does that mean all the buildings had to be vapid? How about a gigantic abandoned cathedral in ruins, broken aqueducts, coliseums, fetid reflecting pools,etc. And why does everything have to be so drab. Why no faded fresco on a wall, or vegetation with flowers on a wall, or red tiles on a roof instead of thatch?

Hyperbole aside, the drab and uninspired aesthetics did greatly detract from my enjoyment of the quest and explorer area - to such an extent that I have little interest in playing in these zones again. Based on the visual look alone I would not have purchased the expansion.

(2) The option to spend shards to reroll a chest as you open the chest for better loot breaks immersion in the game. The message regarding the shards don't feel lore appropriate. I'm not opposed to more ways to monitize the game so long as they are behind the scenes. No banner adds as art work on the dungeon walls please. No NPCs doing adverts for personal care products. And no shard reroll screen on the chest. It takes me out of the game. Leave these devices in the store please.

[Leclaire1]

I agree with those here that say this is an interesting and fun quest with a good mechanic for moving players along and creating a moral dilemma. Of course, I couldnt save the girl because I didnt have open lock, making that choice easy. There should be another way to save her, and if there is, it should be more clearly hinted at in the dialogue. I think that in the future this will be a fast xp run like Imp Demands, which is a good thing. Well done.

One issue that should be attended to though. The ladder that drops after the culverts are open blends in and is not obvious. I wasted tons of time running around trying to find my way because of it. It would be highly ideal to make this more clear.

[patang01]

I liked this quest - per usual I didn't read the dialogue so I didn't know exactly what was going on. But I never felt like I was pushed forward through a straight line like with the last few releases. This feel asymmetric in narrow cramped passages and open squares with several ways of getting to the end with everything from roof top running or through the streets. Plus it even adds some sewer running with fighting lizards and stomping around in the sewage actually comes with a nasty surprise as it should. Bad for my Paladin but it makes sense.

An addition - consider making a simple check in the sewer. if you already hit by the icky then don't have it do another check. It causes lag - you keep running in the icky and it keep telling and poisoning you over and over. Try to figure out how to either just reset or not reset since it's really annoying.

I suggest don't worry about resetting the timer, until it actually runs out. You got the icky already, you can't really get ickier.

[Kryspen]

Please use this thread to discuss the Wheloon Quest: A Lesson in Deception.

Has anyone else had an issue with the quests as you complete them not being counted when you speak with Antone Corluk. Also, Davny Selkin never acknowledges any of the quests... Am I totally missing something? Please help, as I don't want to repeat any further quests.

Thanks so much!
Kryspen