Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

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TheGreatMars
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Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by TheGreatMars » Wed Sep 23, 2020 3:10 am

Spoilers and meta-info everywhere here so if you haven't played the dungeon, go do it!

First fell into the Fungal maze at low level. Had no idea it was there but I fell into a hole and ended up in the central room with no idea how to get out. I had to actually think and investigate to discover the secret grates that let me out into the rest of the maze. I was pleased to find interesting enemies, and confusing corridors making excellent use of the sea caves tileset. The Bas-relief faces were also a nice touch adding a touch the maze that made it feel like an actual D&D adventure.

Norogh Norr is also an excellent area, providing a decent challenge at it's level with hordes of derro between you and the central temple. Not just mindless Derro wanting to kill you though, there's also Derro commoners just hanging around that the meanies among us can kill for some extra XP. You're probably a drow anyway, killing defenseless Derro is a perfectly acceptable passtime. Plus some NPCs, and some actual shopkeepers even. Which was a nice touch considering Norogh Norr is an actual settlement, not just a monster den.

Really my only complaint about the dungeon is the door into the final temple. By the time players get to it they probably forgot about the stone faces from the Fungal Maze, and if they didn't pass the spot check when talking to the faces to see the gemstone in it's mouth, they would have no idea that the faces are even important.
Even if they did pass the spot check and get the gem, they probably wouldn't realize it's important if they didn't examine it. Unless they're an artcrafter they probably don't have a stack of gems like I did and wouldn't have noticed it didn't stack with them. Even if they did... they'll probably have to backtrack because they'll realize later that they actually need a gem from each of the stone faces to open the temple.
So... if you're a fighter with a bad spot check and no extra gems in your inventory... you probably have no idea what's going on in this place until you're at the door to the temple being like "So... how the ****?" Might be a good idea to give some alternative method for finding the gems, or a hint to know they're even there... like a note from a dead adventurer or something. Or maybe a Derro NPC you can chat up who, in between spouting lunacy like Agulf from the hub, might give you the hint.

Sorry I got a bit sidetracked, this is a KUDOS! So kudos to you devs who made this gem of a dungeon! I haven't had as much fun with any other lower level dungeon in Arelith on either the Surface or the Underdark. It felt really rewarding to have to think through the area, and apply my big wizard brain to the problems throughout. I even got to use Clairvoyance/Clairaudience to solve puzzles! That's something I never would have thought I'd get to do outside PnP

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Fallout
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Re: Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by Fallout » Wed Sep 23, 2020 5:40 am

I also kudos these maps, would add nidus path as well, mushroom forest, those maps truly give more dimension to the underdark as a whole, i would like to see more maps that can have only adventuring purpose not just writ with some "eyecandy" or "moodcandy" reward where toons can simply....wonder off...feel indeed being somewhere within the ud beauty, but dangerous one ;)


However i think some info that should be IC is spilled a bit here in this thread and is more of a feedback, i am sure it was in good intention, anyhow these maps are amazing, kudos to DEVs!

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Anatida
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Re: Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by Anatida » Thu Sep 24, 2020 12:39 am

Thank you so much!

I would have sworn we unlocked the temple a long time ago, to address similar reports. I will add that to my list now that I have the ability to do it personally.

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Skibbles
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Re: Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by Skibbles » Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:12 am

It was supposed to have been done fairly recently when I brought it up in feedback but it probably just slipped through the cracks.

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=29883
Irongron wrote: [...] the super-secret Arelith development roadmap is a post apocalyptic wasteland populated with competing tribes of hand-bombard wielding techno-giants, and strewn with the bones of long dead elves.

So we're very much on track.

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TheGreatMars
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Re: Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by TheGreatMars » Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:44 am

I think it's totally reasonable for the temple to have a riddle or puzzle to get in. Something that shows off the devious and cunning nature of the Derro. There's just too many ways for the current puzzle to just fly over the player's head.

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Re: Kudos to the Devs for Norogh Norr and the Fungal Maze

Post by Anatida » Thu Sep 24, 2020 4:20 pm

TheGreatMars wrote:
Thu Sep 24, 2020 6:44 am
I think it's totally reasonable for the temple to have a riddle or puzzle to get in. Something that shows off the devious and cunning nature of the Derro. There's just too many ways for the current puzzle to just fly over the player's head.
Well, I agree. That was the intent. The overwhelming majority of players have not received it well, however. ;)

My pronouns are: She/Her/That *itch


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