Arelith

Eyeliner wrote: Sun Dec 12, 2021 11:04 am I think a choice is always better in cases like these. Westcliff or Sibiyad could be the default. Sencliff could show up as an option if you're evil and Brog could be an option if you're earthkin.

You can leave Skal at any level. I think having Cordor as an option would be good too.

I've definitely seen first hand that Gildorand is just too challenging, at least for those that wish to solo. I'll look at toning down the Kenku and Dust Skeletons, and least for now, and adding an NPC giving better advice by the Skaljard Ferry.

This honestly sounds like a great IC way to do some recruiting for your faction/settlement. Signs put in place directing Earthkin to Brog/Bendir with directions or even a sign up saying "Welcome to the island, join the Knights of Ni. Bring a Shrubbery to the Guildhouse in Cordor" would be a solid approach.

The boat from Skal used to drop people off at Westcliff (then Guldorand), which is designed for the level range of those who leave Skal.

I understand this was changed to give the new Fortress City a higher influx of characters, but as many has pointed out the Guldorand writs are in a completely different ballpark difficulty wise than Skal writs.

Getting to Guldorand from Westcliff is now super easy with the amnish boatman, but perhaps something could be added to steer people who have completed Westcliff to go that way? Or introduce more low level content around Guldorand?

As much as I love the new city, the server is mostly wilderness with very few things of interest to the average player

Chuck em in Westcliff, with option of Sibayad.

Archnon wrote: Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:49 pm This honestly sounds like a great IC way to do some recruiting for your faction/settlement. Signs put in place directing Earthkin to Brog/Bendir with directions or even a sign up saying "Welcome to the island, join the Knights of Ni. Bring a Shrubbery to the Guildhouse in Cordor" would be a solid approach.

Isnt it already the case? I remember when I played in Guldorand (now Westcliff) back in the day, the dock where the boat drops the newcomers from Skal was full of ads. You'd land there and be completely overwhelmed by the amount of faction recruitment notes and shops advertisements. This should help the current situation.

I feel like a new player who's on their first character who was started in Skal and only knows Skal ought to just go to Cordor. It's where there's maximum likelihood of meeting other PCs so they can get advice on where to go next, find out how to get into a faction and so on. It may not the only hub of activity on Arelith but it's certainly the most vibrant part of the surface world. Getting to most places is pretty easy there whether walking or by boat. But landing where other PCs and maximum RP opportunities are matters most. Westliff and Guildorand are fine areas, Westcliff is good to level in, but both are pretty out of the loop.

If it's not someone's first character? Drop 'em wherever, they'll figure it out and probably already have an idea where they'll go next anyway.

Hazard wrote: Tue Dec 14, 2021 1:39 pm Chuck em in Westcliff, with option of Sibayad.

"Boat departing from Skal"
"Next stop: Baator".

Archnon wrote: Mon Dec 13, 2021 2:49 pm This honestly sounds like a great IC way to do some recruiting for your faction/settlement. Signs put in place directing Earthkin to Brog/Bendir with directions or even a sign up saying "Welcome to the island, join the Knights of Ni. Bring a Shrubbery to the Guildhouse in Cordor" would be a solid approach.

The problem with this is guld has a 15 fixture limit in outdoor areas, making it difficult if not impossible. Unless you just stand there all day. Raise the fixture limit, think of the billboards!

An example of the problem here:
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=35810

People leave and have no idea what to do. In this person's case they're too low level to do anything. This is why I think it'd be good if it'd be easier to get to Cordor, rather than make it the last stop on a chain of boat destinations. This sort of thing happens all the time, anyone who hangs around in Guldorand is going to run into someone needing help after they leave Skal. And while I'm happy to help people, in times when nobody is around it means that those players aren't getting the help they need.

Why not allow characters from Skal choose where they want to go when they leave the island for good via boat?

If nothing else, a simple run-down of the areas, what to expect, and maybe a general level range similar to how level ranges are presented for writs? I'd give whatever npc they speak to a chance to dive into a quick crash-course of Arelith mainland lore, and help newer players from getting completely overwhelmed by walking from Guldorand straight into a mass of giant eagles, harpies, and giants.

Also agree that not -everyone- needs to go to Cordor. Brog, Guldorand, Sibayad are all decent choices that are boat accessable, given how a players level when leaving Skal can be wildly different between players. Some players may choose to leave earlier, around single-digit levels, whereas i've seen some people stick around in Skal until epic levels.

The question seems to be what to do with new players who don't know the settlements or how they connect, which is why current Guldorand or Westcliff isn't optional, those are low traffic areas that may have appropriate writs but they're almost in a second version of Skal there and away from most server activity and culture. Traveling elsewhere by boat isn't intuitive and by foot may just get them hopelessly lost or dead. Maybe another PC will be there and willing to help, but maybe not, those areas can be completely dead for hours at a time. The rest of us wanting to see those areas more active is not a good reason to make new players experience those places as their first point of contact with the main island.

Cordor is best for them, they can get almost anywhere from there and will have ample other PCs willing to help them out if they need it. Anyone who knows Arelith already can be dropped anywhere so may as well be there too.