Issue with Guldorand and Skal chars

[Party in the forest at midnight]

Skibbles has inspired me to post this.

There's massive confusion for Skal players as to what they should do once they're in Guldorand. I keep running into people asking for help. It's not a discord thing, while some people ask on Discord most of this happens in-game. I've had a lot of people now come up and ask for help, it's really regular.

I do my best to try and help people, but at some level I can't. The writs in Guld are not good for people just coming off of Skal, and trying to direct them to Bendir is really difficult. They have no portals, and the caravan master is really useless now since it takes so long between rides. Apparently the boat that goes to Brogendenstein/Wharftown/Cordor is still around, but I have no idea where the NPC is. And the ultimate destination I want to send people to, Cordor since it's closest to Bendir, is the last option on that chain. So I have to say "Ok so first you go to Brogendenstein, then you go to Wharftown, then you go to the Crow's Nest, then you go to Cordor."

Is there any way there could be an easier way to send people to Cordor or Bendir?

[Ork]

Yeah, I think a healthy exit would be Sibayad. It has writs their level & similarly set up to Skal.

[Party in the forest at midnight]

Sibayad is a really good idea. It's also got an easy boat to the Crow's nest too.

[MRFTW]

Why not drop Skal characters off at Westcliff? If they want to go to Guldorand proper they can take the free ferry. Westcliff is good for writs around that level and is still sort-of Guldorand.

[Duchess Says]

Westcliff is so remote though. If you don't know the server it's a really inconvenient place to feel your way around from.

Crow's Nest seems logical to me? I think that would give you maximum options whether Cordor, Brog, Sibiyad, Sencliff or exploring the nearby jungle. Add an NPC explaining the new arrivals' options and making fun of their winter clothes.

[Low Hanging Fruitlord]

Apparently the boat that goes to Brogendenstein/Wharftown/Cordor is still around, but I have no idea where the NPC is.

There's a server transition on the southern end of the Guldorand docks map. It goes to a smaller area where you can find an Amnian sailor that ferries you to Brogedenstein.

Curiously, there's no option (afaik) to ferry from Guldorand to Westcliff, only Westcliff to Guldorand. But from Guldorand you can get to Brog / Sibayad, which have good options for mid-level characters.

Though I feel having to take a ferry once you transition from Skal is not very intuitive. Ideally, Guldorand content gets reviewed and there's a seamless progression arc from the hardest Skal content to the easiest Guldorand content.

[The GrumpyCat]

I mean Guld is great in many ways. it'd be awsome to see the place populated by fresh new faces, much like Cordor. The issues I'm seeing, mostly, really come down to the writs being far too overtuned and perhaps some better transport links around the isle leading AWAY from Guld at least. (We really really really need to look over the Caravan service)

And the simple fact is I think they ARE overtuned. I know there's vets here that'll look at me and go, 'GC! Come on! I could do the sewers with my eyes closed! You just need X build and Y item and Z friend with you,' And that's nice... but as said before, the skal people tend to be new players who arn't awear of the exact combination of button clicks to do to survive these things.

[msheeler]

Westcliff was always a great place for people from Skal to come to in the past. There are a couple of groups that play out of Westcliff pretty heavily still.

But there are definitely not as many people there as there was before. I think the simplicity of it (Axehold + Traders + Inn + Gaol + 5 houses total structures) is also very "new player" friendly. You don't have to go in 25 buildings to get what you are after there is literally only 4 for a player to explore to find what you are looking for.

With less people being there it also might allow people from Skal to better form their own small groups and make their own stories as well, instead of being absorbed into the rest of the isle immediately.

They can also take the boat to Guldorand for more shopping opportunities, the difficult part is getting back. If that was a 2-way boat it would certainly be easier for new players to move back and forth, but I know Iron wants to also see that the in-between areas are utilized as well and not simply skipped over all the time.

Anyways - as a previous player in Guldorand (now Westcliff) that is my 2-cents.

[Ork]

I know there's vets here that'll look at me and go, 'GC! Come on! I could do the sewers with my eyes closed! You just need X build and Y item and Z friend with you,'

Nah, we agree with you here. They're wicked overtuned. Specifically, I think cave slimes really, really kept me from exploring a lot of the content solely because they're immensely frustrating to deal with.

[Security_Blanket]

And the simple fact is I think they ARE overtuned. I know there's vets here that'll look at me and go, 'GC! Come on! I could do the sewers with my eyes closed! You just need X build and Y item and Z friend with you,' And that's nice... but as said before, the skal people tend to be new players who arn't awear of the exact combination of button clicks to do to survive these things.

This I find is the biggest issue for me, and it's not even just Guldorand, it's most new dungeons that are a little overtuned. There's a lot of potential and now that I'm a higher level I'm trying a lot more in Guldorand. But why should someone risk a horrible death when they can simply get a boat to another part of the island where everything is just easier. High AB, High AC, and then throwing Invisibility Purge on top of it, someone was having a little too much fun when designing these areas.

[LIAR LIAR]

It seems incredibly odd to me to send anyone from Skal to somewhere other than Cordor. They're virtually exitting the in game tutorial, to enter the real world with the other pcs. Guldorand is not an accessible location based on navigation alone, and the fact it's on the literal end of the server.

[Edens_Fall]

Well we don't really need everyone going to Cordor. That settlement gets enough traffic as it is.

[AstralUniverse]

I think Westcliff is a better drop point than Guldorand. Sibayad also makes sense more than Guldorand.

[Red_Wharf]

Why can't we instead let players choose where to go? I'd add Cordor, Westcliff, Guldorand, Sibayad, and the Crow's Nest as potential options the players can choose when trying to leave Skal, with appropriate dialogue explaining what to expect from those places, so new players don't feel like "what the heck do I do now?".

[CNS]

Also some kind of sign for new players (IC or OOC) that lets them know where the Amnish boat guy is and how to get around the island might be helpful.

Probably also worth updating the west coast boat guy, Laurik? to let people pick a destination instead of having to area transition a bunch of times - seems like a very old way of designing it.

Guld feels very isolated from the server, its a pain to get to and a pain to leave. It's also not always busy, maybe that will change in the future and it may become a hub but its also likely it will see times when its empty - the worst experience for a new person from skal coming to the mainland is feeling stuck and lost in an empty city devoid of other players. Giving new players arriving from Skal easy choices and the methods and knowledge to go visit the different towns is probably the best for player experience.

[Party in the forest at midnight]

Why can't we instead let players choose where to go? I'd add Cordor, Westcliff, Guldorand, Sibayad, and the Crow's Nest as potential options the players can choose when trying to leave Skal, with appropriate dialogue explaining what to expect from those places, so new players don't feel like "what the heck do I do now?".

This is the best idea yet, I like this a lot.

[Security_Blanket]

I had no problem getting to Cordor from Guldorand when coming back from Skal, in fact that's what I did immediately. You can simply get on a boat headed for Brog then boat the rest of the way to Cordor. But for new players, they might have a harder time figuring that out. But a few well placed instructive signs can help with that.

[Duchess Says]

I suspect Westcliff is being suggested here more for sentimental reasons than what is practical especially for new players. Getting a choice does seem the best option.

Westcliff for the unfamiliar new player will probably lead to a trip to the void and respawning in Whidershin Edge anyway.

[MRFTW]

I suspect Westcliff is being suggested here more for sentimental reasons than what is practical especially for new players. Getting a choice does seem the best option.

I've only played here about a year. I suggested Westcliff because it's level appropriate and geographically close to Skal, like Guldorand is. It's where my Skal characters inevitably end up as the nearest place on foot to do writs, as I think instant travelling most of the mainland via boats is lame.

[msheeler]

Westcliff:

1) Has dungeons that support characters from about 10th level through 25th level easy.
2) It is only loosely governed by the city, and that city has specific laws that ensure players of all sorts of races and religions (barring monsters and UD) are allowed to participate there.
3) Is not heavily populated which allows new players to form their own groups instead of being absorbed into the existing groups.
4) Is easily explored, but still supplies numerous resources.

[AstralUniverse]

Westliff seems the most like Skal, in a way. It's remote. Has a one-way boat out to Guldorand. Level appropriate, has writs, some quarters and shops, npcs with supplies, low government presence. Seems like a soft landing for a new player after Skal. Or... Sibayad except it's geographically so far away so maybe not.

[malcolm_mountainslayer]

The choose any port option serves players with knowledge more imo as new players will not know the difference between 5 options. I think choosing between sibayad or guldorand will help prevent dividing too much as skal PCs will know each other. Sibayad can be placed right at dock that goes to crows nest which is much easier access to cordor than Guldorand.

Sibayad also helps keep server load on distant shores and is very centralized like skal (as is Crow's nest which they will have immediate access to).

[malcolm_mountainslayer]

Westliff seems the most like Skal, in a way. It's remote. Has a one-way boat out to Guldorand. Level appropriate, has writs, some quarters and shops, npcs with supplies, low government presence. Seems like a soft landing for a new player after Skal. Or... Sibayad except it's geographically so far away so maybe not.

I like idea of choosing between westcliff and sibayad.

[Eyeliner]

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.

[Hazard]

Disappointed that this isn't a thread complaining about Guldorand and Skal characters bringing crime and disease, and stealing our jobs.