Actually, I'm trying to encourage you to make an even better open-ended exploration quest. It's kinda my favorite thing ever when done right! If you have time, check out this article on the "Three Clue Rule" Apparently, I'm full of links today.
The quick and dirty version of it is this:
EDIT: Also, I 1-starred Regular Quest, so that should answer that question. It's just a grinding map!
''
Glad to see there are at least exploration fans out there playing The Catacombs of Dread, even if they don't all finish it. The Catacombs of Dread is not really open-ended, though four NPC's in it are open-ended: Skane, Kindle, Venecia, and Bargrif. The end of that map turns out to be a tribute to the economic collapse of Neverwinter which resulted in a slight rollback, and nearly a wipe. Not only is it possibly the longest dungeon, but it's probably the first based on such a huge in-game event.
To be honest, the negative feedback from The Catacombs of Dread has nudged me toward creating shorter quests. My next project would probably be aimed at being just over 15 minutes long in order to qualify as a daily, since sadly that's all a lot of my reviewers care about. They're mad about Catacombs of Dread being too long to use for their daily, and mad about Regular Quest being too short to qualify for the daily. It really is discouraging, but I will brainstorm on a new project based on what feedback I have.
Wuhsin i really like long quests i dont mind them at all. But only if it is accompanied by interesting lore, plot, and activities. Your catacombs of dread is getting negative perception because the length of the quest is mainly caused by walking through long empty hallway and rooms, and people being frustrated not knowing what to do next.
It took me a long time to know where the 4 color spiders are located. I was searching all over the cavern with pony over 15 minutes before i got back to the sarcophagus room.
So please dont make short quests just because people want to do foundry daily. I love the adventure and could care less about daily. But also dont forget make it filled with interesting lore, and no need for big room if it doesnt serve anything and more clear direction instead of needle in haystack approach.
P.s. i finished your quest completely and defeated lord neverwipes. So it is doable.
Wuhsin i really like long quests i dont mind them at all. But only if it is accompanied by interesting lore, plot, and activities. Your catacombs of dread is getting negative perception because the length of the quest is mainly caused by walking through long empty hallway and rooms, and people being frustrated not knowing what to do next.
It took me a long time to know where the 4 color spiders are located. I was searching all over the cavern with pony over 15 minutes before i got back to the sarcophagus room.
So please dont make short quests just because people want to do foundry daily. I love the adventure and could care less about daily. But also dont forget make it filled with interesting lore, and no need for big room if it doesnt serve anything and more clear direction instead of needle in haystack approach.
When I was developing this map there was a somewhat vocal group of people demanding no waypoints or glittery trails, and a few of them had promised to play that quest when I finished. Disappointingly when I published it, they were nowhere to be found. I've looked up a couple of their profiles to message them since they wanted me to let them know when I finished and they've been inactive. Several people find the pure exploration approach frustrating, and I understand that.
As for doing short quests because people want to do the Foundry daily, what's ironic about that is Regular Quest is too short to qualify for the Foundry daily, so that kind of is a double edged sword when it comes to discouraging people from trying new quests. Though Regular Quest is short, it has over 50 different ways to play, and I'll admit I've played it about a dozen times myself with my TR just for fun. I guess it would be too easy to qualify for a really epic reward though, so that's why the treasure in the final chest comes from "Mordenkainen's Mediocre Emporium" lol.
Anyway, I will do some research and data gathering to see if I can't figure out just how to appeal the masses. Any feedback you have is valuable to me, I do listen and try to improve. Thanks the advice.
When I was developing this map there was a somewhat vocal group of people demanding no waypoints or glittery trails, and a few of them had promised to play that quest when I finished. Disappointingly when I published it, they were nowhere to be found. I've looked up a couple of their profiles to message them since they wanted me to let them know when I finished and they've been inactive. Several people find the pure exploration approach frustrating, and I understand that.
As for doing short quests because people want to do the Foundry daily, what's ironic about that is Regular Quest is too short to qualify for the Foundry daily, so that kind of is a double edged sword when it comes to discouraging people from trying new quests. Though Regular Quest is short, it has over 50 different ways to play, and I'll admit I've played it about a dozen times myself with my TR just for fun. I guess it would be too easy to qualify for a really epic reward though, so that's why the treasure in the final chest comes from "Mordenkainen's Mediocre Emporium" lol.
Anyway, I will do some research and data gathering to see if I can't figure out just how to appeal the masses. Any feedback you have is valuable to me, I do listen and try to improve. Thanks the advice.
I feel the magic number is 20-30 minutes, though I enjoy 40 minute quests as well. I agree with you, no one will be doing less than 15 minute quest, because the masses only care about daily unfortunately. So I would not make a <15 minute length quest.
I feel the magic number is 20-30 minutes, though I enjoy 40 minute quests as well. I agree with you, no one will be doing less than 15 minute quest, because the masses only care about daily unfortunately. So I would not make a <15 minute length quest.
What's sad is I've seen Foundry authors complaining because no one would play their 30 minute quests because it was too long. You can imagine how discouraged I was, having just published a two hour long dungeon crawl.
This was the situation Shostakovich faced in April 1937. If he were to do anything but yield to Party pressure, it would have to be subtle, as all eyes would be on him and whatever composition he wrote. His form of musical satire had been denounced and would not be tolerated so blatantly again. Falling back on venting his tragic side cautiously whilst otherwise toeing the line of socialist realism would amount to self-betrayal. He had to somehow turn the simplicity demanded by the authorities into a virtue, mocking it whilst in the process of turning it into great art.
He had to somehow turn the simplicity demanded by the authorities into a virtue, mocking it whilst in the process of turning it into great art.
This is what I did with Regular Quest in a way. It mocks the simplicity people demanded, but at the same time it is innovative for having so many different ways to play it.
Comments
Glad to see there are at least exploration fans out there playing The Catacombs of Dread, even if they don't all finish it. The Catacombs of Dread is not really open-ended, though four NPC's in it are open-ended: Skane, Kindle, Venecia, and Bargrif. The end of that map turns out to be a tribute to the economic collapse of Neverwinter which resulted in a slight rollback, and nearly a wipe. Not only is it possibly the longest dungeon, but it's probably the first based on such a huge in-game event.
To be honest, the negative feedback from The Catacombs of Dread has nudged me toward creating shorter quests. My next project would probably be aimed at being just over 15 minutes long in order to qualify as a daily, since sadly that's all a lot of my reviewers care about. They're mad about Catacombs of Dread being too long to use for their daily, and mad about Regular Quest being too short to qualify for the daily. It really is discouraging, but I will brainstorm on a new project based on what feedback I have.
It took me a long time to know where the 4 color spiders are located. I was searching all over the cavern with pony over 15 minutes before i got back to the sarcophagus room.
So please dont make short quests just because people want to do foundry daily. I love the adventure and could care less about daily. But also dont forget make it filled with interesting lore, and no need for big room if it doesnt serve anything and more clear direction instead of needle in haystack approach.
P.s. i finished your quest completely and defeated lord neverwipes. So it is doable.
When I was developing this map there was a somewhat vocal group of people demanding no waypoints or glittery trails, and a few of them had promised to play that quest when I finished. Disappointingly when I published it, they were nowhere to be found. I've looked up a couple of their profiles to message them since they wanted me to let them know when I finished and they've been inactive. Several people find the pure exploration approach frustrating, and I understand that.
As for doing short quests because people want to do the Foundry daily, what's ironic about that is Regular Quest is too short to qualify for the Foundry daily, so that kind of is a double edged sword when it comes to discouraging people from trying new quests. Though Regular Quest is short, it has over 50 different ways to play, and I'll admit I've played it about a dozen times myself with my TR just for fun. I guess it would be too easy to qualify for a really epic reward though, so that's why the treasure in the final chest comes from "Mordenkainen's Mediocre Emporium" lol.
Anyway, I will do some research and data gathering to see if I can't figure out just how to appeal the masses. Any feedback you have is valuable to me, I do listen and try to improve. Thanks the advice.
I feel the magic number is 20-30 minutes, though I enjoy 40 minute quests as well. I agree with you, no one will be doing less than 15 minute quest, because the masses only care about daily unfortunately. So I would not make a <15 minute length quest.
What's sad is I've seen Foundry authors complaining because no one would play their 30 minute quests because it was too long. You can imagine how discouraged I was, having just published a two hour long dungeon crawl.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_No._5_(Shostakovich)
This is what I did with Regular Quest in a way. It mocks the simplicity people demanded, but at the same time it is innovative for having so many different ways to play it.