Mage Masher

anrix2

Mage Masher by @anrix2

Short Code:NW-DKYGGYPUE

Mission Type: A solo or multiple-player (set at the Blind Steward) hack-n-slash investigation.

Average Duration: 29 minutes

Amount of Combat: All combat with non-objective lore items.

Starts at: World Map

Mission Summary:

The mages of Neverwinter have been acting stranger than usual. Some mages are even growing aggressive and attacking citizens on the street. Investigate their guildhouse, stop anyone who gets in your way, and find the cause of the mages' behavior.

Author:
Can be ran solo or in a small group (2 to 3).

Mage Masher is a Dungeon Crawl, there are non-objective items around the dungeon that will fill in the back story if people care to read them. There is also some key usage and locked doors, but nothing too difficult. For those that want to complete the dungeon quicker, I included a teleporter in the beer room next to the larder. Additionally there is another shortcut from the second floor of the crypt after you pray at the altar.

Excessive potion consumption should not be necessary. I have portals that will bring you back to the campfire in the later parts of the dungeon.

Author tips/hints:
For those that want to complete the dungeon quicker, I included a teleporter in the beer room next to the larder. Additionally there is another shortcut from the second floor of the crypt after you pray at the altar.

Also one boss has group stacking on solo, I advise focusing the adds to make that fight easier. There is also two Deathlocks group in the crypt, one is standing near a ledge, I suggest punting her off of it. Other than that it should be a reasonable hack and slash adventure.

Screenshots/attachments:
Typical room inside the guild house:



This is the shortcut, you will not fall through the fences:


Mages in jars and floating brains...yes it gets weird:


I've tried to make it challenging without being punishing. I really hope whoever runs this dungeon enjoys their experience. With the latest release of 1.7.0. I have improved the sound, and feel it is finally in a state to be featured.

Thank you

zovya

Grats on being featured!!

anrix2

zovya wrote: »

Grats on being featured!!

What? That is news to me, good news

It would never had made it this far without the help of THE FORGE, specifically you, nyghoma, apoc, chili, and ellindar. You really put a lot of input into Mage Masher, and helped me unlock the potential of The Foundry.

Thank you all!

Additionally I should also thank tsumoro, for finding all the bugs with the perfect storm of a run he had youtube'd.

apocrs1980

Congratulations on the feature!! We knew you could do it!

anrix2

Thank you. BTW is the proper etiquette to withdraw the original request and free a spot on the Best Tab for another author, or does withdrawing effect the featured quest?

karitr

Hey anrix, Celestarian recommended your quest to me - the title had given me the impression it might be something I wouldn't enjoy :eek: I am happy to admit I was very wrong.

Your quest, much like TiLT's 'From the Shadows' campaign, epitomises the perfect way to tell a story within the context of a video game. Great use of the environment to tell the story, with enough direct narrative (brilliantly written, may I add) to add depth and build suspense. Absolutely blooming fantastic!

Regarding your etiquette question. I remember reading a post that explained the 'Feature' copy can never be edited, which is why you will see two instances of the quest in the catalogue. Hopefully this duplication is something that can be corrected if the catalogue gets the promised overhaul it needs.

anrix2

Thank you Karitr, I am glad you enjoyed it. I've been getting a lot of mixed reviews. A lot of players wished I had put a little more into the story, and produced a richer history. I think what little story is there helps amplify the suspense of the atmosphere, because the player is left to wonder.

Additionally, I also think writing so little contributed to the quality of what is there. As I keep telling everyone, I am not a writer, I am just faking it enough to get by. When I create a map I have no idea what the history of that map will be. I have no idea what the dialogue will be or how the story will start, progress, and conclude. I just know aesthetically what I want to show and pour my energy into creating the environment. By the time I am done with the environment I have an idea of what story it is trying to tell. That helps me correlate the story and the environment. My environments create the story, which I think helps differentiate my quests with a lot of the other quests where the story comes first.

celestarion

Your quest is really brilliant. I'm happy that you propose me to play it when I posted mine on forum. It's one of my favorite. At the begining, I was sad to see that my quest was getting more and more "plays" and not yours (I subscribed and the quest was stuck at 80 reviews).

Now I'm very glad to be featured this week beside your quest.

anrix2

celestarion wrote: »

Now I'm very glad to be featured this week beside your quest.

Thank you, funny thing is, that is what I was thinking too when I saw the featured quests.