The Lair of Marungolos

niro996 · January 2014

"In robes of white and black, they came. Their coming signaled the downfall of our world...The world of Faerun. Marungolos has awakened."

Hail, adventurer! I welcome thee to my forum post. If you are aching for a quest to play, play the quest The Lair of Marungolos!

It is a quest of epic proportions which contains both puzzles and combat, and dragon slaying.

Leave reviews in the comments, also any suggestions or bug issues.
My handle is @niro996.

I thank thee for reading this post. :cool:
NW-DQYRB3ACD is the code. Currently under the 'best' or 'new' section. Use the code if the title doesn't work.

rolandbloss@gmail.com
Version 1.1

Fixed the dust ring at the end of the quest.
Added windows to my maps.
Polished up some of the earlier maps.
Added a teleporter at the end.
Fixed minor dialogue errors.

Version 1.2
Fixed minor dialogue errors.
Made the Ship's Cabin maps less boring.

GUYS! I'm stuck between making a prequel or sequel to the quest. If I were to make a sequel, it would most likely be a continuation of the quest's story...No spoilers. If I made a prequel, it would put you in the shoes of a soldier who fought against Marungolos in the war to banish him back to the lair. Please reply with your opinion in the comments.
Poll is here.
http://nw-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?580161-Poll-Marungolos-Does-it-need-a-sequel-or-prequel
EDIT: You guys couldn't decide, so I did both in one!

basilisque · January 2014

I'll give this a look when I've cleared up my list of other foundry content to play.

Oh and, please remember to supply the short code. :P The catalog search function is... Well, not always reliable.

nomine20 · January 2014

Played through this just a while ago - it had some interesting and inspiring challenges. Gave me some ideas to use for my next map.

I rated it 5 stars!

niro996 · January 2014

Herp. I forgot to do that. Added it to the post, NW-DQYRB3ACD

niro996 · January 2014

You guys are the best. 3 5 star reviews, 1 4 star and 1250 in tips out of only FOUR REVIEWS.

niro996 · January 2014

I added a poll for ratings. You can submit your rating on the top of the page.

melinden · January 2014

I played with a level 60 DC. I thought this was a very good first quest, well put together and well tested. The suggestions I have for you in the notes aren't required by any means but would add the extra touches to make it really stand out. I am always much more nit picky in forum reviews that I ever am when I leave a star review and tip.

Play through notes:
-the front door from PE is both an interactable and a door, it looks like. This means when you go to it you have 2 sides: one says enter the tavern, the other says go to next map. You need to just make it a map transition so it doesn't do that.
-I would recommend putting a dynamic light fire in the fireplace. The Campfire tends to fit best although you do need to still shove in back into the fireplace a little.
-I would recommend dressing up the tavern a little bit more. Banners on the walls, windows (so few houses have windows it seems!), bookcases , books on tables, dinner plates, cheese, bread, etc.
-I like the transition to the bar fight
-currently when you talk to the kicked dwarf the dialogue camera just catches the back of the dwarf who's yelling at him
-I appreciated that the barmaid didn't assume my character was male, I thought for a moment she would but the conversation didn't go that way. A good habit for an Author!
-in Roselyn's house the crates by the door are shoved into the wall a decent ways
-some banners and windows in the house would be nice. I'm weird about windows, you'll notice.
-seems like she doesn't live as nicely as I would imagine a ship captain would. Maybe switch out the hay beds to the nice bed?
-darn, Roselyn calls me Mr. It would be nice if you could make that neutral
-you have three maps in a row for single rooms and short conversations. You might consider (although I am loathe to ask anyone to use teleporters...) putting them on a single map and teleporting the player. If you have everything on the same Y value teleporters work ok.
-I find it really odd that a ship would have a room with stone walls. Using a Elven room might make more sense here.
-I like the extra lore items
-you need a space between "a" and "Rod of Cancellation" in the camp at the lair entrance
-I would recommend making the golem encounter optional. All I could think was "Why in the world am I doing something as stupid as waking up the golem guarding the lair I am about break into?"
-I very much liked the first puzzle in the lair
-I like the riddles too!
-in the last line after the riddle puzzle it currently reads "He has escape" so you'll want to add your missing D at the end
-ouch! I don't know if insulting the player in the epilogue is quite the best way to go. I would like to think I didn't act -that- stupidly, as I solved all the puzzles and didn't die! I'm being a little silly there but many players really dislike their reactions or emotions placed on them. Some people play characters who are evil jerks, some pure souls...whatever their backstory is. Changing the wording slightly might help people's reactions especially right before they rate and decide if they will tip.
-adding an exit door or portal would be a nice touch. Right now all you get is "Press F to [blank]"

niro996 · January 2014

Yeap...Lots of holes poked in my quest. Time to deal with those. Pesky little spelling errors. I rushed to get that dialogue done. ^^ Also, I cant figure out how to fix the door in the beginning. It is a door from PE, so I can't edit it at all. And, this is actually my 4th quest. The other ones were SO DARN HORRIBLE that I removed them. Also, I edited EVERYTHING you just posted above here. Except for the ship cabin, because that would take too much work.

EDIT: I don't think I'll do the teleporters, actually. They are so **** DIFFICULT to work. I will never again do a mega-map.

niro996 · January 2014

Added in a poll for ratings and a poll for sequel or prequel.

basilisque · January 2014

Alright, I played through the adventure and it had some pretty sweet stuff in there, I must say.
The dialogue was pretty good, although illogical at times. I really wanted to smack that dragon ghost, which I guess was the point so good job there.
The puzzle-jumpy-pathfindy thing was very nice, although the moment the game told me 'you have completed the test of obedience' I was all like 'YOU CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO' and jumped in the pit a couple of times just to prove a point. (Regen gear ftw)

The combat... Well, It was pretty much a complete pushover, but I don't have a very good grip on the combat balance of neverwinter aside from what a great weapon fighter in full regen gear and sentinel spec can handle so I may not be the judge of that.

One thing which I would like to draw attention to would be the riddles. The second one primarily.
They were generally pretty good, but I can't help but feel that the second one is a bit lacking.
You can generally tell that a riddle is flawed if there is more than one possible answer to it, and I can think of several answers to the second one which based on the wording we were given could not have been refuted, unless I missed something important in there due to my current tiredness.
Case in point, although I do find it quite funny how you've set it up so that 'e' is the answer, I do not see a reason why 'infinity' is NOT the answer. Had it not been listed as one of the possible answers then I would probably have had less of a problem with it.
If I've missed something important here which rules out infinity as an answer, then please enlighten me. Maybe I just suck at riddles. :P

In conclusion, I must say that the adventure falls a bit short when it comes to it's environments, but the gameplay, clever puzzlework and the obviously high amount of time put into it more than makes up for it.
Very nicely done

Final Score: 4/5, tipped.

Oh and also there was a grammatical error after the riddles. I don't know if you want to leave it there or not, as honestly it made me chuckle, but I don't think that

HE HAS ESCAPE

fits into the story at the time.

I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd play through some of my stuff and leave some criticism in turn.

Cheers, and best of luck with the worldforging!

niro996 · January 2014

Yeah..I edited the quest quite a bit earlier. I fixed the HE HAS ESCAPE part.

casmelak · January 2014

The Lair of Marungolos by @niro996

NW-DQYRB3ACD

Played and reviewed

===============================

Overall: I liked this quest. There's some detail work to be done, and some minor story points that I offered below in my detailed feedback. I gave this a 4/5. Without the riddles, the puzzle, and the crash to give it a sense of the 'unique' it would have probably been a 3. I didn't mind that it was a linear story quest, I like being told a story. I did miss some more detail and design direction in parts. I think that you have a solid story and I look forward to the rest, but I'd recommend that you put some thought into interior design to make the environments feel more real.

If and when you have a chance, I'd love to get more feedback on my quests. Particularly the second one, but either is fine.

"The Divinity of Lankeshire" by @casmelak
Short Code: NW-DF7Y9QTCM

"A Time for Death" by @casmelak
Short Code: NW-DDVSHT5TY

SETTING - Driftwood Tavern

++++++++++++++++
Details
++++++++++++++++

+In general not a bad start. The setting is overused but I'm hardly one to say much about that as I've used it as well.

-I'd recommend some plates/mugs scattered around after the table tips over. Maybe a tipped stool or two.

-breaking up a Dwarf fight earns you a skyship ride to the tallest mountain in the range?! Maybe suggest that the barmaid's sister owes her a favor, and she's passing that favor to you as a gesture.

-Minor story point. You start out saying it was a long day and you need to 'drown your sorrows'. Next thing you're running off to hop on an airship and raid a dragon's lair. Seems like that might be a 'early the next day' type of thing.

++++++++++++++++
Dialogue
++++++++++++++++

Barmaid: (second conversation)

However, the area is on a rather inconvenient locale

And, keep in mind there is plenty of treasure in a dragon's lair.

Consider: (in instead of on, commas, contractions)

However, the area is in a rather inconvenient locale

And, keep in mind, there's plenty of treasure in a dragon's lair.

SETTING - House

++++++++++++++++
Details
++++++++++++++++

-Maybe 'Rosalyn's House'?

-The house seems kinda...empty. You've put in details but there doesn't seem to be much design thought behind them. The hanging herbs are in the middle of the entryway instead of by the fireplace, there's an urn (presumably a chamber pot) kind of sitting in the middle of the room, etc. Think about how you would situate your own furniture if this were your house, then go with that. Otherwise it looks like you grabbed an assortment of details at random and plopped them around next to walls.

-It's kind of a small space for two fireplaces, especially since there's no evidence of wood.

-First stacked crate behind, and to the right, of Rosalyn is floating.

SETTING - Open Sky

++++++++++++++++
Details
++++++++++++++++

+Nicely done with the backdrop and the blowing dust.

-Maybe have the 'go back to your room' be on the actual door?

++++++++++++++++
Dialogue
++++++++++++++++

Portal thing

Consider: (Something other than "enemies for you to deal with." That breaks the sense of 'place')

SETTING - Mt. Malcre

++++++++++++++++
Details
++++++++++++++++

+Nice backdrop and settings choices.

-The western-most tent is floating a little because of the uneven terrain.

++++++++++++++++
Dialogue
++++++++++++++++

-The Legend of Marungolos doesn't make sense on the last page where it says "It is your duty to beat them there." Maybe split that into two items. One, the Lore item, the other the 'missiontext'.

SETTING - Lair of Marungolos

++++++++++++++++
Details
++++++++++++++++

+Liked the puzzle

+Liked the riddles

+Good music/ambience choices.

+In general the dialogue and writing were solid.

-Lacks a 'detailed' feel. It doesn't seem like there has been a cult living here. Maybe a few little campsites and detritus from being 'lived in'.

-Needs some dramatic effects to go with the summoning and soul transference.

niro996 · January 2014

Mm. Insightful ideas indeed.

aypnos · January 2014

Just gave up on the quest, so I couldn't rate it ... which is a good thing for you, I guess.

tl;dr: I got stuck in the room with the blue fires and the yellow crystal in the middle and gave up.

Details:

The quest simply told me to explore the area. There was nothing to read, nothing to interact with. The room had only blue fires and an unclickable yellow crystal. While looking around I found what looked like a hole in the ground, so I went to investigate. I fell through and thought, "Wow, niro996 is a sneaky devil, that was some old school, point-and-click adv-- oh, wait. I just feel through the floor and died." So, I respawned at the camp before the vanishing floor puzzle. I did that one again, went back to the area with the blue fires and yellow crystal, ran around looking for clues, got bored and gave up on the quest.

niro996 · January 2014

Thanks for the review. ^^

niro996 · January 2014

Zomg. I am almost done with the second quest. I've been burning the candle at both ends, and hope you guys like it.

niro996 · January 2014

Useless reply. Gotta keep the post on the top, you know?

lightbringer1102 · January 2014

Nice quest, ending was a little sad as I hoped Roselyn would fight along side me. The ship felt empty, Roselyn can't operate a big ship like that alone, she needs a crew, it's just more realistic. Looking forward to the next one.

The Lair of Marungolos

Comments