Amount of Plays before I picked it up: 16
Description: An Old school style adventure where the hero(es) explore an old ruined castle and search for a fable magical item at the behest of a wizard.
Starting off:
Upon picking up the quest your character is apparently thirsty. This confused me a bit because I swore I gave her a few ales before leaving the Driftwood Tavern. No matter! There is no such thing as too much ale!
After reaching the tavern you notice there is a woman who apparently has a few fans who enjoy her music. I checked each one and I found it funny that the Halfling is her biggest fan. Get it? Halflings are short! HA! Okay...I'll stop with the bad jokes since they will get worse and I don't want people to punch their computer screens. After checking out the small group I turned back around to notice that a Town Crier was in the building. Well damn! An Adventurer's job is never done! After listening to him beg and plead for my help because he wasn't going away when I said I was not interested I finally accepted his quest.
After accepting the quest you leave the tavern and bam! There is the Magician! However, I won't go in to much more detail! You will have to play to find out the rest!
The Good
The Details in the bar were nice since everyone needs entertainment! The room the Magician is in is well crafted. It had a few nice details and that couch with the curtains looked pretty comfy. There were several things to interact with which I highly enjoy! I love exploring!
Random interaction from a NPC is always nice. Don't like them? Don't surrender! I enjoyed the small Gnoll encounter that was within the first part of the dungeon though. I refused to surrender (You won't take me alive coppers!) so I do not know what happens if you do (though I figured out later on that surrendering to Kobolds may net the same result).
Skills required! I love seeing this! I came across an alter I was able to inspect but I could not do much else unless I had the needed skill. I enjoy when these are placed in because it means my character just can't figure everything out. Highfive on that! I will also add in room transitions. I love them! Its nice to see a different environment. This played out wonderfully in the castle from seeing stone to seeing dirty and feeling as if I am in a mine.
I found the blueprints for the castle and I enjoyed the fact that it revealed that there is a secret door. As I said, I love finding interactive things! I especially enjoyed all the little glowing spots that appear once you pick up the flute! Don't think my half-elf butt didn't run around and check everyone I could find! (Cause I did) I enjoyed the fact the rocks were moved once you used it. Very Legend of Zelda like! (And yes I totally had the Zelda theme in my head as I did this)
The Bad
At the start as I said it was a bit odd. Just pick up the quest and suddenly you're thirsty! I would offer to change this around a bit to perhaps someone asking if you would like to have a drink or a flyer that someone is offering a new drink and taste testers are wanted. After getting what I needed I was suddenly teleported to the magician after leaving the tavern. This confused the bejesus out of me and I even had to make a double take. I felt as if I missed a section. He also has a small apartment. A really tiny one. I bet his rent is cheap!
Upon finding the Orcs in the castle I could only fight them. I would have liked an option much like the Gnolls had to at least try and talk things over. However, as a follower of Corellon I am to believe that the only good Orc is a dead Orc. In the room next door there are some naked people. I felt like I walked in to something I did not want to be apart of.
In the castle I came across a door that I could break down, attempt to lockpick, or cast a spell at. Being a Great Weapon Fighter I bashed that sucker in like a drunk slams his head in to a beer can. However, I could not go in to the room. I saw a bore and a barrel but an invisible wall blocked my path. After finally making it through the wall after my first interaction with the bore I couldn't do much else with him. I originally had three options and suddenly I had one. I do not know what happened. Apparently he took the rations I found earlier. That pig! Stealing my food!
I searched for a long time trying to find this secret passage to where I needed to go. I felt that map lied to me because I couldn't find any sparklies! Now after searching and running around the castle for a good half hour or more I decided to use the teleporter offered after surrendering to the Kobolds. When used apparently Kylie is there. The singer from the bar. When I spoke to her she noted I was tied up and knocked out. I would have to say in the end I killed them Kobolds so they got what was coming to them! Either way it was odd to have her there. Stalker singers...I tell ya!
Heading back inside after fixing a bug to get the foundry mission to come back up I was able to finally find the secret entrance. I had a hard time being able to do anything with it. It continued to say out of line of sight so it took a good bit of dancing to appease the Foundry Gods on this one. I ended up whispering the Author to find out if this was a recent change or if I missed something. Apparently I missed a flute somewhere but I got in anyway! Upon zoning out I was stuck under the graphic. I had to kill myself to move on. So make sure you find the flute or you'll have to use an injury kit (or wait 3 minutes)!
Faults not by the author but the game! (These are issues that the author cannot help due to it being an issue within the game!)
*The trail for heading to the Tavern leads to a noble just standing near the door. If you don't pay attention you may get lost, angry, or fussy.
*One Arm McGinty - He has two arms! Sadly, the foundry editor does not let us cut off arms.
*Gate behind the campfire (as if you wanted to turn and leave) is nothing but a blue background. (I can suggest dropping a wall there but that is it.
*After surrendering and leaving the instance I had trouble picking it back up. I could not rate and it was missing from my log. However, when I tried to pick it back up it said I already had it. *shakes fist* I had to relog to get it working again.
Suggestions
Town Crier - Perhaps remove one of the Hear Ye's. Three seems odd to me. Personal thing though!
I suggest adding a ! at the end of the sentence to take on a dangerous quest. He doesn't seem very loud or excited with a period (.). There is also a second part where I suggest adding a bit more excitement. This is when you accept the quest to go see the Magician. I suggest after each 'Thank you'.
One-Arm McGinty- Upon asking for drinks you might be able to active an item on the bar to allow them to pick it up and have it placed in their bags. I feel this would be a nice little addition and interaction.
Map Transition from Tavern to Magician
Upon leaving the tavern you are suddenly at the Magician's home. I had to look around like 'What?'. I suggest changing this to allow you to go back to Protector's Enclave and use a gate. Instantly teleporting to the Magician's home is awkward. OR! You could set it to where the Town-Crier will give you an item Icly that allows you to teleport to the home. It could be as simple as an orb appearing next to him and you clicking it as a map transition.
Ladder
The Ladder in the room with the Magician is kind of just there. I think placing it directly against a wall or bookcase would be awesome!
Grammar
While I am not the best I can suggest looking at the use of your commas. In several instances they are not needed. There were several but just minor things!
Campire in the Castle
The Campfire is on top of a blazer. It looks a bit odd. Perhaps moving it somewhere else?
Slaves
I suggest putting some clothes on them or finding some peasant models. Too many naked people!
Invisible walls
There is an Invisible wall when you try and talk(?) to the bore. It goes away once you interact with him since you are able to do it from afar even if you do not select anything and just escape out. See what you can do to fix it because I have no idea on this one! There is also a second invisible wall when you go to the room with the Orge and wolves. You are able to interact with nothing to start up the fact he sees you. I believe now that this is what you were trying to do with the Bore. It is a bit awkward so I suggest looking in to changing this around to allow the player in to at least see both creatures as a contact and be able to move up to them.
Surrendering
Upon finally deciding to surrender to something (Kobolds...had to be the kobolds) they do not disappear. Perhaps making them disappear would be a nice addition? After all, you are able to say screw it and just fight them anyway! Also the teleporter that spawns is just in the air as nothing. So I am using..air(?) to teleport. Perhaps have an item spawn or a hole in the ground.
Fountain Vs the Blazer
Who will in?! Sorry, I had to do it! You have a fountain on top of a blazer and it has fire...underwater. The fountain is nice, I love it but seeing a fiery item in the water is awkward.
Secret Door
Had a lot of trouble getting past the 'Out of Line of Sight' issue. You have to stand in the perfect spot with your camera one way to get it to work. You can get in without the flute so I suggest setting it as an interaction only if you have the flute. This will fix other people from getting in there and getting stuck as I did it.
Encounters
I would like to see more encounters. Possibly make a few chains interactive and once you do a few Wererats or more Kobolds drop from the ceiling. This would fix the emptiness feeling I got from the castle.
Surefire
Upon speaking with him in the apartment he notes friends. Perhaps make it Friend(s)? I was alone..I have no friends ;-;
The Overall Rating: 4/5
After playing through this mission I decided to give it a 4/5. There were several neat things about this mission. Items! Lots of items! I enjoyed just searching every spot I could find. I even expected the chains to be interactive and have something drop on me. However, there were not many encounters. I enjoy puzzles and all but it felt empty inside. I figured if the 'villain' is looking for the orb his army/gang would have more of a presence. The encounters that were in the dungeon fit the challenge well. I did this as a level 70 Great Weapon Fighter. It scaled well. Just remember that doing missions as a lower leveler may seem much easier!
With a few bug fixes and suggestions I can see this being a great dungeon for those who do not like to just hack away at mobs and collect a chest.
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