updating character creation
(Since I don't play the classic client, my comments will specifically reference the enhanced client only.)
In general, character creation works well. It is a bit primitive, but in general it does what it needs to do. However, some information provided is out of date, and the mechanics can be confusing.
* Choosing a race provides out of date information, primarily due to all players having been upgraded to the Styggian Abyss Expansion with the release of Eternal Journey.
- Human: "The Mondain's Legacy Expansion Pack is required to gain these abilities."
- Elf: "The Mondain's Legacy Expansion Pack is required to create a character of this race."
- Gargoyle: "The Stygian Abyss Expansion Pack is required to create a character of this race."
* Choosing a profession is clunky and provides inadequate information. I suggest
- the named profession box be labeled something like "Starter Templates" Provide a note that any character template can eventually evolve to anything else. The character won't be stuck as a warrior forever.
- two buttons at the bottom of this box, [Starter] and [Custom]. It defaults to Starter mode, with the stats and skills modified by choosing a profession just as is done now. Custom mode would provide a note letting the player know that new character quest is only available to characters using a starter template.
- Add "Quick skill gain quest (not) available" to the text box describing each skill. Suggest that questless skills receive extra skill points. (My habit nowadays is to provide 40 points to two questless skills and 10 points each to two others. I typically choose those for resources like regs, since the quest-available skills can be bought to 40 anyway.)
* Appearance box could certainly use an update. At a minimum, larger variety of skin tones and hair colors would be much appreciated.
* The whole Location selection has been useless for years if not a decade. If your character will always end up in New Haven, why pretend there is a choice? Disable and not show this page at all, or delete it entirely if you decide never to again provide this option.
Once the created character shows up in New Haven, there are several issues.
- At the end of the new player quest, a rune titled "The Darkness" is given, with a suggestion that the player return when he has gained significant skills. This rune doesn't seem to work nowadays. Either fix it or eliminate this follow-up quest. It is unpleasant to work up to something, and then find out that the promised challenge is denied you.
- Others have long suggested, and I agree, that more "quick skill gain" quests need to be available. Notable gaps include all bardic skills, taming, animal lore, and even tailoring. (Did the designing team run out of time after building quests for blacksmithing and tinkering?) Throwing and mysticism are the newest missing quest skills. It is about time they be added.
- Characters of the Gargoyle race are forced to start in New Haven, where most of the rewards for skill gain quests are useless to them. They cannot use any of the armor or weapons provided as rewards. How hard would it be to offer Gargoyles a reward item they can actually use?
- The reward for the bushido skill gain quest is a blessed, two handed sword called "The Dragon's Tail". However, not all samurai are swordsmen. Add to it the "Best weapon skill" attribute. Also, to follow up item #3, Gargoyles should be rewarded an equivalent Gargoyle sword.
Rock (formerly Imperterritus VXt, Baja)
Comments
Also why not start a character on a mount? Using half of my 1k starting gold for a mount is NOT cool. There is LITERALLY no one making money taming horses. So just give one away to new players. Let them move around.