Feedback: Mythic Upgrade Quest

[Taejo]

I'm not going to comment much on the overall difficulty of the expansion, since my opinions are somewhat biased based on my former MMO experience and having good gear/friends in AL. However, I would like to take the time to comment a bit on the difficulty of the mythic armor upgrade quest.

As a disclaimer, I am a long-time gamer who started playing RPGs with D&D pen and paper, then dabbled in MUDs such as Runescape, and finally moved on to the digital MMORPGs such as UO and EQ (5 years), DAoC (2 years) and WoW (3 years). I am used to quests living up to their definition: complex, puzzling adventures that require time, strength, intellect, and determination. I realize that MMORPGs have evolved quite a bit over the years, catering more towards the younger generation of gamers and streamlining game dynamics to make them easier to follow and "more enjoyable" (for the casual gamer). I also realize that AL is a unique hybrid of casual and hardcore gaming, filling the niche between the two styles of game play. With that being said, here is my feedback on the mythic armor upgrade quest:

For weeks, I've been anticipating the day where we embark on a long, arduous quest line to upgrade our L26 mythic helm and L31 mythic armor into the best armor available in the game. I expected a lengthy quest line, with many challenges and hurdles that required a full group of skilled players to enter the elite realm of the campaign and "farm" for rare drops. I expected this quest to take me at least a few days to complete - maybe even a week or so if the drop rates that I had envisioned was to be a reality. However, none of this is the case. I ended up completing this entire quest line within 2 hours, partnering up with my good rogue friend in game. To summarize the quest line in a brash manner: you basically talk to some NPCs, inspect Nordr runes, dish out 100k gold for an non-stash item, kill the end boss once in normal mode, and then grind crates/barrels in normal Kraken maps for an hour. After venturing through this utterly trivial content, you are rewarded with the best gear in the game. Hardly an adventure of skill and intellect that deserves the grand title "The Hero of Legends", in my opinion.

I'm sure its safe to say that this quest line was mindfully developed so that it wouldn't be absurdly difficult and that it gave all players an equal opportunity to achieve the armor, thus minimizing the polarization of players' gear in end-game content (PvP mostly). I am respectful of the fact that everyone does indeed deserve an equal opportunity to achieve the upgraded gear. However, let's be honest: the majority of players who have the L26/31 mythic gear are already hard-working, determined players who are without a doubt capable of embarking on a much more difficult quest line than what we're faced with. Since it's a mandatory requirement to own both mythic pieces before you initiate the quest, the argument of players being incapable of facing tougher content is somewhat moot. Additionally, the fact of the matter is, not one segment of the quest line is difficult for a L36 player. From my perspective, it's probably safe to say that it can all be accomplished by a L31 player in Noble/Champions gear (still requires a party for Inan'hesh, though). The only two aspects that I appreciate about this quest is that you can't solo the final boss very easily (forcing you to party up with a friend), and that the drop rate of the fragments is extremely low.

So enough ranting. It's more than likely too late to change anything about this quest. Any modifications to it's difficulty would be unfair the population who haven't completed it yet. However, hindsight is 20/20, and maybe the next epic quest you develop for a game will consider my points.

1. Having us backtrack to Nordr is great. The story line that was encompassed into the quest was very creative and fun to read. Problem: going back to normal Nordr to inspect the runes is trivial, and just busy work. Have us go back to Elite Nordr, where the three respective bosses in each zone (Oltgar, CC, Valheim) have "taken a piece of the rune for themselves" and we must kill them appropriately to obtain it. Make the drop rate about the same as a silver chest (rare, but not too rare).

2. Having us kill Inan'hesh is very appropriate to the story line. Make it the Elite version. Remember, you're giving us the best armor in the game. Shouldn't it require an elite party killing an elite boss for elite gear? Sorry for the over emphasis

3. Dishing out 100k is fine. Honestly, I was expecting 300-500k. Not much to comment about this.

4. Having us backtrack to Kraken is also great. The destroying of crates and barrels for fragments is a long, boring grind, with low drop rates. This is how a quest of epic proportion should be - so great job with this. However, again, the elite bosses should be included into the story line. Perhaps old Elite Bloodhammer has taken the largest chunk of fragment, and we have to get it back from him.

In summary, the mythic armor upgrade quest is a flop for players like me who had high expectations for a truly "mythic-grade quest". The bottom line is, you made it entirely too easy, taking away from the prestige and uniqueness that comes with wearing the armor (which looks fantastic, btw) and title "The Hero of Legends". Sadly, the title only implies "Just Another Legend" with mythic gear (sorry, that sounded kind of harsh, but its true).

All in all, I am satisfied with the new campaign. I am already anxious to see what special events come forth as the months go by - I know you have some great ideas to show us. Thanks again STS for all your hard work and dedication to your fans. I plan on opening up more feedback threads as I venture through the new content. Enjoy your holiday weekend!