Crafting Quests - Solo Player Endgame

babylon

To give solo players an endgame with time, involvement and gear equivalent to grouped players endgame (time, involvement and gear), how about making crafting quests where you have to go through a series of quests and bosses designed to be challenging for a solo player (no grouping allowed in these quests).

Have them a series of quests and trials and bosses at the end of each series, which gives chances to drop a researchable item for a special crafted set piece, that is equivalent, but different, to set items found by grouped players in their dungeons.

Have several types of new sets to learn to make.

Each time you run through one of these quest series you get to go toe-to-toe with the end boss who might drop the item you need to research to learn how to make a particular set piece. Each series could focus on a part of the body - eg head item, or leg item, or shoulder item, or weapon, or offhand, and so on.

For example you run through a series of quests with an end boss to learn how to make the head piece for a set item. The boss at the end may or may not drop the piece you need to learn for a certain set. He has a chance to drop the research piece for all set items for that part of the body, but may or may not drop the research piece you are still needing. You might need to do these quests several times to get the research item you need for a particular set. Then you'd need to take time to research that piece.

This way the solo player can make gear equivalent to the endgame gear of other players who group, and they have had to invest time and effort to learn these pieces.

The time it takes should be such that only a real solo player will be able to go through this, so solo players will have their own path to an equivalent endgame with time and effort and reward for doing all this.

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Here's a rough workup on how they could set up a series of quests to cover all crafting types (woodworker + blacksmith + clothier + enchanter + alchemist + provisioner) so they all go through about the same amount of quests to get new gear researched and new recipes/potions/enchantments learned. Perhaps make it so for provisioners/alchemists/enchanters to learn the new recipes/potions/enchantment several drops are needed before you can learn to make that recipe or enchantment, so that you need several items, making that type of crafter go through around the same number of quests with end bosses as the armour and weapon crafters.

Was thinking maybe split these quest series up into the basics (magicka/health/stamina) and each of those were a quest series with a boss at the end, and each of those end bosses would have a chance to drop something for that crafter to learn, whether it's a new recipe or a new piece of research to learn.

magicka quest series =
+ magicka type sets (clothier + blacksmith + woodworker)
+ magicka/magicka regen (alchemy + provisioning)
+ jewellery enchants (enchanter)

health quest series =
+ health type sets (clothier + blacksmith + woodworker)
+ health/health regen (alchemy + provisioning)
+ armour enchants (enchanter)

stamina quest series =
+ stamina type sets (clothier + blacksmith + woodworker)
+ stamina/stamina regen (alchemy + provisioning)
+ weapon enchants (enchanter)

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Also given some consideration to how ZOS might be able to ensure they can make the solo crafting quest series + endboss system challenging without being impossible for certain builds.

To balance quests and endboss for solo players (who might be good at healing but have no dps or defence, or might be good at tanking but have no dps or healing, or might be good at dps but have no healing or defence), they could add in an NPC who you choose to take with you through to the endboss. There could be a choice of three different NPC companions you could bring with you (one dps type, one healer type, one tank type). That way any solo player would be able to take some backup who is strong in the area they're weak in, so the whole thing is okay for any kind of player to achieve, with some effort.

This would be a lot of fun for a solo player, who could use these to not only bolster their weaknesses, but also mix the experience up each time they play through the quest series, taking a different companion for a different experience.

And on concerns on having "forced" solo content...

In this case the content I suggested was "forced" solo content in order to earn the rewards (chances at learning new crafting sets and recipes etc).

Having people steamroll through this in groups would trivialise the content, which brings up the point that people don't actually earn the rewards and don't "need" the good gear they'd be learning by doing these quests. But if the content was, as above, balanced for a solo player + NPC companion then it seems possible to ditch the NPC companion and bring a real player in its place. And if they wanted more than one friend in there for social purposes, maybe just allow players to do the content for fun, without the chance of rewards/researchable set item drops/recipe drops (in whatever form they all take).

Basically so that ZOS can make the quest series and endboss difficult but achievable for any solo player.

NetViperX

Good idea, I would enjoy seeing something like this in the game very much.

Brother_Numsie

Sounds fun, but your hardcore crafter who would be interested in making this gear will not be really that interested in this type of gameplay. Their main crafter probably wouldn't be specked for combat purposes, being all their points would be in crafting so combat based quests would be a problem for them.

Moonshadow66

Yeah, I would like that too, definitely.

A few days ago, my main (VR11) has retired since there's nothing to do anymore as a single player than I've done already, no way to level up any further or to achieve certain things. I only can craft some stuff for my other characters, but that's pretty much it.
I tried to get some skyshards from Craglorn dungeons (alone, don't ask..), I also found that Aetherian Archive thing I've heard and read about so often, but I couldn't have been any more disappointed since it's only made for others which are grouped, but not for me.. The more I see of these groups-only dungeons, the more I feel like a piece of ****, and that I don't belong there.
And I can't actually do PvP since the fps drops down to 4 when in a battle. So, no way to level up or achieve anything more either.

I continued playing for a bit with three low-level characters I have, but, to be honest, I can't see it anymore... Well, endgame solo content would be nice, yes.

Khami

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

Sounds fun, but your hardcore crafter who would be interested in making this gear will not be really that interested in this type of gameplay. Their main crafter probably wouldn't be specked for combat purposes, being all their points would be in crafting so combat based quests would be a problem for them.

My main is VR14, lvl 50 in all crafts except for enchanting and there are plenty of points left over to have several different builds.

My NB tanks, dps, and heals and I has points left over and I stopped PvPing in May, so I'm not getting those skill points.

babylon

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

Sounds fun, but your hardcore crafter who would be interested in making this gear will not be really that interested in this type of gameplay. Their main crafter probably wouldn't be specked for combat purposes, being all their points would be in crafting so combat based quests would be a problem for them.

The research items dropped would best be non-tradeable, but perhaps could be passed to alts, so that as long as a player had the time and ability to do these quests, they'd be able to have their account crafter make the sets.

It would be nice though to have something special given just to the actual character that completed these quests.

The main point of this is to give an endgame activity to solo players. The time and effort needed to do these quests would be something quite involved, so that people would need to spend a lot of time doing this to get the items they needed, equivalent to pvp grinding or to dungeon grinding, hence equivalent rewards.

WraithAzraiel

Raygee wrote: »

Yeah, I would like that too, definitely.

A few days ago, my main (VR11) has retired since there's nothing to do anymore as a single player than I've done already, no way to level up any further or to achieve certain things. I only can craft some stuff for my other characters, but that's pretty much it.
I tried to get some skyshards from Craglorn dungeons (alone, don't ask..), I also found that Aetherian Archive thing I've heard and read about so often, but I couldn't have been any more disappointed since it's only made for others which are grouped, but not for me.. The more I see of these groups-only dungeons, the more I feel like a piece of ****, and that I don't belong there.
And I can't actually do PvP since the fps drops down to 4 when in a battle. So, no way to level up or achieve anything more either.

I continued playing for a bit with three low-level characters I have, but, to be honest, I can't see it anymore... Well, endgame solo content would be nice, yes.

....Aetherian Archives were announced as 12 man group content. All the coming trials are 12 man group content, they're the PvE end game. How are you disappointed by this? It does what it was marketed to do. And it's the only end game group content there is aside from PvP and running Vet Dungeons.

More stuff is coming in the future to be done solo, more quests, more shinies, we just gotta wait. And waiting sucks. But you've got a support group to suffer through the wait with you. All the rest of us.

You're not a piece of ****, not in the least. If you're on the NA server and want to check out some of the group content with a group of laid back really awesome people, please PM me and we'll make that happen.

Some of the game requires the stepping outside of one's comfort zone, but if done right with the right people it's an awesome experience.

There shouldn't be this divide between solo players and group players, we're all just players!

Different kinds of content call for different kinds of play styles. Adapt and enjoy!

The whole of the game is there for everyone to enjoy, some just takes more work than others.

babylon

WraithAzraiel wrote: »

snip

Please stick to feedback on the idea I posted in the OP, so this thread doesn't get diverted by discussion about group content actually in the game right now.

WraithAzraiel

babylon wrote: »

WraithAzraiel wrote: »

snip

Please stick to feedback on the idea I posted in the OP, so this thread doesn't get diverted by discussion about group content actually in the game right now.

It was feedback. It was an offer of assistance to another poster with a rebuttal to their self-deprecating remark wrapped in a request of patience with affirmations of gamer pride and a call for the disposal of divisions between solo'ers and group'ers.

Read the whole post before you outright dismiss it.

Thanks.

And by the by, your idea sounds awesome. I hope they institute something like that.

babylon

Khami wrote: »

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

Sounds fun, but your hardcore crafter who would be interested in making this gear will not be really that interested in this type of gameplay. Their main crafter probably wouldn't be specked for combat purposes, being all their points would be in crafting so combat based quests would be a problem for them.

My main is VR14, lvl 50 in all crafts except for enchanting and there are plenty of points left over to have several different builds.

My NB tanks, dps, and heals and I has points left over and I stopped PvPing in May, so I'm not getting those skill points.

Yeah the main point is to give solo players an endgame (time, effort, and reward). The activities in this would be specifically an endgame thing, with endgame level mobs. People wouldn't be doing this on their L14 crafting alt, because that character doesn't need an endgame activity. Though as suggested, the item *might* be able to be passed to that crafting alt. I feel it would be best kept as something only a leveled character could fully achieve though.

WraithAzraiel

Fact of the matter is there barely is any end game, solo or otherwise, as it is.

It'll come, and with posts like this and ideas like this, it'll make sure that future content doesn't suck.

So I hope you submitted this idea to a suggestion box for ZOS or something, cuz otherwise it's just going to collect dust on a forum where hundreds of people post their "Good Idea Fairy" revelations.

babylon

WraithAzraiel wrote: »

Fact of the matter is there barely is any end game, solo or otherwise, as it is.

It'll come, and with posts like this and ideas like this, it'll make sure that future content doesn't suck.

So I hope you submitted this idea to a suggestion box for ZOS or something, cuz otherwise it's just going to collect dust on a forum where hundreds of people post their "Good Idea Fairy" revelations.

Thanks, I'm not really sure where to submit this except through ingame feedback, but sent it into the Zenimax Online website just now.

WraithAzraiel

Sweet, I hope someone listens. Ideas like this keep players happy.

Brother_Numsie

How about one time use recipe drops that have a list of materials (for instance, an actual usage for some of those trash drops) needed for crafting them? Like a scavenger hunt, you would have to go all over Tamriel looking for them. Maybe the recipe could change depending on the stats and motif of the item? Or maybe they could also need a named item that would drop from world bosses (or special bosses added to the game just for this).

Brother_Numsie

I've sent ideas through the games feedback system, they just tell me in response to post on the official forums.

babylon

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

Like a scavenger hunt

Well the main point is to make this a solid, time consuming activity that requires dedicated effort to achieve, rather than a sideline activity anyone can complete. It needs to be challenging and needs to take up the player's time and needs to require focus, rather than be something like fishing.

So a series of quests with bosses and after going through the series a chance to obtain the required item from the boss, with rinse and repeat to have another chance, I think would be best to fit the bill.

babylon

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

I've sent ideas through the games feedback system, they just tell me in response to post on the official forums.

Hmm, well I guess we're going to have to keep the thread alive for a bit so they see it.

KenjiJU

Would be fun to have something like this to just burn through every once in a while. Wrothgar might fit the bill though, and possibly the spellcrafting rifts.

babylon

KenjiJU wrote: »

Would be fun to have something like this to just burn through every once in a while. Wrothgar might fit the bill though, and possibly the spellcrafting rifts.

It's a start, but tying a solo endgame into keeping crafted items relevant for endgame activities is what I'm thinking is the way to go here. So that all types of players have an endgame they enjoy working for, with rewards for the effort.

So this kind of endgame takes a lot of time and effort, and because of that gives good rewards, just as pvp grind takes time and effort, and dungeon grind takes time and effort.

AlexDougherty

idea-for-vet-level-quests-wall-o-text-warning
Has some good ideas if you wade through the OP

Inversus

I really want them to create more solo content, and this sounds like a really good way to incentivise it.
Although it would help if players at least have the option to play with others - that's why a lot of people play the game

babylon

Inversus wrote: »

I really want them to create more solo content, and this sounds like a really good way to incentivise it.
Although it would help if players at least have the option to play with others - that's why a lot of people play the game

Because it would be dropping rewards due to being a challenge for a solo player they'd need to keep this kind of activity solo only so people couldn't just tear through it with a bunch of people and trivialise it. The whole point is to make it be an activity that earns its right to rewards on par with other endgame activities that give rewards.

Make some other activity for solo and groups, so the crafting quests stay rewarding and challenging.

babylon

babylon wrote: »

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

I've sent ideas through the games feedback system, they just tell me in response to post on the official forums.

Hmm, well I guess we're going to have to keep the thread alive for a bit so they see it.

Yep sure enough just got a response back from ZOS saying they don't accept unsolicited suggestions from outside their company, and to post this up on the forums.

Guess best thing to do is keep discussion flowing till hopefully someone from ZOS sees it and brings the idea to their table.

LonePirate

There are crafting quests coming with Update 5 which will require the player to craft six blacksmithing/clothing/woodworking items and deliver them to Belkarth in Craglorn.

Rodario

Brother_Numsie wrote: »

Sounds fun, but your hardcore crafter who would be interested in making this gear will not be really that interested in this type of gameplay. Their main crafter probably wouldn't be specked for combat purposes, being all their points would be in crafting so combat based quests would be a problem for them.

There are enough skill points to max every craft on one character and still max enough weapon, class and armor lines to have at least enough for two optimal skill bars.

Moonshadow66

WraithAzraiel wrote: »

Raygee wrote: »

Yeah, I would like that too, definitely.

A few days ago, my main (VR11) has retired since there's nothing to do anymore as a single player than I've done already, no way to level up any further or to achieve certain things. I only can craft some stuff for my other characters, but that's pretty much it.
I tried to get some skyshards from Craglorn dungeons (alone, don't ask..), I also found that Aetherian Archive thing I've heard and read about so often, but I couldn't have been any more disappointed since it's only made for others which are grouped, but not for me.. The more I see of these groups-only dungeons, the more I feel like a piece of ****, and that I don't belong there.
And I can't actually do PvP since the fps drops down to 4 when in a battle. So, no way to level up or achieve anything more either.

I continued playing for a bit with three low-level characters I have, but, to be honest, I can't see it anymore... Well, endgame solo content would be nice, yes.

....Aetherian Archives were announced as 12 man group content. All the coming trials are 12 man group content, they're the PvE end game. How are you disappointed by this? It does what it was marketed to do. And it's the only end game group content there is aside from PvP and running Vet Dungeons.

More stuff is coming in the future to be done solo, more quests, more shinies, we just gotta wait. And waiting sucks. But you've got a support group to suffer through the wait with you. All the rest of us.

You're not a piece of ****, not in the least. If you're on the NA server and want to check out some of the group content with a group of laid back really awesome people, please PM me and we'll make that happen.

Some of the game requires the stepping outside of one's comfort zone, but if done right with the right people it's an awesome experience.

There shouldn't be this divide between solo players and group players, we're all just players!

Different kinds of content call for different kinds of play styles. Adapt and enjoy!

The whole of the game is there for everyone to enjoy, some just takes more work than others.

@WraithAzraiel
Wow, I didn't expect a reply like this, thank you very much :-)
Well, I wasn't aware that the Archive is made for 12 people, I only knew it's for groups (in general). Since I soloed some group dungeons, public dungeons and dolmens several times, I thought I might want to take a look into it, but, the first bunch of Flame Atronachs told me that I definitely cannot solo it lol .. That's why I was disappointed ;-)

I guess I have to wait then for more solo content, at least now I know there will be more.
I'll contact you in the game next time I'm on, thank you so much for the offer


@babylon
Sorry this was a bit offtopic again, but I still like your idea, too I hope they'll implement this to the game. As a passionate crafter, I can't wait to see that^^

Inversus

babylon wrote: »

Inversus wrote: »

I really want them to create more solo content, and this sounds like a really good way to incentivise it.
Although it would help if players at least have the option to play with others - that's why a lot of people play the game

Because it would be dropping rewards due to being a challenge for a solo player they'd need to keep this kind of activity solo only so people couldn't just tear through it with a bunch of people and trivialise it. The whole point is to make it be an activity that earns its right to rewards on par with other endgame activities that give rewards.

Make some other activity for solo and groups, so the crafting quests stay rewarding and challenging.

They're apparently introducing dungeon scaling based on your rank at the moment, so it's plausible that if they introduced this you could take someone else with you and it would scale to continue to be a challenge

Although solo content would be nice, a lot of people play this game almost or purely because they can play it online (the people who got over the fact that this isn't quite skyrim online but stayed anyway) and the fact that this is an mmo, so I don't see them adding a massive amount of solo areas (although I know some do exist)

Drazhar14

LonePirate wrote: »

There are crafting quests coming with Update 5 which will require the player to craft six blacksmithing/clothing/woodworking items and deliver them to Belkarth in Craglorn.

It would be cool if we had to deliver the items to low level players.

AlexDougherty

Drazhar14 wrote: »

LonePirate wrote: »

There are crafting quests coming with Update 5 which will require the player to craft six blacksmithing/clothing/woodworking items and deliver them to Belkarth in Craglorn.

It would be cool if we had to deliver the items to low level players.

Nice Idea, but then you have problems, firstly they have to be logged on, Then you have to find them, and they have to respond to you. I personally would be annoyed if I failed a quest after chasing down a player who then just refuses to respond.

WraithAzraiel

AlexDougherty wrote: »

Drazhar14 wrote: »

LonePirate wrote: »

There are crafting quests coming with Update 5 which will require the player to craft six blacksmithing/clothing/woodworking items and deliver them to Belkarth in Craglorn.

It would be cool if we had to deliver the items to low level players.

Nice Idea, but then you have problems, firstly they have to be logged on, Then you have to find them, and they have to respond to you. I personally would be annoyed if I failed a quest after chasing down a player who then just refuses to respond.

Get the ESO equivalent of a van and some candy or puppies, boom; problem solved. Those lowbies will come running.

WraithAzraiel

I know, I'm a horrible person, but it was funny.