The problem with quests and questing in dungeons and how I think it can be fixed.

Aertew

I just very recently played through "The Dread Cellar" and completed the quest. Some thoughts at the top of my head I want to get out before I forget.

-I felt like I had to rush through dialogue. I couldn't "savor" the voice actors saying their lines. This seems like a insult to the voice actor and the player. As it probably took the voice actor many tries to get the specific line right and a insult to players who want to listen to their lines.

Why does it feel rushed?- If you play through any dungeon and attempt to listen fully to any NPC. Many factors are thrown at you.
1. Your other group members go ahead. Going through mobs and potentially a boss without you.
2. The NPC's will disappear because your allies went ahead so far.
3. You will get pulled into the boss fight because of the new mechanic where you "Join the encounter in progress"

These make it feel like it is difficult to enjoy the quest and experience that comes with a fully voice acted game. I can't listen to the lines all the way and if I want to I COULD skim through the dialogue but that clearly lowers the quality and experience you get from enjoying the dialogue at the players pace because of the 3 points I mentioned above.


I want to offer some points and reasons in a polite and reasonable manner because I hope and assume the developers are looking and reading through the forums and players ideas.

I got this from another post saying something about how the joining encounter in progress mechanic is bad. I don't agree with that. I actually love it since it prevents the player from being locked from a boss fight.

Instead I read a comment and thought it was a great idea. Simply make it a option to join. Make it so you can either click y for yes or n for no. Similar to getting a group invite. Make it a option in settings to prevent pop-ups because I assume it would be annoying for some players. However make it so the pop up appears by default.

Now assuming the previous idea get's implemented. We fixed the player getting involuntarily being teleported to a location without their consent. We can now think about dialogue, NPC lines, and the voice actors. This one is a bit difficult. On one hand. removing the lines all-together removes content. On the other hand. It's difficult to read it through in a dungeon. So how can this be fixed?

While thinking about this. I thought that perhaps it can be done that the lines will be said during encounters and boss fights. This is already done most of the time. Like when you do the "Black Drake Villa" dungeon. While fighting the first boss, the minotaur, she will say some lines during the fight. There were also some lines said "out loud" by NPC's in "The Dread Cellar". Simply moving some of the dialogue that the player gets from interacting with the NPC and moving that dialogue so it is said automatically makes it so that players who do not care about lore or dialogue can simply ignore it or mute it in the settings. However, this allows people who want to listen to the dialogue and learn more about the environment they are in, aka the dungeon, allows them to listen while also fighting.


I know this probably won't be read completely by people. Most people will probably skip to the bottom. However I just hope the devs read this and perhaps take some consideration. I believe that while it seems very petty to complain about this and perhaps a waste of time. I think listening to dialogue and how NPC's react to their environment is pivotal to a good dungeon experience. The other part of a good dungeon experience is the combat, mechanics and boss fight. Simplified as just the general combat and action in dungeons is what also makes a good dungeon.

so TL;DR I like the voice lines in dungeons and dialogue you get while interacting with NPC's there. However moving the voice lines, or dialogue so that they are said by the NPC during boss fights instead of forcing the player to interact with the NPC's and having them miss fights or making them feel like they have to skip the NPC's. It allows them to go through the dungeon and fight bosses without them missing any action.

If the TL;DR was too long.

Make NPC's say their dialogue lines during boss fights.

fall0athboy

IMO the best method is just an easy-to-solo, rewardless Lore Mode.

Aertew

fall0athboy wrote: »

IMO the best method is just an easy-to-solo, rewardless Lore Mode.

I guess that works too. But I just would like perhaps a easier solution. I feel like making a seperate mode would be too time consuming.

Amottica

fall0athboy wrote: »

IMO the best method is just an easy-to-solo, rewardless Lore Mode.

Considering the year-long story goes through dungeons it makes sense to do a solo mode. It would also be more complicated to do something that forces random players to do what you want them to do. If the devs wanted to address the situation OP presents then this would be the easiest course of action for them.

Of course, the easiest solution would be to form a group of like-minded players. That is by far the easiest, fastest, and most effective means to solve this issue. This can be done right now without waiting for the devs.

zaria

That they should done is have the dialog sounds for all, give the player response as an text if inside distance from hearing the NPC. This has two benefits:
1 it make it clear that the player is doing the quest and the time they take on it.
2 It let other experience the quest again, if they done it many times they know how long until player doing the quest are done.

Sarannah

ZOS could de-couple skillpoints from quests inside dungeons. Just have players receive the skillpoint the first time they kill the final boss.

While at the same time ZOS could add the quest dialog as a seperate audio, so we can continue the dungeon while still hearing the dialog.

zaria

Sarannah wrote: »

ZOS could de-couple skillpoints from quests inside dungeons. Just have players receive the skillpoint the first time they kill the final boss.

While at the same time ZOS could add the quest dialog as a seperate audio, so we can continue the dungeon while still hearing the dialog.

Yes some dungeons like moonhunter keep does that well.

Darkstorne

The best method would be game design that doesn't fight with itself.

You shouldn't have to talk to an NPC to accept a quest at the start of the dungeon. It should just start when you enter the dungeon. Alternatively, kill the need for a quest at all, and reward a skill point for the first time a dungeon is cleared. Story will still happen, just not tied to a quest (same way you still see the same stories play out in dungeons today even when you've already done the quests).

You shouldn't have to stand around and talk to NPCs for lore and information at the start of and during a dungeon run. It should be delivered organically as you move through the area.

All NPC dialogue opportunities for further optional exposition can then occur at the end of the dungeon, when you turn in the quest. Everyone who has already done the quest will be leaving the dungeon now, so you're not holding anyone up.

Ulfhethinn

fall0athboy wrote: »

IMO the best method is just an easy-to-solo, rewardless Lore Mode.

So many times this.

Amottica

Sarannah wrote: »

ZOS could de-couple skillpoints from quests inside dungeons. Just have players receive the skillpoint the first time they kill the final boss.

While at the same time ZOS could add the quest dialog as a seperate audio, so we can continue the dungeon while still hearing the dialog.

De-coupling the skill point does not solve the problem of a player being able to do the quest. It would also be a challenge to listen to the dialogue while being pulled into the next fight just because someone shows no regard for others.