My thoughts on the start.

[frakthefriendly]

I played a year ago and loved the start of the game. While I do like the start of this patch, I do have a few issues.

1) Seems longer than needed. You added a lot of side tunnels and passages that just made it feel longer, but not more exciting. I mean the secret tunnels don't really lead you to new areas, just another way to back track to the same areas.

2) When you port to the area where you meet the king, you went from 100 feet to 2,000 feet of just moving and porting moving and porting. I honestly got bored in that area. Put some monsters or puzzles or traps or SOMETHING along that very long path.

3) A map would be nice, IMHO. Not a full map, but a fog of war map.

4) Stop the cut scenes with the bosses or make that an option. I sneak up to a boss, (cut scene here), and now here sees me and no more surprise for me.

Anyway. I still love the game. Keep up the good work! :)

[PvWolf666]

You are supposed to be escaping, so exploration is the key. Its not long at all. Use the exploration to pick locks.

[Masha]

Originally posted by frakthefriendly:

I played a year ago and loved the start of the game. While I do like the start of this patch, I do have a few issues.

1) Seems longer than needed. You added a lot of side tunnels and passages that just made it feel longer, but not more exciting. I mean the secret tunnels don't really lead you to new areas, just another way to back track to the same areas.

I'm gonna be responding to these one by one.
You can still just take the quickest route and yeet away from the island if you so wish to, all the exploration is optional. I also played the prologue a while back before the revamp and I love the new additions they made, it means less backtracking, because you realise the paths connect. And you do get lead to new areas, where you meet Conchur and Sirja (last I played they were just plonked on the beach, rescued by Caradoc) and fight two bosses that imho have sweet loot that gives you an edge early on. Heck I even was insane enough to swim out to the sunken wrecks on the beach and was pleasantly surprised that there's loot there, too. We should praise devs that reward exploration like that.

Originally posted by frakthefriendly:

2) When you port to the area where you meet the king, you went from 100 feet to 2,000 feet of just moving and porting moving and porting. I honestly got bored in that area. Put some monsters or puzzles or traps or SOMETHING along that very long path.

The section is more of a lore dump than anything, the player is meant to slow down for a moment after the escape, take in the very important story setup. It's an interactive cutscene basically. Personally I will never get tired of the visuals in that zone.
That said, if you run + dash it goes by very quickly. Plus there are some mobs at least in one section.

Originally posted by frakthefriendly:

3) A map would be nice, IMHO. Not a full map, but a fog of war map.

Do you mean specifically in the Asylum prologue? Because there is a map in the game. When you reach the Horns of the South, you get access to a map with fog of war and all the bells and whistles, including fast travel points. I feel resources are best served in other areas than adding a map to the prologue which is in the end quite small of an area that should not need a map to get through.

Originally posted by frakthefriendly:

4) Stop the cut scenes with the bosses or make that an option. I sneak up to a boss, (cut scene here), and now here sees me and no more surprise for me.

Alas, I am not playing a stabby rogue so I cannot understand that gripe from personal experience. I find the cutscenes awesome, but I also empathize. It would be nice if they don't immediately aggro after the cutscene or smth.

Originally posted by frakthefriendly:

Anyway. I still love the game. Keep up the good work! :)

I always support constructive criticism! Please don't read my response as diminishing what you said, just adding my personal experience to it.

[Chaosolous]

I think it's better than it was, for sure.

The king section was quite a bit longer than it seems it needs to be. It's a huge exposition dump for like 10 minutes.

[silent88]

I've only been through most of the introduction this time around and find this expression vastly improved... though I was stymied for awhile at Arthur's sepulcher amid the pool of blood. At a loss for the way forward, I finally stumbled upon linkage of soul to his hunger, only to wish I had linked instead to Excalibur, his will. I feel it might be necessary to hand-hold slightly more, during that sequence, for the sake of the story's coherence.

[[MNI] Kisune]

Having multiple ways link back up to me feels very reasonable especialy in the Prologue where you are supposed to be trying to escape.
I all in all find it stranger that theres a Permanent boost (the Menhir statue) just hidden there that (from what i know) you can not get once you left the prologue.
it feeling long because theres multiple paths only realy is true if you consistently go back and go trought every path.

2 it is a Lore dump so having it be without puzzles or combat feels reasonable,
If you just rush trought it is quite short while if you go normaly it lines up pretty perfectly in terms of You moving and the Speech (and the visuals change quite a bit)
I do like it though i can see a big Lore thing so early on can often be less Interesting to people (or for a second or third playtrought)

3 Not sure why they dont have one during the beginning but all in all if it comes down to it if its easy yhea i why not add one but if its a chunk of work then its wastet i think
it is small and in the end its basicaly a Railroaded part so it just does not matter much

4 I do like the Cutscenes but yhea for a Sneaking build (and considering how much support for it is there its clearly supposed to be a Full on build possibilitie) it is kinda annoing since it basicaly invalidates them (unless theres good ways to regain stealth mid combat) Though i guess it also is just inherently a build that does not fit Boss fights Just due to what it is

[Masha]

Originally posted by silent88:

I've only been through most of the introduction this time around and find this expression vastly improved... though I was stymied for awhile at Arthur's sepulcher amid the pool of blood. At a loss for the way forward, I finally stumbled upon linkage of soul to his hunger, only to wish I had linked instead to Excalibur, his will. I feel it might be necessary to hand-hold slightly more, during that sequence, for the sake of the story's coherence.

Idk, when I played, there was a golden shimmery line directing me to his soul link. Also I reloaded and tested, you *have* to take that link. I haven't progressed too far but I'm pretty sure that the Excalibur link will be established when you get the piece of his soul from... Excalibur. ._.

[Brady4444]

There are probably better ways to give exposition, but it isn't a problem for me. I hope they keep the option to start your play in the Horns of the South. If they require us to play the tutorial every playthrough then I will probably make a save right after washing up on the beach so I don't have to deal with it.

[frakthefriendly]

Originally posted by Masha:

I also played the prologue a while back before the revamp and I love the new additions they made, it means less backtracking, because you realise the paths connect.

For me, there was much more back tracking and less actual exploring new areas.

Originally posted by Masha:

The section is more of a lore dump than anything, the player is meant to slow down for a moment after the escape, take in the very important story setup. It's an interactive cutscene basically.

I still find it too long and boring.

Originally posted by Masha:

Do you mean specifically in the Asylum prologue?

Yes.

Originally posted by Masha:

It would be nice if they don't immediately aggro after the cut scene.

Yes.

Originally posted by Masha:

I always support constructive criticism! Please don't read my response as diminishing what you said, just adding my personal experience to it.

Cool. :)

[silent88]

Been through Asylum a few times now in 0.9 and I have to say I very much like the tunnels because two provide cover for ranged attacks on the four reds in the dungeon beneath the overpass that holds the laboratory key, and they just mill around where I can blast their kneecaps and they never think to duck in and get to me.