Happy Tuesday, everyone!
This week, we decided to separate the snowbeasts and granite gargoyles found in the Dragon's Spine of Ilithi into their own non-overlapping zones.
The snowbeasts can be found in and around the Mountain Foothills, Mountainside Trail, and Snowbeast Lair.
The granite gargoyles can be found in and around Peri'el's Mere and the Frozen River.
The map remains largely unchanged. However, you will find that one of the northwest/southeast paths between rooms was replaced with an icy riverbank/canyon rim to prevent the creatures from wandering into each other's areas. These three room names were also changed to match the rest of the area:
• Dragon's Spine, Muddy Beach
• Dragon's Spine, Peri'el's Mere
• Dragon's Spine, Peri'el's Mere
These creatures will continue to spawn at the same level as before. However, you may notice some improvements to their spawning behavior, as we've brought that in line with modern standards.
Zadraes and Ulerith provided assistance with implementation, and Zadraes provided QC'ing.
GM Cordulia
DR-CORDULIA
Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/14/2021 03:58 PM CDT
COLDLIGHT
re: Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/15/2021 04:31 PM CDT
>This week, we decided to separate the snowbeasts and granite gargoyles
Thank you for reorganizing some of these high/low hunting grounds. I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
~ Vanxa
You see Grazhir cracking open in one sharp movement.
The World Dragon emerges, roaring soundlessly.
It moves to sear Katamba to a lifeless black.
You see the night sky, filled with stars.
Thank you for reorganizing some of these high/low hunting grounds. I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
~ Vanxa
You see Grazhir cracking open in one sharp movement.
The World Dragon emerges, roaring soundlessly.
It moves to sear Katamba to a lifeless black.
You see the night sky, filled with stars.
DR-CORDULIA
re: Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/15/2021 08:23 PM CDT
A post was moved here from Discussions with DragonRealms Staff and Players / Responses to GM/Official Announcements.
>>COLDLIGHT: Thank you for reorganizing some of these high/low hunting grounds. I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
I can't speak to the original rationale for this specific area, but one reason that mixed hunting grounds exist is that they can help you "uphunt" a bit. (The presence of lower-level creatures instead of all higher-level creature can reduce the danger when you are just barely able to handle the higher-level creatures.)
That being said, we do recognize that mixed hunting areas tend to be under-utilized.
GM Cordulia
>>COLDLIGHT: Thank you for reorganizing some of these high/low hunting grounds. I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
I can't speak to the original rationale for this specific area, but one reason that mixed hunting grounds exist is that they can help you "uphunt" a bit. (The presence of lower-level creatures instead of all higher-level creature can reduce the danger when you are just barely able to handle the higher-level creatures.)
That being said, we do recognize that mixed hunting areas tend to be under-utilized.
GM Cordulia
VOROSR
re: Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/16/2021 09:04 AM CDT
>I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
When many older hunting areas were released, we were on a different combat system, and in some cases even a different experience system. It was possible and reasonable to hunt both snowbeasts and gargoyles at the same time on the same character, and learn from all of them without being in undue danger. Combat 3.0 dramatically tightened training ranges, so many areas which are near-but-not-quite close enough were, on their release, perfectly reasonable hunting areas.
Some also are, basically, flavor. Things like mutant togballs in with stompers, or cougars with brocket deer.
When many older hunting areas were released, we were on a different combat system, and in some cases even a different experience system. It was possible and reasonable to hunt both snowbeasts and gargoyles at the same time on the same character, and learn from all of them without being in undue danger. Combat 3.0 dramatically tightened training ranges, so many areas which are near-but-not-quite close enough were, on their release, perfectly reasonable hunting areas.
Some also are, basically, flavor. Things like mutant togballs in with stompers, or cougars with brocket deer.
COLDLIGHT
re: Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/16/2021 08:46 PM CDT
I definitely like flavor to make areas distinct and different from each but only as long as it doesn't cause unneeded problems. (I'm looking at you, enraged tusky!) But at least those only wander by once in a while. And their lore is some of the best in game.
The garg/snowy area was different. It was already on my mind because someone I know went through there a few weeks ago and complained of having trouble getting enough boxes since the drop rate was low and snowies were half the spawn. That didn't help defense training either. He was glad to finally move on to snow goblins. Fortunately he had a locksmithing training box so his ranks didn't fall behind. Everything being said, I think the decision to separate gargs and snowies was very helpful.
I've always thought orcs/warcats are the perfect balance. Besides being an interesting combo, you train equally well with both, and the skinnable warcats and box-dropping orcs ideally complement each other. Plus, orcs have a decent drop rate, so halving their spawn still leaves an acceptable amount of boxes. Atik'ets/westanuryns would be like that if only the box rate was bumped up a bit.
Thank you again for reevaluating these areas.
~ Vanxa
You see Grazhir cracking open in one sharp movement.
The World Dragon emerges, roaring soundlessly.
It moves to sear Katamba to a lifeless black.
You see the night sky, filled with stars.
The garg/snowy area was different. It was already on my mind because someone I know went through there a few weeks ago and complained of having trouble getting enough boxes since the drop rate was low and snowies were half the spawn. That didn't help defense training either. He was glad to finally move on to snow goblins. Fortunately he had a locksmithing training box so his ranks didn't fall behind. Everything being said, I think the decision to separate gargs and snowies was very helpful.
I've always thought orcs/warcats are the perfect balance. Besides being an interesting combo, you train equally well with both, and the skinnable warcats and box-dropping orcs ideally complement each other. Plus, orcs have a decent drop rate, so halving their spawn still leaves an acceptable amount of boxes. Atik'ets/westanuryns would be like that if only the box rate was bumped up a bit.
Thank you again for reevaluating these areas.
~ Vanxa
You see Grazhir cracking open in one sharp movement.
The World Dragon emerges, roaring soundlessly.
It moves to sear Katamba to a lifeless black.
You see the night sky, filled with stars.
TEVESHSZAT
re: Tuesday Tidings - 82 - Snowbeasts and Granite Gargoyles (Ilithi: Dragon's Spine)
09/19/2021 11:32 PM CDT
>>I'm not sure what the good was for the original game designers to have built them that way in the first place.
The game's over two decades old and, like fashion, music, video games as a whole, etc, the aesthetics of what makes an area work changed.
Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.
The game's over two decades old and, like fashion, music, video games as a whole, etc, the aesthetics of what makes an area work changed.
Uzmam! The Chairman will NOT be pleased to know you're trying to build outside of approved zones. I'd hate for you to be charged the taxes needed to have this place re-zoned. Head for the manor if you're feeling creative.
