Instances and the role of exploration in TERA

Ravenial Profile Options #1

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Hey everyone, I am pretty new to this game. The bottom line is that I am enjoying it. However, I have a couple things I want to bring up at this point to discuss with other players.

So far, as far as instances dungeons are concerned, I have completed both BL and SM. It has been my completion of these instances which has led me to a few questions about later instances and, beyond that, certain aspects of the game as a whole.

First, I have to say that the Prologue was very well done. There was a well implemented emphasis placed on environmental exploration through ladder climbing, a bit of platforming, the ability to look out over a large area of terrain, a true sense of depth and space - these were wonderfully crafted game mechanics, and something that I appreciated.

However, during BL and SM I have found myself in nothing more than a series of simplistic hallways. Graphically, and certainty compared to the vistas of the game world proper, these dungeons were lacking complexity and variation in their textures, their mob types, their explorability, their feelings of depth, space, ultimately (I feel) their immersive quality.

Now I am willing to forgive BL and SM their rat maze like simplicity if I can attribute it to the fact that they are they first two dungeons and the devs only wanted to make sure people "knew what was going on" before creating epic vast dungeons complicated enough for a group to get literally lost in (such as those found in EQ or even occasionally WoW).

I am looking for my underground densely treed forests; my long winding highways of metal descending into darkness; my tightly tunneled mazes with floor puzzles and sudden drops into lava; my deep, crystal lined, pit which much be navigated down, fall by fall, platform by platform; large whispering libraries of ghosts, empty suits of armor, and decrepit bookshelves.

These places have all existed in other MMOS - and make up my memorable experiences.

I was hoping TERA could be as creative. I hope it is.

Unfortunately, a room, similarly sized and similarly square -like every other room in its dungeon- which has only a blood fountain in the middle and a blood texture on the floor to distinguish it (and I am talking about that room in SM), one entrance, one exit, and a larger sized MoB, wearing the same skin texture as smaller mobs I have already seen, worries me.

Please higher levels than I, tell me this doesn't last beyond SM.

Slubber Profile Options #2

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Zdravko Lvl.60
Mount Tyrannas (PVP)
Aman Warrior
This game has many problems early on not because its necessarily bad, but compared to the rest of the game it is.


Environments, story, monster difficulty, dungeon quality, all picks up later on, the beginning of the game is lackluster. 58-60 is my favorite part of the game in terms of environment and story, sucks thats literally the farther point from the beginning.

There's even a few dungeons you can ride your mount in.
Edited by: Slubber 12 months ago
rocdog Profile Options #3

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It gets better. Not sure if it will live up to your dungeongasmic fantasies, but it does get better.
Ravenial Profile Options #4

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Thanks guys, my heart is warmed :P
Slubber Profile Options #5

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Zdravko Lvl.60
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Aman Warrior
Ravenial on 06/04/2012, 09:21 PM - view
Thanks guys, my heart is warmed :P


I assure you it won't be what you expect though, your expectations are quite high.


Few traps, a mechanic or two, fire a cannon, use some spikes on the floor, dodge a fire breathing gargoyle, destroy a pillar... nothing super fancy.


They do have many that open up and some aren't even in buildings, they are outside, so you won't feel like a rat in a cave anymore at least.


Edited by: Slubber 12 months ago
Ravenial Profile Options #6

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That's fair - I hope they can implement some more complex stuff later, but the truth is that I'm introducing my girlfriend to MMOs via this game. She really loves it. I just don't want her to miss out on environmental immersion.

Hate to bring up the W(ow)hite elephant in the room, but aside from everything WoW has done wrong in terms of creating the lackluster themepark model (and perhaps the very heart of its sin on the MMO - coming from DAOC and UO), something like black-rock depths, as a piece of architecture, is amazing, a feat of the RPG genre let alone the MMO.

SM and BL just worried me is all.
Myxx Profile Options #7

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Freud Lvl.60
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Elin Berserker
They certainly do pick up, and BoL definitely does not feel like anything special, but I would kind of disagree with SM. That place feels really dark-cathedral esque and I love it! For what it totes itself as, I'd say I got something fantastic.
Slubber Profile Options #8

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Ravenial on 06/04/2012, 09:38 PM - view
That's fair - I hope they can implement some more complex stuff later, but the truth is that I'm introducing my girlfriend to MMOs via this game. She really loves it. I just don't want her to miss out on environmental immersion.

Hate to bring up the W(ow)hite elephant in the room, but aside from everything WoW has done wrong in terms of creating the lackluster themepark model (and perhaps the very heart of its sin on the MMO - coming from DAOC and UO), something like black-rock depths, as a piece of architecture, is amazing, a feat of the RPG genre let alone the MMO.

SM and BL just worried me is all.


Well the beginning of the game lacks anything jaw dropping but as you level you'll see places that will just make you stop to take screenshots...


I would show you my collection but maybe you don't want to be spoiled. ;)