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The trouble with instances

AuthorMessage
Squire
Dec 02, 2008
543
I'm not one of those people who is against instances entirely. You know, the ones who would vigorously protest not only what this game officially calls instances, but also this game's concept of realms as being excessively instanced. Such people seem to be fine with ridigly separate servers for some reason, until their own server is overcrowded or too empty, at which point they'd complain that the company is taking too long to allow server transfers. (No that doesn't make sense to me, either. That's why I'm not one of them.)

But I digress. The problem is that some instances are simply too long, and don't allow a player to split the instance into multiple game sessions. If I think Colossus Boulevard, Palace of Fire, or Knight's Court are too long, I can easily do some of the quests, log off, come back the next day, and do some more. Doing that on an instanced level requires starting all the way over, however.

That's fine for short instances, of course. I'm all in favor of the way the game mostly instances single bosses. Even for instances that could take a little longer like Golem Tower, The Vault of Ice, or Temple of Storms, that's all right.

But Tomb of the Beguiler and Big Ben pretty much require a 2+ hour time commitment, and Sunken City and the counterweights aren't far short of that. That's quite a lot at once, especially for a site that says "many parents worry their kids will play the games too much," as though the game is built to prevent that. (Well, other than by making an awful game that no one wants to play, I mean.)

The challenge is fine. It's the length that is the issue. It would be ideal to be able to save, log off, and come back later to continue. Failing that, the long instances would be better if split in half, so that once you complete the first half, you can go straight to the second, kind of like in Super Mario World.

Survivor
Dec 18, 2008
24

I agree totally. also, if you think THOSE are long, you havnet seen anything. Kensington is an instance in marleybone. No wisps, all street mosters and bosses over 2,000 health, and it takes roughly four hours. instances shouldn't be shortened, just resumeable

Explorer
Feb 05, 2009
51
I have to totally agree here, just make an instances resumeable indefinitely, you can simple reset the instance by starting another one somewhere or making a small room instance where people can clear an instance there in. For example I sure you can code that cool look fire cave next to the golem tower to be an instance fairly easily. It would also be cool if the instance remember where you left off (teleported out, if you didn't walk out) so you can be transport right back to the same spot you where when you enter it again. Then again a whole pause feature that even works in battle would be nice. I can see kids getting grounded because there taking an extra few minutes to fight a 2000-3000 hp boss for an instance and would not want to flee. This is all probably a lot of coding though so it would be a major major update. a really nice one though

Explorer
Feb 05, 2009
51
or I forget to add if your in combat mode with a friend make the afk or pause make you somehow act like a puppet or npc until the fight is over.

Survivor
Jan 23, 2009
3
I agree that many instanced levels are just too long. If there needs to be a reset time, why not 48 hours? My son has a time limit on this game and I also have a life (I think) outside of Wizaed101.

Also, once you finish a level, you should be able to go back anywhere in that level without having to redo everything if you get more quests in that area - how many times do I have to repeat everything to defeat the sweepers in the ironworks? Very frustrating.

I haven't seen a reply on this topic from the administrators yet...

Explorer
Jan 29, 2009
74
I would like to bump this topic because I believe there needs to be some sort of "rest stop" or safe-area in an instanced area that allows you to log off and log back on again into said area.

This way, you can break up the long instances such as the ones already mentioned. I don't have 5-6 hours (in a row) to commit to this game so either one of two things have to happen. You decrease the power of the monsters to shorten said time or break up the instanced areas.

This would provide a good way to break up the instanced areas without affecting the integrity of the game.

Survivor
Feb 04, 2009
19
WizardofWorI wrote:
I would like to bump this topic because I believe there needs to be some sort of "rest stop" or safe-area in an instanced area that allows you to log off and log back on again into said area.

This way, you can break up the long instances such as the ones already mentioned. I don't have 5-6 hours (in a row) to commit to this game so either one of two things have to happen. You decrease the power of the monsters to shorten said time or break up the instanced areas.

This would provide a good way to break up the instanced areas without affecting the integrity of the game.



I agree with this whole thing, I love how long it takes but time is an issue in another game I use to play there was instances that took 40 people lol and it was a 8 hour instance talk about insane and they did not have a stop point until everyone complained I agree with all of this a 48 hour timer would be awesome and also add a "reset instance button" for people who can finish them quick and wants to do it over and over

Mr.swiftcaster

Mastermind
Sep 20, 2008
347
Instances are mean't to be long! But some like a bug might happen when your screen goes down or something . But thats not common for some people. VERY common for me. But some instances like Tomb of Beugiler and Keinnston don't HAVE TO BE DONE. So therefor you should not be complaining about Sunken city ect. Instances often drop GOOD things such as pets , clothes and badges. Each instance drops a badge. Well all that you don't have to do. But like Temple and Lab are hard ( Lab in ds )

But you MUST do those. Because if your not doing any hard instances of course your gonna get stuck doing a few hard instances. Its only fair! To me instances are fun. But if you don't believe me thats fine.

I have a question . When my friends here Lab in mb they go ah! Why? Lab is merely a very easy instance 3 bosses and turn on the stuff? Takes a half hour.

Survivor
Feb 04, 2009
19
Orca wrote:
Instances are mean't to be long! But some like a bug might happen when your screen goes down or something . But thats not common for some people. VERY common for me. But some instances like Tomb of Beugiler and Keinnston don't HAVE TO BE DONE. So therefor you should not be complaining about Sunken city ect. Instances often drop GOOD things such as pets , clothes and badges. Each instance drops a badge. Well all that you don't have to do. But like Temple and Lab are hard ( Lab in ds )

But you MUST do those. Because if your not doing any hard instances of course your gonna get stuck doing a few hard instances. Its only fair! To me instances are fun. But if you don't believe me thats fine.

I have a question . When my friends here Lab in mb they go ah! Why? Lab is merely a very easy instance 3 bosses and turn on the stuff? Takes a half hour.



We are not saying make them smaller sir, we are merly stating that we have lifes outside the game and we can't dedicate all our time to finish the instance.. my son plays and I don't allow him to play more than 2 hours so if he cant beat the instance in 2 hours then he is out of luck... thats not really fair is it? if there was a 48 hour timer once you log into the instance you have 2 days to finish... and if you finish faster than that and want to go again there is a simple "reset instance" button.

Mr.swiftcaster

Squire
Dec 02, 2008
543
Orca wrote:
But some instances like Tomb of Beugiler and Keinnston don't HAVE TO BE DONE. So therefor you should not be complaining about Sunken city ect.


Big Ben is part of the main storyline, so it does have to be done if you're going to move on past Marleybone. Big Ben is about as long as Tomb of the Beguiler and is longer than Sunken City.