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How about making it fun to win again?

2
AuthorMessage
Defender
Nov 17, 2012
186
Dr Von on Sep 15, 2013 wrote:
This is reasonable~ I think KI has forgotten that players don't have 8 hours/day to devote to a single dungeon run.

Adding to your list:

Zafaria: 7-45m
Avalon: 10m-1h
Azteca: 15m-1.5h

There is no reason for a single dungeon to take 8 hours. Not only is it boring and tedious, but there's also a high chance that you won't get anything worth spending 8 hours in there for.

-

I agree with you about the earlier worlds as well. Yes, MB and DS are both "dark". But Dragonspyre is awesome because it's an empire with a rich history that is but a shadow of its former life and glory; the hallmark of any great fantasy story. And that's what it felt like, fighting Mally the first time~ you were the hero (or heroine) in a novel of epic proportions and were so emotionally-invested in the characters and the plot that you just didn't want to put the book down.

As for Marleybone, it's just dirty and sad... like the medieval times, where people showered once a year and always had some for of the plague. I have one wizard on my main account left to go through there, and I can't wait to get her out.

To quote my Furby: "Hmm, boring."
(yes, Dr. Von still has her Furby!)

Referring to later in your post, Marleybone was my LEAST favorite world because it just drained all of the hope, you know? I think the dark, dreary, sad aesthetics ruined the MB experience for me.

Referring to the middle of your post, Dragonspyre is by far my favorite world. The rich cultures and storylines behind it are, in my opinion KI's greatest work (of course I haven't reached Celestia, Zafaria, Azteca, and Avalon yet).

Survivor
Oct 29, 2011
11
Dr Von on Sep 15, 2013 wrote:
This is reasonable~ I think KI has forgotten that players don't have 8 hours/day to devote to a single dungeon run.

Adding to your list:

Zafaria: 7-45m
Avalon: 10m-1h
Azteca: 15m-1.5h

There is no reason for a single dungeon to take 8 hours. Not only is it boring and tedious, but there's also a high chance that you won't get anything worth spending 8 hours in there for.

-

I agree with you about the earlier worlds as well. Yes, MB and DS are both "dark". But Dragonspyre is awesome because it's an empire with a rich history that is but a shadow of its former life and glory; the hallmark of any great fantasy story. And that's what it felt like, fighting Mally the first time~ you were the hero (or heroine) in a novel of epic proportions and were so emotionally-invested in the characters and the plot that you just didn't want to put the book down.

As for Marleybone, it's just dirty and sad... like the medieval times, where people showered once a year and always had some for of the plague. I have one wizard on my main account left to go through there, and I can't wait to get her out.

To quote my Furby: "Hmm, boring."
(yes, Dr. Von still has her Furby!)

Right on point, specially, regarding Dragonspyre and Marlybone. Dragonspyre is dark, but awesome; it is my most favorite world.
Also, I think the fact that so many players like myself get WW gear at level 60, and don't get any better gear afterwards, even at level 90, has a huge effect on playability. Enemies become stronger with more health, but you have the same level 60 gear. That's why battles take more time.
Anyways, I think the gear, spell and level balance was lost from Celestia on.

Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
KKoop3 on Sep 30, 2013 wrote:
Referring to later in your post, Marleybone was my LEAST favorite world because it just drained all of the hope, you know? I think the dark, dreary, sad aesthetics ruined the MB experience for me.

Referring to the middle of your post, Dragonspyre is by far my favorite world. The rich cultures and storylines behind it are, in my opinion KI's greatest work (of course I haven't reached Celestia, Zafaria, Azteca, and Avalon yet).
I know, right?

I want to love Marleybone. I really do~ the accents and costumes are to die for, and I love the references to Jack the Ripper (history/criminology buff here). But then I start questing, and I remember why I hate it so much. I have one more wizard on my main account left to make that trek, and I can't wait to get it over with!

Dragonspyre and Marleybone were both dark. But Dragonspyre had depth, believable characters, and a wonderful story to accompany it~ the colours and architecture were quite stunning. But Marleybone was "dark" in all the wrong ways... Dreary, depressing, difficult to get around; so many unwanted mob fights, it just sucked the life right out of me.

Since we seem to have similar taste in worlds, I think you'll like Avalon. It came the closest to recapturing the beauty and magic of Dragonspyre~ you'll see what I mean when you get there!

-Laura S.
"Dr. Mrs. Von"

promethean and
archmage of awesomeness

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
Rant: Lay off Marleybone already! If you don't like it, don't bother bringing it up! I'm tired off all this dirt on Marleybone. I'm infuriated. Stop using it as your little whipping boy and stay to the main topic! I don't be to sound abrasive, but I done bitting my tongue over all this Marleybone chatter. Just don't talk about it if you don't like it, ok? Twice goes for Zafaria and Azteca.

On Topic:
Unlike a lot of players, I honestly have few friends who I have a deep attachment for so I can't feel the same way some of you guys feel. I fell in love with Wizard101 for it's story and looks. I liked the game play. I don't think the magic ever left, but the magic people prefer has intensified to a form your wands can't handle.

I, personally, don't mind the challenge. I can manage 15-20 minute mbo fights and 45-an hour boss fights. I took up the crafted gear people are complaining about and even with a minor boost, have had little problems. But I am in no disagreeing with a power down in the 2nd Arc.

I think that if the mobs heath pips came way down, and if collect quests can be made easier to the point that they are "push-overs," cheating bosses are reworked (Zafaria just leaped too much with it) and if gear is powered a little with more unique loot drops (where many of the higher worlds are lacking) then things can get better in the 2nd Arc and more players can focus in on the story that so many claim is a wreck (Hate on Azteca's story all day, I thought it was brilliant to say the least)

In regards to Spritely, I honestly have to disagree with the majority. I worked very hard on my Scarecrow who stands at Mega with Spritely. I don't rely on it and, as helpful as it is, I've never needed it. I think Spritely is overestimated sometimes and treated as more than an accessory to a necessity. You shouldn't rely on may casts at all. I really wish the higher worlds didn't call for this misconception of a need for resist, block, and especially may casts pets.

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
Off Topic: I'd also like to state that Wizard101 is not the only game that is in that middle ground between kid-friendly and giving adults something play. Pirate101 is coming along and sailing smoothly. They've won first place in last year's Video Games Award and only being 3 Months old. They're at 5 Million players within a year so they are expanding quite fast, just like Wizard101.
Yes, I firmly understand that the majority of Wizards do not care for Pirate101. That's fine. But I feel that Wizards need to understand something. Wizard101 is not the perfect game and does not attract everyone. KI is company and they need to attract as many costumers and players and possible to keep running. Having 2 games expands their growth to get the word out and interest people. Did you know Pirate101 is working with multiple AMD companies to provide add-ons for the game? That's getting word to people who buy graphics cards which is good. Wizard101 can't get everyone alone and will not fit incoming customers 100% of the time. Pirate101 adds to the possibility of more players coming and staying with the massive community KI had built.
And Vise Versa, people coming into Pirate101 may find they suit the secretive life of a Wizard over the plundering of a Pirate. It's going to happen.
I just wanted to state that.

P.S.- Combined we have over 40+ Million players in the Spiral and growing

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
Cunning Finnigan S... on Oct 21, 2013 wrote:
Rant: Lay off Marleybone already! If you don't like it, don't bother bringing it up! I'm tired off all this dirt on Marleybone. I'm infuriated. Stop using it as your little whipping boy and stay to the main topic! I don't be to sound abrasive, but I done bitting my tongue over all this Marleybone chatter. Just don't talk about it if you don't like it, ok? Twice goes for Zafaria and Azteca.

On Topic:
Unlike a lot of players, I honestly have few friends who I have a deep attachment for so I can't feel the same way some of you guys feel. I fell in love with Wizard101 for it's story and looks. I liked the game play. I don't think the magic ever left, but the magic people prefer has intensified to a form your wands can't handle.

I, personally, don't mind the challenge. I can manage 15-20 minute mbo fights and 45-an hour boss fights. I took up the crafted gear people are complaining about and even with a minor boost, have had little problems. But I am in no disagreeing with a power down in the 2nd Arc.

I think that if the mobs heath pips came way down, and if collect quests can be made easier to the point that they are "push-overs," cheating bosses are reworked (Zafaria just leaped too much with it) and if gear is powered a little with more unique loot drops (where many of the higher worlds are lacking) then things can get better in the 2nd Arc and more players can focus in on the story that so many claim is a wreck (Hate on Azteca's story all day, I thought it was brilliant to say the least)

In regards to Spritely, I honestly have to disagree with the majority. I worked very hard on my Scarecrow who stands at Mega with Spritely. I don't rely on it and, as helpful as it is, I've never needed it. I think Spritely is overestimated sometimes and treated as more than an accessory to a necessity. You shouldn't rely on may casts at all. I really wish the higher worlds didn't call for this misconception of a need for resist, block, and especially may casts pets.
There is no need to lay on personal attacks. No one here attacked you or accused you of putting up a rant on a "whipping boy." No one indicated that your "wands can't handle" anything. Insults do not further a conversation.

However, the tone of your comments reinforces the general theme of this post, despite the fact that you wandered far off-topic. Wizards101 was designed to be a family-friendly, fun game. It drew those of us with families and a delight for that style of play into it.

But, for families, younger kids, and people who like that kind of family game, it really is not fun to play with opponents or other players who are so competitive that they put you down, or wear you down. If that is the style of player that fits with the changes in Wizards101, then that is a definite degradation of the original quality and intent of this game.

Again, there are many other MMO's that are geared toward that more aggressive, hard style of play. Wizards was not started to be that, and really should not move in that direction.

Whether or not there are some other games that fit the family venue has nothing to do with the fact that this game, Wizards101, was designed and marketed with that family fun target in mind. I myself, and many of the people who have commented on this thread, would like it to keep true to that light, fun, magical, family friendly style of play that started this whole thing going to begin with!

Defender
Nov 17, 2012
186
FinnAgainWindrider on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
There is no need to lay on personal attacks. No one here attacked you or accused you of putting up a rant on a "whipping boy." No one indicated that your "wands can't handle" anything. Insults do not further a conversation.

However, the tone of your comments reinforces the general theme of this post, despite the fact that you wandered far off-topic. Wizards101 was designed to be a family-friendly, fun game. It drew those of us with families and a delight for that style of play into it.

But, for families, younger kids, and people who like that kind of family game, it really is not fun to play with opponents or other players who are so competitive that they put you down, or wear you down. If that is the style of player that fits with the changes in Wizards101, then that is a definite degradation of the original quality and intent of this game.

Again, there are many other MMO's that are geared toward that more aggressive, hard style of play. Wizards was not started to be that, and really should not move in that direction.

Whether or not there are some other games that fit the family venue has nothing to do with the fact that this game, Wizards101, was designed and marketed with that family fun target in mind. I myself, and many of the people who have commented on this thread, would like it to keep true to that light, fun, magical, family friendly style of play that started this whole thing going to begin with!
Agreed. Ranting is okay, but insults, put downs, and un-helpful comments do not further a conversation. I've been enjoying this thread. The people on here seem nice enough and I don't appreciate Cunning Finnigan's "rant."

To: Cunning Finnigan

Me and Dr. Von were expressing our personal opinons in saying that Marleybone was to dark and depressing for our tastes, and I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say we did not intend to insult anybody. We certainly did not intend to get insulted! I'm sorry if you do not agree with us, but a simple "i do not agree and here's why" would be just fine with me!

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
Cunning Finnigan: also, I remember now we went through this in another string of posts, about bosses saying disturbing things. I also remember that you came up with some fairly positive and creative ideas about how to improve Azteca.

I get that you enjoy more of a challenge. I also get that you really love the storylines KI makes, and that the "darker" worlds are fun for you. There are aspects of "darker" storylines that speak to things we all experience, and many of these are quite appropriate to younger audiences -- I am thinking, for instance of the old classic kids book Where the Wild Things Are. There are many examples, actually -- eg. Harry Potter, or many of the old classic fantasy books and such.

In the first arc, MB and DS are the darker worlds. Personally, I found them to be my least favorite worlds of that arc -- I like the brighter, cheerier worlds. My first time through, especially, I did not like MB, and I did not like DS -- could not wait to finish them. With my later wizards, I found I enjoyed them more, and lately I actually kind of like MB even, for the quirky humor in it, and even the somewhat dark London mystery feel that it gives (though I still hate how easy it is to get pulled into unnecessary battles). DS also has grown on me a bit.

But when I compare them to the darker turns in the second arc, they are still relatively "family friendly." They handle that darker turn of storylines, with a kid-friendly manner, and with a balanced level of play. Battles are maneageable, hope still rules the day, and the feel of it is still Fun. The fun quotient died in Azteca, and the game became work, a grind. Battles/dungeons can last way more than 45 minutes -- and for some of us, 45 minutes is way too long! Usually, we don't even let our kids play games for that long of a time stretch. There is more to life that gaming!

So my question to you is: How do you keep the positive, kid-friendly atmosphere, even in the "darker" turns?

Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
CFinn, you are taking this far too personally.

This is a public forum. We are all free to express our opinions, even if they are different from one another. No one insulted or attacked you~ you are simply creating a problem where there is none, and I don't appreciate your hostility.

-

Back on topic... If KI wants to reach a wider audience (little kids, teens, and adults) in one shot, the "dark" parts of the story should:

1) be balanced out by not-so-dark stuff that isn't super-corny:

a story that's sunshine and rainbows all the time is unrealistic and will turn off the more-mature fanbase, while a game that's all doom and gloom will scare little kids.

2) be dark, but not too dark:

Children who aren't old enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality (or content-sensitive adults) will get upset if the scenarios are too close to real-life.
The first arc is a perfect example of a story that managed to be dark, without being sinister.
Yes, it took some dark turns and was quite tragic, it was also achingly beautifuland heartrending. And, even though things didn't quite go according to plan, Malistaire still got his happy ending.

Whether you loved him or hated him, you got what you wanted from the story: a climactic ending, and a resolution. Be it triumph after defeating the Master of Death, or bittersweet happiness that he could finally be reunited with Sylvia, everybody wins.

-

FinnAgain said:

"But when I compare them to the darker turns in the second arc, they are still relatively "family friendly." They handle that darker turn of storylines, with a kid-friendly manner, and with a balanced level of play. Battles are maneageable, hope still rules the day, and the feel of it is still Fun. The fun quotient died in Azteca, and the game became work, a grind!"

Hear, hear!

I haven't yet given up hope that KI will find a way to recapture the magic of the older worlds. I just wish they'd hurry it up already. :)

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
FinnAgainWindrider on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
There is no need to lay on personal attacks. No one here attacked you or accused you of putting up a rant on a "whipping boy." No one indicated that your "wands can't handle" anything. Insults do not further a conversation.

However, the tone of your comments reinforces the general theme of this post, despite the fact that you wandered far off-topic. Wizards101 was designed to be a family-friendly, fun game. It drew those of us with families and a delight for that style of play into it.

But, for families, younger kids, and people who like that kind of family game, it really is not fun to play with opponents or other players who are so competitive that they put you down, or wear you down. If that is the style of player that fits with the changes in Wizards101, then that is a definite degradation of the original quality and intent of this game.

Again, there are many other MMO's that are geared toward that more aggressive, hard style of play. Wizards was not started to be that, and really should not move in that direction.

Whether or not there are some other games that fit the family venue has nothing to do with the fact that this game, Wizards101, was designed and marketed with that family fun target in mind. I myself, and many of the people who have commented on this thread, would like it to keep true to that light, fun, magical, family friendly style of play that started this whole thing going to begin with!
I would like to apologize for my unnecessary ranting. That was unfair of me and you're right, no one was attacking me and it was not right of me to hit anyone else. I did not mean to offend anyone, but I was just so tired off all the dislike on Marleybone and it looks as though my temper got the bes of me. Again, I'm very sorry for the way I acted. I apologize to anyone I have insulted or put down.

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
FinnAgainWindrider on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
Cunning Finnigan: also, I remember now we went through this in another string of posts, about bosses saying disturbing things. I also remember that you came up with some fairly positive and creative ideas about how to improve Azteca.

I get that you enjoy more of a challenge. I also get that you really love the storylines KI makes, and that the "darker" worlds are fun for you. There are aspects of "darker" storylines that speak to things we all experience, and many of these are quite appropriate to younger audiences -- I am thinking, for instance of the old classic kids book Where the Wild Things Are. There are many examples, actually -- eg. Harry Potter, or many of the old classic fantasy books and such.

In the first arc, MB and DS are the darker worlds. Personally, I found them to be my least favorite worlds of that arc -- I like the brighter, cheerier worlds. My first time through, especially, I did not like MB, and I did not like DS -- could not wait to finish them. With my later wizards, I found I enjoyed them more, and lately I actually kind of like MB even, for the quirky humor in it, and even the somewhat dark London mystery feel that it gives (though I still hate how easy it is to get pulled into unnecessary battles). DS also has grown on me a bit.

But when I compare them to the darker turns in the second arc, they are still relatively "family friendly." They handle that darker turn of storylines, with a kid-friendly manner, and with a balanced level of play. Battles are maneageable, hope still rules the day, and the feel of it is still Fun. The fun quotient died in Azteca, and the game became work, a grind. Battles/dungeons can last way more than 45 minutes -- and for some of us, 45 minutes is way too long! Usually, we don't even let our kids play games for that long of a time stretch. There is more to life that gaming!

So my question to you is: How do you keep the positive, kid-friendly atmosphere, even in the "darker" turns?
Again, allow me to apologize for my words before posting my reply. I didn't mean to take things so out of context.

So my question to you is: How do you keep the positive, kid-friendly atmosphere, even in the "darker" turns?

That's actually a very good question. How do you keep the positivie, kid-friendly atmosphere, even in the "darker" turns?

Well, let's look at maybe some movies that are kid-friendly and take a dark turn near the end. Movies that pop into my head are Brave, Tangled and Princess and the Frog both made by Disney, a company devoted to family-friendly on just about every level. Tangled, a story themed around the story of Rapunzel but with a twist, takes a very dark turn near the end where we see Eugene get stabbed by Rapunzel's mother (oy, her name escapes me, something with a 'G'..) and we actually see his shirt and jacket stained in blood. To me, that had to be one of the darkest turns Disney had ever gone. Then their's Princess and the Frog where, the firefly, Raymond (I think?), a very cheerful character, is squashed by the Witchdoctor guy. In Brave, the majority of the movie took place in the dark, with bloody battles and got kinda creepy with that bewitched warrior Bear (also we see a lot more of guys than Disney usually goes if you know what I mean). Those are pretty dark turns that not many of Disney's films take. So how do you keep it positivie in the darker areas?

I would say, you don't get too carried away with it. All of these movies take some twists and risks that boarder dark, but they have more light and jovial scenes that seem to out way the dark. So by stating that, I can again agree with you on the tone of the story. You can still be dark, but you can be funny with it. It's like those old camp fire ghost stories that you try to spook everyone with, but they end up so poorly made, you can resist laughing. That's kind of what saved Marleybone and Dragonspyre from going so-so dark.

I don't think KI had intents of trying to get away from family-friendly or taking this game into the 'T' or whatever ratings. If you by any chance read the villian backstory blog post, the writers mentioned that they wanted to shake things up for the next big arc and with Morganthe, they wanted a more ruthless and deliberate anversary. As Morganthe and the Shadow Web became finalized, a desire for a different turn in the story arised. They'd already done a "light" story that was rememberable, and now they needed to top that with something bigger and badder. I mean it's been a year, and we're still talking about Azteca, so that says something, in my eyes. I think KI may have gotten caught up in shaking things up and going bigger that they took it too far in some areas unintendedly.

Whether or not KI will change things, I dunno. I would assume so after this long and all the feedback. I have 0 problem with a change in difficulty. Yeah, I can manage it, but who would deny a lighter load on their back? Not me!

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
KKoop3 on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
Agreed. Ranting is okay, but insults, put downs, and un-helpful comments do not further a conversation. I've been enjoying this thread. The people on here seem nice enough and I don't appreciate Cunning Finnigan's "rant."

To: Cunning Finnigan

Me and Dr. Von were expressing our personal opinons in saying that Marleybone was to dark and depressing for our tastes, and I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say we did not intend to insult anybody. We certainly did not intend to get insulted! I'm sorry if you do not agree with us, but a simple "i do not agree and here's why" would be just fine with me!
Yes, you're, oh, so right. I am absolutely sorry for the way I acted. It was not fair of me to penalize you and Dr. Von, alike, for voicing your own opinions and I did act completely inappropriately. My anger got the better for me, and now it's come to bite my tail. I understand, now, that it was not you're intent to insult anyone, and I'm sorry I took that misunderstanding, on my part, out of had. I'm very sorry for my words, KKoop3 and Dr. Von.

Possibly on a different thread, I'll post my feelings on Marleybone in a more polite manner. I don't think this is the best of places to continue my point of view on Marleybone.

Again, my deepest apologizes and hopes for making amends.

Defender
Nov 17, 2012
186
Cunning Finnigan S... on Oct 24, 2013 wrote:
Yes, you're, oh, so right. I am absolutely sorry for the way I acted. It was not fair of me to penalize you and Dr. Von, alike, for voicing your own opinions and I did act completely inappropriately. My anger got the better for me, and now it's come to bite my tail. I understand, now, that it was not you're intent to insult anyone, and I'm sorry I took that misunderstanding, on my part, out of had. I'm very sorry for my words, KKoop3 and Dr. Von.

Possibly on a different thread, I'll post my feelings on Marleybone in a more polite manner. I don't think this is the best of places to continue my point of view on Marleybone.

Again, my deepest apologizes and hopes for making amends.
It's really no problem. I think you have a right to your opinion. By all means, express that opinion! But, next time, a little nicer please. That's all. Thanks.

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
Cunning Finnigan S... on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
I would like to apologize for my unnecessary ranting. That was unfair of me and you're right, no one was attacking me and it was not right of me to hit anyone else. I did not mean to offend anyone, but I was just so tired off all the dislike on Marleybone and it looks as though my temper got the bes of me. Again, I'm very sorry for the way I acted. I apologize to anyone I have insulted or put down.
Thanks for coming back and apologizing. I remembered you were a thoughtful contributor to the boards -- glad you are showing me that is true!

And thanks for thinking some about balancing the dark with the light. Your movie references are fitting. I think KI actually did get the light/dark balance right in the first arc, and even for most of the second arc, up until Azteca.

The difficulty balance got out of hand though. I think that could easily be amended, by increasing our pips, increasing the chances of criticals landing on the bosses, giving us some truly useful and level appropriate equipment, and increasing the helpfulness of our pets again. It seems to me that if our attacks packed sufficient punch, and battles were on a level playing field instead of uphill, we could restore battle time to a reasonable level. I am not saying that means we would always win the battles -- just that each battle could be completed in a manageable amount of time.

Again, I think of Wintertusk. Wintertusk was not easy for me the first time through -- I actually lost quite a few battles there. But it was fun, and the play was balanced. It was challenging, but not tedious. Most locations could be done solo, though not always on the first try. But the players and the enemies were reasonably well matched, the storyline was interesting, the rewards really felt like rewards. So it was fun to win.

Dragonspyre was also that way -- challenging, but balanced. Also, the dark/light balance was well crafted there -- with even a trip to the past to see its former glory and take a brief break from the darkness, even while knowing what is coming. And then again, when we faced Mallistaire -- it was fun to win.

So that is what I would like to see KI return to. It does not have to be a cake-walk on a sunny day. But keep it balanced, and keep it fun to win!

I personally think that kind of balance and fun is what makes Wizard101 great.

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
Dr Von on Oct 23, 2013 wrote:
CFinn, you are taking this far too personally.

This is a public forum. We are all free to express our opinions, even if they are different from one another. No one insulted or attacked you~ you are simply creating a problem where there is none, and I don't appreciate your hostility.

-

Back on topic... If KI wants to reach a wider audience (little kids, teens, and adults) in one shot, the "dark" parts of the story should:

1) be balanced out by not-so-dark stuff that isn't super-corny:

a story that's sunshine and rainbows all the time is unrealistic and will turn off the more-mature fanbase, while a game that's all doom and gloom will scare little kids.

2) be dark, but not too dark:

Children who aren't old enough to know the difference between fantasy and reality (or content-sensitive adults) will get upset if the scenarios are too close to real-life.
The first arc is a perfect example of a story that managed to be dark, without being sinister.
Yes, it took some dark turns and was quite tragic, it was also achingly beautifuland heartrending. And, even though things didn't quite go according to plan, Malistaire still got his happy ending.

Whether you loved him or hated him, you got what you wanted from the story: a climactic ending, and a resolution. Be it triumph after defeating the Master of Death, or bittersweet happiness that he could finally be reunited with Sylvia, everybody wins.

-

FinnAgain said:

"But when I compare them to the darker turns in the second arc, they are still relatively "family friendly." They handle that darker turn of storylines, with a kid-friendly manner, and with a balanced level of play. Battles are maneageable, hope still rules the day, and the feel of it is still Fun. The fun quotient died in Azteca, and the game became work, a grind!"

Hear, hear!

I haven't yet given up hope that KI will find a way to recapture the magic of the older worlds. I just wish they'd hurry it up already. :)
My honest apologizes to you, Dr. Von. I'll keep that in kind for future reference.

I would agree with you on your points about the story. Be balanced with the story between light and dark, but don't go too dark (and simultaneously too light). That's what I like about good stories. There is a good balance of light and dark. Stories that are overly dark or light tend to draw me away because either it's too unreal or too dark.

In terms of Azteca's story (just the story, not questing), I could agree that some of the things could be changed. I'd personally leave a lot as is, but some tweaks could work. Let's take the shift in story. In the beginning, Azteca is very light and humorous, as if a comet coming over our heads was nonexistent. But as we go to the half way put (about in Alto Alto where King Neza sacrifices himself) it becomes more prominent in Azteca's survival and darkness takes center stage. Now, we still have those elements of humor, but the entire tone is still serious. I would say that since another world is coming after Azteca, the beginning needs to be just a tad, a pinch darker and the other half come up a bit in lightness.
As far as it's ending goes...honestly, I'm ok with the ending. It's the most dramatic out of any world yet, and makes the need to defeat Morganthe even greater. I mean, Dragonspyre would have looked exactly like Azteca, had Malistaire needed the wizards who were going to summon the Dragon Titan. We would come too late, the Titan Army would beat the Warrior Wizards, and the world would turn to flames and ash. So, I think Azteca keeps a reminder of Dragonspyre by it's ending.

Now, as FinnAgainWindrider mentioned, we discussed some things on boss speeches. Many said some...interesting things that is probably the reason for Azteca being considered darker than most Worlds. I can agree, now, with scuh a change in dialogue. I think it could help with Azteca. So for example, let's take Ezhua Bad Taste's line, that's probably the most talked about...

"Fifty years of death leaves a bitter taste that's hard to get rid of. Let me try to wash my mouth with your blood!"

Ok, why does every thing in the later worlds, need to be about blood and guts? It's interesting turn, that doesn't bother me too much, but why? If this line was in Pirate101, I wouldn't complain because we use brute force in that game. But here, we're about magic. Why not emphasize that? So what if Ezhua said this...

"Fifty years of death leaves a bitter taste that's hard to get rid of. Let me try to wash my mouth with your Mana!"

Mana is what we use to cast spells. It's power could energize anyone. I think this would be a better line, than the previous as we're not man-slaughterers. We're Wizards!

Delver
Dec 30, 2012
291
Can I say one thing? Thank you. These are my thoughts straight on the dot.

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
Ruthless Anthony on Oct 24, 2013 wrote:
Can I say one thing? Thank you. These are my thoughts straight on the dot.
thanks Anthony!

Historian
May 06, 2009
633
I believe KI has listen to the words of Wizards around the Spiral. I saw that creatures of Avalon and Azteca have become weaken and should pose less of a challenge in the new update notes of Khrysalis. I did check this up and there is a drop in pip start and health on all mobs in these worlds. I'm very pleased with this I hope this will help those Wizards that struggled with the challenges of Azteca and may motivate them to continue their journeys. I also feel like balance and that magic has returned to the game (though it probably never left). The challenges in Khrysalis are not over bearing and you find a great help as you go along. Many surprises I must say.

I think KI has answered saying "Yes, we are making it fun to win again."

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
Cunning Finnigan S... on Oct 27, 2013 wrote:
I believe KI has listen to the words of Wizards around the Spiral. I saw that creatures of Avalon and Azteca have become weaken and should pose less of a challenge in the new update notes of Khrysalis. I did check this up and there is a drop in pip start and health on all mobs in these worlds. I'm very pleased with this I hope this will help those Wizards that struggled with the challenges of Azteca and may motivate them to continue their journeys. I also feel like balance and that magic has returned to the game (though it probably never left). The challenges in Khrysalis are not over bearing and you find a great help as you go along. Many surprises I must say.

I think KI has answered saying "Yes, we are making it fun to win again."
That is great news Cunning Finnigan! Perhaps I will pop over to the test realm and check it out, if I can get the time. Thanks for letting us know.

Explorer
Jul 01, 2009
87
Cunning Finnigan S... on Oct 27, 2013 wrote:
I believe KI has listen to the words of Wizards around the Spiral. I saw that creatures of Avalon and Azteca have become weaken and should pose less of a challenge in the new update notes of Khrysalis. I did check this up and there is a drop in pip start and health on all mobs in these worlds. I'm very pleased with this I hope this will help those Wizards that struggled with the challenges of Azteca and may motivate them to continue their journeys. I also feel like balance and that magic has returned to the game (though it probably never left). The challenges in Khrysalis are not over bearing and you find a great help as you go along. Many surprises I must say.

I think KI has answered saying "Yes, we are making it fun to win again."
Yes, I am so pleased to see this, that I am returning to play again. I have always been more of a family fun type of player and got really upset at the way things were going with my favorite game. When it went too hardcore for its genre, I actually moved on to a real, hardcore, rated M game. I figured Wizzy is hard and grindy now, why not try something else. Ironically that game turned out to be much less of a grind than Wizzy, even though it is more complicated and the elitist community is unfriendly. I am lucky to have a group of friends there, so we all have a blast in spite of the elitists. I was almost gone from Wizzy for good, but with this pleasant change, I am back. :) I will still play my other game too, but THIS game is first in my heart, and I am SO glad the magic is returning.

Defender
Nov 17, 2012
186
I am not as "dedicated" to Wizard101 as other people and only play for a couple hours on weekends. For this reason, I am only up to Dragonspyre. Occasionally, however, friends in much higher worlds will ask for help from me (I'm a Life wizard for those of you who are thinking, "Why would they want help from a less experienced wizard?"). I've been to Celestia, Azteca, and Avalon. Celestia was hard as heck. Azteca? Easy! It surprised me how much easier it was considering it was a higher level world. I definitely agree with whoever it was that said KI has toned it down a bit from Celestia.

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
KKoop3 on Nov 3, 2013 wrote:
I am not as "dedicated" to Wizard101 as other people and only play for a couple hours on weekends. For this reason, I am only up to Dragonspyre. Occasionally, however, friends in much higher worlds will ask for help from me (I'm a Life wizard for those of you who are thinking, "Why would they want help from a less experienced wizard?"). I've been to Celestia, Azteca, and Avalon. Celestia was hard as heck. Azteca? Easy! It surprised me how much easier it was considering it was a higher level world. I definitely agree with whoever it was that said KI has toned it down a bit from Celestia.
Well, they have toned it down some in the test realm. In the regular realm live now, there are some battles in AZ that are easier, especially early on, but as you progress it gets much harder. For me it was much harder than Celestia. I actually enjoyed Celestia for the most part. But for the most part I did not enjoy Azteca -- some of it, yes, but not most of it. Once you jump off of the first AZ island, the playability goes downhill, and becomes much more of a grind.

Defender
Nov 17, 2012
186
FinnAgainWindrider on Nov 4, 2013 wrote:
Well, they have toned it down some in the test realm. In the regular realm live now, there are some battles in AZ that are easier, especially early on, but as you progress it gets much harder. For me it was much harder than Celestia. I actually enjoyed Celestia for the most part. But for the most part I did not enjoy Azteca -- some of it, yes, but not most of it. Once you jump off of the first AZ island, the playability goes downhill, and becomes much more of a grind.
I agree with your overall statement. My meaning is that when you look at every battle, the Celestia battles are, on average, harder for a wizard of the appropriate level for Celestia, whereas in Azteca, they are a bit easier for wizards of the appropriate level.

Survivor
Feb 10, 2011
7
Hello,ladies and gentlemen.

For the most part,I agree with everyone's sentiment,about the tone of the game.
I personally did not like Ds much but compared to the second Arc Ds is as good and brightly as mooshu.

when avalon came out I noticed the bump in difficulty by the time i did white owl tower.
keep in mind I soloed the game up to this point with few ecceptions such as ww, and tower of helephant.

At this point I decided to make another account, and started to level 6 more wizards, I had tons of fun raising these,and even got one of each account through avalon.
I was literally the first in azteca(at least in my realm),and played for about two hours before I got bored.
I did not find it,overly difficult but knew it was a problem.,however what bored me was the pace,and it felt too much like the lion ravager quest in zafaria,I stopped questing there until i returned a year later,to this day I have not finished azteca,and I am wondering if I ever will.

A year ago I created a third account,and have been slowly raising those wizards,again having fun.
My highest is level 28,and will get it to the end of the arc,as well as the other wizards,but after that I am done.

I have truly lost faith in kingsisle,hope they wake up before it is too late.
If you are over at central look for the "new primary school" thread, and the separate poll, and perhaps cast your vote.
Hopefully you will vote "yes" and kingsisle will consider making new primary schools.
At least this will bring my family,and I back to the game if only for a short while.

Good luck.

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