The Great Spyre was a very fun dungeon, Professor Lydia Greyrose, but, it felt too non-linear, in terms of progression and direction. It felt like I almost got lost in there, and there really was no clue as to how should I progress in it, prior to figuring it out on mine and anyone's own, and with no guidance to progressing that dungeon whatsoever. And, almost all of the bosses but Malistiare had no voiceovers. I really suggest you add in new dialogue lines with voiceovers for all bosses, prior to Malistaire, in all of the Great Spyre's rooms, add in a new automatic story quest to The Great Spyre, complete with new dialogue lines from Malistaire as the Wizards progress through the dungeon's chambers starting with The Great Spyre's Lower Chamber, and all the way up to the final battle with him in the Crown of Fire and it's completion upon winning that battle.
Also, the final duel with Malistaire Drake felt, well... not quite as epic as an end-of-arc villain should be. He only had one phase, which only consists of his normal form, no cheats, and only Soul Servants at his side, and beating Malistaire in only his normal form didn't feel... epic enough for an end-of-arc villain's final battle. I strongly suggest you extend the first arc's final battle by adding in one boss cheat during his first form, and grant Malistaire a new second form to continue the final battle. Oh, and there should be a new Health & Mana Wisp intermission added in before the second phase starts, giving Wizards time to restock on their Health and Mana. After that, have Malistaire transform into a large dragon of sorts immediately after beating his first form with a new cutscene placed in before the second and final phase of the last battle begins, complete with unique, new more powerful monsters that have a little more health, some more health in Malistaire's second and final form, and some new boss cheats during his second and final form! That will TRULY make the final battle with Malistaire feel more epic, as how end-of-arc villains should be!
Plus, there is one inactive NPC that truly needs to be active and helpful in the Great Spyre. Have Marek Thistlethorn in The Howling Cave new dialogue lines added, complete with voiceovers. Have him give out an insight about Dragonspyre's history and Malistaire's true intentions centering the Dragon Titan's awakening, along with last words of advice before confronting him. That'll really get him active in there.
Oh, and both phases of Malistaire's last battle should have unique boss combat music that gives the epic feeling of his final battle, with each of the new music tracks in each phase being more dramatic and epic than the last. Have your composer do those new boss combat tracks.
Whew! Those are my suggestions on improving the Great Spyre, and how end-of-arc villains should have their final battles at the end of the major story arcs, Greyrose! Please listen to my requests! Thanks for listening, Ravenwood Professors!
I truly had no idea where to go and advance the first time I went in that dungeon, so my ideas about that would help Wizards where to go in the Great Spyre. And that I wish for Malistaire's battle to be more epic.
The Great Spyre was a very fun dungeon, Professor Lydia Greyrose, but, it felt too non-linear, in terms of progression and direction. It felt like I almost got lost in there, and there really was no clue as to how should I progress in it, prior to figuring it out on mine and anyone's own, and with no guidance to progressing that dungeon whatsoever. And, almost all of the bosses but Malistiare had no voiceovers. I really suggest you add in new dialogue lines with voiceovers for all bosses, prior to Malistaire, in all of the Great Spyre's rooms, add in a new automatic story quest to The Great Spyre, complete with new dialogue lines from Malistaire as the Wizards progress through the dungeon's chambers starting with The Great Spyre's Lower Chamber, and all the way up to the final battle with him in the Crown of Fire and it's completion upon winning that battle.
Also, the final duel with Malistaire Drake felt, well... not quite as epic as an end-of-arc villain should be. He only had one phase, which only consists of his normal form, no cheats, and only Soul Servants at his side, and beating Malistaire in only his normal form didn't feel... epic enough for an end-of-arc villain's final battle. I strongly suggest you extend the first arc's final battle by adding in one boss cheat during his first form, and grant Malistaire a new second form to continue the final battle. Oh, and there should be a new Health & Mana Wisp intermission added in before the second phase starts, giving Wizards time to restock on their Health and Mana. After that, have Malistaire transform into a large dragon of sorts immediately after beating his first form with a new cutscene placed in before the second and final phase of the last battle begins, complete with unique, new more powerful monsters that have a little more health, some more health in Malistaire's second and final form, and some new boss cheats during his second and final form! That will TRULY make the final battle with Malistaire feel more epic, as how end-of-arc villains should be!
Plus, there is one inactive NPC that truly needs to be active and helpful in the Great Spyre. Have Marek Thistlethorn in The Howling Cave new dialogue lines added, complete with voiceovers. Have him give out an insight about Dragonspyre's history and Malistaire's true intentions centering the Dragon Titan's awakening, along with last words of advice before confronting him. That'll really get him active in there.
Oh, and both phases of Malistaire's last battle should have unique boss combat music that gives the epic feeling of his final battle, with each of the new music tracks in each phase being more dramatic and epic than the last. Have your composer do those new boss combat tracks.
Whew! Those are my suggestions on improving the Great Spyre, and how end-of-arc villains should have their final battles at the end of the major story arcs, Greyrose! Please listen to my requests! Thanks for listening, Ravenwood Professors!
First off, King Artorius and Alhazred would be the better Administrators to acknowledge as they are the writers for Wizard101 and this is a design and story suggestion.
Second, what's with you and final bosses taking second forms? This is like the 3rd or 4th time you've suggested this. I'm not saying it's bad, but I don't feel it's always necessary for a boss to take a second form to be epic. Lord Katzumori in the Crimson Fields of Mooshu and the Death Oni took a second forms, but niether at all were epic, just road blocks on our way to stop Malistaire. I don't think Malistaire needs to take a second form. As a reporcussion, they are including many "boss-taking-new-form" fights in the 2nd Arc, which better uses the purpose in my opinion.
Keep in mind, the First Arc was strongly geared toured the family-friendly croud. This does not, at all, negate your suggestion. I think the writers wanted to keep this arc, very simiple and didn't want all these other additions. KI probably didn't have the funds, I would assume, to make a battle as tremendous as you have suggested. Fighting a boss again, to me, feels a little arduous, too. I think what made the battle epic, was the dialogue scene afterwards between Malistaire and Sylvia. If something like what you're talking about were adding, I feel it might take away from that scene (if done too overbearingly).
Also, Malistaire's intentions were told right before you fought him. He planned to tame the Dragon Titan and used it's power with the rituals in the Krokonomicon to revive Sylvia, then use the Titan to fuel is army of Undead to take over the Spiral, with his wife at his side. And the History of Dragonspyre was told in the Books all over the World. If you didn't do this, I suggest you speak to the Librarian in the Atheneum.
I will fully agree with you on adding a guide in the Great Spyre. It didn't make much sense to me as to why there wasn't one when all the dungeons prior to the Spyre did. I also will agree with you on adding some kind of purpose for Marek Thistlethorn. I don't like when KI adds these unused NPC's in worlds (Wilan Shorthorn in the Cenote of Azteca is another example).
A new music theme for Malistaire's battle is something of an accessory in my opinion. It can be done and it can not been. Either way, it doesn't kill game play. I would thing such an inclusion would be used for Morganthe's final battle in the Shadow Palace. I don't think it's entirely necessary.
Outside of adding a guide for the Great Spyre, I don't see a need in adding a second battle with Malistaire (but I can picture it fitting it). I think the final battle is fine with Malistaire as is. I don't see how having second battles with bosses in new forms is epic. And while I do believe making some bosses cheat in the first arc would help make going to Celestia a smoother transition, doing so with Malistaire is a risk to me.
First off, King Artorius and Alhazred would be the better Administrators to acknowledge as they are the writers for Wizard101 and this is a design and story suggestion.
Second, what's with you and final bosses taking second forms? This is like the 3rd or 4th time you've suggested this. I'm not saying it's bad, but I don't feel it's always necessary for a boss to take a second form to be epic. Lord Katzumori in the Crimson Fields of Mooshu and the Death Oni took a second forms, but niether at all were epic, just road blocks on our way to stop Malistaire. I don't think Malistaire needs to take a second form. As a reporcussion, they are including many "boss-taking-new-form" fights in the 2nd Arc, which better uses the purpose in my opinion.
Keep in mind, the First Arc was strongly geared toured the family-friendly croud. This does not, at all, negate your suggestion. I think the writers wanted to keep this arc, very simiple and didn't want all these other additions. KI probably didn't have the funds, I would assume, to make a battle as tremendous as you have suggested. Fighting a boss again, to me, feels a little arduous, too. I think what made the battle epic, was the dialogue scene afterwards between Malistaire and Sylvia. If something like what you're talking about were adding, I feel it might take away from that scene (if done too overbearingly).
Also, Malistaire's intentions were told right before you fought him. He planned to tame the Dragon Titan and used it's power with the rituals in the Krokonomicon to revive Sylvia, then use the Titan to fuel is army of Undead to take over the Spiral, with his wife at his side. And the History of Dragonspyre was told in the Books all over the World. If you didn't do this, I suggest you speak to the Librarian in the Atheneum.
I will fully agree with you on adding a guide in the Great Spyre. It didn't make much sense to me as to why there wasn't one when all the dungeons prior to the Spyre did. I also will agree with you on adding some kind of purpose for Marek Thistlethorn. I don't like when KI adds these unused NPC's in worlds (Wilan Shorthorn in the Cenote of Azteca is another example).
A new music theme for Malistaire's battle is something of an accessory in my opinion. It can be done and it can not been. Either way, it doesn't kill game play. I would thing such an inclusion would be used for Morganthe's final battle in the Shadow Palace. I don't think it's entirely necessary.
Outside of adding a guide for the Great Spyre, I don't see a need in adding a second battle with Malistaire (but I can picture it fitting it). I think the final battle is fine with Malistaire as is. I don't see how having second battles with bosses in new forms is epic. And while I do believe making some bosses cheat in the first arc would help make going to Celestia a smoother transition, doing so with Malistaire is a risk to me.
You know how to point out good thoughts, but just know this...
Malistaire is an end-of-arc villain in Wizard101, and so is Morganthe, I figure, so, typically, end-of-arc final battles need to be as epic as possible. I'm not asking for more normal bosses to take on second forms, just end-of-arc villains. They should also have special combat music that represents their last battles with the Wizards, with later forms following suit. That's somewhat the point of all that about end-of-arc villains. It's been bugging me in my mind ever since defeating him.
I get it that the first arc is made to be simple, but it doesn't hurt to give it some improvements. Just saying.
Come to think of it...
I know I may be steering a bit off-topic for this, but, getting into the Great Spyre shouldn't have to be this simple and easy, which reminded me of my first time going in there. All these Spirit Guards in the Dragon's Roost are there, but right now, they're not preventing Wizards from entering, which is how they were supposed to do by order of Malistaire. In my mind, I was kind of expecting a magical blockade at the door that he whipped up, and it would be up to me to dissipate it just by defeating some bosses in order to grant entrance to the Great Spyre, but for the moment, it's not what I thought it would be. Would you expect to battle bosses in the Dragon's Roost before going in the Great Spyre? I would. Maybe I could suggest that next time, and I may do so.
Also, back on-topic, normal bosses in the Great Spyre, prior to Malistaire, don't have their voices added for the moment, and Malistaire doesn't have dialogue lines throughout that dungeon as the Wizards progress in it, before the big battle, of course. Didn't you notice that? I did.
That inactive NPC in the Great Spyre needs to have a motivation helping Wizards with advice on how to survive Malistaire's attacks for when we face him. (also, thanks for the heads-up on that. Inactive NPCs need to have a motivation sometime soon. Without one, what's the point?)
Point is, end-of-arc bosses need to be very epic and complex as I wish for them to be. It's no risk to me that Malistaire's battle in Dragonspyre needs to be as epic as possible, and Morganthe should follow suit.
