IWD Discussion

[Jhickey]

So last night, a small group of the Player base had a discussion of reasons we do not go to IWD more often. So I would like to open this up to everyone, so they can have some input and also help staff out a bit. I will share my thoughts, and I hope that you will do the same.

First off, it is by far one of the coolest zones on the server. It is challenging and exciting. I love that we need a well rounded group to explore the entire place. The fact that rest zones are rare, makes it a great challenge.

The reasons I love going up there is that, it can not be done easily alone, a party is essential. This is also the challenge of it, its hard to get 3-4 people that can dedicate their time to exploring it, and taking in the full depth of the zone. '

So, why do you like to go to IWD? Why do you not? What could get more people there more often (please within reason)?

[Saulus]

I'm glad you noted the rest areas... that's something I intentionally did so the zone would feel more like you were on the fringe of wilderness... no rest areas to top you up just laying around everywhere.

[Farmboy2003]

I rarely go up there, as my characters like their innards on the, well, inside. It's mighty deadly, and I haven't been able to scrounge a party or the time.

It's been a while since I was there, but one of the things I notice is that it is sort of a dead-end exploration-wise (As I said I haven't been able to do the pve stuff). Please don't take this the wrong way - I do not think the IWD areas a dead-end!

It's just that when I get up there, I tend to go back rather quickly. Perhaps if there was a town or something suchlike with a vendor perhaps?

Very little elfy stuff goes on in icewind dale (But a bit goes on further north), So I've not much lore of it...

[gamestarmike]

If/when that town gets unlocked im sure it will be more lively up there.

As for not why people haven't been up there, there hasn't been significant rp reasons to go up there. The werewolves were coming down and the old manor was being ransacked, some merchant selling pelts and then it kinda died down with the whole werewolves debacle so there hasn't been reason to involve pc's up there other than to check out the cool landscapes.

Thats my take on it at least.

[Memnoch1962]

I've been there once, with a group. It's definately not a place for a single person to try to explore. The fact that it requires a group is good in one way and not in another. Its good because it encourages group participation which is what I have come to understand what Sundren is designed to be. Its not good for when the server numbers are low and does not allow for someone to solo it. Personally I like that someone cannot solo it. I feel that in order to solo any high level area the PC should at least be one or two levels into epic levels first.

As for what some of the other folks have said about having a town with vendors. Vendors would not normally set up shop in a place as desolate as Icewind Dale. There is just no commerce there. A village here or there would probably only have enough supplies to allow the folk that lived there to barely make it. Thats just my opinion. I know there is a town/village up there that is not unlocked yet.

I have noticed and JHickey would more than likely agree, that the drops up there don't seem to coincide with the difficulty of the spawns. That being said, we shouldn't get too greedy. If you are high enough level to go to IWD then most of us are loaded with red items already. But one or two nice items in a drop would be helpful to entice more folk to go there. As for the RP side of it.. thats up to us. We as players can come up with reasons to explore it if there are no DM's online (within reason)

Just my thoughts..

Please, we need to give the staff input. I'm sure the DM wouldn't have asked last night if the staff didn't want to know.

[bipolar bear]

( merely a suggestion, not an attack on anyone)

perhaps some support for the Cwn Annwn faction ( I mean getting an HQ and stores and stuff). having it inhabited by a player base might jump start some use for it. I know the faction has been in for quite some time and I know it had the odd member but I think they have sence left ( for what ever reason). be nice to see an everyone hating malarite / fury group around again.

[zypherman]

( merely a suggestion, not an attack on anyone)

perhaps some support for the Cwn Annwn faction ( I mean getting an HQ and stores and stuff). having it inhabited by a player base might jump start some use for it. I know the faction has been in for quite some time and I know it had the odd member but I think they have sence left ( for what ever reason). be nice to see an everyone hating malarite / fury group around again.

It seems like the nature craze kinda just went away and neither of the new nature factions as far as I know had a drop off point for flags or a store(one reason I retired Jeb.) That being said, the staff have talked about a big change in the works which seems to rely less on factions for gear (if I remember correctly) so it may just be a case of wait and see.

As for IWD, the one time I did head up there with a few epic level characters and my 20, it was terrifying how easily you could just get destroyed by the stuff in the caves and the mines. Although we made it to the top (with a random cabinet to greet us ) We almost wiped many, many times.

Although there was some reasonable loot to be found (who knows, there could be untold treasures that just haven't dropped yet) the risk/reward factor, combined with the fact that you need a well coordinated group AND like many have said, there isn't really a RP reason for most of us to head up there, makes the zone kinda barren for the moment.

Some sort of RP hub (be it town, large camp etc) that players could rest before trying another fore into Salulus cold unforgiving hell-scape of a zone, (I mean that in the nicest way possible), might make for a better reason for the high level characters to spend more time up there.

Just my 2¢

[Fury]

IWD is a gorgeous, well done zone. Simply stunning. Couple that with the fact that the setting is not at all easily survivable unless you have a well rounded group and plenty of good wards (protection from elements happens to come to mind)- and you come up with one of the best interpretations of what I believe IWD should really be.

As for why we don't go up there much? It's really damn hard to find a group to go, atm- especially when you're dealing with some people not being willing to travel with certain factions, some people bursting into flame in the daylight, and certain others being squashed to pulp the second something looks at them wrong (oh wait... that'd be me). It's less a problem of the zone, I think.. and more a problem with the current player base just not being robust enough- that's changing hopefully, as we have a whole new group coming in.

As for how to increase the activity up there? I'm going to throw support in the "adjust the loot tables" corner- I don't think the difficulty of the setting needs to be adjusted at all, but there has to be something really, really worthwhile up there. Even if it's including perhaps one or two items that have an extremely rare occurrence of dropping- the crapshoot of dying vs. coming back with something legendary may make it worth getting a group up to go. EDIT: Pass around rumors, and have some NPCs mention what might be up there, too. It needs to be fabled within the valley that there's something up there for those strong enough to go face the challenge.

However, THE number one way to populate the Dale, at least in my opinion? Repeatable quest, repeatable quest, repeatable quest. Give us another daily- maybe a caravan escort quest, or something like that. Have it give epic xp, and a nice fat gold reward- and open to any faction. Guarantee that would cause people to party up and take on the challenges of the Dale.

Just my thoughts

[Yevelian]

I have only two complaints of the area. Don't get me wrong, I love it takes a team to get there, and it certainly feels on the fringe. Although it snows,... all the time, the weather scripts are not firing there. When it's daylight there, it's daylight as if a clear sky. Makes getting around up there for us... uhm, sun adverse types to explore. Also the loot seems a little lacking for the risk level.

[thaelis]

If you're a Wizard it's pretty ridiculously easy to solo actually, since there are a ton of level 20-22 Undead lying about. Someone please fix Control Undead's duration! A single spell should not be the difference between 0% chance of success and 100%.

Without using Control Undead I would last exactly as long as 4 extended Mord swords, and would kill 2-3 enemies at best. Which I think is the intent

Aside from that it's a great place to travel with a group. I found the mines/wilderness more fun than the ice caves, but I'm not sure why. Probably just greater variety of enemies? Or, because they are more spread out so back-liners like Wizards don't die so fast. Also the aesthetic value obviously.

I've also been thinking it would be cool if the Fey in the caves used some more typical Fey powers like Hiss of Sleep, Improved Invisibility, Confusion sometimes. Then again, Protection from Evil would just make everyone immune to most of that.

[ManUtd4Ever]

What I appreciate most about Sundren in general is that there are various climates to explore like the jungles of Ixis or the cold weather extremes of IWD. I walk the area from time to time with my epic level characters just to see the graphics.

Because most of my characters are affiliated with Colibrus, this is the path I must travel to get to my faction store. As others have already stated, it is impossible to do unless you are in a party or fairly high level. So I do not have the regular faction store contact afforded to a few other characters I play.

I believe once the village or out post becomes a playable fixture there will be more people drawn to the area. One fairly straight forward way to increase the foot traffic is to place an adamantine or gold mine near the village or out post. This, coupled with removing the adamantine drops in Whurest, would make IWD a destination characters would plan to visit.

As for the loot table, the uniqueness of the drops in IWD make it worth it for me. I really like the SR feathers. I do opine the loot is less appealing if you are a caster.

[Fuzziebunny]

I tend to agree with most of the other posters here. I would love to go to ice wind dale more. It is a beautiful and challenging zone but there are very few groups I can actually get my characters into. There also isn't a lot of RP reasons for any of my Characters to go there for the moment. I am looking forward to seeing more RP there however. It would be exciting to get Chime involved in IWD.

[Lugwy]

"IC reason" is pretty much my only deterrent from going there.