Focused Feedback: Tour Guide Missions (Release Candidates)

[EmperorSteele]

I think the Explore tips are only one at a time, so you have to finish it before collecting another within that zone (so if you're in Brickstown, get a tip, then go to Crey's Folly, the Brickstown tip will be hidden and allow you to get a Crey's Folly tip).

But yeah, one at a time per zone. Kinda wish you could collect a bunch first, but I'm sure it's this way for a reason.

[Cobalt Arachne]

On 3/13/2021 at 9:31 PM, huang3721 said:

May I know the exact number?

Minions - 3%

Lieutenants - 10%
Boss - 33%
Elite Boss - 50%
Archvillain - 100%
Giant Monsters/Monsters - Do not drop tips
 

Highly recommend anyone going for these tips to cherry pick lieutenants+ unless you're in a zone with large packs of minions that can be defeated with AOEs like Perez Park.

EDIT: Updated per recent monster test/check

[Cobalt Arachne]

31 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

Kinda wish you could collect a bunch first, but I'm sure it's this way for a reason.

This would be because the tip for each zone pulls from an array of available exploration missions in that zone you are eligible for.

 

For example, if you open a Tour Guide tip and check what exploration badge it points to, go and get that specific badge without accepting the tip, then re-open the tip, it will now be pointing to a different badge (if one is available, if not the only option will be to dismiss it).

 

EDIT: This is so the Tour Guide system could be done in 36 new contact entries, one per zone, rather than 288 separate contacts.

[Cobalt Arachne]

18 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

I think the Explore tips are only one at a time, so you have to finish it before collecting another within that zone (so if you're in Brickstown, get a tip, then go to Crey's Folly, the Brickstown tip will be hidden and allow you to get a Crey's Folly tip).

You can have a total of three Tour Guide tips at any time maximum. They'll be visible in the tip window no matter what zone you're in. If you have three you'll be ineligible to receive additional Tour Guide tips until you dismiss or complete the ones you have.

[Piecemeal]

5 hours ago, Sovera said:

Nayreia best reia.

 

Just say Nay!

[Sovera]

6 hours ago, Piecemeal said:

 

Just say Nay!

Piecemeal best... meal?

 

*zoombie noises*

[Bionic_Flea]

7 hours ago, Piecemeal said:

 

Just say Nay!

[Replacement]

General PSA

 

The massive quantity of Tour Guide missions means it's basically impossible for the small Dev crew and alpha test population to move through all of these with the care they deserve. 

We need lots and lots of eyeballs, testing in non-standard zones.

We need enough people acting like the Grammar Council to staff a Citadel TF.

[Cobalt Arachne]

45 minutes ago, Replacement said:

We need lots and lots of eyeballs, testing in non-standard zones.

This is a good one! Lots of zones that don't see much foot traffic received missions. Any of those 'nobody goes there normally' zones are great candidates to check, they got love even if they're rarely visited 😛 

A single individual's eyes can only catch things they've been conditioned to notice.

[AboveTheChemist]

35 minutes ago, Replacement said:

We need lots and lots of eyeballs, testing in non-standard zones.

It would also be nice (if feasible) to keep a tally of which zones have been checked, and how many folks have checked each zone. More eyes is always better, of course, but it would be nice to be able to prioritize zones that haven't been checked (or only checked once) vs a zone that 5 different people have checked.

 

I'd love to get my hands on the loc data from these tips. The ones I have checked have had the nav pointer perfectly centered on the marker, and being a stickler for accuracy (I work for a surveyor) that makes me quite happy. I know of several places (Badger, wiki, some popmenus) where I could put that data to good use!

 

Three cheers to Nayreia for the hard work that went into this. The tips I have checked have been a pleasure to read, and I look forward to checking many more!

[EmperorSteele]

King's Row: First things first, I got REALLY excited for a split second when I saw something like this:

"KR0-1089.0-42.896"

At first, I thought those were supposed to be coordinates, but our /loc system needs 3 variables with decimal places, so it doesn't look like that's it. Unless I'm mistake, or these file-numbers have some other Easter-eggy thing going on.

But then I got the one for mystic Queen/King:

376.70.245

Which matches! So, the one for "Wentworth's history buff" should probably lose the dash in lieu of a period, that would make it correct (1089.24.896); unless you're mixing it up on purpose so it's not obvious, in which case, maybe Mystic King/Queen needs a dash somewhere instead of a period?

...So, you know how the Keen Sighted tip mentions how embarrassing it would be to get stuck on a power line? Guess what happened when I tried to jump up there? Yup >_< Power-line got in the way. I got stuck. Then some Skulls started shooting me. Figured I'd share that little laugh!

The tip for "Smokey" is 3042.0-41.0-1357. Probably doesn't need the dashes or dot-zeroes, unless, again, you're trying to keep the pattern from being too obvious. Also, the "accept" line, "Discover what is Smokey", ... eh. On one hand, I think that could be phrased better, on the other... I don't have any suggestions on that end =/

However, for the "Upgraded" tip, I think the accept text should say "Check out the building that was Upgraded". Incidentally, when -I- was there, it was filled with CoT (doing a Hordeling summoning ritual gone wrong), not Skulls as the tip implied.

For "Vengeance", the PPD report number is KR573.0-42.704, where all the other one's I've seen so far started with KR0. Again, not sure what the intention is. Same with "Pwned" (#KR474.0-42.0-2685), not following the pattern I though I was seeing so far! Speaking of Pwned, this line needs fixing: " Given the Freakshow seem to love whatever it is, you guess it is likely dumb, but decide to go see it anyway. "

For some reason, tips aren't dropping as frequently as in AP; though it's probably because I did a fair deal of tip-farming for Atlas near Prometheus lake, where LTs re-spawn regularly by themselves; KR has no such area afaik (unless Paladin is active, in which case, you can smack around all the Boss-level "Psionic resonators"). I DO like that each zone seems to have their own "style" of tips. I was afraid I'd be looking at "Tourist pamphlets" for places like Crey's Folly (which would actually be kinda hilarious, NGL).

Doing Hollows next 😃

[Cobalt Arachne]

21 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

file-numbers have some other Easter-eggy thing going on.

They're there mostly for flavor as they're supposed to be file numbers (since the tip mission already tells you where to go). However, you are indeed correct that they were pulled from the badge's coordinates! 😄 The periods separate the coordinates, the 0- shows where a coordinate would be negative.

So "KR 0-1089.0-42.896" would become -1089, -42, 896.

Fixed up the text in the spots you noted.


 

[EmperorSteele]

The Hollows: Ugh, this is why I wish the tip missions would drop for the closest badge: I was in Cherry Hills (NW part of the zone), when I got a tip to check out the Graffiti Comm tower, the (2nd) FURTHEST badge on the OTHER side of the zone (SE corner)... and me, level 10, with no travel powers XD Well, at least it wasn't the FURTHEST badge out... still though.

Yes, I'm trying to stay at-level for the zones. Kinda hard to do when the level range is so wide in some places (Almost got "pwned" myself getting the "Pwned" badge back in KR, since it was surrounded by +5 bosses, heh). But, it's an interesting challenge, so off I go!

(and hour and 4 badges later) This is the worst 😭

Visit the iconic Billboard: " Given how frequent disasters and mishaps have been historically, it is a booming industry both figuratively and literally." You couldn't have saved this line for Boomtown?! Well, okay, actually, that'd be a bit too on-the-nose. Still though...

Overall, I'm starting to regret my decision to take the zones at their level, especially with a War Mace Brute. I just don't have the AoE to clear enough trash mobs quickly. Or a travel power yet (though that's on me). I wonder if maybe the chance for tips can be raised based on if the foes are even-level or higher to you. Of course, this is all predicated on whether someone really wants to spend an afternoon just hunting for tips, and not just treat them like a little bonus, as I'm sure they're intended to be.

Gonna check out Echo: Galaxy City next!

EDIT: Scratch that, the tour guide thing is for LRTP zones only, so the Echo zones probably aren't on the list,a re they? =( Well, Steel Canyon it is!

EDIT 2: Steel Canyon. I'm just making an edit instead of a new post, because, fortunately/unfortunately, there's not much to comment on here. The writing quality on the tips is good, but nothing stands out (good or bad). I keep bemoaning to myself how long this is taking, though. If this system IS indeed supposed to supplant Vidiotmaps, the process needs to go a bit faster than this. Or, maybe an hour per zone is intended. Dunno which zone(s) i'll tackle next, as the nearby hazard zones all require a higher level and more AoE to have an easier time at it.

Edited March 14, 2021 by EmperorSteele

[Cobalt Arachne]

13 minutes ago, EmperorSteele said:

Gonna check out Echo: Galaxy City next!

Currently, the only zones included in the Tour Guide system are the 36 that are in the Long-Range Teleporter (excluding Pocket D and Kallisti Wharf).

[Cobalt Arachne]

1 hour ago, EmperorSteele said:

If this system IS indeed supposed to supplant Vidiotmaps, the process needs to go a bit faster than this.

This was something that was noted during testing. We're looking into potential means of speeding up the process by obtaining the tips in other ways, such as hunt mission rewards (door missions don't know what zone you are in to reward the corresponding tip). Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as adjusting the drop rates as they're baked into the tip system.

Ultimately, the goal is to make getting that one exploration badge per zone needed for the Long-Range Teleporter destinations reasonably doable in-game without requiring referral to an external source. 

Doing all 288 of the Tour Guide missions to get every zone's badges is quite a task (I feel your pain, I ran through all of them for testing 😅 ).

[EmperorSteele]

1 minute ago, Nayreia said:

This was something that was noted during testing. We're looking into potential means of speeding up the process for obtaining tips in other ways, such as hunt mission rewards (door missions don't know what zone you are in to reward the corresponding tip). Unfortunately, it isn't as simple as adjusting the drop rates as they're baked into the tip system.

Ultimately, the goal is to make getting that one exploration badge per zone needed for the Long-Range Teleporter destinations reasonably doable in-game without requiring referral to an external source. 

Doing all 288 of the Tour Guide missions to get every zone's badges is quite a task (I feel your pain, I ran through all of them for testing 😅 ).

I wonder if there's a way to make the first tip one gets drop the first time they enter a zone, then? "You find a piece of scrap on the train/road/near your base portal"

Mmm, no, that feels like too much of a "gimme". Gotta make folks work for it a little bit!

Is there any way for radios/papers to give street-sweep missions?

[Replacement]

I am going to be nitpicky; don't take it personal @Nayreia Use your best judgement and feel free to disagree.

 

 

Boom Town -> "Boom... Goes the Town"

 

After having perused a couple of the surviving newspaper articles you could find, there is a common thread that unites them, [< I think a colon works better here] the Freedom Phalanx's presence in Baumton. You find several references to their headquarters being local to the area, so their frequent activity makes sense. It's hard not to be curious about seeing the location where the most famous hero team in Paragon City once operated. The base was positioned pretty strategically, [I think in this context, you either need this to be a semi-colon or a connective word like "so" or "and" after the comma] checking it out would be a fairly simple task. 

[Replacement]

New depths of nitpick:

 Examining this newspaper, it seems to have been carried from Steel Canyon and discarded as litter (shame on someone!). [The end parenthesis looks to be italicized] All the same, it details a battle in 'Boomtown' where 'Valkyrie' made a name for herself. You are curious if the location is still standing today. Given the... unique positioning of the buildings, you should not have any trouble tracking it down. 

 

I'm also not sure about Valkyrie being in quotes?  I think capitalization is good enough for a proper noun like her; quotations would be for the book titled "Valkyrie" and single quotes would, I suppose, be used for the colloquial name for 'Valkyrie.'  e.g. "her name is Sarah but everyone just calls her 'Valkyrie.'"

Edited March 14, 2021 by Replacement

[VertigoIguana]

I'm really liking the flavour these missions add...I think it's great addition to the game so I definitely want to give a big thanks to @Nayreia for putting in all the work!

 

 

Bug/Typo:

While going in to check a few less-travelled Zones, and I noticed for the Hollows pre-mission text (contact text before going to the specific badge there may be a missing word in one of the sentences:

 

Current:

"Shortly after the Hollowing they stopped being printed, so the information within has a lot of archival value as well highlighting local history and points of interest."

Instead of:

"Shortly after the Hollowing they stopped being printed, so the information within has a lot of archival value as well as highlighting local history and points of interest."

[Cobalt Arachne]

@Replacement Nothing personal to be taken! 😁 Improvements that make this feature better and more vibrant for the game and its community is the goal for the feedback here. I can make the mentioned adjustments; I think those quotes on names are used in a few spots that can be quite easily cleaned up as well.

[Shaman Coyote]

This is probably my favorite part of this Page. I've always wanted to explore the zones for all the badges w/o VM because that just feels too much like cheating. This is helping me actually explore and find the coolest points of lore. I love it. I'm actually going to get back into Perez and the Hallows for something other than just solo-leveling.

[VertigoIguana]

20 hours ago, Nayreia said:

Minions - 3%

Lieutenants - 10%
Boss - 33%
Elite Boss - 50%
Giant Monster/Archvillain - 100%
 

Highly recommend anyone going for these tips to cherry pick lieutenants+ unless you're in a zone with large packs of minions that can be defeated with AOEs like Perez Park.

 

(Very minor FYI): It appears Peregrine Island "Monster" class NPCs do not appear to be included in the 100% drop rate class after testing.

 

Also another typo (word choice):

In the Firebase Zulu "contact" text (First page, before going to individual badge): The first line references "Personnel Logs" that the character is tracking down...In this context, "Personal" Logs would make more sense (a la hunting down Dr. Scientists personal log for March 11th...)

 

Also Firebase Zulu:

Badge mission for "X-Ray Spectator".  The final bolded part doesn't really flow naturally: "You have curiosity to see what makes the X-Raiders so elite."  would read easier as: "You are curious to see what makes the X-Raiders so elite."

 

Edited March 14, 2021 by Killerhawk

[Doc_Scorpion]

Minor/annoying visual bug...  Exploration tips appearing in the middle of Valentine's tips.

[Glacier Peak]

Following the advice of @Nayreia, I took to PvP zones to test out the tour guide tips. It wasn't until I fought a number of enemies and realized I wasn't getting drops that I came back and read the part about 36 zones that a player can LRT to. So that being said, this list of zones which a player can't port to, but contain exploration badges are:

 

Bloody Bay

Sirens Call

Warburg

Recluse's Victory

Sewer Network

Abandon Sewer Network

Monster Island

The Abyss

The Hive

Rikti War Zone

Cimerora

Ouroborus*

Echo: Atlas Park

Echo: Dark Astoria

Echo: Faultline

Echo: Galaxy City

Echo: Rikti Crash Site

 

I wouldn't dare ask for more Tour Guide tips for these zones because this is a brand new feature being tested in 36 zones already. Amazing job as well! So maybe in Page 3 or later could they be added? 

 

Edited March 15, 2021 by Glacier Peak
missed a few!

[Cobalt Arachne]

14 hours ago, Killerhawk said:

(Very minor FYI): It appears Peregrine Island "Monster" class NPCs do not appear to be included in the 100% drop rate class after testing.

So after checking again, and doing some in-game testing; Appears to have been a misread on my part, looks like Giant Monsters and Monsters are not in the tip system drop pool. I've updated my earlier post to reflect this.