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New Player Experience

February 1, 2008

Dew Valley Human Resources is working overtime. Click for a larger image.

Keith re-envisioned Dungeon Runners' new player experience, starting with a new "Helper Noobosaur" character permanently stationed at an eye-catching kiosk to act as both the single starting point for players and a knowledge base system for the questions most frequently asked by players.

Entry Highlights

  • Scene creation (includes blockout, final worldbuilding, POI design, compass markers, storycraft, etc.)
  • Player spawning design (includes propping for spawn points)
  • Writing and narrative design (includes NPC dialogue, NPC barks, etc.)
  • Quest design (includes plotting, writing, markup-based scripting, NPCs, etc.)
  • NPC design (includes creation and placement of enemies, quest contacts, merchants, and tutorial NPCs)
  • Combat design (includes incidental battles and quest-related activities)
  • Propping (includes placement of interactables, flora, rocks, etc.)
  • Rewards and collectables design (includes creation and placement of incidental gear and treasure, quest collectables, Easter eggs, etc.)

After adding the Noobosaur, Keith reworked the game's starting quests to be more linear and directed than before. Also, each quest now included a tutorial tip that related to the current quest (such as the first time a player was sent to a dungeon, the tip told players how they could reset their dungeons).

When players eventually graduated from Dew Valley, the starting area of the game, they had experienced all the basic elements of the game.

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