Feb 2018: Viorar

Area of the Month for February 2018 is Viorar!

A template format for your review is below; click 'edit' at the top of the page, copy-pasta from the ---- to the next ----, and fill in the gaps!

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Player: You!(Class/Level)

Review Date(s):

Descriptions: X/10

How does the area's room descriptions(descs) work for you? Do they give you a good idea of the area? Do things that stand out in the desc and NEED explanation GET that, either from flavor text(extra-descs) or NPCs in the room or anything?

What about mobiles(mobs) and their descriptions? Can you get a decent mental image of who or what this NPC/monster is? Do they respond when you talk or interact with them?

Some areas have interact-able objects like fountains. Do they stack up well also?

Balance: X/10 (OR N/A)

(NOTE: combat will be most accurately gauged when your character is in the area's suggested level range.)

If this area has combat, how does it feel? Does anything jump as horribly overpowered and impossible to deal with? What about the flipside, anything far too easy to beat?

Attractions: X/10

Why would you suggest someone come to this area? Is it just a good place to grind experience(lots of mobs)? Does the area provide a chunk of good gold and loot?

What about the quests? Does this area's quests feel properly done, or is there some part of it that you feel needs work?

For towns, are the shops good? Any other non-combative attraction for the area?

Linkage: X/10

How easily and well does this area connect to its nearby areas? Does it make sense thematically to be connected to the areas it is?

Personal

Any comments you'd like to make that you don't feel apply to the other sections can go here!

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Player: Bree (as Wylynn, level 4 Geomancer)

Review Date(s): 02/05/2018

Descriptions: 7/10

Just about all of Viorar's descriptions are vivid and atmospheric, from rooms to objects to NPCs. They can sometimes be on the longer side, which might discourage some new players, and there are cases where the level of detail gets a little ridiculous (seriously, look at Roy the next chance you get). For the most part, though, they're very well thought out and paint a decent picture of the city and characters. The color of the text, of course, adds dramatically to the atmosphere and the feel of the area.

My biggest complaint is a big lack of extra descriptions. They're abundant in a few rooms, like the south gate, but most are devoid of any level of detail beyond the base room description. So while the overall picture is clear, the minor details are seriously lacking. Rooms will frequently mention specific objects, and nine times out of ten, you won't be able to look at it. This is especially disappointing for things like windows overlooking the ocean, or...the entire vista point. Even a short or reused extra description would be worlds better than nothing.

I think it's also worth mentioning that the way the city is laid out basically condenses all of the major points of interest into a few areas, leaving some parts of the city feeling pretty bare. I actually think this helps the atmosphere in a way - a bustling metropolis would have a much different feel to it, and it wouldn't really fit as well. That said, it takes away from it a little that they're empty of EVERYTHING, even extra descriptions.

Balance: N/A

I'm not aware of any combat.

Attractions: 8/10

Viorar has all of the basics - fountain, bank, morgue, shops, etc. Besides that, though, the shops are actually fairly varied, offering a few crafting materials, a larger selection of food, a store dedicated to selling lights, and even a pet store. Weapons and armor sets are offered up to level 10, but there are some extra pieces in a couple of the shops that help add some variety.

I admittedly haven't done all of the quests, but the ones that I have done have been pretty fun and involved. The only problem here is that they're definitely not newbie friendly. Some of the outlying areas help compensate for that, and there is the temp agency to help point beginners in the right direction, but I can't help but feel like most beginners would end up lost and confused.

The most important feature of Viorar, in my opinion, is Etansel Library. The books within contain essential backstory, some interesting (if largely outdated) information on items and spells, an atlas, so on. Thing is...it hasn't had any new submissions since 2013, and I honestly have no idea when it was last updated. Etensel is a very cool feature that is in need of some serious love.

Linkage: 6/10

To the north, Viorar has quick access to several very cool areas by way of Zigolis Swamp and Faron Woods - namely Behemoth's Skull, Midnight Garens and Carnival Night Zone. The docks in the west similarly provide access to a bunch of areas - three islands that connect exclusively (I think) to Viorar, Gold City, the S.S. Zelbess (and by extension Truce), and even the Red Rose and PvP arena. To the south lies the absurdly long Luon Highway, which puts Viorar pretty far from anything else in the south. In the east, you've got Bequerel Mines and Chimp Caverns. While those do link to the eastern part of Fa'Diel, it's by no means quick or convenient.

All in all, despite having pretty much exclusive access to several very cool areas, its location isolates it from just about everything else on the continent. Thematically, I think that seclusion actually fits in well with the feel of the city - cold, dark, and lonely. The surrounding areas also tie into the theme very well, generally providing a darker, more serious alternative to many areas on the east end of the continent.

Personal:

It's no secret that I've always loved Viorar. It's a beautiful and unique city with a lot of potential to get even better. I really enjoy browsing the library, and I can't help but imagine how great it'd be with more material. The city is also a good hub for exploring some of my favorite areas. I think all it needs is some touching up to make it a really great area.

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