November 2018: Rabite Forest

Area of the Month for November 2018 is the Rabite Forest!

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!

(Yes, a wiki account is required to edit the page and therefore post your review, but take heart: The wiki is hosted by the Cleft itself, not a third party!

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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?

Are purchased or rewarded items at the appropriate strength levels? Is the effort required to obtain rewarded items reflected in their usefulness (or uniqueness and fancifulness)

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?

Connections: 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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AOTM Rabbite:

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Player: Kaze (Nec/100)

Warrior 1-10, Priest 40 (Not counting my remorted character)

Review Date(s): 11/15/2018 (or so)

Descriptions: 9/10

For the most part, I could picture the scenes accurately from the descriptions. This area is pretty nice for descriptions.

Balance: 8/10 (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?

For the truly early levels, is actually a bit rough for the exp rewards.

Are purchased or rewarded items at the appropriate strength levels? Is the effort required to obtain rewarded items reflected in their usefulness (or uniqueness and fancifulness)

The items are a smidge rich for the level, but the fights are, as mentioned, a touch difficult for their level, also.

Attractions: 7/10

Why would you suggest someone come to this area? Early quests and eq. rewards are a good start. Also, it connects to various places of note.

Is it just a good place to grind experience(lots of mobs)?

Not a very good one, in fact.

Does the area provide a chunk of good gold and loot?

Loot, yes. Gold, not really. For early game gear, the quests and such provide pretty good gear.

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

The quests are very short, but give a good example of what such things should be. Good rewards to effort ratio. I'm including exploration secrets and rewards as "quests", here.

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

The secret rooms with goodies in them and diverse requirements for navigation set a high bar for nifty exploration.

Connections: 7/10

What's present is solid.

The entrance from the road works peachy and makes sense. The northerly route, as well. Waterfall Cave and such link in reasonable ways. The Booster tower thing is a pain to use, but fits.

I consider it overly limited, however. More alternatives to get to the same spot should exist. Going NW directly towards the pond from the entry point, for example, perhaps with a climb, should get you behind Booster tower, too.

Suggested addtions:

Clamber path more directly to Booster's back door from the current Truce entryway.

Path to an overlook atop Gigan Canyon. Path down to the canyon should require float, climb, or even the dragon claw. I rather like a climb with a chance of falling, unless floating to get down and Float or Dragonclaw to ascend.

A southwesterly route should run from the crossroad to Rocket City. (directly inside or next to it)

More drop offs from the branches to the ground (with reasonable consequences like falling damage that's mitigated by Float) would be fun. These could be hidden routes.

More hidden nooks and shortcuts are almost always welcome.

Personal

Color of the Summer Sky does tend to pop to mind when I go through there.

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