Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Suggestions for Improving Existing Area Maps or for Altering Area Maps to Reflect In-Game Plots

Moderators: Moderator, Quality Control, Developer, DM

Post Reply
Tanlaus
Quality Control
Posts: 1218
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:15 pm

Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by Tanlaus »

This stems from a several weeks old discussion on discord that I've been thinking about. The conversation was about opening the Ruins of Oghrann, which is an Upper Dark area, to surface players.

The main argument against this- as far as I know- is that there are very few epic areas for UD players to adventure in, and having to share it with surface groups could shrink their already small footprint. The second argument is that it becomes an area where surfacers and UD characters can group in ways that are wildly out of character. Two paladins and a drow necromancers blowing through the ruins on a loot run would be pretty hard to justify.

Here's my thoughts on both issues...

An idea, brought up in another thread, that I am still very much in favor of, is turning the illithid hive dungeon into an epic area. It's a beautifully crafted dungeon with an interesting final boss (an Elder Brain) which is almost never used. That could become another 'safe' epic area for UD players allowing the ruins to be changed without anyone losing anything.

This is just speculation based off personal experience so take it with a grain of small sample size salt. I think opening the ruins would be vastly more likely to add lore appropriate RP than take it away. My UD character has played host to several groups of evil aligned surfacers exploring the ruins purely for RP purposes. Its an interesting area that a lot of people who play on the surface have not seen.

Also, though I've not been involved in any, I know recently there has been a bit of copacetic Upper Dark conflict between good surfacers and drow in the last few weeks. Also, again, very RP based.

I think opening an epic area for surfacers in the Upper Dark would allow for more RP potential, both friendly and hostile, which would ultimately benefit the isolated UD population. While beefing up the illithid hive would allow another safe epic UD dungeon for those that might want to avoid the possibility of surface/UD conflict and give some love to a beautifully built and unique area.
User avatar
izzul
Posts: 954
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 8:12 pm

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by izzul »

im just sharing my experience here.
-back before Oghrann was locked to surfacer, i used to play a surface ranger with FE: Elves and as soon as i get Bane of Enemies, lvling to 30 is super fast(Drow dies in seconds) if i camp in Oghrann.
-i usually play when there is not much people online so encounter with Drow would be minimal and i can avoid them with certain skillset.
-sometimes i bring friends to lvl there (3-4 friends)
-even when a drow comes around me or my friends, i have specific FE against them(if things go out of hand).
-i also played a UD Drow Ranger lvling in Oghrann with FE: Elves and its super fast too.

my opinion
-it would be a great place for cross surface/UD RP
-Surface Grey Orc, tiefling, genasi, tanarruk will choose Oghrann for high epics lvling teaming up with drow(more RP especially for Evil races, but they dont face any consequences like they face if they choose ex: Frost Keep)
-so its favoring non favorable surface race that wants to lvl with drow without difficulties(if they are allies) compared to lvling on the surface.
-on the other hand, it will also help surface players to team up with their UD friends there.

what im worried about
- i would worry the camping of surfacer to pick on Drows there (high lvl/lvl 30 surfacer waiting for low epic UDer to gain level there) hence why the no-xp rule was introduced to reduce this kind of OOC situation.
- i would worry the Uders will also be camping and wait for low epic surfacer to go there.

anything else?
-it would take a really mature community(not murderhobos) to be able to handle the cross surface/UD RP in Oghrann.

P/S : im trying to be in the middle and look at it both sides to be fair
Azzizuleia Tyrielmrande-[Permadeath PC]
Eilondruil Eldanyar-Corellon Larethian[Battle Historian]
Iz Azul-Red Knight[Active]
Krueger-Trader viewtopic.php?f=55&t=56617
Mystera Electra-Mystra[Goat Girl]

"give to yourself, took from others-Integrity and Justice"
User avatar
Steve
Recognized Donor
Posts: 7894
Joined: Wed Jul 08, 2015 5:42 am
Location: Paradise in GMT +1

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by Steve »

What about just waiting until the Server can expand to 2+ Servers, and then (new/old) Areas can be added nearly unlimited?

ARTHAYER ZORASTRYL — A Magistrati & Magefriend [Bio] * [The Wanderings of...]
PANLOS PAWFOOT — The Essential Nature of...
ERMMAR STONESORROW — Cavestalker of the Darkshard Deviants. Herb Trader.
Tanlaus
Quality Control
Posts: 1218
Joined: Thu Jul 18, 2019 8:15 pm

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by Tanlaus »

My argument is that the murder hobo camping can already happen in Kro’s, Titanfist, Black rock and the Ogre Caves. But it just really doesn’t. I’m not sure there is something so unique about Oghrann’s that It would promote PvP when the current areas don’t.

Also bumping the illithid hive to epic means UDers still have the same amount of epic areas to explore/loot even if camping surfacers take Oghrann’s off the table for the night. And that area really should see more use, it’s so well done.
User avatar
DaloLorn
Lead Programmer
Posts: 2035
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2019 2:44 am
Location: Discord (Dalo Lorn#0171)

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by DaloLorn »

I'm with Tanlaus on this one. Opening Oghrann up has far more advantages and disadvantages, for either good or evil UDers alike.
European player, UTC+1 (+2 during DST). Fixer of random bits. Active in Discord.
Active characters:
  • Zeila Linepret
  • Aela Lathyaan
  • Ilhara Evrine
  • Linathyl Selmiyeritar
  • Aeryn Faer
  • Virin Swifteye
  • Gurzhuk
User avatar
Theodore01
Recognized Donor
Posts: 2927
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2011 5:32 pm

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by Theodore01 »

Oghrann ruin+interieur is the only large epic area - that is very fun to play - in the whole UD. It has plenty of different enemies that can provide some frantic chases and challenge many builds. It's the best area there.

As the UD is usually a very lonely place and depending on the build - there is not much elsewhere to go in mid-late epics.



The Illithid hive is a wonderful area. (Which i do run quite regularly with my monk.)
But it is also a quite painful area for anyone trying it alone, thanks to all that magical damage spamming. (And again - one is alone almost anytime in the UD)

I can't see a way to increase the difficulty there and still have a chance to survive it.
The elder brain is a great boss - however it should leave some boss loot at a accessable location.



Drider wilds (2) is interesting also, but missing a boss ! and is much more difficult overall.
The lava pit could be made much larger too.




Meeting surfacers down there on a regular basis, would really annoy any lonely UD toon and wouldn't make much IC sense also - to hunt along surfacers.
(It would make a lot sence OOC - because now you can level up much faster.)
The same has happened as the upperdark was interduced. For a few month there were plenty of surfacers camping in Kro's - as it provided exceptional xp with almost no risk there.

So that''s why i'm against opening Ogrann. It would take away the best area from all the already "starving" UD players.

On the other side - surfacers have plenty of areas, why not open up more of them ?

Open up the 'new' mine in troll claws for UD players and provide a entrance from below for them.
Or make the netherese areas more appealing/interesting - as no one goes there usually.
Or why not open up the Illithid hive and lets lure surfacers down ther to let them suffer ?
User avatar
DaloLorn
Lead Programmer
Posts: 2035
Joined: Tue Mar 26, 2019 2:44 am
Location: Discord (Dalo Lorn#0171)

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by DaloLorn »

Theodore01 wrote: Wed Oct 14, 2020 8:13 am Oghrann ruin+interieur is the only large epic area - that is very fun to play - in the whole UD. It has plenty of different enemies that can provide some frantic chases and challenge many builds. It's the best area there.

As the UD is usually a very lonely place and depending on the build - there is not much elsewhere to go in mid-late epics.
Historically, I couldn't even go there. My builds seem to have survivability issues...
Meeting surfacers down there on a regular basis, would really annoy any lonely UD toon and wouldn't make much IC sense also - to hunt along surfacers.
Izzul has already postulated that evil or evil-like surfacers, such as grey orcs and tanarukks, would probably be willing to team up with evil drow. For my part, I know a few good surfacers who'd be willing to team up with Ilhara, if any reason for this arose.

Heck, the core concept of Ilhara's entire guild lends itself perfectly to teaming up with surfacers.
(It would make a lot sence OOC - because now you can level up much faster.)
Admittedly, this also intrigues me. :)
On the other side - surfacers have plenty of areas, why not open up more of them ?

Open up the 'new' mine in troll claws for UD players and provide a entrance from below for them.
Or make the netherese areas more appealing/interesting - as no one goes there usually.
Or why not open up the Illithid hive and lets lure surfacers down ther to let them suffer ?
Opening up some surface areas to UDers has also been proposed in the past, to no effect.
European player, UTC+1 (+2 during DST). Fixer of random bits. Active in Discord.
Active characters:
  • Zeila Linepret
  • Aela Lathyaan
  • Ilhara Evrine
  • Linathyl Selmiyeritar
  • Aeryn Faer
  • Virin Swifteye
  • Gurzhuk
abousalif
Posts: 74
Joined: Tue Apr 28, 2015 1:08 pm

Re: Opening The Ruins of Oghrann

Unread post by abousalif »

Hi'


I like the idea of opening Ogrhan ruins to surface players. I currently play a surface character that has allies in the UD for RP reasons.

I stay in the UD 80% of the time these and have great Rp with everyone in the UD. I would love to have another area than Kro's labyrinth open to surfacer as it would allow for more RP and team up.


I sometimes help some UD character in their quests over there ( drider stolen objects, soils samples, etc.) even if it does not give me any xp. To have another area where we could all gather xp together would be awesome.
Blake Highotwer
Post Reply

Return to “Areas”