Desert Labyrinth Feedback

[metsfan92286]

First off, all I can say is WOW. You guys did a GREAT job on this. This place reminds me of a mix between Indian Jones and Legend of Zelda.  Content like this makes Ark so different from any other survival game. I really enjoyed exploring it on my private server...with god mode and infinite stats on. 

And that's kind of the issue.  I cannot see any reason to explore this place on my official character because it's just not rewarding enough for how punishing it is.  Let's start with the obvious: if you die at any point, you have to start all the way at the beginning.  I get it, that's Ark.  But I am telling you now, this is going to discourage the vast majority of players from ever setting foot into this place on official servers, which is a shame. Here are a few suggestions as to how you could make this place worth visiting for players who do not have unlimited resource on official servers, but love exploring these types of dungeons:

1) "Save" points - Certain places where you are allowed to drop a sleeping bag.  Forcing players to start the dungeon from the beginning to complete the dungeon is so very Ark, but at the same time, throw us a bone here.  No other dungeon crawler or dungeon puzzle game requires you to beat the dungeon without dying once.  There are always checkpoints or save points where you can resume from if you die. 

2) Early exits - Add more exits to the dungeon after certain puzzles to allow players to bail out if they want.  These exits could be inaccessible as entrances.  This would make the prospect of exploring as far as you're willing to a bit more reasonable, without feeling like you have to go all the way to the end to come out safely.

3) Increase loot crate rewards - If you hit every single spot in this dungeon you will get quite a few red loot crates...assuming no one else has visited any time soon.  But a red loot crate can contain complete garbage.  Not to mention, the Jungle and Ice dungeons have plenty of red loot crates also without requiring you to risk nearly as much.  I'm just not going to come here for loot crates.  It's not worth it.  However, maybe add a new type of "Ascendant" loot crate which has a limited reward set with stuff people actually want, and no chance of getting crap.  

4) Reward Element for completing the dungeon - This dungeon in my opinion is far more difficult than Gamma Ragnarok Arena, yet rewards no element.  Completing this dungeon should reward some amount of element equal to the effort put into completing it.

I have no idea if these ideas are reasonable, but I think these are just a few of the things you could do to add some incentive for people to actually go and explore this place on official servers.

[RoyHess666]

5) Revamp the "puzzles"
Just slapping random switches all over the place is not a very good puzzle and doesn't make a whole lot of sense.
There should be some logic behind them, the labyrinth makes sense, totally fine. The first room needs serious rework with the terrain from outside glitching inside and gets players stuck.
Jumping on some required ledges is nearly impossible.
 

6) Fix the buttons!
Some of the buttons have weird angles from which you can actually press them, also what does that (1/1) text mean?

7) Fire Trap
The fire shouldn't be that punishing so a player with like 1000 health dies within seconds, it does way too much damage.
Also where does the fire come from? I don't see any emitters like pipes, openings or whatever....

8) Awful underwater passage
The underwater passage just looks really awful with random cubes slapped all over the place

 

Enuff ranting, I like how some traps work, like the bola-trap. I like the general setting, how it looks and feels, like a big temple area full of (still working? after a thousand years?) traps and still burning torches and doors that open just fine by sliding upwards with no electricity!
The loot is okay, if a single player gets all the loot - he might have a very good set of stuff to trade on officials.

[dslick]

Loot is obsolete, can farm faster in other dungeons. 

The only thing they’ve made is that much harder to get artifacts, which will be easier to get on other maps. 

Not worth, and will not play in this new dungeon.