Daytime sandstorms?

[williamson]

Is it just me, or do we all love logging into the game in the middle of a daytime sandstorm? Few things are as enjoyable as leaving the tavern at Red Storm and not being able to see anything for over a RL day. I'm curious to know if anyone ever logged into Red Storm for the first time as a newbie and appeared within a daytime sandstorm?

-Williamson

[Cowboy]

Happens all the time, it's not just you

[Trenidor]

I do it alot, but mainly Red Storm has them all the time. It's not surprising to get online there and have a sandstorm over your head. I have experienced it in tuluk, allanak, blackwing, luirs, and red storm though, so it's not like no one else gets on too.

[blacksheep]

What's a newbie doing in Redstorm? The help docs don't exactly describe it as a paradise.

[hcwalker]

I can tell you one thing, the person who started this thread is no newbie.  There are places in Zalanthas named after one of his former characters.  He feels the frequency and persistance of sandstorms often disturbs gameplay.

[Armaddict]

Red Storm is -supposed- to be surrounded by sandstorms, for at least most of the year.  A nearly constant thing.  Allanak sees quite a few from this, and Tuluk sees them from time to time.

If sandstorms disturb gameplay, so do templars.  And criminals.  And slow mounts.  And night time.

The point?  It's part of the game.  It doesn't disturb gameplay, it reinforces what the game -is-.

Go away.

[Xygax]

I can tell you one thing, the person who started this thread is no newbie.  There are places in Zalanthas named after one of his former characters.  He feels the frequency and persistance of sandstorms often disturbs gameplay.

Whether or not the poster was himself a newbie or not, his question was whether or not "anyone ever logged into Red Storm for the first time as a newbie".

In general, we don't advise new players to begin in Red Storm.  It is -allowed- by the code because not everyone who seems to be a newbie IS a newbie, and because even some newbies genuinely -do- appreciate the uniquely brutal challenges presented by a Krath-pit like Red Storm.

In answer to the poster's question, yes, of course.  Lots of peolpe find the weather in Red Storm inconvenient, even newbies.  Other people find the environment rather hospitible, largely because what other people in the world of Zalanthas call civilization ISN'T hospitible to them.  If you feel the sandstorms make it difficult for you, OOCly, to enjoy the game, I encourage you to craft a character that is more comfortable in the less sand-battered areas of the world.

If you're within short jogging distance of the Silt Sea, you can expect to encounter more than your share of sandstorms.

[williamson]

I left this important qualification out of my original post. When saying daytime sandstorm, I mean those that are blinding and prevent sight during the day. It seems to me that these storms, which can be quite lengthy, inhibit play far more than they enhance it. Anyone agree?

-Williamson

[Forest Junkie]

Of course it inhibits play. But such play is realistic. Annoying? Yes. Harsh? Welcome to Armageddon.

[Agent_137]

I left this important qualification out of my original post. When saying daytime sandstorm, I mean those that are blinding and prevent sight during the day. It seems to me that these storms, which can be quite lengthy, inhibit play far more than they enhance it. Anyone agree?

-Williamson

I think perhaps they are too common in allanak. I've been trying to get my girlfriend into armageddon, she's got a character, but she can't get around to explore allanak because ITS ALWAYS STORMING.  Then she gets frustrated and quits. And I tell her to stick it out, get a job, and move to tuluk. Then she pouts at me. Thanks guys. :x

Red Storm is different. It should be bad, that's part of the area even more so than allanak. But I would like to see more "you can only see this one room" storms than "You can't see shit at all anywhere" storms overall.

But then you'll have people prancing around in a hellish sandstorm...just because they can see the room. Which is retarded.

It's not my game. But these are my thoughts. Thank you.

[blacksheep]

I kind of like the frequent sandstorms in the south. Not the kind that blinds you during the day, but the kind that dramatically lowers visibility. It adds to the harshness in the southern areas.

To prevent people from wandering around unrealistically during one of those storms, the wind should blow them around every one or two rooms; that would make it inconvienent for people to walk around aimlessly, while still allowing the people who are headed to the nearest tavern or city get to where they're going.

[Angela Christine]

I find that blinding sandstorms INSIDE Red Storm are fairly rare.  I can usually get around in Red Storm with no trouble.  The village is covered in tarps to keep down the dust, Allanak acomplishes the same thing with 65 foot high walls.  I don't find blinding daytime sandstorms to be that frequent in either southern city.  

Now outside those cities the weather often sucks.  On the plains around the cities there is nothing to discourage the wind and the room descriptions (when you can read them) indicate that the land is very dry and dusty.  If you know how weather works and the local terrain you can still get around, but it isn't good for newbie explorers.  That sort of makes sense.


AC