+1 again.
I must've said this a hundred times, but the game's biggest strength is targeted exploration in random environments. If the missions could be seamlessly integrated into that exploration (and the random environments) rather than be discrete, the game would become significantly more enjoyable IMO.
It seems that they are targetting refactoring the tier/level, spell system, and reward structure for this release. Maybe mission system refactoring can be for a future release later on down this beta cycle.
Should they of done this in a different order (instead of one of those three, focused on the mission system for this release instead)? Maybe. But they didn't and this is what is up for 1.104.
Mission system refactoring maybe a good idea for the brainstorming forum to get some ideas lines up for this next beta cycle.
In terms of what is lined up, I'm withholding my judgment until the notes on the refactoring of these systems are finished. Maybe there is something big that we haven't seen yet that will address some of the concerns described in this thread, but we haven't seen them yet because the notes aren't finished. 
Well, I had no idea that big changes were coming. Most of these changes seem really good, especially the random spell stats, which is similar to ideas I had pushed for in the past (http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=7341). However, one change that seems to be coming is that missions are even more central than they were before (since they give you spells), and the best part of the game, which is targeted exploration, is being relegated to only being for stronger spells if you want them. That change sounds like it MAY be one that strengthens what is IMO the weakest part of the game (missions) and weakens the best part of the game (randomized targeted exploration). My opinion on this isn't new. I've posted many things about this including this suggestion (http://www.arcengames.com/mantisbt/view.php?id=7649). I've pled for missions to become integrated into the game world rather than be discrete or that the focus should shift away from them by making them optional and bonus.
To be quite honest, I've stopped playing AVWW. The main reason for this is that currently, when I start the game up, I get 20 missions littering my map. There's no reason to explore because virtually everything (I have plain gems, and enchants don't excite me) can be obtained from missions. I look through the missions, finding a whole bunch of canned content that I don't feel like doing. And then I lament the fact that the missions obviate the need to explore the procedural world. Oh, another thing I lament is the way my avatar has gotten so fast via enchants, that it makes his animation + the whole world animation wonky and makes me too fast to be comfortable. And then I quit.
So you see, when I happened upon the changelog, and when I saw Vinraith's comment expressing exactly my feeling, I suddenly thought that maybe I wasn't the only one who viewed missions as the weakest part of the game, and I had to show my support.
I totally agree.
I think though, that this is a step in the right direction.
You can get the spells themselves from missions.....
.....but you'll only get the weakest versions this way. To get better versions, it seems like you're gonna have to go out seeking crafting stuffs, found in stashes/whatever. It looks like the "common" version is the only one that does not require crafting, and thus does not require exploration.
Now, they'll have to balance numbers out so that A: the stronger version spells have enough of a difference to matter, and B: that the game's challenge level encourages the player to go get these stronger spells, so that they'll have better chances against all of the enemies/bosses/whatever. If I can still get through the game (even on the highest two difficulties) without too much trouble with the common spells, as compared to uncommon & higher, then there's a problem. There also needs to be crafting costs that make sense. One problem I have with the current version, is I can spend 10 minutes in a cave, which isnt very long, and have SO MANY stones of 1, 2, or even 3 types, that I dont need to touch the caves even once more for the rest of the continent.
Again, I agree on the exploration bit overall: This is the most fun part of the game, and I think it should be the most emphasized part of the game. This should be where the majority of the gameplay is. The current released build, before these listed changes, definitely does not have this. There's no reason to go after stashes/gem rooms right now, and nowhere near enough reason to explore at all. I like the mission system, but right now it's WAY too central. The exploration really needs to be important again for this game to be at it's best.
I do like the bit with the guardian scrolls: My playstyle means that I use these pretty often.... particularly considering I'm playing on such a high difficulty level, and actually EXPLORING to find the missions that give them to me, that bit is something I like. I'll be seeking out those special chunks much more now, which will have me exploring surface and cave areas alot more (not buildings so much, since secret missions are rare in those, as opposed to surface/caves which ALWAYS have one).
My point though is: Dont just assume it's all gloom and doom right from the start. This update isnt even out yet. And I really do think that if they can balance this right, the bit with getting stronger spells from exploration, and only the weakest versions from missions, could make a big difference. But again, will have to see it for myself when it releases.
EDIT: I also totally agree that the game burps out WAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY TOO MANY MISSIONS on the world map right now. Way, way too many. I dont know WHY it does this; well, no, I understand in theory: The idea is that the player can always find a mission type that they dont dislike too much, as opposed to the RNG sticking them only with whatever they consider to be the most annoying. But yes, far too many. Hell, just using something like a Seek Survivor scroll..... it's one thing to have to choose the best spot to drop it, based on what region types are in the 5 spots that it'll activate. But usually, I also have to worry about it FITTING, because often there's just not enough room for the entire scroll to go into effect, without me clearing a couple of missions just to get more space! And that's annoying; if I'm using that scroll, I want to get FIVE survivors out of it.
That and there REALLY just doesnt need to be that many.
Anyway, I do think this update sounds good, but I'll still be interested to hear the devs' input on this particular issue (the bit with the exploration being important VS missions).
EDIT 2: As for the bit about your guy going super-fast...... I'm thinking that's probably not supposed to be the case. I've been playing this to death since it released, and I've never, ever seen this problem. Hell, even if I'm far into a world and have a lot of enchants, I usually still think my characters are a little too slow. This might be an issue for Mantis, perhaps?
