How to reduce mission reward clutter?

[x4000]

Why don't you just stack secret mission with a rescue the dude we need to cast seek npc, then tank the odds that you get an npc rescue back down to normal or lower,  Since you then can in theory just cast find npc when you want new guys.   

I'm not sure I follow.  However, with the above changes, the "seek survivors" guardian powers will be a lot more common so that probably gets at what you are requesting.

[bvchaosinc]

Why don't you just stack secret mission with a rescue the dude we need to cast seek npc, then tank the odds that you get an npc rescue back down to normal or lower,  Since you then can in theory just cast find npc when you want new guys.   

I'm not sure I follow.  However, with the above changes, the "seek survivors" guardian powers will be a lot more common so that probably gets at what you are requesting.

I hear people saying they are having a hard time finding the npc they need to use seek survivors.  Is this a real possibility, or do you not need any you don't start with to use seek survivors.  I have never felt the need to cast it so I don't know. 

[Hyfrydle]

Yes I realise that but I'm still having real difficulty finding any npc missions. All the secret missions I find are anachronism or jtp. I will try again this evening and hopefully my luck will change.

If it's a secret mission, odds are very good it's not NPC.  You should be able to tell right from the dungeon map that it's a rescue node.  When you hover over it it says "rescue mission" instead of "secret mission."  Also it's a very slightly different color.

It's odd that I nver seem to find one and I've explored countless buildings in game. Anywhere with a really good chance so I can have a good look tonight.

[x4000]

I hear people saying they are having a hard time finding the npc they need to use seek survivors.  Is this a real possibility, or do you not need any you don't start with to use seek survivors.  I have never felt the need to cast it so I don't know.

I can't remember what the NPC is that is required to cast that; but it's certainly possible to not have that sort of NPC, whichever the type is.  The game is incredibly forgiving in what kinds of NPCs it gives you as you get NPCs, though, so if you get 6 NPCs then you'll wind up with one of each kind before you start getting any duplicates.

It's odd that I nver seem to find one and I've explored countless buildings in game. Anywhere with a really good chance so I can have a good look tonight.

The larger buildings have more of a chance, and the buildings that are more evil-themed (overlord and lieutenants aside) have an even better chance.  So tall towers in the lava areas, etc, have great chances.

But the best chance of all is simply exploring underground caves.

[bvchaosinc]

I hear people saying they are having a hard time finding the npc they need to use seek survivors.  Is this a real possibility, or do you not need any you don't start with to use seek survivors.  I have never felt the need to cast it so I don't know.

I can't remember what the NPC is that is required to cast that; but it's certainly possible to not have that sort of NPC, whichever the type is.  The game is incredibly forgiving in what kinds of NPCs it gives you as you get NPCs, though, so if you get 6 NPCs then you'll wind up with one of each kind before you start getting any duplicates.

OK, then it would seem a good idea to give the seek npc guy first every time,  That way if people only every have to go looking for a rescue quest once.  After that they can play them as they find them(which as they seem to always be close to stash/gem rooms seems to be how they were indented to be used), or just cast seek survivor if they need some one right now.

[x4000]

The thing is, NPCs are never required to progress.  Sure it can be great if that's something you want to focus on, but it's not required.  Just going into a couple of cave systems nets you some NPCs pretty darn fast, so that's where I don't see a huge issue with the actual mechanics.  The two potential problem spots, to me, are:

1. Is the seeding frequency for NPC rescue missions still too low (we adjusted this once already), or are people just looking right past them?

2. Are we not properly communicating that people ought to be going into the caves to find people more easily?

[Hyfrydle]

The thing is, NPCs are never required to progress.  Sure it can be great if that's something you want to focus on, but it's not required.  Just going into a couple of cave systems nets you some NPCs pretty darn fast, so that's where I don't see a huge issue with the actual mechanics.  The two potential problem spots, to me, are:

1. Is the seeding frequency for NPC rescue missions still too low (we adjusted this once already), or are people just looking right past them?

2. Are we not properly communicating that people ought to be going into the caves to find people more easily?

I think it may be the seeding but also maybe I've just been missing them. I'll have a go now and report back how it goes.

[Hyfrydle]

Typical the first ice age tower I explore and I find one. It might be an idea to change the colour on the mini map it looks very similair to a stash or secret mission so maybe it should stand out a little more.

[Svlad]

Hi, I got directed here from another thread I created on more or less  the same topic.  In that thread, I detail my experience with having my progression greatly frustrated by having necessary guardian power scrolls only available at the RNG's whim.

I see the proposed tweaks to mission reward generation as a good idea, but not sufficient to solve the problem I've encountered.   AVWW is fundamentally pretty sandboxy, you choose your route for advancement and go get resources to enable that route.. except in this case, the availability of some of those resources (buildings, in particular) is totally at the whim of the RNG.  If the item you need is not available as a mission reward right now, your only options are to either sit around waiting and hoping or to take the long shot chance of exploring the world hoping to beat the odds by finding a secret mission that yields what you need.

This doesn't just take away the agency you've offered the player, it throws it back in his or her face.  Please consider some alternate scheme for mission rewards, or for setting up buildings and advancing your civilization, or something.