AL Character Creation and Starter Zone
Character creation will take a bare-bones minimum:
- When the player clicks "New Character" they are taken to a single screen where they pick their race, enter a name, carry out visual customization.
- From there, they are dropped immediately into the game.
The new character is placed in an instanced area where they are greeted by an NPC who then explains to them the basics. Said NPC is also a perk-trainer and helps the character get there very first perks, and gives them a weapon. The NPC(or possibly a few NPCs) will then guide the character through the basics of combat with some re-spawning creatures, and explain all the low-level stuff.
Once completing the basics(which should take 3-5 minutes), the NPCs will offer you a chance to complete "The Gauntlet", a short dungeon designed to show off the basics of the game. Alternately you can skip the gauntlet, but since its worth good XP and loot it's probably a good idea.
Contents
The Gauntlet
The Gauntlet is a short dungeon that provides the character with enough experience points to reach level 1. The loot will also include a choice of weapons. To help move things along, the player-character will be accompanied by a group of NPCs which will help him out. The gauntlet in this form is a no-fail teaching quest where you cannot even die.
While The Gauntlet will not allow for failure, it will be reasonably challenging, a combination obstacle course, puzzle-solving, and combat challenge. It should take about 10-15 minutes to complete with the instruction of the NPCs. It should not include any "down" time in which the player. While the NPCs are talkative and informative, the action never stops.
Starter's Village
Once outside the gauntlet, the player enters the true "starter area"; a little village surrounded by some woodlands and some fields. The starter area includes all crafting devices as well as NPCs offering tutorials and materials. The area around the village includes plentiful crafting materials, however they are low-level and of poor quality. Still a player who spends a few hours gathering and crafting(while also leveling) should be able to leave the starter area with pretty decent gear.
Starter's Village Quests
The village should have 3-4 quests set in the open-world area around the village as well as at least 2 instanced dungeons. Players also have the option to complete The Gauntlet additional times, albeit a much harder, potentially lethal version without NPC companions and with additional hand-holding.
All together, the starter-area quests should provide a good overview of what the player can expect in the game.
Hunted Mine
A mine deep in the woods is haunted by a ghost, you are sent to find and kill the ghost. The quest-giver should comment on the obvious ridiculousness of this