Other than perhaps being closer to where you are currently on the map, would giving them a bonus incentivize their use? I ask because, outside of the specific context that I (solo in test #1) or my group (in test #2) chose to test one, I/We've never ended up using them. Perhaps in the group context, this is because we lack the ability to co-ordinate atm without in game, in group comms. It could also be that when I was solo, the big green indicator on the map grabbed my attention and I didn't even give the others a second thought - maybe add an indicator to the others which are usable? (This would require indicators that change based on class as well as gold/keys in inventory)
#Themed Extraction Incentives?
rich mauve
rain swallow
Good question. @undone fossil ?
undone fossil
Other than perhaps being closer to where you are currently on the map, would giv...
Great questions!
A couple of things are currently missing to incentivize using the optional extracts more from our players. Our core game loop of bigger quest chains to specific locations and more stressful quests such as "get out with x item alive" aren't in the game yet. These kinds of quests will start to shift player behavior away from only using the default extracts once surviving starts to really matter.
We also don't have quest mechanics or teaching mechanisms in the game yet to really teach you that these other extracts exist as options. Improving the map UI and icons on the map could improve this visual feedback for players.
Exploration and hoping one of these extracts is up is part of the anxiety design intention around our game loop. We've intentionally turned off indicators of which optional extracts are up when you spawn into the game (this is still up to change over time) but that could be tested and added once more quests and player stakes are in place during a session to start to see how our player base psychology shifts over time.
Lastly we do like idea of a bonus for taking an optional extract and some optional extracts give bonuses already (EX - crypt key extract, red key extract are locked doors that reward you with lucrative treasure) - unless you are referring to a different kind of bonus for using an optional extract?