Anyway, as far as I can judge I have now reached a point where I can't actually progress solo, one door seems to require some form of fire (3 torches are next to it)
The 3 braziers are lit by a torch that you can find infront of the Skeleton Tomb Dungeon.
Some comments as to what I felt was lacking: A description of what chests and their purpose is. There is so many located around the map, and yet I only in the last 4 hours of play came across a key. Hence before that the chest was just objects I could clearly interact with, but had no way of using and couldn't find a single explanation as to their usage. That was somewhat confusing, to a point that I began to consider if they were just decoration.
I mean, I could make a message appear when you approach a chest that would say that you need a key for it... or just rename the Chest to 'Locked Chest' - that way it will be suggested you need a key for it.
In general I like to give detailed explanations to game systems, commands, spells, etc.. but not to puzzles/ingame objects. I like the mystery. I like when the player goes: "I wonder how I should open this?"
Finally I must also admit being somewhat disappointed by the chest I finally opened, not in the sense that the item was useless to me, but because when I saw it open filled with gold, I kinda expected to find some gold as well, not just an item drop - which I at that point wouldn't need given the pure rare outfit I had.
Yeah, I understand. Keep in mind that with more players you play on higher difficulties and therefore have higher drop chances => more keys. The reward has chance to be either Uncommon/Rare/Epic item. I'd like to keep it that way instead of having a guaranteed high quality item, because that way with higher Magic Find, you'd suddenly gear up in no time. On top of that, each item is somehow useful here. You can either sell it for gold, disenchant it for stats or reforge it into a higher quality item. There is always something you gain from items. I understand your point though. You waited so long for a key and when you finally got it, you get an average item from it. I can guarantee that in higher difficulties with more players you get keys more often and that makes it a different experience.
Also while on the subject: the teleport devices is also something unexplained. It seems to be that the only thing they do is always teleport to the area with the tree, or directly back to one you just entered, but it is never explained. Basically I would just remove them in favor of my stone suggestion or use them only for secret stuff
I am not sure what should be explained here. They are created to get you back to that "tree area" which indirectly makes it your 'base' or 'home' if you like to put it that way. I think that becomes pretty clear once you encounter your second teleport.
How would you like that explained, I am not sure I understand? A message to appear when you enter the portal to tell you something that is already obvious on the screen?
Hmm, maybe a quest or NPC should tell you what the portals are for, that could work I believe.
Also the seeds should really stack. I know you might not have done so due to the setup for the exchange with the centaur, but they take up way too much space.
Just drop them in the 'home area' that you can always teleport to.
You can only use them within that area anyways, you don't need to carry them anywhere with you.
Also given how frequent they are, I believe I also find them overpriced at the 3 rare resources (wood) and the exchange rate, its just a terrible deal. I got a better item for 90 gold at the alter.
Believe it or not, they are less rare than Chest Keys.
RNG was not with you that day, I guess.
About their price: Within the shop, Shadow Crystal Epic quality items cost 1500 gold and 5 Shadow Crystals (SCs). Assuming that 1 Seed drops for you and you purchase 2 more for 6 SCs you have an Epic quality item for just 6 Crystals.
Finally I suggest that you make it so you are able to use each revive stone as a teleport. Just like you can always teleport to the initial revive stone, you should allow the same (have ward or something spawn when it is discovered, to give access without ruining the activate stone system). This would remove much boring backtracking and would still work with the stone activating.
I believe you mostly see the Res Stone 'Recall' ability as a tool to save running time. It's usage to save you from death is also a huge deal. If suddenly all stones you've reached so far can Recall you, that becomes an issue.
I like the quests, but I don't really like the rewards. It feels odd to constantly have the return the item you just gave them, back to you. In a way it doesn't feel right, as they don't gain anything and I feel slightly like I didn't earn/do anything. Its like a blacksmith quest, where he rewards you with an item made from something you gained to him, but in that case the blacksmith would usually have gotten more than one item or something like it, for the reward to make sense.
Fair point. I'll see what can be done in the future.
Oh yea, a final thing: The trap/puzzle with the two levers, where I assume one of the levers would activate the siege golem, it is a shame that if one hits the correct lever first, the other deactivates, I would have liked to be able to fight the golem as well.
RNG is a big deal in this map and exists to provide as much replayability as possible. As far as I am concerned, after reading this comment, my design goals are achieved. You now want to see the other outcome. I am trying to have each time you play to be as different from the previous as possible. Next time you play and you reach that area you may experience another outcome.
Here is the thing. I have to choose between two possible design goals:
- Consistency, where you can experience everything. Each puzzle and area would be 100% solvable. There would be no questions left and everything should be clear. This may be more satisfying and less.. "annoying" the first time, but imagine the following scenario:
-You come across the 2 levers.
-You hit the first lever and get the item.
-You hit the second lever and beat the golem.
So, the next time you play you have nothing to surprise you. Nothing to expect. Having guaranteed events decreases the lifespan of the map.
- Randomness, where even after you reach the end, there are events, puzzles and other things left unseen or unanswered. Imagine the scenario where you go into a puzzle area and get a totally different outcome from the last time you played. It's unexpected. Based on my experience, people get surprised and are caught off-guard. And that's precisely the goal.
I realise that for some might prefer the first option, where they want to play once and complete the map on 100%.
It really is a situation of: Do I want to satisfy players who play the map once and want to see everything at their first game?
OR Do I want to make the map entertaining for people that have already completed it once?
I'd (obviously) choose the second without any doubt.
Thanks for your comment!
Approved
, those almost infinite snakes are damn hard to manage). Still this is so epic, and I am looking forward to playing it more. I am now going to go recommend the creator of Gaia to take some cues from you. 
