Change to Save Points
 

Throughout the 3 phases of released Questing content so far we had used a system where players would have to find Save Spheres strategically placed nearby locations they could possibly die within for the purpose of setting the location you are warped back to, and thus ensuring you don't have to travel such a large distance to get back.

One problem that has occurred quite regularly is that players would simply just head straight to their destination and not look for these Save Spheres, some completely unaware that they exist.

We have now removed Save Spheres and implemented a system where it is possible for you to set your save point simply by staying still within any bed on the server for 15 seconds from the point you are fully healed, after 5 seconds a timer will be displayed to indicate this is happening until a final display confirms it, you can also prevent this from happening by pausing.
Both your normal and dungeon-specific Save Points are now listed within the Notebook weapon.

Certain character/sign messages have been changed to explain how to do this, the hope is that this is something that will be instilled in new players so that they know they can do this before any Quest or remember it in the event of respawning a long distance from their destination, there is also the chance that people could discover how to do it accidentally incase they haven't read any of the messages explaining it.

Edit:
Once in the bed you now have to press A, a darkness fade effect will occur and the whole thing will take 5 seconds.

Interesting, I like this.

Hmm, I'm curious... why go through such complications just for a spawn point? Waiting around can be somewhat troublesome for some of the more impatient players. I know 15 seconds may not seem like a lot but when you're on the go(actively questing), that can be a long time.

Though I more bring this up because a spawn point is not the biggest advantage in the world, and it seems like a lot of work for a minor thing. Why not just have it checkpoint automatically at certain places?

The point you begin a particular quest or task could well be a long distance from the location of it itself, it's also possible that in future there could be baddies on the overworld roaming around somewhere between your start point and destination where if your Save Point was automatically set at both start and end you could still have the same problem.

We also plan to implement side content later on where having Save Points set automatically within mainstream content could set a location far from ideal when you're attempting one-off Quests, this solution makes it entirely up to yourself to think about where the best place to set a Save Point would be.

Why can't you just press A when you're in the bed instead or something? You could make it painfully obvious that they're save points, dim the screen and push some text over.

The time thing is still a problem, Downsider's suggestion is solid. Like I said, 15 seconds may not seem like a lot when you look at the number, but it breaks the flow when you actually play a game. Gamers don't like that at all.

The idea behind it is that you're going into the bed to take a rest (what a bed is for).
Entering the bed, immediately saving and then exiting the bed bypasses this.
I understand that not everything has to make perfect sense in a game but if we were going to make it instant it might aswell be a button click or possible for when sitting on a chair.

There could also be a scenario in future where there could be a series of quest levels containing beds and that it might be a good thing that players can weigh up whether they would want to spend that extra 15 seconds for assurance or waste no time and take that risk.

The problem is not logic but purpose. Rarely do people use beds for resting unless there is no other method to heal(like vases). Resting is boring, and considering save points will be mainly useful during questing means it's going to break the flow. Giving the waiting game another purpose may make it more useful, but doesn't make it more fun.

I ask though, what's wrong with making it instant? Where, from a developers perspective, is the benefit of making the player sit there doing nothing?

Just had an idea.

Dream Sequences.

How about the screen darkens and then the screen lights up again?
All in 5 seconds.

Instead of automatically setting the save point with the counter in the middle of the screen, we could have it so there is the counter at the bottom or top of the screen and you click a button to set the save point.

How about just ask if you want to save when the player dies?

Make the system of questing like this: there is always an area overarching a specific quest filled with events that occur and people to talk to which lead the player to the quest and prepare the player for what is ahead. There will always be one person, location/sanctuary, or house which will serve the purpose of Main Influence over the player, to lead them into what is next in the quest diagram without drawing them away from potential sidequests which could be useful. The system could work so that whenever a player reaches this main influential location, that whenever you die until the next one you reach, it does not automatically send you there (that would suck), but gives you the "Save and Quit" option, where it saves the game at this location of Main Influence. That is the way that works best for Classic, so that the questing could be pick-up-and-play compared to the social aspect of the server (events, guilds, etc.)

This is my opinion, and I must add that I haven't checked out your bed-save idea and am in no way trying to say that it is a bad idea.

It is 15 seconds, not 15 minutes.

Loading in most games rarely takes more than a few seconds but it's still something that is considered lengthy because even though you think "seconds" when you're in the middle of a game, sitting there doing nothing seems like much longer.