Then comes the choice:
It was also in this spirit that I created the mission "The Better Half," an ethical choice mission where the player's decision is made through action. You are asked to find the missing wife of Science Officer Clark, who has been taken hostage by the Bane. When you finally find her, your actions alone will determine whether or not she comes home alive. Like much of the story that unfolds in this instance, I feel the more I can do to keep you out of the UI and focused on the center of the screen, the more immersive the game becomes.

I truly hope players do keep their eyes on the center of their screen. Much of the story is told by the NPCs through chat bubbles that appear above their heads, and I wanted players to feel like they are being talked to directly. Although UI windows are great for giving the rundown of the mission, it is much more immersive to talk to the player directly and force them to stay focused on the instance around them. It creates for a better story, and allows for a smooth, uninterrupted narrative. Doing this also allowed me to give important NPCs a memorable personality, further cementing your camaraderie with the Foreans.

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Finally, the payoff:
Alright, enough with the story; where's the phat loot? Well, this is also the first instance in Tabula Rasa to introduce item sets. These sets are a prototype for future sets, and if players enjoy them, we hope to expand our implementation of them throughout the game. Players who complete all the missions in Velon Hollow will obtain the first three pieces of the "Purifier Set", which gives greater statistic bonuses the more pieces they wear. The fourth and final piece of the set is a weapon that drops from the final bosses of the instance. Wearing all four pieces of the Purifier Set gives players a +10% damage against all Thrax, which we hope gives players incentive to play through the instance again, and hopefully bring friends to help finish their sets.

Speaking of friends, Velon Hollow is designed for at least two players of an appropriate level, so anyone planning on tackling it at level 30 should definitely bring help. However, players that are higher level, or just looking for a challenge, can try their luck destroying the Bane by themselves. At least you know you will have the help of a very dedicated Forean army, at least if you can rescue them first!

We spent a tremendous time crafting the story and the mood of this instance, making sure to create an intricate experience for new and old players alike. But just as important, we also introduced some new systems that we hope will increase the quality and longevity of the instance. This is just a taste of the amazing content we are working to add to the game, and I can only hope that players enjoy Velon Hollow as much as I enjoyed working on it.