Another short one, this time so short I don't have any screenshots (except the quest complete; I remembered this time).
Started off with a minor interface bug: the trail of dots led me to where Redbeard Frank used to be, before whichever update moved him to his present location directly in front of the Port Sarim bar. But it was a minor issue, and soon resolved. The task: get this pirate hammered. Now there's a quest I can get behind. But because nothing's ever easy, Frank will only accept rum from Karamja, and we're not allowed to just bring it back with us.
So, I remembered the solution to this puzzle from childhood: after you buy the rum, you're supposed to stash it in the crate beside the banana plantation, then fill the crate with bananas. The customs officer doesn't check the crate because she trusts the owner of the plantation, and then you pick up the rum from the delivered crate in Port Sarim.
I knew all that, but I'm trying to play these quests fresh and only using information Twoie herself would know. And I have two problems with the Karamja puzzle as presented:
- Nothing within the game leads me towards the banana plantation. I don't find out about the relationship between Luthas and the customers officer until I actually realize I need to talk to Luthas, which creates a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem
- Once I've got past that part and filled the crate, nothing tells me that the crate is going to be delivered, so I might be thinking there's something else I need to do to trigger the delivery
Each problem could be solved with one dialogue change each:
- Add a dialogue option to Zambo to complain about the customs officer, and have him mention that she seems very friendly with Luthas. That gives me a reason to go talk to Luthas and find out more
- When I talk to Luthas to get paid, have him say something like "thanks, I'll load the crate onto the ship now." Looking at the wiki I realize that he does have this line, but only if you ask about getting paid for another crate; I think it should be moved up to the main dialogue, not hidden in an option, so you know you've completed the puzzle
Anyway, we take the boat back to Port Sarim and head to Wydin's shop (which we were pointed to by Luthas, so good job there). There's a bit of design I like here, where the crate containing the rum has a banana on top. Nice, subtle clue. But we can't get to the crate without being an employee, and we can't become an employee without a white apron.
The fact that Wydin has a spare white apron in his back room, and really employers should be providing necessary health and safety supplies anyway, shall not go remarked upon OOPS TOO LATE.
Anyway, another bit of design I liked was that there's a free apron in the fishing shop. I remember having to get one of my own, which required schlepping all the way to Varrock and back; that particularly grated, because Redbeard Frank sends us straight back to Varrock to get the treasure.
Anyway that's basically the end of the quest: to Varrock for the note, then to Falador to dig up the treasure. Not much else to it, but it's a novice quest so what do you want?
Quest complete.
