Once you've played the game once you will explore the city first to get stuff, reach level 4, and be prepared to face poison.
But how many players on this forum did it on their first playthrough ?
How many found the tunnel ?
How many found Madora and Jahan ?
To save time, that would be me in all three cases. But then I've played games before. There are probably a few other players who will have used a computer previously. I'd put money on it if I were a betting man.
Ok, I've played games before as well. I did not find Jahan on my first go through. Quite honestly, I wanted to get out and slay undead. I had my murder mystery quest, and through that I learned of the Lighthouse. Aureas himself says starting West would be a good start. So I did. There was a quest in my journal that I wanted to complete.
I also did not run through the city trying to level my characters. I wanted to go fight something lol.
If this is the design of the game, that is fine. But don't pretend the average gamer is going to spend a good amount of time looting the city and doing all the quests there. They're going to want to get in a real fight, as all the time they've spent on the game to this point has resulted in pretty mundane battles.
I insist that the first encounter in front of this entrance should not use poison, at least on the easy and normal difficulty settings.
Every new player will try to go there at level 2 and get killed if you leave the poison.
Have the undeads there deal enough physical damage to force you to use healing potions, and perhaps to retreat to the city. It's a good hint that you have to explore the city first without the need to reload the game. ( and it's not breaking the story )
Insist away, do. It's not condescending at all. And it's fascinating to learn how I play, what I want, and what I enjoy. It's nice to have someone finally be able to describe me and what I do; I've been left wondering so often.
Yes, I know, the tone in this forum has gone all to hell in the last week or so - Hiver, cromcrom, you're not the only ones to ratchet it up, but you're among the first - but please. A bit of self-awareness, maybe?
I too think the first battles with the first skeletons should be limited to single target poison effects. AOE poison arrows at the start were brutal when I began the game.
Unless you all are speaking of the zombies out the north gate, in which case I think it's pretty clear you're not supposed to go that way early.