I admit that on my playthrough of the new patch, I actually did feel lost for a little while - even knowing what my goal was. I had answered wrong to a child in the grotto and failed to learn about the secret tunnel to Withermoore, and at level 1 I wasn't strong enough to fight the crocodiles for the gloves. (I had failed to assist Elohdi immediately. In the first patch you could assist her later. In this patch she dies if you go elsewhere first. So long to that XP)
I did eventually find a way by turning Stingtail over to Griff to reach level 2. (I didn't have any choice but to turn him over because I had no chance in a fight at level 1 vs level 3's.) The newly-freed elf told me about the secret tunnel into the prison and marked it on the map.
So that did resolve my problem, but again - even knowing that tunnel existed and knowing about the teleport gloves and knowing about Withermoore who tells you about the secret tunnel - I still felt lost for direction. I don't blame new players at all for being lost.
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My complaint about the beginning pre-fort is that the lands before the fort (not counting the hidden alcove) are not only barren of enemies to get much-needed XP, but also anything else of interest, there aren't even many containers to open and discover they're empty.
Although that's not really related to a lack of direction.
