Don't know if I agree with some of those. There's actually a lot of content at the Goblin Camp (from the Gate to the Shattered Sanctum) with a lot of interesting and fun npcs. What's needed is the Goblin Camp to still be made available (non-hostile) to those who sided with Minthara. Although, she does say that the Absolute wants us dead. Some way to introduce that logically would be nice.
Also, a reminder that, after the party, the Tieflings leave the grove and there isn't much left to do there either.
Naturally the camp has plenty of content, but in terms of story it is nowhere near the same scale nor meaning since their content comes to a sudden stop soon after.
The content simply fails to invest me and attach me to any of the characters and their stories because beside Minthara and Abdirak, there is no future for the rest since they are treated as evil disposable NPCs by the story. No matter whether you side with Minthara or Halsin, the fate of the gobos is always set to be hostile and no further interactions are possible. Even the Zhentarim merchant in there for some odd reason decides to fight you. Abdirak is the only neutral NPC there who just packs up and leaves, so I'm happy that he at least has a future.
Not to mention that from the very start of the game the story treats them as disposable evil vermin:
- You are forced to take the Tiefling side in the first battle for the Grove. You don't have a choice to even ignore it.
- The gobos underneath the Grove outright attack you even if you are escorting Sazza.
- Sazza herself betrays you after saving her.
- Minthara betrays you after the battle.
- The entire camp betrays you after the battle.
And to make matters worse, Minthara herself as well sees them as nothing but disposable vermin which she enjoys decimating in order to put in line. Basically the story is from the start to finish trying so hard to illustrate Minthara's side as evil disposable NPCs and at the end literally gives you the green light; "
Hey you, I know you tried to join them but... they're hostile now. See! Marked with red. XP! Yay!".
Compare that to the Tieflings who get so many interactions to properly invest the player into their story in order to establish an engaging attachment to the characters and their arcs, which is then gradually grown and eventually moved into ACT II where it will continue to grow. That's over 50 NPCs worth of content.
Meanwhile all I get from Minthara's side are two potential interactions with Minthara in the future and her Drow Orc acquaintance, while losing so much (
comparison is on page 4 for that).
If I wish to play Minthara's side, I'd like to feel the same amount of investment and attachment with her side as I do with the Tiefling side. There needs to be a balance for me to enjoy it. If I am invested and attached to 50 NPCs on this side, then I have to gain a considerable amount of NPCs on the other side to invest and attach myself and see their stories carry on into the future. Unfortunately though, it doesn't go anywhere with the gobos except a sudden end of a blade.
