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One off Events in game
Several times a year I'd like to see the devs throw one-off events into the game.
These events should happen on each server during peak time so that as many people as possible get to experience it.
Maybe sometimes these events could be foreshadowed but sometimes they should just happen without prior warning or notice.
Maybe a world boss rampage with the boss actually controlled by a dev. (Not the ones triggered by Node development)
A large merchant caravan rolls into your city and for 4 hours will offer really good money for several gathered or crafted materials.
It could be a natural catastrophe like a hurricane, tornado, torrential rains that cause flooding or a wild fire.
A well known NPC is murdered and a reward is offered to hunt down the killer.
A strange disease strikes your node and several NPCs are sick and dying if a cure isn't found.
A group of bandits completely closes down a main caravan route until defeated or some exorbitant ransom is paid.
An invasion force of aliens attacks through the very gates we used to reenter our world.
The material plane avatars of two gods fight to the death and change the landscape in a zone.
The possibilities are literally limitless and no event would have to be repeated. Doing this too often would make it passe; I'm talking maybe 2-3 times a year.
These events should happen on each server during peak time so that as many people as possible get to experience it.
Maybe sometimes these events could be foreshadowed but sometimes they should just happen without prior warning or notice.
Maybe a world boss rampage with the boss actually controlled by a dev. (Not the ones triggered by Node development)
A large merchant caravan rolls into your city and for 4 hours will offer really good money for several gathered or crafted materials.
It could be a natural catastrophe like a hurricane, tornado, torrential rains that cause flooding or a wild fire.
A well known NPC is murdered and a reward is offered to hunt down the killer.
A strange disease strikes your node and several NPCs are sick and dying if a cure isn't found.
A group of bandits completely closes down a main caravan route until defeated or some exorbitant ransom is paid.
An invasion force of aliens attacks through the very gates we used to reenter our world.
The material plane avatars of two gods fight to the death and change the landscape in a zone.
The possibilities are literally limitless and no event would have to be repeated. Doing this too often would make it passe; I'm talking maybe 2-3 times a year.
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I would also prefer IS take time to make meaningful content that is released from once every three months to once a year. Having one-off events several times a year, imo, would slow progression on newer content. Those events would have to tie into lore along with previous/future additional content. I don't want IS to get into the habit of throwing a one-timer out every few months just to please those that rush content or get bored easy.
I agree that nothing could or should be done anywhere close to launch. There certainly would not be time for it. Probably will want to wait until the inevitable post launch server merge for sure.
I disagree that there's no place in the game for them ever.
These one-offs don't have to be complex multi-day events just fun stuff every, every now and then.
I remember one being a pirate Lord who stole something and the community then worked on solving the clues to find where he stashed his loot.
Another was a God who came to town and demanded people pay tribute or he'd attack. Same kind of concept as the monster coins AoC has.
I also remember a giant one time only event where you had to kill a crab in GW2.
I always liked these types of things as it lent some history into the game. People could say "oh I was here for (blank), remember when that happened?!".
Nice ideas man, love them. But unexpected stuff should happen that makes it exciting. Like that city is under attack let's check it out or help. I would get such a big rush to see a dragon attacking a city in the distance, spewing fire xD Imagine the view.
we shouldnt have onetime events either unless for a expansion or update for the server to participate in.
Second they have already stated that all servers aren't going to be the same and (if they actually follow through with their claim) so I don't see why it would be an issue to have developer run events on certain days to months (not times). Many mmo's have already done it and as long as it is uniformly applied across all mmo's and not a 1 hour thing I fail to see how it would be an issue.
The only bad press this studio is going to receive is when they fail to live up to the hype and that is a death knell for a mmorpg just releasing.
http://www.aocwiki.net/PvE#cite_ref-5
-Have you thought about having live events out in the world, having GM’s particapate, as in EQ and Asheron's Call?
-Yes that is the plan to have places like that
-Want it to feel alive.
-Those are memorable moments.
I agree, a Very-Verra-Christmas by any other name mirroring Santa Clause is still Christmas so why make any effort and not just call it Christmas?
...this conversation has occurred in many threads, I will stop repeating myself for those that have heard me ramble about this many times before...
Where I am not too sure right now is if it's integrated into the lore, I THINK it was planned as an out of character thing, but as said I am not sure about that part.
I think one off events are amazing if done sparingly and to some special occasion. I envy the people that got to participate in the huge server event of opening AQ40. At the time it was a grand spectacle even tho it was an amazing grind. Accomplishing something as a server..that's just such a grand scale.
As long as it is tied to something important, let's say some old documents were found in some long forgotten ruins (later down the road as the planned "expansion") detailing some Islands further off in the sea and we would have to do all sorts of things as a server to unlock that. Making ready for a huge expedition to actually search for them. This would be great and fit into the concept of Ashes. You can only discover it once, it just gives you more a sense of history with your own server.
Just use it sparingly but meaningful, instead of a low-end filler thing.