Your View: Dynamic Mini-Storylines

[Danny 2232]

Howdy ladies and jellyspoons,

 

This is a concept that I've been wanting to introduce to the server for a while, but I've never really discussed it with anyone except myself... I do feel it's something that we've been lacking lately, and it definitely fixes some of the issues that we're facing currently, in terms of a lack of events. It also reduces the requirement for us to rely on an antagonist for our event-based-roleplay.

 

 

I want to hear what you guys think, before I go and turn it into a full-blown proposal for the staff, implement it - only to find out you guys think its crap, and you don't like it.

 

The idea's inspired by a feature of Guild Wars 2 - the Living Story. What this is (in Guild Wars 2, not what we'd do) is temporary, short (~one month long) storylines which influences the world permanently. The way it's done in Guild Wars 2 is via quests, dungeons, etc - obviously, we ain't doing that. Obviously, Guild Wars 2 is an MMORPG - we're not. That's exactly why I don't want quests, dungeons, magic loot 'n' rubbish like that, but instead, dynamic and unique events, which will revolve around roleplay.

 

What I'd like to introduce is event-driven storylines - which is pushed forward by you guys, the outcome of which influences the world (regardless of how it goes). This wouldn't be a main storyline, this wouldn't be an antagonist. This would be individual storylines, designed to promote more group-based and major event roleplay. 

 

The way it would work is, the staff team and event team would work on a concept, up until the points it's ready for us to release. We'd make a thread in the Events forum that'd introduce this storyline, and also discuss the first event - a full blown RP thread that'd reach the ears of all denizens of Anthos. This thread would set a time, date and location for the event.

 

Upon the event starting, we'd make use of a wee plugin we'd have written that'd allow more attractive event-style broadcasts, fancy things on certain names (e.g. an armour chestplate on the name of someone you're meant to be protecting), and things such as that.

 

The event could go either way - you guys failing, or succeeding. The storyline would simply continue on from there. After a set amount of phases in that storyline, it'd come to an end - and we'd begin work on a new one, which'd be released after a small recess (we don't want these storylines coming in one after an other, every day).

 

I don't exactly have any great examples of this, however, I've thought up one very quickly:

 

We introduce a new island off the coast of Anthos. It's inhabited by NPCs (not actual players), and it's faced an infestation of the undead (not Aegis undead - simply mobs - skeletons, zombies). They request the assistance of the denizens of Anthos. You guys go across (at a set time) and are instructed initially to escort an Elder into the centre of the island's town (from the docks) to obtain an Ancient Tome, which the Undead must not keep control of.

 

This would be a mob based event - but not all would be. So, you'd escort the Elder through the town (he'd have the fancy heart or armour icon on his name so you could identify him). During the journey, the undead would obviously attack and there'd be fights in the streets. Event Team actors would play 'Undead Captains' of sorts, and would be able to use less-powerful AOE spell-like things, mainly for cosmetic purposes, although you would need to defeat them.

 

When you reach the Cathedral where the tome is located, the Leader of the Undead would appear, and you'd have to fight him. He'd be spawning minions, have buffed health and stats, and be all hardcore. Once defeating him, you'd reach the Tome, the Elder would collect it, and he'd tell you to grab whatever you can from the Vault. There'd be a chest - which you can only open once per player - which'd contain items exclusive to that event, e.g. a shread of the lich's robe, or something. Once you've done that, you'd then escort the Elder away from the town and to the safe haven campsite, where he'd thank you and tell you to he'd send word when he requires your assistance again.

 

This tome would identify the cause of the Undead Threat, so the storyline would continue with eliminating it. If he died, then the threat would likely spread to Anthos itself, and the storyline would continue that way. The island would remain on the server, as an area you could go to, but it wouldn't be livable on, buildable on - or anything like that. It'd be ruins.

 

Keep in mind the above is only an example - I'm not good with event ideas. We could do just about any kind of event with this, we aren't limited to evil, dastardly undead invasions - we could have festivals on Foreign Isles, sea journeys - anything.

 

The beauty of this concept is that it isn't a main antagonist, it doesn't directly affect Anthos initially - so, if you don't want to participate in a mob fight event - you don't have to! The events would vary from non-violent events, to violent events, to a mix. This'd mean that there'd be events in each storyline that were suitable for every player who wished to participate.

 

I understand that some people don't like mob fighting events, but they were vastly popular when we had them back in Aegis, etc. Back then they were a primary part of the server storyline though - with this system, we keep them on the sidelines - as an optional extra - but we also allow players to experience different flavours of events, rather than having them all just mobs.

 

By introducing this into the server, we don't rely on an Antagonist itself to provide roleplay for meta-events, but we can do them via short and interesting storylines, that'll actually go down in the History Books, and can only occur once. The various storylines will become part of the server lore, extend it to other locations in the world where we're situated and allow for us to create a much more diverse experience.

 

Like I said at the start - I ain't discussed this with anyone, even the staff. So I want to here everybody's views on it. Go ahead and vote, but please, do comment. 

[Alan 1815]

With this idea, we get the chance to create areas that actually revolve around fantasy elements rather than the realness of the current map. For instance:

http://www.planetminecraft.com/project/elantria---the-hidden-valley/

Areas like this are places that I've always wanted to see in LotC, and we've yet to go about doing something about it. We took a good step forward with the floating tower near the Dwarves, but we could still do more. This idea certainly gives us a chance to do that without completely changing maps, so I'm all for it.

It also gives the Event Team builders something to do to keep them on their feet and inspire creativity, so yay to that as well. As for the quests or story lines themselves, we could leave them up to Lore Team or perhaps even regular players who feel like sharing their ideas in the idea forums.

I'm for it.

[Wretched 2075]

Well yes! I really see no downside to it at all. I'm sure the staff could arrange some pretty interesting events :]

[Didag 4]

I love it! 

[PtahWithin 1320]

[SparehoeCakes 547]

I would love to see this, it'd make RP amazingly more interesting.

[marimbamonk 1501]

I love the idea. If needed, I could help as teacher of the monks to provide monk healing and support in the back lines of such events.

[Mish_ 101]

Yesh Danneh, pl0x add this.

[Pnoynoy 108]

 

Like it, the only thing is that there should be an event team member  that would possibly provide an RP fight at the end or at some stage of the instance.

[Viper3X 1056]

This ties in perfectly to a few plans I have been working on behind-the-scenes. I am sure we can produce many dynamic events that appeal to the playerbase as a whole.

[Kaiser 2347]

It's a little hard to wrap my head around, so don't take what I'm about to say as my full opinion. I really don't like it. The only reason is, if I'm understanding this right, it's a storyline that effects the world in some way. I can just see that no one but the kings/high up nobles/really important people around Anthos could do it, which would just leave almost 99% of the community with no say in how it ends. This can probably be avoided by mob events but still...

 

I really do like it, but can you guarantee that these events will be held on a pass/fail of the people, and not just 3 or 4 rulers of kingdoms?

[darth sithlord 306]

Please!

[Danny 2232]

 

Like it, the only thing is that there should be an event team member  that would possibly provide an RP fight at the end or at some stage of the instance.

 

RP fights are extremely unlikely to occur. We'd have ~100+ players present - RP fights can be clustered with even 5.

[no longer active 734]

I like it.

[Temp 2006]

Go for it, but I ask one thing.

Should defeat stare us directly in the face, do not bring about some ungodly savior. Some.. mystical holy being, instead, let us die. Allow the nations to be erased and the people to be forced to near extinction.