Curse

WasAGuest · Nov 13, 2006, 08:05 PM // 20:05

I posted this once before, but let it die as it got flamed several times, for reasons that I still do not understand... Someone whispered me in game the other day to bring this topic back up though, and after some debate, I gave in and thought I would give it a try... one more time.

So, enough on the history of it, here's the idea.

Challenge Missions:

Currently: These are pointless arcade like games pitting players vs players for points. A small chance of a "random" reward for your heroes is present in the NF challenge missions. Problem with this is 1) the reward is random vs the mission and goal being random 2) there's no point once you've gotten the armor 3) no long term reason to keep playing them.

Proposed fix: Create these missions to randomly pit the player group vs a boss mob, a rescue, a search and find, defend the fort, or other such randomly chosen mission. Each challenge mission location will have a different mission/mob composition so that there is reason to "camp out" at each and get together for some "end game" fun.

Proposed reason to play: Rewards must not be random. I for one wont sit around for 20 minutes building a group for a "chance" to win something. It's either going to reward my time and effort (on a victory) or I'll not waste my time. Rewards in hard cash and a "token" are given upon a victory. These hard cash payouts should be better than if not higher than the average farming run, other wise, farming will still hold more value over a proposed reason to group up. If the mission pays out per time played or lasted within the mission, then even on a failure; the players will feel they have not wasted their time. Which brings us to the "token" system rewards.

Tokens: Each Challenge Mission gives a unique, non-tradable token upon a victory. Being non-tradable is important, other wise farmers will simply sell the tokens... and that defeats the purpose of needing a reason to play them. -Being tradable between your own characters should be allowed.-
What the tokens are for: A "token trader" is placed into each of these Challenge Missions. Each Challenge Mission location has a theme to it. Let's use Dajkah Inlet for example here; and lets assume the "theme" is Kournan. As you gain tokens from victories, you will trade in the tokens on available items at the trader. The more you do the Challenge Mission (CM) the more items become available. This removes the arcade like play, and puts it more into a PvE situation of gain and working towards a goal. The items for trade here are not available from any other source nor are they tradable for profit. They are simply a personal goal and reason to play these missions. And they are "Kournan" in theme... as in the look of them.
Items: Items such as unique themed armor and weapons will be available at these traders. Another good example from Factions might be from Dragon's Throat. A collector here might trade "plaqueborn" weapons and armor.

Close: The idea here is to give an alternative option to end game content. Something even the casual player can work for. It also gives players a reason to sit around ("camp out") and get back into grouping with each other. Players working towards the highest rewards at specific CMs will get to know each other long term wise and hopefully continue grouping elsewhere.