Quest/Event Reward System suggestion

[Lavinia]

So, after a discussion in the cbox about the possible idea, I wanted to throw it out and see what comes back. I will use the example of a thread I'm currently in. Myself and Tyonis are currently fighting our way through a tomb of undead and haunted spirits(mostly using custom monsters because we both agreed to it) to slay the necromancer at the end and collect the grimoire fueling the whole thing. Once defeated my character plans on keeping this book and starting a collection, these grimoires would be purely vanity items but still items that would be in my inventory. This system would allow us to create quests or events that at the end give custom items, like a leveled sword with a fire damage reforge or a handful of potions for the group. The item or items would need to be approved and at the end added to the players inventory by a GM. There would have to be restrictions for such a system, like you can't use it to gain items in a solo thread and capping reforge effects on item to common rarity for example. Lets discuss this and see how it goes.

[Murasaki]

This system is mostly used for certain instances like field boss raids, dungeons, and recently theater missions. But generally we want to regulate special rewards from player-run threads so that they're balanced and equivalent in effort. Can't have people running with extremely OP weapons they got from a goblin's garage sale after all. For anyone wanting to submit their ideas for quests and rewards, try to make it something that can be obtained by others who decide to take the same quest. Field bosses respawn, for example, so their prizes aren't necessarily exclusive to anyone. Generally rewards will only be given if the thread had decent activity as well, roughly 20 posts worth or more to throw out an example number. Feel free to suggest further.

[Icyferno]

To address the problem of special rewards, perhaps rewards from these quests should be weaker. E.g.: A quest meant for a party of level 20s drop level 15 rewards that have average reforge effects. Possibly non-reforgable as well. (I don't know about the rewards from boss battles, 2weak2fightthem)

On the topic of excludability, perhaps we could make a thread where people can suggest quests, mobs faced in quest(if any) and POSSIBLE rewards, with mods reserving the right to remove or alter rewards before adding them to an official quest list. This list would also help people who don't know what to write about if it gets implemented. Obviously, quest entries would have to be repeatable.



Example quest I literally just came up with on the fly:

Repel the Goblins!
Location: Northen Marshland of Thames
Recommended party size: 2-6
Recommended level: 10
Quest description: The daring goblins scouts have set up camp near a commonly used trade route. They attack passing caravans, resulting in both lost lives and cargo. Therefore, the merchants have pooled their resources together to offer a reward to any Adventurer who clears out a camp of goblins. However, this is only a temporary measure as it is only a matter of time before more goblins take the place of those slain.
Possible mobs: Goblin Scout
Possible rewards:

Rusty Goblin Dagger: Level 8. A simple dagger with a rusted blade. The dull edge of the blade suggests that the weapon has seen much use but little maintenance. Reforge effect: Dexterity stat increase (Level 2).

The current issue is that few people actually bother to fight field bosses, go on theater missions or attempt Raids. So in the end, 99.9% of equipment are crafted. While I understand this will give mods more work since it might possible people would be updating their equipment every few levels, I feel that this might be a possible method to cover for a lack of crafters in any area as long as it is used correctly.

[EDIT]Alternatively, allow quests to give vanity items which are related to the quest done. So in the example above, the Adventurer might obtain a [Worn Goblin Trinket] or something.

[Deleted]

Oct 25, 2014 12:22:08 GMT Icyferno said:

The current issue is that few people actually bother to fight field bosses, go on theater missions or attempt Raids. So in the end, 99.9% of equipment are crafted.

I like the event reward system that you are suggesting (it's like in the SAO RP) but this really isn't a good reason to implement it. As you said, there is already an existing one but people just DON'T use it. It's not as if an event reward system doesn't really exist, but people do not want to use what the mods have implemented and instead they want to go out on their own quests... which isn't really how MMOs go.

While Raids and Field Bosses take a while to do, Murasaki recently implemented the Theater Missions that are actually easier to complete. You don't need an NPCer for it, and you don't have to be at a certain level; the mission will actually synch you "up" to the mission level.

So... for now, do the theater missions. You don't even need a full party for it, you can just NPC the other characters. You don't need new equipment for it, the character that you will play will have equipment and skills already. All you need are active or semi-active people, which if you say will be a problem, it will definitely be a problem too if the event reward system that you're suggesting is implemented. The human factor is always a troublesome one.

[Icyferno]

Oct 26, 2014 23:43:44 GMT @dindeen said:

So... for now, do the theater missions. You don't even need a full party for it, you can just NPC the other characters. You don't need new equipment for it, the character that you will play will have equipment and skills already. All you need are active or semi-active people, which if you say will be a problem, it will definitely be a problem too if the event reward system that you're suggesting is implemented. The human factor is always a troublesome one.

So what about other kinds of loot?

Say, Lavinia wants a [Book of the Fallen Magus Apprentice], not as a weapon, but just as a vanity item to keep in her personal library to remember the fond memories of journeying together with Tyonis. If she gets someone to craft it, technically it would not come from actually doing the quest itself, thus she would go home sad that her book of tasteful memories with Tyonis was crafted by someone else, not earned through the quest.

It's a game world, so obviously there are tons of quests. Since in terms of equipment, there is a satisfactory number of quests which provide equipment rewards, I would suggest that such a thread could be used to get vanity items with more unique flavor text.

Penalties could be applied if it makes you feel better, since it would certainly make people think twice before going on a quest for kewl vanity items. An example of a penalty would be [Word count x 0.95]. Do note that penalties can't be too heavy since it's just a vanity item in the end, and there are few willing to go so far for it.

[Deleted]

Oct 28, 2014 6:46:24 GMT Icyferno said:

Oct 26, 2014 23:43:44 GMT @dindeen said:

So... for now, do the theater missions. You don't even need a full party for it, you can just NPC the other characters. You don't need new equipment for it, the character that you will play will have equipment and skills already. All you need are active or semi-active people, which if you say will be a problem, it will definitely be a problem too if the event reward system that you're suggesting is implemented. The human factor is always a troublesome one.

So what about other kinds of loot?

Say, Lavinia wants a [Book of the Fallen Magus Apprentice], not as a weapon, but just as a vanity item to keep in her personal library to remember the fond memories of journeying together with Tyonis. If she gets someone to craft it, technically it would not come from actually doing the quest itself, thus she would go home sad that her book of tasteful memories with Tyonis was crafted by someone else, not earned through the quest.

It's a game world, so obviously there are tons of quests. Since in terms of equipment, there is a satisfactory number of quests which provide equipment rewards, I would suggest that such a thread could be used to get vanity items with more unique flavor text.

Penalties could be applied if it makes you feel better, since it would certainly make people think twice before going on a quest for kewl vanity items. An example of a penalty would be [Word count x 0.95]. Do note that penalties can't be too heavy since it's just a vanity item in the end, and there are few willing to go so far for it.

When playing MMOs, rewards are obtained via RNG (random number generation). You don't always get the thing that you want or need. That's what the crafting system is for, for when you want a specific item that it tailored to what you want.

Vanity items are one thing since they are not game-breaking, but the system that is being suggested in this thread includes custom items with reforge. Handing out HP and MP potions would also leave pharmacists such as yourself with little to do. (Though personally I think bare necessities such as potions should be buyable from the NPC shop, perhaps something less potent than what a pharmacist can make... comparable to how Windsor armors/weapons are not as good as blacksmith-made items.)

If the thought that initially sparked this idea was just about a vanity item, then focus on a reward system that gives out vanity items instead of widening the scope.

[Lavinia]

Oct 28, 2014 8:22:17 GMT @dindeen said:

Oct 28, 2014 6:46:24 GMT Icyferno said:

So what about other kinds of loot?

Say, Lavinia wants a [Book of the Fallen Magus Apprentice], not as a weapon, but just as a vanity item to keep in her personal library to remember the fond memories of journeying together with Tyonis. If she gets someone to craft it, technically it would not come from actually doing the quest itself, thus she would go home sad that her book of tasteful memories with Tyonis was crafted by someone else, not earned through the quest.

It's a game world, so obviously there are tons of quests. Since in terms of equipment, there is a satisfactory number of quests which provide equipment rewards, I would suggest that such a thread could be used to get vanity items with more unique flavor text.

Penalties could be applied if it makes you feel better, since it would certainly make people think twice before going on a quest for kewl vanity items. An example of a penalty would be [Word count x 0.95]. Do note that penalties can't be too heavy since it's just a vanity item in the end, and there are few willing to go so far for it.

When playing MMOs, rewards are obtained via RNG (random number generation). You don't always get the thing that you want or need. That's what the crafting system is for, for when you want a specific item that it tailored to what you want.

Vanity items are one thing since they are not game-breaking, but the system that is being suggested in this thread includes custom items with reforge. Handing out HP and MP potions would also leave pharmacists such as yourself with little to do. (Though personally I think bare necessities such as potions should be buyable from the NPC shop, perhaps something less potent than what a pharmacist can make... comparable to how Windsor armors/weapons are not as good as blacksmith-made items.)

If the thought that initially sparked this idea was just about a vanity item, then focus on a reward system that gives out vanity items instead of widening the scope.

In every MMO I've played the only loot controlled by RNG is either chests(the stud that will give you more gold or a junk vendor item) or dungeon and raid loot. Quest themselves have never given random loot, they've always been specific items to help fill gear gaps for players within that level range or at higher levels vanity rewards like pets.

[Deleted]

Oct 28, 2014 12:41:29 GMT Lavinia said:

Oct 28, 2014 8:22:17 GMT @dindeen said:

When playing MMOs, rewards are obtained via RNG (random number generation). You don't always get the thing that you want or need. That's what the crafting system is for, for when you want a specific item that it tailored to what you want.

Vanity items are one thing since they are not game-breaking, but the system that is being suggested in this thread includes custom items with reforge. Handing out HP and MP potions would also leave pharmacists such as yourself with little to do. (Though personally I think bare necessities such as potions should be buyable from the NPC shop, perhaps something less potent than what a pharmacist can make... comparable to how Windsor armors/weapons are not as good as blacksmith-made items.)

If the thought that initially sparked this idea was just about a vanity item, then focus on a reward system that gives out vanity items instead of widening the scope.

In every MMO I've played the only loot controlled by RNG is either chests(the stud that will give you more gold or a junk vendor item) or dungeon and raid loot. Quest themselves have never given random loot, they've always been specific items to help fill gear gaps for players within that level range or at higher levels vanity rewards like pets.

Regarding quests that give rewards that will equip the players, there are no main or side story quests on this board. The mods would have to write up some things that adhere to the lore and things that they planned if such things will be implemented.

An example of repeatable quests that have RNG rewards are levequests from FFXIV. They give out equipment around the level of the player but it's not always what the player needs or can even use.

This isn't the first time that anyone asked about quests with rewards, and thinking along that line, I made quests that give out gold. I think the main question at this point is, can such a system be implemented without putting crafters in a corner? But as I said in my previous post, if it's just vanity items then this thread should focus on that because including gear with reforge is too wide of a scope. Even in MMOs, side quests don't give things that have special abilities (i.e. reforge), only vanity items or standard gear for a certain level range.

If those interested could give an example of the system that they want to implement, that will not push aside crafters or currently existing systems, then maybe the mods can take another look at this? Icyferno's example looks similar to levequests from FFXIV, and those give out loots via RNG. I doubt that this is what the TS wants, given the example about the [Book of the Fallen Magus Apprentice] vanity item.

[Icyferno]

Oct 28, 2014 8:22:17 GMT @dindeen said:

If the thought that initially sparked this idea was just about a vanity item, then focus on a reward system that gives out vanity items instead of widening the scope.

It started as a suggestion to get equipment. If you noticed in my previous post, I mentioned, "Since in terms of equipment, there is a satisfactory number of quests which provide equipment rewards, I would suggest that such a thread could be used to get vanity items with more unique flavor text." Technically, I already agreed to focus on a system to get vanity items. All the loose bits in the thread probably made life very confusing.

Either that, or I'm so stressed nowadays that I can't comprehend what I'm saying. :l

Does Lavinia find 'making a system which rewards Adventurers with a chance at vanity items on the completion of a quest thread' acceptable?

[Lavinia]

That seems acceptable.

[Tobin]

I think all that was being lost in the translation is that it was being worded in such a way that made it seem like the suggestion would incorpirate equipment based awkwards. Personally, I really would like vainity items to earn, that way I can either have an Artisian convert it into something pleasing to look at or alternatively wear it like a badge of honour. Dwarf really likes to make overblown geastures like that.

[Deleted]

As far as vanity items go, rewards from quests could be a type of item that can be claimed as a vanity item. It's kind of like the materials used for crafting, but there's no cost involved in making them. The player is responsible for the item's name and description, which then gets plugged into their inventory (after passing through the appropriate channels of approval).