[idea] how to make DK interesting and remove grind from it

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tangar
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[idea] how to make DK interesting and remove grind from it

Post by tangar »

[idea] how to make DK interesting and remove grind from it
I belive that at character creation its important to give everyone equal starting opportunities. I mean a new-born character has to have the same _possibilities_ for everyone.

Right now there is events system operating. There are several events, which are designed for a new characters. If you would success in the event, your character would receive certain profit - very good item. Sometimes it could be even end-game item, like very good bow or mage stuff, cap of seeing or just wicked armour with rare resistances.

The most popular event right now is Dungeon Keeper. To win you have to run from Horned Reaper and and find an exit from dungeon before it would appear lava.

To win in such events - no a simple matter and based mainly at random. So you have to "grind" (repeat the same thing again and again) to win this event. And even if you would win it - it could be bad item so you need to start over and over - grind over and over.

Why I like TomeNET? Because it a game without grind. You have DIFFERENT situations in a dungeons. Even first dungeons and shallow deep could give a surprise to experienced player. Every dungeon is not the same, every situation is different. Its what make TomeNET interesting.

But there, in event system for new characters... We do not have it. DK is the same every time. Again and again. Its grind. Its boring. Its dissapointing cause you have to wait several hours till next event after each fail.

Of course you could pass DK and play without initial "boost" with a cool item from it. But its ONLINE game. You see other players doing DK again and again and finally they got uber item whith you dream of. And you go DK also to try to get it. Yes, this option, to grind again and again is very seductive.

So.. What I could say. Lets discuss this matters and try to find a solution? I could see several of them:

1) Make DK event more interesting, more random, more close to TomeNET by spirit. Lets add possibility to find in DK potions (fire resistance, of speed.. could be useful!), scrolls (phase door and teleport scrolls could save your life), different types of light, food... Add there some low lvl monsters from Training Tower, why not? Add more different layouts, like trees and sand. Give possibility to find spade or pickaxe to dig walls. May be even spawn some traps sometimes?

To remove possibility to cheeze in DK with items which you could bring it - make automatical removal of all items (in backpack and on character) from character who teleported inside of DK vault. Its quite logical to appear in DK naked.. And only give a small torch at the beginning.

So DK would be different and interesting every time. Main idea would be the same - run from dungeon before lava get you or you would be killed by Horned Reaper.. But it would be more random, playable, interesting.. less grind fest with the same stuff.

2) Another approach - to leave DK as it is now, but give possibility to participate this event with every new character without waiting till event starts. To give possibility to choose lineage of your character. For example, when you create your character there could be such screen:

==========
Choose your lineage:
1) From common folk
2) From poor family
3) From noble rich family
4) Prison runner
==========

Common folk starts as it is now, without changes.

With 2nd option (poor) you start without any gold but with extra supplies (it could be good option for IDDC chars

With 3rd option (noble) you start without any items but with more gold (some people would like to start characters without sword and chainmail)

Prison runner... Its what we talk about in this topic. You start in DK event, without any items and any gold. Its quite hardcore for a new player, but for experienced once who grind DK its quite ok. You go DK right after your character created. If you win - you could continue to play. If you loose - you just create another character and try again. Its also grind, but you DO NOT need to wait several hours till next DK event, so its not so bad. Also It would give possibility to stream (make video) DK, when you do DK over and over.. Right now its impossible to create such stream because after you die once - stream has to end.

Please discuss and add your suggestions.
Tangar's tileset, addon, guides & maps: English TomeNET page ||||||| Russian TomeNet page
http://youtube.com/GameGlaz — streams in English // http://youtube.com/StreamGuild — streams in Russian
My chars @ angband.oook.cz
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