'Quest' NPCs (in General)

What do you guys about seeding MPR levels with static 'Quest' NPCs for players to beat?

We've got a wealth of unused/retired characters out there to tap.

With maybe a CMed message of achievement if you beat them, or even a small one time reward (Or maybe a small one time bost to cash rewards, or even item drop, if possible).

I'm more than happy to supply a couple of characers to rename and retrain to provide some NPCs to beat up on. We could add an [NPC] tag to thier name or the like.

It would give some small targets in CB, and a bit of fun.

If we like the idea of rewards, but they can't come from the system, I'd contribute some cash/items myself, but have another plan atm. >;)

Maybe there could be an NPC account they could be used on, with someone looking after some training (but only for Changelogs, they'd be set up to remain at a specific size).

What do you think?

I like this idea. I've a couple of larger chars, including a 3 mill MPR char that are gathering dust in retirement. Would be nice for them to get some use.

Great idea.

I'm going to be blatantly honest, mostly because its early in the morning and this type of thing is getting on my nerves.

Can we -stop- pushing CB to be like every other run of the mill RPG game? I joined CB because it was different. Instead of go fight JoeBob and get a quest reward, you had to develop a team and try to take the top. Which didn't mean you were going to win because there is -no- win until the server is shut down.

At this rate, NS/Jon might as well set 10mil MPR as the Winning Number and then have CB shut down.

Not to take away from a Great Idea, but, why not have that as a separate option for everyone?

I would personally love to donate a char for this, I have 3 good ones in retirement. Problem is the xfer fees are killer! So if the system couldn't soak up the cost why not separate it from the main accounts like Tourney Chars? Same rules would apply though no xfers between them and the active/tourney chars. Only Admins could xfer items to them. I think this would add a new dynamic to the game that would make it fresh all over again.


Once again just a thought, the original idea is awesome!

I suggested something like this a while back. I really like this idea. It would add some variety to the game, certainly.

only if we can name them all jonathan or nightstrike! ; )

I've suggested a similar idea for the tutorial levels. I think it can spice up the game for new players during their first weeks, but it could be difficult to make everyone happy at higher levels. Being able to triple-tap would just suck the fun out of it.

I hear what you're saying Silva, but CB sn't like any other MMO anyway, and this sort of thing isn't going to make it any less. Fight up with peoples farms is just hitting NPCs anyway.

I was thinking if this could be linked into the new player achievements.

Fight this NPC and get $1000 (just lke posting in New Payers), etc.

If it can't be done mechanically, I might see if it's feasible to run this myself, using my character slots. And then maybe just checking the fight logs and sending a CM to those first time victories (but I doubt I'd keep it up for long! lol!).

And maybe, CB doesn't have the player base these other MMOs have, becuase it *doesn't* offer this sort of thing...

At this rate, NS/Jon might as well set 10mil MPR as the Winning Number and then have CB shut down. <-------- not a bad idea.

Technically this is already in place. For new players there is 1 random target that is quite small but they will definitely be able to hit that day. Then there is another target that they generally wont be able to hit until about 50k mpr and this one gives a 10k reward.

Wicked! Didn't know that. ;)

That's exactly the sort of thing I was thinking about.

Maybe it could be extended, and set up with some fixed targets, and not just random ones.

Random drops in fights... quest NPCs... tournaments like arenas... Wait what I'm not playing WoW am I ;)

Why not just raise the number of char slots and alter the rewards system to encourage farms?

The whole quest thing is kinda iffy to me, but getting more specialized farms out there so people can earn a real chal bonus... that's something I can get behind.

Just because other games have it doesnt mean its a bad thing

We do have this- Tournaments.

Remember that last tourney, the zombie one.

There were 3 NPC's that had to be beat.

I like this system rather than introducing it to normal gameplay.

QBRanger 3:28 PM EDT
We do have this- Tournaments.

Remember that last tourney, the zombie one.

There were 3 NPC's that had to be beat


Yes and that was in something that I have NEVER joined or had an inkling to do so. Why should ONLY Tourney players get to have the fun of hitting milestones or finishing quests? It is after all an acceptable idea to be honest, Tourneys do well why not do the same in regular gameplay to make it more interesting? Tourneys will always have people jumping in them to break the monotony so it will NEVER get skimped because of this so why not use an effective idea?

Why are tournaments so appalling to you?

Per the FORS:

Q: Why not add computer-controlled opponents, or maybe a 'quest' mode?
A: Computer opponents would add zero gameplay and are fundamentally less interesting than competition with people who are (hopefully) as smart as you are.

If you think for just a few minutes about the kinds of quests traditional or massively multiplayer RPGs have, you will realize that they are either (a) ridiculously ill-suited to the CB environment, or (b) something that a CB player in quest of wealth/power/fame would be doing anyway. Or both.

However, with the recent addition of drops, some of this "does not add to gameplay" issue is cloudy. I personally feel that the drops is very similar to NPCs and quests.

As to Rawr's question:

I like tourneys as a diversion. Something different and something that is not skewed by external factors. A closed system where everyone is competing equally. And the fact I have yet to lose one I participated in makes it that much more fun :)

I agree with SilvaGaidin.

Rawr 4:27 PM EDT
Why are tournaments so appalling to you?


They are Not appalling to me Rawr never were. I have congratulated many on joining and running effective and well planned touneys and wins. I steer clear of them because I know where my limits lie.It is something I have come to accept, I have never been good at tournament play so why try :/ If I compete against someone like Ranger, novice, artemis, ob etc etc I might as well have said I wasted my time. All of the fun is sucked out of it for me because I know as soon as any of the Big names in Tourney play are in I have ABSOLUTELY zero chance of winning. *shrugs*

SG,

And your post is one of the big reasons that I hate this new drop system.

Kudos to a nice well thought out post.

I really don't see what's wrong with having a few NPC milestone characters. I think it would add another element to the game.
Don't we want to expand our community and appeal to new players?
I think this would be the perfect opportunity to do that, personally.

Of course, I'm always open to change and improvement, and I understand why people can grow to love a system. And, as a result, when someone loves a system, they don't want to see it change, even if it is potentially for the better.
I truly understand the opposition. However, I don't think there are any good reasons not to give it a try at least. The worst that could happen is it doesn't pan out and we go back to the way things were, right?