Cosmic/Ethereal Raids

by Unknown

Back to Ideas.

Unknown2009-04-20 18:30:58
Right now, taking down the Moon/Night Aspect things or the Supernals or Demon Lords rarely happens mainly because of a couple factors that are required to pull them off, and have the raid he worth your while:

1. YOUR side has a crap load of combatants that are ALL ONLINE at the same time.
2. The target side has no or very few combatants online at the same that number 1 is fulfilled.

Otherwise, you'll maybe get one or two of your targets down which in the grand scheme of things does nothing but shake things up a tiny bit for your opponent.
Hell, even bringing down all 5 Cosmic Lords doesn't get you much other then the warm and squishy feeling inside that you did it, because the side that you brought them down for can easily raise them up again before anything real happens. Yes, even with all 5 down. Granted the Guardian Guild will be screwed a little bit and the shield will be weakened, but they can take care of that all on there own in on fell swoop.

As such, because of the rather poor payout for such a huge requirement and preparation (fulfilling both items 1 and 2 above (which is required to have any chance of getting all the targets down) is damn near impossible), there is really little (if any) action in this field.

So here's my suggestion:

Put the main cosmic and ethereal NPCs (The Supernals, Demon Lords etc.) on a 'weakening' timer like Nexus Worlds are. Although maybe as opposed to 1 hour for the weakening, maybe two hours would be better here. Every other time during that, only the standard mobs (Angels, Demons etc.) can be attacked. The main ones are invulnerable at all other times.

When they ARE weakened, then it's sort of like a game in what gets done.

One hour before the weakening (and for that hour leading up to) all those who are NOT affiliated with that plane (IE: Non-mags for Nil, Non-Serens for Etherwilde) are kicked off the plane, and they can't get on until the attack starts. This is to prevent them from camping out and gives an attacker type mentality. At the start of the event, all of the targets (from here on out, I will use "targets" to define the main beings, Supernals, Demon Lords, Night and Moon aspects) are still invulnerable. The attackers would have to kill a certain number of defenders (either associated players or mobs) in order to open one of them up. Generally speaking, STRONGER (IE: Higher Level, more lessons learned) players have a heavier value then a mob. Killing Narsrim would be more effective then killing an Archangel, but killing a level 30 player would not be as effective as killing an Archangel. The more powerful the defenders on the plane, the less valuable a mob is and the higher value a player is.

However, if the entire city or commune is just sitting at the nexus surrounded by 100 NPC Guards, then mobs will be significantly higher in value until the defenders start doing stuff. This would prevent every single defender just fortifying one room and the attackers trying to break down a figurative brick wall with a pin.

Once enough defenders (players and mobs) have been killed, ONE of the targets will open up. It will be announced plane-wide which one opened up. The difficulty of the target depends on several things:
The strength of the attackers vs. the strength of the defenders (If the defenders have a more powerful force then the attackers, the targets will be weaker and if the attackers have a more powerful force they will be stronger)
and
How many targets have already been brought down (they get a little pissed cuz you killed their friends).

After the first one has been brought down, a second one can be brought down and so on and so forth. In the case of the cosmic planes, Elohora and Luciphage will ALWAYS be the last to become vulnerable, and a portal to them will open as soon as the fourth one is down, at the location of the fourth one, regardless of who it is.

The damage to the controllers and the gains to the attackers would be based on how well things played out.
Rewards:
1 Brought Down:
5,000 Power transferred from the defender's nexus to the attacker's*
2:(**1**)
5,000 MORE Power is transferred from the defender's nexus to the attacker's
+.5 Bonus to all Power Gains of the Attacker's Nexus
3:
7,500 MORE Power is transferred
+1 Bonus to Power Gains
4: (**2**)
12,500 MORE Power is Transferred
+2 Bonus to Power Gains
10,000 Power is given to the attackers (this is NOT taken from the Defenders)
5: (**3**)
20,000 MORE Power is Transferred
+4 Bonus to Power Gains
20,000 More power is given to the attackers (again, not taken from Defenders)

So bringing all 5 down would screw your enemy out of 50,000 power, give you 80,000 plus a hefty bonus of 4 more power for ANY gains.

*If say for example, Celest and Serenwilde teamed up to take on Nil, the power would be split between the two factions based on relative strengths of the two factions. IE: if Celest's party made up 60% of the strength and Seren's made up the other 40, then Celest would get 60% of the power and Seren 40%.
Numbers in the (****) thing represent the number of Moon or Night Aspects brought down. One Moon or Night aspect downed would the same as bringing down two cosmic lords (this is because there are fewer).

After that, the Defenders need to clean up. For every target they manage to bring back, they will get 3/4 of the power lost back in their nexus (but it will NOT be taken from the attacker's). At some point after the weakening (say halfway between this one and the next one) all remaining targets that aren't brought back will be restored, but no power bonus. For every target left alive at that point (meaning, NOT KILLED) they will get similar bonuses to bringing them down.
For example, if three cosmic lords are left alive, that city will get a free 17,500 power. No penalty to the defenders at this point.



So what are your thoughts? I think it might breathe life into this aspect of the game and make it worthwhile again, since it doesn't seem all that worthwhile to me these days apart from bolstering one's ego.

I know it's also pretty hefty, so if you maybe have other ideas, I say share them. Hell, this might be a little too much for the programmers anyways.
Casilu2009-04-20 18:35:08
The Moon and Night avatars do weaken on a new moon or full moon, respectively.
Unknown2009-04-20 18:39:08
There was also very aggressive and repeated killings of the DLs not too long ago, and it was definitely negatively affecting Magnagora. So I wouldn't say the current set-up is completely worthless.
Kiradawea2009-04-20 20:24:19
QUOTE (casilu @ Apr 20 2009, 08:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Moon and Night avatars do weaken on a new moon or full moon, respectively.

Isn't that weakened from unkillable to manageable?

Regardless, I think this will be a nightmare to code, and end up just plain wonky. I'm also not quite sure of the neccessity of it. DL and Supernals are brought down regularly, and shields can be brought down if one side works hard enough for it. There is one thing in your suggestion that I like though. Making the deaths of the supermobs not only relocate power, but introduce some extra power to the system. Allow me to clarify in a moment.

Personally, I think the changes that should be made are these.

There should be a net power gain from converting. Killing an angel steals three power from Celest. Converting the angel to a demon adds six power to Magnagora, and vice versa. I'm not sure if stealing fae takes power from the forests. If they don't then just having a base power-gain seems fine.

All orgs should be able to convert all creatures from all other orgs. Magnagora should be able to convert Glomdoring's Smobs, Serenwilde should be able to convert the Supernals. And Celest should be able to convert Fae. Do you hear that admin? bop.gif you and the Raziela event and the lack of a cure. bop.gif you.

It should be as easy to bring down all five Cosmic Smobs as all three Ethereal Smob.

Losing the Cosmic Lords should not be as harsh on Guardians as it is right now. Having to burn through 60 power just to become combat viable after losing all Cosmic Lords doesn't exactly help morale.

Tie a reward to bringing up the Smobs. Karma, honours, experience... something. I wouldn't be opposed to tying up to four honour lines to restoring the defense of a nation. (Raising the Shield, Raising Crow/Hart/Star/Necro, Raising all Cosmic-Lords/Supernals/whatever else that is the third honour for the forests, and a last honour for getting all three.) I especially like an experience reward though. The losing side is bound to have lost some experience, and it can turn the whole situation into a "learning" experience.

Last, consider changing discretionary powers from being free with the construct up to being cheaper with the construct up. As long as there is some sort of power-cost for putting them up, people won't be trying to have them on at all times.
Unknown2009-04-20 20:30:50
Good idea, but not necessary, in my opinion.
Acrune2009-04-20 21:19:11
This isn't needed at all, not to mention its far too complex to ever get working right. Plus, your reasoning for the idea is "Since they are so damn rare these days," when not only is that not true, but your idea would probably decrease how often they happen, due to giving the defenders an hour to prepare and gather people up to help.

Shorten the supermob immortality time if you want to see the raids happen more.

(Also, you should strongly reconsider any idea that has the words "like nexus worlds are" in it tongue.gif)
Unknown2009-04-20 21:36:42
I MAY be a little uninformed on just how Rare they are, but I'm pretty sure I have yet to see a long list of cityfavors for either defending the supernals or bringing down the Demon Lords since I came back this past march.
Llandros2009-04-20 21:48:30
Terribad idea.

They are hard for a reason. It's a huge pain when they go down and encouraging people to do it is just no.
Casilu2009-04-20 21:58:41
QUOTE (Kiradawea @ Apr 20 2009, 01:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Isn't that weakened from unkillable to manageable?


Much bigger scale.
Xavius2009-04-20 23:54:14
QUOTE (casilu @ Apr 20 2009, 01:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
The Moon and Night avatars do weaken on a new moon or full moon, respectively.

Are you sure of this? I've never seen any evidence of it. The Ladies and Daughters strengthen and weaken on the lunar cycle, but I never noticed a corresponding change in the avatars, and I don't remember any announce post stating this.
Rika2009-04-20 23:55:48
QUOTE (Xavius @ Apr 21 2009, 11:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Are you sure of this? I've never seen any evidence of it. The Ladies and Daughters strengthen and weaken on the lunar cycle, but I never noticed a corresponding change in the avatars, and I don't remember any announce post stating this.


Thing is it is pretty hard to get solid evidence for or against this. I think short of the admin straight up telling us, we won't be able to confirm or deny this theory.
Xavius2009-04-21 01:53:35
QUOTE (rika @ Apr 20 2009, 06:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Thing is it is pretty hard to get solid evidence for or against this. I think short of the admin straight up telling us, we won't be able to confirm or deny this theory.

Probe?
Narsrim2009-04-21 02:01:49
QUOTE (Xavius @ Apr 20 2009, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
Probe?


Doesn't work. Probe doesn't apply to smobs for whatever reason. Selene probes the same as beasts in Muud.
Rika2009-04-21 02:03:57
I thought Avatars were so high up it doesn't even matter.
Unknown2009-04-21 03:17:56
I think with the smobs like the Avatars, DLs and Supernals it's a rather poor judge with PROBE. I know that all of them have been buffed by the admin multiple times in Lusternia's History.
kiriwe2009-04-23 03:30:00
If anything, the change I would like to see would be in the polar mechanic.

If say, Glomdoring decided for whatever reason that they wanted to go after Magnagora or Celest, it would be nice if they could take down the demon lords or supernals and give them to the proper mob and have the same event-thing happen as if they took out Serenwilde's Avatars. The same for any other nation. I think it would be the logical progression since now basic enchanting and alchemy are available to everybody.

(forgive the lack of terminology, it's been quite a while since I've had a chance to log in, and my game-related vocabulary is suffering)