The Battle of the Plains of Krynn

[Tarax the Terrible]

In general I think what that system lacks is a climatic finish and non player attack spikes of danger/challenge rating.

As it is now you run around the plain killing everything you see, trying to stay on the right plain.
You check the remaining forces and do another pass to catch spawns or ones who moved back on you in their random wanderings. (Hoping you actually know all the rooms. People often miss below the bridge in New Ports, in the middle of the river at VK etc.)
-If you can't find them you move on dejected (and exhausted for all the running around).

Or yay! You find a few stragglers, some very very weak guards
-since that is how the system works the longer a plain is held the stronger the guards that spawn
-those respawning after a wipeout arrive weakest first.

You kill them and claim the plain then move on.
No clap of thunder, no big finish.
The combat was straightforward and "safe" same as the last 600 times.
TBH it is a mundane grind if you are not interrupted by an enemy player wanting to chase you off.


Better to have random encounters from some "special forces" type groups. Icewall style.
And a boss encounter at the end.

Boss encounters would be quite easy to think up, lots of Dragonlance chars out there not used, or invent new ones.
The more plains that are held the better boss arrives on the latest one.
A ladder system.

Best new gameplay perk would be the boss calls in all the outlying forces when attacked.
Who defend them and need to die before boss can be slain.
Not and instant arrival but a steady stream.
So you are guaranteed to clear the plain if you find the boss and attack there.
But in reality probably need to kill the vast majority of the outlying scattered forces 1st so as not to make the boss fight too hard.

Rewards, Easy.. The bosses Gear and Treasures.

Also I think t would be of benefit to make it so that anyone from any guild can "free" a plain.
To improve cycling and not have a stagnant situation were for example all the plains are held by the Stunties no DA's active, time to ignore the systems till the DA's wake up.
Unclaimed plains conquered back a bit later by a random one of the factions.

[Cherek]

Cool ideas Tarax!

The war system have the potential to make grinding much more fun. Bosses definitely sounds fun, and your clever way to eliminate the endless running around looking for the last group would be a great improvement as well I think.

Like I mentioned before I would also like to see some type of rewards for controlling plains, and some way of actively defending them. Like being able to check their status wherever you are, or get some type of message when they are attacked.

But there arent any huge changes that need to be made to make it funnier. Just the bosses you suggested would do alot for the fun-ness of raiding plains I think.

[Ashur]

Also I think t would be of benefit to make it so that anyone from any guild can "free" a plain.
To improve cycling and not have a stagnant situation were for example all the plains are held by the Stunties no DA's active, time to ignore the systems till the DA's wake up.
Unclaimed plains conquered back a bit later by a random one of the factions.

It might not make a whole lot of sense to do this, but it would be a lot of fun to see. Especially with your boss idea. Though, it would be interesting, then, to see what kind of reward system was implemented. If there's a reward, and *any* guild can claim a plain ... it's likely that the plains would be THE place to be. A lot of conflict, but also a lot of other areas might get traveled less.

[Tarax the Terrible]

Well the any guild ability to "free" a plain is a small change by itself since anyone can kill there already.
The only difference would be it opens up the games only existing war system to more plains still changing hands when one of the factions falls dormant.
You are actually doing those who still want to kill there a favor if it spawns as one of their enemies.

Question is should it go to a random existing faction or a new neutral faction like Barbarians from Que-shu.
Riverwind being their top ladder boss.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riverwind
Assisted by Goldmoon?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldmoon

Or would Niggets and Stunties object to killing their possible allies (since they are not forces of Evil)?
Probably.. bah

[Tarax the Terrible]

Could just make it the Minotaurs.
Everyone loves killing them and their specials etc are already coded.

[Strider]

Let me expand your list, Tarax:

• a random existing faction
• a new neutral faction like Barbarians from Que-shu
• Minotaurs
• new factions specific to the character's other Dragonlance affiliation
• the existing faction whose "war token" the character is qualified to be carrying
• a new faction designed to be their occupational guild's Dragonlance equivalent
• empty until an existing faction arrives
• either the faction who is least represented or the faction directly opposing the one that is most represented, on a reasonably long rolling average; the theory being to reset the plains for the most active conquerers.

[Laurel]

let the kender army raid plains now and then! hide your belongings!

[Tarax the Terrible]

Let me expand your list, Tarax:

• a random existing faction
• a new neutral faction like Barbarians from Que-shu
• Minotaurs
• new factions specific to the character's other Dragonlance affiliation
• the existing faction whose "war token" the character is qualified to be carrying
• a new faction designed to be their occupational guild's Dragonlance equivalent
• empty until an existing faction arrives
• either the faction who is least represented or the faction directly opposing the one that is most represented, on a reasonably long rolling average; the theory being to reset the plains for the most active conquerers.

Yes good list, was thinking about the war token one myself.
Also thinking about a cash bounty somehow, ie RDA will pay you 50 plats, Nigget offer is 100. Some sort of market system.

But for Gameplay I think the last options is maybe the best.


Laurel,
Kenders? Ugh!
Would be a nightmare!!