I've got some Challenge ideas for you, Turbine

[Zirun]

You seem to have trouble with ideas, Turbine. 5 new challenges, and 3 of them you have to protect things in! We're tired of protecting things! We already have all the Lava Caves, Kobold Chaos, and Extraplanar Mining challenges for that! So why not have something else, huh?

Here's some ideas for you:

-A gladiator arena challenge (a la Tharashk Arena in a way, I guess) where your goal is to sabotage as many combatants as possible so whoever you're helping does as well as possible. This can include stealth (stealing items, poisoning drinks), brute force (killing them), persuasion (or intimidation), trapmaking and disabling, and perhaps some sorcery (debuffs on opponents, healing and buffing on ally between rounds). Not only does this give people who want to stealth something to do, but also provides some room for plenty of methods to improve score that aren't simply killing.

-A race challenge, where the party must try and come in first. There will be plenty of obstacles in the way, some of them put there by the race organizers, and many left by other racers. Sure, you can kill the other racers, and they can kill you, but why kill them when you can drop a sleet storm, a slowing trap, and maybe conk a few on the head?

You know, something other than 'protect X for as long as possible so they can Y'.

[Diroctive]

A small extractor is under attack!

I do like a racing challenge, I think Picture Portals is the closest we have. Something with a jumping puzzle, bosses you kill in a race against time, tile puzzles. Faster time = more ingredients?

[Steelstar]

-A race challenge, where the party must try and come in first.

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

[Teharahma]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

Yea cus running around aimlessly and a race are so alike.

[grayham]

I really like the new arena challenges, but my gosh is it going to be tough to 5 star those. The rate of damage needed to take out the first 3 waves (and have time left for the bosses) is crazy.

[furbyoats]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

Exactly...and if there was a racing based challenge the forums would be filled with doom threads about nerfing monks movement speed and sprint boosts because they are an unfair advantage. The arena quests are extremely fun :) nicely done.

[Zirun]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

Perhaps it's just me, but I don't mind the running around of the Cannith challenges. It's the protecting that kills me.

Go out to place a torch, hear "Incoming!", sigh. "A kobold has died." SIGH. Never going to get the place this torch, am I? "A large extractor is under attack!" Yeah, well, so is this one! I actually like Rushmore's Mansion more than the other three simply because it's just scouring for crests, even if the random crest mechanic can be really frustrating (just failed because the final door before the boss I was heading to required 3 of the same crest that I had 0 of, which was just stupid).

I dunno. Maybe people wouldn't like a race, I guess. I just feel like the same old protecting things is really overdone in the Challenges, and while it's better there than it is in some quests, it's still really annoying at times.

More challenges like the arena ones, though. I like those.

[furbyoats]

Perhaps it's just me, but I don't mind the running around of the Cannith challenges. It's the protecting that kills me.

Go out to place a torch, hear "Incoming!", sigh. "A kobold has died." SIGH. Never going to get the place this torch, am I? "A large extractor is under attack!" Yeah, well, so is this one! I actually like Rushmore's Mansion more than the other three simply because it's just scouring for crests, even if the random crest mechanic can be really frustrating (just failed because the final door before the boss I was heading to required 3 of the same crest that I had 0 of, which was just stupid).

I dunno. Maybe people wouldn't like a race, I guess. I just feel like the same old protecting things is really overdone in the Challenges, and while it's better there than it is in some quests, it's still really annoying at times.

More challenges like the arena ones, though. I like those.

Perhaps a change of roles...an enemy fortress with multiple walls and groups of mobs inside. Have to wipe out the room to break down the next wall and the objective is to reach the center and take out the boss. Could be fun and have some interesting architecture. Literally a zerg siege of a castle or fort.

[nibel]

What about a stealth chalenge, in the line of Stealth Repossession, or the new quest Impossible Demands: You start with a maxxed out score (let's say, 50,000), and have the main objective to release a key prisioner in a maze full of levers and passageways. Every time you are caught or make "too much noise" (by breaking doors and such), you score decrease. Acquiring optionals will raise the score back a bit (releasing all prisioners, finding blue motes, kill everyone without being detected, etc). The normal mobs could even be kinda blind and deaf, so you don't need 80 hide/ms to succeed the basic star (only to stay hidden), saving the perceptive ones to guard optionals.

[settoloki]

Exactly...and if there was a racing based challenge the forums would be filled with doom threads about nerfing monks movement speed and sprint boosts because they are an unfair advantage. The arena quests are extremely fun :) nicely done.

I know they could put all the contenders in little go-karts that all move at the same speed, and you should have the ability to do things like throw banana skins into the track to slip up other racers, or shoot heat seeking shells at them to temporarily disable them.

This would be an awesome idea, but can't help to think I have seen it elsewhere, who knows!

[furbyoats]

I know they could put all the contenders in little go-karts that all move at the same speed, and you should have the ability to do things like throw banana skins into the track to slip up other racers, or shoot heat seeking shells at them to temporarily disable them.

This would be an awesome idea, but can't help to think I have seen it elsewhere, who knows!

There would be calls to nerf the blue shell for sure.

[Alcedes]

See now what I think would be nice is Challenges designed specifically for specific classes, designed for solo play.

This would give people a solid option for earning XP solo while working towards challenge rewards. If the challenges were designed with just the ONE class in mind, you could gear them towards putting them in situations where they learn when, where, how, why its best to use the tools provided to your class. people would be MUCH better at playing their class once they hit the end game.

it would basically be a giant tutorial. players who really used these challenges would obtain mastery over their class. it would make for much better end game pugging.

[Missing_Minds]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

They just want to make more left turns.

[barecm]

I like the new challenges. Short, sweet and to the point. Good xp.

/not signed for race running. Seriously, this is not Mario Cart.

The general challenge concept is either going to be defend or attack. They have a few attack ones and a few defend ones.

The bigger issue is the loot. Has Turbine NOT learned that random loot is not what the community wants? See Dragon Touched Armor as a similar example. It was not a good idea then, it is not a good idea now.

[Mathermune]

They already have a perfect map just screaming to be made into a challenge in storm the beaches.

After reclaiming it for House Deneith the remnants of Captain Tew's pirate gang sail up and lay siege.

Objectives can include manning cannons or ballistae to sink ships, fighting off a breach in the walls, repairing the crystal that prevents teleporting by taking the power source back from a saboteur and guarding Kobold workers as they repair a game winning trebuchet...

I'm joking about the last one. But it's all there. they just have to script in enemies and events.

A house themed challenge would be pretty cool. House Phiarlan could have one that has the player stopping a tide of undead swarming in through the necropolis etc. etc.

[sephiroth1084]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.
The problem isn't with running, it's with running around, and back and forth, and running around aimlessly.

In the kobold mining challenges, we spend a lot of time running out in a direction, and then doubling back when we hear "Incoming!" or when we find that the route we had chosen is a poor one (for minerals or otherwise).

In Rushmore's, the major complaint I've seen is that it just takes too long.

In the Kobold Island challenges, we spend a lot of time running back and forth across the map, looking for resources or objectives, and activating and protecting devices.


None of that is even remotely similar to what a racing-themed challenge would encompass.

[furbyoats]

See now what I think would be nice is Challenges designed specifically for specific classes, designed for solo play.

This would give people a solid option for earning XP solo while working towards challenge rewards. If the challenges were designed with just the ONE class in mind, you could gear them towards putting them in situations where they learn when, where, how, why its best to use the tools provided to your class. people would be MUCH better at playing their class once they hit the end game.

it would basically be a giant tutorial. players who really used these challenges would obtain mastery over their class. it would make for much better end game pugging.

I think this would be amazing...but realistically the time needed to build it vs. the payout might not be very high. Great idea though.

[settoloki]

There would be calls to nerf the blue shell for sure.

no anything but the blue shells!

[Paddymew]

How about a siege in two parts - one challenge for the attackers and one for the besieged? In that way, we'd both get a challenge for people who like to defend objectives, and one for the more aggressive type who doesn't like protecting objectives.

[Teraz]

I would like a "tower defense" sort of challenge. Guard this checkpoint, if the enemy breaks in fall back to the next checkpoint, and have the ability to fight back and retake the first checkpoint.

I don't like changing ddo to look like other games, but challenges are a great way to use popular mechanics and styles from other games to enhance the ddo experience without taking away from the core game.

[dubyprime]

-A gladiator arena challenge (a la Tharashk Arena in a way, I guess) where your goal is to sabotage as many combatants as possible so whoever you're helping does as well as possible. This can include stealth (stealing items, poisoning drinks), brute force (killing them), persuasion (or intimidation), trapmaking and disabling, and perhaps some sorcery (debuffs on opponents, healing and buffing on ally between rounds). Not only does this give people who want to stealth something to do, but also provides some room for plenty of methods to improve score that aren't simply killing.

This is similar to the arena challenges presented. The idea of using alternatives to killing is different, but that seems to be something better placed in a quest then a challenge.



-A race challenge, where the party must try and come in first. There will be plenty of obstacles in the way, some of them put there by the race organizers, and many left by other racers. Sure, you can kill the other racers, and they can kill you, but why kill them when you can drop a sleet storm, a slowing trap, and maybe conk a few on the head?

Picture portals is effectively a race against the clock. Using various tricks to slow down/avoid/distract mobs can be effective.
What you describe though seems more in line with coins in Jeets.



You know, something other than 'protect X for as long as possible so they can Y'.
Rushmoore's mansion, and Arena fit that bill nicely.

I would like to see an actual puzzle in challenges. The Wizards riddle is a little weak.

Ultimately, my biggest issue with challenges is that stars are not directly tied to score/rewards. Often trying to achieve the various stars is quite fun and a real challenge, but maximizing mats/minute is boring and a joke.

[Dagolar]

Interestingly, one of the most-mentioned pieces of feedback on these forums from the Cannith Challenges was that they required too much running around. Hence why the Eveningstar Challenges are much more centralized.

And we thank you for it.


Yea cus running around aimlessly and a race are so alike.

Though this is entirely true, and an actual race- in the sport sense of the word, not in the abstract 'race against time (only to lose to random elements), race against death, race against..' sense of the word- seems as if it could be fun, if implemented well.
Add in all those new nifty pitfalls and beartraps and whatnot, some solid teamplay elements for disrupting the path of 'the other team' while others work to aid the party's ease of progression.. it has potential.

But, for the time being, I'm content to enjoy these new challenges- that is, ones that are actually fun [for me]. :P

[valarx]

One thing I'd really like to see in challenges is something that doesn't have a timer associated with it. I'm tired of racing against the clock. This makes sense for some challenges, but for others (i.e. arenas) who cares how long it takes, as long as you survive. So I'd like to see something besides a clock timer to determine end of a challenge.

Here's a couple of ideas on that:
1. In arena challenges it would be easiest to just continue to increase the number of creatures or the difficulty of the creatures until the party finally fails. Or just have a set point at which the party has won the arena (killed all the combatants).
2. I'd like to see skill challenges thrown in. For instance, in running through Rushmore's mansion there could be various skill challenges/stat challenges in each room. Bypassing a certain number unlocks the next room. Failing too many means you fail the quest.

For those challenges that DO have time requirements, optional objectives to increase time would be nice. Rescue some prisoners (increase time). Solve a puzzle (increase time). I know we have some of this currently, but only in the form of paying resources (which you are racing to collect) or opening doors. I'm thinking more of secondary objectives that may require specific classes or abilities.

I'm not saying I'd like to see time challenges completely removed. I definitely like having a few race against the clock challenges, I just don't like ALL of the challenges being on a timer.

[Jatner]

How about a maze challenge, with the maze being randomly generated to avoid people just learning the route and blitzing through it. A few mobs scattered around, a couple of traps that can either be disarmed or avoided.

At various points in the maze there could be portals (say 6 in total) that take the player into a boss fight. The primary objective would be to kill one of the red names, with additional stars awarded for killing extra bosses (3,4,5 and 6). A 6th star could be awarded for completing these objectives within a set time.