How to fix Mabar

[Ranidae]

Mabar was a very popular event. It just needs some minor tweaks really. The lag from Mabar isn't half as bad as daily DDO-wide lag we've had for months now.

How to fix Mabar:
- Lock lever when no dragon in room. (reduces gargoyle spawns)
- Optimize the dragon code a bit.
- Dismiss cosmetic pets upon entering dungeon.
- Increase (double?) cool-down for AoE and summons in dungeon.

Distribute lag:
- Summoning chamber open all the time.
- Ethereal keys cost 100 motes per level band. (turn-ins still necessary)
Levels 1 thru 8 - (100 motes)
Levels 9 thru 14 - (200 motes)
Levels 15 thru 19 - (300 motes)
Level 20 and up - (400 motes)

Doors close 6 minutes after 12 people enter instance.
(Enough time to post a LFM, but short enough people won't wait to join.)

Upon completion, may not use Ethereal Key again for 45 mins...

These changes would make it playable I'm sure.
Actually IMHO, it was already playable.

Graveyard:
Um, mebbe add a few non-undead like spiders and werewolves, too. (just for variety)

[Nonesuch2008]

I think that you've hit on some key points. Controlling simultaneous 'raid' instances and mass spawns of gargoyles have to be two of the largest impacts on performance.

Good train of thought for restoring a hugely popular facet of the game. Lol, think about it Turbine... I'm sure that the replacement Mabar-themed event could be fun in it's own right, but you have a lot to live up to in replacing Mabar with something else! No pressure... ;)

+1

[HAL]

I completely agree: use existing Mabar, it was my favorite Festival including Crystal Cove. The only thing that made cove better is that it had less lag and the rewards are BtA.

[F2PPremiumLeech]

How about making it a normal raid, that way you wouldn't have whole server doing it at the same time. No 3-day wait though, something less.

[AbyssalMage]

Mabar was a very popular event. It just needs some minor tweaks really. The lag from Mabar isn't half as bad as daily DDO-wide lag we've had for months now.
Actually it needed major tweaks after all the crappy coding they placed into it but I digress. Let's look at your other points.



How to fix Mabar:
- Lock lever when no dragon in room. (reduces gargoyle spawns)
- Optimize the dragon code a bit.
- Dismiss cosmetic pets upon entering dungeon.
- Increase (double?) cool-down for AoE and summons in dungeon.

Really, I only have problems with the last one. AoE's are an effective way of dealing with Gargoyles while on caster types. Also helps on the dragon because AoE's tend to be mana efficient vs. the Dragon. So no thank you.



Distribute lag:
- Summoning chamber open all the time.
- Ethereal keys cost 100 motes per level band. (turn-ins still necessary)
Levels 1 thru 8 - (100 motes)
Levels 9 thru 14 - (200 motes)
Levels 15 thru 19 - (300 motes)
Level 20 and up - (400 motes)

I disagree with both of these (I think)
An empty Summon Chamber is taking up resources, non starter.
I assume the key "cost" is to replace the flat rate that you must "currently" pay if you didn't get one randomly?



Doors close 6 minutes after 12 people enter instance.
(Enough time to post a LFM, but short enough people won't wait to join.)

Upon completion, may not use Ethereal Key again for 45 mins...

Here is where I think we just disagree on the implementation.
Simply put,

No server wide unlock. More importantly instances would fluctuate (open and close) like any other instance.
Gather 24 people [remember, most groups place 1-2 people (4-8 total) at the levers and 3-4 (12 - 20) in each room] like you would for any Raid and enter on your schedule. This has been asked for sense at least two years ago.
Place your party in designated spots
Win = Lockout for 45 minutes; Lose/wipe = No timer; Loss of key

Even during CC there is server wide lag when CC opens and that is with groups of 6. Please just make it a normal raid instance that requires you to be off Timer and have a Key. This will fix so many of the problems because people will gather 24 people at vastly different rates that server load will be more evenly distributed.



These changes would make it playable I'm sure.
Actually IMHO, it was already playable.

Graveyard:
Um, mebbe add a few non-undead like spiders and werewolves, too. (just for variety)
Graveyard needs to be redone like CC. No more level ranges. The NPC that spawns is according to the PC just like CC.
The only thing I would like them to add is treasure chests like CC. After all, all those undead from Mabar probably transported some cool spooky loot :)

[WargamerIV]

I think a better fix is to not have every group start at the same time.

Start the level lowest level groups as you do now

The next highest level starts as the lower levels finishes.

In addition to the above, every AOE cast before the first gargoyle arrives adds 1 minute to the time before that group starts (unless no group currently has a dragon running.) Or alternatively can AOE's cast still cost mana and other components, but have no effect unless the gargoyles have arrived

[AbyssalMage]

Thinking about my response...
Old Mabar was a 24 person raid (the only one actually) so my suggestion may be a problem.

So new suggestion

Convert to a 12 person Raid
Party must defend 4 altars (one on each wall) from Gargoyles/minions and Dragon.
Remove levers or place a singular lever in the center of the room
Barriers/Gates/??? randomly appear/disappear dependent on the Dragons health making it harder to defend the Altars as the Dragon teleports around the room.

[Oxarhamar]

Thinking about my response...
Old Mabar was a 24 person raid (the only one actually) so my suggestion may be a problem.

So new suggestion

Convert to a 12 person Raid
Party must defend 4 altars (one on each wall) from Gargoyles/minions and Dragon.
Remove levers or place a singular lever in the center of the room
Barriers/Gates/??? randomly appear/disappear dependent on the Dragons health making it harder to defend the Altars as the Dragon teleports around the room.


1) sounds good
2) no thanks
3) no thanks
4) no thanks

The Raid would need changes to become a 12 person raid. these are not lag reducing changes (teleporting Dragon?)

[Casareena]

I'm not going to suggest anything to fix Mabar in that I've no experience of running or maintaining games at all. What I am is a player of DDO who loves it and apart from CC Mabar was my absolute favourite thing to look forward to in the DDO year. If Dev's read these posts...please! please!...try to find someway to bring Mabar back...it doesn't have to be exact but something close...did I already say please! >.>