Hardcore 4 for the hardcore

[Uralte]

I am seeing a lot of anger over the mimic breeding season landing on hardcore.

Hardcore should mean just that, it is hardcore.

It seems that rote memorization of the dungeons and adventures is what many players want in hardcore, but how hardcore can that be?

Many many years ago... don't let the account join date fool you, for the life of me I cannot get into my original... I asked for random dungeon traps and trapped chests. The Dev's listened and now we have random trapping in dungeons that makes trappers more than just a convenience, kudos on that one.

Hardcore is when you die you are dead... that isn't hardcore, that is a permadeath tour and we have been doing this since beta. Now we have Hardcore League that also includes permadeath, but the permadeath in itself doesn't mean "Hardcore", it is just permadeath with little or no cheating.

If you truly wish to embrace Hardcore, then applaud the Dev's for mimic breeding season arriving on the hardcore server which should not be called the hardcore server. I personally like the Deadlands and it should come with a label; "Deadlands Permadeath server". I would love to see the Deadlands become a permanent fixture on the servers with the permadeath enforcement in place with a "League Season" such as we are doing now.

What I would like to see differently, because it is hardcore and mimic season is proving to many that it really is hardcore, that when the Deadlands has a Hardcore League Season that the kid gloves come off and every aspect of the season is hardcore.

Mimic season is a beautiful primer for such a thing, but it is a small step in the right direction for this to truly be hardcore. Hardcore League season should be the time for the Dev's to unleash their inner sadistic freaks and really deliver the hardcore to us... yes, Wednesday restarts should fill us all with panic for what twisted mayhem the Dev's will be dishing out to us absent any hint or clues. I have faith that they would unleash such terror in fairness, but I do have a nice list of options to turn the dial up on the hardcore season:

Trap randomization: Remove known traps, randomize their locations, trap things that never have been trapped before... give us exploding chests, animated boxes and breakables that hit back, DESTROY the rote memorization that everyone is so comfortable with.

Devil Assaults: I remember when the devils invaded the market place... man did I tiptoe around the market never knowing when one was going to spawn and jack me up. A Devil Assault across all zones would be awesome, but the CR should be reigned in based on the zone... Korthos CR 3 max, Harbor cr5 max and so on and so forth. Everyone in the League would breathe a huge sigh or relief when the servers come down to end the devil assault, but the new dread of what it is being replaced with will fill everyone as the timer ticks down to the worlds opening.

Dragon Attacks: That cool dragon that bounces down to the market and knocks everyone on their butt could be so much more tyrannical if random dragon attacks spawned throughout all zones... CR appropriate of course, but dropping scales when defeated.

Does hardcore league need festivals? Absolutely not and calling mimic season a festival in hardcore is a bad idea... it is breeding season and the monsters need to eat to have the energy and resources to make the next batch of mimic's that are going to eat you.

The annual migration of Trolls would be far more terrible than mimic season. The trolls will snatch you up and drag you along like cattle to be eaten on the migration... they like to ransack Stormreach for said cattle.

All that said, if we are going to have a hardcore league, make that stuff hardcore, not just permadeath that needs no honor system. Make each Wednesday a sigh of relief and white knuckled anticipation of what is coming when the servers open back up. DO NOT TELL US, just do it... dooooo ittttt...

The Dev's understand the risk v rewards better than most, this is their livelihood and they aren't going to risk it by being completely stupid with hardcore seasons and assaults. But if you really want hardcore, not just permadeath+, take what they can dish out and conquer everything they throw at you. Let go of your comfort zone server ideology ... meh, trap there, mob here... key over there... run on cruise control and DIE!

Give us permadeath+ server all year long and give us a season, or seasons, of hardcore league that is really hardcore. Tell us our rewards and then tell us nothing more.

When the Wednesday reboot hits all I want to see from Cordovan is:

"The game worlds have reopened" See update notes here.
"HC League has reopened" Giggle... snort... chortle... chuckle... (or pretty much any sister giddiness of what is in store for us this week).

[Subtractive]

Have to say I agree with this post +1. I started playing DDO a week after release because Guild Wars didn't send me my new expansion in a timely fashion.
I have been here and gone on and off, always come back because there is no other D&D MMO. I don't have the high level content memorized but all the old I can do in my sleep.
I had to laugh when I logged in seeing death after death to mimics, trying to figure out just what in the world was going on. I was(is) a great change of pace. Watching people open chests and jump away is amazing, because you just don't know! People are grouping up more just in case which is great as well.

"Trap randomization: Remove known traps, randomize their locations, trap things that never have been trapped before... give us exploding chests, animated boxes and breakables that hit back, DESTROY the rote memorization that everyone is so comfortable with."
I love this, as a long time trapper/caster this would be fantastic, I get annoyed when I don't even need to spot the traps, because I know where they are, and so does most everyone else.

I have always been hopeful that they could implement a random dungeon tile system, where the layouts could change for a quest, even if it was only 3-5 options, this with randomized traps would make a huge impact. I realize the coding for it would be something of a pain, but a great addition none the less.

HEAR, HEAR to Mimics, Mayhem, and Season 4.
Bring on the surprises!

[Uralte]

I have always been hopeful that they could implement a random dungeon tile system, where the layouts could change for a quest, even if it was only 3-5 options, this with randomized traps would make a huge impact. I realize the coding for it would be something of a pain, but a great addition none the less.

HEAR, HEAR to Mimics, Mayhem, and Season 4.
Bring on the surprises!

The "Beholder Gate" switches in V3 are random. The are many randomly placed traps in Slave Lords. Feywild "Quid Pro Quo" kind of has a random aspect in the rebel caverns and the new /say stuff in Feywild is mega cool.

Rumor has it that a shrine was a mimic in HC, although I have yet to see a shrine become a mimic, I got sooooo excited over it my squishy little pale alchemist wanted her hand held every time she had to shrine... it was like the "girls bathroom club", ya know, Girl 1: I gota go to the bathroom. Girl 2-37: we will go with you.

It would be great if they would use weekly shut down to change the waves of random spawns this season, but failing that, I hope they read this post and make hardcore season 5 ultimate hardcore as above.

[Zargarx]

I hear alot of positive comments for the mimic hunt (it is no festival!) and little negative. People are discussing strategies and asking for help.
I’ve heard that there seems to be more than just mimics, such as new types of champions (one with fear dots?) that has scared people enough to stick to normal if not with a group.
But Something major added during the HC season (without announcement) would be next level! Market place devil invasion would be excellent!
For breakables, maybe have something similar to ruined halls with different oozes in some breakables.
For randomize traps, definitely! It can be just to add or move some traps in a few popular quests.
Finally This HC is open to all, that is awesome!

[arminius]

I hear alot of positive comments for the mimic hunt (it is no festival!) and little negative. People are discussing strategies and asking for help.
I’ve heard that there seems to be more than just mimics, such as new types of champions (one with fear dots?) that has scared people enough to stick to normal if not with a group.
But Something major added during the HC season (without announcement) would be next level! Market place devil invasion would be excellent!
For breakables, maybe have something similar to ruined halls with different oozes in some breakables.
For randomize traps, definitely! It can be just to add or move some traps in a few popular quests.
Finally This HC is open to all, that is awesome!

Good points, I've also heard that there are Champion Reapers, but not seen them yet. They must be pretty rare.

[dennisck2]

there is no other D&D MMO.

There is. Just not any good ones. Either way, I agree with both of you, and I think you both might have inspired me to give HC a shot for the first time! Thanks to you and OP for that!

[Uralte]

Okay, the mimic event is awesome, although I have been eaten a few times by mimics, but much better since the emergency shut down.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Devs will strike without warning and dig out some good old Storm Brewing over Stormreach

or something new... I am not opposed to a devil invasion of the market place, I'll just make sure that I quickly click to market #1 and hope there are some high levels in there devil hunting.

I may be in the small minority of encouraging the Dev's inner sadists to be unleashed, but I want hardcore not Permadeath+

[fatherpirate]

That would certainly make using your guild ship navigator a popular thing ...
unless you like running through market like your backside is on fire ...
because it is.

:-)