Problems with PSU Events

[Kylie]

Why is it that people have been so excited about events coming to our servers, then they literally hate the event just a week or more in? What's ST doing wrong?

Well, in my opinion, Firebreak was the best and most sucessful attempt at a fun event. Why? Well, for starters it was spread out and not just in one room (club / fifth floor). We didn't have one mission per week to do - we had five at first, then seven. Also, I'm so tired of this crap with four person limits and not being able to join in mid-mission (I know Moatoob was like this, but one mission is okay [iirc])... it was so frustrating to try to get a decent party going in 1UP or the Winter Festa. Oh, and there was a cool point to doing the missions like a cool story about purifying the planets; the other events just seemed focused on getting people rares or experience, which is boring. The missions in FB weren't the funnest, but I hope future events are more like its set-up.

Opinions on this or what you'd like to see in an event?





<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kylie on 2008-03-07 09:55 ]</font>

[ScaryBen]

I was hoping FB would become an annual event or something like it anyway. Although that doesn't seem very likely now, you can even get the more sought after items from it from Melton anyway.
I totally agree with, the others did suck in comparison! And more events like FB would probably bring more people back. Which is perhaps why the game isn't as fun as it used to be, even lower population=less parties a.k.a game can't be played the way it was always meant to be, in teams.

[Hyda]

Unlike the other events, Firebreak kept people busy in the attempt to purify all the planets. These events didn't really have any objective just to go and kill. Hopefully this changes in more events.

[Kylie]

I know, right? My only memories of the two past events is getting called to a secluded universe to avoid spammers and running the same mission with the same people until I couldn't take it anymore and refused to do anymore runs for like a week. I never took a break during FB because there seemed more to do, like it wasn't just a couple of boosted missions.



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Kylie on 2008-03-07 10:10 ]</font>

[panzer_unit]

Firebreak was also awesome because the setting and using all the purifying equipment was something from the storyline. The missions were more significantly changed from the usual stuff we're doing, like the story missions you were graded on stuff like time and purification score rather than the standard enemies clear / nobody retreating.

Normally I'm against getting nostalgic ... Firebreak was our first real event, right? But I agree that the content there was definitely a cut above. It fit the setting instead of just being pure loot/XP giveaway, and demanded a lot of teamwork.

So yeah, for improving future events I think the most important thing would be tying them into the game setting/plot... along with trying to do something unusual for gameplay, teamwork, and mission success.

[EspioKaos]

I really think one of the big problems is that most people over-hype themselves on upcoming events to the extent that once it hits our servers, burn out has already set in (or is at least on the verge of setting in). Of course, as you said Kylie, mission diversity is a big factor. Firebreak did this very well. 1Up was OK with its four missions, but when a week hit when one mission was available that lots of people hated (*cough*Elements of Unrest*cough*), the event kind of fizzled out until the next rotation of missions.

To be completely honest, I'm kind of apprehensive about how well MAG will be received considering that it's only one mission until we earn enough points to unlock a fourth area to the main mission and finally a second mission which is simply a boss battle. Don't get me wrong, I'm very excited for the upcoming event, but I can't shake the feeling that lots of people will be let down when they realize that they have to earn new things to do.

[Akaimizu]

Firebreak was great as it also showed me the actual greatness of MayaLee Prism, for a Guntecher, at the time. It also was a time when so many of everybody could die due to attacks that even ForteFighters couldn't withstand.

They were not good for ANYBODY to solo, but a good complimentary group tore them up. I even felt like I had specific roles to fill that greatly aided the party throughout certain levels. It was like straight and good mutual dependancy. Everybody needed each other.

Perhaps the whole game doesn't need to be that way, but it's great to see such optional aspects come in that really put team-pride at the top.


<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Akaimizu on 2008-03-07 10:14 ]</font>

[Telina]

I think they should rethink the length of events too, not just large scale events but the little ones like valentines day and easter(if you can call them events). Why would you take a one-day-long holiday and stretch it into a three week event? One week tops, it'll give everyone a sense of urgency and keep the material fresh too.

Fire break offered something different than the other events so far too. The one up cup and the other shitty event(name escapes me, but thats a good euphanism) allowed you to spam the same mission perpetually with no recourse. Not to mention they were drop based events, i didn't play fire break but from what i hear it was more of an overall united effort for the end prizes too. Even though the one up event had the score boards the way they were handled made all the difference apparently

[amtalx]

I think events are one of the best parts about PSU, and are far better implemented than anything on PSO. However, it hasn't come without its problems.

Events get stale too quickly because ST often gives us 1 thing to do at a time, then that is taken away and we are given something else. By the time the last week rolls around and we have access to the entire event, everyone is burned out. I think all of the events have been good ideas, but they went on too long. Stretching 2 weeks of content for 5 weeks is going to breed boredom.

There also needs to be more to differentiate event missions from our everyday Free Misson grinding. We kill mobs and move to the next room every day. Doing the same thing with ridiculously high drop rates and EXP multipliers doesn't really make for a fun event. Its still a grind, we just get more out of it. An event should break the monotony by bringing something new to the table.

Our community is also a bit to blame. Whenever there are top tier drops at stake, it just gives all the elitists a reason to go into super dick mode. Unfortuantely, problems like this will never go away. As long as there are timed missions or greater rewards for killing enemies faster, there will be someone out there booting people for being less than the best no matter how balanced an event ST creates. Its just one of the inherent problems with people in general. No matter how well you plan your party, there is always going to be that d-bag that pukes on the couch.

[panzer_unit]

On 2008-03-07 10:12, EspioKaos wrote:
1Up was OK with its four missions, but when a week hit when one mission was available that lots of people hated (*cough*Elements of Unrest*cough*), the event kind of fizzled out until the next rotation of missions.

To be completely honest, I'm kind of apprehensive about how well MAG will be received considering that it's only one mission until we earn enough points to unlock a fourth area to the main mission and finally a second mission which is simply a boss battle.

1Up was terribly arranged for me. I wanted to hunt the heck out of both the Parum and Mot missions, but they were featured simultaneously... Neu and Colony had nothing I cared about except getting max scores, and lasted a week each.

MAG's got a map for PSO Mines, that's all I need.