Exciting Event Rewards

[Malok]

I am a Destiny player - it's my primary game and I always come back to it once Bungie gets its act together. The core gameplay is fantastic, but reasons to revisit the weekly loop become stale when there isn't anything Uber exciting to look forward to. Over time, I got all the exotics, I hit max level, and I just pop on once a week to dump extra cash at an NPC.

I say this because Chaos events are a lot like Destiny. They are, at their core, fantastic, but there's something missing. Maybe it's just that I've been around for several years, but I've hit the point where events don't excite anymore like they used to. My suggestion for making them better stems from what currently has me hype to turn on Destiny later this month. Rewards.

Back in the day, Event rewards pushed the envelope. They were the exception. They were the golden badge that a legend has been added to the timeline and you survived to the end. Even Valen, at the end, had rewards that participation worth it in my opinion. So when I look at the current state of the site and what our options are for events, I'd like to suggest some rewards that would work in the player-run environment. My criteria for these rewards were: Overall Balance, Minimal Staff Effort, and "Does it appeal to what most factions/players want?"

1. Event Mandate - Flawless Victory - "Having claimed victory over (insert event name here), systems are eager to join the now famed (insert faction name here)."

For a single map update period, a victorious major faction gets a limited time Mandate. This Mandate will allow them to get three-for-one dominions - meaning that one complete thread earns three hexes. This expansion cannot be rebelled against, counts as the faction's Dominion max for the month, and can be used as an SSD cash in. This would be the ultimate reward for a "winning" major faction.

2. Event Mandate - Survivor - "Having faced down (insert event villain here) and lived to tell the tale, the nations of the Galaxy tremble at the mere mention of (insert faction name here)."

This major faction can only be the target of one invasion at a time. Invasions cannot declared against this faction while another is ongoing, nor can this faction be the defender of more than one invasion at a time. This mandate lasts for a period of three map update cycles. This could also be an ultimate reward for a "winning" major faction or a runner up reward.

3. Event Mandate - (Event Name) Veteran - "Hailed for their place in the (event name) crisis, adjacent systems join (insert faction here) in celebration."

For a single map update period, a participating major faction can claim one hex adjacent to their cloud for free. This claim is not eligible for SSD submission and does count as one of a faction's three dominions for the month. Silver tier reward for major faction(s).

4. (Event Name) Cache - "As the (event name) crisis draws to a close, your character has discovered a cache of exotic materials left behind by the enemy."

Writer(s) who receive this reward can submit one item to the Factory or Codex without a development thread.

5. (Event Name) Prospecting - "Utilizing maps left behind by the enemy, your character has discovered an uncharted world!"

Writer(s) who receive this reward can submit a planet that features a restricted material and its placement is guaranteed to be wherever the writer requests.

These are just an idea of the rewards I would consider exciting enough to set my own phasers to Hype. While I'm certain I don't speak for everyone, I do believe rewards that matter would take events - player run or otherwise - to the next level.

What do you think?

 

[Natasi Fortan]

I like the idea of a well thought-out reward for event participation, with all terms unambiguously laid out ahead of time. It would be nice to know what the benefits and limits of rewards are ahead of time. There have been issues in the past where arbitrary deadlines and the failure of staff to follow through on promised updates have neutralized rewards, so any steps to avoid that would be welcome. I like that these are clearly described in terms of effect and time frame. Good job

 

[Sanya Val Lerium]

I actually like the idea of these... I mean in top of the nifty gadgets for players and such that get handed out the mandates and such could really make fraction wide participan more worth it.

 

[Itash Mecetti]

There was a running sentiment once the event rewards were phased out that the events themselves should be reward enough.

Story opportunities at all.

While a pleasant sentiment, I don't necessarily think that it went as well as was hoped. I think a clear incentive to participate and bring your a-game to these events should definitely be encouraged.

I think this is a good step forward towards that.

 

[Jsc]

Player run events. Player determined rewards.

Makes sense to me.

 

[Malok]

Papa [member="Valiens Nantaris"] what do you think?

 

[Vennic]

I think relic rewards, rare crystals, holocrons and things of the like could be pretty cool as rewards for winning duels, tournaments and takeover style RPs. It would make things mor competitive too. Actually having a item base or cred rewards that could be dolled out for events sounds great.

Really good idea, dood.

 

[Ayhia Katar]

I think these present the opportunity for abuse, as well as allows more popular factions to gain further advantage over other struggle factions. A major faction with greater perks will draw players away from other factions that have trouble getting them. While they are nice allowing players to determine their rewards presents a clear balance problem overall. Rewards should not be something that can affect power balance on the map, IF they were done they would need to massive draw backs that can be taken advantage of. Such as the 3 for 1, for the next few months it can be 3 for 1 invaded, meaning someone only has to take one to get all three.​

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On top of the fact that these are player run, which means bias. Not saying everyone but nobody is perfect everyone has someone they like more and someone they like less. You can't account for that perfectly. More so if the RPJ's are the ones whom had out the reward they then have to add reading EVERY POST in a player run event, which the way things are going their can be any number of in a month. So adding a huge amount of work for them, they then have to gauge whos RP was worthy of Rewards and whos wasen't which can cause them a lot of headache.​

 

[Malok]

[member="Ayhia Katar"]

In the past, site events have been the cause of spontaneous territory growth across all factions. Simply participating or being adjacent to an event has, at least once, seen every cloud increase slightly. Given the player-run nature of this year's event, I don't foresee this sort of boon happening - so a nice territory boost for the winner doesn't strike me as unbalanced.

Furthermore, each event mandate has a time limit. The largest boon - 3 for 1 - lasts for one map update and consists solely of giving a major faction its monthly allotment of expansion at the price of one Dominion.

Now when it comes to active versus struggling factions, the recent rules clarifications should tell you that faction population or activity does not equate to victory on this board. Story does. Because of that, a struggling faction has just as much opportunity to win as an active one. And can you imagine the boost that would give them? A faction that may not even be able to do three dominions can finally have an SSD! And a faction that's already active and can do the monthly allotment with ease doesn't really lose out on what they typically accomplish. I see these rewards as "struggling faction" friendly!

And while, yes, people are people, you have to also take in consideration that Staff is watching. I doubt that if any RPJ or Admin caught wind of bias judgments on a site event that it would slide. Furthermore, it would be the event runners who select the winners.

And with one Dominion giving three hexes, that means an RPJ only has to read fifty posts, not one hundred fifty.

 

[Zaiden Dean]

This... seems oddly familiar..

I said it back when I proposed better rewards would draw better response (and got the aforementioned 'A Good Story Is Its Own Reward'): give a great big reason to win, and people tend to have a great big yearning and drive. Yeah there are some of us that can indefinitely maintain a drive, a proper muse. But most of us feel that a big reward is always a reason to try harder, to maintain our interest or muse.

Around exams time, not everyone always does this, but most people sit down and cram hours and hours to get better results. The idea of something better than what they could already get drives a person to do more.

So... I approve. I also heavily like the options given. More for the whole then the individual.

 

[Valiens Nantaris]

[member="Darth Metus"]
Those who submit applications for a member run event may suggest rewards they would like included if they wish.

These will be then reviewed to make sure they are viable if your event does go ahead.

Said rewards would be potentially open to anyone to win, and the judgement of who gets the prize would not be solely the event runner's prerogative.

 

[Memes]

[member="Darth Metus"]

I love the idea, but you're not thinking big enough, darling. We should implement--now hear me out, first--implement a Battlefront 2 EA crystal reward system--wait, no, come back. I'm not done yet--and a progression system that only works some of the time and, when it does work, only rewards you for completing mundane or repetitive/counter-productive tasks.

Wait, where are you going?!? It's a good idea, isn't it??!