Halloween event modifications

With (yet another) halloween event underway, I'm looking at a few things and thinking, "Y'know, this would be a bit better if...."

So, here we go.

Trick or Treating:
(1) Low level TOTing - more sensitive to team size. A Crone or Vampire Lord just isn't particularly fun on anything that's level 5. These, at least in Atlas/Galaxy/Mercy, should be more sensitive to team size (not showing up 'til there are 3-4 on the team.) Once we have more inspirations? I'm fine with them. Until then, they get droned.

(2) "Mandatory" costumes - OK, this goes for anything the devs decide to do this sort of thing with. In order to get the event "tip," you need to be ToTing in costume. Problem is, there's a bug (I can't call this WAI) where if you're exemped or SK'd beyond a couple of levels, you won't get a costume drop. You'll get *credit,* sure. But that doesn't help get the tip.

Since costume salvage is far from rare, how about being able to burn some of it by "crafting" it into a costume? (Untradeable.) This way, you're guaranteed to meet the requirements to get the tip.

Costumes:

People have asked for permanent costumes in the past. We can get some via code, sure, but why not tie them to the costume badges? (Possibly the second and third ones, or all three.) Pick from a selection for each.

Banner event:

Interest in this, at least that I've seen, seems to be at an all time low. (I've joined a few teams as well as just passed around zones - I've ended up on *one* team that actually had the people to work on the event.) It's worse during the year - I think I've seen enough people actually *involved* in the event to get to where banners could be taken down, oh, twice. I'd assume that's because most of the badgers got these done already. So...

(1) During halloween, the banners should only be available in one zone at a time (per side.) Having them pop up in (say) Galaxy, Founders and Talos only spreads out the people who ARE interested, to the point where nobody can get anything done.

(2) The rest of the year, make the individual banners soloable... specifically by letting individuals (or teams) "enter" a banner. You can only do one banner per "event spawn" if you choose to do it this way. (No, I'm not sure just how you'd trigger this. Perhaps clicking on the banner when it's not targetable gives you the option of entering the "banner zone.") While it would take you four events to "finish" all four banners, you still (obviously) would have to get people together to complete the *real* event and get the GM. But this way at least it's not completely pointless when you only have 2-3 people interested in trying the banners.

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I've always been in favor of just making the banners part of Halloween only and having the Zombies for the rest of the year.

I'd also add putting in some sort of zone event lockout timer for the events themselves. A Praetorian arc gave me a hunt mission. Unfortunately, zombies immediately invaded the zone. Followed by banners the instant the zombies went away. Followed by more zombies the instant the banners went away. It was a little ridiculous...

Tonight I came up with two idea's I think would be interesting additions to the halloween event.

1) wimpy vampires that explode into sparkles when you kill them.

2) dopplegangers that spawn when you are toting. You could do a lot with them and they would certainly spice something that has become pretty routine over the years.

I agree that the banners are a challenging task but they need some sprucing up to keep people interested. I think keeping them up to date is a better alternative than making them easier. keeping them seasonal would definately be a plus in their favor.

Some changes that could make them more exciting... new locale, have them be instanced sort of like the WL map except anyone in any zone has a shot at that portal. If that portal is a swirling vortex of evil and darkness well all the better. Once inside you could do the banners as per usual in a custom map or use existing zones. ToTing gets a bit or a twist every year, banners are in need of a little twisting too.

Personally, I'd prefer more bosses. I think each Halloween mob should have it's own boss. The Vampire Lord and Crone are nice but I'd also like a Warwolf, Ghost and Zombie boss.

This is mainly for my Brute and MM though, as my Blasters can't stand the bosses as is.

Oh, as for improving the Halloween event, I would like to see the Halloween vampires get a new look to distinguish them from the 5th Column/Council artificial vampires. They look identical... and what typical Halloween vamp have you ever seen wearing techno goggles? :P

Vampires should have a random citizen body (normal clothes) with a more vampirish looking head (fangs & feral features with pale skin), and Vampire Lords should have a more traditional Dracula kind of look to them.

Also, the ravers in Pocket D should all be Halloween monsters... or at least people dressed up as such. Leave the random comments that they make, but change what appears to witches and wolfmen and zombies and vampires. It'd be cool.

Good point.

Substitute various (but not all) standard citizen NPCs in the streets with models of fightable NPCs. It'd be a hoot watching them being mugged or running up and down the streets in a panic, or just walking along pushing a shopping cart or carrying a couple shopping bags.