EM Lost Lands Castle / King Of The Hill Event Discussion

[WarderDragon]

Thread created to discuss the King of the Hill / Capture the Flag EM Event Concept that was announced on September 18th 2010.

Basic premise is that a Castle will be placed in the Lost Lands Felucca - very similar to the Castle Orobas Event - with a series of Guardian Locked Fortifications and Gates placed around the Vale.

There will be several teams. No limit on size or allegience. Teams will probably develop around current major alliances. (i.e. SI Team, M!S Team, Cartel Team, BRPA Team, et. al.)

These teams will have to assault the Castle and besiege the Curtain Wall. Once the Curtain Wall is open the Attackers and Defenders must fight around a Banner (King of the Hill).

The objective of the Defenders is to defend their Banner. The objective of the Attackers is to defeat the Defenders and change the hue of the Main Banner. If the Banner remains hued for more than (5? 10?) minutes after the Collapse of the Curtain Wall, the Castle is determined to have fallen to the team whose color it displays.

The Victorious Legion will be awarded the Castle for the span of (2?) weeks in which the Castle is used as their Own. (Team Leaders will be Friended or Co-Owned. EM Character remains the Owner.)

When a certain amount of time has passed the Guardian Fortifications will be reconstructed and the Defenders will be forced to protect the Castle and Surrounding Fortifications from Attacking Team(s).

Points of discussion include; 1) Creating an enviroment that promotes PvP, 2) Fairness, and 3) Reward(s) for Winning.

 

[WarderDragon]

These are my own personal suggestions regarding the Lost Lands Castle / King of the Hill Event.

1. I suggest the Castle be located in the same location as Castle Orobas.

There are two (three?) T2A Entrances in the Region. Far enough away that the Castle isn't Indefensible. Close enough that Attacking Legions can Regroup. Close enough that the Victors can move between Felucca and the Castle that it remains useful and a desirable location for Capture.

These T2A Entrances can also be locations that the Defenders could send men to ambush the Attacking Legions and assassinate Lone Wolf Characters and the Ressurected. If you cut them from being able to swiftly return to the Bank or Healers you have a serious advantage.

2. There should be at least two Guardian Porticullis or Gates.

This would allow the Attacking Legions more than one method of bursting through the Defenses and reaching the Banner. In the event of one entrance the Defenders would need only cast fields to keep the Gate plugged.

This solution would mean the Defenders could have their attention on one Team while another sneaks through the Back Door.

3. The Castle Owner (Mesanna or Seppo) should be Guilded to the Victorious Alliance.

Why?

The alternative would be friending fifty people or leaving the building public. If the plan is for this building to be a base for a Spawning or Red Guild (SI, Cartel, et. al.) then the winners are going to want their entire Alliance to enjoy the benefits for that two week period.

Thus if Mesanna or Seppo is Guilded during that duration all containers and items can be set to 'Guild' Lock which saves effort for the Event Moderator.

4. The Castle should be the Reward. Not the Fortification.

The Castle should be at the center of the Fortifications. But due to the nature of Housing in Ultima Online (Combatants can't enter a House) this should not be a curtain that the Defenders can hide behind.

The Banner (Hill) should be located near the Castle but not inside it.

5. The Castle should be decorated by a Player.

This is a way you can involve some of the people not interested in participating in Player vs. Player Combat. Have Brytt Heathard or Sarsmi design the building to create an aura of a Medieval Keep. Cannons. Catapults. Banners. Throne Room.

6. The Castle should contain a City Moongate.

The Moongate would allow the Victorious Legion - those currently in possession of the Castle - to travel from the Castle. But if they want to travel to it during that 2 Weeks they have to go on foot and thus are subject to 'Brigands.' (Reds.)

7. The Castle should contain these Items. This would leave the building a Rewarding Achievement and something hotly contested by the 'Legions.'

NPC Banker. Healer. Town Crier. Provisionere.

Queens Soulforge. Forge. Anvil. Loom. Spinning Wheel. The Victors should be able to leave their Crafters here to stock both the Defenders during the Siege and their Spawners during their Occupation.

Chests and Containers. Victorious Legion can leave Bandaids, Potions, Crafting Items and Gear here for their Guildmates and Allies. Items left here in the event the Defenders are defeated are considered part of the Prize for the Victors.

 

[Lord Frodo]

3) Reward(s) for Winning.
The Castle is the reward. If any other reward is required to get them to play then this event is not worth the EMs time and should be scrapped. Please EMs do not pay them to do your event and the next time they ask for an event just remember this one.

 

[WarderDragon]

It is.

Beyond that are the Items placed in the interior of the Castle (Crafting Equipment, Healers, etc.) and recognition the Legion / Team receives for their Occupation of the Fortress.

If the Cartel wins? Then the Cartel might have their banner hung somewhere in Trammel (e.g. Heraldric Office) or Luna to announce their win and an announcement on Stratics and the EM Event Portal.

Seppo made it clear the Reward for this Series will be the Castle. No more. No less.

 

[SuperKen]

Speaking for Cartel here; we don't want any artifacts or sashes or rares. The Castle should be the award itself.

I do like the idea of it being a self contained city but I wonder if EMs are prepared to deal with that. The winners would essentially be getting a place that allows them to log out in T2A which most people don't do. Also, if there is a moongate there, it allows for an easy escape/exit out of T2A which was designed to not be recalled into or out of.

Bragging rights aside, I wonder if it isn't too overpowering to have a bank, vendors and healers in the middle of T2A. Also, if healers are going to be considered, be sure that they are red healers; blue healers don't do much for most PvP guilds.

There should be some reward/advantage to "winning" beyond bragging rights but not physical objects that will find their way onto other shards for sale. After the recent dissent about reward items it certainly wouldn't be prudent to delve into that debate again.

Agreed on the Fortification part: the Castle in the Orobas event was odd because any of us who had flagged in combat (which was nearly all of us) could not enter the Castle; it followed normal housing rules. The Banner Hill could be inside the Fortifications but definitely not inside the Castle itself.

Other notes: EMs and Mesanna are yellow hued but I'm not sure what happens when they become guilded or join factions. I assume that they would still be invulnerable but it certainly would be interesting if, upon guilding/factioning, they could be attacked by others.

The problem with having the Castle in the same spot as the Orobas Castle is size: You can fit a castle there, but not much in the way of fortifications and certainly not a full wall with more than one portcullis.

 

[Lord Frodo]

It is.

Beyond that are the Items placed in the interior of the Castle (Crafting Equipment, Healers, etc.) and recognition the Legion / Team receives for their Occupation of the Fortress.

If the Cartel wins? Then the Cartel might have their banner hung somewhere in Trammel (e.g. Heraldric Office) or Luna to announce their win and an announcement on Stratics and the EM Event Portal.

Seppo made it clear the Reward for this Series will be the Castle. No more. No less.

1st, I know what was said at the meeting because I was there.
2nd Then why did you post this

Points of discussion include; 3) Reward(s) for Winning.

There should be no discussion on this then if it is in FACT and is set in stone that the Castle is the only reward. By you opening this part up for discussion make it appear this this may not be the case. Please do not come back on me with "It is" when you ask for discussion about this very thing.

 

[EMSeppo]

Interesting suggestions. At this moment, we are aiming for something much simpler. Things can be ratcheted up depending on how well it works out.

 

[WarderDragon]

I ask for nothing.

Be careful not to infer something I never said.

 

[SuperKen]

How about the winners get cake?

Mmm, I loves me some cake.