Most of our events are designed to be equally fun for all levels of players.
Ruler of the Planet was an exception, it was designed to offer maximum fun and challenge for higher level players.
Players of level 80+ were able to complete the Pyramid in 21 days without using any decree at all. And although some tasks required to spend ancient stones, we gave back in reward more than we asked for.
So in effect, this event was still free - for higher level players.
We added decrees for 2 reasons - so players can skip tasks which they find particularly nasty, and to give at least a theoretical chance for low-level characters to advance higher than they should be.

Ilyanna: this game - like others - are precisely free to play. but of course if you like the game and have fun playing it for a longer time, we are grateful if you are willing to support the costs of upkeeping and developing it. In exchange, you receive additional comfort functions which can save you time, and some edge over others. In games, where you can have everything for free, no one pays, and the game closes down.

Our Mayesty, the Ultimate, The True Lord of the Planet, The Conqueror of The Pyramid of Dread are pleased to help our servants establish Soul-energy garden to enable them to feed themselves, earn income and improve themselves.
Our Mighty and Mercyful Lord are happy to give all of you the opportunity to measure our Power.

Our True Lord of the Planet offer you: Soul-energy 9529859

Raise your weapons, take your sublazmas and make a try!
(till xmas eve)

Sima - level 66 Doomlord

On the highscore of the pyramid:

8. Sima 2800

So Miklos you want to tell me that you created event just for 80+ chars. so why did you allowed lover lvl chars to play it? this is not right from you

Some feedback for the event (now that it is long over and we all have some distance to it).

Royal Decree
I think we all agree that the number of Royal decrees that could be used (and the penalty for using them) was not quite right. I think that a more restrictive amount of RD would have been good, with perhaps the number being increased over time. Also, the penalty for using them (in relation to the competition) should have been bigger. Perhaps the number of RC should have been part of the top 15, so that if someone completed the pyramid with fewer RD they would automatically score higher?

The tasks in general
A lot of the tasks were not that exciting. Part of the reason for this is of course that many of the tasks are shared with the Temple of Doom, but my personal opinion is that the two (Pyramid of Dread and Temple of Doom) are two very different things. The ToD is in the game to reward players for playing the "entire game" (i.e. Hunt, Duel, do quests, Adventures etc etc), while the PoD was supposed to be a competition between Doomlords to see who could beat it first. From that point of view, having so many "Do x Hunts"-type of tasks was a bit disappointing.
Another thing that really strikes me when watching the Pyramid like this after the end of the event is that so many of the tasks are dependent on how much resources the player had stored up before the event started. To complete the Pyramid one would need to have stored up: AP, DP, DG points, rings/necklaces to sell in the AH, essences (to create Ultra/mega essences), BoAS, Epic relics, and probably some more things. Personally I don't think that is good Event-design, since then we are back in the "only play the game when there is an event"-type of design.
A more diversified selection of Tasks would have been nice, and it would also be good if the tasks were not dependent on how much resources the player has stored up, or just "sacrifice x", but rather try to test the Quality of the player.

The pyramid
The Pyramid is a square. I was actually expecting a Pyramid, with quite a lot of small easy tasks in the base, and one mega-hard task at the top. From the description I was (for some reason) expecting that the last task would have been to defeat a mega-hard Xeno-mother type of monster, perhaps with some special restrictions (like max number of attacks per day, or attacks costing AP/DP). But at least I expected the Pyramid to be, well, a Pyramid. And not a square.

The Rewards
Actually, I think the Rewards were nice. Most of them are temporary (only Relic coupons are really permanent), and this is probably good for the game. It will always be difficult to balance the cost of doing an event vs the gain, but this time it was "ok".

Thank you very much for your feedback!

Royal decree will change. The current plan is to limit them to 1 per day. This way, those who want to compete, must do it without much decrees. But those who are lower level, and are physically unable to advance further, can complete the pyramid after waiting. Does that sound good?

Tasks. This is an interesting viewpoint. We had 56 task, it is very hard to make 56 tasks which are completely different, and do not use resources which can be stores. If you have any ideas, please post them, and will implement them if possible.

Pyramid shape - yeah, you right, but I think this wont change.

I understand that it is difficult to design new tasks that are interesting. But personally I would prefer:
"Accumulate (x*level) SE from Hunts" instead of "Do y Hunts", since the former actually takes into consideration Quality instead of just Quantity.
"Win x Duels" is probably ok, since the amount of SE gained from duels can vary so much (and setting an amount would just lead to win-trading)

Otherwise I think the way to make the tasks more interesting would be to make tasks specific for the PoD. This could be things like:
* A special written Adventure in which player cannot use Crystal points (or only a specific number of Crystal points for the entire Adventure). Every time a player restarts the Adventure they start at the point where they failed last time.
* Defeating a special Entity, with stats/level depending on the players level (and not dependent on how many entities the player have defeated)
* Submit a Quiz question/Adventure (NOT get them approved, since that can take very long time)

I understand that making special tasks will take programming time, but at the same time it would probably make the event "better".

Great post Sbart!

@Royal Decrees
I don't believe they should implement this. Simply because top players would not use AS and this is not so good for business. Miklós' idea is better in my opinion.

@Tasks
Thinking about different stuff, as suggested, would be cool. I agree that it shouldn't be about saved resources as the previous one.

@ Pyramid format
I particularly like this idea. How about putting a very tough Entity at the last level?

Cruel.

I dont see the difference between X huns and X SE from hunts. The later only brings risk if we dont calculate it correctly, and it will be too easy for some and too hard for others.

The unique tasks, thats a great idea however, until the next event I will think about how to implement them.

Giga-entity at end: this can be done, but the problem here is if it's impossible to kill for some.

Difference between doing X Hunts and collecting Y SE lies mainly in:
What Relics do you have?
What mega-essences do you have?
Are you using a special (Spectral manipulation) essence?
Do you have some other bonus to SE gained from Hunts (for example archgems)?
Have you maxed out your skills/AA abilities related to Hunts?

In other words, the higher your Hunt efficiency, the easier the task for you. And if the number of Hunts needed in average is high (>100?), rgn should not be too harsh on people. Although of course this brings some randomness into it, and people sometimes do not like that. Could be one of the "later" tasks also, so everyone can do the lower level, but this one is higher up in the pyramid.

I see the danger of having a hard Entity at the top, but look at the description of the PoD: "The Pyramid of Dread rises above the horizon like a millennial memento of the Enemy. So far, no one was able to make it to the top alive. But now, a race begins: whoever gets to the top of this deadly pyramid first, will be the Ruler of the Planet..."
This indicates that the PoD is somehow related to the Enemy, and there should be some remnants of it still there...
Ways to incorporate that (and avoid the "I had more resources saved and therefore won"-syndrome):
* Kill 50 Xenos pests in the Pyramid (every time you click the Task you get to Battle vs a Dimension gate monster, but gain no SE and Xp)
* Traverse the Xenos maze! (Every time you click the task one of your Skills (Randomly) will be tested against like in an Adventure. Beat 25 such tests to finish the Task)
* Defeat the Xenos Guardian! (Click the task to attack the Guardian Entity. Task finished when you have caused X Damage in total to it)

i dont see that anyone talk about lower lvl chars. again i want to tell you that for lower lvl chars this event is pretty much usless. any normal and experienced lower lvl player will not participate in it. You put same tasks for lower and higher lvl chars and i think you should change it

I's baaaaaaacccccck *grin*

1) Start time : Every special event starts at 1400hrs GMT... which is great if you are in Europe or the Americas... but what about us poor Aussies? That's close to if not MIDNIGHT!!!! Sheeeeeeshhhhhhhh and the RotP is a timed event... FROM 1400Hrs GMT so we aussies are at an immediate disadvantage.

Why not use what you already have available and use... the clock on every single player for injury recovery, Regen of HP, pet training and healing. Allow 24 hrs to start the event by clicking a "Start Event" button... and if said button is not clicked... time starts automatically at 1400hrs next day.

2) Royal decrees : It takes over 7 days to get 150 Helms at the basic rate, yet the penalty for using a Royal Decree was 8 hrs? Ummmm IS something wrong in the State of Denmark... AND Hungary?? It would take over 1000 mins to do 200 hunts (basic rate) or 16 hrs.... yet again the penalty for using a RD was 8 hrs. It could take I dunno... 250 hunts to find10 subplasmas.... probably more and yet the penalty was 8 Hrs... oh and my Favourite "Squeeze a pet over level 80"......... now we all know that 8 hrs is a puerile penalty for failing to do that one.... maybe two hrs per level of your lowest plus 80 pet? WEG

Why not apply penalties applicable to the task, rather than a flat out 8 hrs or ten or whatever. It can be included in the description of the task in the dropdown menu for the RDs and the player is then aware of the penalty of his action and will weigh what he can do against the lost time.

As for a limit, if the above is enforced, there would be no need for a limit, as those after the "Title" would be more interested in completing tasks than completing RDs.

Sometimes it doesn't matter how high or low a character is at times that determines his ability to finalise a task. No way could I or anyone else in my Clan complete the "Create a Catalysed Essence" just as there are several clans in W3 where they probably have not even started on the Kennel, let alone the Alchemy Lab. If this is the case, and surely the game's program can reference this somewhere, a button appears that says "unable to complete task due to level/lack of building". a simple click and the task is finished, but the SE that would be gained on completion of the row is withheld, along with any chance of reaching top 10/15. They can continue the 'pyramid' and if necessary use that escape again for the same penalty. They are only allowed one escape per row or use a RD and suffer appropriate time penalty.

Similarly with Tasks that require the use of an item that can only be acquired using AS could be referenced against last 12 mths records to see if AS have been purchased...

Yes, with appropriate penalties it is quite possible that at the end of the time (which as it started sometime within a 24 hr period for all players and will finish within a 24 hr period for all players and hence will contail an element of suspense right til the end hopefully) that some folks time will be OVER the three weeks...... but hey, they knew what they were doing, didn't they?

3) Rewards : No complaints there... quite enjoyable rewardwise in fact.

4) Other : rather than just show the total points achieved, why not also show the time (including Penalties) as this will make it really interesting if start times vary and penalties are just that.

Overall, I used three RDs :
a) Use three enchanted Pet Food ...... too many lower level pets and too high a charisma skill for them (and I wasn't gunna kill them, then get another batch to train and then squeeze with gradulatum in next row;
b) Find ten Subplasmas ..... well, I thought it would take for ever.... and the next day found the remaining three *sigh*;
c) Create A Catalysed Essence ..... yeah... no way LOL

My main trouble was not having enough DG available at the start... cause guess who'd finished the repeatable quest (kill 25 DG monsters) the previous day... using last DG stimulator *GROAN*!!!!!

Anyways I'm sure I'll think of more between now and the next RotP event.... plus after the next one.

Edits: Spelling corrections

well mostly i agree with you. Just there is one thing which doesnt have a sense for me and that is how come a char lvl 30 or 40 can have a same tasks as a char lvl 130 or 140. That should be changed

Stiska,

Think of it (RotP) as a challenge course open to all comers, from 5 year olds to centurians? or should that be very old folk *grin* For all comers, no matter what age or experience the course is precisely the same.

Now, during the running of this event there will be dropouts, folks who avoid a challenge but carry on, those that reach the limit of their abilities after 2, 3 4,5,6 rows and those that go further than anticipated (cause, let's face it, some 7 year old kid with freckles.... or that sweet ol' granny with grey hair in a knot will keep on pushing you until exhaustion sets in). But in the end it will boil down to those who are able with least penalties to complete the course. It needs to be challenging or else it becomes 'just another event'.

The same applies to this event. Those of a lower level than us now have the ToD to gain extra strength and other bonuses which will help them as they get higher in rankings. When they reach your (or Gimli's or Elvenwind's) level, provided they are in the right clan (to cover all possible tasks one way or another), they will probably be challenging you, me, and those above us both.

But to have one of them (level 30 - 60) as "Ruler of the Planet" or even walking about with the top 'mask of dread' is just plan SCARY!!! Hell, the 'Chain of Dread' is scary enuff LOL

So yes, the tasks do gain in difficulty as you progress up the square Pyramid as is rightly so. To complete the square Pyramid without using any RDs would be the ultimate, even if you weren't RotP.


(hmmm... maybe a reward for such an occurrence should be considered??? *Hint hint*)

i have higher lvl char w3 and lower lvl char w1 so i can see maybe better what is bonuses from this event for higher and lower lvl chars. bonuses such as mask of dread for lower lvl chars is nothing special if you count that you need to use around 10 decrees or more to get it but for higher lvl chars is very nice reward. about chain of dread for lower lvl chars is practical useless. any solid tribe will give you better items from epics than is chain of dread. about subplasma i dont want to talk about, this is the worst thing i have ever seen for both higher and lower lvl chars. so i still stand that this event is not sorted out for lover lvl chars

Are there going to be any major changes to this event this time around? I know it's kind of a secret because it's a race an all, but I was wondering if it was going to be the same temple as the last one.

The Ruler of the Planet event will start on 18th June, at 2 P.M. CET.

There is a non-secret change in the event: you can use only one royal decree/day. That means, you can use one decree on the first day. However you can spare your decrees for further use: for example if you don't use any on the first two days, you can use three on the third day.

So the penalties for using the decrees still do not relate to the actual task avoided. Why am I not surprised.

Package of Dread

Type: misc
Level: 1
Contains: 1 archgem, 1 luck coupon, 1 potion of dueling, 1 hunter potion.
Price: 3 ancient stones


How long have these been on the Market? they are for this event right? I missed getting them all week

Idézet: Trackur - 2013.06.16. 10:30:02

Published on the 11th of June:
"Ruler of the Planet coming (2013-06-11)
Ruler of the planet in 1 week Half year ago, there was a fierce competition to decide who will be the Ruler of the Planet, who will sit on the throne seated at the top of the Pyramid of Dread. Now the time has come. Doomlords are gathering at the base of the dark building, preparing to conquest the pyramid again. Many are looking for the soul-hucksters, who sell packages of dread in secret. These packs can provide a valuable advantage in the coming tournament, which begins in 1 week...
The competition begins soon. Who will be the first to reach the top?
Attention: This time, until day X of the event, you can only use a total of X royal decrees."