Alliance HQ 2009 Favorites!

Toddo

Toddo

Virtuoso
NEPA Staff
Marshal
Hey everybody,
I'm setting up this topic for everyone to post their favorite moment's from the 2009 season of HQ. This list is something I'm going to look at as feedback when designing encounters for next season so that we can continue to give you what you want. To that end, if a particular enounter this past year stood out for you please elaborate on what exactly made that moment resonate for you. I hope everyone has a Happy, Healthy and Safe winter.
 
Patrick's messenger. That was off the cuff, last minute and perfect. I hate wasting money. I read it on the boards (I think the newsletter too) and was thinking who would blow money to send some one a message that I could do my self, but it was totaly worth it to send a messages to my friends just to make fun of them and see Patrick put his spin on it.
 
Ex-assassin trap mod thanks to Rich and Bill for that awesomeness. I certainly will be more ninja next time!
 
stupid hour in the smokes guild. . . . hehehe.
Running the tavern during the tournament
 
I missed that one by minutes after staying up for a while wondering if something would come out. Time was not on my side that night.
Castlebur said:
Late night mausoleum dance party encounters (without the junk stabbing)
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The lowbie event Amelia wrote plot for that weekend was awesome
 
In no certain order, my favorite elements of the 2009 Season include:

1. Weekend closer encounters/battles that happened outside of the town square.
2. Being forced out of our comfort zones (i.e. being transported to the MWE island and having to find our way home, or having to make crucial decisions without the presence of nobility).
3. Well-scripted plot "moments" over which players had virtually no effect (i.e. the rising of the Prince from his tomb, or the appearance of the undead in the tavern during the Heroes Tournament entertainment competition), which make it a very theatrical experience.
4. Anything that included excellent prop-work, including fireworks, smoke, or well-prepared costuming. Honestly, sometimes the visuals make the moment. Like the train of little girls with candles walking through the darkness at the Halloween event. Creepy.
5. The entire event that revolved around the Elementals (Thread of the Elements, I believe), which truly offered opportunities for players of all levels to do something significant at different times. Phoenix Mod for the freaking win.

And if I may, I'd like to include things which I fondly recall and/or miss from previous seasons. This in no way means that I found the 2009 Season to be lacking, but these are some things I think might be interesting to include again. They are:

1. The Trading Post. I think it's a wonderful device to help lower level characters feel included and successful, and also an interesting method of hooking/teaming up a variety of characters who might not be a part of a barony, guild, etc.
2. Events which require our heroes to venture to lands other than Fairedale. I loved the season (2007, I believe) in which we found ourselves in Death Watch, Bera's Outpost, the Vansir Reclaim, etc. I understand that this was more easily facilitated (and more visually authentic) when we were literally traveling to different campsites, but it was very dynamic and exciting.
3. More random damage/crunchies on "the Loop," rather than mostly appearing in the town. I think it encourages players to venture into the woods more often, and I think our site is chock full of very diverse encounter areas for it.

That's all for now! Have fun writing our doom, Toddo! :D
 
Along these lines, I also love it when you have a reason to walk around in the woods. Wandering monsters out there are cool. I remember one event from 2008 where Jesse G had mod sheets up on trees. That is awesome too and obviously easier on NPC resources.

I remember one event from 99 or 2000 where instead of a mod there was a sheet that said you find a cache of items. We gave it to NPC camp and got a few scrolls, some weapons, nothing huge but still very exciting to have actually found something in the woods. Then some Amani rangers came into town wondering who stole their stuff - an interesting twist but it took some of the fun out of it too (like we were getting in trouble for walking around in the woods - that's OK if 9/10 times you get rewarded but too often walking in the woods is a waste of time).

At the lowbie this year there were some fish eggs by the stream you could turn in for a silver a piece. That was fun for some but I had pretty crappy luck finding them so it turned out not so fun for me.

Anyway, yeah - more stuff on the loop would be sweet. When I first started playing characters would warn me that the woods were dangerous and the powerful baddies hung out in the woods. Sure NPCs don't want to wait out there forever but the mod sheets are a good compromise I think if there aren't enough NPCs.

Khorwyn Brey said:
3. More random damage/crunchies on "the Loop," rather than mostly appearing in the town. I think it encourages players to venture into the woods more often, and I think our site is chock full of very diverse encounter areas for it.
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I've found alot of components in the woods (more toward the beginning of the season though) and alot of other things like giant flowers to turn in for money, etc. I really enjoy hunting for that stuff, but it would indeed make it more fun if there were monsters there to make the hunt for those items more deadly.
 
The epic battle crushing the Dominion.

That event was challenging physically and took a mental toll on my character.

The lowbie event with Amelia was also epic with the various modules and encounters.

Jim
 
My Fav is walking into game my first time as a LVL 1 Caster...Every one was just kinda looking at me like Who the heck is this chick both in and out of game. It was fun. Once I started talking to everyone IG I had a blast. If it hadn't been for that first event I would never have come back and I would not be involded like I am now.
 
Gah! Where to start.

First I'd like to say thankyou to everyone who reached out and said HI while I was in and out of the hospital mid-season. I'm sad I missed the low-lvl event, and other, cuz I hear they were EPIC!!!


No order:

Meeting so many more Romani at the Holloween event. Holy cow!!! I never had so much fun!

Introducing not one, but THREE of my friends to the game, and both of them loveing as much as they do. Angel, Matt, Danielle, I love you guys!

Pulling out my first Fighter. Being front line is scary enough, not to forget the epic-ness of the LAST DOMINION BATTLE on my hands. Walking in first thing 2009 season to hear all about what had happened, and the discussions IG and OOG about mass genocide.


I'll think of more, I'm sure. Thanks to all NPC's and Staff for making the game that keeps me from going crazy at home. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU!!!!
 
Lanna Rose said:
My Fav is walking into game my first time as a LVL 1 Caster...Every one was just kinda looking at me like Who the heck is this chick both in and out of game. It was fun. Once I started talking to everyone IG I had a blast. If it hadn't been for that first event I would never have come back and I would not be involded like I am now.
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Heheh, yeah, my first event was in New Jersey, and I came with a heck of a group, 3 of whom were OOG friends I hang with often. The SECOND event I couldn't get anyone to come with me to HQ, but I was determined that I must go. I did, and even though nobody had any clue who I was I had such a fun time NPCing that I just kept doing it right up until October! It was SO much fun getting to know people in NPC camp, and as soon as I started donning those armor physreps I was totally hooked on heavy metal! Next season perhaps I'll even PC at HQ.

My favorite event at HQ, though, was the kids' event. Being beaten upon by all those kids was too much fun! I really didn't expect them to learn and follow the kids' event rules as quickly and thoroughly as they did. I even remember one of them exploiting the ability to heal himself constantly while fighting, with his infinite healing and no need to call damage verbals. THAT was fun to see, and fun to fight against! Those kids just had a blast, and their excitement was totally infectious, especially in the pandemonium of the acorn relay by the river!
 
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