It's time to develop the Shadow Shard Zones!

[PeregrineFalcon]

It's time for another mandatory suggestion on how to "fix" the Shadow Shard Zones!

 

My suggestion is broken down into various stages that the developers can implement one at a time as they have the time, instead of having to do everything all at once. The idea behind this is to make things easier for the devs to implement, although the standard code rant applies.

 

1) Make zones available to characters of all alignments. So PvE co-op zone.

 

2) Raise the level of the enemies in the outer ring of the Chantry/Storm Palace to 50-54.

 

3) Add scanner/newspaper missions to the zones. Level 40-50+, including all enemies in that level range. This allows people to encounter enemies they've never seen before (like Council America) without the devs having to create new enemy factions.

A) Rescue a patrol mission. Hostages are soldiers they do not need to be lead out.

B) Rescue a named NPC mission. They do need to be lead out, ambushes may happen.

C) Boss kill mission.

D) Recover mcguffin. Click glowies, optional boss.

E) Gather Kora Fruit for the refugees. And kill enemies while you're at it.

F) Clear out a hidden base. Kill most, plus an optional boss.

G) <Hero Name> needs backup. Rescue hero (optional) and boss kill.

 

4) Because of the distance between mission doors add an NPC just inside the entrance that can train and is also a vendor. Bonus points if they can also add P2W vendor and Null the Gull functions to this vendor.

 

5) Add a capstone mission that opens up every 3-5 missions, just like the safeguard/bank missions do in the normal hero/villain zones.

A) Raid an enemy base. Boss kill with optional glowie that awards a temp power to whoever clicks it, just like the weapons deal side-missions in Safeguards.

 

6) Add more mission doors to the zone. One easy way to do this may be to just have a hidden door in one of the many bushes on the various floating rocks. The mission door wouldn't even need an art asset, just the base of the plant itself.

 

7) Add level 50+ story arcs to the zones.

 

Additional suggestions, tweaks, criticisms welcome! My only request is that if you don't like all or part of my suggestion, or if you just think I'm an idiot, please explain why.

[Steampunkette]

I'm all for 1, 2, 3, and some of 5.

 

The rest is very "Meh". Particularly number 7.

 

Rularuu is something we should only really get back to if and when the current devs bring the Battalion down on our heads as we unleash him on our enemies.

 

As to 5, I feel like the capstone mission should be a more general "Bank Mission" style where you're trying to save a bunch of refugees from a Natterling attack or whatever. Then separate side-missions around the refugee camp itself where you're fighting Nemesis, recovering Kora Fruit, or other similar stuff.

[Akisan]

3 is already mostly implemented (there's a bunch of fully repeatable contacts in FBZ & Cascades, at least).  Adding 5's rewards to their rotation would be a great addition. 

 

As far as 6 goes, I'd much rather they added additional mole points, especially to The Chantry and The Storm Palace (where there aren't any mole points).  These could very easily have contacts with the new mission types - including fending off other dimensions' explorations into the Shard (like Council America), as well as allowing for further development into the Shard's story.

 

For 4 though?  The Shards are Hazard zones, so I don't see Portal Corp. having the resources to send that many trainers out into the Shard.  Maybe trainers/vendors in the various mole points though.

[Starforge]

I'm all in on more 50+ story arcs in the Shard. My only request is that they aren't nearly as long as the Dr. Quaterfield Task Force.

[PeregrineFalcon]

9 hours ago, Starforge said:

I'm all in on more 50+ story arcs in the Shard. My only request is that they aren't nearly as long as the Dr. Quaterfield Task Force.

What's wrong? You don't like spending 12 hours doing a Task Force?  😁

[Starforge]

Mostly joking about that; been on some sub-2 hour Dr. Qs so it's not nearly as bad as it was on live without our current QOL changes.

[Kendai]

I've had a look around on the forums about this, and had some thoughts:

 

1. Co-Op Zone: People are generally in favour of the Shadow Shard being a co-op zone. It makes sense as it's dimensional beings attacking our home dimension.

• This massively helps with the villain teaming and levelling as we still have a low population of villains across the servers.
• This gives villains access to the Shadow Shard Taskforces, and the rewards of Weekly Strike Targets of them without being forced to change alignment.
• What about the door missions for the Shadow Shard Taskforces? They can be changed to become board train missions, so no necessity to visit Paragon City during the Taskforces. There are two "Speak with Azuria" missions in Faathim the Kind's Taskforce, so maybe make a copy of her at Firebase Zulu or at the Cascades.

2. More Repeatable Missions: I agree with the previous posts.

• Even though there are repeatable missions we could do with more variety, and there are no repeatable mission contacts in the Chantry or Storm Palace.
• Capstone missions every 5 of them with a unique reward which you can't get anywhere else. Maybe a random Archetype Origin or Event enhancement?
• Capstone mission idea - Rularuu invasion of Portal Corps? Defeat waves of enemies which come through the the Firebase Zulu portal? You can also rescue scientists who are being terrorized by minions. On the last wave a random villain Aspect of Rularuu (eg. Ruludak or Lanaruu) breaks through.

3. More Story Arc Missions: There isn't a story contact in the Cascades, Chantry or the Storm Palace, and the missions in FBZ aren't exactly inspiring either.

• I can't come up with several new story arcs right now, but maybe some more interesting story contacts in these zones could relate or lead up to the Shadow Shard Taskforces or suggestions 4. and 5.
• Cascades could probably do a storyline involving Nemesis, as they're heavily involved in Sara Moore's TF
• Chantry could probably do a storyline involving the Circle as they want to capture him in the Justin Augustine TF

4. Events: How about adding an event to the Storm Palace? It seems like there is literally no reason to go there unless it's the Faathim the Kind Taskforce.

• It could offer badges and merits as rewards?
• Maybe Rularuu and Storm Elementals are attempting to weaken the magical locks on the Storm Palace so Lanaruu can be freed, roaming about the Storm Palace? A badge could be awarded for preventing his release, and a different badge could be awarded for taking him down and repairing the locks?

5. There are Aspects of Rularuu and areas still waiting to seen:

• Take a look at this article: https://archive.paragonwiki.com/wiki/Rularuu_the_Ravager
• Chularn the Slave Lord & the Factory, Kuularth the Scavenger & the Repository, Uuralur the Mirror & the Garden of Memories are still yet to make appearances.
• Rularuu himself exists! There are pictures of him but we never meet or fight him in-game!
• The unexplored Aspects and Rularuu here sound like potentials for new Incarnate Trials? Even more level 50+ content? The Dream Doctor and the Midnight Squad defeated him previously so it would make sense to use these guys in the story of the trial!

[Darmian]

51 minutes ago, Kendai said:

There are two "Speak with Azuria" missions in Faathim the Kind's Taskforce, so maybe make a copy of her at Firebase Zulu or at the Cascades.

I wouldn't actually copy her directly.  I think a video call to her at the Firebase Zulu HQ would be more in keeping.  Azuria wandering the Shadow Shard?  You'll never see her again!  She's been living in the Hotel Geneva for 16 years since she lost her house keys on the way to work!

[Clave Dark 5]

"It's time to develop the Shadow Shard Zones!"

 

Oh great, now even the Shadow Shard's getting gentrified!

[PeregrineFalcon]

A recent thread made me start thinking about the Shadow Shards again.

 

What if they were made into the zone(s) that were truly a challenge for Incarnate teams? +5 bosses with special powers. EBs leading an outdoor ambush after a completed mission. Maybe even some unique and weird GMs wandering around certain floating islands. Zone invasion events, but with Battalion or something new.

 

Basically like the revamped Dark Astoria, but an actual challenge.

 

And definitely co-op so that villains can get their Incarnate drops/threads too.

 

(Sorry Warpact. Not trying to steal your thunder, but your thread seems to have devolved into a PvP discussion thread.)

[MTeague]

What about: 

a) prevent all mission teleports / team teleports

b) suppress all travel powers, including jetpacks, and kheldian novas, in order to force people to learn the geysers

c) and --

 

*** is clubbed into submission by the forums ***

[PeregrineFalcon]

I'm talking about making the Shadow Shards fun and challenging.

 

You're talking about making them annoying. Not the same thing.  🤪

[Doomguide2005]

11 minutes ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

I'm talking about making the Shadow Shards fun and challenging.

 

You're talking about making them annoying. Not the same thing.  🤪

     Maybe some of those rewards for radio type repeatables be something that enhances your ability to use the Geysers.  I'd add "or boosts your flight speeds" but so many QoL and other changes don't know if that would  actually add anything right now.

[MTeague]

2 hours ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

I'm talking about making the Shadow Shards fun and challenging.

 

You're talking about making them annoying. Not the same thing.  🤪

I am occasionally a sadist. 😀

[Doomguide2005]

18 minutes ago, MTeague said:

I am occasionally a sadist. 😀

6 hours ago, MTeague said:

 

*** is clubbed into submission by the forums ***

And part time masochist apparently 😛

[The_Warpact]

6 hours ago, PeregrineFalcon said:

A recent thread made me start thinking about the Shadow Shards again.

 

What if they were made into the zone(s) that were truly a challenge for Incarnate teams? +5 bosses with special powers. EBs leading an outdoor ambush after a completed mission. Maybe even some unique and weird GMs wandering around certain floating islands. Zone invasion events, but with Battalion or something new.

 

Basically like the revamped Dark Astoria, but an actual challenge.

 

And definitely co-op so that villains can get their Incarnate drops/threads too.

 

(Sorry Warpact. Not trying to steal your thunder, but your thread seems to have devolved into a PvP discussion thread.)

I agree on this. Rularu is a multi dimensional threat hence he should get the big bad treatment including his zone.

 

Yeah, yeah I always start it and it devolves into pvp, star trek nerds, and whatever comes out of the wood work its like some lovecraftian nightmare.

[Rudra]

If Rularuu is some pan-dimensional dimension eating entity that the players are supposed to unleash on Battalion, presumably because Battalion is too powerful for the players to defeat and so Rularuu is unleashed to eat it before being banished again, then wouldn't it be uncalled for to have Rularuu actually encounterable in the Shadow Shard? I mean, according to the lore, won't he just eat all the players that find him? Aside from that, if you find a way to make people like me actually want to spend time in the Shadow Shard beyond killing mobs for badges, then by all means. It is a very interesting zone, just not a fun one to me. More aggravating than anything else actually....

 

As for the names and places mentioned that I have no idea what you are talking about, by all means, let's see it. Maybe I'll come to actually like the Shadow Shard.