If you were to add a zone to the Rogue Islands...

[Techwright]

A long-overdue promise to follow-up my other thread on Paragon City.

 

If you were to add a zone to the Rogue Islands, where would you think would be the most interesting location, and why? What would you like to see in that spot?  Please consider how bordering areas might overlap or affect a new zone, giving a more cohesive feel to the city.

 

I'm including a map with a few predefined areas for ease of reference, but please feel free to select anything not in those predefined spots, or perhaps overlapping those spots.  Keep in mind that it was stated by the original development team that the Rogue Islands were not entirely pictured on maps and that additional islands might have been added in the future, so feel free to draw outside of the box.

 

PLEASE ...Keep in mind that this is hypothetical discussion and is in NO WAY an effort to supplant any desires to improve or complete anything already in game.  There's no need to make comments like "Why are we discussing this? We need to fix "X" first."  This is just pie-in-the-sky, wish-fulfillment fun.

 

 

 

 

 

[Techwright]

I'll throw a concept out: underwater grotto/cave zone under the sea bed between islands.

 

First off, I hate caves, like so many, so it would have to be voluminous in its chambers.  As essentially a raised air pocket, it potentially could have small outcroppings overhead in the water: fine for seabird nesting, terrible for humans to build upon, but with vents in the volcanic rock, running down to the chambers below.

 

Perhaps even better would be to have an island that has such a cave underneath, but portions of it are below high-tide sea level and are flooded at high tide, giving a changing dynamic to when players can access those portions, or perhaps how they will move through them.

[TheZag]

Im sure there could some large area under Mt. Diable.  Give it the whole Batzul summoning vibe.  Could even have the horns from the mountain continue underground and be anchored in some ancient evil.

 

[Xiddo]

58 minutes ago, Techwright said:

I'll throw a concept out: underwater grotto/cave zone under the sea bed between islands.

 

First off, I hate caves, like so many, so it would have to be voluminous in its chambers.  As essentially a raised air pocket, it potentially could have small outcroppings overhead in the water: fine for seabird nesting, terrible for humans to build upon, but with vents in the volcanic rock, running down to the chambers below.

Number 2, on your map, below Sharkhead, could be a Coralax/water themed land/ chuck in some Snakes too. Sort of a redside Croatoa. All magic and monsters. Have Stheno's first brood laid there.

Arachnos have 1 boat base there, between the two islands, there's a zone event to defend it. Kind of like the end of the most recent Black Panther film, if you have seen it. They used to have a lab there as they were looking for some 'McGuffin' to help with the Arachnoid production, as it is close to where Stheno found the Well, so there are some mid 30s underdeveloped Arachnoids (basically, capitalise on the unique enemies of Redside).

Edited December 16, 2022 by Xiddo

[Luminara]

A pirate cove filled with drunken, belligerent undead (not spectral) pirates carousing and fighting.

[Player2]

I'd add an underwater Atlantis-style base where those amphibian COV critters dwell... and merge it with Luminara's suggestion above for a pirate cove.  Above the waterline is where you enter the zone via one of the smuggler subs parked at the edge of the island, and you can enter the water and swim below the waves to deal with the things below.   And Arachnos mystics have placed an enchantment on the surface of the water here so that anyone going below becomes blessed with waterbreathing and ability to use powers that might require an oxygen environment (fire, for example).

 

A completely submerged environment is possible, and I recall a small pool in one of the Cimerora mission maps where you can go underwater... probably the original devs experiemnting with the idea that they never followed up on because they either couldn't come up with a system to restrict powers or require breathing or just didn't want to get into it.  But with a little magic to handwave away the logistics, you can create a new environment where we can open up potential diplomatic relations with denizens of the deep.

 

Maybe make it a co-op zone also accessible to heroes through a similar sub entry from Khalisti Wharf.

 

Edited December 16, 2022 by Player2

[Lazarillo]

Take Striga Isle as it already is, open it up to both sides, push up the level cap to 40, and give it some more...updated-feeling story arcs.  The atmosphere is already there, it just needs some more love.

[CU_Krow]

On 12/16/2022 at 11:17 AM, Techwright said:

A long-overdue promise to follow-up my other thread on Paragon City.

 

If you were to add a zone to the Rogue Islands, where would you think would be the most interesting location, and why? What would you like to see in that spot?  Please consider how bordering areas might overlap or affect a new zone, giving a more cohesive feel to the city.

 

I'm including a map with a few predefined areas for ease of reference, but please feel free to select anything not in those predefined spots, or perhaps overlapping those spots.  Keep in mind that it was stated by the original development team that the Rogue Islands were not entirely pictured on maps and that additional islands might have been added in the future, so feel free to draw outside of the box.

 

PLEASE ...Keep in mind that this is hypothetical discussion and is in NO WAY an effort to supplant any desires to improve or complete anything already in game.  There's no need to make comments like "Why are we discussing this? We need to fix "X" first."  This is just pie-in-the-sky, wish-fulfillment fun.

 

 

 

 

 

#1 spot: Black's Lagoon
Redside's version of Striga Isle. Parroting off what others side, an island with a underground expanded area. The site can be historically relevant to Red side's history in terms of a dwelling place for Blackbeard when he sought respite, stored his treasures, or a general home base. It is now overrun with other crooks, goons, and unsavory critters.
 

[Six-Six]

The most despicable, vile and torturous zone there is: the Friendzone.

[tidge]

I'll repeat my call for a subterranean zone (or multiples, like the Sewer Network(s)) between Cap Au Diable and Port Oakes. There are a wide variety of enemy ranges that could be there: Snakes, Demons, CoT "just hanging out" as well as Goldbrickers, Luddites, Arachnos, Crey "delving for secrets man was not meant to know". Ideally there would be an "upper levels" version appropriate for characters of the Port Oakes/Cap Au Diable level ranges (like a Hazard Zone blue side) with "deeper levels" appropriate for characters in the 40-50 level ranges.

 

I don't think I would ever warm to the hinted at plans by the original team to turn Perez Park into a new Incarnate zone by "lifting it into the sky via CoT magicks" (too many good memories of my first "hazard zone")... but if a a new zone with that concept was tied to the Nerva Archipelago, I wouldn't object... but I'd like it to be done in a slightly cleverer way than the Shadow Shard... maybe larger "sky islands" with a better variety of artwork/geographic elements?

 

 

[Marine X]

The only thought I have is that with low population Redside they could really benefit from having a Cooperative Zone in the actual Island Chain, being that all existing Coops are Blueside. It could be positioned just below the level range of the Rikti War Zone and accessible to Heros from the Boats in Indy, Striga etc. Island #3 would be Ideal because of its location and the Zone could perhaps offer a Joined Nictus Foothold situation, with Missions to build a unique backstory around that.

[Xiddo]

 

3 hours ago, Marine X said:

The only thought I have is that with low population Redside they could really benefit from having a Cooperative Zone in the actual Island Chain, being that all existing Coops are Blueside. It could be positioned just below the level range of the Rikti War Zone and accessible to Heros from the Boats in Indy, Striga etc. Island #3 would be Ideal because of its location and the Zone could perhaps offer a Joined Nictus Foothold situation, with Missions to build a unique backstory around that.

Would love more Nictus missions. Always loved the idea of Arakhn heading to the Rogue Islands to try out her scheme again. Or Longbow/Wyvern using the international waters loophole to do experiments, things going awry, and it ending up very locked off from the rest of the world as LB and Arachnos stop them from spreading. Have em trying to terraform the island into their homeworld.

[High_Beam]

Let me dig around Book 2 of my fan fiction epic.  I developed the major and minor islands.  One is volcanic (active not Baat'Zul Active) with pumicites of largeness on it.  Another is actually a zombie island (all of the dead wash up there due to currents).  Plus the Sea Devils and the two pirate factions and a crashed Rikti ship and a Circle of Thorn's Black Pyramid of Evil and Arachnos mutagen testing facility and an old 5th Column base locked in time since World War II and an invisible island plus a whole "disturbance surrounding the region causing craziness.  Oh and the disintegration pillars.  I was really bored during peak COVID 🙂

[Player2]

Moon base zone.  Red side gets there first and it can become a co-op zone later on.

[Go0gleplex]

Make zone 1 volcanic with lava fields, tubes, and caverns. 

 

Zone 2 - pirates, smugglers, etc on one side of the bay and rich tycoons with their private security and such on the other. Coralax and/or kaiju in the bay between. 

 

Zone 3 - Merc. Training base on one of the small islands, sanitarium/ questionable medical labs on another, tsunami destroyed district and salt marsh on the main with a central suburbia type urban area (praetorian refugee central?)

[Xaddy]

I would simply take further advantage of the zones that are already in the game - like Kallista Wharf. 

I think "hazard zones" should be considered for an overhaul into something more useful. All the destruction - and construction in Boomtown could finally be utilized and the zone might be used for something besides Babbage hunts and Giant war walker beat downs. 

 

[WumpusRat]

7 hours ago, Xaddy said:

I would simply take further advantage of the zones that are already in the game - like Kallista Wharf. 

I think "hazard zones" should be considered for an overhaul into something more useful. All the destruction - and construction in Boomtown could finally be utilized and the zone might be used for something besides Babbage hunts and Giant war walker beat downs. 

 

Something I've thought would be interesting is if the hazard zones could be turned into something that allows for more "neutral" style content. 

 

For instance, The Hollows is full of Outcasts, Trolls, Circle of Thorns, Tsoo, and the more monstrous Igneous.

 

What if those groups tried to establish more control by working with the heroes/vigilantes to take out the other groups. Have new contacts open up after defeating X number of Y enemy group.

 

"You have defeated 50 Outcasts in The Hollows, and now Volstagg of the Trolls wants to contact you."

 

Could be several short to medium story arcs per faction, about how they're trying to push out the other groups and make a place for themselves. 

 

Perhaps even have them function like "tip" missions in that working with villain groups to help them achieve their goals could be classed as "vigilante", "rogue" or even "villain" alignment missions, with the final one in the arc being a morality mission that could even offer up 4 different possibilities. Taking the heroic path, vigilante path, rogue path, or villain path.

[Techwright]

19 minutes ago, WumpusRat said:

Something I've thought would be interesting is if the hazard zones could be turned into something that allows for more "neutral" style content. 

 

For instance, The Hollows is full of Outcasts, Trolls, Circle of Thorns, Tsoo, and the more monstrous Igneous.

 

What if those groups tried to establish more control by working with the heroes/vigilantes to take out the other groups. Have new contacts open up after defeating X number of Y enemy group.

 

"You have defeated 50 Outcasts in The Hollows, and now Volstagg of the Trolls wants to contact you."

 

Could be several short to medium story arcs per faction, about how they're trying to push out the other groups and make a place for themselves. 

 

Perhaps even have them function like "tip" missions in that working with villain groups to help them achieve their goals could be classed as "vigilante", "rogue" or even "villain" alignment missions, with the final one in the arc being a morality mission that could even offer up 4 different possibilities. Taking the heroic path, vigilante path, rogue path, or villain path.

While I like the idea, would it be that obvious?  I'd think the morally upright heroes might have a problem with any assistance to any criminal organization, regardless of the impact it might have on other criminal groups.  Vigilantes might go for it, though.  What I could see is a criminal group manipulating the heroes into cooperation (without realization of it), possibly by sending one of their number to the heroes as a "change-of-heart" contact that's "having trouble leaving the gang, but can give you streetwise info on other groups nearby".

 

[WumpusRat]

Just now, Techwright said:

While I like the idea, would it be that obvious?  I'd think the morally upright heroes might have a problem with any assistance to any criminal organization, regardless of the impact it might have on other criminal groups.  Vigilantes might go for it, though.  What I could see is a criminal group manipulating the heroes into cooperation (without realization of it), possibly by sending one of their number to the heroes as a "change-of-heart" contact that's "having trouble leaving the gang, but can give you streetwise info on other groups nearby".

 

Well, there are lots of possibilities that could be done. Admittedly, it would take a lot of work to build all the story arcs and such. But you could have the initial contact start a story/alignment path based on your role, as well.

 

Like under "available missions" from the contact, instead of just the usual (defeat task) and (story arc start) pair, it might have a list like:

(Heroic) Help Bob the Outcast leave the group and try to turn his life around.

(Vigilante) Help Frankie take down the Troll leader Boltan.

(Rogue) Show the Outcasts how to really deal with their enemies.

(Villain) Wipe out the Trolls and install yourself as the new leader of the Outcasts in the area.

 

You'd still have just the one initial contact point (easier coding), but that contact could be a source of multiple alignment story arcs.

 

Admittedly, what I'd love to see is a lot more alignment-style missions peppered into the world outside of just tips. Full story arcs that would let you follow a cohesive story that would let you make a choice that could end up changing your alignment at the end of the arc, much like the stuff in Praetoria does.

[Zep]

I think we need the upper class area. The Founders Falls of the Isles. A Posh high security island where the worlds richest and evilest people live all under the protection of Lord Recluse so he can tax them to support Arachnos.

 

A focus on financial and other white collar crimes would fit. This is where Countess Crey and so many AV's live.

[TalynDerre]

I would love to see a flooded / wrecked by a hurricane zone, maybe on the island marked '3' on your map.  It should be a high-level zone, so that Redsiders have options for 40+ content that isn't Grandville.

 

I like Zep's suggestion of a more prosperous zone focused on white-collar crime - maybe it could have been that before the hurricane.  Now, you have the more elevated areas that are still mostly functional, which have Arachnos, Crey, and Malta enemies.  You have the flooded zones, which have high-level Snakes and Coralax, and maybe some Rikti deserters who are not part of either the Restructuralists or the Traditionalists, and who are trying to lay low.  And you have the now-exposed fortified areas that have been revealed by the flooding, where Longbow, the Council, and Nemesis forces now battle each other AND Arachnos over the few bits of defensible dry ground.

 

If you wanted to focus on some weirder stuff, you could have one of the Nemesis bases be a Shadow Shard portal, so that area has now been taken over by Shadow Shard-type enemies, and it would be a chance for Redsiders to do more Shadow Shard shenanigans.

[Snarky]

I do love the thought of another zone redside.  MarineX, WampusRat and others have noted that a co op zone would make more sense.  I think a co op zone with missions/content focused in the 20-40 range and maybe an incarnate something sprinkled on top to conclude the story?  

 

I love the ideas for grottos and sea caves and subterranean satellite dishes.  Maybe take those coralax and undead pirates and croatoa lore and weave a story that will send shivers down a strong mans spine.  

 

Having this be co op would be the kindest to redsiders.  (speaking as a redsider)  If it was purely Redside everyone would play it for two months.  Then a dedicated Redsider is trying to team there on a Dom in the 3rd month.  crickets.  You can build a nasty villain and at 35 start chilling in the RWZ and get some stuff, not a lot but some.  and ITF.  if the teams will have a lowbie.  Putting in more stuff that allows 20+ reds to team with the rest of the population would be a true boon.

[Rishidian]

On 12/16/2022 at 10:26 AM, Luminara said:

A pirate cove filled with drunken, belligerent undead (not spectral) pirates carousing and fighting.

With an Elizabethan mansion.

And ghosts

With a jail

And a dog with the keys

[Luminara]

1 hour ago, Rishidian said:

With an Elizabethan mansion.

And ghosts

With a jail

And a dog with the keys

 

AND A RUM METER!  When the rum meter is empty, they all stop carousing and dancing and start fighting.

 

And pirate bosses with PBAoE Confuses that make the player carouse and dance with the pirates!

Yo ho, me hearties.

[gamingglen]

23 hours ago, Snarky said:

 

... and subterranean satellite dishes. 

 

Um, you do realize how satellite dishes work, right?