zone events New Zone Event: Runaway Monorail

[RadiantPhoenix]

We need more heroism that isn't just shooting people in the face.

This suggestion is meant to provide that, *and* make Control ATs feel more appreciated.

How this would work:

• The "Runaway Monorail" is a line of special critters ("Monorail cars") that moves through the zone, along the monorail tracks, at a moderate pace
• The goal is to Hold or Immobilize the runaway monorail cars to prevent a crash
• Each car grants all cars in front of it additional protection from Holds and Immobilizes, so it's probably best to start from the back
• When a car Immobilized or Held, it detaches from the train and stops permanently, along with all cars behind it (and eventually fades away I guess)
• If any train cars reach the "end point" on the tracks, they crash and explode.
• The event ends when all cars are either stopped or exploded

There would be badges, XP/inf, and maybe some kind of special currency reward for successfully stopping cars, or the whole train.

For redsiders, maybe there could be a special mission to trigger this event. (and particularly glory-hungry Vigilantes, or remorseful Rogues could start the event and then stop it themselves!)

[Triumphant]

No idea how doable this is, but it's a cool idea. 😎

[Rudra]

How would this interact with the relatively frequent trams already running on the tracks?

[biostem]

3 hours ago, RadiantPhoenix said:

Runaway Monorail

So if you don't have a hold or immobilize, you can't participate?  Would there be a temp power or perhaps other things characters without control abilities could do to participate?  Maybe have targetable "stuck brakes" on each car that can be attacked to slow or stop the car?  Maybe have some debris or emergency brakes along the track that could be attacked to influence the behavior of the monorail cars? 

[Hyperstrike]

3 hours ago, RadiantPhoenix said:

We need more heroism that isn't just shooting people in the face.

Of COURSE not!

I am, in general, a TANK!

My job is to get people to shoot ME in the face!

It generally causes them to lose bowel and bladder control when the smoke clears and I'm crunching down on the bullet and spitting it back at them!

Even MORE fun when I do it with 30mm ammunition at point blank range!

[Rudra]

20 minutes ago, biostem said:

So if you don't have a hold or immobilize, you can't participate?  Would there be a temp power or perhaps other things characters without control abilities could do to participate?  Maybe have targetable "stuck brakes" on each car that can be attacked to slow or stop the car?  Maybe have some debris or emergency brakes along the track that could be attacked to influence the behavior of the monorail cars? 

Good point. I hadn't gotten past worrying about how the event would interact with the already present trams to realize the event objective cuts out Brutes, Scrappers, Sentinels, Stalkers, and Tankers as possible participants. (Edit: Or at least a significant number of them.)

Edited June 8 by Rudra

[biostem]

2 minutes ago, Rudra said:

I hadn't gotten past worrying about how the event would interact with the already present trams

That part would be pretty simple - there's a new tram line installed where the event takes place along, (players cannot access it) - maybe the event "celebrates" its inaugural trip carrying passengers or something, and some villain group is taking advantage of the publicity to make a statement or such...

[Rudra]

18 minutes ago, biostem said:

That part would be pretty simple - there's a new tram line installed where the event takes place along, (players cannot access it) - maybe the event "celebrates" its inaugural trip carrying passengers or something, and some villain group is taking advantage of the publicity to make a statement or such...

So then what happens if no one does the event? In the case of the other events, they stay as started until players progress them. This isn't an event that can just stay as started if the new cars/trams are already racing out of control.

[biostem]

55 minutes ago, Rudra said:

So then what happens if no one does the event? In the case of the other events, they stay as started until players progress them. This isn't an event that can just stay as started if the new cars/trams are already racing out of control.

Well, there'd be some announcement like "Calling all heroes!  [Enemy group X] has issued threats against the inaugural trip of the new tram line in [insert zone here].  Please speak to [contact name] for further information", and only when someone talks to said contact does the event begin in earnest... 

[Rudra]

17 minutes ago, biostem said:

Well, there'd be some announcement like "Calling all heroes!  [Enemy group X] has issued threats against the inaugural trip of the new tram line in [insert zone here].  Please speak to [contact name] for further information", and only when someone talks to said contact does the event begin in earnest... 

Actually, I just noticed the author included what happens if the event gets ignored. The cars crash and explode.

[RadiantPhoenix]

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

Good point. I hadn't gotten past worrying about how the event would interact with the already present trams to realize the event objective cuts out Brutes, Scrappers, Sentinels, Stalkers, and Tankers as possible participants. (Edit: Or at least a significant number of them.)

Don't all of these ATs get an Immobilize or a Hold from almost every Epic pool? And both from a majority?

(In addition to anything from their attack powersets)

Yeah, some characters are going to be able to contribute a lot more to this event, but that's also true of the Hellion Arson event in Steel Canyon, and numerous other things in the game.

There's also procs to check.

Edited June 8 by RadiantPhoenix
(rewording some stuff)

[biostem]

1 hour ago, RadiantPhoenix said:

Don't all of these ATs get an Immobilize or a Hold from almost every Epic pool? And both from a majority?

Not everyone takes them, or even APPs/PPPs, for that matter, and even if they did, their recharges are much longer.  It'd also exclude any of those ATs sub-35.

[Rudra]

1 hour ago, RadiantPhoenix said:

Don't all of these ATs get an Immobilize or a Hold from almost every Epic pool? And both from a majority?

(In addition to anything from their attack powersets)

Yeah, some characters are going to be able to contribute a lot more to this event, but that's also true of the Hellion Arson event in Steel Canyon, and numerous other things in the game.

There's also procs to check.

You have an interesting idea, but it needs some alterations. If the event is built around the expectation that everyone can participate if they are level 35+ because they will need access to APPs/PPPs because they are melee unless they are Controllers or Dominators, then it should only occur in a zone or zones with a level expectation of 35+. If the event is built around the expectation that everyone will slot hold procs into their builds, that is a whole different can of worms. Example:

 

Melee damage sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 1 (Blistering Cold and the proc is unique) (I'm counting the superior and regular versions as 1 set for this)

Melee AoE damage sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 0

Pet damage sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 0

Ranged damage sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 1 (Devastation)

Ranged AoE damage sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 1 (Frozen Blast and the proc is unique) (I'm counting the superior and regular versions as 1 set for this)

Sniper sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 0

Universal damage set does not have a hold or immobilize proc.

ATO sets with a hold or immobilize proc: 0

 

That's not a lot to work with for the melee ATs. Though the Sentinel fares better since Devastation isn't a unique set.

 

As for APPs and PPPs? Just looking at Scrappers, they get a hold in Dark Mastery, a hold and an immobilize in Fire Mastery, and an immobilize in Weapon Mastery. They get nothing in Energy Mastery, Ice Mastery, and Psionic Mastery. If they unlock the PPPs, all the PPPs have 1 hold  and 0 immobilizes each. So a Scrapper that goes Energy Mastery, Ice Mastery, or Psionic Mastery gets 0 holds for the event. (Edit: And not every primary has a ranged attack to slot that Devastation in. Neither do all the APPs. (Edit: I'm wrong and all the APPs and PPPs do include at least 1 ranged attack.) So there is a good chance that Scrapper is only going to get to slot 1 Hold proc (edit: unless they take an APP/PPP). And if they are built anything like my Scrappers? That proc is better filled by a different enhancement. Especially if the player is slotting like they are building, for character concept, and freezing their opponent does not fit their character concept.)

 

So maybe a few tweaks are in order for this event?

 

Edit yet again: Also, any character can participate in the Hellion Arson event. All you need are attacks to quash the Hellions and the fire extinguisher from the fire marshal.

Edited June 8 by Rudra

[Triumphant]

I know I'm going way out into dreamland here, but what would be cool is a giant monster attack causing a rail collapse and some of the team has to stop the train car from plunging off the rail, while the rest of the team battles the giant monster causing the destruction (would give the non-control/combat focused AT's something to do).

[Shin Magmus]

Stopping runaway trains is classic heroism, so this would be awesome if they found a way to implement it.