Events should be fun and exciting. They also shouldn't interfere with anyones progression through the research tree, or interfere with advancing your cities needs/ growth. They should have quests that promote interaction with new players, fellowship members and world map neighbors. Production quests and upgrade quests create havoc in developing cities and for cities that can no longer grow ( already locked in the tree or at the end of the tree ) Whether or not a quest is TOO easy for some players is irrelevant. Of course they will be too easy for some players, but those are not the issues being addressed with events. As an archmage of 2 successfully growing and extremely participatory fellowships, the feedback i have surrounding the events is overwhelmingly negative from all chapters, 1 through 11.
Events should not require the following :
A) additional buildings - especially non boosted buildings. The game has already set all players on a path with restricted expansions and population needs restrict certain amounts of buildings because we do not have unlimited expansions. Some players run 5-6 workshops or 3-5 tier one depending on the use of wonders. The events are never designed for any of the optional builds or unique builds players choose. Example : those who have non boosted buildings.
B )Should not require X number of upgrades -There is never any way to tell which of the player base has upgrades left depending on their chapter progression. They may be out of options and then have to resort to building additional buildings which spirals off to, they cant because theres not enough room in their cities. This makes upgrading a terrible event quest. It also requires players to resort to leaving normal game progression to tackle the needs of the event.
C) The research tree should not be interfered with - there should never be a rush to insert KP. This creates tech lock or if you have already become tech locked what would you do - throw it away in a wonder, a fellows wonder or a neighbors wonder but that is also distracting you from your normal city growth. Players should be unlocking new techs properly and using the time needed between techs to complete upgrades or gaining regular needed productions to assist them in progressing smoothly.
D) scouting, more never works well for any level player. If you had the coin you would already have done it. If you have the troops or goods to cater, you would have already cleared any open provinces. People don't just scout and leave vast numbers of open provinces sitting. Preparation is always required because of the hideous scout times, the scout times vary so much throughout the player base its an awful quest to use as it requires time, coins, troops ( so more time in training ), tools ( more time producing the tools ) or goods ( time needed to make extra, acquire it through trade). Over scouting always occurs with the events rolling out more frequently creating another problem - the provinces are now too difficult to fight or cost more goods then you can create.
Quests that are fun and do not interfere with your city :
Move a building. ( free and fun, come on, it makes me laugh! )
Accept trades
Post trades
Visit a neighbor
Visit 3 neighbors
Gain goods
Spend less then a days worth of KP
Collect x number of productions - tools, goods Example: Collect 5 tier one productions , Collect 2 tier 2 ( doesn't matter whether its a 3hr, 9hr, but stay away from 1 day - they have terrible return rates compared to 3 or 9hr productions and we need regular cycles to play in our cities)
Collect coins/ gain coins
Gain culture OR have x amount of culture boost ( small amount!!! chapter dependent ) to promote new roads, signposts etc for decoration only.
Change your city name ( there are literally endless amounts of players who still don't know how to do this
Cast a Spell
Use an Instant ( after wining one as a reward )
Build a road
Gain Supplies ( not ridiculous amounts either based on 3 3hr productions for example)
Train troops
Put 1 KP in your wonder or spend 3 KP
Put 1 KP in a wonder not your own or spend 3 KP
Find a hidden treasure
Use the wholesaler
Using the declinable quest line for examples of quantity is ideal. Do not use non boosted quests. That is the worst, most backwards approach to learning a game, asking players to do the opposite of what they have struggled to learn and adapt to. The in-game declinable quest line is already in place and chapter dependent and is a bonus during regular game play, not a task or impossible, for all players. These quests use chapter dependent requirements, why stray from these? Use the quantities to better assist us in completing the events.
An Event should not be tasking. It should simply give us a little on-the-side enjoyment to make us want to sign in more often, interact with others more often. Not advance us too quickly or unnecessarily. Remember that players want to continuously complete and advance through event quests. More, simple quests that are more enjoyable brings us back on-line more often and keeps us from feeling hassled, stressed, unhappy or de-railed from normal game play.
).
