Relics

[watusimoto]

Here's an idea that came to me last night. What if, randomly, collectible "relics" appeared in a level. Players could pick these up, and they would be added to their profile much like trophies. They would have no impact on gameplay.

They would also be rare, perhaps appearing in, say, 1 in 20 games, controlled by the master server.

It might add some excitement when one showed up.

Anyway... just a thought. I'll be away for a few days, so will look for your comments when I get back.

[Skybax]

I like this idea. This is a good idea.
And while you're adding relics you can also add power-ups!

i like the idea. random collectibles are fun!
diablo comes to mind. could be on a kill (diablo style) instead of totally random (like smash bros)
finally, dont make it a mission. making it a mission is not fun, e.g. star finder mario or Donkey Kong 64: find more stuff.

[watusimoto]

No, not a mission, they would just randomly appear. My main concern is that it would just add "noise" to the game without any real benefit.

Maybe, we don't want the newbs to be overwhelmed by all the types of objects, but it's a nice idea, so I don't know

Maybe if you collect certain ones you can unlock something

[Quartz]

Maybe if you collect certain ones you can unlock something

Yeah, certain relics unlock certain hats. Then, add a trading mechanic. Then, add in-game DLC micro transactions to get those relics and hats the fast way.

PROFIT!

[watusimoto]

I'm counting the money already!

No, not a mission, they would just randomly appear. My main concern is that it would just add "noise" to the game without any real benefit.

This is my concern as well. I think they might distract players from completing their objectives -- "ooh!" cries Quartz as he spots a shiny relic, flying directly into an enemy's nest, ensuring a loss for his team. However a relic that had an impact on the round itself is an interesting concept. Something like 20% faster movement for 20 seconds, or slow regen health. Etc etc I'm sure someone can think of better variables.

Alternatively maybe victors of a certain round would be rewarded with a relic for winning. Everyone in the round knows what relic they're fighting for and has that much more incentive to win. Would be especially nice in FFA rounds I think.

[Skybax]

However a relic that had an impact on the round itself is an interesting concept. Something like 20% faster movement for 20 seconds, or slow regen health

Powerups. Or Crowns.

[Quartz]

No, not a mission, they would just randomly appear. My main concern is that it would just add "noise" to the game without any real benefit.

This is my concern as well. I think they might distract players from completing their objectives -- "ooh!" cries Quartz as he spots a shiny relic, flying directly into an enemy's nest, ensuring a loss for his team. However a relic that had an impact on the round itself is an interesting concept. Something like 20% faster movement for 20 seconds, or slow regen health. Etc etc I'm sure someone can think of better variables.

Alternatively maybe victors of a certain round would be rewarded with a relic for winning. Everyone in the round knows what relic they're fighting for and has that much more incentive to win. Would be especially nice in FFA rounds I think.

Smart thinking.

Nice memory skybax. Gosh, that thread is so similar to this one. Raptor even mentioned relics in his post.

Strength - double damage
Defense - take half damage
Speed - twice as fast
Regeneration - heal 10 health every few seconds
Redemption - teleport safely nearby when health hits 0 instead of dying
Vengeance - kill everyone nearby upon death

I think raptor nailed it. sam had some ambitious ideas but I think the items on raptor's list are good because they're (a) very basic (keep things simple) and consistent in nature (not wildly different). Six is also a great number IMO for amount of relics.

I'm actually really excited about this idea. Relics pop up around a map, but disappear after a few seconds and change location to give them rarity value. You see a relic, you weigh the pros and cons of ignoring it or going for it, then make a choice. Fighting may ensue. When obtained, relics give players these slight enhancements for a short amount of time.

There's a lot to still consider:
- What kind of tech could ensure relics would randomly appear around a map without getting stuck on walls, etc?
- Would players equipped with relics appear different from players without relics?
- Could relics be stolen (while in a player's possession) or destroyed (while not in a player's possession, idea being to prevent a player nearby from grabbing it)?
- Would a player pick up a relic just by flying over it, or would they have to remain on it for a few seconds?
- Would all relics look the same to ensure randomness or look different to help players choose whether to ignore/grab?

Ideally, I think the rate in which relics are deployed should be very limited (perhaps controlled by the server owner) to ensure gameplay remains concentrated on the preset objectives. If the idea of relics embedded in regular gameplay becomes too overwhelming, one alternative idea might be to create a separate game mode entirely -- think a Bitmatch spin-off, where relics are the main focus, and players battle each other while hopped up on various effects.