Treasure Hunt! (new quest/battle/event) [treasure found]

[Hello=)]

TMW turned 21! To celebrate it and stand for my recent "Developer" badge I would like to invite players to join adventure. This time its a bit unusual one. How about some treasure hunt?!

A bit of quest and a bit of event, it meant to be adventure for courageous and bold. Its a bit of experiment. Open ended, no level requirements, no NPCs chats and no "bring me 5 ratto tails". Just some ways to use items and different interactions with game world in interactive manner. Few things are still in flight and MAY change, so are timings. Follow this thread to stay up to date. Yet it will be here. Most of it already coded, but main part needs a bit of polishing, bug fixing, testing, calibration and so on.

What you need for treasure hunt? (this explains basic event idea)

• First you could use some map to get idea where treasure is. Not every map is useful. In this case you'll be looking for very particular map (item) called Legendary Treasure Map. This map would give you hint where treasure is hidden - if you can figure out how to use it. Devs who seen tentative treasure placement asked to avoid giving spoilers away.
• In principle use of treasure map is not mandatory. If someone gives you data, or you spot suspicious activity, you can try to figure out region of interest yourself. Just like in real life, this part is open-ended. Its really up to you how you figure out area of interest. But Legendary Treasure Maps could be helpful and could eventually be useful for something else. So neglecting this part is not recommended. Especially given 1st part of event is about trying to acquire shovels and maps and trasure hunt itself isn't active yet.
• You'll need shovel to try to dig treasure. Terrain in digging site said to be peculiar, so you'll need special shovel, called Legendary Shovel. Only this shovel would be useful to dig treasure. So you'd be looking for this shovel before you can start treasure digging.
• Once you got idea where treasure could be - and got right shovel - you can guess what to do next, right?
• Make some space in your backpack, just in case some of diggers gets lucky. If you come to treasure hunt with full backpack, okay, its stupid and you've been warned.
• Unfortunately, digging treasures isn't simple or safe. Digger would need all their focus to ensure digging runs smooth. Digger can not move during digging, or attempt is bust, a bit like in Illia circle.
• To add up, a lot of things can go wrong during digging. You probably underestimate how perilous digging could be.
• And worst part is: there can be some "contenders" or some really angry things not fond of your presence.
• In case digger happens to be lucky: digger gets main reward. Whoever running around gets "collateral" booty. Its where your relatively empty bag would come handy.
• Several diggers can dig at once, testing their luck on different spots. Code would happily let few diggers to have "concurrent" digging sessions and desigined the way it supposed to be correct. However, it would obviously make life of everyone on map much harder. You've been warned.
• Game mechanics could be a bit unusual in this quest. You will see. Just do not expect it to be safe walk and get some heals with you.
• Main reward isn't "very big" so being just part of team guarding digger is also worthy. Unlike digger you'd be able to collect random "collateral". Digger can not move - so deprived of this part.

Timeline:
1) Phase 1, where players would go explore world to find their maps and shovels is technically ready and awaiting server restart in place and ran around weekend.

2) Actual treasure hunt supposed to happen when code is polished and tested enough. I got quite intense on unusual game mechanics and it had its price, it needs some but smashing and calibration. Preliminary it would be landed another server restart, tomorrow (on Sunday) ok, a bit later - bringing actual digging and treasure palcement. Hopefully you got your shovels and maps ready .

How long event will run in total? Obviously at least until someone manages to find treasure. I reserve right to place one or few additional treasures at my discretion, after observing how it performs vs actual TMW players and what they think. I also reserve right to readjust difficulty and it can happen "on the fly" without warnings, based on my observation how things work.

Additionally, perhaps one or few treasure hunts can happen on next weekend as well, especially if polishing and debugging main part would take too long.

Stay tuned. It would start ... I think, part 1 will come in just few hours, once server updated and restarted. Part 1 been running around weekend and ppl got some shovels and maps. I suspect few still possible left in exotic corners of server.

[Hello=)]

Update: server has been updated - phase 1 of adventure has started. Try to get yourself Legendary Shovel and Legendary Treasure Map if you'll want to try some digging (when phase 2 of event lands). Otherwise, how would you know where treasure is - or how you'll try to dig it?!

As hint, most interesting things were spotted in labyrinth and unusual object has been spotted in Obelisk cave. Will you find yourself some of these items? Just beware, not all things in Labyrinth are user friendly. XP Chests however are quite okay in this regard so you may want to pay visit to few - assuming mobs do not kill you.

NB if you failed to get your map or shovel, do not fret. You may want to visit various corners of TMW from time to time and kill some things. Some of them would get you map or shovel. Or, failing that, you still be able to take part in later action since diggers would need someone to protect them - and you'll get their "collateral" booty - if you're lucky enough.

[Hello=)]

Update: 2nd part of event technically ready and would come live on next server restart. Which is to be "soon". Stay tuned. And even if its a bit delayed due to bugs and guildbot fallout investigation, it can be called feature... due to timings and theming actually being still... quite relevant.

[Hello=)]

Another update:
1) Server has been updated again. Second part of Treasure Hunt is live. Have fun exploring it.
2) Also few bugs were fixed. Legendary Shovels and Legendary Treasure Maps now droppable, HoraK initially set too steep mode on items so some players were not able to share items even if they want to.

"Rules of engagement" on main part (how it supposed to work):

• There're Legendary Treasure Maps and Legendary Shovels from previous part. Don't have one? Perhaps explore remote corners of world a bit? Maybe few still remain hidden somewhere. Or maybe some players found more than one item?
• Map gives idea where treasure could be. Don't have one? Try to observe players around or chat them, etc. Digging whole TMW would take too long.
• Once you know area, you can try spot. Use of shovel to initiate digging. Unfortunately trying to dig treasure is anything but easy or safe.
• Its where digger may want some "protectors". These do not need to have shovels or maps per se and can collect collateral booty if digger hits right spot.
• There's just one treasure. But a lot of spots to try. Quest doesn't prevents several concurrent digging sessions - but this make things that follow harder to survive.
• Digger gets main reward - if hitting right spot. But digger can not move without screwing dig attempt so collateral around is for "protectors",

Disclaimer: since I can not cosplay whole army on local server to test whole battle/event flow, quest difficulty may need adjustment. If all tactics to deal with mobs and keeping digger alive fail, you can complain and I could readjust/recalibrate battle. This doesn't needs server restart.

Happy treasure hunting! . Who will be the one digging main reward? Its not huge enough to be at each other throats - but hopefully would still prove worth of its trouble (and missing "collateral" booty).

[qu1que]

Hello TMW community!

First of all, thanks to all the developers who have been able to carry out this event, especially Hello=), who I think was the one who has dedicated more time to it (if this is not true, my apologies to the rest of the people involved in it).

Yesterday I was trying to discover the hidden treasure together with some other players, and I came up with the idea of marking the boxes where there is NO hidden treasure, so that it will be easier for us to discover it in the future.

To the point...

I have made a map using my basic notions in GIMP where you can mark the boxes where the treasure is NOT. Evidently whoever discovers it, will also be able to mark where it is.

The map is very simple with some simple coordinates, where you can see the following legend:

A big red X: impossible to dig because there is a palm tree or a desert plant
A big red NT: NO TREASURE. No comments, whoever wants to try, do not try to dig there, because it will be useless, it has already been tried without success.
A big green T: this could be done when someone finally manages to discover it.

If you want to collaborate, it would be enough to download the image and with any image editor (I usually use GIMP, but there are many more available), you can write NT on the boxes where the treasure is NOT, so the next players will have it easier to find it.

Obviously, it is something optional, I will continue to do it whenever I have the opportunity.

Here below I leave the map for your enjoyment and use. Criticisms are accepted, I'm not an expert in graphic design or photo retouching either....

NOTE: I do not know if the treasure will always be in the same place or if it will change randomly over time, in the latter case, the map will not be of much use.....

These are the statistics:

---

8 columns x 40 rows = 320 squares to dig
9 squares are useless to dig (A big red X) --> 320 - 9 = 311 total squares to dig
Digged in total: 143 squares
Squares not digged: 168 squares

Each square takes between 5 and 10 minutes to dig, always depending on the digger not dying, and also on the team defending it.

If we put, for example, 7.5 minutes each square, multiplied by the total, 311, gives us an estimated time of 39 hours!!!

Percentages:

143 squares digged of a total of 311: 45,98%

168 squares not digged of a total of 311: 54,02%

---

Finally player RazorWill find the correct spot of treasure, on coordinates 103,91. Congratulations!!!

Here's the map:

---

[ginosuper]

A huge thank you to all of those involved in making this event happen, and thank you qu1que for providing us with this map!

[qu1que]

The map will be updated when we advance on treasure hunt

[qu1que]

Team ready to start treasure hunt...

[ThinkSome]

:O

On my way!

[qu1que]

Hi!

This is some kind of "making of" or "behind the scenes" to build and fill the map:

[qu1que]

Here some screenshots taken from the event. Enjoy!

[qu1que]

And here two more:

[Hello=)]

After many hours of searching and digging, treasure finally has been found!

Some people even failed to believe it exists or lost faith. I've been qutie generous about area, making it about 320 tiles, and each dig attempt took few minutes and dealing with some monsters awakened by digging attempt.

And yet... some curageous, persistent, bold souls kept trying. Eventually, luck shined to RazorWill who managed to pick lucky spot - and after some struggle and gathering team to deal with pretty strong contenders, he got his reward. Pirates were hiding all kinds of glittering prizes, with Eye Patch being most interesting of them. Team of supporters happily filled their bags with "collateral" glittering prizes!

Few other honorable mentions.

• Kampfzwerg been really good with maps. If you need navigator, you know where to find one. He figured out how to use Legendary Treasure Map in matter of minutes, and then managed to navigate to right area within several few minutes. IMO really noteworthy achievement.
• qu1que been really thorough and creative at mapping . If you want something mapped... well, you see!

And how victorious cut scene looked? See attachement (sorry, replay from local server - I've been too busy on main one to make screenshot).
p.s. I think I should implement digged area auto-marking to make players life a bit easier. Its not very hard as such. And for the reference this time treasure been at 103, 91. But keep in mind server chosen random spot within coordinates given by map.

[RazorWill]

Thanks Hello=) for an awesome quest to celebrate TMW 21 Birthday!

Thanks to everyone who helped us comb the beach and find the treasure! Thanks to those who distracted the pirates so that I may dig and eat snacks! Thanks to those who fought the pirates and their leader "Emo" to keep me safe!

We dug nearly half of the 280+ tile area before finding the right spot!

I really enjoyed this style of quest and have some ideas for similar ones in the future! Marking spots that have already been checked would definitely make the quest easier. That paired with a smaller zone would be perfect for an "event" style quest because many players together could do the job within a few hours.

TMW has hardcore aspects so another option would be an extremely large zone of possible treasure locations. These treasures could be hidden for long periods of time. Hopefully good loot or BP to balance the difficulty.

I was also reminded of the classic game Minesweeper where it alerts you if you are near the bomb. If possible, a mechanic could be implemented to tell players if they are near treasure. Maybe a wizard could cast a spell to narrow down treasure locactions.

I know things like this require hard work from Dev's to implement! I just wanted to throw in some ideas in case anything helps the cause

Thanks TMW,

RazorWill

[1nnq]

Congratz!!!