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A Loss

AuthorMessage
Mastermind
Jun 01, 2009
304
Well, I was thinking, that it is insane that we always win these challenges put out for us. We always win these boss fights and street fights. (well the quests say we do, even though sometimes we get defeated) Well, maybe there could be a quest where we lose. This boss casts an attack that does 20,000 damage, which resist does not work on, right on the first turn, making it impossible to win. The dialogue could be something like:
"You fall to the ground, knowing you have lost. You watch as (insert name here) walks away, unharmed. You struggle to stand and limp out to tell (insert name here [good person]) that (insert name here [the boss]) got away."
Well, I thought we could have a loss for a change. Yah know, mix it up. Anyway, hope you like the idea, bye.

-Jasmine Owltalon, level 95 myth

Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
MythWizardForeves on Dec 21, 2013 wrote:
Well, I was thinking, that it is insane that we always win these challenges put out for us. We always win these boss fights and street fights. (well the quests say we do, even though sometimes we get defeated) Well, maybe there could be a quest where we lose. This boss casts an attack that does 20,000 damage, which resist does not work on, right on the first turn, making it impossible to win. The dialogue could be something like:
"You fall to the ground, knowing you have lost. You watch as (insert name here) walks away, unharmed. You struggle to stand and limp out to tell (insert name here [good person]) that (insert name here [the boss]) got away."
Well, I thought we could have a loss for a change. Yah know, mix it up. Anyway, hope you like the idea, bye.

-Jasmine Owltalon, level 95 myth
and lose 90 percent of their customer base? i don't think so.

families and young children play this game, as well as people with health or developmental issues (autism, heart conditions, etc.); nobody likes to lose, but the groups i listed above are a much higher risk: not only for leaving the game over it.

-von

Hero
Feb 26, 2012
709
I agree totally with Dr. Von. This game is not the place for that kind of a loss. Terrible idea.

Squire
Jul 04, 2012
508
von is right. It would make them have less money, and guess what? Kids with anger issues would quit.

~Angela Gem

Survivor
Oct 15, 2013
27
Yeah, good points that a lot of players wouldn't work well with such a loss.

Of course, on the flipside, more mature gamers sometimes want to see such drama... Perhaps a cinematic sequence where you see the bad guy whoop an iconic good guy (say Ambrose) at the beginning or middle of one the story arcs could do similar without actually freaking out the players cause it's not their character (for those familiar with tropes, it's called the Worf Effect). Besides, wasn't there something I read about Ambrose has never used Shadow Magic? It could be argued that your study of that magic is what will let you beat said powerhouse bad guy.

Or if something like that is done to your character, make it a cinematic, not an actual battle; at worst, do it as a cinematic that comes after a battle (you must beat them to reach that point) which then advances the plot to the next stage of the story arc: bad guy escaped to <insertworldhere> and now you must follow to settle the score. Said escape could even involve the bad guy making his castle or flying ship or other base "explode" (it may or may not be repeatable), either with a run-away sequence (no timer, just people telling you to run and maybe some fiery/ shaking/ rubble animations ala Metroid after the boss battle) or just showing you blown clear to safety, possibly in a shield bubble provided by an ally (or even by yourself if KI wants to show off how far your character has come in their studies).

I believe a few other RPGs, Final Fantasy coming to mind, do similar events: you "beat" the boss then in a cinematic the same boss blasts you away (outside of formal combat) and you wake up a long time later and often somewhere else entirely, or he runs away leaving you somehow unable to chase (secret passage or teleportation or guard dogs or energy barriers or whatever).

So perhaps not the world's best implementation suggestion, but I do think the concept might be workable.

Archon
Feb 07, 2011
3175
braeinic on Dec 23, 2013 wrote:
Yeah, good points that a lot of players wouldn't work well with such a loss.

Of course, on the flipside, more mature gamers sometimes want to see such drama... Perhaps a cinematic sequence where you see the bad guy whoop an iconic good guy (say Ambrose) at the beginning or middle of one the story arcs could do similar without actually freaking out the players cause it's not their character (for those familiar with tropes, it's called the Worf Effect). Besides, wasn't there something I read about Ambrose has never used Shadow Magic? It could be argued that your study of that magic is what will let you beat said powerhouse bad guy.

Or if something like that is done to your character, make it a cinematic, not an actual battle; at worst, do it as a cinematic that comes after a battle (you must beat them to reach that point) which then advances the plot to the next stage of the story arc: bad guy escaped to <insertworldhere> and now you must follow to settle the score. Said escape could even involve the bad guy making his castle or flying ship or other base "explode" (it may or may not be repeatable), either with a run-away sequence (no timer, just people telling you to run and maybe some fiery/ shaking/ rubble animations ala Metroid after the boss battle) or just showing you blown clear to safety, possibly in a shield bubble provided by an ally (or even by yourself if KI wants to show off how far your character has come in their studies).

I believe a few other RPGs, Final Fantasy coming to mind, do similar events: you "beat" the boss then in a cinematic the same boss blasts you away (outside of formal combat) and you wake up a long time later and often somewhere else entirely, or he runs away leaving you somehow unable to chase (secret passage or teleportation or guard dogs or energy barriers or whatever).

So perhaps not the world's best implementation suggestion, but I do think the concept might be workable.
This is a very good point.

I'm an adult (on paper, at least), and I'd be okay with this sort of thing as long as it was done well. That's what I thought was going to happen at the end of Azteca, and I was quite surprised when it didn't. But I would, admittedly, be completely annoyed if the idea were implemented as suggested.

The problem is striking a balance between plot drama/humour for the older set and still keeping things g-rated enough for the kidlets; you've pretty much achieved that, but can the game itself do the same?.

As long as such a "loss" was kept outside of formal combat, I agree with you that it could be workable.

-v.