((zigball anyone?))

((OOC mostly simply because i'm exploring an idea right now. OK some may remember Irrk news and/or the others used to everyso often make a report about zigball scores and which team won. (im having trouble finding those reports si if you find them paste them here or post a link please ... much appreciated) Patch 17.4 added items to the Vet shop, which many were prostituted around like some new drug. Anyhow there were some banners and pennants for zigball teams. (btw it was in talking with PBF that this idea started rolling around in my head) Well... where are these teams? where do they play zigball? what exactly is Zigball? and How is it played?.

I would like to try working out how the RP community might use this 'side story' of Ao and really have zigball games! I would like anyone interested in this to help shuffle around some ideas on the table here to see how a game might be played INSIDE of AO without much fuss or complication.

My idea:
Teams consist of X number of players each and consist only of level 1 characters, each team wearing a specific color of robe 'team colors', each team member will have a sponsor that is permitted to apply any buff other than HoTs. The players must be level1 and can only wear the most basic of RK items: QL10? armor max, QL20? implants max, weapons are not permitted, and NCU is restricted to 50?ncu max. The playfield could be inside a mission or a selected location suitable to the safety for the players (somewhere that can be controlled to prevent wildlife from causing havoc) in a marked area will be the actual 'field' that the players must remain within. At the start of the game, a much higher mob (rollerrat preferred as a 'ball'~ level 10-30) is permitted to enter onto the field. Players then use various tactics to evade the mob or to 'Zig-zag-the-ball'. Object of the game is a last man standing goal or to be the team with highest survival after X amount of time.

I could imagine various rules would be implemented or variations on gameplay... perhaps the goal would be to keep a specific player alive (NM anyone?) rather than whichever team members; or needing to ban the use of roots or charms.

I would think we could have a blast with this! Using regular players set to standardized teams could even grow into fandom, having fans cheering on their favorite nanomage advy or other in the game :)... at the least if Irrk or the other news feeds decide to start again with the sports section... they could have REAL sports to report on!

((OOC on

I've suggested making the area a team mission boss room. This is great because it is a defined area of space, with one entrance and exit.

The only downside is spectators in the room, they might get aggro and ruin the sport. Its worth giving a try though. Im willing to help test, attend and possibly referee the matches if need be.))

((I'll have to go to the other forums and make a redirect))

The agro might be a troublesome quirk, that is if the boss would aggro someone 200+ levels higher. That room would be absolutely perfect as a field though. I'll have to see what happens to someone of a higher level when encountering a level 1-10 mission boss.

Another adjustment to the idea, still using the rollerrat/ misc mob... but hey you gotta use a 'ball' and I can't think of anyone objecting to the misuse of a rollerrat.

Same basic concept as I posted originally, except instead of being a last-survivor game, it is played to see which team can get the rat past a goal line the most. Low level taunts and roots could make it more offense / defense based rather than evasive.

Looking at CSP map, since a 95 engie got aggro from both mission bosses, level 3's; I was looking for some easily marked geographic location. Unicorn Landing Beacon area would be perfect... but not a likely location due to the BS/ LE mish wait area there. However if anyone could recommend another such location, even something like a crater or a semi-regular shaped island etc that is either free of mobs or only populated by level < 30 mobs and not stationed directly beside omni/clan guards please mention it here. Abandoned bases/posts/mining areas would be great too.

Get the unicorns out of the borealis dish so we can play zigball!!!

(( only thing i started is a little betting game with zigball teams, using helpbot to !roll 2 :p ))

http://www.digital-alliance-forums.o...pic.php?t=1216

but i suggest that you could make an "arena" like foremans lab, aka a sub-elevated area (where TIM is in foremans) and around it a closed area with windows (like the lab) where people can watch the games without getting aggro

me like-y the dish-y... uphill climb to reach the goal :) only trouble is the stupid unicorns. Any update if the unicorns have been fed the same sedatives the other guards in Borealis have been give to make them slightly less than blood-raging psychopaths? Or any idea how long it takes them to get back to their posts near the dish... in case we need to distract them with a bacon covered clanner?

((I would suggest considering using one of the backyards in Bor or NL. There are roller rats readily available there and I believe they are the only ones in those areas that auto-attack low enough level players. That way you won't have the other mobs getting in the way of the players and the "balls". Plus, there is plenty of room for many spectators and they are easy to get to and find.))

I'd love to attend these games. I don't think I know one person that doesn't have a score to settle with a roller rat.

(I'm sorry to say that I am not in experience when it comes to taunts... do they cause damage to mobs? I'f they are not able to slowly kill a mob, I think a BY would work well, especially neutral ones seeing as how they are uniform between cities and pose no danger to clan or omni, and yes... rollerrats abound in them so there might need to be an additional ref that guards the players from multiple 'balls' on the field.)

((
Very cool idea. There have been a few sporting events in the past, but I like the idea of a last man standing competition with some monsters chasing the players down one by one. It's very bloody, very Rubi-Ka.

A lot hinges on finding the right spot on Rubi-Ka that is accessible, contains the rigth level mob for the event and is clearly defined game area. When we used to do the rollerat ball matches, we used the Borealis radar dish, but as mentioned above the Unicorns have wrecked that place. But I am sure there are other options.

My advice is try to keep it flexible and loose. A good model I would suggest is the kids organise themselves for team sports in the playground. You get everyone who shows to line up, pick a two or more Team Captains, and they get to pick one person per team in turn until everyone has been choosen. And it should not really matter if one team has more has more players than another. Kids know better than to wait till they can field exactly 11 players per side to play a simple game of soccer!

I'd probably want to extend the level range to a full title level rather than trying to get people to roll a level 1 toon for the occasion. It the mob used in the game is much higher level then the players, the relative levle differences between players won't matter much anyway. And it's more inclusive that way. Also bear in mind that, of all the interested parties that rolled up a toon for the agreeded zigball event date, half will have to cancel or simple will forget to show on the day. Meanwhile you will find people who show up to the event pretty much by chance who are willing to play but don't have a level 1 toon ready. Keeping it flexible is the best way to ensure the event can go on regarldess.

Any way, that just a few ideas. Best of luck, I hope this works out! ))

Gimme time and date and i will have a minion (alt) ready for this, zigball, oh joy!
i would suggest Borealis or Newlands backyards as well, as theyre big enough and as forementioned have a ready supply of balls.


((/tell Templar or /tell Silverguard in game and i will be there asap))

just did a quick search on auno, the results....http://auno.org/ao/db.php?cmd=search&name=banner

just checked the radar dish outside Borealis, the Unicorns there really dont like clanners.

also i found this really old post,which may shed some light on zigball or may not *shrugs*

http://aoforums.funcom.com/showthread.php?t=225370