One-time bosses?

[Romtim]

What is the policy about bosses? I think there should be some re-spawn-class PvE challenges, but what about having some one-time bosses?
For example, an epic challenge, which drops some kind of unique item and disappears entirely from the game, after it has been slain?

[Rob Steele]

There will be plenty of unique creatures/npcs that only ever exist once.

In regards to respawning 'bosses'... It is highly unlikely you will see "boss" creatures or npcs as you would expect from a themepark styled game, much less ones that will respawn after being slain. Part of the dynamic ecology and the on-going storyline is that the game world doesn't repeat itself - instead it evolves and changes as players interact with it.

[Romtim]

Wow, well that is pretty awesome, didn't even think that you would attempt to do this. I hope this works.

[Dave Belcher]

It is critical to the dynamic ecology. Allow me to quote myself from This Thread:

I'll take that statement further Bull, and say this. Every creature and NPC in the game will likewise be unique. If you kill that creature or NPC, they are gone. Sure, anther may take its place, but it wont be the same one just respawning. The whole dynamic ecology is built around this principle. If you kill an animal in a herd, that herd is one animal smaller, until such time as the herd can produce more young. If you wipe out that herd, or leave just one adult animal, they can't reproduce, and so cannot grow in size again... they must try to find and join another herd to survive.

This works for dungeons too, if you clear it out, it will be safe for a while. Make it your new home, or lair if you wish, but dont expect it to remain safe if some nasty creatures come along looking for a new home themselves!

[Bella_Fein]

I hope this works.

I have no doubt

[Romtim]

It is critical to the dynamic ecology. Allow me to quote myself from This Thread:

Well that is just awesome - i'll repeat myself
Thanks for clarifying.

[Fargham]

I really like this system - and would like to add one additional suggestion (it may already be in the plan) - is that when an NPC group gets large enough - the ecosystem spawns at random a few 'unique' mobs. This isn't to say one uber wolf, but perhaps one that is a little bit faster, a rare color of coat, bit stronger bite, a little bit more aggressive, or perhaps, just sickly, and an easy kill. One of the biggest things about games that get boring is that creatures become so similar that it doesn't feel like you're doing anything than killing a number of them.

This way a player will still run into rare mobs, even if the area has been combed over a number of times - but it will never be the same rare mob that they might have seen (unless they were unable to kill it )

[Dave Belcher]

We kinda will have that with the "Alpha" system, as in if there is a pack of wolves, one will be the Alpha wolf. That wolf will act as the mobile spawn point, as in all of the rest of the wolves will move with him. That wolf will also, dependant on the success of that pack, gain strength... up until the point he is killed, at which point one of the other wolves becomes the alpha and it starts over again

[MajorBiggs]

Is there a chance that later, a group from the pack will break off and more another pack of wolves D:. That would be scary! Well, if we can do something like this i'm pretty sure adding breeding to the game wouldn't be much more difficult :P. (I kid ofc)

[Dave Belcher]

Is there a chance that later, a group from the pack will break off and more another pack of wolves D:. That would be scary! Well, if we can do something like this i'm pretty sure adding breeding to the game wouldn't be much more difficult :P. (I kid ofc)

Actually, this is the case. If a herd/pack gets too large, it will indeed split into multiple herds/packs.