[For the Flowers] Community Event Brainstorming

Seed's picture
So, I've been scheming for a while about... A little event, and a little storyline related to it. There's a lot of details of implementation I'm a little stuck on: I could see lots of ideas, but not about what people would enjoy most. Any feedback, suggestions, or organizations queries or criticism is appreciated!

The Idea

Since I have some sort of story (I'm looking for characters who'd be useful in it -- anyone who's got a spiritualist or herbalist type, get in touch with me!), I can't give too many details, but the event itself is concerned with propagating flowers. Everyone signed up receives a flower. In order to accomplish the narrative goal, the flowers needs to receive pollen from as many other flowers as it can: like with blueberries, only hybridization will do. This will go on for a decent period, maybe a week or two, to give everyone some chances.
This comes, naturally, from interacting with the other flower-bearers.
The non-narrative goal is simple: meet lots of people and interact with them, hopefully opening up new relationships and awareness.

The Questions
#1: The form of interaction. I'm not sure yet myself if this should be free-form, or if there should be certain encouraged forms of interaction, for more easily identifying if someone is playing this game with you, and generally breaking the ice for shyer players/characters. If so, I think things like flower-sparring or flower-dancing (that is, mixing interactions, either dancing or fighting, with the 'get flowers' button) may be ideal for the occasion, but there could be more or less formalized things. This is one of the big questions.


#2: Identification. Should people engaged in this wear, do, or be something or somewhere specific? I'm a little lukewarm. There'll naturally be a list, but will that be enough for everyone? I can see there might be a need, but that sure feels like a bother. Maybe some sort of gesture indicator, if you're not sure?

#3: What qualifies for the purposes of this pollen-collecting idea? My favorite idea is that the pollen is given from one character to another, mutually, when one or both gives their say-so in a topic or somewhere, though it's a little complex. I have a few others. For example, just don't worry about it at all. Second, asking players involve to post screenshots of their play, and everyone involved will get counted.

#4: Well, if I/other organizers and I might be counting or keeping track of this business anyway...Should there be prizes? I think it might be neat to have some little rewards or some little raffle-y stuff based on this accounting, just for some OOC fun. I'm not exactly sure what they'd be, but I'm sure we could think of something.

I'm interested in hearing other ideas, rules, or concerns, but these are the first things that are playing in my mind right now that I'd like to hear the community's interest in.

Anyone wishing to help organize, assist or the like, contact me at my email (baby_dragonet@hotmail.com) or my Skype (Lady.Deme)

TRACK!!! I may have a

TRACK!!! I may have a character or two participate. Too tired for brainstorming right now but I'll help out ^_^
Poppyflower's picture

Tracking for later. ♥

Tracking for later. ♥
~Poppy~
Profile picture by ahimsa ♥


Pixel Wis by squeegie~
Narcissus's picture

Hmm... this seems a little

Hmm... this seems a little bit confusing but awesome nevertheless. I would very much like to be involved. o3o

If you still need ideas for some kind of raffle prize, I think some artwork might be okay; I could volunteer to draw some things if you'd like.

Wow I love this idea! c:

Wow I love this idea! c:
Seed's picture

Glad to see it's got some

Glad to see it's got some interest to it...

@ Grammarshine: What, particularly, are you confused about? Your asking the questions could help me make better explanations, or maybe resolve problems.
Verdalas's picture

track~

track~
Narcissus's picture

I'm just not entirely clear

I'm just not entirely clear about the instructions in general, but that's probably just due to slowness on my part. xD

If I re-read it a few times I'll probably get it.
Aivilo's picture

'#2: Identification. Should

'#2: Identification. Should people engaged in this wear, do, or be something or somewhere specific? I'm a little lukewarm. There'll naturally be a list, but will that be enough for everyone? I can see there might be a need, but that sure feels like a bother. Maybe some sort of gesture indicator, if you're not sure?'

I'd say encourage them to meet among flower patches. That way, it's still generalized throughout the forest's landscape in-game and in roleplay, but it still gives folks areas to congregate in. And if they're in-forest, they don't have to check the list of folks who're involved constantly - just when visiting groups in flower patches.
Seed's picture

@ Grammarshine: Tell me how

@ Grammarshine: Tell me how that works.

@ Aivillo: That does sound just about perfect! It's the nice mix of 'clear' and 'non-restricting' I was looking for, so that is pretty handy indeed!
I think if no one swoops in with a better solution to that one in the next couple of days, this'll be our best answer.

I agree with the above idea

I agree with the above idea ^_^

Also maybe a specific combo action to represent the pollination? No idea what yet, maybe a mix of nuzzle with something else, if it lets us?
Seed's picture

Hmmm... It might not be a bad

Hmmm... It might not be a bad idea, but it's hard to say what would be 'right' if we went with it.
WonderfullySarcastic's picture

Tracking. Can't say I have

Tracking. Can't say I have much to offer as far as suggestions or anything, just that I know my character definitely wouldn't be winning any prizes when she's so shy around others.
#1354
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PLK217's picture

Comming up with this event

Comming up with this event right now... Does it have any connection to Luxuria Superbia and its Steam support seek appearing today? Just by any chance?

(Track hidden behind an absurd question)
Seed's picture

It's entirely by chance. I've

It's entirely by chance. I've been considering this since before the rut, actually.
Narcissus's picture

I agree that there should be

I agree that there should be a specific action combo for pollination. Since deer carry flowers on their antlers in the game, what if baring one's antlers was the first step, followed by a nudge, and then dancing? Does that make sense?
Seed's picture

a 'nudge'? That said, if this

a 'nudge'?
That said, if this is happening in flower patches anyway, why not use the 'get flowers' gesture?

Anyway, I guess my main concern with giving it a single gesture is that it could go very 'wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am,' which is against the spirit of the event... But it's possible that we can work something into the rules about needing bonds or trust beyond this, since these are magic flowers, and that'll fix the problem there.
PLK217's picture

Well, I have an idea how to

Well, I have an idea how to make this in-forest pollinating action "complicated" enough to represent the delicate matter of it.

It would not be based on flower gathering action, but flower spell casting. So the first requirement would be, that both of the deer would have to have default antlers. I think that it would be ideal, if one would be carrying red flowers and the other one would have purple flowers. These flowers have to be "fresh" so the deer would also carry the flower antlers spell.
The procedure of pollinating would be mostly about their interaction, where the players should "tune each other to the same wave". Hard to explain this part, but its purpose is simple. The pollinating action would be only casting the flower spell. But in order to perform a propper and successful pollination, they have to cast the spell at the very same time, so they would swap their flowers.

Maybe it is far too complicated, it is just a suggestion you can think about.
Seed's picture

That is a really cool idea.

That is a really cool idea. It also sounds mega-elaborate...
Does anyone have an opinion on how manageable they find the idea? I might put it in the OP for closer examination.

Alternate ideas: Let each person interpret what that ought to mean or be for themselves. It gives a chance for creativity, but might lose for the clarity.
Narcissus's picture

I apologize; I meant to say

I apologize; I meant to say "nuzzle," not "nudge." xP

I have a question regarding the in-forest game... I know how to get flowers off of the ground, but how on earth does one give flowers to another deer? I read that you're supposed to be able to, but I've never seen a button in the game that suggests such an action. I apologize if that's an ignorant question; I'm still a bit new to this. :/
Seed's picture

When you pick up flowers --

When you pick up flowers -- not just wear them, but get them from the ground -- you'll be able to cast them as a spell.

Edit: Bump
Redkora's picture

*track*

*track*
[pixel deer by Aldebaran]
Seed's picture

It's been a while since I've

It's been a while since I've posted the status of this.
The good news is, I have not abandoned the idea, and it will not fizzle out!
The bad news is, my laptop took a dive, and I don't feel right investing a lot of time into a new project while it's in the shop and I'm cut off from a lot of computing options, so this'll be in the planning stages for a while longer.