Hey guys.
I’ve been developing this idea in my head for quite a long time now, and it first stemmed from the fact that exploration in GW2 to me, didn’t really feel like exploration. All you really did was look at the map and go to whatever heart/waypoint/vista, etc, that you needed to go to until a map was complete.
There wasn’t much effort when it came to finding things like jumping puzzles or mini dungeons, or other similar secrets and once you knew where they were, exploration as a whole became rather arbitrary. There’s no real sense of adventure in GW2 from an exploration point of view because you feel like you’re just discovering something that has already been discovered 1000 times before you even got there.
So, this idea popped into my head. What if we introduced a treasure hunt of sorts, one that would bring back that sense of adventure and mystery back into GW2? And that’s where the idea of “The Vault” (working title) came from.
How would it work?
The idea behind “The Vault” is to introduce a secret, hidden treasure room that appears in some random location around the world, that can only be accessed through a keen amount of investigation, and a specific set of player actions (kinda like a puzzle you must solve). It shouldn’t be easy to find, and there should only be very scant clues given as to its location (if any at all), and even should it’s location be discovered or guessed, there should be some effort involved in opening it.
Once a player finds the entrance to the vault and manages to figure out how to open it, he and anyone in his party at the time will be transported inside, and given, as a reward, their choice of a precursor and an achievement. After that, they’d be teleported out of the vault, and it would close and disappear completely, only to reappear in some other location in the world, so that the hunt can start again.
Why do I think the vault should disappear each time it’s found?
The reason the vault should disappear immediately after one player or party has reaped its contents, is because you wouldn’t want it to be too easy for a lot of players to access. It would also keep that sense of adventure alive, because it wouldn’t simply be another case where once one player discovers a secret, everyone will know about it and have easy access to it. Having a vault that always changes locations every time it has been found, would ensure that the excitement of a global adventure is renewed every time for those who want to take part.
How hard should “The Vault” be to find?
I think it should be quite difficult to find. I wouldn’t even mind if in some cases, it would take weeks for players to find “The Vault” each time it appears. That way, the sense of achievement in finding it would be that much greater for enthusiast explorers. However, you also don’t want it to be too hard to find, to the extent that people end up giving up on it, so they could introduce a system where clues are given as to its location for each week that it remains undiscovered. The clues get more and more elaborate as more time passes, until eventually “The Vault” is found.
Why a precursor as a reward? Why not some special kind of unique loot?
The reason I think a precursor should be rewarded is because you don’t want to punish players who are not able to find the vault by introducing exclusive gear that can only be acquired in the Vault and nowhere else. Given that The Vault might take quite a lot of time and effort to find, and only allows one party in at a time before it relocates, means that only a small minority of players would ever get to go inside it.
Precursors can be found or bought through various other forms of play, so even if you don’t take part in the hunt for the vault, you won’t feel like you’re being completely left out of some exclusive rewards.
Closing Notes
I’ve seen a few forum posts, and even instances in game where players or mods have introduced treasure hunts or mysteries of their own, and players seem to be keenly interested and involved in such cases, even if they reap no rewards themselves. Some simply like to try solve the mystery. Others enjoy the thrill of the hunt itself. And many might even collaborate on the forums to try and discover the location of the vault simply for fun, even if it means they don’t acquire its rewards for themselves. Entire guilds could even get their members involved in the hunt, if only to then raffle off the reward to some lucky guild member, or use it to acquire gold to help upgrade the guild, etc.
The possibilities are quite extensive if developed properly, and I think it would be a fun addition to the game for a lot of players.
(edited by Tenrai Senshi.2017)