Dev Diary Feedback: Yule Festival of 2009

[Alfrodul]

is there one out there and I'm not finding it, or was it intentionally left out for this season?

I'm not sure if you're hopeful or mis-remembering. There's not been one yet. Maybe there'll be one next year, who knows. There is a Summer Fest welcome mat. There's also a Dwarven welcome mat from the Thorin's Hall homestead furnishing vendor. You might be remembering one of those.

[SmashedPenny]

Did I miss the info somewhere? My friend and I are trying to get our new little characters to 35 so we can get our horses and we both are trying for the yule horse, but we are worried the festival will end before we get to 35. How long does the yule festival go on this season? We love it!

[Amethrayne]

Did I miss the info somewhere? My friend and I are trying to get our new little characters to 35 so we can get our horses and we both are trying for the yule horse, but we are worried the festival will end before we get to 35. How long does the yule festival go on this season? We love it!

The fact that as a lvl 27 I cant even try to get the Festival Mount, even if I cant use it until I hit lvl 35, is total bollocks. As a paying customer I feel this is denying me content. I understand you need to be lvl 35 to get the real riding skills but in SWG for example there are special event quests you can do for rewards you cant use until you hit a certain level but they ARE AVAILABLE to at least get.

This is game breaking for me and as such I will not be renewing.

You don't have far to go before you can race. Even though you can't use your mounts until level 35 you CAN run the race at level 30. So get those levels and win that horse before the end of Yule. You can do it!!!

[Muddyfoot]

Did I miss the info somewhere? My friend and I are trying to get our new little characters to 35 so we can get our horses and we both are trying for the yule horse, but we are worried the festival will end before we get to 35. How long does the yule festival go on this season? We love it!

Based on the calendar, Yule Fest goes until January 4th, 2010. Make sure to get all the required tokens and trade them in before then to get the actually mount in your bag (see comments below). I also recommend that you LOCK your mount so you don't accidently vendor it. Store it in your bank until level 35.

You don't have far to go before you can race. Even though you can't use your mounts until level 35 you CAN run the race at level 30. So get those levels and win that horse before the end of Yule. You can do it!!!

You will also be able to trade in the Horse Token + 12 regular Yule Fest Tokens + Document of Mount Ownership (bought from the vendor at Heng Stacer Farms) to get your Yule mount.

One thing to remember though, you will have to store your Yule mount in the bank until you complete the necessary quests at level 35. Also, if you haven't purchased any "regular" horse up until now, the Document of Mount Ownership will cost you 4gold just as it would have cost you 4gold to buy your first "regular" horse. I'm guessing that until you turn your first bought "regular" mount into a skill or you finish the quests at level 35, all mounts will be full price from the vendors at Heng Stacer Farms.

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[Amethrayne]

Based on the calendar, Yule Fest goes until January 4th, 2010. Make sure to get all the required tokens and trade them in before then to get the actually mount in your bag (see comments below). I also recommend that you LOCK your mount so you don't accidentally vendor it. Store it in your bank until level 35.

You will also be able to trade in the Horse Token + 12 regular Yule Fest Tokens + Document of Mount Ownership (bought from the vendor at Heng Stacer Farms) to get your Yule mount.

One thing to remember though, you will have to store your Yule mount in the bank until you complete the necessary quests at level 35. Also, if you haven't purchased any "regular" horse up until now, the Document of Mount Ownership will cost you 4gold just as it would have cost you 4gold to buy your first "regular" horse. I'm guessing that until you turn your first bought "regular" mount into a skill or you finish the quests at level 35, all mounts will be full price from the vendors at Heng Stacer Farms.

Thanks for finding the date for the end of the Yule Festival though it looks like it ends Tuesday, January 5th to me on the calendar link you posted but perhaps that's the day of the server downtime when things change over and not a day you can actually still participate in festivities.

My guess about the 4 Gold price for all mounts prior to finishing the quest is the same as yours so I'm planning to get to level 35, finish the mount quest, and see if I can purchase one of the Yule horses as my first mount for the 4 Gold so that all future mounts (with the exception of reputation mounts that have been mentioned elsewhere) will be at the discounted price. Thankfully, it should only take me another day or two to get to level 35. Raising the 4 Gold might take a bit longer than that but I still have plenty of time.

[maxjenius]

Since this is a feedback thread, my feedback is "bleah" regarding all festivals and associated activities. However, lots of people like them, and there's plenty of other stuff for me to do, so, "Game on."

[hucklebarry]

Having spent considerable time fighting for beer in Thorin's hall, I have to say, this it he most fun I have had in a festival. Assigning titles to the event has made it very worth while. (And I love the titles)

My only wish is for a way to make it even more competitive. Announce on screen when someone gets knocked out and by whom, Track stats like skirmishes, maybe a summary of most hits or first winner at the end of each round, etc. (a bit much for a festival, maybe, but its fun to get a competitive group together and find ways to award prizes for an event).

Thanks for the great work... I'm hopeful this one returns again either with each festival or next winter.

[greendarner]

My only wish is for a way to make it even more competitive. Announce on screen when someone gets knocked out and by whom, Track stats like skirmishes, maybe a summary of most hits or first winner at the end of each round, etc.

I disagree totally. I LIKE that it's anonymous (unless you see it, you don't know who hit you). I've already seen "stalker" type behavior -- one player constantly, round after round, targeting the same other player and chasing them around, and trying to hit them out of bounds so that they fail the round.

And the way it is now, the less skillful with the controls have a chance (not worried about myself, I do just fine, thanks) to complete the rounds.

Improvements from my point of view: Inability to summon pets (captains and loremasters) in the arena (and can't take them in with you either) -- disabled like the emotes.

I'd also like a title of Frequent Flyer -- getting hit out of bounds, maybe 20 times?

I ended up standing atop the statue yesterday after receiving an out of bounds hit.

[Amethrayne]

My only wish is for a way to make it even more competitive. Announce on screen when someone gets knocked out and by whom, Track stats like skirmishes, maybe a summary of most hits or first winner at the end of each round, etc. (a bit much for a festival, maybe, but its fun to get a competitive group together and find ways to award prizes for an event).

Having now gotten both titles myself, I agree this is most fun. However, I think I'd like to see this as a winter-only event and would like to see other events for the other festivals. I think it would lose its luster if it was available for every festival.

I don't like the idea of the knockouts being public. Sometimes people get a little too offended when getting hit out of bounds and sometimes it's on accident. I would hate to see bad feelings start over something as silly as that. Sometimes it's better not knowing.

I disagree totally. I LIKE that it's anonymous (unless you see it, you don't know who hit you). I've already seen "stalker" type behavior -- one player constantly, round after round, targeting the same other player and chasing them around, and trying to hit them out of bounds so that they fail the round.

Improvements from my point of view: Inability to summon pets (captains and loremasters) in the arena (and can't take them in with you either) -- disabled like the emotes.

I'd also like a title of Frequent Flyer -- getting hit out of bounds, maybe 20 times?

I agree with you about the anonymity as well as the pets. I think it would be only fair if they were disabled as well though I don't have a strong opinion about it. I also like the idea of a Frequent Flyer title or something similar for getting hit out of bounds a certain number of times. That would be fun!