Darkfall Recruitment 2.0

[Tbone]

So the end date for our current recruitment wave is set to end tomorrow at midnight. The game, however, was delayed. Originally the idea was that we would switch up recruitment once the game goes live. So the question is, what should we do with recruitment after the deadline?

[likwidtek]

Forum Presence!  Create the FA Myst!  Challenge!

[Phienyx]

I voted for ending recruitment on the originally stated end date/time and start working on a new recruitment method.

"The Challenge" method of recruiting that was used during MxO was what made FA stand out to me.  Originally, I wasn't even especially interested in joining up with any group in MxO, but FA's approach to recruitment was what changed my mind.  It was also a very clever method of screening potentials who could easily "just say the right things" during an interview.

[likwidtek]

I voted for ending recruitment on the originally stated end date/time and start working on a new recruitment method.

"The Challenge" method of recruiting that was used during MxO was what made FA stand out to me.  Originally, I wasn't even especially interested in joining up with any group in MxO, but FA's approach to recruitment was what changed my mind.  It was also a very clever method of screening potentials who could easily "just say the right things" during an interview.

This.

[Jeyk]

I voted for ending recruitment on the originally stated end date/time and start working on a new recruitment method.

"The Challenge" method of recruiting that was used during MxO was what made FA stand out to me.  Originally, I wasn't even especially interested in joining up with any group in MxO, but FA's approach to recruitment was what changed my mind.  It was also a very clever method of screening potentials who could easily "just say the right things" during an interview.

This.

Agreed.

[Adad]

Agreed as well.  I wasn't sure about factions until I heard about FA all over the forums and got the feel for their presence in game.  Then I started the trials and that made FA all the more enticing, that sort of mystery around FA and the fact that you actually have to earn your way in through some work set them apart from everyone else.  And, as it has been stated before, the challenge method greatly weeds out the non-devoted players and helps us gain only the best, most dedicated.

[Tbone]

Ok, the masses have spoken. End recruitment at the cut off until we come up with the next thing. Time to put your money where your mouth is. I would prefer to have the next thing ready in 4 or 5 days max. Here's what we're thinking.

*Spoilers below*

Flash based...

Image of dark woods and a path...dimly lit...we hear voices of two Angels, unseen.

FA 1: "Looks like a new one..."
FA 2: "Hmm...well he got this far. Think he's friend or foe?"
FA 1: "Only one way to find out...

FA 1: "Hey you! You've got two options. Tell us what you're doing here or start running!"

Two options appear.

"I was told to follow the path of light" (something like that)

or


"Ok, I'm getting the hell out of here."

Option one makes a light from behind the trees go brighter until it fills the screen. The white turns to blackness. Perhaps blindfold effect.

FA 1 or 2: "Looks like he's waking up."

Tbone: "Sorry for the precautions. I'm sure you understand. Your blindfold stays on for now. You've traveled quite far to find us. Well, this is where the real leg of your journey begins."

RIDDLE 1

Tbone: "I assume you know who I am?"
Answer: "Tbone"

Tbone: "Ah, so you did your homework. That's good. You are correct. So you know who I am...but do you know yourself? To know oneself, you must first know the world around you. That which gives life and takes it.

Riddle 2: For insance, there is that which has no legs, no feet, and no shoes, yet it is able to run. It gives you health, life, and sometimes fun.

Answer 2: Water

Tbone: "That's right - the true source of all life. But the difference between life and death is a very thin line.

Riddle 3: There is that which shall live if it is fed but die if it has a drink.

Answer 3: Fire

Tbone: You have a very good understanding of the elements. I'm impessed. The elements of our world can be manipulated to both heal and destroy, and those that truly understand their power can achieve great things. But we all have limits - boundries - that cannot be changed.

Riddle 4: Some say that it flies, and in it all things will die. Not until it has been measured is its existence shown, but you will miss it once it has flown.

Answer 4: Time

Tbone: Very estute. Time is one rule that every living being is forced to follow. It is important to know that while today may be your time to destroy that whose time has come, one day even your time will be up.

((This dialogue continues in pitch black, with a serious of riddles or questions to test the potential's knowledge of perhaps Angelic power, Darkfall trivia, or thought-provoking insights. After the final question...))

Tbone: "I think it's time for that blindfold to come off and for you to make your own choices..."

Flash movie that we have currently made plays. We'll probably need to find a way to make a smooth transition into it.

Ok, that's a really really really rough skeleton. Obviously I gotta flesh out the middle.

[Tbone]

So Adad, our main Flasher (haha) is leaving town Friday thru Monday, making progress on this fairly difficult. We need to decide whether to leave it down for that long of a time (potentially a week or two) or just sneakily extend the end date of our recruitment for a week. To give an you an idea, two weeks has yielded over 30 applications, which is essentially 15-20 really good members we could be missing if recruitment goes down.

[Adad]

Sorry about the inopportune trip to Boston, but if anyone is in the area, let me know.  It could have been worse, the game could have been released on time and I'd miss the opening weekend...

For the recruitment.  maybe lame, but a transition to the video, since i plan to tweak it still anyways... the beginning hits of the blurry angel could have sort of an eye opening effect when the blurry ones are revealed if that makes sense...  so its black, then it looks like an eye opening and all you see is the angel blurred, close, music hits, eye opens, less blurry angel, etc.

[Jeyk]

Given that many of these types of Orcs & Elves games are heavily quest-based, what would you think of integrating these riddles and challenges into a mock-quest?  I'm not sure how that would transfer into a flash format, but perhaps you could use it as the structure to transition between phases of the challenge (example:  find a feather, click on it, it activates the dialogue posted above, which then moves on to the first riddle, progress to the next phase, rinse and repeat).

Furthermore, perhaps we could allow one or two critical choices (selecting an option again) to be made along the way which serve as a litmus test to gauge whether or not they truly fall in line with our philosophy (e.g. maintaining order and justice).

I understand that this may be a bit too much to slap together in the allotted amount of time, but it's just an idea.

[Phienyx]

I think we should end the "open" recruitment as scheduled.  

Now is the time to be very selective.  What I think we should do, however is to create an RP stir on the forums.  Indicate that we've had to go into "hiding" (kinda like the whole underground resistance groups that opposed the Nazis during WW2).  Build mystique and interest indicating that we are looking for  those who oppose evil and stand for justice to join us. (During this time, we can be quickly putting together and building the actual challenge.)  Sneak links, unobtrusively into random words in our posts, signatures....whatever, that take those who find and click on them to temporary pages that give cryptic information that they are on the right path or give tid bits of info on FA.

Once the Challenge is ready, we can use the "hidden" link strategy as an entry way into the actual challenge.


....just a rough idea.

[Anonymous]

As one who got in the "easy" way, I'm a bit reluctant to put my 2c in here, but I would like to explicitly volunteer to assist in any in- or out-of game recruitment events that are devised.

One of the things that really attracted me to Darkfall was the lack of levels - there won't be a massive rush to get to the endgame, and therefore I won't have to sacrifice fun in order to try and catch up in my limited play time.  So I'd love to have an active roll in helping out with events, and, frankly, in weeding out unworthy applicants.  I may not have been here long enough to feel any degree of elitism, but the FA vision and style are clear, and I hope I'm a part of building the kind of success and reputation in Darkfall that you enjoyed in Matrix Online.


**EDIT**  I'm volunteering this way because, unfortunately, I have no flash or web design skills

[Ash]

I'll lend as much help with the Flash as I can but due to my obvious time restraints I may not be able to give this all of the attention it deserves.  The idea sounds great btw.

[likwidtek]

How you all can chip in for the mean time is let's pool together riddles, brain stumpers, logic twisters that stick to the following:

Stay in character as much as possible
follow the fa core principals
if possible stay angel related
are set within the fantasy realm / time / universe of darkfall online.

So put together any riddles (text of visual) and we'll start compiling the test here.

[Anonymous]

*Thinking outside of the box* or even better a box omg omg a rubix cube! lol that forms a cool picture of THE [FA]  would take the persistent a dedicated member would give eh?

 *to new to speak*? climbs back in cave lol