GridStream's Christmas 2018 Brainstorming thread (AO)

Anarchy Online General Discussion
1

As some of you may know, I collect ideas every year at GridStream parties for Halloween and Christmas brainstorming, and it’s time for the Christmas one. I know it’s not even October yet, but that’s how the timing works out. After two weeks collecting ideas, I curate them into a somewhat ordered list, we put them in some semblance of order, and I put a little more detail into our favorites, with reference images where appropriate. Then I send those off to FC roughly two months before the event, which I figure is shortly before they need it. In order to get this list to them about the time they’re done making Halloween, this is how early we have to start thinking Christmassy. Take a little side trip to Penumbra if it helps.

This is the first year I’ve had the option of also putting that list on an official froob-friendly FunCom forum. I’ll keep the whole list on the GSP forums, but we can discuss new ideas to add to it here, and then I’ll post the results here when they’re done. Also, the GSP list will be both AO and TSW, but I’ll split out the results to the two separate forums here. It seemed to work pretty well last time.

If you’d like to see the full list, the thread is at http://forums.gridstream.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29335. If you have a GSP forum account you can post your idea there if you want, or just reply here, or come to a show and tell me there.

And yes, you can always just post your own suggestion any time you want, in the Suggestions thread even, but I find that these Brainstorming threads, especially the discussions of them at parties, bring up a lot more ideas and more of them actually get posted in a big pile FC can more easily find. So let’s hear it. What do you want Santa Leet to bring you this year, boys and girls and troxies?

There are some common sense guidelines, or would be if sense were common, so I’ll mention them just in case:

  1. Don’t infringe anyone else’s Intellectual Property.
    There are Fair Use exceptions for parody and such, and oblique references are fine, but a direct copy of someone else’s IP isn’t going to happen. Grey areas are not worth the trouble of getting lawyers involved.

  2. Items should be social in nature rather than providing a gameplay advantage.
    Minor conveniences and average gear, on par with the items we’ve had in previous years, are fine because that still comes out to a cosmetic difference from what’s normally available.

  3. Keep it within the game’s rating and rules.
    Clothing can be pretty skimpy, like the various bikinis we already have, but remember, only monsters go to “clothing optional” beaches. Ingesting drugs or alcohol, including tobacco, is similarly prohibited. I don’t recall anyone suggesting anything patently offensive in the past, but if even suggesting it would be against he EULA, it’s probably not very Christmassy anyway. Then again… there’s an alien general trying to steal Christmas. So, you know. “Christmassy” is relative. We can leave the grey areas in on this one and let FC make the call.

  4. New ideas are preferred, but I’m not going to ask anyone else to go back over 8 years of lists to check.
    If you want to go to the GSP forums and dig up one or two old ideas, because they’re still your favorite ideas, go ahead. I’ll probably be doing that myself toward the end, just to remind them. Similarly, please look over this thread before you add to it (just this year’s, not all the past ones), to make sure someone else hasn’t just said the same thing. (Just write your idea down first so you don’t get distracted by all the shinies and forget yours.) If there’s already something similar, adding some details and/or options to it is always good.

2

Okay, so, the Christmas ideas are coming together slowly. That’s not unusual. Halloween is the big favorite, and Christmas always lags behind. It’s just lagging more than usual, so, here’s some idea seeds. Some vague notions that came up and could use some specific ideas.

  • beverages
    Whether Christmas is your hot or cold season, there’s lots of different tradtional drinks for the season. Probably even in places that don’t have seasons. What’s yours? We’ve got a few so far…
    -hot chocolate
    -mulled apple wine
    -hot spiced cider
    -buttered rum
    -horchata
    -and eggnog, of course

  • snacks to go with those beverages
    So far, we just have Danish Butter cookies and Gingerbread cookies. What else should be on that list?

  • tiny pets
    A pet mouse-sized leet was suggested, but many of the other holiday pet nanos have 3 different pets they summon. Are there other pets you’d like to see a tiny version of?

  • “Naughty” and “Nice” outfits
    A number of “Nice LIst” outfits to contrast with the “Naughty List Bikini” were suggested already:
    -Nice List Swimsuit - 1940’s style one-piece, red with white snowflakes and bows
    -Nice List Play Suit - jogging gear / sports bra and tennis shorts / leotard and tights (less 1980’s aerobics, more 2000’s yoga)
    -Nice List Nightwear - Christmas version of Adrienne’s Valentine’s Day Naughty Nightwear
    Any more to add to that list? Or maybe a whole new outfit that comes in both Naughty and Nice versions?

  • Snowflake tattoos
    Where? Just a snowflake, or a whole flurry of them, or something else?

New ideas are still open too, but I thought maybe these would kick something off.

3

Does it have to be christmassy? I’d like a pink suit of Plasteel please :blush:

Pink like Daria’s outfit, not magenta like Orchid Plasteel :slight_smile:

daria.jpg509×589 31 KB

4

Hot pink plasteel “armor” like the QL1 Orchid set that drops at the anniversary sounds pretty simple, but it seems more of a Valentine’s Day item than Christmas. We haven’t gotten any new V-Day stuff in a while. It wouldn’t hurt to have a separate list for that, just in case they feel like throwing some new goodies at that event some day.

5

Can we get another reskin of lya’s sangi/desert nomad armor, or maybe something slightly different but on the same level of usefulness?..

6

Oh. Guess I didn’t post the time frame here. I’m actually done collecting ideas. It’s time to start sorting and writing the 50 that did come in in the two weeks I was collecting.

And I think it’s a little soon to ask for another set of holiday armor, when we just got two for the Anniversary. There is now Desert Nomad Armor, Rusted Carbonum Armor, and Elite Desert Nomad Armor for the Anniversary. Rusted Carbonum is tradeable, so maybe you can still get that if you missed it. Elite is, like other Desert Nomad Armor, nodrop, and it only comes from the officers in the new Desert Nomad Outpost.

It’s only a couple days late, though, so I could just tack something on the end, but do you have any suggestion what this new armor might look like, or some story behind it, or what it might be called, or anything? Just “more armor” is too vague. I would hope it would be significantly different from Lya’s and Nomad because those are functionally identical except for the head and cloak, and having similar armor drop for every major event, just in different colors, would be pretty redundant.

So, do you have any /ideas/ for this new armor?

7

I just think that the nomad/lya’s shoulderpads are extremely useful pieces of buffing armor and it would be nice if there were more opportunities to get them, its kind of frustrating having to wait for anniversary or halloween if you want to use them for buffing. The sleeves as well for lower levels.

Maybe Lya or Miy could make an appearance during the holidays and give a mission that can reward some new holiday armor pieces. I couldnt begin to write a complete back story but it would be interesting if miy’s and lya’s backgrounds were pieced together. Miy could come to rubi ka and give players a mission to steal design patterns from rising star designer lya. Miy could then reward the player with a piece of enhanced miy’s armor. rather than stat buffing armor it could just be good armor with stat increases like AAO, AAD, initiatives, evades, add damage, crit increase, crit decrease, root resist, run speed, max health, max nano, nano cost decrease, damage shield, etc (not flat abilities, weapon skills or nano skills). For a look, make it look like a beefier miy’s armor set ( so like an exoskeletal suit) with a metallic silver and black color scheme, give it a cooler looking helmet that sort of looks like a mechanical skull with a visor or boba-fett style antenna, give the boots and pants some shinguards and a utility belt, and instead of a cloak there could be a sort of “turtle shell” back armor.

Okay and while were talking about rusted carbonum… there really isnt much unique about that armor, it has less AC than normal carbonum for the requirements, okay sure you get a little more ncu to hold more buffs but in general it is low quality armor. I kind of think that rusted carbonum missed the mark. I really like the idea of a tradeable holiday armor however, it would be nice if it were more interesting stuff though.

8

Here’s the AO portion of the final list. If you’re interested in both AO and SWL, it might be easier to read the combined list on the GSP forum: http://forums.gridstream.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=29335&p=234446#p234446

  1. [both] Xmas thigh-highs and/or leggings, like AO’s Halloween ones

In AO, this would be a Christmas version of the striped Halloween tights/stockings, either continuing up to a low waist, like SWL’s elfin leggins, or with a little bare thigh showing below matching panties or boyshorts. Or even better with both options. And they’d have to set a low priority foot texture, too, so we can either wear boots over them or have stockings all the way down to some matching slippers or something.

In SWL, I guess they’d be separate colors to collect, rather than changing colors with a right-click like in AO. Unfortunately, there’s still no lingerie layer, (I’m still assuming you want to do that someday) so they’ll have to be either leg items with a hip part, as above, or foot items that cover halfway up the thigh, if you can manage that. If both are possible, having options would again be even better.

Also several designs were suggested, not just colors, so again, the more options the better:

  1. [both] strappy stripey candy cane bikini

This is an example I came up with a few years ago, trying to design the rest of an outfit that would go with candy cane striped thigh-high stockings. I still think it needs better shoes than what I’ve drawn, but the rest is pretty much exactly what I want. It should work in both AO and SWL, and if you wanted to make matching outfits like this for the other thigh-highs listed above, that would be awesome, but at least this one would be a good start.

  1. [AO] scarves

We clearly don’t need any more of these in SWL, but a scarf for AO that fits like a cape, in the back slot, would be new. Some of the cloak options hang a little to the side, like the Desert Nomad Cloak, so I imagine a scarf wouldn’t be much different than that, just narrower and a little shorter. A couple different color options would be nice. The usual Christmas reds and greens, maybe browns and greys for the off season, white for Penumbra camoflage.

  1. [both] “Nice List” outfit to go with the “Naughty List Bikini”

AO’s had that “Naughty List Bikini” for what, a decade now? And there’s still no “Nice List” outfit? This idea also works for SWL, but they’d need the “Naughty List Bikini” copied over there first. Heck, they just need that anyway.

Some options:

  • Nice List Swimsuit - vintage 1940’s style one-piece, red with white snowflakes and bows, maybe ruffles like the SWL “bikinis”
  • Nice List Play Suit - jogging gear / sports bra and tennis shorts / leotard and tights (less 1980’s aerobics, more 2000’s yoga)
  • Nice List Nightwear - Christmas version of Adrienne’s Valentine’s Day Naughty Nightwear from AO
  1. [both] red and green pasties / nipple shields

Because sometimes the Naughty List isn’t naughty enough. If Krampus is coming for you anyway, may as well have fun with it. This isn’t even the naughtiest stuff that was suggested, but I’m trying to keep it within the established ratings. Barely.

  • with tassels / tinsel
  • glowing
  • with blinking Christmas lights
  • shiny hemispheres, like Christmas Tree balls, with tinsel tassels hanging from the hooks in front
  • ribbon bows
  1. [both] snowflake lingerie

There were two ideas that came up for this. The one that’s been on previous Christmas lists was a snowflake bikini, like three of AO’s Snowflake Nanosprays sized down and applied as chest and leg items. Like this: http://forums.gridstream.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=21449#p177365

The second, which I don’t think we’ve asked for before, is a white mesh teddy, almost transparent like the white fishnet stockings on the 2nd and 6th Anniversary Play Costumes, with opaque snowflakes on it here and there. The snowflakes would stand out as the part that /doesn’t/ shimmer with moire interference. Or maybe hexagonal lace so it looks like a frosted window with snowflake decorations. Not just the mandatory three flakes as above, but a little flurry of them scattered about. Kind of like these:

  1. [AO] a way to get lowbies to Santa Leet’s Workshop and back

Meetmedere isn’t as dangerous as Uturn, but it’s a long run at low runspeed if you can’t use the grid or a Yalmaha yet. Christmas events should be more lowbie-friendly. It’s always children saving Christmas in the movies.

How about putting a toy catapult, like the “Win Button” with a rocket sled, in ICC so Santa Leet can fling newbies to MeetMeDere. Where the Santa Leet’s Workshop exit teleporter lands would be a good landing spot. And then retune the exit teleporter (it’s been misaligned way too long) to drop them back in ICC instead. Maybe on the grass by the statue, or on top of the Transportation building.

Or you could put another Santa Leet in MeetMeDere so we only have to run all the way across Newland Desert once. Or at least an Elfleet assistant there who can give the same mission.

  1. [AO] “Elfleets are Slave Labor” t-shirts and placards

  2. [both] velvet bodysuit

Long sleeves, no legs, and all velvet. Dark red velvet, like cranberry or burgundy. Lace top stay-up ivory thigh-high stockings. Matching red slippers or heels.

  1. [both] top hat with mistletoe dangling off the front

…so you can position it over the person you’re wanting to smooch. Maybe instead of straight, tilt it at a cheeky angle? That’s a couple degrees less than a jaunty angle, right?

  1. [both] red ribbon bikini

Every year we ask for the “just a red ribbon” outfit, but you keep passing on it. What if we call it “Red Miiir with Bows” instead? If the Miiir outfit didn’t have all those leg bands, it would be pretty much this. Then just put a bow on it. I have extra Beautiful Ribbon Bows leftover from the Anniversary if it helps.

  1. [both] Christmas beverages
  • hot chocolate
  • mulled apple wine
  • hot spiced cider
  • buttered rum
  • horchata
  • hot spiced mead
  • and eggnog, of course
  • moonshine? for those who think Plumbo is too healthy for them? But call it “White Lightning” or something.
  • Moose Milk (it’s a Canadian thing - 2 parts eggnog, 1 part vanilla ice cream, 1 part rum, sprinkle with nutmeg)
  1. [AO] statuesque angel wings

Same shape as the Anniversary Angel Wings, but recolored to match the Statuesque outfit, for angel statue costumes. Or I guess you could add this to the next Anniversary event. Or just make the old Angel Wings change color with a right-click.

  1. [both] red flannel or red/green plaid onesie, or PJs

Like the colorful onesies we got in SWL for social media campaigns, but less trademark icon colors and more Norman Rockwell Christmas.

  1. [both] One-shoulder soiree dress in red and white candy cane stripes

Same cut as SWL’s current “One-shoulder soiree dress”, just make that one shoulder one of the stripes, and the rest of the dress continue that pattern in red and white stripes. Spiral, not circles, so the stripes appear to move like a barber’s pole when you twirl. Well… a curvy barber’s pole.

  1. [both] classic ski bunny outfit
  • AO - like the Stylish Skiing Outfit, but red and white, with a smaller (midriff) jacket with the zipper down
  • SWL - something less bulky than the winter gear we have now, more suited to sipping mulled cider with rum in a ski lodge and hitting on instructors than actually skiing
  1. [both] “naughty” and “nice” outfits

AO’s had a “Naughty List Bikini” for a long time, but as mentioned at the top of the list, SWL still doesn’t, and there’s still no “Nice” version. How about a whole new outfit for both that comes in Naughty and Nice variants? I imagine a corset or bustier, matching panties, garter belt, thigh-high stockings, high heels, and long gloves, all in either white lace or black leather. For boys, maybe a nice jacket, no shirt, well fitting dress slacks and shoes, and a flat brim hat.

  1. [both] Christmas Frank N. Furter (male and female versions)
  • white fur-lined black leather above the knee boots
  • black fishnet stockings
  • black booty shorts
  • black leather corset with white fur trim and silver details
  1. [AO] new “Holiday Hologram” effects gizmos
  • red and green particle fountain like 1HB or Treatment Expertise effects
  • Red / Green Slow Spheres - “Slow spheres form several pulses, slowly bursting outward”
  1. [both] red and green gloves
  • both plain red and plain green, as well as red/green with holiday colored trim/wrists

  1. [AO] snowman pet on a little sled like Mr. Wheelie

  2. [AO] wrapped gift morph

  • just like the cardboard box effect from that lowbie daily, but with the texture of a random Christmas Gift box
  1. [both] tiny mouse-sized pets
  • mini-leet
  • mini-swiftwind / tiny pony
  • little dancing fairy
  1. [both] wearable cookie frosting
  • the same frosting we put on gingerbread cookies in AO, as a chest item

  1. [both] more colors of top hats

  2. [both] gingerbread bikini

  • just gingerbread colored, with white straps and piping, not made of cookies
  1. [both] Christmas Kilts
  • red and green with a couple of jingling silver bells on the sporran

  1. [both] silver tinsel lei and little gold thong

  2. [both] snowflake tattoos

  3. [AO] tin of Danish butter cookies

  • reusable like the Valentine’s Day “Chocolate Exultation” Gift Box to obtain an edible, tradeable cookie
  1. [AO] tradeable Gingerbread Cookies
  • deconstruct gingerbread dough to get a recipe, possibly involving a far ranging quest, like Chirop eggs, bottled water, ottous buttermilk from a yutto herder, molasses and a ginger-like plant from Herbalist Gerard, sugar and baking soda from dehydrating a bottle of soda, and flour from… a QL 1 nano - hack basic baking supplies shipment
  • repeat the recipe as desired so we can make the dough ourselves and make as many cookies as we want to waste time and creds on
  • and then TRADE THEM
  • possibly some new shapes, like Christmas trees and Atrox and white-nosed silvertails
  • gingerbread backpack
  • or if you really want to keep the old Gingerbread Cookies “special”, make the new tradeable ones sugar cookies.
  1. [AO] snowman morph
  • There is an effect that hides you in a cardboard box. It’s used in a level 1 daily. Maybe that same effect could be used with a little adjustment to hide you in a snowman?

  1. [AO] snow hecklers with carrot noses and top hats

  2. [AO] abominable snowleet beanbag

  • a giant white leet-shaped beanbag, like an atrox-sized iceleet, as an apartment decoration

  1. [AO] Krampus-like horned mutants that chase the wild Christmas leets

  2. [both] pumpkin spice pumpkins

  • I’m still waiting to see this on RK4, so how about we beat them to it?
  1. [both] the Gavle Goat
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gävle_goat
  • like the Beehemoth, the devs and GMs set them up somewhere in Agartha and we come burn them down
  • to make it a “goat burning competition”, maybe the ones who do the most damage to it get an extra piece of candy or whatever, but it shouldn’t be pointless for casual and social players to participate
  1. [AO] peanut brittle grenades
  • break up into mouth-stabbing shrapnel and then stick to your teeth until either the shrapnel or the teeth dissolve, or both

And after I was done collecting ideas and started sorting all this out, another idea came in with some good detail, so in case you missed it in the forum, I’ll just include it here.

"I just think that the nomad/lya’s shoulderpads are extremely useful pieces of buffing armor and it would be nice if there were more opportunities to get them, its kind of frustrating having to wait for anniversary or halloween if you want to use them for buffing. The sleeves as well for lower levels.

“Maybe Lya or Miy could make an appearance during the holidays and give a mission that can reward some new holiday armor pieces. I couldnt begin to write a complete back story but it would be interesting if miy’s and lya’s backgrounds were pieced together. Miy could come to rubi ka and give players a mission to steal design patterns from rising star designer lya. Miy could then reward the player with a piece of enhanced miy’s armor. rather than stat buffing armor it could just be good armor with stat increases like AAO, AAD, initiatives, evades, add damage, crit increase, crit decrease, root resist, run speed, max health, max nano, nano cost decrease, damage shield, etc (not flat abilities, weapon skills or nano skills). For a look, make it look like a beefier miy’s armor set ( so like an exoskeletal suit) with a metallic silver and black color scheme, give it a cooler looking helmet that sort of looks like a mechanical skull with a visor or boba-fett style antenna, give the boots and pants some shinguards and a utility belt, and instead of a cloak there could be a sort of “turtle shell” back armor.”

Thanks to everyone who contributed! I know I’m looking forward to seeing what Santa Leet brings us this year! And now back to Halloween farming.

-Jezebelle