There will be a lot of fun to be had at Duskruin. If we didn't care about the experience, we'd just run the same thing every single time and not stress about the commitment to make new things.
I don't think I said Duskruin would run indefinitely 2 times a year, but in case I did, that was because that was what I was told. I also didn't think we'd get to change the schedule and untether the event from the month it ran. This is a good thing, because we can deliver a lot more now. We're still running Duskruin, because we know it's an enjoyed event. We also know many of you have invested into it. We're just giving the event some new life.
@Leafiara just so it's clear, the full event is not talking about shops. Bloodriven Village will be open at every event. As for your second concern, that's both great to hear how you feel about the arena and helpful to know what part worries you.
To give you a little bit of a sneak peek, each run (February, June, and December) will have more than just one activity. I'll post more on the official forums just so we keep information centralized.
@horibu It's not fishing.
Let me go into some story time real quick. I know some of my posts have been under the microscope and there are a few people challenging everything I say. Duskruin was birthed from GM Scrimge's idea of an event that was centered around arena fighting. I had just came off of watching Spartacus on Starz and was all about that Blood and Sand! I decided to take lead on the mechanics because I had a lot of success with the Necropolis. While not a dungeon crawl, the combat mechanics had a lot in common. GM Scrimge ended up leaving us for awhile during Duskruin's creation, so it became my project.
Duskruin originally had 3 parts. Bloodgames, Champions of the Arena, and the Sanguine Bazaar. Only the Bloodgames have really run (that's just the arena that you all do). The Sanguine Bazaar got cannibalized into the High-End Scrip Shop. The Champions of the Arena was retired due to the arena mechanics being revamped entirely. Yes, I laid out the groundwork for Duskruin. It's mostly my brain child, but I don't call the shots on how often we run events (that goes beyond Duskruin). I just made something that worked really well. There is a lot that I'd love to do. The Bank Heist is something I've talked about for a long time, and it's still slated to be released, but this is a perfect example of working on something I want to do versus working on something I'm told to do. Moonshard Warriors is another example where I had a creative difference, but ultimately that is what we ended up with. My plan was for something called Celestial Champions. At the end of the day, I do what I'm told to do though, even if I don't agree with it. The end result was still something I think you all enjoyed. GM Haliste and I came up with the moving parts, but the pendants weren't our original idea.
The original credits for Duskruin can be found here though:
The original design concept was created by GM Scrimge and arena/sewer mechanics were by GM Wyrom. GMs Haliste, Keios, Liia, Luneth, Scrimge, Reidyn, Valyrka, and Wyrom all created shops. GMs Haliste, Liia, Mazreth, Scrimge, and Wyrom all had a hand in painting the area. GMs Aulis, Haliste, Kaikala, Krellis, Sherlise, Spalt, and Vanah were huge helps with QC and testing, as well as various last minute needs to help get this out.
The event has grown quite a bit. I'm glad many enjoy it. It's nice to create something that both works for the players and the company. I wish it didn't come with such controversy. There is no hidden agenda. There is no double talk. No one is killing the event, if anything, the event is a complete manifestation of player requests. Events in GemStone have always offered these sort of things. I literally manage three decades of expectations in the three years I've been in this position.
