Gameplay Cycle

IN-GAME EVENTS

player-run dungeons, raids, quests, and scenarios

RUNNING IN-GAME EVENTS

Forum members may choose to run any type of in-game event to represent the various NPC quests, mechanical battles, and dungeons which widely occur during UNOVR gameplay! Running in-game events does not necessarily have to be in-character: Player Characters may temporarily take on a System Admin:GameMaster role using the NPC plugin.

As they would in-game, events drop a choice of thematic loot for all participants (including the event runner!) after completion. These Pokemon or items are chosen by the UNOVR Devs, who have a good idea how to balance/design them! There is no required length or complexity for in-game events, but higher effort by the GM/participants may result in more unique loot options.

All players (including the GM) will receive the same choice of loot at the end, even if one player canonically ‘won’ the event or other players were eliminated.

RESTRICTIONS

• Events should use some meaningful system of mechanics. This definitely does not have to involve dice (see: Splashmother’s Landing), but the event should feel “controlled” via some system of progression!
• You may not impose long-term consequences on players without permission (e.g, sending one of their Pokemon to the Everworld, giving a character a permanent scar, etc)
• You may not use or reference Legendary Pokemon in your event, as you may contradict (or undermine, if you’re really good!) planned UNOVR future developments.
• Your event does not have to be ‘open!’ You may set prerequisites, limit number of players, or choose all the participants yourself. We want you to feel comfortable stretching your GM fingers, not get overwhelmed!
• If you incorporate one of the event prompts associated with that area into your thread (e.g: Gravity in the Surge Steppes) players will receive an additional 1x strand of Legendary DNA. This is not possible to do on Beta Island, which is North America exclusive and has discontinued official support.
  
  
  SPOILER: Click to show
  {Legendary DNA Locations}Briarbane Settlement: Mew DNA
  Birchwild Grove: Moltres DNA
  Misty Timberland: Articuno DNA
  Surge Steppes: Zapdos DNA
  Ostellia Settlement (unavailable): Cosmog DNA
  Drowned Harbor: Kyogre DNA
  Forgotten Nexus: Zygarde DNA
  Dune District: Groudon DNA

SUGGESTIONS:

• Set regular deadlines between rounds of posting. This will hold both you and your players accountable for regular replies. We prefer that in-game events take no longer than two months to complete, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
• Set player expectations before the event thread with a clear gameplay concept, genre, tone, etc. Players don’t always react well to surprises, so be careful of misleading language!
• Give clear instructions, breakdowns, and permissions to minimize confusion/frustration during the event.
• Don’t rely too hard on dice rolls! Rolling dice is fun, but players may feel their actions don’t matter if everything is purely up to luck. You can also incorporate strategy, mind games, puzzle-solving ability, or writing prompts to make event mechanics feel satisfying.
• If you are using mechanical combat, cap players at a lower tier (e.g, Tier 3) so gameplay is easier to balance and nobody feels like they aren’t pulling their weight. Creating side objectives is another way to let lower-level players contribute.

TYPES OF EVENTS

Player-run events may encapsulate one or more of the categories below; this guide is simply for help ‘tagging’ the event!

DUNGEON: Takes place in a temporary or normally inaccessible location, such as underground or after activating some kind of teleportation. Dungeons are like secret levels of UNOVR: they normally don’t exist until conditions are right, and they usually disappear afterwards.
Examples: Midas Rush, Psi Island, Hold B

RAID: Revolves primarily or exclusively around defeating a Boss. Raids may involve other staging elements or story, but are mostly themed around group combat mechanics. Raids may end in either win or loss, and the outcome is never guaranteed.
Examples: High Tide Raid, Thunderfall Raid

QUEST: An interruption of normal gameplay that often requires players to stop what they are doing and “fulfil the quest objective” before they can progress. This type of event is usually triggered by NPCs or imposed by the game itself, ‘forcing’ players into the quest until it is done.
Examples: Quail Quest, Help This Lady Get Her Stufful Back

SCENARIO: A mini-event which explicitly ties to a given character’s own motivations or preferences. This could be someone’s own personal quest, a contest they would run in-character, a place they’ve personally created, or a recurring nemesis they personally want to take down.
Examples: The Imagination Banquet, Make the Morning Radiant and Light