Feedback talk:User/Djhaglund/Defending places from bandits

I like this suggestion. Anything to add variety is good. The moment patterns of computer-controlled enemies become noticeable, it's not long before that portion of the game becomes boring; humans are FANTASTIC at pattern recognition. Randomize, randomize, randomize! Do this by not only scaling the numbers of enemies or difficulty of the enemy AI, but it should be applied anywhere there's a risk of a pattern developing.

Instead of the same group having the same trigger and the same spawn point, mix it up. Give that group five different spawn points and a few different triggers. Then for each cycle of the dynamic event in which the bandits appear, they spawn in different locations and/or due to a different trigger. This breaks any pattern from developing and keeps the content engaging because it isn't predictable.

A few bandits in the trees, some on the rooftops, others popping up from below ground from tunnels as the OP stated are all good ways of adding some new spawn points. Then, make the timer which controls when they spawn vary randomly within a set minimum and maximum time. This prevents players from detecting a timing pattern. So instead of a group of players wiping out the first wave of bandits and then letting their guard down because they know they have X seconds until the next one attacks, they will instead have to remain vigilant because they don't know when the next one will attack. Then, throw in different triggers that control when the bandit attack launches; proximity to a location or NPC, timing, which NPC has a player spoken to, how far along in the completion of the dynamic event have the players progressed, etc.

By implementing these suggestions, the situation changes from:

"Ok, Magog the Terrible and Squirrel McHamster, you two stand over by that tree. Ultimate Ele and That Big Hammer Guy, you two cover the inn's entrance. Everyone in place? Good! I'll go speak to the NPC now and then in 15 seconds the bandits spawn, we catch them in a crossfire, slaughter them all, and get the Gold Award for the dynamic event."

into:

"Ok, everybody, look sharp! I don't know where the bandits are coming from or when. Just everybody watch everybody else's back and call out if you see a bandit anywhere. They could attack any moment now...any...moment...now. Dang! Where are they?!?! They should have attac...OMG! THE BANDITS!! Watch your six, watch your six!!! Man down, man down! Get that sniper bandit in the tree while I try to revive Mago...AHHHH!!! They got me. Revive, revive, revive!! LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!!!

THAT's how the game should play rather than devolving into an exercise of looking at a stopwatch and making sure everyone in the party is guarding a known spawn point before activating the event. This becomes even more important in this day-and-age of game wikis which give everything away and spoon-feed the gaming community a script for how to beat a particular quest, mission, event, etc. by telling them how many enemies attack, what the enemies' strengths and weaknesses are, where they spawn from, how often they spawn, what skills to bring to counter them, etc. Keep the game fresh by adding that little secret ingredient that make games (and life, for that matter) fun and exciting; unpredictability. Guild Wars 3 perhaps 02:35, 20 June 2012 (UTC)