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PAX East Assassins! [Cancelled, Read OP for more details]

MarsCheliosMarsChelios Registered User regular
edited February 2011 in PAX Archive
Hi guys! I want to apologize for not posting updates about the state of Assassins for PAX East. Due to a variety of reasons I'm not going to be running a game for East this year. Some of those reasons are personal and financial which I won't go into, but I do want to go into one reason concerning game quality.

Assassins has been in a kind of stasis for a year or two. Theres been a few updates to the core game and as the player base grew I began to realize things needed to change to keep up and grow. It was my goal to have these changes done by PAX East but unfortunately I'm only about halfway done with them. These changes include:
  • Revamped Informat System (Formerly known as Secondary Tier)
    The purpose of the Secondary Tier was so players who were eliminated could still compete. It has worked well over the years but it's easily gamed now by sharing codes. The revamp will still allow players both active or eliminated to play but will be a little more in line with the idea of informants gathering information.

    The idea is still similar; If a player finds another player who is not their target they note their 5-letter badge code. Using the site or mobile app (more on that below) they would enter in the code but then would also select the general location wher they were when spotting the target on a map of the convention center. I say general because this won't be an accurate way of finding someone, but it will give you at least the floor or quadrant for where a target is.

    The site or app will list the symbols for informed players as well as there location and the reliability of the info which would decrease as time passed, with informed targets falling off the list after a certain amount of time. If you inform on a target and they are eliminated, regardless of whether the player reviewed the targets location, you would receive a portion of the points the assassin received.

    This solves a number of issues that I've heard about. For one it allows players to locate targets in the event they are having difficulty, something I feel will occur more and more as PAX grows larger. Two it's an active role in the game as opposed to a system of trading codes for points. I think this system will put players more into the intended feel of the game than in past games.

    This is still in the planning phase and I think theres a lot of room for improvements on this idea so I'd love to hear any comments or concerns about this. I'm going to to get an area on the site set up for that and other discussions as this thread isn't really the place for that discussion.
  • Achievements
    This is basically like any other achievement based system, but built around Assassins. It would include achievements like First Kill (First player to register a kill), Killing Spree (First player to 5 kills) and more. In addition each player would be able to create a custom achievement that their assassin would receive.
  • Mobile site and Apps
    There will be a new site designed to work better with mobile browsers as well as applications to connect to the registration and scoring systems. I can pretty much guarantee that the first app will be iPhone based, as that's my handset and where some of my hobby time is heading, but other platforms will be released as we can.
To get all those things working together I'm rewriting the foundation code for games on the site which I'm about halfway through with. Not only will this allow the features above but is future proofing the site for additional games and features I'd like to provide.

While I could run a game on the current system I'm concerned that even if we had a huge turnout for the game with the new space and large attendance the experience would be subpar. Even though I wont be running a game I will be at PAX East and I do want to show my thanks and appreciation to everyone who showed interest. I'll be creating some custom PAX East 2011 Assassins badges for everyone who has posted in the thread thus far and will send you a PM for how to get up with me at PAX East to get them.

Thanks for reading and I'll see you at PAX!

MarsChelios on
«1

Posts

  • adesteradester Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Sign me up again :)
    I still have the loot for the last one.

    adester on
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I'm interested. :)

    Rdr on
  • LonoLono Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Honestly, I'd be interested in playing, but I only saw 2 other people with badges last year, and the one who matched my kill card was already tagged. If more people join in, I'm game, but there will be many more people at the BCEC than were at the Hynes, so I'm skeptical.

    Lono on
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Lono wrote: »
    Honestly, I'd be interested in playing, but I only saw 2 other people with badges last year, and the one who matched my kill card was already tagged. If more people join in, I'm game, but there will be many more people at the BCEC than were at the Hynes, so I'm skeptical.

    I saw 5-10 people but I didn't get a kit shipped(shipping mistake) and I couldn't find MarsChelios for a replacement. But hopefully more people are interested this year. I think its just a fun little thing to do while PAX is going on. Kinda something just in the back of your head that you forget about until you see the armband.

    Rdr on
  • Seductive KittySeductive Kitty Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    oooooh I wanna play!!

    Seductive Kitty on
  • bushnrvnbushnrvn Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Absolutely. Sign me up.

    bushnrvn on
    PAX Prime 2013 checklist: 4 Day Pass [X] Accommodations [X] Travel [ ] Time Off [X]
  • adesteradester Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Lono wrote: »
    Honestly, I'd be interested in playing, but I only saw 2 other people with badges last year, and the one who matched my kill card was already tagged. If more people join in, I'm game, but there will be many more people at the BCEC than were at the Hynes, so I'm skeptical.

    I saw about 12 maybe. I knew there were people hiding them and not wearing them.
    I had no luck.. my kill card was probably Rdr :lol:
    I think there was a hundred or so and I believe Mars closed it out when we hit the cap.
    I'm up to giving it another try specially if I get time off to ride the train :D

    adester on
  • FacelesscogFacelesscog Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    This seems like it would be a lot of fun...but I spend so much of my time distributing for the Cookie Brigade, a position in which I try to be as visible as possible, that I'd be much too easy a target. Still, hope you guys have fun!

    Facelesscog on
  • punziepunzie Cookie Pimp Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I didn't get to play at Prime, but I really want to do it this time! It'd be cool if maybe we could double the people playing (200 instead of 100?).

    punzie on
    HI3789R.png
  • MxWoodMxWood Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    this is what i've been waiting for.

    MxWood on
  • LonoLono Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I do remember being super pumped to spy my kill tag across the causeway outside the big theater upstairs and pushing through the crowd only to see that he was upside down as I tapped his shoulder... I think I'll give it another go this year. Not like it costs a lot to do so, and the design is done so well... I may have to buy another armband though, not sure where mine went when I moved to Oklahoma.

    Lono on
  • smerksmerk Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Looks like fun. But then murder always does :P

    Question: How far afield can you ship the kits? I ask because I am far afield.

    smerk on
    What is this 'Pants' of which you speak?
  • Squill2k4Squill2k4 Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Sounds like The Ship!

    Squill2k4 on
  • BaconSandwichBaconSandwich Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I'm all about this. I think I'm aiming for full sensory overload by having as many plates spinning at one time during PAX

    BaconSandwich on
    PAX East 2010/2011/2012 Omeganaut!
  • feitocomfrutafeitocomfruta Denver, Colorado, USARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I may be in on this myself. How much does it cost?

    feitocomfruta on
  • AcidityTomAcidityTom Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Yeah, I'm the same as Feito, as long as its not like, wicked expensive, I'll probably join in this year.
    Also, it's kinda confusing me, if someone has the same symbol, say you're a blue x, you kill anyone with a blue red or yellow x?

    AcidityTom on
    voDnI3Z.png
  • dyaballikldyaballikl PAX Main Theatre House & Security Manager • PAX Community Cartographer Gold Coast QLD AustraliaRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I'm in again. I got my first kill at Prime this year, maybe at East, I'll get a kill AND remember to register it!

    dyaballikl on
    a.k.a. dya
    "Riding a mongoose reminds me of having sex with a man, which is something I do frequently because I am gay!" -Gabe
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I may be in on this myself. How much does it cost?

    $4.50 for regular armbands and $5.50 for larger. + $1.50 s/h.

    Ordering is closed right now though.

    Rdr on
  • peetsnackpeetsnack Team Green Poké Assist, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Head Girl House Hufflepuff The Cleave LandsRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    I am totally in, but I would like to make two feature requests:

    1. Extending the registration of kills and info to something a little past the immediate end of the convention proper.

    2. An android app that will let me register my targets immediately.

    I know the second one is way out there, but if we have an android developer in the community, it would be a nice bonus. As for the first one, my sob story is that from last game I have a list of 11 numbers, but I have 0 points. I would encourage everyone playing to register your kills and info as often as you are able.

    peetsnack on
    7B14287.png
  • tvethiopiatvethiopia Salem MARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    i absolutely second the idea of an android app for registering kills, if at all possible. this sounds like tons of fun and i'm more or less married to my droid, so yeah. that.

    tvethiopia on
    <3 Daintier. Smarter. Better dressed. <3
    7YIpfE5.png
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    peetsnack wrote: »
    As for the first one, my sob story is that from last game I have a list of 11 numbers, but I have 0 points. I would encourage everyone playing to register your kills and info as often as you are able.

    Maybe MarsChelios will let us use photographic evidence of kills as points if the people won't register themselves killed.

    Rdr on
  • KiwiKiwi Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Count me in!

    Kiwi on
  • peetsnackpeetsnack Team Green Poké Assist, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, Head Girl House Hufflepuff The Cleave LandsRegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Rdr wrote: »
    peetsnack wrote: »
    As for the first one, my sob story is that from last game I have a list of 11 numbers, but I have 0 points. I would encourage everyone playing to register your kills and info as often as you are able.

    Maybe MarsChelios will let us use photographic evidence of kills as points if the people won't register themselves killed.

    In my case, it wasn't a matter of kills not registering themselves, it was a matter of me choosing to wait and register all my info until after I woke up on Monday, due to the lack of wireless at the WSCC and the poor service at my hotel, the Sheraton.

    I believe the registration of kills is handled outside of the influence of the killed target. The assassin gets a card form the target, and uses a combination of the kill tag and their own badge to verify their kill. I don't see any problem with this system, and in fact think it very clever.

    peetsnack on
    7B14287.png
  • MasterShakeMasterShake Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    i am new to pax and this sounds like a lot of fun im down !

    MasterShake on
  • feitocomfrutafeitocomfruta Denver, Colorado, USARegistered User regular
    edited October 2010
    What about bar codes for each person? The KillCards aren't that big, plus most smartphones have the ability to scan bar codes for price lookup and such.

    feitocomfruta on
  • KiwiKiwi Registered User regular
    edited October 2010
    Barcodes would be cool in addition to how they do it now. But some of us are still too cheap to get a smartphone.

    Kiwi on
  • Sentient6Sentient6 Mad Grad Student Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    So is this going to be going on this year or is it too late to set up now?

    Sentient6 on
  • valdemirovaldemiro Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I would love to get in on this. How do we register for it? Do we just submit our names here and get contacted later?

    valdemiro on
  • nduggzznduggzz Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    SIGN ME UP

    nduggzz on
  • ArcoArco Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Assassins is awesome. Not playing since I'm enforcing, but it's great and adds a nice, sneaky element to the weekend. Thanks again, Mars, for hooking this up!

    Arco on
    Like this, not like the gas station.
    Organizer of the Post-PAX Party. You should come!
    Satellite Theater for life!
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I don't know is Mars is doing it this year. This thread hasn't been posted in since October 2010 until Sentient6 made a reply.

    I'm gonna PM him and see if assassin's is gonna be at East.

    Rdr on
  • OricalmOricalm MDRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Yeah, let us know what you find Rdr. If it's not too late, I'd love to get in on this (even as a first time PAX'er). I'd try and get my friends in too but we might end up taking each other out on the plane ride up :)

    Oricalm on
    Xbox Live: Oricalm
  • HolyyakkerHolyyakker Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Assassins sounds like fun. I'd be down if it is happening.

    Holyyakker on
    "Beware to March of Dimes" - MacBeth
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Still no word from him. Does anyone know how to contact him personally and see whats up with this?

    Rdr on
  • ravemongerravemonger [E] Silicon ValleyRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    I sent him an email, we'll see if he responds. The website doesn't show any updated info so my gut feeling is that it is a no-go for this year.

    ravemonger on
  • RdrRdr Rider Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Ya that's what I think too, ravemonger.

    Rdr on
  • HolyyakkerHolyyakker Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    ravemonger wrote: »
    I sent him an email, we'll see if he responds. The website doesn't show any updated info so my gut feeling is that it is a no-go for this year.
    This makes me sad in my pants.

    Holyyakker on
    "Beware to March of Dimes" - MacBeth
  • ravemongerravemonger [E] Silicon ValleyRegistered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Best case, it is just burn out and somebody else can take over for him. Not me though, I have enough to do. :)

    ravemonger on
  • MarsCheliosMarsChelios Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Hi guys! I want to apologize for not posting updates about the state of Assassins for PAX East. Due to a variety of reasons I'm not going to be running a game for East this year. Some of those reasons are personal and financial which I won't go into, but I do want to go into one reason concerning game quality.

    Assassins has been in a kind of stasis for a year or two. Theres been a few updates to the core game and as the player base grew I began to realize things needed to change to keep up and grow. It was my goal to have these changes done by PAX East but unfortunately I'm only about halfway done with them. These changes include:
    • Revamped Informat System (Formerly known as Secondary Tier)
      The purpose of the Secondary Tier was so players who were eliminated could still compete. It has worked well over the years but it's easily gamed now by sharing codes. The revamp will still allow players both active or eliminated to play but will be a little more in line with the idea of informants gathering information.

      The idea is still similar; If a player finds another player who is not their target they note their 5-letter badge code. Using the site or mobile app (more on that below) they would enter in the code but then would also select the general location wher they were when spotting the target on a map of the convention center. I say general because this won't be an accurate way of finding someone, but it will give you at least the floor or quadrant for where a target is.

      The site or app will list the symbols for informed players as well as there location and the reliability of the info which would decrease as time passed, with informed targets falling off the list after a certain amount of time. If you inform on a target and they are eliminated, regardless of whether the player reviewed the targets location, you would receive a portion of the points the assassin received.

      This solves a number of issues that I've heard about. For one it allows players to locate targets in the event they are having difficulty, something I feel will occur more and more as PAX grows larger. Two it's an active role in the game as opposed to a system of trading codes for points. I think this system will put players more into the intended feel of the game than in past games.

      This is still in the planning phase and I think theres a lot of room for improvements on this idea so I'd love to hear any comments or concerns about this. I'm going to to get an area on the site set up for that and other discussions as this thread isn't really the place for that discussion.
    • Achievements
      This is basically like any other achievement based system, but built around Assassins. It would include achievements like First Kill (First player to register a kill), Killing Spree (First player to 5 kills) and more. In addition each player would be able to create a custom achievement that their assassin would receive.
    • Mobile site and Apps
      There will be a new site designed to work better with mobile browsers as well as applications to connect to the registration and scoring systems. I can pretty much guarantee that the first app will be iPhone based, as that's my handset and where some of my hobby time is heading, but other platforms will be released as we can.
    To get all those things working together I'm rewriting the foundation code for games on the site which I'm about halfway through with. Not only will this allow the features above but is future proofing the site for additional games and features I'd like to provide.

    While I could run a game on the current system I'm concerned that even if we had a huge turnout for the game with the new space and large attendance the experience would be subpar. Even though I wont be running a game I will be at PAX East and I do want to show my thanks and appreciation to everyone who showed interest. I'll be creating some custom PAX East 2011 Assassins badges for everyone who has posted in the thread thus far and will send you a PM for how to get up with me at PAX East to get them.

    Thanks for reading and I'll see you at PAX!

    MarsChelios on
  • Sentient6Sentient6 Mad Grad Student Registered User regular
    edited February 2011
    Bummer. Thanks for the effort though. Are we gonna have it at east next year?

    Sentient6 on
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