Fairness in Holiday Representation / Auraxian Holidays

[Neurotoxin]

This is an idea, but it requires community discussion. I've placed it here instead of in the ideas section for that reason.

For years I've seen games tack on Xmas decorations on or around Xmas. Even old single-player pre-internet games. Easter, St. Patrick's Day, these also get a lot of representation in games. Hanukkah is actually a celebration of a military victory, so it makes way more sense for war games than a holiday about being nice and sharing gifts. I understand that Xmas is pretty widely celebrated in most places where PlanetSide 2 will be played, but I don't think that is a reason to just follow along with usual status quo for holidays in games.

I want to ask that we see fairness in holiday activities and celebrations. If we have Xmas, have Hanukkah as well. Heck, throw in Festivus too. If we do St. Patrick's Day, do Purim as well (holiday about battling oppression, celebrated by getting drunk). If Easter, do Passover as well (which is also about battling oppression). And don't stop there, include other holidays that are not often represented, just so long as folks who want that holiday represented actually come forward and ask for it.

Otherwise, I'd recommend looking into entirely new holidays. Why should Auraxians be tethered to the old Earth holidays? Discovery Day (when Auraxis was discovered), Touchdown Day (first humans on Auraxis), those should be holidays. December could be full of candles and gifts to represent the celebration between Discovery Day and Touchdown Day (which essentially became January 1st of Year 1 on Auraxis). Maybe for St. Patrick's Day and Purim is the day of celebration when the first NS structure was completed amid early TR and NC conflict, complete with commemorative green beer and triangular cookies. New holidays don't even have to be based on current ones, either.

I'd like to ask for the community to weigh in on this topic and add suggestions, comments, concerns, questions, etc. Thanks!
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[The Admiral]

IF you were to celebrate every random bs holiday in the world you would be doing it every day have fun with that. lol liberals.

[The Kush]

I agree. In fact fuck all the holidays we have. Let's make PS2 have it's own holidays.

[Rabb]

I hate all the tacky crap that gets added to games for holidays.

It kind of makes sense in WoW but for planetside I think it spoils the immersion.

[Boomhowser]

Why should Auraxians be tethered to the old Earth holidays!

Because they are still humans.

2ndly its not about our characters celebrating the various holidays its about us the player celebrating the holidays by doing the things we love i.e blowing each other up in a festive mood.

aside from that its good to see the ideas still flooding in :)

[JoeDragon]

I think in FPS games like TF2 the holiday events are pretty awesome. However in PS2 I don't see them fitting in. Maybe like XP boosts or some kind of sale on certain nationally celebrated holidays might be cool. But no xmas lights on the bases or a Santa Liberator flying around that you can shoot down for gifts. (Though to me that sounds super fun)

[DrShadowSML]

Since three empires are at war with eachother, I think it shouldn't be feasible to have holidays in the middle of shooting back and forth.
But there should be events once in a rare while to spice things up, but more general events not tied to gifts and whatnot.

[Rabb]

Because they are still humans.

2ndly its not about our characters celebrating the various holidays its about us the player celebrating the holidays by doing the things we love i.e blowing each other up in a festive mood.

aside from that its good to see the ideas still flooding in :)

Let the player celebrate all they want with there own events in or out of game. What I hate making everyone run around in xmas hats and drop presents it's just stupid.

[Firearms]

Fuck Christmas nobody rose from the grave. Religions are bs.

Classic. :cool2:

[Goldeh]

I think For PS2 The Santa from Futurama should visit.

[Shadowrath]

There are more people who enjoy the events than get irritated by them. Get over it. :|

[KTNApollo]

I agree. In fact fuck all the holidays we have. Let's make PS2 have it's own holidays.

This. Games that simply use real holidays are boringggg

[JoeDragon]

Actually after thinking about it, I would like to see some subtle things like Holiday themed Decals and Hood Ornaments for sale on the store. I'd pay a couple bucks for a Pumpkin Decal or a Snowman hood ornament.

[HEISTT]

I think in FPS games like TF2 the holiday events are pretty awesome. However in PS2 I don't see them fitting in. Maybe like XP boosts or some kind of sale on certain nationally celebrated holidays might be cool. But no xmas lights on the bases or a Santa Liberator flying around that you can shoot down for gifts. (Though to me that sounds super fun)

I'm imagining Higby in a special invincible Santa Claus Galaxy flying around Auraxis dropping various gift boxes around the battlefield. Gifts could include: cert points, xp boosts, camo's (rare), resources and a few which blow itself (and the user) up. Best. Christmas. Ever.

[JoeDragon]

I'm imagining Higby in a special invincible Santa Claus Galaxy flying around Auraxis dropping various gift boxes around the battlefield. Gifts could include: cert points, xp boosts, camo's (rare), resources and a few which blow itself (and the user) up. Best. Christmas. Ever.

Oh believe me, if they actually did end up adding in stuff like this, I'd enjoy the heck out of it. Also, some of the presents should be proximity mines. :P

[Rukgo]

There should be a x-mas holiday guaiz

[Zidane]

There are more people who enjoy the events than get irritated by them. Get over it. :|

Agreed!

[Boomhowser]

What I hate making everyone run around in xmas hats and drop presents it's just stupid.

So this is a good thing then.. your accuracy will improve tenfold as holiday rage overcomes you and you destroy everything remotely seen in a santa hat!! :rofl:

As for presents dropping umm since we have no inventory we have nothing to pick up unless they start gifting station cash! so I highly doubt you'll see presents drop during holidays..

[IgloGlass]

I would like for a christmas holiday, perhaps easter and St. Patty's as well but not much more.

What I want to see for christmas is what they did in the first Modern Warfare!
Have the bombs sound like Santa, ho ho ho, and add a few christmas trees and gifts around the maps!

But jewish holidays? The holidays must be a representation of the majority of players, we can't just cater to everyone. Fact is that most people will either be christian or atheist (Pretty much everyone in Sweden is atheist, hallelujah) so including some random holiday you haven't heard of to "battle oppression".. Sorry but it just seems so unnecessary and unuseful.

[Canaris]

yeah if there going to have holidays in game they should replace the RL with special PS2 holidays, the timing is fine due to people in RL being off for various holidays.

like Xmas/whatever become - Landfall day (Land fall day celebrates the day the people of the fleet first arrived planetside to there new home of Auraxis and began colonization

Easter/whatever becomes Connery Day - still celebrated by almost all the people of Auraxis this day marks when Connery and Discovery 7 were blown up. Everyone agrees that a noble hero of the people was lost (celebrated by all three factions even tho they blame each other over his death)

St. Patrick's Day becomes - Loyalty/Separatist/Advancement day - This is a bit more faction specific but in principle is the same, the NC celebrate the day they threw off the chains of TR oppression, the TR celebrate how they are the only faction to have remained true to the TR of the Sol system and the VS celebrate the day they first began to integrate technology into themselves.

just a rough guide but you get the general idea.

[VaderShake]

The only holiday expirience I saw in Battlefield (DC Mod) was one New Years on an East Coast Server (Turdferguson Server I think) everyone said to pause from fighting for 1 minute to message something you were thankful for...........everyone stopped and about 20 seconds later someone slammed the A-10 into a clan group trying to take a screenshot standing in a circle in their homebase......it was awesome and took the fighting to the next level, like a mini-TeT offensive, I was up till dawn New Years Day that night...

[fvdham]

How about the Engineer can buy an ACE from the shop to deploy a Christmas tree.
Player deployed christmas decoration.

[ThermalReaper]

Too much holidays to think of. Ramadan+Eid would be a whole month of an event.

[Dagron]

I'm all for holidays in the game and i see the point in making them more Auraxian, not all countries celebrate the same holidays and when they do it might not be in the same way, so giving it a more Planetside twist might help people connect more with the festivities.

Also, i agree that if they try to bring all the holidays of every culture into the game we would have nothing but holidays. Maybe they could add just a few of the big ones from widely spread cultures... i dunno, it's up to them really.



Another thing, if holidays bothers too many people in a general principle, maybe they could still make them and just stay away from the more flashy stuff like pumpkins, pine trees and colored eggs.

In that case, decorations adequate to each holiday could be subtle but still help set the mood, for example: around bases different color schemes and/or ambient lighting should suffice, all vehicles and troops that spawned during a holiday could have patches of that holiday's colors added to their basic schemes/patterns, some fireworks launched by players or around footholds could also work, etc. The environment could also help, like having snow during xmas, a 24h night during halloween, meteor showers could light up the night sky during the 4th of july, and other stuff i can't think of right now.

All of that should be festive enough without breaking the game's original mood too much.

[Goku]

Everyone this is not a thread for you to trash religion or argue about it. Devs have stated there will likely be holiday events in this game, so this is a valid topic. If you don't agree with having these events in here simply say you would rather not see them or don't bother replying.

[Sephirex]

Should do it like google. Celebrate every damn thing..
Happy Birthday Isaac Asimov!

[Landtank]

I don't know what World of Warcraft did on European Servers but what they did on American servers was pretty awesome.

Basically they took real holidays and molded them towards the lore, but not so that they were unidentifiable at a glance.

They had Feast of Winter's Veil (Christmas), Pilgrim's Bounty (Thanksgiving), Love is in the Air (Valentine's Day), Brewfest (Oktoberfest), Noblegarden (Easter), Hallow's End (Halloween), and New Years.

I always thought that system was really good, and they also threw in a few made up holidays just for fun, such as the Lunar Festival and the Mid-Summer Fire Festival.

[SgtExo]

The only holiday expirience I saw in Battlefield (DC Mod) was one New Years on an East Coast Server (Turdferguson Server I think) everyone said to pause from fighting for 1 minute to message something you were thankful for...........everyone stopped and about 20 seconds later someone slammed the A-10 into a clan group trying to take a screenshot standing in a circle in their homebase......it was awesome and took the fighting to the next level, like a mini-TeT offensive, I was up till dawn New Years Day that night...

Who plays video games at new years?

[noxious]

Since the game has regional servers I see no reason that, if holidays are celebrated in-game at all, preference shouldn't be given to the most important holidays in each region. Resources being finite, we cannot expect SOE to do something for every holiday, so it makes sense that they would target only the most culturally relevant holidays.

[Dagron]

Celebrate every damn thing..
Happy Birthday Isaac Asimov!

Haha, right on!

[RadarX]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

[AzureWatcher]

I always thought that system was really good, and they also threw in a few made up holidays just for fun, such as the Lunar Festival and the Mid-Summer Fire Festival.

The Lunar Festival is the Chinese New Years. I believe the Mid-Summer Fire Festival is another German one, but I could be mistaken.

I would love holidays, but only if they don't overdo it. And Higby better be dropping presents from his invincible Galaxy in December or else I will be disappoint.

((The themed decals/ hood ornaments/ camo options in the cash store would be amazing. Black-and-orange camo for Halloween, Green-and-red for Christmas, light pink-and-blue for Easter, some egg and pumpkin and snowman/pine tree hood ornaments. Those kinds of things.))

Edit: Woot! Faction-specific holidays! =D

[Sephirex]

I wouldn't mind celebrating the haircut anniversary either. Give everyone gorgeous locks for one day.

[MrBloodworth]

Can each empire be a classic monster for Halloween?

:)

If so, what would each empire be?

[Sephirex]

TR can be vampires.
NC can be werewolves.
VS can be aliens.

[morf]

The only fun thing about in-game holiday events is finding ways to grief the people who participate in them...

"STOP THAT U ASS THIS ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR"

bahaha

[Arovien]

I just want free things/holidays sales, k ty.

IDC if they present western holidays more or less than other holidays from across our spectrum of culture or if they introduce "AURAXIAN HOLIDAYS". It would be damn near impossible to "fairly represent" holidays from the many cultural background known to earth-kind.

Keeping it to the popular holidays is the proper way to go.

[Sephirex]

The only fun thing about in-game holiday events is finding ways to grief the people who participate in them...

"STOP THAT U ASS THIS ONLY HAPPENS ONCE A YEAR"

bahaha

Someone's going to get a visit from the GM of Christmas Past.

[GhettoPrince]

Oh MAN! Im so glad you mentioned Halloween. I know zombie modes are kind of cliche, but that sounds like the perfect event! Either bots that represent players that "came back wrong" or just zombie players that can only use melee weapons or something...

Really the possibilities are endless, I really can't wait to see where they take this.

[Neurotoxin]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

Hi RadarX, thanks for giving us some feedback on this.

Personally I like the content, but its the imagery that gets me. Don't just call it a December holiday and make it 100% Xmas-themed, its just as fun for players who appreciate it as it is alienating to players who don't appreciate it.

I think this is why I lean towards Auraxis-specific holidays as an alternative to duplicating real holidays. Sure, colored lights on trees if you must, but maybe color them based only on the Empire who controls the region rather than the usual set of colors. Sure jack-o-lanterns, but base them on Auraxian flora instead of traditional pumpkins, I'm sure Auraxis has other gourds that grow on it.

Or something completely different, which is more my preference. It could be a way to breathe true immersion into the game, and some Auraxian holidays could potentially be celebrated by players beyond the scope of the game. I like the idea of holidays that represent each empire too, that can be pretty interesting.


Either bots that represent players that "came back wrong" or just zombie players that can only use melee weapons or something.

That sounds more like a PS1 Battle Island event. :P

[Shadowrath]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

It is what it is. ♥ Gotta love Jack-o-lanterns.

[Canaris]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

Awesome news!

[MooK]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

I would love Hanukkah decals/outfits/whatever. It would be amazing if done right.

[VaderShake]

Who plays video games at new years?

I estimate I got somewhere between 10,000 - 15,000 hours into the BF series,.....you don't get that from just a couple hours here and there. :doh:

[Malorn]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

The Terran Republic holiday should be in July, which celebrates another Awesome nation...

Call it "Unification Day" where they celebrate the day when all of humanity united under the leadership and protection of the Terran Republic. Terrans celebrate their loyalty, the Republic vision of peace and prosperity, drink to Thomas Connery and other Terran heroes, and harden their resolve to bring unification to Auraxis. Curfew is extended for this holiday, and citizens are allotted extra alcohol rations.

[Ratstomper]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

Perfect answer to this thread.

[willaguy]

Ah political correctness; the thing that some people strive for but will never achieve.

[Shadowrath]

Ah political correctness; the thing that some people strive for but will never achieve.

How can you be politically correct when the rules of being politically correct fall under the politics of every country.

There are too many holidays to please everyone and everyone knows of the ones that they implement into the games.

[Rivenshield]

I want to see Hannukah in Planetside. We can all wear yarmulkas with our empire logo on then and turn into bagels when we die and fight over a tech plant that looks like a giant dreidel. It'll be great.

[Captain1nsaneo]

We've discussed and tentatively planned out a holiday for each empire to represent them. As for normal holidays we typically don't specify or Hanukkah. We'll call it something winter themed and run it for a few weeks at a time.

Realistically it's possible you are going to see themes around popular holidays because honestly? They are popular holidays. Who doesn't like doing Halloween content? There may be room for other stuff as well.

BRILLIANT! Don't you see? the 3 empires can have festivities that happen ONLY FOR THEM. TR celebrate the founding of the republic, NC celeb- remember the blowing up of the first ships of the fleet and the start of their fight, VS remember the discovery of the artifact. All sides can celebrate the finding of Auraxis.

Now, how to celebrate? Perhaps voice macros? We don't have Sancs anymore so they can't be dressed up.

[GuyFawkes]

BRILLIANT! Don't you see? the 3 empires can have festivities that happen ONLY FOR THEM. TR celebrate the founding of the republic, NC celeb- remember the blowing up of the first ships of the fleet and the start of their fight, VS remember the discovery of the artifact. All sides can celebrate the finding of Auraxis.

Now, how to celebrate? Perhaps voice macros? We don't have Sancs anymore so they can't be dressed up.

I'm sensing a holiday themed meta-game to interrupt the opposing factions celebrations here somewhere-deny the vanu their artifact -make the nc do something for charity etc.

[capiqu]

I can't see Saint Connery taking the place of Saint Nicholas . But I have to say that the major holidays are a plus for most PS players.
allthou I am extremely religious I think it will be better off keeping religious holidays off gaming.

[Kemeros]

Themed stuff is fun. :)

[capiqu]

Yes the Terran Republic holiday will include the gifting of enemies heads by the first born to the father. Nah that sounds more like Vanu weird stuff

[SixShooter]

I'm sensing a holiday themed meta-game to interrupt the opposing factions celebrations here somewhere-deny the vanu their artifact -make the nc do something for charity etc.

Artifact = disco ball and no, we will not be denied our disco ball.:fro:

[Canaris]

Yes the Terran Republic holiday will include the gifting of enemies heads by the first born to the father. Nah that sounds more like Vanu weird stuff

we can play our favourite TR holiday game, you go out and see how many Smurfs and Barnies you can kill in an hour, then try to beat that score. It oh so much fun :D

[Goldeh]

Who doesn't like doing Halloween content?

I hope this is a wink towards zombies.

[Sephirex]

I hope this is a wink towards zombies.

It would have to be PC zombies. PS2 isn't being designed with any AI system in place, so they'd harder to slap in then say a MMORPG with pre-established pathing and serverside AI routines.

[Goldeh]

It would have to be PC zombies. PS2 isn't being designed with any AI system in place, so they'd harder to slap in then say a MMORPG with pre-established pathing and serverside AI routines.

I agree 100% A.I. controlled zombies would be lame in the grand scheme of things.. Who wouldn't want to gnaw on a Vanu's face? Imiright?:p

[XxAxMayxX]

I think thats up to soe hopfully its just station cast sales. I'm not christian and don't celibrate christmas or easter so hopefully they will remain nutral with holidays. if you're ganna have xmas items have something for people who aren't religous or christian. I think they should just skip over the whole holiday thing. If they do do something it should be with planetside day and other PS2 related holidays. It wouldn't make sence if the VS R celibrating presidents day or something.

[Dagron]

As long as the empire specific holidays didn't lead to population imbalances (people making characters of that faction to join some shenanigans), i guess it'd be fine.

As for zombies, hell yeah player zombies! When you respawn during halloween there should be a chance for you to be reconstructed "funny"... kind of a y2k bug version for the auraxian nanites. :lol:

[JoeDragon]

Like RadarX said, I freggin LOVE Halloween events. It may be my favorite holiday. Not so much the Gore aspects of it, but I love the family aspects of it. Pumpkins, candy, trick or treating dressing up etc. (This is odd because I'm not a family man, maybe it's nostalgia from when I was a kid.)

Winter Holidays, New Years and Summer Festivals are my other favorite holiday event types.

[capiqu]

I hope this is a wink towards zombies.

Wait i'm liking this idea

[Ertwin]

The Terran Republic holiday should be in July, which celebrates another Awesome nation...



You want the TR to celebrate Canada Day? Awesome!:)

[Canaris]

You want the TR to celebrate Canada Day? Awesome!:)

nah he's talking about Ascension day when Leopold became the first king of Belgium.... right? ;)