The OFFICIAL THREAD: The Ascalon Royal Family Masquerade Ball, Community Event

Big thumbs up for everyone who organized this event.
I had a great time dancing and in conga, and as a cherry at the top was costume contest.
I'm looking foward to next year event.

Too bad my internet conection died at the start of scavenger hunt

haha that was so much fun.. i was setting up my own prize games to keep it going and i won an ecto! my name was Man In Red and i was with my mini asura called Ugly Betty.

P.S. gaile forgot to use her purple text a few times

Those video's are awesome! They're going down the memory archive

Looking forward to next year!


Rahja, could you maybe post your speech here? I really loved it!

I HATE MY job.
I missed it.
Please pm me links to the vids.

That was definitely fun, I have to say that if you ever have another event let me know, I would most asuredly help. So, keep me on the buddy list, Rahja. Must apologize to those I worked with if I seemed quiet/grouchy towards the end, going on with just four hours of sleep took its toll on me towards the end. ^^ But if those I worked with wants, add me to buddy list and PM me if you ever want to do something, I had a great time working with ya'll..

All in all it was great, so thanks Rahja, everyone. And Gaile too! =)

I had so much fun at the event. Wish I could have stayed till the end, but I had to go to a birthday party >.<

Hopefully we can have another event like this, was the most fun I have ever had in serenity temple, that's for sure. I was so happy that everyone not only had fun, but we didn't have any greifing either. Heck, I remember standing in line for the screen shots, the line actually held with no cutting, I was quite pleasantly surprised ^_^

Hopefully next time I won't have plans on the day either, maybe I'll even get to volunteer as staff.

As a side note, omg I'm dancing in the official video ^_^

Quoting Deux's opening speech.

We need more on the elves!

we tried so hard to be good !

That was a good event! i had a lot of fun organising a group dance xDD
Cant believe i had a powercut -_- luckily wasnt out for too long :-)

We should have more lil events like these more often :-)







these are just a couple of images :-)
I will try and make a video soon!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4WMP...%20-%20Yakslap

Just stumbled across this video when I looked at one of the others on youtube, so I thought I'd share it. Appropriate music, I think, and they got quite a few good shots in here, too.

Shots and Slashes: The camera guy

I will be posting pictures soon (1-2 days). I have to sift the good ones from the crappy ones, get them approved by Rahja and then I can post'em. Thank you all who came and all who had thier picture taken!

Huzzah - Mr. G here, or as most of you know me - Leo

It was an amazing event, And id just like to post a few thank yous of my own

Thank you to:

-Avalon, Ser and Death - For taking all my prizes -.-

-My guildies for suppling more prizes!

-The catering staff for their endless standing about

-Shots and Slashes, a BIG thank you for not only taking great pics but being my link to the rest of the staff

-The amazing pubic that not only showed plenty of respect for a hard to enforce event, but added to its fun with games of their own

-Sitting though my endless games of my fave "Simon Says"

-Of course to Miss gray for helping me with games and acting as the envoy throughout the party - and not putting up with me calling her "miss gray" all evening

-Of course Ty to Rahja/Deux, who i think has learnt his lesson to plan contests in advance haha (j/K)

-The players of Int Dis 2, by far the best district for games!

Well there goes my long list, I enjoyed it greatly

/bow

Could you post all the scavenger hunt clues and answers?

Just wanted to post a congrats to Rahja and all his hard working staff.
I actually stayed up till 4am (Aussietime) before I fell asleep and I had a blast.
Gaile and the fireworks and conga lines, the good time everyone had so many people wow
what a great event.

So thanks everyone who made this possible but mainly to Rahja for the idea that got the
ball rolling and the community together.
Let me know when the next one is on I would love to be part of that as well and I will double
the donation I made this time.

Depending on when GW:EN releases, I am planning another event for about 1-2 months after release. Maybe inbetween Halloween and Wintersday?

OKTOBERFEST!! OMG! I AM SO DOING IT!

My camera is at your service.

Oktoberfest? SOUNDS GREAT

I'll keep an eye out for it, and I will do my best to help when the time comes. We need more events like this

It's a shame, Serenity temple is probably the best place to hold any party based on it's layout. But it's so depressing there. Now Henge of Denravi.. hmm.. it's got an amphitheatre

Indeed it does, and I might very well use Henge for my next event. But more likely will be ID1 of Lions Arch. Can fit a LOT more people in a city compared to any outpost.

Ascalon might be a nooblet's home, but since Serenity Temple was after it, ppl got run there, and we'll be able to get more people that didn't get runned there. and it's got some sweet hiding spots.

but then again we can make the parties continental. HI-HO SHING JEA!

Aww I wish I could've been there... but it seems that you guys had fun
Another party-event coming soon? I can't wait

Octoberfest XD so totally awesome, so count me as a part of the team if you do

ill need a few months to restock my funds but ill be game to help with some plat and items.

Let's see, Oktoberfest = October - 3 months for planning...We get to start planning the next one in a month & a half! HoOrAy! =D =D =D

I guess I'm going to have to stay active here on guru so I know when planning starts for this one, instead of disapearing again like I did after I first signed up, huh? ;-)

Rahja, I had a wonderful time. Of course, now I can't get my mesmer back into work clothes. She just keeps asking me to run the video again.

This was a great job by all involved. By the time for the next one, I should have quite a lot to donate as my heroes will all be equipped finally. I'll save a couple of inventory bags for party stuff.

Gaile Gray mentioned that she was trying to get something scheduled for Oktoberfest. You might want to check with her before setting a date.

Lion's Arch would be great IMO. I was looking at it this morning and thinking what a wonderful place it would be for a large party.

Thank you again to all the party staff. Maybe next time I can get demoted from guild leader so I can help out.

perhaps anet could release a drink that got u drunk and turned u into a charr at the same time...

ps oddly my negoations with the charr to join us for the final hr failed...strange uh

Hmmm oktoberfest - it would have to have a more GW'sish theme - Dwarven drinking day? ^^

If this happens count me in once again, ill be happy to run the annoucments/games/help desk again

oddly, Stan, I have no idea what you're talking about...but okay.

Try & remember that LA is the trade center for Prophecies...even the International District of LA is more crowded with sellers than that of other cities. We lucked out with very few WTS people through the day, such things could've caused us big trouble otherwise, I'd hate to see the next one fail because of a similar problem...

I agree though, LA is an awfully pretty place, and I think those stuffy Krytans could use a party to shake things up a bit!

"oddly my negoations with the charr to join us for the final hr failed...strange uh"
was just my attepmt at a bad joke in getting anet to have a mini charr invasion on the event.

I was more referring to your first statement...

Leo, you posted while I was writing my last one, so I'm only just seeing it now...Dwarvish Drinking Day... <3 it! Of course I'm more in favor of Human Drinking Day, but that just doesn't seem to have the same ring to it, does it?

Isn't that called "Wintereenmas"?

Oktoberfest will require free ale of course, no charge. Being drunk the whole party will be where it is at. Updates to come though, and I plan on doing a review of this event asking for positive input and constructive criticism once I post that. Pictures, descriptions, riddles and solutions, winners, etc all in one big thread. I would like a chance to take all ideas for the oktoberfest and actually look over them and see if they can be planned. It would be a really fun event, and would take place maybe over a weekend instead of just one day? I really have quite a few ideas on future stuff, and I think with proper planning and good execution, we as a community can really put something great together. Maybe a cooperative event between the community and ANET would be in order? I know Gaile mentioned Oktoberfest, but we shall see. I will speak with her if possible to see if her idea had gone forward etc so I don't overlap ANET's concept or event (as I am sure their event would have a bit more to it! )

Oktoberfest will require free ale of course, no charge. Being drunk the whole party will be where it is at. Updates to come though, and I plan on doing a review of this event asking for positive input and constructive criticism once I post that. Pictures, descriptions, riddles and solutions, winners, etc all in one big thread. I would like a chance to take all ideas for the oktoberfest and actually look over them and see if they can be planned. It would be a really fun event, and would take place maybe over a weekend instead of just one day? I really have quite a few ideas on future stuff, and I think with proper planning and good execution, we as a community can really put something great together. Maybe a cooperative event between the community and ANET would be in order? I know Gaile mentioned Oktoberfest, but we shall see. I will speak with her if possible to see if her idea had gone forward etc so I don't overlap ANET's concept or event (as I am sure their event would have a bit more to it! )

Hail the Victorious Rahja! Great Ball, and Oktoberfest sounds great. Someone mentioned earlier that the event should be held in Henge of Denravi. That is a great idea and exactly what I was thinking. I agree with Goddess that Lions would not really be a great idea, that is unless Anet was to sprinkle a little pixie dust on the event(you know, add NPC's and games and special drops and prizes of their own). If they do have an oktoberfest idea up in the air right now then it is definately a neccessity that Rahja emails Gaile and lets her know that he has been thinking about this. It would be wise of them to accept Rahja's help because if the public knew that the event was due largely to a fellow gamer, it could only be positive for the good of the game.

As I was on my journeys around tyria announcing the comming of the Ball, I was amazed by both the excitement that unknowing players expressed and also the skepticism. I was only able to reach so many people before I began to fear the shear numbers of the event(as I am well aware that others of you were also announcing the event). But if we had all the districts of Lions Arch and Kamadan at our desposal, imagine the possibilties! Instead of aware players like us announcing the event, Anet would post up an announcement at the login screen! Obviously being a partially community hosted event we would have to contribute in whichever ways Anet deemed neccessary.

This may seem impossible but Rahja could travel with Gaile and be her special guest of sorts while each of us staff memebers go into each district and quizz and give away the donations we recieve and after we quiz and have rock-paper-scissors tournaments an NPC comes in and does some special game like always every 3 hours.

And I say instead of a scavenger hunt we have a cross-country race! The way we would do it is the race would start in Yak's Bend and people would form groups of four. After the teams of four were formed either 1 or 2 staff member(s) would join that team and we would do the "ready set go" stuff ect. The staff member would make sure that the team does not use map traveling to get to its destinations, that it purely runs. It would go from Yak's to Henge of Denravi(if you show any intrest i could make out a map for you because it is indeed possible to run from those two destinations) and would have rather nice prizes I reckon. Gaile and Rahja would be at the finish line to watch them as they came in.

Heck, maybe I'm completely out of my place by saying any of this, but I would not be happy with myself if I didn't make these ideas known. I think the race would be rather fun. If I am stepping on anyones toes by saying this then I do indeed apologize.

Heh, way to go me, getting grounded and missing it

Sounds wonderful! Keep the idea until I post a concept thread for Oktoberfest, after I get in touch with Gaile to see if her idea grew wings with the dev team or if it fell off a cliff and died. LOL.

Once the thread is up, post any semi feasible ideas there.

Hehe, why stop there! If it were to be held in Henge of Denravi, the Amphitheatre could be put to great use. Perhaps a lovely on stage show, complete with elves and candy cane monsters.

I can't wait, and this time I definately want to be in on the planning stages.

Alas if only it was true...y'know i still got some dontations rahja if you need to tie up some prize strings from the ball

Just an idea, the celebration (Oktoberfest) could possibly be held somewhere out of the ordinary. Suure places like Henge of Denravi are good and they have alot of extra features, but something totally new would also be nice.

Things that come to mind~

Quarrel Falls~ Sure its not too big, but alot of people packed in together? And drunk? and dancing?

Bai Paasu Reach~ A secluded outpost north of the Jade Sea, it has tables, chairs, stands (makeshift bar anyone?) And its one other only (or only) outpost (s) in guild wars where it rains all the time

Honor Hill~ Near Resplendant Makuun and the Mirror of Lyss. It also like Denravi has a stage, the area has dim sunset lighting, imo a really nice place.

Kodonlu Hamlet~ a fishing village of decent size, theres shelter, seating, tables, you name it. A campfire where people can tell tales, and a pier

Yahnur Market~ This has to be one of the most suitable spots imo. You'll honestly have to judge for yourself here.

Dajkah Inlet~ Okay so for the suggestions i was generally looking for an outpost that was set at night. Dajkah Inlet is an awesome coastal outpost, and i can see it working. Judge for yourself.

Nundu Bay~ The corsair port of Elona. This little alcove is certainly not an obvious choice, but it is really beautiful. It's also easy to get to, a thing to be considered before choosing a hosting location. In this case the outpost is fairly long, and cosists of two areas, the shore and a slightly off-shore island.

Amazing event... Had a great time!! We were in Dis 2 most of the event, and it was great to see the atmosphere and fun loving stuff going on. We chilled out watching the games and dancing and chat, blew our stash of party things, racked up time on our drunkard titles, couldn't sync our dances cause the RL beers kicked in too... hehe. The quizz masters keeping the ball rolling... Gaile trying hard to be a "only a messenger"... totally stumped by one of the scavenger hunt clues... Countess, it is now rumored, is just a bot...

Everyone, with the notable exception of 2 or 3 idiots who could not resist being childishly antagonistic, kept to the spirit of the event. The organizers and staff deserve kudos for all the hard work. Our guild will now be collecting goodies for the next event Rajah organizes, and will donate when the time comes as we don't have any references here to be staff.

Thank you. Thank you for a great evening, and proof that GW has a great community that can pull together to simply have FUN. I was rocked when I saw 4 districts ... for a fun player event!!!!!!

Keep well
Friday

@Friday - you may have missed the update to the staff references requirement, but if a player donated at least 30k in gold or items, no references were required to serve as staff.
--------

To those suggesting outposts as future sites, remember that staffing and coordination problems arose due to the district size limit of Serenity Temple and most outposts have the same limitation. LA and the Henge are cities and therefore are allowed a higher district population.