Feature request: Double XP Event buff icon

To avoid so many redundant posts and messages all over the place, I suggest the following.

Add some sort of buff icon or notification for Double XP events. The tool tip should show the
amount double, quad etc and the dates it runs / expires.

 

with something like this, it might be fun to have unannounced XP events once in a while

 

If they go to that effort, they might as well add a visual (or audio) marker to see when events in general are live. (Non Combat LFG/event notifications would be cool, I have suggesting something like bells chiming for years.

XP events for the sake of just XP is a bit uncreative IMO and a bit Meta for my liking. I'd like to see more interesting perodical events like Jump Town and Nine Tails events in Star Citizen.

Maybe even a way for Roleplaying or factional XP might be an interesting way to stop things becoming a reward for grinding mobs.

Grinding for XP just doesnt feel like a Richard Garriot game.

 

ps:

Star Citizen uses a contract alert notification system to keep its users up on events, even using voice recordings.

If people don't much use the LFG system, I believe the choice is clear, an assignment/contract notification system would solve many problems and would help create focus and participation.

 

I would rather see a message on the daily message that just has a message stating the current xp amount currently like:

Daily Message: XP is currently [Normal]

Than when it is double xp would show:
Daily Message: XP is currently [Double]

That’s more than enough information. And adding an icon possibly could impact performance so not a good idea.

That or I’ll just have to create a new website called IsDoubleXPOn.com

 

Honestly, I'm getting a little MOTD fatigued at this point. There are so many that scroll by when I login, I can rarely be bothered to scroll up and read them.
But, I agree. An at-login notice of some kind would work. It doesn't cover the use case I have in mind for random/short bonus events that might happen while someone is logged in. But, something is better than nothing.

Also, a LUA variable would be useful too so we could have different player made UI option for dealing with it.

 

are icons in sota 3d/4d, or causing loop loading of unneeded assets?

 

One possible solution is a notification window.
In the list of different game windows/UI elements (e.g. the list that includes compass, map, Combat decks, Decoration Palette, etc), have a window called notifications.
Opening this window will show the catnip daily message and any special events, such as
1) Upcoming catnip streams or in-game catnip events.
2) Special sales (no need to list the daily crown store sales, but list maybe list when special sales happen such as when crown store sales go to every 2 hours, crown sales, deeds/towns sales, deed/town upgrade sales, etc.
3) When double xp is active
4) When crown drop rate is increased
Etc...

With the daily message and notifications in their own window, the info is always available, easily found, and is not buried deep in the chat logs by scrolling.
Maybe add an option to open the notification window at log-in for those who always want to see this info before they start playing.
Also, if the notification text changes while you are playing, it would be nice to see a little "new notification" icon show up (like the "you have mail" icon). I think the new notification text should show up in chat as well, but if it scrolls by too fast or if you did not notice it...no problem, you see the icon indicating there was a new notification, you open the notification window, read the new notification, and then the notification icon goes away. Perhaps also have an option to disable the "new notification" icon for those who don't want the UI clutter.

When Atos was in game promoting a fishing tournament a couple weeks ago, perhaps many more people would have seen his promotion had every person gotten a visual alert in the form of a "new notification" icon.
I don't monitor universe chat very often, so I missed Atos' promotion entirely...another player messaged me about it. Also, if I am AFK, the notifications just scroll out of sight by the time I get back. Having a "new notification" icon will surely allow many more people to be aware when these in-game catnip chat messages are posted.

It seems that this type of solution will be easy to implement. And for me, I think it would be far more useful than the notifications appearing only in the chat window and scrolling off into oblivion.

@Elgarion, wadya think?

 

How about an indicator in the Skills windows? True, folk would have to hit "K". It's unobtrusive and will not affect performance.