If you think that dungeons and raids are the only instances you’ll find in WildStar, prepare to be corrected. A few weeks ago, WildStar content designer and zone lead Kristen “Caydiem” DeMeza posted on the WildStar Central forums about a previously unknown form of content. Described as quick experiences for 1 to 5 players, ‘Shiphand Missions’ take you off-planet and somewhere else entirely.
Today’s WildStar Wednesday brings a cargo hold full of info about Shiphand Missions, with DeMeza going into much more detail about how the concept came about. Starting off with how “terrible things happen aboard spaceships,” the post conjures up images from all of those sci-fi movies and TV shows that make an essential part of our pop culture diet.
Shiphand missions themselves are described as “like extended, sequential quests,” with a chain of activities that gradually unfolds. They’re also scalable, which means that it’ll fit both the solo player and someone levelling with friends. They’re also intended to be repeatable, which means that we’ll be able to help others out with offworld adventures.
From the sound of things, those missions will be pretty varied too. One time we might be investigating an abandoned mine, another we might be dealing with a containment breach on a space station. Just remember not to pack the red shirt on these away missions.
The overall impression is that Ship hand Missions are intended as light-hearted fun, and something that’s easier to tackle than a full-on dungeon. It also provides a bit of variety, breaking up the Nexus-bound questing with something a little different.
While they’re described as a levelling experience, I’m hoping that some of them manage to sneak into the level cap. It’s partly because I like the idea of going ‘lost in space’ every once in a while, and partly because I don’t want to wave goodbye to a cool concept when I ding for the final time.
I’m also hoping that Shiphand Missions are an ideal size to become a regular part of design director Mike Donatelli’s content drops. We might not see one every two weeks, but a new off-world adventure every month or so would be something great to look forward to.
Either way, Shiphand Missions are another slice of the WildStar pie that I can’t wait to devour. There’s not long to wait either, with launch fast approaching in spring next year. Let me know if you’re just as eager to dig in!
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