There’s a new Hell themed hoverboard in The Secret World, the Doomboard, that will let you sprint around with infernal style.
Previously, when new items such as this have been introduced, you get them through methods such as buying them direct from the item store, getting lucky with random loot bags, earning an achievement or as mission rewards.
With the Doomboard, the game developers are trying something different – to unlock it, you have to complete a special limited time challenge that requires doing any 70 challenges before September 21st.
Far from doomed
Since the introduction of the challenge system, which came along with Issue 12 during August 2015, I’ve been hoping that the developers at Funcom would get creative, expand upon it and find some new ways of using it. I think that the introduction of this type of limited time challenge event is a step in the right direction.
Using the challenge system to give out the Doomboard rewards players for actually playing the game, in comparison to being an item store cash grab or a random loot drop where the RNG gods may not favour you.
They’ve given everyone a whole month to complete 70 challenges, which is quite a reasonable and realistically obtainable figure. Each week, the game offers a selection of eight weekly challenges to complete. There are also six daily challenges which refresh every 24 hours. To keep on track, you need to complete around three challenges per day, which is achievable, even if you’re a casual player who only has a few minutes to spare each day.
You can complete any challenge you want in order to reach the goal of 70, and there are a variety to choose from that cover every play style – you can do PvE missions, you can PvP, you can run dungeons, complete scenarios, group up for lairs or join raids.
What I like about the challenge system is that it’s not obtrusive to my regular gameplay style. During a normal play session, I’ll usually run a random dungeon, maybe do a scenario and if it’s a raid night I’ll do one of those. So I usually end up completing several challenges each week without even thinking about it.
Doom and groom
At the same time as the introduction of the Doomboard challenge, Funcom has released a brand new grab bag in their item store, the Retro Bag, featuring the chance to get some 1980s themed clothing and a new type of awesome legendary sprint customisation – roller skates.
Some of the new outfits you can get from the Retro Bag include Terminator themed sunglasses, a Ghostbusters inspired jumpsuit, a jacket that looks spookily similar to Michael Jackson’s Thriller jacket, as well as various flavours of neon coloured leotards, belt packs and legwarmers.
Running the Doomboard Challenge at the same time as releasing the Retro Bag comes together as some clever guerilla marketing. While people are completing their challenges, they’ll see other players running around (or skating around if they’re lucky) in awesome 80s clothes and may be inspired to splash out the cash for some Retro Bags themselves. It makes sense, as Funcom aren’t getting anything financially tangible from releasing a free hoverboard, but their grab bags are their bread and butter income.
The Secret World is secretly all about fashion anyway, so it’s a win-win for both the players and developers.