Zwift has hidden surprises throughout the game. Here we look at the hidden feature that was planned to go into the Zwift volcano but ultimately was cut. While the working machine didn’t make it into the game the art for it did!
Thanks to Simon Schofield’s Zwiftcast for the original interview with game creator Jon Mayfield.
What do you think?
Was the “machine in the volcano” a great idea, or was cutting it an even better idea? What sorts of crazy ideas can you think of to further gamify Zwift? Share below!
I do think zwift benefits from some of the “gamified” elements. In particular the missions and badges. I think the route badges have been a big hit with some of the community and really help motivate and obviously increase your xp. In the early days I enjoyed the California, Everest etc challenges and would like zwift to do more of these types of things. Rewarding you for actually using the game. Level unlocks whilst not popular with all do help to incentivise people to log in and ride.
Tour Italy, Climb Mt, Everest and Ride California we all good challenges which were fun to complete, especially as I seem to remember they each took many rides to do so. I can’t imagine these are hard/expensive for Zwift to setup and make available to rides (and runners). I can’t therefore understand why they don’t do more of them.
I don’t really care how the event(s) would be advertised, i.e. via the same way as the challenges I’ve previously mentioned or by some machine beaming a light into the ski.
When riding the Volcano circuit there is a lap counter by the start/finish line. This could be used to keep track of an events progress by showing the cumulative total for all qualifying riders.
Not sure what sort of price would need to be offered now to motivate me the most. I’ve been level 50 for 12 months now so XP is not a motivation. I have lots of drop points and also have bought all the best bikes and wheels so that would not be a motivation either. I wonder if they could make certain worlds / routes only available for either the challenge or as a reward for completing a challenge.
Like the idea of completing a challenging in game to get extra xp, clothing/accessories etc or increase your drops for 10 mins whilst you ride it.
Doing a set number of laps around the volcano circuit in a given time to achieve it or do a lap around the flat course as quickly as possible.
These would happen just once or twice a week at short notice…. Ie volcano circuits for a new Jersey in 10 minutes…. Get there or miss out.
That allows people to change worlds n cycle there to be able to complete n we could have several hundred riders doing laps together for 10 before the event ends n we all go back to what we were doing before. 😋
Sound cool. Just a little extra bit of fun without being too gamey.
Than god it didnt came out ….keep lazer beam and that kind away….but the ideas for people who dosnt race would be awesome.
Yes please! It could be used to access short crazy routes for a short period only
I think they should finish the existing gamification (quite hard to check what badges you have or don’t have, can’t check the mission you’ve missed or achieved, etc) before thinking of a giant laser beam (which by the way sounds pretty crap !). A volcanic eruption would be awesome if we reach a total of million watts.
Completely agree. I’d love to see the achievements and badges page pop up at login, or an option to access it before starting a ride. That way, if you’re trying to complete items, you’d be able to see what your progress is, and select rides accordingly.
I love this! The one thing I’ve never been able to experience in Zwift and only minimally in real life is riding just because I’m bored otherwise. With many MMORPG video games, you will be bought into a mission, or a reward system, but sometimes also you might just go in to mess around. Far more common in Minecraft for example. I would love to see Zwift tap into this. Something that maybe doesn’t create a training effect but does get people riding because why not. If I knew it was worth noodling around Zwift because something might happen, I’d love doing that.
Sounds like an element for a chapter from Ready Player One!
How would not having frikkin Lazer beams NOT be a good idea?
A community of riders powering a machine or unlocking a new expansion world, that we could all then immediately ride together, would be hands-down, FREAKING AWESOME!!!
I would like to have the Forza graphics in Zwift!
You don’t like the Sega/Nintendo/Wii styled graphics? 😉 Yes please for the graphics update!
Wild animal chase or bandit ambush that require an all out Sprint for 20-15 seconds to escape
I would like to see more long term challenges. For example, getting the Tron bike with the Everest challenge . I’ve finished all the other challenges (Italy and California ) and I would like more to work on. Of course jerseys and socks are always a great incentive for me. The tours are awesome! I wish they would please bring back the burrito power up!!! It’s rough when someone is drafting off you in a sprint to the finish line, then at the last second they pass you because they had saved up the energy while drafting. I would just prefer to gas them off my draft, and then drop them. :chuckle: I totally love zwift! Oh and by the way I loved the easter bunny news boy game they had for a day or so, where you threw newspapers at bunny mailboxes. That was totally engaging and fun!. It would be fun to have the ability to throw water bottles at recycle bins also.
Looks like the same artwork surrounds a tree on the figure 8 loop… near the jungle side of the Ocean Avenue entrance (specifically close to the wood bridge). I imagine there’s a specific name for this spot but still kinda a newbie on Zwift… but sure looks like the same artwork that is in the valcano.
I think that the Volcano interiors should be a death zone. Stop, or ride to slowly through them, and you lose drops or even die (i.e. Game Over). In reality, it would be like riding through a kiln and you would be burned to a crisp shortly after you entered the cavern.
I think this is an awesome idea and a missed opportunity to further the gamification of training. Honestly with more options, objectives, challenges, and missions that can keep you engaged in a healthy activity the better. Another feature that brings the community together towards a common goal that has extra benefits, why not?! I mean whatever gets me closer to the Cervelo P5x and ZIPP 858/Super9 wheels is a great thing in my book.
I started a petition to hopefully more this alone! Please sign and share.
https://www.change.org/p/zwift-activate-the-machine
http://chng.it/jWQPNccsH4
Yes, Zwift should totally include more badges, secret/occasional routes, new bikes, challenges/missions etc since it adds to the game for the ones who likes that. The ones who only wants to ride a bike can still do that. Especially more routes (and please include a French town/city next, it is a classic bike country after all):)
Something like that would be awesome. Maybe if you’re around when it activates, you get a badge and maybe an exclusive kit.