Goblins are invading Okotoks this weekend, and a local group of heroes needs your help.
The goblins may not be real, but there’s certainly real fun to be had at Enchanted Okotoks, an event that will see downtown Okotoks become a fantasy fan’s paradise this weekend.
Participants in the free all-ages event will solve puzzles, complete missions, slay monsters and more through virtual gameplay and in-person quests.
"It's definitely goofy and fun if you like playing MMO's (massively multiplayer online games). This is just that, but you have to go outside. It's a web app, all on a website called Earth MMO,” explained event organizer Katie Fournell, referring to the Calgary-based platform as a blend between the fantastical world of Dungeons & Dragons and the augmented reality gameplay of Pokémon Go.
“Having these events that pop up add more real life to the game, at the same time as you're playing the game on your phone. So you use your phone to fight goblins, you use your phone to keep track of what quests you're on, you use your phone to find where the quests are and where some of the NPC’s are, where shops are, and also to keep track of your level and your items.”
NPC’s, a gaming term that stands for “non-player characters,” will be played by actors that can be found throughout downtown Okotoks and interacted with as players make their way through the game.
Adventurers will also be able to purchase goods from businesses in Okotoks to boost their experience with the game, though spending money is completely optional.
“It's not a play-to-win game, but if you have to go to a shop to collect a dragon egg for example, you can buy that in-game for free or you could also really buy that dragon egg in real life,” Fournell explained.
Fournell’s first foray into creating a fantasy world in Okotoks was through a 2017 Harry Potter-themed event — after the success of that event, Fournell and the team decided to incorporate even more magic going forward.
Enchanted Okotoks 2023, the debut of the event’s virtual reality gameplay, featured 34 quests along with participation from 29 businesses and 11 actors.
“Last year we had 600 people playing and we're hoping to at least get 900 to 1,000 people playing this year,” said Fournell.
Enchanted Okotoks takes place Sept. 14 and 15 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. — players will gather at the Olde Towne Plaza to get their first quest before embarking on their epic adventure.
Learn more on the event’s website or Facebook page, and connect with fellow adventurers on the Discord server here.
