If we're talking about a special event taking place prior to launch for backers, the backer demo for the KS seems to be more based around the THMPR encounter. Not much room unless it was more than that. Consider:
- Start spawned in an base bunker with limited social options, skin changing, etc. A brief taste of what home could be (or even just include the Home demo as a separate area).
- Want to jump into the fight? Jump into a premade L M or H frame, change a few items like skins, basic layout and armour (to show off the frames, abilities and weapons available)
- Warp down to EM8ER and either go thumping or join other players in a part of the map that is currently under attack by swarms of Tsi-hu and fauna, and once a certain number of resources are met, some Kaiju pour in too. If you win, a brief reprieve. Lose, and that part of the map is lost briefly until more resources are collected.
You could award backers based on kills, resources, successful defences, heals/revives (if an option). Weave this event into lore somehow and keep a list of these players at the first base available to the players on EM-8ER, as well as those who simply participated. This way the demo is a bit more dynamic. That being said, dev team was aiming at this year for the KS, so too late for changes unless they postpone.
Post-KS, I'm sure most backers would agree that the focus should be on the game. So unless the special event is something that will happen in-game (say, base defence or trucking) and not just a once off, probably pass.
Post launch however, I would refer to Grummz himself below:
Regarding players being part of the lore/story, it has been brought up before.
Chief Chat Notes posted 25/05/2021 on Discord --
Question: Will there be “legendary/hero” players where they have the ability to use unique abilities?
Grummz:
So a “legendary player” that have unique ability. So you reach some certain stature in the game, you could have some sort of ability? That's an interesting idea, but we cant customize one for thousands of players. Maybe you could pick from a limited range of elite tier abilities? That's an interesting idea though. So if certain player rise to the forefront and have a very significant contribution to the world? Yeah I think we would weave that into the next arc. Would we give them something unique? I don’t know that's an interesting idea but there's still going to be multiple servers, so every server could have its own leader board. But they could be mentioned right, there could be lore. But creating unique a shader set? I’m not sure.
But even games like WOW has things like memorial sites honoring real people who died. If I remember right there is like a giant angel-like being watching over the grave of one the dev team in the game's spirit world.
Koiter and "twincruiser" if anyone wanted to look that up.