Well, I was just thinking, how progress on EIII is going, what is The Team working on right now...and I though, why not running a simple contest ?

I believe there is creative potential in the community, and, provided that not all quests have been created now, adding some interesting quests wouldn`t bother.

It might even help the game - there are never enough quests

A contest that involves community always adds some additional positive PR to the game.
For example:
It may require designing and sketching a plot, creating up to 3 NPC and writing some dialogues.
Quests in E1 and E2 were rather simple - very few NPC, a contest may just be a way to make world in E3 more alive and vivid.

What do you guys think ?

Certainly interesting, though with out knowing what areas's etc are coming wewould probably have to be somewhat broad with the ideas.

It would definitely have to be a fairly "general" idea, not linked to specific plot points, but it could certainly use some of what we've all learned about the world. I think it would be fun.

Of course, sometimes it's actually more work to implement other people's ideas than your own, so it's got to be up to BW.

Interesting idea. Good to pass the time with. We do know we end up in a jungle like place, which is a good place to start. Witches and shamans anyone?

Personally, I'm still holding out hope that we get a Quest or Side-Quest that takes us back to the Underground Repository - so I guess a Side-Quest that would require the player to obtain the Passkey in question, and then something (likely involving a Portal Pad...) that would take you back to the Repository, would be high on my "Side-Quest" wishlist...

I'd love to see that too, particularly if it explores the origin of the Repository and how your former self happened to gain access to that exclusive club. Maybe the side quest could require you to have to sign up for a new account so you can get in. And while you're stashing your own items, you might access someone else's stuff if you happened to come across a passkey. Might also be fun if you had to secretly steal something from someone by "borrowing" their passkey, using it, and returning it before it was found missing.

ultimately, Basilisk will have to reveal something more about Book III, for the sake of marketing and "spreading the word", generally speaking.

perhaps it will be a glimpse into our first settlement to be visited or a first dungen, few NPCs, monsters, something about interface and equipment.

the contest would fit into this.

anyway, there is a lot to hold on to - after Book I and II we have understanding of UI, the world and mechanics and rules behind it.
I suppose there will be no major changes there.

If not a side quest contest, why not an item design contest?

Does everyone remember the Widget from Book I? Why not have a contest to see who could come up with the best way to tie that widget into Book III? Of course, that would require a return to Aridell, which is something I would love to see.....

The widget actually exists in Book II as well, if you create or edit a game map (not save game maps) for either game and you mistype an items name then when loading the map the game engine does not know what item to create so it makes the item a Widget instead.

I think I've had a widget or two show up in a random selection of loot...