I've been reluctant weather or not to post a reply in here.
Two reasons have lead me to this, the first one, that the event did not go as expected, thus, there was a risk of my comments being taken as using this to do who knows what. The second reason is the fact that it seems that this thread's turning into a discussion about GM, and we're just a step away from the personal attack.
Still, what decided me to post, finally (after reading those more than 180 replies this thread has, that prevented me from knowing what it was, till I decided to face such an amount of pages and replies, fortunately they were short, not at this one I seem to be composing :S) was the certainty that my reply would be in place, as I intend to talk about the event itself.
I did not attend to the event.
Ok, now that half the people jumped to next reply, I can freely talk for as long as my fingers resist (talk with fingers... wow) feeling half the pressure.
Did I mention I did not attend to the event? (Oh well, I doubt this trick works twice in a row...)
IMO, the event was created to put some life into the "Bronze Doors Area" by congregating there a crowd of people, with something to do. The purpose is correct. When I first read it, I thought it was a matter of searching for items, but specifically spawned items hidden here and there. It resulted into a search of "obtainable" (everyone reading the whole thread will understand the use of " ") items. Fine with me. Someone suggested, Ligh I think was, that perhaps a more immersive experience would have been adding some riddle, or some text after the item is found. Perhaps it's true.
In any case, what the event needs, is, to my eyes, a reason to be. Not only because we players want to have fun, and partning with others in search of items against the clock will be a thrilling experience, but also for our chars. Why our chars have to be there? I think it should have been offered a background to justify why such a crowd, normally being in Hydlaa, would move to the Bronze Doors, disrupting their normal life. Seek of adventure? It might be... but not everyone, certainly...
I don't know, inventing something such as a "patron" let's say an alchemist, that wants to try a mystical potion, or wants to create orichalc out of coal... and for that he requires rare ingredients, and offers a reward for those brave ones willing to get this items for him. Then people partners, to achieve that goal, and the first group to bring the alchemist the ingredients wins the prize. It's important grouping in events like this, it helps to make "community". Using the alchemist is always a card on your hand, no possible second winners, since probably the laboratory explodes seconds after he mixes the ingredients that the first group gave him/her. No worries about second prizes, nor reclamation on the prize given. I tell you, alchemists.
Could riddles be added to the item getting? Sure thing. I recall one experiment made with GM, where specially spawned items were used. A mortar being one of them. This special items allow Event Makers to put special descriptions on them, as well as making them either static (non pickeable) or pickeable and then respawning after a while. Let's imagine the alchemist requires smashed mushrooms, you then have to give him a mushroom, and also have read the description that the specific item mortar has, because it states that the mushroom has to be of kindA (and the GM boringly playing the poor role of alchemist will have to "check" if the mushroom is of that kind. That is, oocly asking the group members about the name of the mush they gave) the use of those descriptions might be used to to earn "bonus points" such as, in the alchemist case, for instance making a riddle for you to guess a location, where A ingredient grows better than in other places... well I won't extend myself more (I'm the only one reading this, at this point. "Hello, emptyness!") because possibilities, there are many.
A final note only, slightly out of the present thread. IMO, if what is wanted is to bring the "Bronze Doors Area" to "life", one way to achieve that, besides of putting monsters there to be camped... would be putting that place into the players RP. How? Explaining what the place is, what the fortress is meant to be, who created it? what's in the mines? In other words, making the knowledge that, theoretically, our chars know about the area, avaiable also for the players. Once the players know what is the zone about, and what to expect from it, they will gradually start to "incorporate" that into their roleplay (miners telling experiences from those mines, a dwarf with bottle neck glasses sending souvenirs, and renting binoculars to anyone visiting the fortress to enjoy the views, while he tries to sell them almost_already_made roasted rat pieces...) once a place is accepted into the imaginary of the players, via explanations, it's when it has more chances to be a part of players roleplay or history, and it is then, when the place becomes really "alive".
