[Snake]

TL;DR of my simple solution: GM Events, love it or leave it. I love the railroading, because it feels like I'm participating in some interactive story. Aside from making things less stressing and more manageable.

Then small reminder, 'Event Tools' are composed by (from my observation), World Announce, Local Narration and Mob Spawning. Only.
Chaos can't do miracles or go full Dragon Universe and spawn a nuke in the middle of the event with an in-game programmed puzzle for players to disarm. Hell, we don't even have an injure system working yet.

Trying to go beyond the event's schedule just because it's a RP game and you wanna be unique isn't really 'amazing' in general, it's called being SELFISH. Imagine a situation where this major event villain boss arrives in the Arena all mighty and god-like, bringing another plot about, lets say, dinosaur invasion, then fights my overpowered hexer/cobra and loses on the first round before the 'evil villain boss' plot even begins? Coolio. *claps* Congratulations me, I just ruined the fun event one person plotted for almost a day. Where's my golden star for being unique and not following what was planned??

Also, it's not like if people were forced into playing the event anyway. If they're feeling useless or like braindead statues, and not contributing to the schedule of the event, it's not the manager's fault they're not having fun.

Nobody here is even in the position to complain about events, just for the fact they can't do better. Nor even try to do better to make something good and fun happen.