Concerning Control Points

I think it would be easy to mark areas as "PVP" without making a non-immersive pop up message flood your screen.

As one example, a set of spears with some bloody skulls at the tip should do the trick. Anywhere you see those things, you know it's open season on PC's. It's immerssive, and it's up to you to pay attention to where you're going. I don't see that being a problem.

 

Fine idea, though there will always be some newbie that starts playing and doesn't know what the "bloody skulls" symbol represents, and will wander into the zone without any foreknowledge.

Could definitely go with an option to turn off the prompt though, once the player understands the implications.

 

You could also make the area magically blocked to newbies and those that do not desire PVP. It literally blocks you from moving into it. Problem solved.

 

Mind you...

The locations are probably going to be pretty obvious anyways, otherwise players will be unable to locate them to begin with.

Probably an erupting volcano image, or a meteorite crater on the Overworld. In that case having an extra image is probably unnecessary.

 

The problem with just having 'obvious signs' is you have to make sure they're at every single point of entry.

There are other technical problems such as AoE spells and ranged weapons which could potentially deal damage across boundaries. Likewise healing over boundaries becomes an issue. The number of checks and safeguards to put into place adds up pretty quick to prevent exploits.

I'm sure there's been a lot of talk in PvP threads already about PvPers exploiting characters having PvP turned off in a PvP situation. This would just add a situation where that kind of scenario can take place. The issue with the warning prompt is only one concern. Keeping a scene either standard or PvP just avoids all the extra issues that a 'mixed' scene would have.

 

I was under the impression that one would simply set the entire instance to PvP enabled, rather than just a specific section.

That way there are really no boundaries to worry about. One is either in the PvP instance, or not.

 

I was replying mainly to the idea of spears and skulls marking an area inside the scene.

 

The problem with 'obvious' signs is that aren't always obvious, except to the person who created them. They might become obvious once someone encounters them, and many times it requires multiple interactions before they are ingrained into the conceptual model of the person perceiving and interpreting what the symbols mean. they only reliable way is to use text as a warning. But even that can be misinterpreted, though with a smaller chance.

Blocking off a portion leads to issues related to 'Why can't I enter this area'.

 

I would go with a sign and a pop up dialog. The people who turn the dialog box off will still know the subtle clues for when an area is being contested.

I was under the impression from a recent RG interview that the game would be for ADVANCED gamers.

I'm thinking someone who falls in the category of NOT knowing a POP UP danger! PVP! sign means PVP Zone-- may NOT fall into the ADVANCED gamer category. Richard seems pretty adamant about making the game a challenge and I know that is why I'm here and not somewhere else.

I'm willing to except ANY challenge the developers care to throw at US!!!

 

So you're saying there's a problem if we let them enter the area and a problem if we don't? Couldn't we use this same logic to stagnate any conversation around the game?

 

This would be a great place to have black market vending and SMUGGLING quests!!!

If wandering newbies are a REAL concern then have a special password, handshake or knock-- so it's not so EASY to get in!!!