"Battleground" PvP to me seems like a really, really, bad idea....

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It seems to be for both reasons.

1. They talked about high resource yield battle grounds where non-pvp people will be enticed to travel to these places to get "special" "rare" "resources". This is to entice people to engage in PvP.
2. They made mention of control points, but haven't said much about them other than they will be similar to the ones in Tabula Rasa. I'm assuming these will be PvP only contested zones to maintain a control of power in a certain area.

 

We are saying the same thing only I am putting more importance on PvP for the purpose and less on enticing people to engage in PvP.

You mention the carrot method to get some to PvP but there is also the stick part. Some of these PvP contested zones are going to cause some discomfort for everyone. To clear things up PvP is going to be needed to bring control back. Don't want to PvP, move out of the way.

But over all, it's still about PvP with a purpose.

 

Purpose is fine, but also just being flagged perpetually Open World PvP doesn't actually need a purpose. It just opens your character up to being attacked by others, and able to attack others. I just think that's how the world should be anyway. So the purpose there would simply be go about your business as normal, do quests, go into dungeons, gather and craft, AND watchout there might be some PKs to deal with.

I'm not worried about the rest of the stuff. As long as they have an open PvP system, and guild wars, then zones don't hurt or hinder pvp at all. Those would just simply become contested zones. (Places that I as a PvPer might not even want to particapte in very often anyway because I don't much care for battle ground PvP. I like the waring faction, guildwar, and world wide open PvP part better).

 

Open PvP is a different subject. They don't add open PvP with a purpose, there is no purpose given. Open PvP is yours to do with as you wish, have your own purpose.

But you do point out where the divide comes in. Contested zones are for specific reasons. Open PvP is for no specific reason, other than what each person expects. So those that seek one type are not always interested in the other.

 

Exactly. Battle grounds have a specific purpose. Whatever it may be. It doesn't make "PvP" bad or good, because it isn't the only form of PvP in the game.

The only thing a PvP zone does is create places where people go to aquire something or for some purpose, with an explicit PvP flag. Everybody in that zone better be ready to defend themselves. I really don't see an issue since this isn't the only PvP in the game. The zones themselves are not PvP, the zones are just desirable places that come at the risk of PvP.

 

For starters, Guild vs Guild enables the scenario where someone belonging to a PvP guild can fight other PvP guilds without setting the OpenPvP flag. They won't be subjecting themselves to random gankings by unknown entities in the open world.

Next, I see the capability for Guilds to participate in PvP ladders where matches occur in an environment exclusive to members of the warring guilds. This tournament option is simply for inflating egos and bragging rights. A tournament ladder can be contained on the SotA website showing guild tournament statistics. Additionally, incentives could include gold, special crafting materials, tournament trophies for house decorating, etc...

Control points such as town instances can be owned by guilds. Some control points could possess certain gathering nodes or increased spawn rates of rare monsters which provides incentive to claim the town. The instance ownership achievement status can be indicated on the SotA website ( similar to DAoC's Keep status ). A nice little API can be provided which enables fan sites to also show this info. Also, any person not associated with the owning guild is automatically PvP flagged when entering a controlled instance. The overhead map can show the PvP icon to warn players of a guild controlled town hex.

There are a multitude of reasons to make Guild vs. Guild meaningful and I've just scratched the surface...

 

Guild based PvP includes Guild Wars but are not limited to them. Some guilds will flag full time PvP with or without wars. So yes some guilds will be full time Open World PvP. Also some of those guilds will not be interested in ladders and scores. They might simply be old school PvPers, (PKs and PK Hunters).

So an individual can flag for Open PvP, and an entire guild can do the same.

 

Ahh but what is it that makes SotA different. The hex system allows for content to come and go. The contested hexes do not need to be static and the story can bring people to the PvP just as well as the carrot or the stick.

This is what I believe is their plan for contested hexes and the carrot and the stick are secondary (all though not lesser).

 

I'm not against ladders, and points, and all that jazz. I don't really want to participate in any of that unless it is passive (behind the scenes). Hey if they want to keep track of our kill counts fine. If they want to keep track of other statistics fine.

Although my idea of PvP really doesn't need to include any of that stuff. I would much rather just kill you and loot you. You can have your numbers, arena games, ladders, duals, but I want your stuff.

 

Although PvP enthusiast - old school wise - may or may not like LOL ... I think a little bit of LOL type of play would make for good game

- if you had to enter enemy space - grab an orb and carry it back to your side for victory

- 8 vs 8

- with a little maze (very simplistic)

 

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Arena on is not attractive to me - but a simplistic game with a quick turnaround may be good practice and a way to get folks interested just to try the game as well as PvP

 

That's how I view it too.

I never said it was a bad feature to have in sota. I think it is a good feature. Sport is fun. It isn't mandatory. There is little to no risk involved. As long as it isn't the only way to PvP then I think it is a great feature to have so that more people will feel confident to actually take on the real high stakes PvP that isn't sport.

Also I will probably participate in plenty of sport, but that isn't my goal for PvP.


IF this was the ONLY form of PvP in the game I would be seriously bothered by that.

 

Agreed!

Arena on its own can get a little stale after a while - I imagine a stadium ... at the center is a maze - for opposing teams to traverse / grab an orb bring it back

it would be more about teamwork and communication than necessarily / all out combat - but you need those two things before you jump into open warfare / so it would provide as a good training ground

 

What if they had some kind of rugby death bowl in the stadium?

Or killer football with a heavy armored front line and some light footed sprinter types to run with the ball or do passing routes. A mage can be QB.

EDIT: The offensive line needs to be mace fighters so they can do knock downs and stuns. The quarterback could just use a light spell on a person to hand them the ball or throw the ball to them. Once the guy with the light gets hit by a defender the Ref, marks the spot and the game continues. Something like that.

 

If it is a training ground, I am all for that. If it is to get a set of PVP gear that raises PVP stats that has no equal and ends up being a farm... I do not perfer that style as it is already prevelant in a multitude of games.

 

If there is PvP only, and PvE only gear I won't even bother to try to sell my account.

 

Its just to provide a little different "arena game" - it would involve a little different strategies ... and primarily be there for fun / testing i guess

of course it would not stop people from taking and placing bets

 

Well, placing bets and gambling I would enjoy.

Some of the other ideas like a death-ball arena or something with other objectives I could see. If it was a bet system that My team will woop your team at death ball and here is 100 gold to prove it, that adds a whole new level to it as well.

Of course, if you were to win and take the other teams money you might have a lawsuit on your hands, I think it might be full loot. I don't even know anymore!