Heh, ok seh. I started this thread mainly to try to allevate some concerns from some of the players of the PvP element that outposts will bring. You weren't my target victim then
Cept for this bit,
I just have no interest in participating in something that comes down to levels, especially when there's not even an incentive to do so other then "I can kill you so I will." There also needs to be some sort of end to conflicts, so it doesn't turn to back and forth killing that gets increasingly personal.
This is where I fear what people think PvP is all about. Players ganking each other and cycle of viciousness.
It doesn't have to be like that.
Done wrong, yes, it will be like that, but done right, it's something quite enjoyable.
Ok I am going to pull the GuildWars card
PvP can be just for PvP sake, as in just as a form of competition, a competive game. This is why I bring up the comparision to Pong and Chess. Gamers like to compete, it can (and even enhance), by role playing and context, but it doesn't need those at all for it to work.
Guildwars have Capture the Flag games, King of the Hill, defend the hero, assinate the leader, different type of PvP games, and they work.
Another game that I see pvp worked in?
Risk Your Life.
If you're interested in learning how PvP can work in a mmorpg, try out RYL.
In its purest form this is how it work:
They have 2 races, human and demon.
They have 5 islands. 1 island of each race is "newbie" island and restricted terrritory for that race, the other race can't enter those 2 islands.
The next 2 islands are race owned, where the major towns are for that race, for but not restricted to the other race, so the other race can invade these islands if they wish to.
The final 5th island is neutral territory, where both race have equal towns and footing on the island and it's a constant battle to take control.
Human are free to attack demons anywhere anytime and demons can attack humans anywhere anytime on 3 of the 5 islands (with 2 being race restricted).
You can intitiate dueling for member of the same race for PvP'ing players of the same race.
There's also an Arena where there's a constant battle for 3 towers between the 2 race. If a race have control of all 3 towers, any players of that race guarding the tower will earn points that they can use to buy rewards with.
They also have 0 dialogues between the 2 races in game. Demons can't talk to Human and vice versa.
So, althought RYL is pretty lacking in content and the mobs are lame and its PvE is basically a grind-fest, the PvP portion of the game worked quite well.
I give these examples not to advertise those non-ryzom games, but to show how PvP can work, if done correctly.
Now if Ryzom can have both a great PvE system (which I think it already does with its level of environment and mobs detailed and back story), and also have a great PvP system, it will be the dream mmorpg game of all time.
eta:
for quasar
"I bet you a team of lvl 50 can beat a team of lvl 100 if the lvl 50 team is well balanced and work well together as oppose to a lvl 100 team just trying to nuke the enemies to piece"
Have to disagree here. The games mechanics are such that 15 or 20 lvls is the most you can hope win against consistantly. Resistances and Defense Mods simply play too important a role...if the combatants have same gear.
I was a lvl 100 something and I killed a lvl 150+ nuker once, but that's with using invuln and antimagic shield aura and timing things correctly.
And I probably got lucky