Dear Players (OP related)

[raven41]

spliting the server is a bad idea I think .. there already is a small player base and what about ppl who like both but prefer PvE ?(me) what about them they would have to join just one

[naratuul]

spliting the server is a bad idea I think .. there already is a small player base and what about ppl who like both but prefer PvE ?(me) what about them they would have to join just one

I agree with you Red.

[akm72]

How about a PvE version of Outposts that provide the same produce?

They'd be owned by one of the tribes that already live in the region. They'd have the same fame effects from attacking them as normal from that tribe, and you still have declare an attack in the same way (though maybe with different time contraints). But when you win the rounds, you win an hour's worth of produce, so if you get 24 rounds, you get 1 days worth of drilled produce.

[aardnebb]

Didn't say it was necesarily a good option to split the server was just a thought.

Frankly that was one of the less likely suggestions. I mainly wanted to be sure Souls and the devs have a full list to chose from.

Though TBH if the servers were mostly identical you would still have all the same PvE on the PvP server, but less PvP on the PvE one. (You don't take stuff out, you just ask people who like PvP over all else to join one server, so they can have their PvP without making a mess of everyone elses fun). You would also have PvP still on the PvE server, but it wouldnt be such a focus and people could be asked to relocate if they made too much trouble. *shrugs*. Actually what really prompted this is the fact that Ryzom Ring specifically includes linking the servers. So you could still have a common meeting place in the Outlands to hang out.

[raven41]

How about a PvE version of Outposts that provide the same produce?

They'd be owned by one of the tribes that already live in the region. They'd have the same fame effects from attacking them as normal from that tribe, and you still have declare an attack in the same way (though maybe with different time contraints). But when you win the rounds, you win an hour's worth of produce, so if you get 24 rounds, you get 1 days worth of drilled produce.

Ok ...Well what happens after you take it ? you own it forever unless a tribe manages to take it back or something ?? that makes it hard for others to get an OP then :/ I prefer PvE BUT OPs are just PvP and i don't think there is a fair/effective way to make them PvE

[aardnebb]

How about a PvE version of Outposts that provide the same produce?

They'd be owned by one of the tribes that already live in the region. They'd have the same fame effects from attacking them as normal from that tribe, and you still have declare an attack in the same way (though maybe with different time contraints). But when you win the rounds, you win an hour's worth of produce, so if you get 24 rounds, you get 1 days worth of drilled produce.

Ooh, thats a great idea for implementing PvE OPs. See my earlier suggestion that they are incompatible with PvP ones though. Also make it considered "abusive" to make alt guilds just to attack the PvE OP and transfer the goods to your main (denying it's access to non-OP owning players/guilds, since there would no doubt be a "cooldown" time on usage).

Good coop fun too, invite alliance mates along and share the procedes, like boss-hunting on a larger scale! I really really like this idea.

[aardnebb]

Ok ...Well what happens after you take it ? you own it forever unless a tribe manages to take it back or something ?? that makes it hard for others to get an OP then :/ I prefer PvE BUT OPs are just PvP and i don't think there is a fair/effective way to make them PvE

You dont take it, you raid it for stuff, each successful round = a certain ammount of mats/crystals/flowers. Then it cant be attacked for a while (random, like boss spawns) and when it is next "up" another guild could get a try.

[magick1]

Seeking technical solutions to social problems don't always work, and can actually create new problem, which then needs to be solved. On top of that a technical solution can have side effects, like preventing things that was possible before and/or things that none have anything againts.
For instance, if you make outposts GvG only (being both good and bad), I bet that the next problems will be homins changeing guild to help the attacker defender and strong guild attacking the outpost and not defend it when they pass it on to the guild that wanted it in the first place.

[arfindel]

Furthermore:

Non-PvP Outposts: make em incompatible with PvP outposts. You can have one type or the other. I don't think I need to explain my reasoning on this.

There are games that admit something like this: Ops, bases, whatever you call them: pvp and pve. You can lose pvp bases, and you have to pay dearly in faction points to re-deploy them. You cannot lose pve bases but battles can be arranged around them, be they RP, or against NPCs.

Alternate methods for aquiring currently "PvP only" content such as OP mats, Crystals (assuming they aren't removed entirely, which would be nice) and flowers.

In this respect Goupi's suggestions seem pretty interesting. You ca let the current OPs produce a minimal quantity of mats/crystals. But let them really spawn only as a result of the overall player population effort. Let diggers, crafters, pve-ers and pvp-ers contribute wach with his effort.

Furthermore:
Neutral faction chat (I really enjoyed Kami Chat during Ep 2, plus as all new players are neutral this would provide them an easier way of getting support in underpopulated regions such as Cities of Intuition or the newbie islands. Alternatively an optional channel like "newbiehelp" that is always on on the starter islands, but toggleable once off them, this way helpful players can make themselves available).

I would add here that being obliged to be overt to use the kami/kara chat leads to endless quarels. You are overt when you want a good fight, not because you want to know where a conflict is to go join.
People pretend now they are wearing pvp flag because they don't fear, but in reality we suffer when we don't have the factonal channel. When you see somebody digging with flag up it's mostly because of that.
An alternative is let people create their own chat channels freely.

Furthermore:
Allow official alliances as an in-game mechanic for Guild vs Guild zones. Make em public as well (the guild clerk could perhaps inform you of current guilds and alliances, listed by faction, civ, even RP stance, as well as listing the guild leader or designated recruitment officer).

In other words discourage monopol and mafia customer system.
Nevrax did a great job buiding up a complex political simulation in game. But politics in RL is leading not once to power monopol and controlling groups via economical interest. While it's fascinating to network and forge relations with real people, it is also dangerous allowing the developpment of such formations (which are nevertheless natural

This will be a real challenge to do in a delicate way without decreasing the complexity of the political system now present in the game mechanics.The will and ambition to have more, to achieve more is separated only by a thin line from greed, real nice people can find themselves stepping over the line without even knowing it. Happiness to get a gift from a friend is separated only by a thin line from being bought by a too powerful friend.

An idea may come from the notion of interest. If the interest is lower we will be much more attentive to our good name and reputation and less to the mechanical game reward we can get if we join a power group or get payed.

(Ironically Samsara who roleplayed for so long the blades to hire, were never really to hire OOC, while the monopole developped constantly over other guilds who had maybe nothing to RP. But that is only a parenthesis as the monopole problem is not only Arispotle's one it seems).

The OP mats+crystals are exerciting too much interest, too much will of possesion. From a generous tool of making the newcommers able to fight and not feel too much the difference to the veterans, they have been transformed into the real active monetary mass in game. Lower their efficiency, make them available by other means than the OPs and interest will decrease.

Finally the OPs are the first guild posessed areas in game. I've heard a lot people saying they are not an extension of the guild hall. In the game mechancis they are not. In the player psychology they are. I've heard so many players exclaiming 'Home sweet home' when passing their OP, we have all seen the reactions when an OP gets attacked. Some of us might consider them just a figt object. But whatever the game mechanics suggests, the psychological approach of the players prevails. If they feel them as home, then let them be a home. Make more of them, no drills and crystals and such involved, but let more guilds be happy with them.

They will be less easy to become customers of other guilds, and the big guilds less interested to conquer them. Then we can have a war once a week, probably between the most pvp lovers on the server and we can chose if to take part or not if we feel like pvp-ing or not.

I am sure it's a hard balance to attain between keeping players motivated and stop this motivation transform the community in a jungle, but I am sure it can be attained even if not from the first try

[oldmess]

Limits on PvP interaction to prevent unbalance (max players in an OP battle, etc).

While I appreciate your intent on this one, there's 2 major flaws with it:

1. The NPC's. 30 attackers vs. 30 defenders plus NPC's means attackers always lose.

2. It prevents lower level folks from participating at all. Why fill out my quota of players with anything but 250's or at least 200+ level folks?

I'm not saying this to shoot the idea down completely, but it does highlight that the change needs more work and would be more than just a quick fix, but a full rework of the OP concept.

1. You have to dump the NPC's. That means the OP is defenseless if it gets attacked at a bad time for the defenders. Therefore,

2. Make a single attack round, but make it so both guilds have to agree to the timing.