Since outposts are in game, there are goods to gain in limited supply - OP mats and crystals - which might for many players make a noticeable difference in the fun you have in game. Only strong guilds can hold these OPs. that sort of creates a 2-class guild system, with 2 classes of players. It also creates desire, some might call it even greed. Thus (for example) a fast expanding guild, as PF is, i am told, has the desire to get more OPs. I don't see GvG status for OPs will change anything in that.
Rather the opposite; being things as they are now, a smaller or not PvP-inclined guild still has the chance to defend their OP with the help of allies. But this will not work on a long term basis. Finding enough allies to defend there is a lot of politics needed from the guild leaders and officers side; sure that is part of being a GL or officer, but did they join the game to do only that? i don't think so.
It also added some bad feelings among players, and that certainly is not something i liked to see happen; after all, the community is/was(?) one of the things i enjoy here a lot.
This is also why i am looking at shires with mixed feelings, cause these might be a step more in that direction, and i don't think that is an improvement. It might well end up to make the game less enjoyable for the members of the weaker faction. This is something that has to be avoided.
The idea of player driven content is nice, but Outposts started to put too much emphasis on it. It shouldnt be influencing the main content of the game; it shouldnt influence the fun of playing the game.
As it is now, the bigger faction/guilds/whatever have the power to bully the smaller ones and seriously spoil their in game fun. (and please leave the crap about "if you dont like PvP then don't own an Outpost" out of this - it is not even half the truth, and you guys know it).
The AP Outpost battle today, as the discussion in the forums about it has shown, has only been the first step in that direction. It is a step i the wrong direction. Ryzom today is not the game i stepped into 5 months ago and learned to like. I know there are many players around that feel the same.
I hope the Devs are aware of that and will come up with a bright idea about that whole issue. If it doesn't improve, there is the danger of a mass exodus of the game.
<these are my thoughts, and although i talked to some members of my guild about it, it is not an official statement of the Atys Paladins. Just in case you wondered
>i would be happy to hear about what other players think about that, but i'd also welcome very much a statement from the people who created this very good MMPORG.
Gloife
