February 28, 2011

Open PvP via randomized Points of Interest

None of the games I know of has gotten open world PvP "right". Large scale PvP usually leads to zerging of enemy players through organized, prioritized, and focussed damage on targets. Clear objective-driven open world PvP areas like WoW's Lake Wintergrasp or Grim Batol result in larger scale battles in certain time intervals and a temporary zone lockdown. Anything else is pretty much "gank & spank". So, how to get it "right"?

Well, juggling around with the new secondary profession in WoW Cataclysm, Archaeology, brought me to a pretty interesting idea that could be worthwhile investigating development-wise. Here's a brief rundown on how the, for a potential open world PvP solution, relevant part of WoW's archaeology works:
  • On a per user basis, users are exclusively assigned certain spots (small areas close to ruins, skeletons, excavations, etc.) within the game world where they can dig for artifact fragments.
  • After digging up fragments three times, the spot disappears and a new "random" exclusive digsite is made available to the user somewhere else within the game world.
  • At all times, there are 3 digsites per continent available for each user.
Here's my rough concept for a potentially intriguing open world PvP system, assuming a 2-faction setup like "Orcs vs. Humans" or "Guardians vs. Defilers":
  • 1 up to 5 players per faction can group up for an artifact (PvP) quest.
  • Two equal-size and equal level (range) groups, one per faction, are assigned one random digsite within the game world.
  • The first of both teams that has acquired, e.g., 5 artifact fragments can claim the artifact, and thus a reward (loot, gold, resources, whatever is valuable within the game world).
  • Artifact fragments can be acquired by digging them up or by looting them from killed enemy players.
  • Only members of both groups can loot artifact fragments from enemy players or by digging them up, however there are no more than 5 fragments per digsite at a time.
  • Basically, as soon as a team's player has at least acquired one artifact fragment, the other team will need to engage in open PvP with the other team in order to be able to claim the reward.
  • As soon as either of both teams has claimed a digsite reward, a new "randomly" selected spot is made available as a new digsite for both teams unless one team's group is disbanded (in which case the remaining team can queue up for yet another artifact quest).
To prevent domination via bringing "friends" for fast artifact acquisition, the system could only allow users of both groups to damage each other and make them immune to enemy player damage as soon as they enter the zone the artifact site is located in.

This could result in small-scale team vs. team battles at randomized locations throughout the whole game world, and actually provide a potentially endless meta game with a constant flow of ongoing and recurrent small-scale battles within the game. It would constantly re-use existing content while providing participating users clear objectives and rewards. It might also enhance community building and social interaction, as coordinated teams will likely be more effective than random pick-up groups.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

payday online loans http://legitpaydayloansonline3.com/ Fundpopog Payday Loans Online Stype [url=http://legitpaydayloansonline1.com]Payday Loans Online[/url] Online Payday Loans Instant Approval Make sure you thoroughly investigate factor, submit a request standard or cost of living in that community.

Anonymous said...

http://legitpaydayloansonline3.com http://www.legitpaydayloansonline1.com/ Fundpopog http://legitpaydayloansonline3.com Stype [url=http://www.legitpaydayloansonline1.com/]Payday loans online[/url] Payday Loans Online You can either find these on their web popular or when without any security deposits.Festive season is on the charts and in that years or above, you or even monthly debt installments..

Anonymous said...

Thank you for all your valuable labor on this web site. My mother takes pleasure in making time for investigation and it's really easy to see why.[url=http://www.cheapoksunglassesoutlet.com]cheap oakley sunglasses[/url]

oakley outlet , We all notice all concerning the compelling form you present

insightful thoughts through your web blog and as well improve participation from

the others on the

subject matter while our daughter oakley sunglasses outlet is now cheap oakley sunglasses understanding a whole lot. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year.

You are performing a great job.

Anonymous said...

Hey there! I simрly ωish tо offеr you а huge thumbs uр fοг thе
grеаt іnformation you haνe gοt right herе on thiѕ pοst.
І am returning to yоur blog for more ѕoon.


Alsо ѵisit mу web-site - menslegal.com

Anonymous said...

Hi evеryonе, іt's my first visit at this web page, and post is genuinely fruitful in favor of me, keep up posting such articles.

my webpage augen lasern

Anonymous said...

Thiѕ iѕ a sleek desіgned digitаl cοnvection toasteг oven
that will сonsiѕtеntly delivеr
perfect tаsting food еvery time. Therе are ρlenty of electrіc ovеns that will still knock уour socκѕ οff.
(only bеcаuse they mоanеd about eating their veggies).


my web-sіte :: Mike97Ross.Blogspace.Fr

Anonymous said...

It's difficult to find experienced people on this subject, but you sound like you know what you'гe talκing about!
Thanκs

Ϲhесκ οut my weblοg - hayleesmonsterhigh.com

Anonymous said...

A гaw onion maу be rubbed on unbrοκen сhilblains with νery good gooԁ reѕults.

At leаѕt fiftу onе % will need to be com, while ordinarily up to 75% is put to use.
* Chinеse pizza: Fineѕt unbaked pizza dough with hoiѕin sauce, sliced ecο-friendly pepperѕ and
onions, anԁ sauteеd shitake muѕhгooms.


my web-site; How To Clean A Pizza Stone

Anonymous said...

I want to to thank you for this wonderful read!! I certainly loved every bit of it.
I have got you bookmarked to check out new things you post…

Visit my homepage ... www.intanges.com

Anonymous said...

I am no longer positive where you're getting your information, but great topic. I needs to spend a while learning more or understanding more. Thanks for fantastic information I was looking for this info for my mission.

Here is my webpage ... Kindergeburtstag Mannheim

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I really appreciate your efforts and I am waiting for your next post thank you once again.


Here is my blog: Women's Armitron watches

Anonymous said...

here on the official web -site picked up a huge range of interesting articles about [url=http://title-publishing.org/]новости апреля[/url].

Anonymous said...

we have on this web site you can look at a huge range of interesting articles: [url=http://strojdomsam.ru/dom-i-vse-chto-v-nem/kak-sdelat-i-usilit-proem-v-nesushhej-stene.html]проем в несущей стене[/url].

Anonymous said...

Why users still use to read news papers when in this technological globe all is existing
on web?

Also visit my weblog :: Starcoders.de

Anonymous said...

howard stern recomeded dating site [url=http://freeinternetdating.info/love/suicide-because-of-love]suicide because of love[/url] dating questions answers
computer nerd dating http://freeinternetdating.info/bride/russian-bride-pictures free dating woman
online dating in seattle [url=http://freeinternetdating.info/personals/swingers-personals-redowl-south-dakota]dating namibia[/url] international dating matchmaker agency czech republic

Anonymous said...

Superb, what a blog it is! This blog presents valuable facts to us,
keep it up.

Have a look at my web-site - start playing online

Anonymous said...

Very nice post. I simply stumbled upon your weblog and wanted to mention that I've truly enjoyed
browsing your blog posts. After all I will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write once more soon!

Also visit my blog: real steel world robot boxing hack