Glorious Alpha Two Testers!
Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Phase I of Alpha Two testing will occur on weekends. Each weekend is scheduled to start on Fridays at 10 AM PT and end on Sundays at 10 PM PT. Find out more here.
Check out Alpha Two Announcements here to see the latest Alpha Two news and update notes.
Our quickest Alpha Two updates are in Discord. Testers with Alpha Two access can chat in Alpha Two channels by connecting your Discord and Intrepid accounts here.
Comments
It is looking set to bear out Korean MMORPG's, due to there being player conflict built in to literally every aspect of the game that we are given details on - and if it can beat out EVE for PvP focus (I personally think it will), that high fantasy qualifier can also be dropped.
The only games that are unquestioningly more PvP focused than Ashes are all non-MMORPG games.
On a side note I keep reading and hearing that Steven's AoC vision has changed to 24/7 "adrenaline rush" forced pvp everywhere. I dont recall him saying something like this repeatedly every time he speaks or posts something. AS in any game some actions, even pve, can create a rush for the player.
That is my point - when saying Ashes is a PvP MMORPG, it is FAR more descriptive than just saying it is a PvX MMORPG - because almost every MMORPG has some form of PvP and some form pf PvE.
Keep in mind, people on these forums have talked about world exploration as being a form of PvE (a form of PvE that should attract PvE players, no less), and people have also talked about buying and selling on the marketplace as being a form of PvP.
Thus, by the above definition, any game with both a world to move around in and the ability to buy and sell items from other players is a PvX game.
So, as a term in relation to MMORPG's, it is meaningless.
Hell yeah. No more static world with mobs waiting to get killed. As for personal rewards... I started a thread long ago about more global rewards. (I'm not spec'd in necromancy, so anyone one interested it here.)
Oh, yes. That's what I also said on the previous page
does the game have pve = yes
does this make a crossover of pvx = Yes
this game is pvp, pve and pvx.
Most PvE players might not like AoC if they do not get the equivalent feeling as in other mmorpgs. Just because there are NPCs to kill which we call PvE does not mean they will like the game. Even if you try to lure then saying it is not PvP but is PvX, they will still not like it.
Remains to be seen if PvPers will like it. For them Steven added the deep ocean, to ensure they get their slice of cake. But I think it will not be enough for them.
I am curious how Steven will balance things (corruption, resource scarcity...)
That doesn't mean it is an accurate way to discuss the game with players.
Think of the gameplay that Ashes will have.
If you were talking to an MMORPG player, and you said this game was a PvE MMO, how accurate do you think their assumption of the games gameplay would be? People would likely compare it to EQ, EQ2 or WoW (or a WoW clone) - all PvE server variants.
If you said the game was a PvX MMORPG, how accurate do you think their assumption of the games gameplay would be? Keep in mind with this point, literally every MMORPG ever can in some way be considered PvX, as they all have some means of competing with other players (even if only via the games economy), and they all have some form of PvE (even if only exploration). Rather than attempting to compare Ashes to other games, people would likely just stare at you blankly, suggesting the need for more information.
Then, imagine telling that same experienced MMORPG player that Ashes is a PvP MMORPG - they would then have a fairly accurate understanding of the gameplay of this game. People would likely compare it to Archeage, L2, EVE and BDO.
Thus, to call the game anything other than a PvP MMORPG when talking to experienced MMORPG players is simply an attempt to mislead - at least from Intrepids position.
Sorry but I find your arguments completely out to lunch.
In EVERY question they would have questions. Sure I could say to them Tarkov is a PVP shooter, I could also say COD and Overwatch are PVP shooters.
We have multiple other genres in genres with plenty of games but you are locked on to MMORPG players as binary. None of those shooters are similar at all but you would have people describe them the same for simplicity or not to confuse them? If you want to confuse someone tell them they are the same.
You even made my point for me, they would think that this game is similar to BDO? BDO and this game are completely different it might as well be a shooter. Being specific is less confusing then being vague, obviously. AOC is trying to be different.
Tarkov is an Extraction Shooter
Overwatch - Team Based Shooter
Can you imagine the Tarkov devs trying to describe their game to someone and the interviewer just asking if it's a PVP shooter because their readers won't know what an extraction shooter is? Or if your friend loves COD and wants another one like it so you tell them to play The Cycle?
I need to stress that I have been a PVP player most of my life. This is not a PVP MMO and describing it as one will only confuse people. Infact it is my belief that this game will be far more interesting to PVE players. PVX is simply a distinction that allows a more specific description of what this game is to more accurately describe to players what to expect. Yes you are correct that some people might not be familiar with the acronym, that's the only thing I agree with here. It's also ok, I had to explain to people what an MMORPG was and clearly it wasn't just ( can be both) a marketing term.
By saying this is not a PVP MMORPG I am looking to clarify and convince other people to clarify what AOC is. PvE players who played WOW on PVE servers still have a high chance of enjoying this game and you are going to confuse and chase away players by describing it as a PVP MMO. While you seem to fill in the blanks as to what people will expect, I can tell you that you don't know what their perspective will be. Explaining a game you are excited about is the fun part though, especially when it's new and different.
If you have a barrel of fine wine, and you add a teaspoon of sewage, now you have a barrel of sewage. On the other hand, if you have a barrel of sewage, and you add a teaspoon of wine, you do not have a barrel of wine.
You still have a barrel of sewage!
PvX players might prefer this analogy:
If you add a teaspoon of stew to your wine, the wine is ruined.
But adding wine to stew just makes it better.
I think for this reason. That players in general will have their own expectations or experiences with MMOs and that as a community we need to do a better job of expressing what this game is.
You are essentially rolling the dice when we call it a PVP MMO despite the fact that most of the PVP combat will be no different then WoW PvE servers. Caravans/Arenas/Sieges/Guild Wars are all Opt in PVP modes. Which makes it similar to what WoW on a PVE server offers.
The big difference is the open world PVP on ground and sea. Caravans will be for making money, so if you want faster cash then you opt in to higher risk. On ground the penalties are more severe then any other game that has a criminal system. Which really makes it hard to see why anyone would PK minus Roleplay reasons. I am sure it will happen but I am concerned that in general no one will do it and make the system irrelevant. We will see how Alpha 2 plays. Which I believe the plan is wait and see anyways.
Remember currently:
1) 4x Death penalty
2) No storage, Including your own freehold.
3)Loss of Stats
4)Drop full items and materials
5)Bounty Hunters
6)Plenty of Options
In order to work around this ;
1) "deal with it" the 4x penalties,
2)give another player things to store for you(I am thinking guild support too) They could take this away.
3)Loss of Stats - Don't kill other players so much
4) Drop full items - don't take best items out always keep a PVP set.
5)Bounty Hunter - Probably an incentive to actually PVP but does add the risk factor to getting jumped.
6) Ignore optional content.
So while there are sort of work around it would be a lot of work and very risky. Also PVP players will most likely join PVP guilds/Caravans/Naval/ Arenas to get their fill. There's other content to keep them busy which also works as a open world PVP deterrent.
The other side is Naval and that's the thing that seems to be PVP focused. However if you are aware that Naval is Mad Max rules then you can choose to opt out of it I believe.
My main point is that there is a lot of work going to attract PVE players and PVP players, to work together . The game will require players that love to PVE and telling them this is a PVP game seems insane and detrimental to what Intrepid/Steven are trying to build. Especially when you mix in different experiences and perspectives.
Yes they would.
The key to communication is to get people to an understanding as quickly as possible.
If you have a game that is similar to Archeage, L2, EVE and BDO, then simply saying the game is a PvP MMORPG gets you most of the way. Not all the way, but as a start, it is VERY good.
If you say it is a PvX game, it does nothing.
If you say it is a PvE game, it gets you going the wrong direction.
You could well make an argument that we shouldn't use any, as that doesn't do a complete job of describing the game. Feel free to have that discussion with someone else - I am simply pointing out that of those three tags, only one is actually applicable to use when talking about Ashes to other MMORPG players.
You want to say that Ashes isn't a PvP MMORPG - and you seem to be qualifying this by stating that you have been a PvP player all your life.
Cool, so point to a significantly more PvP oriented MMORPG.
PvE: your progression depends on PvE content, while PvP is non-existent, separate, and/or optional.
PvP: your progression depends on PvP content, while PvE is non-existent, separate, and/or optional.
PvX: your progression depends on both PvE and PvP content in relatively equal amounts, not being able to fully progress without one or the other, and they co-exist in the game as a single content format as opposed to separate game modes. PvE affects PvP and vice versa.
Are you talking about games in general, or MMORPG's specifically?
If MMORPG's, which MMORPG specifically do you consider to be a PvP MMORPG?
Either really.
I think we already had this discussion before where many MMORPGs considered as PvP have actually been PvX. I can't really think of any purely PvP MMORPGs except maybe Mortal Online 2? That one was only described to me though, I've never played it.
I guess you could also categorize PvX as heavy or light when regarding its PvP aspect. But in my eyes it would still need to maintain a relevancy-balance when talking about progression in the game for both PvE and PvP. Once one is irrelevant to progress, it defaults to the relevant one as the game type.
Hunting grounds are open-world PvP corruption-enabled areas that encompass most of the map.[129]
If PvP players would asks me where the best place to PvP is, I will send them to the deep sea, because there is no corruption.
I do not really know what to advertise to PvE players at this moment.
They probably are not very interested either.
I would rather say the game is made for 3 kind of PvP-ers:
1) those who do not like the corruption and will go often into the ocean (if they find it boring, they stop playing)
2) those who like opt-in PvP events: caravans, sieges, arenas
3) those who are ready to PvP if needed but would rather avoid it, with help from corruption
In the realm of MMORPG's, Ashes is about as PvP as it gets.
There are games in other genres that are more PvP than Ashes, but not really any MMORPG's.
By the sounds of it I'd say Mortal Online 2 is a much more PvP MMORPG.
Slightly more - when viewed along the scale of all MMORPG's.
Not enough to warrant it's own designation.
I would think it would be more rampant than just Ashes open world - but when you add in caravans, sieges, wars, naval content and other battlegrounds that are no doubt still to be added, I wouldn't want to make that argument.
Yes, and much more 'hardcore' from a 0-sum game perspective. When you are killed in MO2 you lose everything you are carrying - loot, gear, everything. Which did 3 things:
1. It made the world feel incredibly dangerous, and really required awareness and thought when moving in the wilderness
2. It reduced overall open world encounters the further away from the main hubs compared to WoW PvP Servers in zones further away from main cities - think STV, Taren Mill/South Shore, etc.
3. It created an economy of redundancy to compensate for the repetitive loss of gear & mats.
I liked MO2, but I think Ashes will promote an overall increase in player PvP and more meaningful open world PvP than MO2.
Just my 2 coppers though
Right but a large percentage of the servers used to be pvp and it was the wild west
Flagging never works. Almost no one will flag. Even pvpers won't because they want to control their encounters, they will only flag when they see a clear advantage.
This has been iterated on and attempted by a lot of games over the years. The result is the same; almost no open world pvp.
Adding flagging is effectively creating a pve only server. So if you want pve only servers, then add flagging.
The key to communication is not to get there as fast as possible, it's to get there. If you can do it in a more clear and concise way then obviously thats better but the priority is understanding, not speed. You definitely seem to think that speed is more important to understanding and while I disagree with that in everyway you are certainly free to feel that way.
Getting you there most of the way in the wrong direction.
I qualified my statement that Ashes isn't a PVP MMORPG with multiple points, that was 1 of them. Just to lean in that I fully understand and have played PVP MMOs and this doesn't fit the description.
If you say it's a PVP MMORPG it gets you in the wrong direction, if you say it's a PVE MMORPG it gets you in the wrong direction. If you say it's a PvX MMORPG they will ask what that is and then you explain or they will understand . It happens alot in life when people try new things.
My argument is that PvX is the closest and frankly it might not be understood but since when is that a bad thing? I've said it multiple times but the games development will continue to change (hopefully) as it has the last 50 odd years. There will be all sorts of new terms. The logic that we should only ever use old terms because it's simpler to understand is just never something I will get behind.
If you want a more PVP oriented game, BDO, WoW with PVP server. Crowfall, Eve, Mortal, Albion,New World. Are all more PVP oriented then Ashes. They all offer incentives to PVP in the open world or offer 0 penalty for killing players. BDO has much lesser penalties then AoC.
PvX is simply a term that says it's designed with a number of at play styles in mind rather then prioritizing one over another. In AoC they are trying to intertwine them. You are getting caught up in the Open World PVP part but missing the entire point and seem to have blinders on. The open world isnt for PVP it's to add risk to adventure. Risk vs Reward. Why do you think the penalties are so harsh, harsher then any other MMO with the criminal system? It's a pretty important distinction.
I don't think you will really get any meaningful open world PVP minus the Caravans,Guild Wars or Sieges in AoC.
We know that some players will go Red but I am a PVPer, was big time into Crowfall which rewarded killing players and had full drop. I cannot see myself PKing unless I can get a full guild to support it and even then it would have to be worth it. Maybe to control a high end resource? Not sure but it would be hard to manage. I will most likely be seen at Caravans or In Guild Wars.
I doubt the line is as simple as PVP players or PVE players. Even Dygz was a considering playing this game and he seems to me to be very PVE oriented.
It's also a chance for PVEs to play in a world where big PVP events happen. While you might not partake, it willstill be a lot more interesting.