[Feedback Request] Alpha Two Node Wars Preview Shown in May Livestream

Roblight

How do you feel about the Node Wars Preview?
Excited:
I am excited most about long term wars between faction cities. I imagine what will likely happen is a large guild or an alliance of guilds will all rally to a single city and those will then fight for control or regions. Additionally I hope to see NPC monsters or story elements will take over regions requiring a node war/raid to take it back.

Concern:
Without playing its hard to say but some of the time to kill looked a little long but that could have just been the servers lagging on registering dmg.
Also curious what the intent on timing for wars will look like. As in how long should they take, can guilds start a war at 2AM on a work day and snipe a node.
Lastly I am concerned about what the direction or intent is for skills and combat in terms of are abilities and damage more supposed to be single target, small aoe, or large aoe? From the preview it was hard to tell how impactful some classes were in a fight. It somewhat looked like single target was the only way to get kills which would potentially mean zergs are going to run rampant if there arent enough powerful aoe abilities to disrupt or punish zergs for clumping. While I understand some people will zerg I also think that there needs to be a counter or a tool available to punish zerging.

Are there similar systems you’ve seen in other games that you like or dislike? If so, please explain!
BDO has some ok ideas worth considering such as base building in a zone before a war starts, the base buildings determine respawn times and if destroyed then no more respawns. I am curious if could test a forward base building for respawn points in a conflicted node would require transporting materials and building by players as well as supplies to maintain the base.

How did you feel about Mass PvP?
Mass PVP is usually very fun as long as it doesn't turn into who has the biggest zerg. Combat needs to have ways for smaller groups to still win if the larger group is playing poorly. It is also fun to have the pvp count towards some leaderboard for bragging rights for being a pvp junkie.

What do you believe the perfect balance to be between PvE and PvP objectives?
PVE should be used to require groups to split and prioritize objectives but not ever feel like the largest aspect as node wars should at the end be about the PVP primarily. However I have though that in an MMO it could be interesting to have a system in place that would require a pve group to say enter a dungeon and pvp group would need to pvp and deal with objectives in a pvp zone that are important for allowing progress in the pve groups dungeon run.
But back on topic, I would say pve objectives that can be done as say dailies or whenever leading up to big events at night or weekends where for 1-4 hours pvp is the primary thing going on. During all other times pvp could happen as open world with maybe small pvp events every few hours.

What are your ideal expectations when it comes to mass-player battles, and objectives oriented or best fit for small teams?
Small teams should be key in taking side objectives that can massively help the zergs ability to push. GW2 and ESO had ok ideas for additional capture points but I think it needs to be expanded on more. Ideally small groups should not be fighting the zerg unless they are setting traps or taking highly advantageous positions such as choke points or other.

What would be the ideal frequency for events like Node Wars in your opinion? What kind of impact do you want events like these to have on a larger war?
War skirmishes should be available every night if not every few hours if servers have worldwide users and not region based. Medium size wars likely full blown node wars should be allowed maybe every 2-4 days depending on how much effort is put into supply gathering. Large battles maybe twice a week so once during the week and once on weekend to cover players with different schedules. Mega wars for castles are fine maybe once every other week or once a month. Essentially there should be some more structured pvp event very frequent that helps the effort but isnt so important that a lose will ruin everything. This would allow casual players a chance to play and do wars without try hards keeping them out because they need to prioritize only the hardcore players.

What event rewards do you think would be cool?
PVP/war Vendors please. Cosmetics for sure, access to maybe pvp skill books that alter an ability to make it more for pvp. Or it could adjust the look of an ability as well.
PVP gear materials for crafting and reputation rewards
Veteran discounts in town for taxes, shops, etc.

kingofnoobs

WOW!! You can declare war to your neighbors?! That's insane!

Feedback points:

1. The traveling to the war with all the warband is just amazing. It looked so good when all the guys were rushing near the battlefield.
2. Proximity sized health bars would be nice. Now, if an enemy is far, his health bar takes the same amount of volume on the screen as the character itself. If we take into account the text above the bar, that's even more. Thus, text + bar takes up more space than the character and in the end with multiple people there's only text and health bars on the screen.
3. Throws me off seeing enemy progress in the fight. There's no incentive to fight, if we see that our team has completed 10% of objective vs 90% completion of enemies.

Zorfam

Game Proposal: Full Loot PvP and Open World Node Battles

Overview:
The game features exhilarating Full Loot PvP combat with an emphasis on strategic open-world node battles and castle defense. By shifting node battles from instanced environments to the open world, we aim to create more dynamic and engaging conflicts. Players will face the challenge of protecting crucial nodes and castles at specific times, fostering strategic planning and cooperative gameplay.
Key Features:
1. Open World Node Battles

Dynamic Environment: Node battles take place in the open world, where players can engage spontaneously and utilize the terrain for strategic advantage.
Node Importance: Nodes are vital points that offer resources, buffs, or strategic control. Holding a node grants significant benefits to the controlling guild or alliance.
Scheduled Conflicts: Battles for nodes occur at predetermined times based on server time, ensuring all players can prepare and participate.

2. Castle War Mechanics

Castle Control: Castles are major strongholds providing strategic and economic advantages. Owning a castle gives a guild access to valuable resources, enhanced defenses, and increased prestige.
Attack and Defense Windows: Castles can be assaulted during specific time windows, creating intense periods of conflict where defenders must fortify their positions and attackers must strategize their approach.

3. Full Loot Mechanics

High Stakes Combat: In full loot PvP, players drop all their equipped items upon death, raising the stakes and making each battle more thrilling.
Loot Recovery: Victors can loot fallen opponents, gaining valuable gear and resources, providing a strong incentive for participating in large-scale battles.

Gameplay Mechanics:
1. Preparation Phase

Strategic Planning: Guilds must plan their defense and attack strategies well in advance, assigning roles, scouting enemy movements, and reinforcing key positions.
Gear and Builds: Players must carefully choose their gear and builds, balancing survivability and combat effectiveness. High-quality gear can turn the tide of battle.

2. Battle Phase

Real-time Coordination: During battles, guild leaders or shotcallers provide real-time instructions via voice communication, coordinating movements, attacks, and retreats.
Dynamic Engagements: Battles are fluid and require constant adaptation to enemy strategies and the changing battlefield.
Use of Terrain: The open-world setting allows players to use the terrain to their advantage, setting up ambushes, creating choke points, and using defensive structures.

3. Defense Strategy

Fortifying the Castle: Defenders can build and upgrade fortifications, set traps, and deploy defensive units to protect the core of the node or castle.
Resource Management: Proper resource management and repair of defenses are crucial during extended sieges.

4. Attack Strategy

Siege Weapons: Attackers can utilize siege weapons such as trebuchets, battering rams, and ballistae to breach defenses.
Coordinated Assaults: Successful assaults require well-coordinated attacks, focusing on weak points and exploiting enemy vulnerabilities.

Conclusion:

This game aims to deliver a thrilling Full Loot PvP experience with open-world node battles and castle defense mechanics. By scheduling these events at specific times and encouraging strategic planning, players will be immersed in a high-stakes world where every decision and piece of gear matters. The combination of preparation, real-time coordination, and the constant risk of losing valuable loot ensures an engaging and exhilarating gameplay experience.

Sophisticus

Are there similar systems you’ve seen in other games that you like or dislike?

Black Desert also had a Node Wars system where you could declare war on other guilds. Black Desert also had a corruption system. If you declared war on a guild, you could kill members of the guild without being corrupted. For a long time, declaring war was one-sided in Black Desert. For half a year now, this no longer works. You can only start a node war in Black Desert if all guilds declare war on each other - in other words, it has to be by agreement. This was done because many guilds used this system, not to make node wars, but to kill other players in the game world without being corrupted. This is how the corruption system was circumvented.

Do you think this will also be a problem in Ashes?