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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.
PvP sucks, and they are making it worse!
Friss
Member, Alpha One, Alpha Two, Early Alpha Two
I thought Ashes of Creation was supposed to be a PvP-focused game, but it feels like the corruption system is actively punishing anyone who engages in open-world PvP. The added slow effect on corruption just adds another layer to an already harsh penalty system, making it even less appealing to participate. I get that corruption is meant to balance PvP and prevent griefing, but as it stands, it feels like the game is leaning too hard on penalizing PvP rather than encouraging it.
During the recent bug where corruption wasn’t triggering, PvP was actually fun and spontaneous, just like the open-world PvP experience was supposed to be. Without the risk of losing gear or being slowed, people were more willing to engage, leading to some of the best PvP moments I’ve had in the game so far. Now that corruption’s back—and harsher than ever—it feels like I’m getting punished for wanting to PvP.
There’s also no incentive to even consider corruption worth the risk: no unique rewards, no advantages, nothing but the feeling of trying to overcome the system’s many debuffs. And without any dedicated PvP content like battlegrounds, the open-world PvP experience feels like it’s the only place to get that action. Wasn’t this game supposed to be about risking it all in PvP? Right now, it feels more like I’m being discouraged from PvP altogether.
The system feels like it’s pushing us towards some sort of ‘PvE with mild PvP on the side’ experience, not the high-stakes PvP game many of us expected. If I wanted to avoid open-world PvP, I’d play a game designed for that; I’m here for the thrill, not for a laundry list of debuffs and gear loss. Please, let us play without making us feel like PvP is a trap!
I realize the importance of potato farming, and people doing gathering etc etc, but you have to find a balance between the two if you're out of idea just do war/crisis/peace zones like archeage and call it a day. (idk im not game designed but i know the pvp is severely being neglected)
During the recent bug where corruption wasn’t triggering, PvP was actually fun and spontaneous, just like the open-world PvP experience was supposed to be. Without the risk of losing gear or being slowed, people were more willing to engage, leading to some of the best PvP moments I’ve had in the game so far. Now that corruption’s back—and harsher than ever—it feels like I’m getting punished for wanting to PvP.
There’s also no incentive to even consider corruption worth the risk: no unique rewards, no advantages, nothing but the feeling of trying to overcome the system’s many debuffs. And without any dedicated PvP content like battlegrounds, the open-world PvP experience feels like it’s the only place to get that action. Wasn’t this game supposed to be about risking it all in PvP? Right now, it feels more like I’m being discouraged from PvP altogether.
The system feels like it’s pushing us towards some sort of ‘PvE with mild PvP on the side’ experience, not the high-stakes PvP game many of us expected. If I wanted to avoid open-world PvP, I’d play a game designed for that; I’m here for the thrill, not for a laundry list of debuffs and gear loss. Please, let us play without making us feel like PvP is a trap!
I realize the importance of potato farming, and people doing gathering etc etc, but you have to find a balance between the two if you're out of idea just do war/crisis/peace zones like archeage and call it a day. (idk im not game designed but i know the pvp is severely being neglected)
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Comments
Also lawless zones, carvans and upcoming war systems (guild, castle, nodes).
You still have the option to gank people if you want, it just comes with heavy penalties, as it should.
PS: They need to have a toggle in the options so that you can attack combattants/corrupted, but NEVER non-combattants, to avoid accidentally hitting a non-combattant with AOE and getting corruption-baited.
The game does NOT encourage murdering unsuspecting players.. but there will be lots of PvP activities such as running Caravans, Guild Wars, Node Wars, Castle Sieges and lawless zones such as the Ocean, where PvP will never result in corruption.
Sure it is. Griefing is not the same as PvP. And PKing itself is not griefing
I agree the updates to corruption are over the top. I think that's because we're in an alpha and Intrepid is responding to all the people who are bloodthirsty because literally no one cares what happens to their characters right now.
That being said, I think the corruption system is absolutely necessary. If we just got rid of it groups could just shut down other groups whenever they want without any risk, which welcomes only griefing. Like you said, potato farmers would be devastated. But I agree, corruption needs to be toned down.
You can attack at any time anywhere... just because you don't accept the consequence doesn't mean its opt in. There is a huge difference. I know I will find myself in many situations where i'll be contesting a grind/gather spot and gladly take on corruption to rid myself of someone intentionally being a nuisance, or come across an obvious bot and take solace in the fact I can enact economic justice upon them. The option is always there for you, its just not worth it to murder random helpless newbies and that is a good thing.
There will be plenty of PvP to be had outside of slaughtering those that want nothing to do with it.
This is why these sort of complaints about open world PvP fall short for me. It leads me to believe people are just angry they can't bully newer players—hence the need for corruption (though it should be lessened a bit).
I don't want to make assumptions, but that's the take I'm getting considering I've seen plenty of PvP. Guess we'll see this weekend if that changes at all.
In a PVX game, you shouldnt be able to choose to not have anything to do with open world PvP. Corruption has its place. But it shouldnt be a way to opt out of open world PvP via punishment being far too severe for what isnt considered actual griefing.
edit: also, pvp events are not open world PvP. You are meant to have a risk of dying to other players while adventuring for rewards.
edit edit: I am also a hardcore PvPer, but as is, I fully plan to utilize corruption as a shield while gathering and PVEing, and utilizing an alt or guildie with bounty hunting to just immediately track down my killer and get 4x rewards. But I doubt I will ever actually get PKed due to the overly severe consequences. Have plenty of other things I plan to test as well but thatll be for phase 3
the main reason open world PvP has been rampant is mostly due to lack of risk. Nobody is invested in gear or resources since things are going to be wiped. Its a poor measure for full release unfortunately, though we may get a better idea of it in phase 3
What are you on about?
There is literally no penalty for PvPing.
There are penalties for criminal activity only.
With so harsh penalty for PvP we cant contest grinding spots, it removes risk it makes it less exciting to do anything.
Basicly same path that so many other MMO has taken.
We're not even two weeks into alpha. Save the doomerism for Phase 3. I'm confident over time they'll adjust corruption purely to deter griefing, as opposed to now where it is pretty deterrent of a lot of open world PvP.
i have been saying this since i heard about the corruption system. It wont even have its intended effect, as there are always work arounds to griefing people. I bought alpha 2 because i heard this was a pvp focused game, then i learned about that. then, even worse, i came on the forums and see endless suggestions from pve players on how to make it even worse.
i wish it was just mmos, or even games in general. It is a lowest common denominator issue. The majority of people are potatoes at most things, so they dumb everything down so it is, "fun"c or, possible for them. Nevermind that it removes the fun from everyone else.
It's literally right now what was always intended. You don't want to be corrupt, that was always the intention
In alpha 2? 1 kill is big debuffs and guaranteed gear drops on death
But funny that this idea is still around after nearly 3 decades of online games.
BUT in zones 30+ open pvp. They call it open pvp zones. Where it doesn’t matter whether you want it or not. If you are in this zone you must fight with other players.
If you want to attack everyone, go to this area. I am sure that level 22+ players will be happy to fight with you.
People don't like to read the game and are taking this barebones early alpha at face value.
All those guys crying about not being able to kill anyone they see are the same guys who didn't read there are plenty of common zones/events that will automatically flag everyone for PvP.
But then again we don't really have the open pvp areas yet so will have to see how that works out.
I just hope they don't go down the road that Amazon went down with New world and strip the game of any decent meaningful pvp..
This. Any Opt-in PvP system, even a faux one, is just crap design for a PvP or PvX MMO