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Node Observation

Do you think nodes will be a nesting place for one guild to push others out of? Or towns/cities where many guilds live together as families under a single banner? 
Now for some of the more... Zealous guilds, they of course will probably seek war with anyone else that attempts to live amongst them or beside them.

"Join us or die." 
but that's not all guilds, in fact that's the minority of guilds.  that seek this alternative rather than peaceful solutions or just allowing your guild to be your guild. Yet alot of players seem to have this thought that, to grow your guild you have to destroy other guilds. Their not wrong, but it also isn't right. 

We've all seen the giant guilds destroy servers in the past. 
A reference to this would be the Rain Alliance from Revelation Online, where they had three massive guilds that grew to control a majority of the server, devouring smaller guilds and their members alike due to the fact that there was nothing you could obtain in the server without their help or influence. This was the death of many guilds, and many players by extension. (Not saying Rain killed the server, but their mega guild definitely influenced alot of people to leave.) 

Now though: 
We have a system that might invite cooperation, versus competition in the environment of Ashes of Creation. Smaller guilds that wish to focus on their respective goals can now align under a node. Build their node, and be big enough in overall numbers under that node, to compete and even stand up against a large "guild" controlling their node. 

But this also leads to a worrisome thought.
Whats to stop alliances of fully maxed out member guilds from simply gaining control over an entire server? Reference: Orwen Server on BDO (this was before the gigantic server merge.) Orwen was basically controlled by one alliance that worked together to take land, castles, and snuff out smaller guilds. To the point where a large population of their server simply opted to jump ship due to the unfair hand being dealt to them because of this choice. 

We've heard that there is anti-zerg mechanics that will be introduced for Ashes. But what will stop players from pushing to go around these measurements, or pushing through to install a zerg nightmare that we all are used too from previous mmos? 

So I've said alot above, most of it is my opinions I've gained based on observation.
My question simply is this, what is your thoughts? How do you feel about this? If you've asked or read similar threads to mine, could you also post them below? 

Note: I'm a avid pvper, Rising to gold rating on GW2/ Three star officer on Aion online (I was asmodian for a long dead server) and I killed alot of time on battlefields across many games.  I'm a PVX hardcore player (If life doesn't deny me.) So I've spent alot of time observing, experiencing, and seeing this. 



Comments

  • Seeing that there is logistic/time people will have from each other.Mix with an endless scenario with politics, economic saboteurs, betrayals, and conflict of interest for particular targets and limited resources.

    Hard to think any group can keep large sum of players in line who won't turn and throw you out when you're main mean to keep them in line is Intimidation.
  • The only types of nodes I am concerned about being large guild dominated are nodes are economic and scientific. As I type this out, I realize how much of an issue this can possibly be tho, since from what we know these two node types are going to have HUGE impacts on the game, since these two nodes will provide some of the more conventional, important systems we see in mmos; fast travel, and a less localized auction house. 

    Scientifics democratic election process can certainly be skewed by a large guilds precense in the voting, and economic being ran by an oligarchy just wreaks of corrupt guilds, with deep pockets taking over.

    I hope that this is apparent to them, and that they put a system in place to help soften this a little bit. Perhaps votes from a guild counting as slightly less based off of the size of the guild, and/or a one vote per account limit. This will prevent guilds from taking over multiple nodes with an army of alts. I know they say guilds won’t “own” nodes, but I think we all know that without a system to actually prevent this, it is going to happen. 

    Node control is one thing; large amounts of time and resources will go in to growing and maintaining a node so they quite possibly deserve it, but what really worries me, and effects the playerbase just as much, if not more, are open world dungeons. Without some kind of lock out, or instancing I can see large guilds being able to completely lock players out of dungeons if they so wish. 

    Yes there are things such as corruption that should be a deterrent, but with large Zerg guilds, or even Zerg alliances, it doesn’t sound like it would be that hard to just cycle through their roster to prevent corruption from getting too high. 

    They may already have a plan to combat this tho, so I will be interested to see what their solution to this possible issue is. 
  • I don't see Zerg happening. Scientific node fast travel is limited to the ZOI. So, yes they could fast travel in that node, but they still have to get to a fast travel point.

    I don't think a guild can handle anything above, probably, a level 3 node themselves. Nodes will function like small to large cities, you need all types in those cities to grow. I think a node completely controlled by a guild/alliance will stagnate earlier than later. If not, that entire guild/alliance will have to be keeping up all the resources that node takes. This should make them easier targets than a node with multiple guilds and non-guildies.

    Also, just because there is an alliance does not mean there will be loyalty, as already pointed out in this thread and many others.

    Guilds would better benefit from conquering castles and their associated military nodes, at least to my understanding.

    Maybe that's what IS means, perhaps Castles are so much better for a guild that they would be putting extraneous efforts in keeping up a node and not getting as much out of it.

    Either way, this might happen with 1 maybe 2 nodes at the most. They won't be able to alliance and keep all the nodes. Those they shun and push away will come back to siege them later :wink:
  • I think smaller and less defendable guilds will definitely be picked on by the bigger and stronger ones if they get in the way. But I can see most guilds using them instead of bullying them.
  • Do you think nodes will be a nesting place for one guild to push others out of? Or towns/cities where many guilds live together as families under a single banner?
    I think it'll be the latter.  If the guild system stays the same 300max players in one guild.  Forces will most likely be brought together under different guild names but under one coalition.

    "Join us or die." 
    Join us or die is usually the facade a well structured guild will front, while keeping a healthy relationship with frenemies behind the curtains. All in all this is good for the general population, but thwarts and upcoming rival powers and sometimes killing the server which leads to the next statement --v

    The rest I generally agree on, and don't have any input unless I get a second read on it (a bit tired as its past my bed time)





  • BDO was disgustingly unbalanced in combat. One person 2 levels higher with a little more time to grind gear out could take out 10 people without even taking a scratch. A few people could ban together to bully dozens. Since this isn't a Korean game based around an endless grind (They've already mentioned they are looking at an initial level cap of 50 for AoC), people should have a better chance of defending themselves. 

    Sure big guilds will run places. But if they are big enough to control the vote, and pass policies that others don't like, they may loose a sizable portion of their population. If what they plan comes true, and small guilds can very directly contribute to nodes, then a node will be healthier to care for their little groups. 
  • Allusir said:
    BDO was disgustingly unbalanced in combat. One person 2 levels higher with a little more time to grind gear out could take out 10 people without even taking a scratch. A few people could ban together to bully dozens. Since this isn't a Korean game based around an endless grind (They've already mentioned they are looking at an initial level cap of 50 for AoC), people should have a better chance of defending themselves. 

    Sure big guilds will run places. But if they are big enough to control the vote, and pass policies that others don't like, they may loose a sizable portion of their population. If what they plan comes true, and small guilds can very directly contribute to nodes, then a node will be healthier to care for their little groups. 
    Duly NODED.  I have nothing to contribute just wanted to say that.
  • Assuming citizenship is account based as housing is, then the more area a large guild tries to control the easier it becomes for a group of smaller guilds and individuals to vote them out... the join or die method will only go so far
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