The verdict is still out obviously since its so early, but the new realm task system does seem better than what we had before. Once the bugs get worked out I am sure it will be a more playable experience. The RP gain should we tweaked as many have stated. Rewarding players for being more active in the task is good however, and players want to reach Rank 5 in a reasonable amount of time. Many players need to accept that Classic DAOC RvR has issues. Old Frontiers has its flaws, and the lack of structure in the frontiers is problematic. Without a task system it is just zergining in Emain and casuals getting run over by set groups in other zones. RvR is at its best when players roam and find fights, instead of respawning at a player keep and walking into a zerg over and over. It has been encouraging seeing all the iterations of the task system, and hopefully this new version will be better than the last. I do think that Keeps and Relics should matter more to some degree, but that can be addressed at a later time. Turnins or supplies arrived could lower the keep/guard level in the frontier zones, so that players fight over them more in the realm task.
Having more objectives is always good, and the turn in system adds an RPG element to the tasking. Having the portal zones like Emain be a sort of travel through zone to reach the main task zones is probably better for the health of RvR in the frontiers. Porting into the center zones seems to work pretty well also. It gives players the option to either run through the portal zone or skip right into the task zone.
Once concern is that if the defending realm is dominant, then they can teleport to the center zones and get back to the milegates faster. Perhaps defending realms shouldn't be able to port. There could also be a personal task for winning realm tasks.
PvE: Getting more PvE players involved in the frontiers should be a priority. We see how popular the XP task items are in the frontiers, so finding ways to get more level 50s to PvE in the task zones would work. The task currency (soil, branches, snow) dropping off mobs is cool. Having more PvE players farming mobs in the realm tasks could be great. A lot of players at max level could be farming task currency and turnins to earn gold. Turnins should make enemy guards weaker in the task frontier. Players will likely figure out the most efficient mob camps to farm these at, and perhaps just focus on PvE in the task zones. It might work similar to the XP collection tasks you see lower level players doing. These xp tasks actually spur lots of RvR action as well. There could be kill tasks for specific mobs as well. Kill x of a specific mob and have levels, so players could just farm certain mob types along with turnins. Something like a kill Forest Giants task in south Breifine.
Boss Mob: Make it more appealing to kill. Perhaps drop a ton of feathers or have it spawn at a certain minute mark of the task. It should be a bigger part of the realm task. You have players running TG, Sidi, and Galla all the time because of the feathers, so perhaps they can go after this Boss instead. Perhaps there will be battlegroups of PvE players that just focus on killing the boss during a task.
Caravans: They add a nice RPG element to the realm tasks. I am not sure players will actively kill them however, unless they are very easy to kill. Players don't seem to really want to attack PvE mobs in the middle of roads in a frontier. Evidienced by the caravan system. Understandbly, it puts them at a lot of risk and vulernability. There should probably be fewer also. I know they were getting logjammed. Killing PvE mobs in the frontiers works when they are tucked away from the roads and out of sight of the zerg.
More Objectives: There needs to be a lot more objectives in the Border Keep zones. If you port in by Evern, then you can have the option of not doing Flag objectives in Breifine, but rather do objectives in Mount Collory or Cruachan Gorge. Right now, there really isn't much of a reason to roam the border keep zones. If players are going to be teleporting past them into Breifine, then there should be objectives and reasons for them to return and roam those zones. It might be better for Breifine to be the de facto Zerg task zone. Gorge and Collory can have a wider range of objectives that lead players all over these zones. These zones have lots of objectives in the corners of the maps and up on the hills, because they aren't as visible to the zerg. The more spots the better really.
There could be specific objectives that capture faster the fewer players nearby. That way zergs might bypass certain objectives, because they know that it would take too long to efficiently cap them. This would let smaller groups roam and fight over these objectives. There could be certain objectives that can only be capped by a full group or less, so 8 mans can seek these out and fight over them. A king of the hill type objective for 8mans.
Chests: Unpredictable objectives. Spawn chests in random areas of the zones, especially the border keep zones. Having players taking more routes and running in different directions into the border keep zones would allow for more small man RvR. Place these chests away from the main roads and tucked away on hills and in treelines. It would encourage players to roam to more remote parts of these zones. If the task says chest spawn in NortheAst Mount Collory, then it might interest solo or small mans to roam there and find it. The location isn't exact so players will have to do some exploring. Having players roam and wander around is a good thing. The location of all objectives should not be exactly known. Having a player wandering up a hillside and coming across one of these chests would be an exciting moment.
Ball: The ball objective doesn't seem totally necessary. If anything it could be something other than a ball being passed around. It could be a banner or something that changes to the emblem of the realm carrying it.
The new realm task system seems more dynamic and less repetitive than what we had before. Incorporating both PvE and PvP objectives in the frontiers will likely allow for more playstyles to flourish. Would be interesting to see the contribution stats for the tasks tracked on the herald eventually. Adding a win condition to the realm tasks will be exciting, especially as players figure out strategies and approaches to winning the tasks. There should be serverwide announcements that a certain realm has won. I am sure more additions will be made. Lastly, I think stone if more fitting for Albion than soil.
Having more objectives is always good, and the turn in system adds an RPG element to the tasking. Having the portal zones like Emain be a sort of travel through zone to reach the main task zones is probably better for the health of RvR in the frontiers. Porting into the center zones seems to work pretty well also. It gives players the option to either run through the portal zone or skip right into the task zone.
Once concern is that if the defending realm is dominant, then they can teleport to the center zones and get back to the milegates faster. Perhaps defending realms shouldn't be able to port. There could also be a personal task for winning realm tasks.
PvE: Getting more PvE players involved in the frontiers should be a priority. We see how popular the XP task items are in the frontiers, so finding ways to get more level 50s to PvE in the task zones would work. The task currency (soil, branches, snow) dropping off mobs is cool. Having more PvE players farming mobs in the realm tasks could be great. A lot of players at max level could be farming task currency and turnins to earn gold. Turnins should make enemy guards weaker in the task frontier. Players will likely figure out the most efficient mob camps to farm these at, and perhaps just focus on PvE in the task zones. It might work similar to the XP collection tasks you see lower level players doing. These xp tasks actually spur lots of RvR action as well. There could be kill tasks for specific mobs as well. Kill x of a specific mob and have levels, so players could just farm certain mob types along with turnins. Something like a kill Forest Giants task in south Breifine.
Boss Mob: Make it more appealing to kill. Perhaps drop a ton of feathers or have it spawn at a certain minute mark of the task. It should be a bigger part of the realm task. You have players running TG, Sidi, and Galla all the time because of the feathers, so perhaps they can go after this Boss instead. Perhaps there will be battlegroups of PvE players that just focus on killing the boss during a task.
Caravans: They add a nice RPG element to the realm tasks. I am not sure players will actively kill them however, unless they are very easy to kill. Players don't seem to really want to attack PvE mobs in the middle of roads in a frontier. Evidienced by the caravan system. Understandbly, it puts them at a lot of risk and vulernability. There should probably be fewer also. I know they were getting logjammed. Killing PvE mobs in the frontiers works when they are tucked away from the roads and out of sight of the zerg.
More Objectives: There needs to be a lot more objectives in the Border Keep zones. If you port in by Evern, then you can have the option of not doing Flag objectives in Breifine, but rather do objectives in Mount Collory or Cruachan Gorge. Right now, there really isn't much of a reason to roam the border keep zones. If players are going to be teleporting past them into Breifine, then there should be objectives and reasons for them to return and roam those zones. It might be better for Breifine to be the de facto Zerg task zone. Gorge and Collory can have a wider range of objectives that lead players all over these zones. These zones have lots of objectives in the corners of the maps and up on the hills, because they aren't as visible to the zerg. The more spots the better really.
There could be specific objectives that capture faster the fewer players nearby. That way zergs might bypass certain objectives, because they know that it would take too long to efficiently cap them. This would let smaller groups roam and fight over these objectives. There could be certain objectives that can only be capped by a full group or less, so 8 mans can seek these out and fight over them. A king of the hill type objective for 8mans.
Chests: Unpredictable objectives. Spawn chests in random areas of the zones, especially the border keep zones. Having players taking more routes and running in different directions into the border keep zones would allow for more small man RvR. Place these chests away from the main roads and tucked away on hills and in treelines. It would encourage players to roam to more remote parts of these zones. If the task says chest spawn in NortheAst Mount Collory, then it might interest solo or small mans to roam there and find it. The location isn't exact so players will have to do some exploring. Having players roam and wander around is a good thing. The location of all objectives should not be exactly known. Having a player wandering up a hillside and coming across one of these chests would be an exciting moment.
Ball: The ball objective doesn't seem totally necessary. If anything it could be something other than a ball being passed around. It could be a banner or something that changes to the emblem of the realm carrying it.
The new realm task system seems more dynamic and less repetitive than what we had before. Incorporating both PvE and PvP objectives in the frontiers will likely allow for more playstyles to flourish. Would be interesting to see the contribution stats for the tasks tracked on the herald eventually. Adding a win condition to the realm tasks will be exciting, especially as players figure out strategies and approaches to winning the tasks. There should be serverwide announcements that a certain realm has won. I am sure more additions will be made. Lastly, I think stone if more fitting for Albion than soil.