Hi,
I really appreciate the efforts to bring action to RvR. It works, certain parts of the frontiers are packed with action. This is a very cool accomplishment.
However, I find it very difficult to find somewhat balanced RvR during prime times. This significantly reduces fun for me, because it does not feel like a competetive game anymore in many situations, but rather a game which is about who happens to outnumber whom.
If two or more parties of very different sizes fight each other, it is almost certain who will win: in general, it will be the largest party. The problem is always the same for all group sizes. It is a huge difference in the sizes of groups which eliminates the relevance of individual actions.
If we are 4 people and we start a fight versus 3, and a stealther of the remaining realm adds into the fight, it is fun, because my actions matter - we might win, but we also might lose.
If we are 8 people and we start a fight versus 10, it is difficult but still doable, so it is potentially fun, because my actions matter.
If we are 8 people and fight versus 20, it is impossible to do anything to win, the fight is ending very fast, and there is zero fun, because my actions do not matter. Except the 20 people are playing very very bad.
If we are 8 people and we face another group of 8 people which have a way higher RR and play better, we might not be able to win, but we might come close to a victory and kill a few out of their group. Hence my actions mater, thus this is fun to me.
If we are 20 and we roll over any group of 8 or even smaller, it does not matter what I do, I can even sit down and watch, the outcome will be the same. My actions do not matter, hence this is not fun. The only thing is, I get realm points, my rank increases, which is fun as long you are desperate for some realm rank, but it gets very, very dull as soon you got the most important RAs and the RP curve flattens out.
If we run with 16 people and we encounter 20 people, that is fun again, it is again potentially more difficult, but doable, so it matters what my actions are, hence it is fun.
What also is fun is if a fight starts small and it grows bigger slowly, because small parties or solos continue adding into the fight until there is a large chaotic battle taking place. Even if one realm grows faster than the others, there will have been a timespan at the beginning when my actions did matter. So this was fun, although the scenario might have evolved into an unwinnable situation where my actions eventually did not matter anymore.
I had the opportunity to play a LOT over the course of the past 2 weeks, so I was lucky to get an impression during different times of the day. I did not count yet, but my feeling is that during prime times, 90% of the fights I encounter are unbalanced: either getting steamrolled or steamrolling others. It is like watching a ping pong game on speed. Everybody wins and loses (which is great!) but the fights are decided way too clearly and fast.
I thought about starting to run past smaller groups or solos if I encounter them. But I actually do not want to spare them, because that totally destroys the realm versus realm feeling for me. At the same time, it is getting very dull to just farm people and I also feel sorry for them in those situations because I know how frustrating the same situation is for me whenever I get farmed. Boredom on one side, frustration on the other. Not good.
Zerging must be part of DAoC, that is for sure, and I enjoy it sometimes as it can be quite relaxing. I also tried to build my own battlegroup recently and it was awesome. Also, with a new character it is great to make first realm points, unlock new abilities etc. But it gets dull in the long run, at least for me. What I am asking for is NOT to get rid of zergs or the task system. It is part and has to be part of DAoC that you occasionally get farmed/steamrolled. But it should not be the case 90% of the time.
I'm asking to come up with additional concepts which create space for more balanced RvR situations, parallel to the existing realm task zerg RvR. Unbalanced situations will and shall happen, but they should be rather rare and not normal. It is like when you play a game set during a zombie apocalypse: it is fun if there is a constant risk that a large herd of zombies catches your attention and you get ripped apart without standing a chance. This creates tension. But that game would not be fun if getting ripped apart is the default case.
Do you have the same impression, or am I in a minorty here?
I really appreciate the efforts to bring action to RvR. It works, certain parts of the frontiers are packed with action. This is a very cool accomplishment.
However, I find it very difficult to find somewhat balanced RvR during prime times. This significantly reduces fun for me, because it does not feel like a competetive game anymore in many situations, but rather a game which is about who happens to outnumber whom.
If two or more parties of very different sizes fight each other, it is almost certain who will win: in general, it will be the largest party. The problem is always the same for all group sizes. It is a huge difference in the sizes of groups which eliminates the relevance of individual actions.
If we are 4 people and we start a fight versus 3, and a stealther of the remaining realm adds into the fight, it is fun, because my actions matter - we might win, but we also might lose.
If we are 8 people and we start a fight versus 10, it is difficult but still doable, so it is potentially fun, because my actions matter.
If we are 8 people and fight versus 20, it is impossible to do anything to win, the fight is ending very fast, and there is zero fun, because my actions do not matter. Except the 20 people are playing very very bad.
If we are 8 people and we face another group of 8 people which have a way higher RR and play better, we might not be able to win, but we might come close to a victory and kill a few out of their group. Hence my actions mater, thus this is fun to me.
If we are 20 and we roll over any group of 8 or even smaller, it does not matter what I do, I can even sit down and watch, the outcome will be the same. My actions do not matter, hence this is not fun. The only thing is, I get realm points, my rank increases, which is fun as long you are desperate for some realm rank, but it gets very, very dull as soon you got the most important RAs and the RP curve flattens out.
If we run with 16 people and we encounter 20 people, that is fun again, it is again potentially more difficult, but doable, so it matters what my actions are, hence it is fun.
What also is fun is if a fight starts small and it grows bigger slowly, because small parties or solos continue adding into the fight until there is a large chaotic battle taking place. Even if one realm grows faster than the others, there will have been a timespan at the beginning when my actions did matter. So this was fun, although the scenario might have evolved into an unwinnable situation where my actions eventually did not matter anymore.
I had the opportunity to play a LOT over the course of the past 2 weeks, so I was lucky to get an impression during different times of the day. I did not count yet, but my feeling is that during prime times, 90% of the fights I encounter are unbalanced: either getting steamrolled or steamrolling others. It is like watching a ping pong game on speed. Everybody wins and loses (which is great!) but the fights are decided way too clearly and fast.
I thought about starting to run past smaller groups or solos if I encounter them. But I actually do not want to spare them, because that totally destroys the realm versus realm feeling for me. At the same time, it is getting very dull to just farm people and I also feel sorry for them in those situations because I know how frustrating the same situation is for me whenever I get farmed. Boredom on one side, frustration on the other. Not good.
Zerging must be part of DAoC, that is for sure, and I enjoy it sometimes as it can be quite relaxing. I also tried to build my own battlegroup recently and it was awesome. Also, with a new character it is great to make first realm points, unlock new abilities etc. But it gets dull in the long run, at least for me. What I am asking for is NOT to get rid of zergs or the task system. It is part and has to be part of DAoC that you occasionally get farmed/steamrolled. But it should not be the case 90% of the time.
I'm asking to come up with additional concepts which create space for more balanced RvR situations, parallel to the existing realm task zerg RvR. Unbalanced situations will and shall happen, but they should be rather rare and not normal. It is like when you play a game set during a zombie apocalypse: it is fun if there is a constant risk that a large herd of zombies catches your attention and you get ripped apart without standing a chance. This creates tension. But that game would not be fun if getting ripped apart is the default case.
Do you have the same impression, or am I in a minorty here?