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Absolutely. First, PvP... we are still determining when exactly this will be implemented. It is a critical component we must get right, so we're taking a lot of time to ensure it is put in at a place that is best for the rest of the game development.

This being said, we need your ideas and feedback on what you think will make PvP good in Alganon, or any MMO for that matter. What has been done poorly in the past? We have a chance to tweak our current design ideas now.




1. Right off the bat I can let you in on something that about 90% of all MMOs have done to totally destroy their PVP system for at least the first six months to a year: They put in PVP as an afterthought. In other words, they get a perfect PVE system setup, and then throw in the PVP with races/skills/classes as they are. Within a week, you'll have 70% of the player base freaking out that the other 30% of classes are overpowered and destroying them in PVP.

2. Then the worst possible thing happens: The nerf bat. This always results in a noticeable player-base drop in participation/monthly payment.

How to avoid #1? Work on PVP, skills, and gear while working on PVE and tweaking on the balance simultaneously. Whether you liked the game or not, this one particular game had an uncanny system that REALLY did a spectacular job at keeping PVP balance with only some minor flaws. This game gave diminishing returns for applying the same type of bonuses to the slots on items, plus offered a duo-class option that allowed for more strengths and weaknesses. The game is called Guild Wars. Check out the guild wars wiki to see what I mean. It could definitely inspire some thought.

How to avoid #2? First avoid problem #1, but if class balancing must happen, DO NOT NERF - it's a true sign of laziness and developer-to-player apathy. Rather, BUFF the other classes. Now instead of losing players over a nerf, you've made the weaker classes happy.

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Alganon is an MMO that is designed to not take up all your time, but be a compliment to other games you might be playing today. It is designed to be familiar, yet innovative with new features such as The Library system. We didn't want to create a game so alien that you were scared of it . Yet completely cloning in exact detail other games is not the answer either of course.




Veteran MMO gamers definitely are looking for new and alien concepts to move away from the hum-drum. Of course, to draw in the newer audiences, some familiarity helps.

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The Library. You can access necessary information about the game world, no matter where you are in the world. Being able to travel to the capital cities to input new world items into this database makes one feel like you are really contributing to the game. You make a difference, even if its a small difference right now.

And now that MyAlganon is live, these two systems will be integrated, so you can check Library elements while offline as well.




This looks interesting. So the player is discovering X item, and then placing the info on X item into the database?

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The Studies system is another important component. You may not have time to always play, but the Studies system gives you the opportunity to advance while offline and away from your computer, but advance in a fair and balanced way.




This is a HUGE PLUS for people with RLs who prefer to mostly or only PVP.

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Dual Role system that provides flexibility in building a solid group for combat, all the way to the simpler things, such as the great variety of terrain available to explore.




By dual role system, do you mean a player can have one setup for his character that's good for PVE, and then a second setup for his character that's good for PVP? Also, good at all around combat with one setup, and then switch to another for terrain exploration?


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