Ganking in Games: Is there a place for it?

My short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Many players don't like forced PVP, but I think it creates a dynamic that is thrilling and impossible to replicate. I'm not talking about just being the one doing the ganking: Some of my most exciting times I've spent in MMO's have been running from a gank squad while I was minding my own business and escaping successfully. Sure, it's a pain when it halts your progress towards whatever you were doing before the gank squad showed up, but you have to take the good with the bad. I like to play games, and I think having a feeling of real possible danger around any corner is so unique and impossible to replicate in any other way. If anyone has played DayZ you know exactly what I'm talking about.

Ganking is originally from MOAB's and it absolutely has a place in games. Simply, I would rather a game ran wild with ganks than campers.

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Originally Posted by SxDrugsNCake

Ganking is originally from MOAB's and it absolutely has a place in games. Simply, I would rather a game ran wild with ganks than campers.

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Absolutely. I think the biggest problem in MMO's nowadays is that players want to always be on the winning side of everything, and have zero tolerance for losing. Basically, if you're questing, and get jumped by 4 or 5 PVPers and you weren't prepared for it, you die, and that's not fun to them.

Allow me to explain: I want to win all my battles too, but what's the point of winning when I don't have to worry about some outside variable? It's not as rewarding in my opinion. I love the feeling of constantly having to watch my back. If there's no way to implement an "Anything Goes" open world PVP without upsetting too many players, I think having some form of a Clan War system is the next best thing. At least that way no one would be forced into it who doesn't want to be. Clans who are warring are always aggro'd to each other in the open world the same as if they were NPCs to each other.

I believe Defiance has this actually, to a point. While you normally can't attack other players outside PvP, if you're clan declares war on another clan, their members become free game and you can attack/kill them anywhere in the game world, PvP or not.

Of course!

they have been hinting at it in upcoming DLC

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Originally Posted by JerZey CJ

I believe Defiance has this actually, to a point. While you normally can't attack other players outside PvP, if you're clan declares war on another clan, their members become free game and you can attack/kill them anywhere in the game world, PvP or not.

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Clan wars? I was under the impression that clan wars were not currently in the game

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Originally Posted by SweetFeet

Clan wars? I was under the impression that clan wars were not currently in the game

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Saw an interview were one of the Devs said that you can declare war on another clan but that they hadn't really been talking about the feature yet.

Shadowbane, nuff said.

Darkfall is full loot, full PVP game, its alot of fun. Its same crap every year, carebears go there where they should NOT and cry.

I define ganking as chancelessly killing othe players, without then being able to do something about it, and being unprepared to do so.

If you flag PvP, if you go to a PvP Area, sure, you know the risks... but if not..

Forced PvP is wrong, it mosty gets used to harass weaker/lowlevel/solo players.

For me, Ganking is a must in defiance. Only then will you experience a true apocalyptic, hostile world.

It's acceptable as long as I'm not on the receiving end lol

lol it sometimes can be a hassle but it does give a rush of adrenaline xP

so many mmos Ive played they all are anti pvp x.x like restrictions out of yinyang, punishments that are so ridiculous they give time outs (jail they call it)? xP however I tried tera recently, though I cant say I like that game at all.. the pvp server has no mercy. having to escape a high lvl pker or pkers in an underground tunnel/maze was pretty exhilarating lol especially when you keep running into them from going in a circle, or finding yourself trapped in a dead end haha you can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment just from losing them XD I really miss that type of pvp. whether I get slaughtered, escape or turn the tables - its just super fun.

If it was an occasional thing, it might be acceptable, but we don't live in a world where things are done in moderation. What would happen is you would have roving bands of thugs who exist for no reason other than griefing solo players or noobs, basically removing the entertainment element for those people.

I'm personally all for either separate PvP servers that can accommodate the full Defiance world, or, as DCUO ended up doing, allow an individual player to turn on or off PvP at any time. That way, solo players and noobs can go about their business without having to worry about being killed over and over and over until they are out of scrip, but when they are feeling a bit froggy, they can switch to PvP and go toe-to-toe with someone.

Tibia back in the day. *shudders.

iI personally hope Ganking is in the game, like some of you have said, It provides the best adrenaline and gives you that extra situation to prep for. Usually in these type of games where Ganking is able, people come to the fields more equipped and display better gameplay. I believe is you get away or defeat a Gank team luck or not, you earned your stripes for today lol.. Now on the issue of noob stomping, in a interview the guy said closing the leveling gap is not impossible and also this is a SHOOTER , not RPG, so all about YOUR skill and prep. Just because Defiance is a shooter MMO is more of a reason for Ganking to be available. I've been on the recieving and have dished it out before and all you can say is got to get better or in many of my cases, "GET TURNED ON PUNK!!" lol

Depends on the game. But mostly for me, it is annoying and no fun. Especially if it's the type of game where you can have an advantage. Then it all comes down to you just trying to get away with no chance of doing anything for yourself. Or dying. Which is BORING.

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Originally Posted by FaerGothika

If it was an occasional thing, it might be acceptable, but we don't live in a world where things are done in moderation. What would happen is you would have roving bands of thugs who exist for no reason other than griefing solo players or noobs, basically removing the entertainment element for those people.

I'm personally all for either separate PvP servers that can accommodate the full Defiance world, or, as DCUO ended up doing, allow an individual player to turn on or off PvP at any time. That way, solo players and noobs can go about their business without having to worry about being killed over and over and over until they are out of scrip, but when they are feeling a bit froggy, they can switch to PvP and go toe-to-toe with someone.

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A 100% this! :)

I dislike open pvp, killing the fun of others is just ******ed imo.

They could just make a toggle button for pvp. being completly open would ruin it for alot of ppl....lets say you group up with someone you get kicked then him/her and friends just repeatedly kill your ***. umm yeah thatd be no fun TOGGLE PVP ON/OFF would be best for those that want pvp on all the time but dont force everyone, then how are we supposed to play the game we how we wanna play/ cuztomize, ect.

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Originally Posted by SweetFeet

My short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Many players don't like forced PVP, but I think it creates a dynamic that is thrilling and impossible to replicate. I'm not talking about just being the one doing the ganking: Some of my most exciting times I've spent in MMO's have been running from a gank squad while I was minding my own business and escaping successfully. Sure, it's a pain when it halts your progress towards whatever you were doing before the gank squad showed up, but you have to take the good with the bad. I like to play games, and I think having a feeling of real possible danger around any corner is so unique and impossible to replicate in any other way. If anyone has played DayZ you know exactly what I'm talking about.

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Not that I've played day Z but the war Z was... well without being too nice to the game... MOTHER ****ING ****.

I mean seriousley? Stop trying to pick on little noobets and just play some PVP games.

Granted you have a half decent idea BUT to turn the whole world pvp like in the war z, will just mean that new players will not have a god damn chance agienst all the players that have been playing longer than them, Seriousley like everyone I've known that have played the war z survives like 5 minutes and its not a zombie that kills them, its a scum bag player.

Defiance won't do this because so many people would return the game it would make Black ops 2 game returns look good.

However having said that instead of making the whole world pvp you could have pvp zones.

or if possible even whole world pvp servers if you want the whole world to be pvp.

But the thing about mmo's are not everyone wants to do pvp and to be honest I don't mind doing either pvp or pve.

All I'm saying is some players will bloody hate it if the whole world went pvp unless they had a whole world pvp server they could run.

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Originally Posted by Gamertag_Is_Ant

They could just make a toggle button for pvp. being completly open would ruin it for alot of ppl....lets say you group up with someone you get kicked then him/her and friends just repeatedly kill your ***. umm yeah thatd be no fun TOGGLE PVP ON/OFF would be best for those that want pvp on all the time but dont force everyone, then how are we supposed to play the game we how we wanna play/ cuztomize, ect.

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This is also a very good idea.

But would you need pvp enabled to attack other players? or if not enabled you can attack but then it becomes enabled for a 10-15 minute duration?

First gets my vote since wow kinda messed up on that, letting the person with pvp not enabled attacking someone with it enabled just so they can get the first hit.. How cheap.

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Originally Posted by JerZey CJ

I believe Defiance has this actually, to a point. While you normally can't attack other players outside PvP, if you're clan declares war on another clan, their members become free game and you can attack/kill them anywhere in the game world, PvP or not.

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I agree with this statement. I'm all for clan wars too. The only time I like fighting other players while I'm doing pve is if I have a fighting chance. I hate being destroyed by someone who is 30 lvls higher. To me that isnt fun.

I love free for all PVP. Love it. That's why I played Shadowbane, an old MMO that most of you probably have never heard about let alone played. FFA PVP worked in SB though because there were consequences to your actions. If you died in PVP, someone could take your inventory loot. With enough deaths and some idiocy on your part, your equipment would break. The biggest reason why it worked in SB though was because there were player built cities that you could siege. Since most people joined guilds, there was accountability to PVP. If you ran through a zone and killed some lowbies, they go camp your city. You jump them at an open city, they go run through your lowbie zone nearest your city. You really piss someone off, they destroy your city. It was a very political game and the stakes were high. There were player built cities that lasted literally for years, some that only lasted for days, some that changed hands a dozen times over....all of them though took a lot of work to build, sometimes months for the smaller clans.

Alas however, for whatever reason no one really wants to make another game like that. Really don't know why, it was a great way to have "ganking", but people were held accountable for it.

http://www.robertsspaceindustries.com/

still in development and alpha is roughly scheduled for end of the year, but basically, if you want to be a pirate and gank/ hijack other people's ships, go for it, you can board and take the ship as well as simply blowing them up.

PC only, so if you arent a PC gamer, you're SoL.

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Originally Posted by Gamertag_Is_Ant

They could just make a toggle button for pvp. being completly open would ruin it for alot of ppl....lets say you group up with someone you get kicked then him/her and friends just repeatedly kill your ***. umm yeah thatd be no fun TOGGLE PVP ON/OFF would be best for those that want pvp on all the time but dont force everyone, then how are we supposed to play the game we how we wanna play/ cuztomize, ect.

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In my opinion, I prefer the toggle PvP option. At least it does not take away options to the non-pvp players. For people who likes PvP, they can just leave PvP on, and go at each other all they want, just don't bother other people who does not want to take part in your ways.
Forced PvP is not justifiable. It does not bring joys to the game and gaming community, it only brings up the worst side of people.
For those of you who seeks the sensations of "adrenaline rush", there are always other ways to satisfy your needs in the game, but do not do it at the cost of other people's pain.

Oiy vey. If there's pvp I hope it's like DCUO. You flag for it or have no effect on others, OR there's servers dedicated to it. I want no part of it.

I'm liking defiance coz it's PVE. That's what's brought me to the table. I'll be happy to go every day of Defiance play not shooting at other players. Not being shot by someone that gets off on ganking since that'll invariably happen. Especially when they'll likely use a sniper rifle to do it just far enough away to see me load. Or unload an SMG/AR mag into my back and think they're great because of it.

"Ganking" is a bad term, usually performed by people I don't care to know, or respect. It's done by cowards who purposely assault lower level people in the name of their e-peen.

Now, if a person actively goes into PvP, they get what they get. They should know that there will assuredly be cowards that'll hammer them just coz they can.

Not saying all PvPers are the cowardly sort that pick on people who haven't a shot in fighting back, though. Just enough that I've reached the conclusion that people are what's wrong with PvP. They'll assuredly ruin it. It's already happened if you consider Votan Plasma Pulsers, rockets, and detonator proliferation ruining it.

Oh, what's that? You're shopping at a vendor? D'aw, you see that gun you've been craving? Shopping for mods? NO! YOU'RE TARGET PRACTICE FOR MY NEW GUN!! And there's nothing you can do about it because you don't even see me! *Gets a free kill. Maybe several.*

What's that? You're in the middle of fighting some mutants? Nope. You're target practice. And it's either me, or them! Not both! Either way, you're dead!

And lets consider Arkfalls. All those times when people would actually be shot when as the game is they'd be rescued.

Heck, I accidently blast people just coz they're near where I was fighting. <.< I don't need to spark shtacko just coz of an accident.

Safezones? More like Troll zones! *Player kills! Retreats to safe zone.*

Seriously, the best case scenarios are worthless without the worst case scenarios.

Who cares as long as it's fun?

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Originally Posted by SweetFeet

My short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Many players don't like forced PVP, but I think it creates a dynamic that is thrilling and impossible to replicate. I'm not talking about just being the one doing the ganking: Some of my most exciting times I've spent in MMO's have been running from a gank squad while I was minding my own business and escaping successfully. Sure, it's a pain when it halts your progress towards whatever you were doing before the gank squad showed up, but you have to take the good with the bad. I like to play games, and I think having a feeling of real possible danger around any corner is so unique and impossible to replicate in any other way. If anyone has played DayZ you know exactly what I'm talking about.

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name me one forced pvp mmorpg (not mmofps) that has at least gw2 levels of success (ie. 1m+ units sold)

you can't, because it's not as popular or desired as the vocal minority of wannabe pvp'ers think it is

i say wannabe, because the real pvp'er still only pvp in games with actual consequences - like level and item loss. anything else is no different from a console shooter except visually.

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Originally Posted by Protonix

I love free for all PVP. Love it. That's why I played Shadowbane, an old MMO that most of you probably have never heard about let alone played. FFA PVP worked in SB though because there were consequences to your actions. If you died in PVP, someone could take your inventory loot. With enough deaths and some idiocy on your part, your equipment would break. The biggest reason why it worked in SB though was because there were player built cities that you could siege. Since most people joined guilds, there was accountability to PVP. If you ran through a zone and killed some lowbies, they go camp your city. You jump them at an open city, they go run through your lowbie zone nearest your city. You really piss someone off, they destroy your city. It was a very political game and the stakes were high. There were player built cities that lasted literally for years, some that only lasted for days, some that changed hands a dozen times over....all of them though took a lot of work to build, sometimes months for the smaller clans.

Alas however, for whatever reason no one really wants to make another game like that. Really don't know why, it was a great way to have "ganking", but people were held accountable for it.

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because shadowbane failed financially. nobody wanted to play it. just like how the ffa pvp servers for the original eq are pretty much gone. regardless of what YOU may think is fun in these games, you really are in the minority on this view and need to accept the following:

1) games need to sell to make money

2) mmorpg players are frequently played by overworked, underpaid western workers who are unwilling to let some unemployed kid take all of his stuff in real life let alone a game

3) nearly every single mmorpg with that type of pvp is no longer running. the couple that are continue to run because it was not their only focus or they are true sandboxes - like eve

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Originally Posted by Dixa

because shadowbane failed financially. nobody wanted to play it. just like how the ffa pvp servers for the original eq are pretty much gone. regardless of what YOU may think is fun in these games, you really are in the minority on this view and need to accept the following:

1) games need to sell to make money

2) mmorpg players are frequently played by overworked, underpaid western workers who are unwilling to let some unemployed kid take all of his stuff in real life let alone a game

3) nearly every single mmorpg with that type of pvp is no longer running. the couple that are continue to run because it was not their only focus or they are true sandboxes - like eve

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SB failed because of poor graphics, bad coding and abysmal stability. The game made money, had it lived up to its potential it would have continued making money. Even without making millions or having the subscribers, it still lasted from 2003 til like 2009. Unfortunately for SB, WoW came out and siphoned off a huge chunk of the player base.

Make a game with the same mechanics of SB but have wasd movement, better graphics and stability and there will be plenty of people to play it. Companies don't expect every game to have the 10+ million subscribers that WoW did, you can still make money with far less players.