The Dev teams apparant lack of love for PVP

[Markeen]

For me pvp is endgame. There are stability issues and some bugs that need fixed. New maps would be cool. I agree that it's usually the non pvp players that call for weapon nerfs and at one time I might have been one of those players. But let's be honest, 0 reload on a weapon of any type was a bit unfair. I am still certain there are players using exploits but I know most of them just have better loadouts and more experience. Overall I'm not really a fan of pvp but since I've completed everything else except social and pvp pursuits I have to learn to at least tolerate it.

[BC001]

For me pvp is endgame. There are stability issues and some bugs that need fixed. New maps would be cool. I agree that it's usually the non pvp players that call for weapon nerfs and at one time I might have been one of those players. But let's be honest, 0 reload on a weapon of any type was a bit unfair. I am still certain there are players using exploits but I know most of them just have better loadouts and more experience. Overall I'm not really a fan of pvp but since I've completed everything else except social and pvp pursuits I have to learn to at least tolerate it.

Actually most of the nerfhounds have been PvP players which makes sense since PvP has the more critical need for balance. In PvE everyone is on the same side so a weapon has to be incredibly overpowered or otherwise obnoxious for people to complain about it.

In Defiance there is not supposed to be an “endgame” as such, it is designed for replayability at all levels rather than switching gears from 'leveling' to 'endgame' like most of the other MMOs out there. Personally I prefer Defiance's sandbox style over the linear “the game is only the prelude to the endgame” attitude that so many other MMOs have.

A big part of the sandbox style's replayability is dynamic content so it does not get stale. That goes for PvP as well as PvE; the OP's suggestion of adding seige areas and more raid maps to places available for PvP has a lot of merit. Playing in open terrain is ok but it gets old fast so it should be mixed with other environments and the seige areas are the closest to urban complex style settings the map has available. PvP gets the wildest where there are complex routs and a mix of short and long sight-lines available.

Also, an interesting variant to add in would be to re-use some of the raid maps to combine PvP and PvE in a kind of three-way featuring two competing player groups in a map populated with AI mobs as a wildcard (I know this probably happens in a small way on the main map, I mean a more even mix).

If it makes a scheduling problem for PvE, shard jumping should work to fix it for those who want to do missions or sieges (and better shard controls than just “go to” person stuff is needed anyway).

I am not a big fan of PvP either, and I am totally burned out on it from PvP only games like APB:Reloaded and the linear format games that start out PvE but all too soon dump the players into “endgame” which is mostly PvP with a few scattered raids and special events. Other people still like it though and Defiance could attract and hold more people if the PvP was more varied (as long as it does not come to dominate and marginalize the dynamic PvE that makes the game special).

[Tyber Paradym]

I suggested in another thread that they open up PvP map development to users. This could produce a lot of new content. And, many times players produce even better layouts and game play because they know the game well.
I come from an old fps that has literally 100's of user maps to choose from. The amateur development of these maps is one of the things that has kept the game alive and the community engaged for nearly 15 years.
Not sure if they would have to make a tool kit or what. But, I'd love to hear if it's even a possibility. Because, I'd get right to work.

[Dixie Cougar]

I am not a big fan of PvP either, and I am totally burned out on it from PvP only games like APB:Reloaded and the linear format games that start out PvE but all too soon dump the players into “endgame” which is mostly PvP with a few scattered raids and special events. Other people still like it though and Defiance could attract and hold more people if the PvP was more varied (as long as it does not come to dominate and marginalize the dynamic PvE that makes the game special).

Like you I am burnt out on PvP from APB and don't play it very much in Defiance--maybe once a week or less, and only instanced maps. While APB was a very fun game with a lot of great points I eventually set it aside because the community is pretty toxic. Zone chat in APB is a neverending paroxysm of rage. The customization kept me there longer than the game itself.

To be quite honest, I don't want those types of hardcore e-peen chasers to come to Defiance, and I don't want PvP built up to such an extent that it would attract those people.

That being said, there's no harm IMO in increasing map variety and bumping up the rewards a little bit so long as they are not unique. I think a lot of people reject the idea of doing pvp out of hand when they might enjoy it at low dosages and a bump in the amount of exp/keys received might encourage them to give it a try by lowering the opportunity cost (in other words, they won't lose out massively on basic rewards gained in pve).

This was me in APB, wish I had a tommy gun for Defiance:

[Mister Derpenhowser]

I've just got around to pvp.. its okay.

I'm usually top 3 at the end of a match so no complaints there. But I am only doing this for ego rating. It was this or those horribly bugged races. My issue is the vehicle/turret kills needed for pursuits. These are impossible unless you boost them, or did them a long time ago.

[Chris Robet]

I've just got around to pvp.. its okay.

I'm usually top 3 at the end of a match so no complaints there. But I am only doing this for ego rating. It was this or those horribly bugged races. My issue is the vehicle/turret kills needed for pursuits. These are impossible unless you boost them, or did them a long time ago.

Even with the boost you can't kill someone unless they are almost dead from someone else.

[Mister Derpenhowser]

Joy of joys, more pursuits/psn trophies I can't earn.. way to go Trion

[squidgod2000]

Please don't tell me that PVP shouldn't be bothered with because it is "such a small aspect of the game" or because it doesn't involve your play directly. The fact is, is that it is part of the game. And, for some of us a for the most part, fun event to participate in. It deserves more attention than it is or ever has received.

It's only a small aspect of the game because it has been marginalized and ignored by the devs since launch. In this sort of game, PvP should be the endgame. Instead, it's nearly universally reviled (to the point that devs are making posts about how it is and will get easier to max EGO without PvP) and has the worst rewards of any activity in the game.

Part of me feels like they should just take out the competitive maps and focus what little PvP dev time they have on shadow wars.

[Telemachus]

Pvp is endgame ?, if you care about that small small tiny crap part of the game. delete the account. boom , endgame.

[Dixie Cougar]

Pvp is endgame ?, if you care about that small small tiny crap part of the game. delete the account. boom , endgame.

I have to agree, it is how it should be. People don't gravitate toward PvE games so they can focus on PvP in the endgame.