This is an MMO, and there already is group only content, they fleshing it out as much of the player base has requested more challenging content. You don't need to participate in it, if you do not wish to; it's optional, but there will generally always be a queue system, or, join up with one of the many clans.
Min/max raid games aren't e-sports. E-sports everyone starts with the same chance of winning, and is rewarded for actual skill, not the gear they've previously earned. The Defiance PvP model is certainly not built around the e-sport model, because you can bring in outside weapons and ego abilities to gain an advantage. If it were an e-sport, your weapons would be fixed, as well as your EGO progression
Your Challenger won't drive? You're probably in the passenger seat.
Can't sell/delete an item? Check all of your loadouts, it's likely still equipped.
Auction house? Why? It'll just render bits purchased lock boxes pointless, and weapons are mostly equal anyway.
Gear/enemy progression? No thanks, it'll only render 90% of the content trivial when you reach the highest zone.
I do Arkfalls more than anything, sometimes I'll do 3 or 4 in a row, and I'm almost always in the top 10 spot an any given Arkfall; higher if I get to one early. While I wouldn't mind getting rewarded for finishing higher up on the board I certainly won't "quit" the game if they don't. I'd rather they fixed the rate of good loot drops all around.
And anyone who doesn't stop to help a fellow gamer when they go down during an Arkfall is the worst kind of person. Like I said, I always finish pretty good on Arkfalls and I always help a downed comrade. So there's no reason not to help. And as far as can tell, getting number one on the leader board during an Arkfall and a quarter will get you 25 cents.
I like the idea of making co-op more rewarding, but I don't like the idea of clan-only content. Once they get more clan features in place there will be other benefits to joining a clan.
I agree that unique loot tables is a bad idea. The design of the game allows choice in activities, and restricting loot to specific missions/raids works counter to that.
I'm all for adding more challenging content, but again there is no need to restrict it to certain groups, or add special loot tables which only promote elitism and exclusion.
I'm also against a damage-based award system for Arkfalls. This will only promote selfish gameplay, as well as cookie-cutter builds and weapon/Ego use as everyone tries desperately to max damage instead of fun. And, of course, healing would be out of the question.
I really enjoy the choices the game offers. Choices in builds, weapons, and gameplay. I don't want that taken away because I have to maximize DPS at Arkfalls, or because the elitists kick everyone out of groups because you are not using a specific build and hampering their loot gathering.
I agree with the OP on the subject of clan specific or group specific stuff. I like the idea of all content being available for all in some way. The problem is for some they may be in an inactive clan or not in one at all. I am in one and I use a mic. No one can ever hear me-if they can they can barely hear me and so I send messages and no one answers them. It doesn't mean it's a bad clan. And I can hear them but it's hard to coordinate things. Clans just are not working so well. Even so, I don't think you should be forced to enter a clan to get other or better gear. It kind of goes against the story and show and rpg aspect since some like to be lone wolves. Others are not offered the chance to join a clan.
One suggestion I made in another thread is for all people to have the ability to put out an SOS, so if someone is nearby they can see it and help. Maybe a clan specific SOS would help too. So, you have two types of them. But as far as clans I also think there should be a short menu of commands maybe-like, ask all to join (for coop, PvP), join, and so on. So a clan member could put out a shout by a quick command to all members not on a mission or in a game, asking if they want to coop and others could easily accept or decline. Once it's full the request goes away.
I understand the OP and where hes coming from. But he really did get under my skin when he said because he doesn't like PvP, so there should be no content for PvP'ers. No one is forcing you to play it but some of us really enjoy it.
I personally find playing a person much more entertaining because unlike a computer they are not controlled by a list of rules. And I would like new outfits, vehicles, maps and other bits and bobs for my PvP player.
Effectively an MMO should draw you in and you become social in time while soloing/grouping/PvPing, or you gain some sort of rep while grouping/PvPing in between your soloing for being "pro"/"elite".
I can't remember how many times I would be recruited by random "Top End" Guilds/Clans in an MMO I was playing just because of word of mouth from random people I ran with in Dungeons or helped out in the world/World PvP.
In Defiance there is nothing like that because well, you don't need a group to do anything. You're just some nameless chump, I sometimes forget that Defiance is even an "MMO" since there is no chat and that "players" all seem like friendly NPCs to me.
In my opinion Defiance should take a look at Planetside 2 if it wants to be "A shooter first, MMO second". Or take a look at what Guild Wars 2 does, heavy on the PvE for PvE players and MASSIVE PvP battles for PvP players. That is of course assuming that Defiance wants to mix PvP and PvE that has meaning, which if I think it does it should make Shadow War it's main focus for PvP.
Sadly I've never been in a Shadow War match as every day that I played for a week being queued for Shadow War (over 4 hours each day) and it never started a match. That alone will put anyone off from playing Defiance, not being able to do certain things within the game that already are in it.
This is already in game. Try doing nothing but healing during an Arkfall Event, you will get screwed over.