What Would Entice People to Play PVP?

[Coolrockski]

I have read all of the posts in this thread and the majority of you are not playing because it sucks getting killed by infectors/shotguns/highly skilled players etc.. This is why I suggested ranked and unranked matches in previous posts. But, as many have pointed out, the que times would be too long. But what if they kicked this off with a weekend where you get extra rewards/gear/vehicles for trying PVP? You get a boost of players and let them see what unranked and ranked matches are like. The noobs to average players may actually like being in matches where they aren't dying every 2 minutes..and on the other side, all of the pro players are competing against eachother for their leaderboard spot or whatever....extra rewards and weekends always boost populations..

But as some of you have said, a few different game modes would be worth putting in to see how it goes. SWTOR has a few variations of domination and hold this point that are some of the cooler elements of their PVP system.

[Splinter Cell]

It's not the rewards at all. just fix the PVP... thats it...IT SUCKS.... I don't even want the rewards I just have to do the stupid things to complete the missions...

[Jack Johnson]

highly skilled players

/yawn

When I tried hard, I was really good. I kind of suck now because I haven't played much in a while, but still, even when I was kicking ***, I wasn't having as much fun as I should have. Killing someone with a rifle just "feels" better than bursting someone down with a shotgun, generally speaking. Sometimes you have a good duel with someone but it is pretty rare.

[Myria]

What would get people to PvP in this game?

Send Echelon to people's houses and make them join at gunpoint.

Short of that? Forget about it. PvP in this game is DoA. It is fundamentally broken in the way that PvP in every PvE focused game is. You can design a game from the ground up for PvP play or PvE play, but not both. There are too many mutually exclusive design goals between the two play styles, and frankly there are way, way, way too many well done PvP focused online shooters for Defiance's half-arsed version of PvP to ever build a meaningful audience.

Pissing off PvEers to try and please the vocal "NERF EVERYTHING!!!one!!!1!!" crowd would be the ultimate in Darwin-award-level stupid for a game like this.

Which, of course, is why I expect that's exactly what Trion will continue to do.

[ralisti]

In every game I have played in (and trust me, that is a lot) every game which has both PvP and PvE, the PvP is horrible.

For the most PvPers see PvE just as a way to get better equipment for PvP. They bore quickly killing NPCs as the AI is usually simplistic at best. They want that rush of testing their mettle against other human players and be ranked against other PvPers to see who is the best.

PvE players, again for the most part, play for totally different reasons and have little interest in PvP. They would rather explore, level up, collect gear, etc. Unless forced into PvP, they will avoid it and if forced into it will rebel. Since it is possible to hit 5000 ego eventually without PvP, they have no reason to PvP at all (granted, some will just to complete achievements providing it does not take forever).

So the only way to get more PvPers, or PvEers even, is to create something that attracts them to the game. With the current state of PvP and PvE, Trion is failing to do either, thus their desperation with the recruit a friend program.

[0_d4RK_FaLLen]

Only thing I care about would be more maps & better rewards.
No weapons need nerfed (players need to get better)
Some weapons need buffs
Jumping can be annoying but no different hitting a jumping idiot than one running

[chilipino]

You can design a game from the ground up for PvP play or PvE play, but not both. There are too many mutually exclusive design goals between the two play styles...

IMO, nail on the head.

PvE detrimentally affects PvP balance because of PvE's natural "more time = more powerful" format. Perks (Higher EGO = bigger advantage) and accumulated gear (dat orange siphon shotgun that keeps cloak available 90% of the time, etc...) both increase the gap between the haves and have-nots in PvP. Sure, there still will be gaps if Perks and gear were normalized but at least skill will be a larger reason for that gap (or h4x, but that's a different topic altogether).

I would not bet that the team at Trion would be able to keep evolving PvE (more content, more weapons, zomg charge weapons/blades etc.) while keeping PvP balanced and competitive. I would not bet any team in the industry, actually, could pull it off. It's really hard to do.

It would be interesting to see how people would react to a PvP framework such as this (all my opinion and probably a little too "out there" for most):

- PvP has its own discreet set of weapons (one or more from each category of pistols, AR, etc.). This makes it easier for developers to balance them. A certain subset of these weapons are available for everyone to use and you "unlock" the others based on something you do in PvE (for example: your skill level with each weapon category perhaps. or reaching a pursuit. whatever.).

- PvP weapons are designed and balanced to accomodate various play styles (sniper, CQC, support, etc.). No auto-aiming/homing/whatever .

- No EGO powers or perks. (or there can be an optional mode for this and let the players choose...)

- Maybe replace EGO powers and perks with a set of "gear" to choose from (like... want a better shield? or a nade? or lighter armor but slightly faster run speed?). This is a whole can of balancing worms on its own though.

- Improve matchmaking so that matches are competitive. One way to do it has been mentioned countless times already: skill ratings (like Starcraft's bronze/silver/gold/platinum/masters, etc.). And use them to try to construct balanced teams (to minimize lopsided matches).

- Maybe implement some premade match type for people who want to go premade vs. premade, etc.

- Commit to anti-hacking/glitching measures. Maybe allow player spectators and give them the ability to switch to any person's view (i'd hope the developers have this already).

- Don't base rewards on performance but do tweak them to make it feel worthwhile versus all the other ways to gain exp/scrip/keycodes.

- Have a variety of PvP outfits to unlock (way more than what we already have) and have noticeably tinted red and blue versions of each. Maybe let players use their PvE outfit in PvP as long as there is no big advantage in terms of one outfit blending in better than another on any particular map.

- Get rid of any contract or pursuit that encourages "unnatural play" (lulz turret kills).

[dominad]

pvp is awesome only need to make it quicker to join freight yard. All the rest works fine and it just takes some practice to learn to work around people with types of guns and ego. PVP = awesome! Never lags or breaks like co op or kicks like ark falls, how sieges did, and sadly shadow war

[Billy Guile]

i thought i would get into pvp, but i honestly see no point in it. good luck to all of you pvp'ers in your quest.

[Jokerzwild]

A map with stock builds and load outs would get me to play more.