In a nice interview over at Variance, ArenaNet starts dropping some pretty big information World vs. World (WvW) Â combat. Â WvW is actually three servers or shards pitted against each other for a set amount of time. Instead of arena-style PvP, WvW involves a big combat zone with multiple, linked objectives. For example, a supply caravan might be re-stocking a fortification. Players can either attack the fortification directly or cut off the supply chain. Winning sides garner benefits for their entire server. All this information has been known for some time. The interview brings to light an interesting twist: there are four maps.
Not like Heroes’ Ascent in Guild Wars, which will cycle the maps based on wins in the everlasting tournament; more like the Dark Age of Camelot game distilled down to pure PvP essence. The center map is the core area for WvW with three spoke-like maps extending out. Each spoke represents a home map for each server. The center map will also have a portal keep for each server. ArenaNet expects the center map to be the “crossroads of combat,” and I agree. The WvW “hardcore” will likely spend most of their time nipping at each other in the center map. I think the interesting part is going to be when a portal keep gets attacked and then falls.
I think that once this occurs, those that don’t frequent WvW as much will flock to the battlefield. ArenaNet is setting up servers to reinforce a community, and if a rival community attacks a home map it will be interesting to see the response. I am hoping that there is either a server message to help rally the troops or that a ripple effect will occur through the community. On the flip side I can see the attacker also trying to rally troops in response to this momentous event.
I am thinking that I like that there are separate maps. It helps to bring a defining point that enemies are here, now! If it was all one map with a “safe” area to respawn and what not, I think that the WvW-lite will not respond as readily if “their” keep in some amorphous ever-shifting blob of contested territory is being attacked… again. I am also really interested to see what buffs or boons a winning server gets for stomping on enemy territory.
The biggest challenge I think ArenaNet has is getting WvW-lite and those that just normally like to PvE to care. Their first experiment with “Tombs,” now Heroes’ Ascent, was based on real world communities with geographic boundaries. The rival communities were Americans, Europeans, and Koreans. Yet, for actual play often times in the final match a Korean team would be fighting two other Korean teams. The boon the winning community received, opening up end-game PvE content, usually ran with the active time zone. During Korean nights, the Koreans would have favor while the two rivals slept or worked.
Thankfully, ArenaNet has long since learned that this was a mistake, and the favor system has been significantly reworked in Guild Wars. Unfortunately it was reworked in a way where wins in Heroes’ Ascent no longer mattered. The winning team would still get an announcement for some recognition, but really this amounted to a pat on the back as the rest of the gamers ignored the spam. I hope that in Guild Wars 2 ArenaNet can bring some of this recognition and interest back. I may not want to PvP all the time, but I am very interested in having my server’s PvP’ers wear our server colors to bring home the gold.
–Ravious
2+2=5
I actually got a bit interested in PvP now. And that is not saying a little…
If my side would have their portal keep taken down I think it would be fun to go down-under and help out.
“The biggest challenge I think ArenaNet has is getting WvW-lite and those that just normally like to PvE to care.”
Quite. One advantage of this system compared to the original HA mechanic is that if they *do* manage to make me care (Magic 8-Ball sez “Fat chance”) I’ll be able to participate semi-meaningfully, which wasn’t really the case in HA. Well, anybody who actually cares will be able to, anyway. (I never worried too much about FoW/UW access, since it was generally there when I wanted to go, for the reasons you noted, and if it wasn’t there was plenty of other stuff to do – being able to get the altar buffs was usually a bigger bonus for me when our realm had favour. Certainly wasn’t a big enough deal to make me waste my time PvPing, though.)
I do hope rally call will exist, but I also hope the horn will not be blown every hour or so, because people will quickly learn to ignore it. On the other hand, if it comes rarely enough, it might raise the interest of those also who are not hardcore pvpers
Also, maybe a well known info to everyone, it was new to me (though logical) that the three servers cannot communicate in any chat during WvW. That is to prevent cheating so that two sides ally themselves with each other to kick the third from the ballpark, and then fight it out between two
“The biggest challenge I think ArenaNet has is getting WvW-lite and those that just normally like to PvE to care.”
It looks like the wiki you linked describes benefits to the entire winning realm. Otherwise, who cares? PvErs have tons of content. Make the PvP epic and engrossing for those that enjoy PvP.
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World benefits
Territories and control points within the map will confer benefits to the world that controls them; “maybe everyone gets increased energy regeneration or healing rate or enhanced loot drop rate.”
Individual rewards
Players can gain experience and level their character entirely in World PvP. Killing people in World vs World gives the player loot which means a player doesn’t need to leave World PvP to get better gear.
“The biggest challenge I think ArenaNet has is getting WvW-lite and those that just normally like to PvE to care.”
No, the biggest challenge will be to make sure that this garbage does NOT impact PvE play in *ANY* way (including skill balances).
I think one good way to balance rewards is make it so when your shard is winning, the rewards make people want to go pve and if their shard is loosing then there should be pvp related bonuses to get the population for their side back up.
This sounds like a pitiful system. PvP in GW is a joke, and from the sound of it, GW2 will be just as laughable. Luckily this game is F2P with RMT otherwise no one would give it a 2nd thought. Time to step aside for some real titles that are on the horizon and leave the MMO’s to the professionals.
Free 2 Play? Even that is asking too much.
huh? too much what for whom?
First of all, GW is widely known as the game with a great, perhaps the best PvP out there. If it doesn’t suit your tastes, that’s sth. else, but not meeting your taste is not to be confused with a bad system.
And oh well, GW(2) was never said to be f2p, it was always known to be b2p. GW never had RMT, GW2 probably won’t, too, although the shop will be much more expanded than in GW.
But oh well, hater’s gonna hate…
GW has the best PVP? You’re kidding me. Warhammer Online has the best PVP.
I assume that since you didn’t use DAOC, that this was tongue in cheek. KTR really needs a sarcasm font for comments. ;)
LOL. Warshit online. now thats funny
GW is one MMO I would happily pay monthly to play, and the fact that I have not had to for the past 6 years continues to amaze me.
In regards to the PvP, yes, there are many areas which could be improved upon, but there are also many aspects that make GW PvP shine above any other game out there right now.
I would guess with a name like “Trojanman” and given the context of your post, your just here to troll and most likely had your ego hurt when you attempted to play.
@Trojanman
The only reason I can think of that someone would have this sort of response is if they enjoy ganking and griefing in games/settings where ‘open world’ pvp is the norm.
The only response I have to that… there are plenty of games already on the market where you can satisfy those juvenile behaviors (although they are all going to be ‘under-populated’ in the very near future because most folks are tired of that crap and would like pvp in a setting that is more interesting and challenging)
In short; immature gankers call GW2 ‘carebear’
In reply; if you’re gonna be a carebear… be a grizzly carebear!
I like that! Go Grizzly Carebears!!!
Good one :D. But I’m to lazy to be grizzly, can I be koala instead? ^^
I think this is a great improvement over the “elimination tournament” that Heroes Ascent is. You mentioned DAOC, which is still widely regarded for its great working PvP system. It managed to form the more casual and the hardcore players into a realm pride community unit where everyone could participate and contribute.
Maybe we will see Bavarian Gebirgsjäger clobber Navy Seals, who knows? :)
Finally some more info about pvp. It’s been quiet since all that talk of supply chains right back in late 2009. Thanks for this post.. Casual and accessible pvp should serve to bring new blood into the advanced arenas, something GW never quite did.
I wish them luck in trying to get me to care about PVP.
Let’s call it World Arena. WvWvW, or WvW, is awkward at best.
Wonder if they will keep total worlds to a multiple of three, or accommodate the extra worlds with a couple of four world, or two world battles.
Amazing all the responses the obvious troll got. Obvious troll is obvious.
Remember that world arena is not just a PvP battle, but a world setting for your character to live in 24/7 and never have to venture outside if you so choose.
As long as the servers are kept as open as they currently are in gw(being able to switch from uk districts to american or other districts via a drop down box or some other means) then im all for any sort of inter world combat pvp or otherwise.
It still blows my mind that MMO’s are still missing the mark when it comes to PVP. Just dupe the PVP system in DAOC and you are set.
I miss adventuring in Darkness Falls…ahh good old days
Looking forward to GW2, RELEASE IT NOW PLEASE :)