A Possible Solution to The Problem of PvP

[Winstonian]

I think most would agree that UOF PvP is far from perfect. I think many would agree that something could/should be done to improve the PvP climate. To fix the issue, I think the issue first needs to be identified.

In my opinion, the PvP on UOF is lacking for the same reason that PvM on UOF is thriving: incentive. The incentive to PvM on this server is vast because the payoff is also vast: the PvM content is outstanding, and the potential reward for time spent makes that time well spent.

That current exchange is lacking in PvP, but it doesn't have to.

The idea: daily/weekly rewards based on the total amount of damage done against other players in consensual PvP.

All individuals participating in consensual PvP (defined as militias, guild wars or order/chaos fights) have their total damage dealt tracked each day, with rewards being given to the players based on their shard ranking. The rewards would include idols, relics, powerscrolls, skillscrolls, colored stuff, gold, and so forth. Example: players who rank 1-5 in damage dealt have a 50% of receiving an idol or relic and 50,000 gold. Have the quality of reward and percentage decline through ranks 6-15, 16-30, 31-50, 51-100, etc.

If implemented, a system such as this provides two benefits: 1) encourages casual players to run around, throwing bolts and daggers at others, and 2) provides an added PvP benefit to solo play versus group play. It takes the overall goal away from survival (which discourages the individual PvPer against the mighty zerg guilds) and instead rewards participation and overall effectiveness.

I think something like this would significantly increase the amount of casual, consensual PvP.

 

[Nekronos]

Great idea except I can have my buddy join an opposing militia and let me stand there and chop him with an axe afk while a bot heals him constantly

 

[Winstonian]

Great idea except I can have my buddy join an opposing militia and let me stand there and chop him with an axe afk while a bot heals him constantly

As with any other form of abuse, such a situation would be identified and the parties involved would be banned. Permanently.

Solutions for the many shouldn't be ignored because the few might find ways to exploit them.

 

[Winstonian]

Follow up to that post: it wouldn't be hard to chart the damage, notice that the #1 player did 96% of his damage to the same opponent, and identify the issue.

 

[Swayze]

We simply dont have time to go through a list and cross reference if you know them or not. Anything that requires us to manually enforce is not ideal.

 

[Winstonian]

We simply dont have time to go through a list and cross reference if you know them or not. Anything that requires us to manually enforce is not ideal.

In fairness, it would be extremely easy to identify someone abusing a system such as this. As with anything else, you wouldn't have to go through an entire list... the exploiters would stand out, and would be handled appropriately.

Let's take a step back. If this fixed the consensual PvP on this shard... if militias were extremely active, players gravitated towards structured PvP... it would be an incredible thing for UOF. If that happened, PvP would grow significantly, and UOF as a whole would follow suit. If it actually fixed PvP, and a few players got away with exploiting...

... who cares? Obviously, exploiting reward systems is bad, and a serious consequence should follow suit. (I'm always a fan of permanent bans, but I'm not a cheater.) But, if it fixed things, and only marginal effort was put into identifying exploiters, so be it. It would still vastly improve UOF.

 

[toddyboi]

You obviously don't really PvP. You know what makes PvP fun? Having rivalries against other guilds and showing your skills against each other. There's nothing more satisfying in uo than seeing your enemy falling off there mount into the dirt. Real pvpers don't need incentives.

 

[Winstonian]

You obviously don't really PvP. You know what makes PvP fun? Having rivalries against other guilds and showing your skills against each other. There's nothing more satisfying in uo than seeing your enemy falling off there mount into the dirt. Real pvpers don't need incentives.

Yes! Exactly! "Real" PvPers don't need incentives, yet... consensual PvP, for the most part, is dead here. Notice an issue?

"Real" PvPers pat themselves on the back for how elite they are. The issue is that casual players, who make up the majority of the UOF population, have no interest in being "elite". They don't want to join zerg guilds and precast - closest target. (Badge of leetness.) They don't want to sync drop the lone wolf out there while in a group of 3+. (Badge of leetness.) Hell, some don't even want to "show their skills" in a 20+ year old wizard game. (Crown of leetness.) They just want to... play.

It's why there's a PvP issue in the first place. I have a wife and kids. I'll never join a voice chat program the way I used to... just not interested. I'll likely never join any sort of organized gank squad. Doesn't interest me. And I'm definitely not the only one.

But I'm not against casual PvP. If the "Real" PvPers, who often complain about the lack of PvP, put their "skills" aside and realized that they'd have far more targets to gank if the casual PvPers wanted to participate, they'd realize that such a suggestion would give them exactly what they want. And they'd grab their own rewards in the process.

 

[toddyboi]

You sound like a frustrated pvmer... 1. How much time have you spent learning how to defend yourself? 2. Have you left 1 or 2 skills in your template to be able to defend yourself? 3. Do you have an escape strategy if you do come across a griefer/pk? 4. Have you considered joining a guild to help defend/train you? There are so many solutions to your problem with pks/griefers but it sounds like you just want to be left alone to do your thing. At the end of the day you joined a server that is felucca era uo and pks are part of that era.

Even a seasoned vet is going to die on his Pvm char against a highly skilled pker with a dp wep + explodes or a gank. Take some time to learn how to defend yourself and you'll enjoy your experience so much more.

 

[GoD PaRtiCal]

Meh.

 

[Winstonian]

You sound like a frustrated pvmer... 1. How much time have you spent learning how to defend yourself? 2. Have you left 1 or 2 skills in your template to be able to defend yourself? 3. Do you have an escape strategy if you do come across a griefer/pk? 4. Have you considered joining a guild to help defend/train you? There are so many solutions to your problem with pks/griefers but it sounds like you just want to be left alone to do your thing. At the end of the day you joined a server that is felucca era uo and pks are part of that era.

Even a seasoned vet is going to die on his Pvm char against a highly skilled pker with a dp wep + explodes or a gank. Take some time to learn how to defend yourself and you'll enjoy your experience so much more.

Wait, what? I think you missed the overall point here. (Not being a dick. I think my point was missed.)

I'm not talking about PvM. I have no problem with PvM. I don't care about dying in PvM. I have no issue with the red vs blue relationship on UOF (although I do think reds have it way too easy here... but that's for another discussion).

I'm talking about a lack of involvement in structured PvP. Factions were slow. Militias are practically dead. O/C died years ago. That's the basis for this suggestion: pulling casual players into structured PvP. Right now, there's absolutely no incentive for casual players to pretend that dying repeatedly to the established gank squads is a worthwhile use of time. Opening the field and generating this interest would be an incredible benefit for UOF.

 

[Winstonian]

I understand that "Real" PvPers feel the need to shred every PvP-based suggestion, but I encourage them to take a step back. "Real" PvPers benefit from this suggestion the most.

This suggestion provides "Real" PvPers with the only two things that matter: more (and easier) targets to kill, and high-end items. What "Real" PvPer would honestly be against either of those things?

 

[drasked]

I'm all for getting more ppl in to pvp but this sounds super easy to abuse.

 

[Winstonian]

I'm all for getting more ppl in to pvp but this sounds super easy to abuse.

I don't disagree, and - like anything else good in this world - some will try. It's my opinion that a severe consequence for that abuse (permanent ban) and an active player base will weed those players out and mitigate most of that abuse.

At worst, a few players successfully cheat the system for personal gain while structured PvP skyrockets, players enjoy themselves and the shard continues to grow.

 

[GoD PaRtiCal]

I don't disagree, and - like anything else good in this world - some will try. It's my opinion that a severe consequence for that abuse (permanent ban) and an active player base will weed those players out and mitigate most of that abuse.

At worst, a few players successfully cheat the system for personal gain while structured PvP skyrockets, players enjoy themselves and the shard continues to grow.

"a few"

Not sure if this guy has actually ever played UO.

 

[Winstonian]

"a few"

Not sure if this guy has actually ever played UO.

Believe me, I understand that a portion of the hardcore UOFers love cheating, hence the number of bans in the past.

If the punishment were a permanent ban, and it greatly improved the structured PvP on this shard, it would be well worth it.

 

[GoD PaRtiCal]

Believe me, I understand that a portion of the hardcore UOFers love cheating, hence the number of bans in the past.

If the punishment were a permanent ban, and it greatly improved the structured PvP on this shard, it would be well worth it.

Pretty sure it already is a perma ban -- hence why that other shard had anyone at all to play with.

 

[Winstonian]

Pretty sure it already is a perma ban -- hence why that other shard had anyone at all to play with.

So, help me with this.

Players know that their account will be deleted if they exploit this system. The numbers will easily show if a player is exploiting the system. Conditions can be established (ex: doesn't count damage done in houses) to help keep the system honest. Lastly, players can report abuse.

IF players still managed to exploit this system, they'd only have a chance at getting a reward. Yet the structured PvP on this shard would vastly increase in popularity, improving the overall health of UOF.

Where's the downside?

 

[drasked]

Can me and my "buddy" not practice field 1v1's with wands for hours on end?

 

[Winstonian]

Can me and my "buddy" not practice field 1v1's with wands for hours on end?

Sure. It would be defined as an exploit (because it clearly is) and you could be permanently banned.