Seems to me that CBT is about the evaluation of game performance under various conditions. To assure developer expectations are met and that the game is stable and relatively free of unwanted problems.

Within an MMO, players are content and integral to the game experience itself. Game designers of course know this and build or shape a framework of interaction that governs progression or development. Players in turn get enjoyment for time and funds spent in exchange for their involvement. So player interaction is very much about the game design itself. My apologies, I'm stating the obvious.

How players interact with each other in a way hostile to the game's long-term success is fully evident during these beta tests. Which is the point of beta, after all. What the game designers are seeing within the PVP test servers is a game performance matter that should be of very high concern. The criteria for pass / fail with regard to how reliable the game functions is by how well it performs by delivering the type of content its PVP players will fund. Battlegrounds on PVE servers helps to some extent in that regard (albeit with a loss of spontaneity). Duels, etc. etc.

The pass / fail test results during beta come in the form of player feedback in addition to game performance observations. And sufficient enough player feedback is such that this area of test is a pattern failure condition that should have the game company pretty alarmed. The resolution isn't a selection between server types, but a change in PVP competition (penalties, bounties, restrictions, jail, karma, status, whatever). As a comparison, we don't see roaming max level mobs moving around or in new player areas one-shot killing 'opponents'. That is an objectionable form of game design if those mobs were rampant and overwhelming to players. What makes it objectionable, is whether the player will remain in game regardless if it's a PVP or PVE server. Sure, groups of players could kill of roaming end-game raid bosses that seek to 'gank' players it finds. The content weight of a raid-boss vs. max level player in this regard isn't the same, but the principle to highlight the game flaw is the same.

Within Aion and L2, twinked and ranged dps alts would roam about and gank new players. Very regularly for their enjoyment, points, reward or status. For enjoyment and clan/political reasons, I've ganked many many baddie folks end-game in L2 before FTP. Eventually and over time game designers added guards in new player hunting grounds for L2. Aion saw an exodus of players from the game due to the same PVP game design flaw. Invalid and meaningless "PVP" which helped to erode its PVP player base. These games just didn't perform well in this regard, players lost interest over time (or became frustrated) and moved on.

The difference here is Tera designers have an early indication of the problem. And how much game play latitude is given to griefers remains to be seen. It will be an indicator of the game's long-term success (or how limited it will be). Plus, I suspect that where there's undue support for griefers (insufficient consequences), there will be cheaters without due game balance and protection to retain players and protect the interests of the company and its customers.

With PVP in its current form on PVP servers, this area of beta testing has revealed a problem of game design counter to the interests of its customers.

Helping out during beta has been a lot of fun.

I agree. Ganking is just a part of playing on a pvp server though. You're gonna get ganked a few times while leveling up and you're gonna have to deal with it because some people are just plain [filtered]s. However, when someone complains about ganking and griefing and someone else responds "roll PvE" that's just stupid and childish. We rolled on a pvp server to pvp. We know the god damn consequences and the pros and cons but that doesn't make ganking and griefing any less pathetic and annoying.

Even if high level can't 1 shot kill anymore, those same high level griefers would just bring 2~3 friends along to kill you in .5 second instead.

There wouldn't be much difference. Their objective is to grief you, and they would be number crunching and nerding themselves out to grief you.

Griefer will be griefing. That's OWPvP.

There Is 3 things I will not do and I call It the LOW ROAD. 1 - Killing lowbies 2 - Camping 3 - Greifing = killing the same person over and over. I do understand though that It will happen on Pvp servers and some will call It Pvp. It Is bothersome when you have that mob or mobs on you when that Pk-er makes his jump but It Is to his advantage and In most cases It's the time when It will happen. If It's a fair fight you are looking for then Pve and or dueling Is what you are looking for. As to the one shot problem I think that Is more of a game issue unless of course you are talking about the low life 30 attacking a 15 as a example. I agree with you Op though that the feeling of being attacked at any moment and looking over that shoulder Is so much fun.

CBT1 I got *griefed/ganked* 10+ times so I returned to the pve server.
CBT2 pvp server and got griefed/ganked around 5 times.
CBT3 pvp server and got griefed/ganked around 5 times.
CBT4 pvp server and got griefed/ganked ONCE.

Yes in EVERY CBT I have created a new char so I have had to go through the low level levelling each time.

First thing I learnt was to NEVER try to level on Channel 1.
Second thing was changing channels was my best friend.
Third thing was never to comment about being griefed/ganked in LFG chat.

My worry is if EME keep nerfing and penalising pvp it will totally ruin how the game is supposed to progress. I dont like being griefed/ganked but I accept its going to happen because certain players just dont have the pvp capabilites to pvp their own levels. Anyone in my opinion who calls griefers/gankers hardcore pvpers has no idea what pvp actually is :D

Player VERSUS Player

versus ˈvɚsəz/ preposition
1 — used to indicate the two people, teams, etc., that are fighting or competing against each other

There is NO versus OR fighting against each other when you are griefed/ganked hence my beleif that griefers/gankers are NOT hardcore pvpers :D

Quote: AlexSkylark on 03/26/2012, 08:51 AM - view

If you get ganked and you go somewhere else, you deserve to be in pvp server

If you get ganked and QQ about it

Go on a Pve Server

I've played just about every MMO that's had open world FFA or team based pvp, and from my experiences with Ktera and US CBTs have only produced one isue imo, simply put: Level disparity in pvp.

In Tera, the damage done by someone a mere 3 or 4 levels higher then you, and the reduced damage you can inflict on them, makes the fight extremely hard to win (or impossible) depending on how many levels higher the enemy is to you. For example, a lvl 30 is not a real threat to a level 38.

This isn't the only game that has suffered from this problem, and honestly it's not game breaking at all imo (Leveling in Tera is super fast, so you spend very little time not at cap, AND if there are multiple channels to play in *If there are high level griefers in 1 channel, you can just move into another very easily*)

Also, FFA, unbridled pvp leaves policing up to the community. If a guild engages in camping lowbies over and over again, the community can rise up and do something about them, kinda making a sandbox style political pvp system of PKers VS PK-Killers. Which can be a lot of fun.

Honestly, high levels owning lowbies isn't going to change this late in the game. It's built into the core came mechanics and I doubt they would rework ALL of it this close to launch. No, I KNOW they won't.

The only semi-realistic solution the game devs could do at this point would be to make a level restriction on pvp. For example, a lvl 50 can't attack a lvl 40. Something along those lines. In a scenario like this, people who are questing and competing over content their level would be able to actively fight each other and gank as they choose, but their targets would be limited to people who have a fighting chance. But, I don't think this kind of system is necessary, or going to happen.

I think the game is fine just the way it is. Best thing you can do is team up with strong players who can try and help you deal with lowbie gankers. Self policing communities are a lot of fun to participate in.

Just my 2 cents.

Ganking and PKing is apart of the MMO aspect of these games. It's always been that way since Asherons Call, EQ, AO etc. If you don't like being ganked "Pked" then don't roll on a PvP server and cry and moan about it.

That's what PvE servers are for, this is why there are two different type of servers created.


/end.

I suggest if to many high levels are camping the lower levels add a dishonourable de-buff that stacks to them or simply increase the infamy of these kills. Ether way the pvp should def have some sort of self checking system incase the amount of griefers outmasses the amount of people who hunt pkers. Aions abyss system self moniters itself, but thats because the factions need to work to get to one another and one does not simply respawn and walk two feet and start camping the low level choke points all over again.

I like the pk system but it may need a few tweaks, that don't mean it should be overhauled or people should stop pking

They need to segregate PVE and PVP forums too.

PVP'ers = THE WORST