Guild Wars 2

Why haven’t we seen an improvement on GW2’s PvP yet?

We’re still stuck with one Game Mode: Conquest. Even if it’s not a bad game mode, it simply cannot stand on it’s own. It is heavily based on capturing bases. Engaging in an actually challenging PvP fight is rarely beneficial for the team and one side usually ends up outnumbering the other after a while. It’s fine as a strategic Game Mode, but not as the only Game Mode as it barely provokes good PvP battles where your PvP skills matters.

Then there is the lack of variety. The Secondary Objectives where meant to solve this, but it is still Conquest one way or the other. So far we’ve seen small improvements, such as new maps (which I personally think has great map design) but it feels like the PvP barely gets any development time.

On the topic of adding additional Game Modes something like Capture the Flag could be considered as it, compared to Conquest, focuses on a much smaller amount of objectives. Either it could be a single flag, or it could be one at either side of the map at the opposite team’s base (which would add an element of hostility and danger as you approach their base).

But a more important option would be to add Team Deathmatch on a small map, just like a gladiator arena form ancient Rome! The PvP combat is already balanced around 4-8 players on each team so tweaking the balance to work for this format as well shouldn’t be all that difficult.

The reason why these Team Deathmatch Arenas would be such an important and needed feature is that it adds a lot of depth to the PvP combat and raise the skill cap further. If one member of your Team is Defeated, you’re in some serious trouble which makes it key to kill one of them off while making sure that your Team Mates are alive and out of lethal danger. In this format, knowing your opponent would benefit you a lot and that’s where a ton of depth comes from.

How long will the Thief be in Stealth and when should I dodge his opener? Will the Guardian be able to block this attack using Aegis… Maybe I could make him use it without launching my real burst? Should I save my Blowback for the Warrior with that nasty Axe in his secondary Weapon Set, or to interrupt that Mesmer’s Utility Skill that I know that he has?

This is the kind of depth in the PvP combat that isn’t present at this time! This is what MMO PvP should be all about!

And then there’s another issue: The reward system is dull and just not engaging. If you really want that reward at the end of the round, the match becomes massively more interesting and engaging. You care if you win or lose and that adds a lot of tension! In addition, if you’re working towards an item then the journey, in this case playing PvP, becomes a lot more enjoyable. This is a big reason why PvP in this game is as boring as it is, even with great combat design – It isn’t engaging.

I like your post...and want some sPvP/tPvP changes too.

...But the newest maps have begun to shift away from capture point. A small map with a game that consist of interesting terrain and awarding 1 point per kill...first to 10 kills (or highscore at end of a timer) is the closest A-net is ever going to get to deathmatch...

Deathmatch won’t be added because it isn’t fun for an audience to watch and the time of the matches will be anywhere from 20 seconds to 45 mins (extreme example I know)...that doesn’t work with what they are trying to create.

What sPvP needs to be taken seriously is a place for teams to practice (imo). I am not getting any better fighting the teams I face in tournaments 90% of the time. We use the same default strategy over and over.

I want to be able to practice anywhere from 5v5 to 8v8 against two teams made entirely of guildmates (or another guild we invite for skirmish)...on a server that won’t rotate maps until we want them to. We want to practice in private and try things out...strategy won’t develop if we have to debut a strategy in live tournaments while the strategy is still in the "theory" stage.

After they get the private servers straightened out...next is spectator mode, but I think A-net knows this.

A-NET...I will PAY straight-up COLD HARD CASH FOR A PRIVATE SERVER MAP....not gems...not anything but $$$$....I want to invite the teams I want and play on the maps I want...and maybe even set what the winning score needs to be.

pleeeeaaase give us this. You are running out of time. TAKE MY MONEY!!!!!

Them newest maps are still conquest – It’s not apple and pears, it is two kinds of apples. It sounds that your example of the format that would be the closest that Arena Net would ever get to Deathmatches sounds very casual, I have to say. I.e. it sounds like players would respawn just as in the present Game Mode, which takes away a lot of the importance of staying alive and killing the enemies, even if the game mode is designed around it.

A Teambased Arena Deathmatch is something that I think would be a lot more enjoyable to watch and play. It is a lot more exciting and skill based than I think Conquest will ever be, as it is more about positioning your team.

However I do agree with the fact that they should fix the “server-system” towards your desires. I think that it’s coming, but we’re just not seeing any evidence that real effort is being put into it by the developers.

They need to bring back something along the lines of Fort Aspenwood or War Song Gulch and actually have the arena be big enough that zerging is actually detrimental to your teams effort.

Heroes ascent in gw1 was 8vs8 you kill the other team you win that and GvG it was great please add it. I’m not interested in deathmatch which is just a slaughter fest the one with most kills win no thanks rather play this in fps games.

tom.7468:

Heroes ascent in gw1 was 8vs8 you kill the other team you win that and GvG it was great please add it. I’m not interested in deathmatch which is just a slaughter fest the one with most kills win no thanks rather play this in fps games.

I didn’t mean a Slaughterfest Deathmatch as in, say Call of Duty. I’m talking about organized ~4v4 (i.e.). No respawns, the team that defeats the other wins. It would very likely become highly competitive and difficult.

Phadde.7362:

tom.7468:

Heroes ascent in gw1 was 8vs8 you kill the other team you win that and GvG it was great please add it. I’m not interested in deathmatch which is just a slaughter fest the one with most kills win no thanks rather play this in fps games.

I didn’t mean a Slaughterfest Deathmatch as in, say Call of Duty. I’m talking about organized ~4v4 (i.e.). No respawns, the team that defeats the other wins. It would very likely become highly competitive and difficult.

They want a game with a time limit...that is clear...the type of match you are describing encourages turtles....they want a fasted paced game that is fun to watch.

For a spectator... a tournament death match is boring...they don’t want that. You have to know too much about each class to get what is going on, and commentating on death matches becomes either WAY too simple or WAY too complicated.

I get what you are saying that death match has some of the highest skill cap at the VERY top levels...but A-net wants this to be an easy to watch and easy to "get" game...all while maintaining a high enough skill cap to make it competitive at the top.

So I wouldn’t expect it added is all I’m saying...at least not for a year or two. They are missing some huge things right now...and I pray (for their sake...and their awesome game engine) they are working hard on them.

tom.7468:

Heroes ascent in gw1 was 8vs8 you kill the other team you win that and GvG it was great please add it. I’m not interested in deathmatch which is just a slaughter fest the one with most kills win no thanks rather play this in fps games.

+10 GvG definately needs to be added. This is GUILD Wars after all. I loved HoH in the original. It was a great way to test out GvG builds and it gave you an objective(whoever held HoH opened up Underworld and Fissure of Woe for their respective contiinent). Perhaps if HoH was added again you could have the HoH holder open up FotM for their server with the 3 WvWvW servers being the ones battleing for it.

I agree, we need more game modes, but not tdm.

Tdm is all about, kill the enemy. Simple enough. But there has to be a side objective. Think about this, since each team will no doubtedly know to stick together, they will engauage in a lets say 5v5 brawl. Pretty epic, and can change in the blink of an eye. Now lets say team A killed a memeber of team B. Now its 5v4 with team a having a much larger advantage because 20% of team B’s effectiveness (just example) got cut out so it is likly team A will just wipe the rest of team B out unless some memebrs of team B stealth away.

If there are no side objectives, people won’t split up and every encounter would end in a wipe. Tdm alone doesn’t work well because people are likly to group and zerg (as many already do in solo queue). Ctf is difficult right now because many people have a clear advantage over others with their mobility and spirit watch is getting adjustments with the orb already (the post is somewhere on the first few pages of this sub-forum). Idk what kinda of game modes aside from something bomb related that can be added, but I don’t see tdm working out well.

Clap.1507:

They want a game with a time limit…that is clear…the type of match you are describing encourages turtles….they want a fasted paced game that is fun to watch.

They’ve already changed Traits and abilities in sPvP only while keeping the original version outside of sPvP. It’s completely doable to nerf Bunker Build (i.e.) in sPvP or even in this Game Mode alone.

Clap.1507:

For a spectator… a tournament death match is boring…they don’t want that. You have to know too much about each class to get what is going on, and commentating on death matches becomes either WAY too simple or WAY too complicated.

It’s boring if you don’t know what’s going on. But the people that would like to Spectate Arena Matches in the first place are those who actually plays them. With the difficult and complex combat strategies that an Arena format would encourage and that would be required in order to climb up the ranks (Yes, of course you would meet players/teams with a similar win-rate, or whatever it should be measured in) you would as a Spectator know how hard it was to counter that attack, or how hard it was to dodge that attack while at the same time how little endurance that person has to use, or whether someone is preparing a devastating burst. You will learn the different Professions mechanics and some features in their possible builds and the animations that is followed by the nasty attacks and to interrupt the attacks entirely! This is a kind of thinking that doesn’t have room to bloom in the current Game Modes.

Clap.1507:

I get what you are saying that death match has some of the highest skill cap at the VERY top levels…but A-net wants this to be an easy to watch and easy to “get” game…all while maintaining a high enough skill cap to make it competitive at the top.

. . . Which is just what would be provided! Of course you’re not going to be up against people who are much better than you, just like the top WvW servers are matched up against each other while the less successful ones fight with servers of similar success.
At first you will have to learn all these little things and become better and better. When things is going well you’ll be up against people with similar success-rate and skill.

Clap.1507:

So I wouldn’t expect it added is all I’m saying…at least not for a year or two. They are missing some huge things right now…and I pray (for their sake…and their awesome game engine) they are working hard on them.

I’m trying not to think about how much fun I could have with a great PvP environment and actually enjoy what’s available. I hope it doesn’t takes nearly that long =/

NinjaEd.3946:

I agree, we need more game modes, but not tdm.

Tdm is all about, kill the enemy. Simple enough. But there has to be a side objective. Think about this, since each team will no doubtedly know to stick together, they will engauage in a lets say 5v5 brawl. Pretty epic, and can change in the blink of an eye. Now lets say team A killed a memeber of team B. Now its 5v4 with team a having a much larger advantage because 20% of team B’s effectiveness (just example) got cut out so it is likly team A will just wipe the rest of team B out unless some memebrs of team B stealth away.

If there are no side objectives, people won’t split up and every encounter would end in a wipe. Tdm alone doesn’t work well because people are likly to group and zerg (as many already do in solo queue). Ctf is difficult right now because many people have a clear advantage over others with their mobility and spirit watch is getting adjustments with the orb already (the post is somewhere on the first few pages of this sub-forum). Idk what kinda of game modes aside from something bomb related that can be added, but I don’t see tdm working out well.

The fact that getting one teammate killed is devastating for the chance to win is very true, which makes it so vital to avoid that! This adds tension and makes it more difficult.

The advantage in mobility should be balanced out for the one that wields the flag. You won’t be able to use Ride the Lightning while wielding the flag, because you shouldn’t be able to.

Phadde.7362:

The fact that getting one teammate killed is devastating for the chance to win is very true, which makes it so vital to avoid that! This adds tension and makes it more difficult.

The advantage in mobility should be balanced out for the one that wields the flag. You won’t be able to use Ride the Lightning while wielding the flag, because you shouldn’t be able to.

Thats the skill the anet moderator talked about. Also any invulnerability skills will drop the orb as well in the upcoming patch. Don’t know anything else on this but thats what they said.

The principal thing in favor of team deathmatch is that you actually have to be good at killing people to win. That alone makes it worth having, even if not as the “default” game mode.