I’m going to preface this by mentioning that I don’t actually do sPvP. Holding point just…doesn’t do it for me. Besides, it’s unfairly well-suited for particular skillsets and builds, including my favorite: Engineer Turrets. I don’t want them getting nerfed in the rest of the game (where they suck) because one part happens to encourage exactly what they’re for, so I’m going to suggest a new mode that should hopefully be interesting. Also not aware if this has already been suggested or anything, honestly I’ve been on these boards twice (and once was to look at the thread where the devs finally realized Scope was nonfunctional).
If you like it, pipe up and maybe it’ll be added if the devs agree; if you don’t, hey, not like it’s going to hurt my feelings. Without further mucking around, the idea:
- Objective/Map:
An Escort/Capture objective (Dolyak/Golem) must go from Point A to Point B, basically. Essentially, Capture the Flag, if the flag is autonomously mobile.
Map is essentially a grid of ‘nodes’ between which objective moves.
- Teams:
Escort team seeks to take objective from Escort Node A/B/C, to Escort Node D/E/F.
Capture team seeks to take objective from Capture Location to a Capture Node.
Obviously, Escort defends against Capture, and if Capture succeeds in Capturing, they have to defend against Escort.
- Nodes:
Starting Node for Escort (A/B/C, in the above) should be randomly selected, with the Ending Node (D/E/F, in the above) being any of the three Escort Node locations. A set of Capture nodes would be specified upon each capture, with their distance from Capture location maybe roughly equal to the distance crossed by the Escort team, in order to prevent undue focus on particular locations (this might need to be changed, depending on the artillery).
At each of the Navigation nodes, the escort objective would stop for a short time; direction would be put to vote by the controlling team (via dialogue that pops up above the minimap, hopefully, to prevent disruptions mid-combat). If no votes were cast, or each option had the same number of votes, the objective would choose its next location randomly. If votes were cast and not even, it would choose the highest unique number – if three options were presented, and the votes were 3/1/1, it would go with the 3, but if they were 2/2/1, it would go with the 1. This is to prevent ties (keeping the game moving) and encourage communication within the team (which is here assumed to be five-person).
Controlling team would see what path it would take, in a similar fashion to Living Story or Personal Story objectives are shown, and the enumeration of the votes; they should be aware of where it is and will be.
- Support objectives:
At the edges of the map might be Barracks and Artillery emplacements.
Barracks would spawn groups of weak-ish NPCs (just strong enough to whittle the players down if left unchecked, like mooks in Dynasty Warriors), which would grant neither XP nor loot bags – essentially, they’re there to keep things busy and provide opportunities for their side, rather than a reason to trade control and farm. NPCs should be able to capture the objective, at a reduced speed.
Artillery would provide supporting fire, run by an NPC if there were no players controlling it; NPCs would by default focus on eliminating the groups of other NPCs, but deal reduced (let’s go with 50% for the moment) damage and only use the most basic attack available. Artillery should have the range to reach perhaps two-thirds of the field (to allow for avoidance, though it might need to be balanced by setting up a special case for Capture Nodes in those locations to be closer than otherwise would occur).
These support objectives would be able to be captured; if controlled by a team other than their original, they would simply deactivate. In this way, hopefully there’d be a reason to go after them.
That’s the bones of it. It’s very basic, I think, but would make mobility a bigger part of sPvP – roamers would be needed to keep track of the escort, so that the less-mobile could attempt to intercept, while minion waves would necessitate someone defending the objective, and the support objectives create additional strategic complications. There’d also be a variety of possible strategies, of course. A full group of sustain specs could perhaps take the objective through the artillery-free nodes, hoping to fight off the capture team while ignoring anything but the objective, while a pack of bursty roamers could strike out for the enemy support objectives, and then use the resultant advantage of their own support objectives to try to opportunistically burst down the enemy and take the objective.
Thoughts?