Guild Wars 2

This is to the devs mostly, and is a bit inspired by an extra credits video.

One of the big problems plaguing sPVP right now is stagnation. It is the reason why I myself haven’t played sPVP in what seems like forever. We’re still using the same equipment, running the same maps, fighting the same teams. There’s only so many times you can capture the clocktower before one throws up their arms and says “Screw it! Let the clocktower fend for itself. I’m gonna go outside!”.

Anet has been trying to have a high standard with the sPVP maps they release. This has predictable results: problems anyway, and it takes forever to make a new map. But what if Anet decided to… not? Skyhammer is was one of my favorite maps, despite the majority hating it. A lot of people want skyhammer to be relegated to some obscure corner where they’ll never have to deal with it again.

Lets just say that corner exists. Think of what else we could put in there? Dynamic and crazy PVP maps that aren’t necessarily meant for e-sports or competitive gaming. Unofficial game modes that doesn’t have sPVP balanced around it. Guild vs. Guild. There are a lot of things we can shove into this corner on the premise that this corner isn’t meant to be competitive.

With that premise, Anet can put out a lot of content, so long as they lower their standards and fail faster.

With all that said, here are some ideas that probably would fall in the trash competitively, but nonetheless would be fun to just play around with.

#1: Dueling. Three maps: Flat circular arena, flat circular arena floating in the sky so you can be knocked off, and an overworld PVE mode which is basically wherever you decide to duke it out.

#2: Battle Royal / Guild vs. Guild. Maps include all current spvp maps, plus a wide open area, plus the smaller dueling maps. Two modes: fight to the death, and time match w/ kill count.

#3: Labyrinth map. Whole map is a 3 tiered maze with corridors, traps, rotating rooms, and switches/levers to prime some of the traps (that will fire off on your own teammates if you aren’t careful).

#4: A map that has, alongside other features, a long but relatively narrow corridor between two conquest points, creating a choke that will allow you to kill people off point if you so desire.

#5: A mostly underwater map that has several floating ships and a larger underwater area. Conquest points would be predominantly underwater.

#6: A very large G vs. G map that is loaded with large but slow moving champion monsters that are extremely dangerous, leading to a map where you try to stealthy navigate NPCs to try and capture points.

#7: An sPVP mode where both teams try to kill off a dedicated world champion in a quartered off area from each other, except there will be several traps and siege weaponry that allow one team to harass the other. Essentially, a PVE race, but with sPVP gear.

When the primary concern becomes fun instead of balance, there’s no limit to the stuff you can come up with. If other people have other ideas, feel free to post them.