GW2 devs,
I grew up playing FPS games. In those days “Territories” was the worst game type that nobody I knew enjoyed. Unfortunately, you guys have made it into the primary PvP game type for 3+ years now.
I’ll get to the point. Add more game types and don’t limit players into playing only one. More players will find their niche in PvP as more game type options are created.
Also adding new game types will allow players to engage in a variety of strategies. PvP won’t be dominated by only 2-3 classes.
Disclaimer I realize the following will be shocking news to you. Prepare yourself because the kitten will be strong.
Anyways, Halo 2 was the best game ever made. It’s perfect in every way. So the following game types are mostly from the matchmaking of that game.
Also the current PvP maps are enough to support these game types. Only preventing players from attacking from spawn area will be required.
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Game Types:
Team Deathmatch:
Kill XX players to win. Simple.
Variant: No down state. Take out enemy’s health to score the kill.
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Capture the Flag
1st way is to give each team “a flag” (banner) at their base and the opposing team has to capture the flag while simultaneously defending their own.
2nd way is to have only 1 centralized flag that both team fight and try to capture.
3rd way is to have 2/4/6 rounds. One team will be defending, while the other attacks the flag. They will switch roles after the round ends by a flag capture or timer runs out.
Flag rules:
Holding the flag gives you new 1-5 skills while allowing the player to use their other skills.
While holding the flag, personal movement speed needs to be negated or place the player in combat.
Flag is dropped if the player dodges, blinks, or shadow steps.
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Oddball. Play Ball.
A banner/special item randomly spawns for 1 minute. Holding the item nets your team a time score.
For example you hold the item for 10 seconds before getting downed, your team gets awarded 10 seconds. And so on until a team accumulates X minutes to win.
Same rules as the flag. The item will also give new skills. Item holder could be buffed or weakened depending on balance.
1 minute after being grabbed the first time, the item resets and spawns again at a new random location.
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King of the Hill
There will be a central area, very similar to the current capture points. Except a single team won’t be able to capture it, only contest it. A time score will be given to the team contesting it. Accumulate XX minutes to win.
In order to discourage players who simply contest the hill to prevent progression for either team, the time score will go to the team with the most number of players inside the hill. Another method is to give a longer respawn time (20s or longer) but that may turnout to be too boring.
Also players will be prevented from contesting if dodging, stealthed, or invulnerable.
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Assault
Break into the enemy team’s base and plant a charge. Planting a charge will take X seconds. Then the enemy team will have XX seconds to disarm the charge or lose.
Again kind of similar to capture the flag, but no special item is required. Different ways to play either take turns attacking/defending or can be simultaneous.
Players won’t be able to arm/disarm while in stealth or invulnerable.
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VIP or Assassination
A single person on each team will be randomly assigned a VIP status. Find and kill the VIP on the other team to gain a point. A new VIP will be selected after the current is killed. Get to XX points to win.
Variants: The VIP player could be hidden from opposing team. Also VIP could be given a buff or debuff.
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Arena
Free for all. 10 players enter, only 1 emerges victorious.
This will be mind blowing fun with lots of back stabs and stealing kills.
Might be hard to program 10 different teams.
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I also suggest to implement 3-4 of these not just 1 game type. Having a variety will allow lots of variants in different builds and different player personalities. This will also help to attract and retain more players, as they settle into their favorite game type and specific roles.
Please DO NOT LET PLAYERS VOTE for one of these inside a single arena. I say this because the current PvP players won’t like the new game types and then new players won’t get to experiment. Instead have a separate rated arena for each game type.
Again this game already has an amazing action oriented combat and great potential. The problem is that you guys are still stuck in the traditional click and shoot MMO mentality.
If you adopt a new action oriented mindset, E-sports will be a sure thing for this game.