I think the game has a lot going for it, but some things I feel could use some polish. I’ve made a post or two about this before here…. and wanted to add a few more things that I think could help competitive pvp even more and its viewership.
I think an element that will limit e-sport interest with this game is some of the slow non-action elements that happen through the course of a match.
For example:
1. Decapping takes 4 seconds, and Capping a point takes 15-16 seconds. This is so dull to do and watch. This also enforces more of the, once you win a few fights and bunker down, you win the match. It also encourages bunker meta and limits other tactics for points. Now I don’t know the exact time to cap, but from a viewer and player point of view, I’d rather see a point full decap and cap take place in 9-10 seconds max. This alone would open up a lot more tactics and exciting shifts in my opinion.
2. The touchy ground of downed states and rezzing is a mixed bag for players and viewers. I personally like it for the most part (aside from non-equal states). However it still feels to slow to flag someone. Really who wants to watch a guy stay in one spot, leap in the air and stomp a flag in a guy for 3 seconds, then have it interrupted and then another 3 seconds go by. Or then have a teammate of his, run over bend down for 3-5 seconds and heal him up. It all takes away from action and which is what people like to watch.
There are a lot of ways to go about this and I’m not honestly sure what the right one is. I’d say maybe cut the downing of a guy down to 2 seconds, adjust downed state abilities and make rezzing less common, thus speeding up the action aspect of the game.
This would also help in a common situation of losing the first few fights means you’ve lost the match, since you would now have less drawn out fights on points that take forever to re-cap.
3. This one has been brought up on all fronts in more detail than myself. Over the top burst capability and over the top bunkering from the top offenders (all the prefered classes atm in tpvp) need to be brought down to help bring the other classes up. This would allow for more diversity of choices and team synergies. Also as a viewer, its seeing a fight end in 1-3 seconds (absurd quickness macroed burst), or have one drag on forever because super bunker playstyle, which is exasperated by long downing times and making it back from spawn to re-continue due to long point capping times.
Also, at the moment there is no reason to not bring a mesmer (portal, and team quickness)(and use to be ultra strong? We wil see how the bandaid fix effected them), a Elementalist type, great damage, great support, great movement, great survivability, a bunker guardian or even Ele lasts for ever, necro’s are brought to counter current meta and provide constant pressure and rezz, and thief burst is just so wtf I got suprised and dead or dropped to 1/3 or a warrior can do that as well..