Guild Wars 2

So since playing my first 3d MMO Planetside and it essentially dying, I have been on an epic quest to find “the” next game. I have searched the globe and travelled through time back to Daoc, formed my Travellers Reunited Fellowship to help in my search, we have been through the dark ages of AOC, Aion and Rift, seen the likes of WAR, gone to far distant battlefields where mechs are used to fight yet and none have satisfied. You would think i should be keen for PS2, but the thought of essentially been forced to play on AU servers is a major downer.

Awhile ago I had an epiphany on why I enjoyed Planetside so much, it wasn’t the combat, that was kitten, it wasn’t the graphics, they were worse. I believe it was that i could play the game anyway a liked and still had that sense of “winning” I didn’t care if we lost a base or tower land meant nothing to me, I played to kill people, that was my goal and as long as I accomplished that I was happy(I always did). Others I know played for land and map control or achievements, but with no true game system telling you that you won or lost you felt free to do what you liked.

In GW2, while it’s undoubtedly the best game iv played since Planetside and others Daoc i can’t help but feel with the scoreboard been jammed down people’s throats. it effects the way people play and therefore their enjoyment of the game. I feel it taking over in the way I lead raids, I really just want to fight and kill people but with the scoreboard right there every second I feel it’s a must to try to “win” at fantasy video gaming. It seems once a server gains a significant lead now the other servers just stop trying or queuing, because they already feel they have lost.

Now I don’t like complaining about something and not atleast attempting to give thoughts a solution. I think the first one needs to be, give people another goal that keeps people out there fighting and wanting to PvP. Some brief thoughts are:
Leaderboards for players / guilds in points(however that would work) and kills(thats killing blows, not assists, lets not reward zerg assisting here)
World PvP ranks, yea its probably gonna have to be a grind, or a grind then skillcheck eg xx kills in one life or something to that effect and then offer rewards like ELITE ABILTIES THAT ARNT kitten maybe and/or defiantly visual distinctive pvp gear. Perhaps some more trait points? :O

I don’t think the score mechanic should be removed, its unique here, but they should offer others things so players feel like they’re “winning” or accomplishing something, even if its not map control. I have another thought, but first i think they need people out there and stay out there so they can more accurately graph server activity.

I think their current glecko rating system is still alittle off, these systems never seem to work out well, but im not sure on what else they could use to gauge results, i think though they need to look at servers wvw and activity too though when matching and not just raw rating value. Eg: obviously servers with strong US only presence would be matched against each other while servers that have higher oceanic presences like IOJ and SOS would be match against each other, i don’t know how it could be done but im sure they could formup some sort of line graph with activity monitored each hour and then match the servers who have the least deviation from eachother.

I will now listen to your replies to my poorly typed and grammarised post, do make them quick though, in 2 hours iv gotta night cap everything in the A bracket back so I can win at fantasy gaming.

Is the scoreboard the problem? Considering that pretty much every team sport has one I don’t see how that can be the case.

Personally I think the problem is the number of fairweather players who leave or just won’t play when their team is losing. A lot of the current scores aren’t a good indication of server strength or even the numbers they can bring to the battle. Many servers just plain gave up after a few days. Had they stuck around or even allied with the other losing server then they may have had a chance at making a comeback, or at least making the scoreboard look more respectable.

Do people like it when their favourite football/baseball/rugby/whatever team gives up once they start losing? No. So why is it acceptable here?

The score board is not the problem. As it serve both purpose of rallying & demoralising a losing servers.

it is when the “Gap” becomes too big. People then starts to realise it becomes a pointless uphill battle.

@ Tzash : Don’t think we can even be comparing WvW to a Sport, or War for that matter (since everyone enjoy referencing this). As both Sport & War has consequences. Athletics lost their jobs when they lose. War lost lives when they lose.
But i do agree your opinion on fairweather players are so very true.

*edit : we lacking som consequences for losing. Just imagine getting lock into a server 1 week after launch. People who stuck in losing server would have strive to do better (currently you just Xfer up), or just give up ( which some are already doing either ways) so no lost there.

IMO they can use a revamp to the score board system. Making result less impactful psychologically. By splitting the one week battles into Segments/rounds (daily/bi-daily scoring resets). Just like Tennis. Just like Badminton. Etc..

Actually there are no real consequences in sport either.

THAT IS THE PROBLEM! I said it was the problem…GOD.

What do you want to do to fix it though? call them all soft and expect them to stay out there? maybe if if they stay out there and fight they can make the playoffs perhaps even get awarded with new jerseys and then have St. Kilda style tip touching party to celebrate their victory?

No the problem is that people focus on the score when they can’t play instead of the game when they can play.

You can still kill the enemy when outscored. The score changes very little in the grander scheme of things.
Of course if it is because you think you win the game by climbing the scoreboard – well ‘sure’ …. but if you play the game to PvP – the scoreboard is actually quite irrelevant.

Ok so the scoreboard isn’t the problem.

People giving up when they’re losing is.

How do they know they’re losing.. the scoreboard?

Sorry Sky all the evidence clearly proves it’s not the scoreboard…

Houdii.2563:

Ok so the scoreboard isn’t the problem.

People giving up when they’re losing is.

How do they know they’re losing.. the scoreboard?

Sorry Sky all the evidence clearly proves it’s not the scoreboard…

…I’d say it’s the American education system.

Not all People give up when they are losing. Some strive to do better.

Its the mentality behind losing that determine " to Give up "or “not to”.

agreed with OP – the score board is the problem. remove it. Pride of guild flags flying over keeps should be its own reward – how about a if you click on the guild flag you get something like “Held by XX guild since date YYYY” that should be enough of an incentive.