Player-vs-Player Systems Examined

Brendan Drain over at Massively has an in-depth look at PvP systems in general, using a comparison of two very different games in an attempt to find the ideal. EVE and Age of Conan are two very different games, yet each has their pros and cons to PvP. Is there a perfect middle ground to be had? "EVE Online and Age of Conan are both heavily PvP-oriented MMOs and while they take vastly different approaches to PvP, both approaches are successful in their own way. The high-consequence PvP in EVE leads to infrequent but meaningful conflicts with adrenaline pumping and guns blazing. In contrast, PvP in Conan is a fast-paced fantasy deathmatch where it's as fun to have your head chopped off as to burn someone alive. Where EVE Online would have me biting my nails nervously when attacked, Age of Conan has me laughing as a maniac smashes my head in with two clubs."

polyvinylpyrrolidine

[Hatta]

What's polyvinylpyrrolidine got to do with MMOs?

Re:polyvinylpyrrolidine

[Jarjarthejedi]

What? You haven't heard of RFC 1150 - Standard for the transmission of MMO Datagrams over Polyvinylpyrrolidine?

What a ripoff!

[Anonymous Coward]

You talk about heads being chopped off or smashed in with two clubs, and you provide no screenshots?

Funk dat!

Re:Oh...

[moderatorrater]

It's just a competition to the top...

It's like it's just a game to them.

Re:pvp in mmorpg's is fundamentally flawed.

[SBacks]

Yes, differences in level and gear make a huge difference in the outcome of a battle. But, in an RPG game, that's sort of the point.

As for one class having to be "overpowered", that isn't necessarily true. It is possible to balance the different abilities so that no class has an advantage. You can also go with the rock, paper, scissors approach in that every class has another that it overpowers, but also has a class that overpowers it.

FPS games are usually incredibly well balanced, but even they have some asymmetry in objective based battles. It can be due to the two different sides having different objectives (attack/defend) or from slight asymmetry in maps (one base is easier to defend than the other).

Re:Oh...

[Adriax]

Farming and level grinding is considered similar to foreplay for a lot of powergamers. A boring and tedious process you're forced to endure before you get to the good stuff.
 
Actually, come to think of it, there's a LOT of similarities between their views of foreplay and sub-uber game levels. Both take time, both are tedious, afterwards you get a short period of lots of fun followed by disappointment, and both can be bypassed if you've got enough cash and a willingness to deal with shady businessmen...