Player Summit Ustream Highlights: Keynote and opening Q and A

Just a quick thanks to VK and the rest of the bloggers taking time out of their day to pass information along.

Yeah, here here. Thank you VK, it's very kind of you and done very well.

You report the facts as you like

Where can I see better pics?
Everything look awesome. Need I22 badly.
Since we only get sexy costume for females, why we not getting those Greek helmets with hair option for females?

Well, I like the sound of everything except the Super Packs. I don't care to throw my money away like that, no matter how little they might cost. Not worth the risk of getting junk I'll never use.

I just realized that when Second Measure said at SDCC that the next zone to be revamped was going to be one that had only been suggested once or twice on the forums, he was using Incarnate level sarcasm

I didn't find the PvP guy nearly as annoying as the woman who went on and on about not being able to find the last mob on a map when you don't know if it's a defeat all or whatever.

STAFF FIGHTING!!!!!!!

**Attempts to post random meme of 'take my money gif' but passes out**

Even if PVP was the most perfectly designed system in the game with exquisite balance and awarded merits, shards and threads I doubt I would play, due to some offensive players.

The least offensive things I've heard in broadcast was trashtalk. I can't really type some of the more offensive stuff.

I'm sure there are cool PvP players out there. They must be playing on some weird server or schedule.

BTW, complaining that PVP has gotten no love means very little to someone who build bases.

Also, thanks for the transcript! I never get to go to these but it's cool to know what they are talking about!

several times on ustream they mentioned a survey, It would be nice if we could get a electronic version to fill out

Summation of my Q/A mic time with the Devs for pvp:

The point I brought up during the keynote was revisiting PVP as a viable and accessible feature in a game built around the core of "heroes vs villains". Since PVP's initial shoehorn insertion into what is essentially a PVE environment, the direction of it always took a back seat to existing PVE experiences; that is to say, you could PVE anywhere you wanted, but for PVP combat opportunities, it was only in restricted zones, or in arenas where like-minded players would necessarily aggregate. The result: An insular community by design, where opportunity for exposure was always cordoned off by "it's too hard, it's too narrow, it doesn't add to my experience."

The design element I suggested was, "knock down the walls" and allow heroes and villains to have the option to run missions in each other's territories. For my question, I gave the classic example: Villains robbing a bank in Paragon City, which is a fairly iconic experience in the genre. Once having robbed the bank... they'd exit into the city zone, and would have to traverse their way to their exfil point.

All the while, alarms would blare for heroes in that zone that a superpowers crime was being committed (say, a hotspot flashie on your map). Heroes would have the option of chasing down and defeating the running villains, and villains would focus on evasion or simple brute tactics to survive the gauntlet. Either way, rewards from this additional experience would be higher due to the degree of interaction.

The second element I outlined was "PVP flags" and "PVP duels": To make this zone combat accessible to willing players, but to protect those unwilling to participate, any player unflagged for PVP would be able to watch the heroes and villains fight, but otherwise do nothing to impact the outcome (no damaging attacks, no buffs, etc). The "Duel" mode would LOCK one group of each side into combat with each other until one side or the other met their objectives.

The net result: Elements of zone PVP combat would be integrated into normal day to day gameplay, in a way that made sense with the genre, without forcing the combat requirement on unwilling players. The goal is to blur the barriers between PVE and PVP without directly mixing them irrevocably. However, being able to watch the fight happen realtime, in your zone, would frankly be a hell of a thing. Who DOESN'T want to watch the Justice League and the Legion of Doom duke it out on the steps of City Hall?

General response to my question afterwards seemed fairly positive, from the players with whom I chatted. They suggested that the new Phasing combat mechanic might go a long way in fleshing out this idea, along with other cool scenarios that could be done (someone mentioned a tech heist from Crey or Portal Corp, that sort of thing).


To the OP:

I'd be grateful if you try to report the questions, even in brief. FYI, I'm not a 'PVP Guy' by any stretch of the definition - in fact, I almost excessively PVE these days. I stopped back about 8 issues ago from my casual dalliances, but as a fan of the comic book genre I always felt it was a mechanic that could be grown better than the original (and current) design. My suggestion to the Devs and to the players present was to evolve the integration in a way that revived PVP interest while respecting PVE preference. I don't "represent" anyone, except myself. I'm just a player with an idea.

@TURGENEV - Freedom Server / IRON / B.A.N.E / HORDE

Turg Fiction: Ghost in the Machine Acts III & IV coming 2012!
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