PvP Server Concerns - Help

[rieko]

Hi guys. I'm after some information and personal experiences regarding rolling on a PvP server in SWTOR for my guild.

 

Ill give you our predicament first. We are a currently based on Hidden Beks which as PvE server, a decision we made pre-launch due to our casual attitude towards gaming and the bad experiences many of our guild members have had on PvP servers in other games.

 

However having played the game for a number of months now, some in our guild feel that the upcoming server transfers could be an oppurtunity to rethink our decision and (if at all possible) transfer to a populated PvP server when the time comes, due to the fact that the game design means players rarely see the opposing faction anyway. I'm aware that details of who, what and where we can transfer are yet to be confirmed by Bioware, but we are just preparing for possibility of it.

 

Now as it stands, many are up for moving to a PvP server, but its safe to say that many are concerned that we are even considering such a move as past experiences in other MMO's have formed a clear opinion of open world PvP i.e. gank fests, more aggressive demographic etc.

 

I have some experience on Shadow Runner which is a low pop PvP server, but my toon on that server is low level and rarely played. So I'm asking the community, especially the guys/gals who have characters on higher population PvP servers what are your experiences? Are there constant gank fests? Do you even come across any of the opposite faction unless you "go looking for "? And are some of our guildies worries/fears justified in SWTOR?

 

The suggestion that those who want a PvP server should leave and find a new guild is not an option I'm afraid, as some of us have been playing together for the best part of a decade so we obviously want to stick together.

 

I eagerly await your feedback

[Ezenthor]

SWTOR does a pretty good job of separating the two sides as far as questing goes, but at the same time putting the two against each other during things like world events (or at least they did for the last one). I can tell you that even when my server (Helm of Graush) actually had a fair amount of people in it, ganking was relatively low. I think I was killed 5 or 6 times on the way to 50, and usually it was by someone only a few levels higher than me, rather than a 50 killing me.

 

When the Tatooine world event came out, that was really really fun as far as PvP goes. The first day there were massive battles in many of the daily areas. It did kind of die down towards the end, but it was still a lot of fun. The last day Empire decided to camp the guy that you turn the DNA samples into, and basically keep republic from turning anything in.

 

So as far as my opinion goes, Bioware has done a pretty good job of PvE servers Vs. PvP. Its set up to where you can usually quest in relative peace, but at the same time, there are a few instances where you will run across the other side while leveling.