Have an idea for a Warzone? Share it with a Dev!

[SeanFM]

I'm getting tired of PvEers having to suffer because of PvP players demanding profession nerfs, which always results in what the MMO industry coins as "Class Rebalancing." With the up coming profession nerfs on the way due to the PvPers complaining about some classes being OP'd. Here's an idea how BioWare can finally resolve the need to constantly do profession rebalancing which seems to never end in this game. Instead find a way to implement balanced teams upon the moment players Q into a war zone, so that teams have a set number of tanks, healers, and dps. Sure it would make Q times slower for war zones slower, but doesn't it seem more logical than nerfing professions which affects them in the new 3.0 raids?

 

In the beginning, one of BioWares big selling points for this game was open world PvP. Well, ever since the Ilum debacle, BioWare seems content to let PvP become nothing more than a lobby of players that find that when they finally do Q into a match, they almost always find themselves on poorly matched teams, in a PvP match that can be best described festival of stun's and CCs.

 

It works both ways. Sometimes something is too strong in PvP and fine in PvE and sometimes it's the other way round. Both can result in a nerf that wasn't needed in one of the game types. Don't pretend it's always PvP negatively effecting PvE. Also I'm not really sure how this is relevant to the thread.

[dudeoramabp]

As a guy who's been playing a little over a year now and has tried dipping his toes into the PvP scene I'd like to toss out a grouping suggestion. For those like me who have leveled toons, but are just beginning to PvP it would be nice to be group with others of "like Valor" for lack of a better way to put it. Having to make a new toon just to be able to start PvP at lvl 10 is kind of lame.

 

Not a lot of fun getting chat raged at by elitests with their full set of PvP gear when I'm doing my best to contribute with what I've got on and learn the finer aspects of the PvP combat while trying to earn WZ comms to get some gear. I hit objectives just fine, but I know my ability to kill and defend is not great due to gearing most of the time. Yes there is the buff, but it is still quite easy to tell when you come up against really experienced players that are geared. Be nice if you could formulate a way to group players of like PvP experience levels, achievements and gearing, etc. together in WZs - not just the broad lumping of character levels. Then it would be less painful to pull some noob moves w/o getting raged on for not being born a pro-PvPr w/ full on gear.

 

Want to extend the life cycle of the game? Make it easier for new people coming into PvP to have their learning and earning curves together up to a point before being thrust into the WZ gen pops. Heck, maybe even create some WZs for the noob PvPr's w/ some noob rewards to encourage continued participation then kick them from the nest into the big boy world. Dudes who wanna toss out the "wanna PvP, then join a PvP guild..." blah blah stuff, just remember - no fresh blood, your server dries up, you get to whine about having no one to fill out WZs and the game soon goes bye bye. Most of us have played at least a couple of MMO's that have gone to mothball.

[EnkiduNineEight]

Hello Warzone Aficionados!

 

We are starting our pre-production (ideation stage, if you are into buzzwords) for the next Warzone and we want to get your ideas for a new Warzone!

 

We have a few ideas (even got a few prototypes on the backburner) on what we would like to do and what we *think* you would like but we want to hear your ideas before we move forward with a design!

 

Remember when you post, the more information the better. Layout pictures and descriptions always help, some of us are visual learners =P Think about and post your thoughts on how will the scoring work? What is the goal for each player? Will some players have different goals? How can players make a come-from-behind victory? Is this fun? The more questions you ask yourself about a design that you can answer and feel good about, the better the design.

 

Please make sure you understand that this is not a vote. Even if there is a consensus on a specific idea that everyone wants that is no guarantee that we will develop it. Also there is no guarantee that we will develop an idea that is suggested. We want to gather ideas on what you want from the next warzone so we can make something ya'll want!

 

Also please note that this Warzone will not be released Live during the current Road Map.

 

Looking forward to reading what yall have in mind!

 

Cheers!

 

I think I would like to see just more WZ's. They can be variations of the current zones you already have but made 'unique' by their surroundings, and the 'storyline' attached to the mission briefing.

 

For Example: Voidstar is essentially a staged advancement map. You fight to a point, unlock it, spawn from that points and fight to the next objective. Multiple different story lines can be created from this simple mechanic, each with its own 'atmosphere'. Assaulting a fortified location securing bridges first, then getting to a turret (or two) to turn them against the defenders, to then breaching the walls and getting to a shutdown node for the defenses making the assault a success, etc.

 

Simple re-skinning essentially, of multiple maps using the same rules sets helps make each war zone 'pop' slightly more unique. People get tired of seeing the same scenario.

 

Huttball could use more Arena's, each with their own flavor. Rishi/Yavin now begs for a 'Pirate Themed' sort of huttball map. Instead of flame pits you might have a map that has a lving creature that shoots up out of its burrow and devours players caught in the effect (maybe a tattooine themed mat with 'young sarlacs' serving the job.. The slowdown would be represented by being snared by their mouth tentacles.

 

Hyergates could be made to be a cannon/weapon that is charged by carrying a crate of volatile materials so an a'lien themed'/ancient tech world like the hypergates could be transformed to a 'jungle world with modern building structures and twogroups trying to gather crates to charge their pulse weapons.

 

Unfortunately team sizes are small at 8 per side' so this restricts some scenarios or require special consideration. I would like to see a 'capture the flag' style map. But with the class system in place on SWTOR it might be difficult to balance effectively. Hutt ball works for this because with a single resource that needs to be moved from point A to B it focuses the players on a single goal, not two. I should think though. perhaps adding interactables such as mountable cannons (ala the collicoid wargame cannon) might make defending an easier job for one or two players allowing 6 players to be on offense.

 

Adding new dimensions to the play helps as well. The Quesh Huttball map adds for a different type of play, Adding a vertical element to a checkpoint/ground gaining WZ might make it more fun and challenging as well even if most of the play was horizontal only and the transition portions were what unlocked the verticality.

 

For example, envision a canyon with multiple steps along the side. You fight in the horizontal plane attempting to gain ground and reach the next element. In this case, lets say you secure grapples at the far end. Respawning consists of you needing to 'climb' the rope so instead of a force barrier with a timer imbedded in its center so you wait out the action pacing back and forth like Obiwan, you instead spawn and click the rope/cable and you get to watch an animation of yourself climibng the rope to the fighting zone while all the while blaster fire and explosions burst around you to make it feel more like a battle. One you breach the top you enter combat and push towards the next objective.. so the timed delay element to rejoining the fray is maintained, but the atmosphere is different. Now you're on the next level, the 'depths' of the canyon deeper and the risk of getting tossed off worse, as you thn cross natural bridges etc tot eh other side of the canoyon where you have to make another ascent, etc, until you can reach the top and activate the giant equipment elevators allowing your team to move its heavy droid and tank resources up to the battle and 'win' the WZ.

 

What may be interesting, but hard to balance, would be a WZ that is like an Arena (but for 8 people again) where you get a set number of deaths for the entire team. Then design the course like a gauntlet where there are traps and natural hazards that can easily kill a player. The object then is to meet in the middle and have the final battle with the other team. So, losing lives in the course hurts you for the final fight.

 

This also thus keeps teams focused on a team activity, working together and supporting one another. Promoting gameplay skills that translate to PVE raids et as well.

 

You can then add a wrinkle to the game play by making ways for the teams to affect each other in their gauntlet run. Perhaps slightly more dangerous routes to the goal that might cost you more lives for your tea as well, but have the potential to make the other teams gauntlet much harder. So do you risk your own teams safety in a gamble or take the easier route and try to rush to the central zone?

 

If you created something like the latter I think I should be outside the standard WZ rotation and require opt in because it is definitely harder.

 

tl;dr version - A lot the existing game play is fine and if the 'war zones' we accomplished the same goals in were more varied this would likely significantly increase the enjoyment of play.

[Beakertanks]

I would LOVE a large scale PVP zone. Something akin to Alterac Valley in wow would be great, but lets put a Star Wars spin on it.

 

Plus, adding in some new extras to it would not be that hard. Make it THE pvp zone for the server.

IE. Ground forces play a large scale invasion for both sides (AV)

Space Forces-GSF maps and Spaceship maps attribute to availabilty and strength of aerial support.

Crafted items leave more buffs and stronger npc's in certain areas on the ground map.

 

Really, just taking in the Total War Conquest idea with a PVP zone that can be affected by what is going on.

Now, there would have to be a cap for just how much an effect PVE could have on the pvp warzone on the ground, but not too much. It would really get everyone involved in the "war" aspect of it.

 

Just imagine a massive warzone with aerial bombardments, world boss/commander types dropping in (either randomly or based on pve/pvp contributions), objectives and points being captured, etc.

 

ALSO, the losing or winning of this pvp map would also have an effect on the pve enviroments, in the same way that pve would affect the pvp aspect of it.

 

BALANCE.

 

It would be, a very epic, Star Wars. And no matter if you pve or pvp, it would have some effect on the pvp map. Again, the loss or winning of this map would also effect pve.

 

You could limit these effects to certain planets, you could really make this very very epic. You could also limit these effects/affects to only certain weeks of the month, or have it persist.

 

I would LOVE to discuss this and more with an dev that is either already thinking this, or interested in the idea.

 

Have a blast, and have fun

 

 

Factions are too imbalanced for anything like this. One faction would love this. The other would hate it with a seething hot passion.

[Beakertanks]

As a guy who's been playing a little over a year now and has tried dipping his toes into the PvP scene I'd like to toss out a grouping suggestion. For those like me who have leveled toons, but are just beginning to PvP it would be nice to be group with others of "like Valor" for lack of a better way to put it. Having to make a new toon just to be able to start PvP at lvl 10 is kind of lame.

 

Not a lot of fun getting chat raged at by elitests with their full set of PvP gear when I'm doing my best to contribute with what I've got on and learn the finer aspects of the PvP combat while trying to earn WZ comms to get some gear. I hit objectives just fine, but I know my ability to kill and defend is not great due to gearing most of the time. Yes there is the buff, but it is still quite easy to tell when you come up against really experienced players that are geared. Be nice if you could formulate a way to group players of like PvP experience levels, achievements and gearing, etc. together in WZs - not just the broad lumping of character levels. Then it would be less painful to pull some noob moves w/o getting raged on for not being born a pro-PvPr w/ full on gear.

 

Want to extend the life cycle of the game? Make it easier for new people coming into PvP to have their learning and earning curves together up to a point before being thrust into the WZ gen pops. Heck, maybe even create some WZs for the noob PvPr's w/ some noob rewards to encourage continued participation then kick them from the nest into the big boy world. Dudes who wanna toss out the "wanna PvP, then join a PvP guild..." blah blah stuff, just remember - no fresh blood, your server dries up, you get to whine about having no one to fill out WZs and the game soon goes bye bye. Most of us have played at least a couple of MMO's that have gone to mothball.

 

I only rage for stupidity (getting stealth capped cause you are off point) gear is usually never the problem. Just being dumb and not realizing it.

[Beakertanks]

As a guy who's been playing a little over a year now and has tried dipping his toes into the PvP scene I'd like to toss out a grouping suggestion. For those like me who have leveled toons, but are just beginning to PvP it would be nice to be group with others of "like Valor" for lack of a better way to put it. Having to make a new toon just to be able to start PvP at lvl 10 is kind of lame.

 

Not a lot of fun getting chat raged at by elitests with their full set of PvP gear when I'm doing my best to contribute with what I've got on and learn the finer aspects of the PvP combat while trying to earn WZ comms to get some gear. I hit objectives just fine, but I know my ability to kill and defend is not great due to gearing most of the time. Yes there is the buff, but it is still quite easy to tell when you come up against really experienced players that are geared. Be nice if you could formulate a way to group players of like PvP experience levels, achievements and gearing, etc. together in WZs - not just the broad lumping of character levels. Then it would be less painful to pull some noob moves w/o getting raged on for not being born a pro-PvPr w/ full on gear.

 

Want to extend the life cycle of the game? Make it easier for new people coming into PvP to have their learning and earning curves together up to a point before being thrust into the WZ gen pops. Heck, maybe even create some WZs for the noob PvPr's w/ some noob rewards to encourage continued participation then kick them from the nest into the big boy world. Dudes who wanna toss out the "wanna PvP, then join a PvP guild..." blah blah stuff, just remember - no fresh blood, your server dries up, you get to whine about having no one to fill out WZs and the game soon goes bye bye. Most of us have played at least a couple of MMO's that have gone to mothball.

 

Actually, the more I read this, the more I like this. So, basically, what you propose is that you are in a separate bracket for queues until you achieve a certain level of proficiency. Call it the noob bracket ;-) and make it level 10 to 60 (why not as nobody has any experience) and for your first 30 matches or so you are stuck in the noob bracket. Two things. One, you would have to make it track across legacy and server. Two, you would have to allow F2P unlimited wz queuing until they hit the number of games that puts you in the regular bracket.

I do not know how many issues this would really solve, but I find the idea fascinating.

[magnashear]

How about stronghold pvp.

 

It would be 8v1 or 4v1.

 

One person would be buffed to boss levels and the fight would happen in their actual STONGHOLD!!!!!!!!

 

I guess the selection of who gets to be the boss would be random.

 

The boss player would be buffed and given some defenses or something.

 

You could even have usable defensive decorations.

 

Everybody gets like 8 slots for these decorations and can pick which ones they want and place them where they like.

 

I've heard the complaints people have about not really feeling like a hero when it takes 8 plus people to go kill a boss.

 

My work around for this was always that you were invading the boss's "stronghold" and fighting them on their terms with all their defenses up. That's why it took the 8 greatest Jedi and troopers ect. to go kill some stupid admiral or captain or something.

 

I think a warzone like this where it takes 8 people or so to come kill you or try to kill you make people feel like their toon is a real ******

[AceZombie]

Dropping ideas... NOW.

 

1) Tag team ground warzones with GSF. What I mean by this, this is star wars after all. Let's have a boarding party type match.. we have a team of imps fly a boarding ship into a republic flag ship, during flight the imps inside can man turrets while the imps out side can use their star fighters to cut a path. While the Republic team bolsters defenses and their star fighters aggress the boarding ship. Once the boarding ship docks, the invading team assualts its way to the bridge to command the ship while the opposite team tries to stop them. This can be an extremely intense game type utilizing the many Ace GSF pilots and tight team work, and introduces some fresh game mechanics. Plus, it screams Star Wars, with the added benefit of bring more ppl into GSF.

 

2) HUTT BALL LEAGUE! No gear just uniformed teams. Team names not guild names. add a couple Hutt ball maps, add some snazzy animations ( a la spiking the ball at the goal line and catching animations), have some better announcers and I'd gladly kill an afternoon by spectating Hutt ball matches. Allow betting thru the hutts for spectators and put legitimate playoff games... there's so much potential for Hutt ball. Ask the madden peeps for some advice!

[DaFet]

Please fix/alter the 30-59 bracket before you introduce new WZ's or you may find you don't have anyone to play them.

The disparity between a lvl 30-45 and a 55-59 is so vast it's rediculous. WZ's in this bracket are won/lost simply by which team was paired with the most 55-59'ers.

If they are equal or close, then those players basically just fight eachother to determine the winner as it takes multiple lvl 30's to kill a lvl 59.....

 

My suggestion, just add a bracket: 50-59. Queue times may be a bit long for the larger maps but plenty of 4v4's should pop.

 

My suggestion for a new warzone? see link: http://aion.wikia.com/wiki/Dredgion

 

PvPvE....much different than node humping or arena's. Can easily be retrofitted into a Star Wars theme

[Zadtro]

Well a 6v6 warzone, something pvpve would be nice too. 2v2 arena would be interesting to seem, watching 2 PT's slaughter someone would be funny.

 

Honestly new maps are needed, we got a couple of huttball maps which work, want to see a new objective type map. You can have the same 3 nodes just different maps would be nice.

[MarcoMontana]

Star Wars version of Alterac Valley, that requires capping towers and back capping, defending etc would be awesome.

[WickedImage]

So, this thread, started by a BW employee, has almost reached 100 pages now. It is almost one year old as well.

 

I am curious as to not only how many new warzones have been introduced using ideas from this thread, but also how many new warzones, in general, have been introduced since this threads creation?

 

So we as a player base have put in 100 pages. What has BW put in? Ive been gone for months now and only recently subbing again(3.0 had me curious).

When I left, this thread already existed. Now that I'm back, I haven't played a single WZ that would be new for me.

It's been almost a year...? Nothing?

I haven't bothered clicking every page since coming back but....did Alex even post again in the thread? Why put a thread like this out there if there isn't going to be follow up or follow through with it?

[DaFet]

So, this thread, started by a BW employee, has almost reached 100 pages now. It is almost one year old as well.

 

I am curious as to not only how many new warzones have been introduced using ideas from this thread, but also how many new warzones, in general, have been introduced since this threads creation?

 

So we as a player base have put in 100 pages. What has BW put in? Ive been gone for months now and only recently subbing again(3.0 had me curious).

When I left, this thread already existed. Now that I'm back, I haven't played a single WZ that would be new for me.

It's been almost a year...? Nothing?

I haven't bothered clicking every page since coming back but....did Alex even post again in the thread? Why put a thread like this out there if there isn't going to be follow up or follow through with it?

 

 

 

What he said...

[flaviusthelewd]

Don't make new warzones because the same 3 regs WZs over and over again never gets old in fact get rid of 2 and just leave us with huttball -.-

[Ashanor]

I want a real CTF map.

 

2 bases, 2 flags, identical terrain on each side (minus flavor art).

 

I also want a 5 point node defense map, but we already have a lot of node defense. We have 0 real CTF maps.

[Beakertanks]

star wars version of alterac valley, that requires capping towers and back capping, defending etc would be awesome.

 

this!!!!

[Beakertanks]

Please fix/alter the 30-59 bracket before you introduce new WZ's or you may find you don't have anyone to play them.

The disparity between a lvl 30-45 and a 55-59 is so vast it's rediculous. WZ's in this bracket are won/lost simply by which team was paired with the most 55-59'ers.

If they are equal or close, then those players basically just fight eachother to determine the winner as it takes multiple lvl 30's to kill a lvl 59.....

 

My suggestion, just add a bracket: 50-59. Queue times may be a bit long for the larger maps but plenty of 4v4's should pop.

 

My suggestion for a new warzone? see link: http://aion.wikia.com/wiki/Dredgion

 

PvPvE....much different than node humping or arena's. Can easily be retrofitted into a Star Wars theme

 

I always liked dredgion. This is cool idea.

[dillingerescplan]

4v4v4v4. done

[Firelieutenant]

Here's a warzone idea I've been thinking about for some time. It is very similar to capturing zones in current warzones. However instead of turrets inducing damage to enemy bases perhaps when you capture a node it generates AIs or npcs to be directed towards other enemy nodes/bases. You can have low ground troop npcs. Heavy tank or powerful walker unit npcs on the battleground. So instead of just purely fighting other players it would be a combination of fighting pvp and pve. You could also fortify the node/base w turrets if the nose was held long enough kinda like how in galactic star fighter the longer a station is held it generates turrets. Have like 6 nodes/ bases and 2 main enemy bases. Your ultimate goal would be to attack and destroy the enemy base but would be able to help speed things along by capturing more of the smaller bases and generating ai/npc troops. If I do recall they did this in Star Wars: the clone wars on previous gen consoles. This style of warzones would allow not only uneven teams a better fighting chance but also a lower geared pvp toon to help level. It would also allow pve players to get in on the fun if they purely just want to play objectives. Now if we took this one step further you could allow players to mount up on their favorite mount to cross the battleground. Of course they would have the be a larger map to allow for mounts in pvp. It would put to use the improved speeder piloting skills. Now I was thinking how would you make it so that if some player wanted to attack a mounted player. Well I believe if you make the health of a mounted player approximately half of their normal health they would be forced to remount and pvp. Unless of course they just planned to die faster. You could equip mounts with a basic attack such as galactic star fighter has a simple yet effective attack style. For those who like to ride animal mounts they would simply have blaster pistol to shoot from the mount. Of course the damage from these mounted players would also have to be scaled down so that non mounted player could attack them and once again it would kind of force them to demount and fight one on one or whatever.

[AlrikFassbauer]

I was thinking of the old Hoth map of Star Wars Battlefront 1.

 

There, you could destroy turrets as well, thus crippling defense points.

 

I believe that PvP maps with destructible items would be a neat thing, because it would evoke a new meta : Protecting things (or destroying them).

 

This way, classes could act even more diverse : Not burst would be the only optimal point (like it is so much nowadays), but utility would be essential in protecting for example turrets as well. Gunslingers could open their defense shield ( I mean that huge thing ) which has little to no use in PvP to protect for example an own turret from being destroyed by an enemy's turret (which would also be destructible).

 

All in all, I'd like the Hoth map of SWBF1 as an PvP map a LOT in SWTOR !

[Grievesmad]

This is going to be a long-winded wall of text. Now , Yavin 4. The revanites. These WZs would take place while FA ans SoR were happening.

 

FA : Assault on Tython/Korriban Incursion

WZ :

Name : Attack on the Homeworlds

Story : Two strike teams struggle to make it to the Jedi Temple however the second strike force has been held up at a Jedi barricade set up. Defeat the republic forces!/two temas struggle to take over the Sith acdemy however the second strike force has been stopped by a Sith barricade. Take them out!

1st Map : First area is the barricade the jedi have set up. Your camp then a junk filled wasteland then the barricade. Like voidstar you must get to it and place a bomb to detonate it. The republic players must stop you. Then on to the second area , a massive gorge across to the masters retreat. Attackers must activate the bridge and then get across to the Master's retreat. Finally the attackers must make it to the landing beacons to cut off Tython from re-enforcements.

2cnd Map : The inverse. Firsty area is the explosively blown out tunnel leading into the Tomb of Ajunta Pall. Defenders must stop the republic placing explosives on the hatch to let them up. Then they must get out of the tomb and activate the energy bridge to the arrivals building while defenders try to stop them. Once the energy bridge is set up attackers move onto seizing the departures platform where they must take it and use the shuttles to bomb out the landing pads.

Mechanics : Like voidstar until the last stage. The beacon destruction/landing pad traps everyone in a team deathmatch so it's a deciding factor in the battle. Naturally , the attackers are timed.

 

FA : Depths of Manaan

Name : Seek and Destroy

Story : Traitors Lana Beniko and Theron Shan are on Manaan. Seize control of the satellites triangulation sytems in order to pinpoint their locations! Seize the three triangulation stations and use them to find the traitors!

Map : A reskin of Alderaan civil war in space

Mechanics : Taking control of the triangulation stations. Triangulation stations push up your find bar. First team to fill it wins.

 

FA : Legacy of the Rakata

Name : Burn the enemy!

Story : The traitors have been found on Rakata Prime. But so have a hostile military force. Use the Orbital Bombardment systems to destroy the enemy ground camps. Unfortuantely it requires control of Targeting computers on the ground. Two are needed to properly target the area.

Map : Novare coast Reskin on rakata Prime

Mechanics : Control two targeting computers to begin bombarding your target. First to destroy it wins.

 

SoR : Battle of Rishi

Name : Battle of Rishi

Story : Revanite Computer points are being placed at a drop point. Collect them and bring them to our base to turn Revanite artillery emplacements on our enemies!

Map : A vast ocean with a massive support structure above it with twists , turns , vents , cooling fans and mines all around leading too the republic base at the bottom or the Imperial Transport Station at the top. The Command codes start in the middle with both sides trying to seize them and bring them to their base.

Mechanics : Huttball

 

SoR : Post Yavin 4

Story : Revan is defeated. But the emperor still lies in wait. Having brainwashed members of your faction and the opposing faction he seeks to have them activate energy pylons to feed him power. However what pylons give , pylons can take away. Seize them and use them to drain his power so he remains held off the galaxy!

Map : Reskin of Ancient Hypergates on Yavin 4 with the temple acting as a safe zone.

Mechanics : Ancienet Hypergate

[Jimmajamma]

ahem...

[TUXs]

ahem...

 

Wait...did you really expect something from this thread???

[Floplag]

#1 fix the balance, the rest is moot till you do.

 

#2 since have the lemmings think its "deathmatch" anyway, give us a deathmatch style map.. no objectives, just blow the other side up. Kinda like GSF style scoring for WZs

[TUXs]

#1 fix the balance, the rest is moot till you do.

 

#2 since have the lemmings think its "deathmatch" anyway, give us a deathmatch style map.. no objectives, just blow the other side up. Kinda like GSF style scoring for WZs

I support these bold ideas!