The new open world PvP planet - Kashyyyk!

[ShadowNessej]

This is an idea i've been brewing in my mind for quite some time. As a player of SWTOR since launch, by far my favorite aspect of the game has been world PvP. Of course, nowadays we're only left with an occasional encounter in Outlaw's Den, and the always fun cluster of PvP that is Ilum during the Gree Event. Anything else is usually planned and/or coordinated. So here's my proposal: A new planet split into two sections: The upper wookie villages and walkways, and the shadowlands below.

 

It's rough, but here's an example of a possible layout for upper Kashyyyk: http://i.imgur.com/YoMhIW3.png

The layout of upper Kashyyyk is intended to encourage players and factions to fight in more than one location, and move around. There is also the worry of being knocked off the edge, though my hope would be for the platforms to be relatively large in size, same with the walkways.

The X's are indicators of lifts that bring you down to the shadowlands. These are spread out with the intention of reducing players camping other players trying to descend to the shadowlands. Further assistance to this would be to do what is done on Ilum already by giving players that go down a brief period of stealth and immunity so that they can get away. This, of course, would be broken upon attacking players.

 

Essentially, upper Kashyyyk will be an area intended for faction vs. faction PvP. This area will have a set of PvP dailies, such as "Kill ___ Republic/Imperial players", "Tag ___ Republic/Imperial players with a tracking device (can only be used at less than 30% health perhaps?)" along with other possible ideas of PvP related dailies.

 

The daily format would be an attempt at stopping what went on in Ilum around the launch of the game: win trading. In such an open world environment, i'm hoping the use of dailies with varying goals would make it difficult for win trading to go on. The device being used at less than 30% health would be a great way at forcing win traders to put in extra effort if they wish to trade their wins, as the device would likely give the player a buff for a certain amount of time denying them the ability to be tagged again. There would be two weeklies: one for a certain amount of kills, and one, much like daily areas nowadays, for completing every daily other than the certain amount of kills daily. The dailies would rewards warzone commendations, and the weeklies, ranked. You could also potentially add a reputation group to the dailies with rewards such as Kashyyyk-themed stronghold decorations, new adaptive gear, advanced warzone medpacks, and other things.

 

Now, the shadowlands would be roughly the same size if not bigger than upper Kashyyyk, and you would pick up the dailies for this area in the faction starting area of upper Kashyyyk with the rest of the dailies. Objectives would be similar, except the shadowlands would essentially be a much larger version of the Outlaw's Den. The hope of having dailies for both is to encourage players to participate in both open, factionless PvP, and organized group PvP.

 

That's most of what I recall of this idea. If I can remember anything further, i'll update the post. Apologies if it's unclear or hard to follow, if you're confused feel free to let me know.

[MoskitoMando]

Sounds really cool, would be a fun addition.

[Jboath]

I'm in. After my first gree event I wish I hadn't missed Ilum pvp.

[Firelieutenant]

I'm all for it if it means kashyyyk is added! It'd be cool too to have empire players trying to enslave the wookies in a daily and republic players trying to free them! Have a wookie freed/enslaved ratio! Of course maintaining the pvp element. Perhaps the more players who participate in the dailies for each faction the faction with more completed dailies wins control of the planet instead of just guild conquests. How about having a separate warzone for kashyyyk too on a beachhead?? Edited March 24, 2015 by Firelieutenant

[MoskitoMando]

I'm all for it if it means kashyyyk is added! It'd be cool too to have empire players trying to enslave the wookies in a daily and republic players trying to free them! Of course maintaining the pvp element. Perhaps the more players who participate in the dailies for each faction the faction with more completed dailies wins control of the planet instead of just guild conquests. How about having a separate warzone for kashyyyk too on a beachhead??

 

The Wookie idea would definitely be really cool.

[Albicerius]

Sounds great. /signed

[G_Hosa_Phat]

I'm in, and I'm not generally into PvP that much. This might change my tune.

 

BTW, just to try to get more visibility for the idea, you might also want to post something about this in the main PvP Warzone thread: Have an idea for a Warzone? Share it with a Dev!

[branmakmuffin]

Play on a PvP server. That way every multi-faction planet is OW PvP. Total waste of time to make an entire planet OW PvP for PvE servers.

[Kalfear]

Kashyyyk! is hardly a new request

 

Its been the most requested planet since game was originally announced (or in top 3 anyways)

 

As for open PVP, I actually do want to see a PVP planet (not open but rep vrs imp based pvp) with capture/defensible bases but NOT Kashyyyk!

 

Kashyyyk needs to be a full sized (Alderaan, Hoth size) PVE planet with a rich storyline.

 

Just the design of Kashyyyk with your shadowlands below and wookies tree city high above dictates it be PVE explorable and quest driven content.

 

Id much prefer some place like say Dxun moon (from KotOR2) be location for a PVP (rep vrs Imp)

 

If you just want open PVP, go hang out at Smugglers Den with all the like minded people (there are none) or role on a PVP server.

 

Open PVP really has no place in SW:TOR PVE servers

[G_Hosa_Phat]

Play on a PvP server. That way every multi-faction planet is OW PvP. Total waste of time to make an entire planet OW PvP for PvE servers.

Kashyyyk! is hardly a new request

 

Its been the most requested planet since game was originally announced (or in top 3 anyways)

 

As for open PVP, I actually do want to see a PVP planet (not open but rep vrs imp based pvp) with capture/defensible bases but NOT Kashyyyk!

 

Kashyyyk needs to be a full sized (Alderaan, Hoth size) PVE planet with a rich storyline.

 

Just the design of Kashyyyk with your shadowlands below and wookies tree city high above dictates it be PVE explorable and quest driven content.

 

Id much prefer some place like say Dxun moon (from KotOR2) be location for a PVP (rep vrs Imp)

 

If you just want open PVP, go hang out at Smugglers Den with all the like minded people (there are none) or role on a PVP server.

 

Open PVP really has no place in SW:TOR PVE servers

I can't say that I agree (even as a primarily PvE player) that OW PvP has no place on a PvE server. TBH, I rolled on a PvP server, but only because that's where all my friends decided to play. Like I said, though, I'm much more of a "care-bear" when it comes to PvP. I suck at it in general, and, while I could try to take the time and effort to get better, I just prefer playing PvE content.

 

Even so, having a planet (or a location like the Outlaws Den) where OW PvP is available AND tied to some sort of quest line (such as was proposed above with the idea of enslaving/freeing the Wookies) could present me with a neat diversion. I don't like going into Warzones because I feel like my presence at best achieves little more than taking up space, and at worst may actually impede my team from victory due to my lack of experience and ability (even if I were to "gear up"). Something like this suggestion where OW PvP actually provides decent rewards to players that participate, but doesn't require a specific "team" setup where a lousy player like myself can cost the other players their rewards would be a nice addition to the game play options available. It doesn't specifically have to be Kashyyyk (I certainly like the idea of making that planet part of a PvE storyline as well), but I still think the overall premise is sound.

[KnightTyler]

Game Update 4.0: Enter The Shadowlands...

 

Edited March 24, 2015 by KnightTyler

[Kalfear]

Isnip .

 

You can NOT mix questing with PVP in a PVE server

 

It will (and does) blow up in EAs face (or any developer for that matter) 100% of the time if you try to force PVE players into PVP (which is exactly what is being done when you put PVE questing in a PVP area)

 

All one has to do is look at the endless complaints that happen every Gree event when the lines are blurred togather.

 

Frankly Im shocked EA hasnt fixed the Gree event yet because I promise you the PVPers effecting PVEers has cost SW:TOR far more subscribers then its ever brought in as a event.

 

Sorry but you simply can not put quests and storylines in a PVP area (much less Open World gank fest setting, which is exactly what group vrs group vrs group Open World PVP is) on a PVE server.

 

The PVP and PVE has to be kept seperate.

 

If you want to blend PVE and PVP, you roll on a PVP server.

That simple and straight forward.

 

I agree warzones are a waste of time

I agree a PVP area (not open pvp but imp vrs Rep, faction vrs faction) would be great (as I said above, with capture-able and defensible bases and stations (ala DAoC RVR concepts)

But you can not, and should not, try to blend the play styles togather

 

The minute you put a PVE quest inside a PVP area, you start to lose subscribers

And this has held true for over 20years

UO lost so many subscribers due to PKing and ganking that they went back on a earlier guarentee and made a PVE ONLY version of their landmass, just to try and stop the account bleeding they experienced and never recovered from.

 

Multiple games that tried to put PVE and PVP togather went belly up in record time

 

The two play styles do not, and never will mess together and need to be kept separate

 

Which bring s us back to Kashyyyk needs to be a full sized PVE world.

Its got far to much lore and back story and far to important to the setting to be wasted as a PVP only area that will really only be used by a ultra small percentage of the existing player base. And possibly even less so if Smugglers Den and the PVP servers any indication of support PVP has in this game.

[branmakmuffin]

Even so, having a planet (or a location like the Outlaws Den) where OW PvP is available AND tied to some sort of quest line (such as was proposed above with the idea of enslaving/freeing the Wookies) could present me with a neat diversion. I don't like going into Warzones because I feel like my presence at best achieves little more than taking up space, and at worst may actually impede my team from victory due to my lack of experience and ability (even if I were to "gear up"). Something like this suggestion where OW PvP actually provides decent rewards to players that participate, but doesn't require a specific "team" setup where a lousy player like myself can cost the other players their rewards would be a nice addition to the game play options available. It doesn't specifically have to be Kashyyyk (I certainly like the idea of making that planet part of a PvE storyline as well), but I still think the overall premise is sound.

It's one thing to dedicate a small,easily avoided area of one planet to OW PvP. Or have a couple of events a few times a year include optional PvP activities. It's another to create an entire planet for it. On PvE servers, it would be a vast ghost town.

 

There's a reason when you look at the server selection screen PvP servers never show a higher population count than non-PvP servers.

[G_Hosa_Phat]

You can NOT mix questing with PVP in a PVE server

 

It will (and does) blow up in EAs face (or any developer for that matter) 100% of the time if you try to force PVE players into PVP (which is exactly what is being done when you put PVE questing in a PVP area)

 

All one has to do is look at the endless complaints that happen every Gree event when the lines are blurred togather.

 

Frankly Im shocked EA hasnt fixed the Gree event yet because I promise you the PVPers effecting PVEers has cost SW:TOR far more subscribers then its ever brought in as a event.

 

Sorry but you simply can not put quests and storylines in a PVP area (much less Open World gank fest setting, which is exactly what group vrs group vrs group Open World PVP is) on a PVE server.

 

The PVP and PVE has to be kept seperate.

 

If you want to blend PVE and PVP, you roll on a PVP server.

That simple and straight forward.

 

I agree warzones are a waste of time

I agree a PVP area (not open pvp but imp vrs Rep, faction vrs faction) would be great (as I said above, with capture-able and defensible bases and stations (ala DAoC RVR concepts)

But you can not, and should not, try to blend the play styles togather

 

The minute you put a PVE quest inside a PVP area, you start to lose subscribers

And this has held true for over 20years

UO lost so many subscribers due to PKing and ganking that they went back on a earlier guarentee and made a PVE ONLY version of their landmass, just to try and stop the account bleeding they experienced and never recovered from.

 

Multiple games that tried to put PVE and PVP togather went belly up in record time

 

The two play styles do not, and never will mess together and need to be kept separate

 

Which bring s us back to Kashyyyk needs to be a full sized PVE world.

Its got far to much lore and back story and far to important to the setting to be wasted as a PVP only area that will really only be used by a ultra small percentage of the existing player base. And possibly even less so if Smugglers Den and the PVP servers any indication of support PVP has in this game.

 

It's one thing to dedicate a small,easily avoided area of one planet to OW PvP. Or have a couple of events a few times a year include optional PvP activities. It's another to create an entire planet for it. On PvE servers, it would be a vast ghost town.

 

There's a reason when you look at the server selection screen PvP servers never show a higher population count than non-PvP servers.

 

Let me preface this by saying that I admittedly only read a minuscule portion of the forums in relation to how much information is out here, and have likely missed a great deal of the discussions about topics such as the Gree event. That said, it has been my impression from what I have read that the Gree event has been one of the more successful events that has been put out there, with many people asking for it to become a more frequent and regular addition to the game.

 

Of course, we're not here to debate that specific topic, and I certainly don't want to hijack this thread to go off on a tangent. Besides, I'm probably not the one to have that debate anyway, considering my general lack of interest in PvP to begin with.

 

Regardless, I definitely see the point you're making. Perhaps I got a bit over-zealous in my interest for what might amount to little more than a novelty in the long term. As my signature might indicate, I'm extremely interested in adding new and different play styles and game modes to SWTOR to provide players with more variety. I'd love to see the addition of everything from Pazaak and Sabacc mini-games to a full-on "Horde Mode" (Onslaught Arenas) and RTS-style game (Field Commander). The OP's suggestion here, to me, seems like "just another bit of spice" to add to the mix. However, as I said, I understand (and even agree with, to some extent) the arguments against it. As I try to look forward to a time after something like this has been implemented, I can see myself thinking "Do I want to go to Kashyyyk and get pwned again, or should I go run some dailies on Ziost... Hmmm..." I think I know the answer.