Letter from the Game Director: 14 January 2008

[Xaun]

But why should someone repeat the same effort just to maintain a reward they already earned?

Should your armour degrade over time? Perhaps you should do some SK now n then to top up your 220.

IF you've earned it you should keep it. IF someone earns the right to take it away from you (by besting you) then it should be at risk.

We're trying to work around a failing human element and common factor:

There are arseholes out there. There are sad little people who won't play by the rules.

This is no reason for legit PVPers to lose what they earned just because they don't feel like PVPing, or run around perma flagged.

In which system? I mean solo is solo, teamed is teamed two totally different titles with two totally different rule sets and rewards/penalties. There is no reason why both cannot co-exist right?

[Masaru]

I'm extremely against the NW changes for the Engineers. Right now Notum wars are fought Zerg Vs. Zerg you implement a aura you've just defeated the purpose of the OS so basically sides are just going to be going back and forth fighting over and over pointless... personally i liked the orbital strikes made people consider tactics I admit I have died a number of times from orbitals but there's ways around them keep your sound turned on be ready to move out of the way however. The fixer debuff is one thing targetable but engineer being a aura you get a few Engis in the field and you've just destroyed the purpose of even having OS in game anymore if your willing to do that you might as well go ahead and remove the tagging devices in the next patch

[Mekh]

But why should someone repeat the same effort just to maintain a reward they already earned?
- I think of the title as a status of how good a PvP'er the player is, not a reward.
In RL you can win a title and a reward... You usually get to keep the reward, but you will have to defend your title, unless you withdraw from scene all together.
And if you happen to have a trophy then it will say something like "Master of whatever 1992", meaning that you can only see that the person was once good, but that there are most likely a bunch of people that will beat that person now, because it's so long ago. Akin to the title degradation over time, since I doubt few people wanna run around with a trophy in their hand with a data/year of when they gained their title .

Should your armour degrade over time? Perhaps you should do some SK now n then to top up your 220.
- Completely different things imo. Armor maybe so dasm good it never wears down... Whatever... Going into RP is not my big thing...
SK is Shadow Knowledge... Only reason you'd be loosing your knowledge over time and not only get even better, would be if you got Alzheimers or stuff like that I'd say

IF you've earned it you should keep it. IF someone earns the right to take it away from you (by besting you) then it should be at risk.
- My suggestion do include that as you won't gain points if you get bested... Also... My first comment applies here.

We're trying to work around a failing human element and common factor:

There are arseholes out there. There are sad little people who won't play by the rules.
- Well.... Can only agree to that statement

This is no reason for legit PVPers to lose what they earned just because they don't feel like PVPing, or run around perma flagged.
- I think theres reason to loose it over time.... See my first comment.

Comments inside the quote...

[Xaun]

I'm extremely against the NW changes for the Engineers. Right now Notum wars are fought Zerg Vs. Zerg you implement a aura you've just defeated the purpose of the OS so basically sides are just going to be going back and forth fighting over and over pointless... personally i liked the orbital strikes made people consider tactics I admit I have died a number of times from orbitals but there's ways around them keep your sound turned on be ready to move out of the way however. The fixer debuff is one thing targetable but engineer being a aura you get a few Engis in the field and you've just destroyed the purpose of even having OS in game anymore if your willing to do that you might as well go ahead and remove the tagging devices in the next patch

This could not be farther from the truth. But it does show exactly how lazy everyone has come by being able to just blammo a raid force.. Seems some don't want to have to fight again. You might tactically have every single engineer called at the same time and executed followed by a chain blammoing.. or are you as a defender afraid to have to use some strategy to win?

[Shiekah]

Before we get into the nitty-gritty I just want to stress that we truly hope that we will be able to cater for all the PVP tastes as much as possible with these changes and be mindful of passionately those who participate in PVP.

Does this mean shades will FINALLY get something that makes us suitable in PvP? (I would really like an answer to this question).

[Hacre]

In which system? I mean solo is solo, teamed is teamed two totally different titles with two totally different rule sets and rewards/penalties. There is no reason why both cannot co-exist right?

I think what you missed is that solo allows people to not team in a BS environment but still be able to go up against teams.

Solo != Duel, in this case.

Being permaflagged isn't something that should be given in recognition of doing well on a towerfield or on the BS without being teamed up.

I like the new system. As Mekh says, people in RL (as much as I am not fond of RL comparisons when it comes to games) have to defend their title well with the new system they won't have to. If a boxer goes a few months between matches he doesn't wake up one day to find he isn't champion anymore. Nor is it permissible to attack him in the street if you see him.

I just feel that dying should cost something so that people DO defend their titles. If idiots and ****heads are what everyone is worrying about well /afk is no longer an issue and go back to the drawing board to sort out people who title farm.

I personally don't care. Everyone knows who they are and everyone lol's at them. I don't see why they should get the attention of making a title system meaningless just because they are so inadequate they have to falsify their own epeen.

[PhoenixOfAges]

If you want to get out of the BS quickly go to the exit. If you're worried you'll get ganked on route mech up first.

[Xaun]

I think what you missed is that solo allows people to not team in a BS environment but still be able to go up against teams.

Solo != Duel, in this case.

Being permaflagged isn't something that should be given in recognition of doing well on a towerfield or on the BS without being teamed up.

Ah but I thought I covered that. In NW and in the BS the rule set would change and so would the flagging. Meaning regardless of your solo title in NW/BS you'd still be exactly the same as everyone else teamed or not because while in those locations you follow that ruleset.

[whitey]

PS: Please make titles degrade over time...

/signed

something needs to happen to the titles over time or when you have all the top title level theres nothing to gain from PvP

[Escritores]

Solo titles needs to be adjusted to a understandable language... Their ridiculous as they are now tbh... Japanese titles would cause confusion and annoyance, as what 90% of the playersbase doubtly speak japanese or attended karate classes and therefor can't make any sense of it... Even army ranks would make more sense as it is a war...

[Hacre]

Ah but I thought I covered that. In NW and in the BS the rule set would change and so would the flagging. Meaning regardless of your solo title in NW/BS you'd still be exactly the same as everyone else teamed or not because while in those locations you follow that ruleset.

So you're proposing a different soloing system for BS than in say, Borealis?

Eh?

[Xaun]

So you're proposing a different soloing system for BS than in say, Borealis?

Eh?

Yes in the initial post I clearly stated that the BS would be a separate thing just as NW gas. While inside either place the rules would follow team title system whether your teamed or not. That way those environments become as they were intended. Solo title farmers would not have a reason to camp in sneak waiting for a solo gank it would just be totally pointless. They would do those things around rubika as they normally would. In BS / NW the rules for the character are already changing based on the suppression / flag level of the area. They are obviously capable of implementing code that can determine the difference between so there is no reason either logically or mechanically that I can think of that would make the concept break. Thats why I challenged someone to try.

[Thorgir]

I do think it is kind of silly to not be able to lose your title at all and can see why some people don't like the decay idea. The problem is you can't please everyone with a new system. No matter which way they decide to go it will be an improvement however.

Leaving the old mechanic in place for losing titles doesn't address what they are trying to do, which is getting people to avoid death at all costs.

A decay system isn't perfect either but I think it could be argued that it would give the new titles a little more meaning. It would mean that anyone with a high title is currently active in PvP. It also gives a reason for people to remain active in pvp and keep coming to BS long after they have all their VP. Having a way to show the highest title you have ever had might soften that blow a little, maybe a grayed out title or something, similar concept to leaving in legacy title options. At least with a decay system we won't reach a point where everyone eventually will get the top title.

Another option might be to leave the old title loss mechanic in place for the top title or two only in each category. This would leave an element of competition in place but would still largely eliminate title farming. It would also give much more meaning to holding the top title.

Perhaps roll several of the suggestions together?
Min number of wins per title plus a min kdr. That way a winning or losing streak will reflect in a change of title. (sounds like Pro sport)
Toss in the suggestions for decay over time and the points robbing of the current system for just the upper ranks, just as suggested.

Any thoughts?

[Thorgir]

So this is basically regarding the whole post Xaun made here:

http://forums.anarchy-online.com/sho...&postcount=197...

Omg awesome!

Now the parts i like the best is the Apartment part and the Duel transimition to comersial boards and well, just about everything in the post!!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Yes, the apartment Ideas are sweet. As it stands apartments seem like an idea someone had in the early days but then abandoned, do they actually have a use?
A trophy cabinet to stick my newcomer amour into would be nice.
A fgrid Terminal for fixers homes.
A workbench for Engies to build in peace.
A stock market term for traders.
A clinic for backyard butcher type Docs to "modify" their clients.
A Gun rack for Soldier types.
etcetera.

[Jenshiye]

Who feels that these threads are left open for a time to let us vent, blow off steam but ultimately no matter what we say:

Funcom will do what THEY feel is best and players be damned

Example: Lagfront and those stupid boards.

[Damon7]

[QUOTE=Jenshai;5049407]Who feels that these threads are left open for a time to let us vent, blow off steam but ultimately no matter what we say:

Funcom will do what THEY feel is best and players be damned

QUOTE]

It IS THEIR GAME after all

[Escritores]

Who feels that these threads are left open for a time to let us vent, blow off steam but ultimately no matter what we say:

Funcom will do what THEY feel is best and players be damned

Example: Lagfront and those stupid boards.

So basicly following the most common suggestions from players trough the past what? 10 patches is doing what they will and not listening to players? Aha...

[Hacre]

So basicly following the most common suggestions from players trough the past what? 10 patches is doing what they will and not listening to players? Aha...

Just ignore Jenshai. She's all annoyed and emo because from an RP "perspective" Phasefront doesn't belong on Newland Lake and people who talk in vicinity without getting off their hoverboard are rude...and stuff.

[Xaun]

Just ignore Jenshai. She's all annoyed and emo because from an RP "perspective" Phasefront doesn't belong on Newland Lake and people who talk in vicinity without getting off their hoverboard are rude...and stuff.

lol

[Escritores]

Just ignore Jenshai. She's all annoyed and emo because from an RP "perspective" Phasefront doesn't belong on Newland Lake and people who talk in vicinity without getting off their hoverboard are rude...and stuff.

Haha...