Letter from the Game Director: 14 January 2008

[Esqi]

Very impressed, this has changed my perception of the now defunct title game and pvp in general.

NW changes are very much needed as well.

Great response Sil and i commend you and your team on a great effort.

[Vlain]

P.S. Please add an option to choose self-buff duel vs. outside buff duel in the duel acceptance interface.
If both players accept self-buff option, then all osb's would be auto-cleared from both ncu's at the start of the duel. If both players accept osb duel, then they would maintain osb's normally as outlined in Pharamond's original description.

Also:

Since you're already adding kill/death stats, please make a stat counter for BS too - Just like FPS games, I'd like to see a stat table (kill/death/assists/heals & point totals for those actions) after each BS round, ranking all players who attended that round. These stats would help add some bragging rights since you're removing any punishment for death. And this way it would be undeniable who the best pvp'ers are on a regular basis, regardless of a 'grindable' title.

Further, I'd like to see cumulative win/loss stats for omni/clan viewable for each day, week, month, year, & all time. There should also be a separate stat table for each BS (e.g. a separate table for the 210-220 BS) - that way we can see which side is really pwn'ing the BS at each level overall. This could help encourage BS attendance as a matter of pride for your side - I think it would be cool if omni/clan were really close at the end of each year, resulting in a big push for wins before the year ends.

As an option to encourage greater attendance, you could even stagnate when the 'official' year begins & ends for each BS. In other words, the 210-220 BS 'official year' could run from Dec 31 - Dec 31, while the 'official' year for the 200-209 BS could run from Nov 30 - Nov 30. In this manner, even the most deserted BS's would see some action at least one month out of the year, when the annual 'title' was at stake.

[Glarawyn]

Profession specific titles sound good, although they would require a lot of time with devs with a blank piece of paper and a long table maybe or put it to the communities through professionals to come up with a list of titles, then get a dev to order and select them

Could just reuse the profession titles, there are already 7 for each profession. Come up with 3 lower ranks that are the same for each profession (n00b, gimp, leet) and you're off and running...

[Negs]

Could just reuse the profession titles, there are already 7 for each profession. Come up with 3 lower ranks that are the same for each profession (n00b, gimp, leet) and you're off and running...

I like

[Xaun]

Could just reuse the profession titles, there are already 7 for each profession. Come up with 3 lower ranks that are the same for each profession (n00b, gimp, leet) and you're off and running...

I like

I have to agree that each profession should get its own solo title ranks.

Example is really simple.. Look at the Title ranks for a class like at TL7 you have Lich, Saviour etc.. I really would use those as the visible rankings for each class as they work well and seem about the same in terms of numbers of ranks between nothing and max.

Another thing you might consider before implementation is that in each title range you will have very different combat options for example. At low TLs Traders rule the road in most cases then you get a few higher its MP etc.. basically someone could farm their title out at a level range when their professions is the most uber and then lvl it up to cash in the rewards you "might" be granting from the title. SOOO my suggestion is to lvl lock the titles to the Title ranges.. basically for solo'ing you can only attain up to the current title you have from the first title level you start as. If you get the first "rank" you visibly see the "Warden" next to your name but cannot go higher than that and you start with nothing next to your name. It will have two positive effects with only one draw back is that twinks will no longer be able to have the same high ranks as a TL7 which even tho I twink I don't really feel its something that should be equal with TL7 rankings.

Just make the journey between 0 and title or title and title++ enough work to where its not "easy" to get.

The other more work but best option is to make profession based titles for each title level like say the current ranking system being applied to each title level. Such as Grandmaster Saviour Xaun (one can dream :P)

I suggested that on like page 3 :P

[Herkulease]

Question

These titles are actually more like a grind, then what the old system had in place?

If they are, please make them a rediculously hard grind. So that the titles actually mean something. I would hate for everyone under the sun (that actively pvps) to have all the best titles.

And IMO don't make them degrade over time. What is the point of reaching a "Legend" status, only to loose it when you decide to retire?

[Tekerton-Mockers]

And there was much rejoicing /yay

[Doctorhyde]

Question

These titles are actually more like a grind, then what the old system had in place?

If they are, please make them a rediculously hard grind. So that the titles actually mean something. I would hate for everyone under the sun (that actively pvps) to have all the best titles.

And IMO don't make them degrade over time. What is the point of reaching a "Legend" status, only to loose it when you decide to retire?

a) to enable it to be less of a ridiculously hard grind.

b) so that it DOES mean something when you see someone with the title (ie, people won't incessantly grind grind grind PvP kills only to get their final title and retire ... and people won't be able to ebay just because they have that high title).

[Glarawyn]

-Streetjudge
-Bountyhunter
-Vigilante
-Guerilla
-Commando
-Specialist
-Elite
-Ace
-Nemesis
-Legend

I like it as well, though Streetjudge is iffy.

Having fun with the thesaurus, sorry if I repete...
Outlaw
Bandit
Desperado
Drifter
Gunman
Gunslinger
Highwayman
Hood
Hoodlum
Hooligan
Marauder
Mobster
Assassin
butcher
eliminator
enforcer
executionor
gorrila
hit man
liquidator
plugger
slayer
soldier
torpedo
triggerman
Mugger
Assailant
Antagonist
Bushwhacker
Bully
Delinquent
Gangster
Goon
punk
rowdy
ruffian
torublemaker
culprit
guerilla
hustler
cutthroat
champion
conserver
custodian
defender
guard
sentinel
warden
mercenary
commando
draftee
fighter
grunt
guardsman
guerrila
gunner
marine
musketeer
officer
trooper
private
recruit
vetran
ace
adept
devotee
guru
master
professional
master
freelancer
crack
brillian
champion
expert
virtuoso
scourge

[Glarawyn]

People WILL make a huge deal about having deaths on their counter...

Personally I'd wear my death count as a badge of honor. Look everyone, I'm the one with guts to get in there and get things done. Or I'm the idiot that goes in eyes closed guns blazing, kill em all and sort it out at reclaim!

[Norbal]

Advy: Zealot? ;p
Agent: Ghost/Hydralisk
Crat: Overmind or Cerebrate!
Doc: Medic
Enfo: Ultralisk
Engi: SCV(ha ha!You're an engineer!)
Fixer: Overlord!(since they can grid)
Keeper: Dark Templar/Archon(there is one to be found in AoC!)
Shade: Dark templar maybe,we can have the keeper changed to Archon ;p
MA: Zergling!
NT: Defiler
MP: Carrier
Solider: Goliath
Trader: Larva

I ran out of ideas for a fixer ;/

haha, I love it!

And on a more serious note, I love the preview, but major bump for profession dependant titles

[Marinegent]

The solo titles should be...

Shade

Trade

Doctor

Enforcer

Fixer

Martial Artist

Engineer

Meta Physicist

Agent

Soldier

Nano Technician

Keeper

Adventurer



But seriously..

The solo titles need some reworkage

[Gunnandahalf]

la de da

Why is everyone talking about titles here, and the various names and so on? Don't people realise that after about 2 weeks, the lower titles won't even exist because it is impossible to actually lose a title?

Losing a title via decay is also a stupid system, unless the decay is sufficiently slow (as in "not playing/pvping for 6 months straight") slow, to decay perhaps ONE rank.

A PVP TITLE SYSTEM WHERE YOU CANNOT LOSE A TITLE IS NOT ACTUALLY A TITLE SYSTEM

It's not.

Implement title loss, equivalent to title gain, and as much as I hate duels, it needs to be put in, especially for duels. It doesnt make sense if everyone is a Grand Master Duellist, especially if some Grand Master Duellists have lost more duels than they have won.

It doesnt make sense.

Implement a way of losing title points through being defeated in PVP, otherwise there is simply no reason to have a title system at all.

Period.

[harkness]

like I said I don't think title decay is a good solution, just because someone can't play every single day doesn't make them unworthy of a pvp title.

Very good point, hun. Maybe make them only decay based on time played in game? Although I think that decay based on time in game would be significantly harder for FC to implement.

[shigawahhhh]

To be honest I would rather see no titles just so people will actually do the PVP. But failing that one were there is no loss for death is much better than what we have now. Decay over time would suck for casual players or people who are not always able to get to the game like people who go away on work or whatever.

[Ober]

How about some kind of 'Honour' system that rewards sticking around to the bitter end?
The more Honour you farm, the more gain and less loss you get

Could be quite hard to implement, atleast on BS

[Omigawd]

Personally I'd wear my death count as a badge of honor. Look everyone, I'm the one with guts to get in there and get things done. Or I'm the idiot that goes in eyes closed guns blazing, kill em all and sort it out at reclaim!

Quote my whole post next time! I said pretty much the same exact thing as you did.

[Undead_Army]

Well, looking at the other lists and keeping with the theme of progression and coherence in them, and reminiscing a bit on sci-fi stories and old-school AO, I spent a little time coming up with these suggestions:

-Streetjudge
-Bountyhunter
-Vigilante
-Guerilla
-Commando
-Specialist
-Elite
-Ace
-Nemesis
-Legend

Has an internal coherence and progression, is different from the other title lists, yet not too different, and all are individual-achievement entoned.




On the concern of never losing titles, might it be an idea to let titles decay over time if you do not participate in pvp?

I like this list. Although I agree that Streetjudge doesn't quite seem to fit.

Hehe, was just referring to the fact that there's an Org on RK2 named Nemesis, thus I suggested Quetzalcoatl for fun and pokes

If FC put Nemesis in their title list, I wonder if that org would all get the Nemesis title....

I like it as well, though Streetjudge is iffy.

Having fun with the thesaurus, sorry if I repete...
Outlaw
Bandit
Desperado
Drifter
Gunman
Gunslinger
Highwayman
Hood
Hoodlum
Hooligan
Marauder
Mobster
Assassin
butcher
eliminator
enforcer
executionor
gorrila
hit man
liquidator
plugger
slayer
soldier
torpedo
triggerman
Mugger
Assailant
Antagonist
Bushwhacker
Bully
Delinquent
Gangster
Goon
punk
rowdy
ruffian
torublemaker
culprit
guerilla
hustler
cutthroat
champion
conserver
custodian
defender
guard
sentinel
warden
mercenary
commando
draftee
fighter
grunt
guardsman
guerrila
gunner
marine
musketeer
officer
trooper
private
recruit
vetran
ace
adept
devotee
guru
master
professional
master
freelancer
crack
brillian
champion
expert
virtuoso
scourge

Holy crap. All of those as titles would rock. That way if someone got the top rank, you'd KNOW they had been working at it a while.

[Balneator]

Dunno if I'd wanna be "Crack" or a punk theres definately some good ones in that list, please rethink the solo titles ! (and also the loss of points )

[Balneator]

Very good point, hun. Maybe make them only decay based on time played in game? Although I think that decay based on time in game would be significantly harder for FC to implement.

Just because someone has to camp/twink/farm for an alt, doesn't make them unworthy of a pvp title