World-PvP Events, even more Rp style

Heyas!

This is something i'm thinking a bit around, but its mostly thinking out loud.

When it comes to world PvP events, it is very IC before and after, but in the middle it kinda looks like some random battleground with people bursting all they've got. Often it is over in 30 sec. I was thinking that to keep the RP-feeling going through the battle itself aswell, the fights could be a little more NPC-ish. At least for a bit, so that it doesn't end immidiatly. With NPC-ish I mean mostly Auto-attacking with some abbilitys thrown in for the effects (would be lame otherwise) but not intended to insta-kill. That way people could have cool setups with a row of melee, ranged behind them etc.

And so that it not continue forever and get boring, the ammount of abilitys can increase and ranged might start focusing on the same target or something. I dunno, anything that makes it balanced. So what im saying here really is that we should line up, kinda go 1v1 with auto-attacks for the RP, and then slowly it gets more and more intense making it real PvP.

I think it would be cool to at least try one battle like that, it doesn't have to be the new standard or anything. With the upcoming weekend of fighting this might be tested once, maybe? =)

Thanks for reading!
Comments apreciated ^^

While it does sound like it could be fun, in the experience I've had now in cata in 2 pvp fights I remember, where the numbers were roughly even, the fights can actualy take a while (atleast in leveling/pve/pvp gear). What coul draw it out would that you don't send in all fighters at once, but build it up.

I can't say I would do this if I'm involved in the planning/leading/communication. This is a bit on the same lines as using rp gear, giving the feeling that you are not allowed to give it your "all". I would not be surprised if after the first of this type of battle, there would be complains that x used too much of skill z. Player y didn't stay in line but went after the ranged instead. It might effect the feel, making it less of an intense battle and more of a show fight where the participants go and have a drink afterwards.

We can most likely say more about it after a trial run.

More healers?

But I wouldn't mind trying.

I've experienced a battle like that before. Only auto attack, wands and minor heals were allowed. People kept emoting too, once in a while. It was fun and I think people should try it out if they think it's any interesting.

Sign me up. I might sing a song or prayer in battle

Hmm, well, it would be very hard to moderate, and keep people from putting a sneaky heroic strike in or something, and how much healing would be just too complicated, and as to how long before the battle should just end, it just seems very hard to accomplish properly. Cataclysm PvP battles are quite longer then they were in Wrath of the Burst King, but with 80 people charging each other, it's gunna get messy, but that's what a big battle is.

EDIT: Small skirmishes maybe, but I don't think it could work with a huge battle.

DRS tested this a while ago with OotRB and the majority found it a bit boring. Also in this day and age where people have the same RP gear but like 3 times the HP then it would just become an endless battle with no winner.

Anyways, RP-PvP has its name for a reason - you do RP mixed in with some PvP. I see no reason to change the formula.

-throws paper balls at- LIGHTNING BOLT!1111one

Yeah good for the looks, if you were say doing a movie, but practically I'd say not. Do RP-PvP!!!

I always wear RP gear during RP-PvP, regardless of any cooked up gear rules. If I wanted to do something with the emphasis on PvP, I'd do a battleground.

In short, that's what I'm missing in most RP-PvP battles. Too little scenario. Too little objectives. It's basically NUKE -- and god forbid you waste a GCD, there's no time for such silliness if you're playing with the pros -- until one guy is left standing.

BLADE.... *wheeze* ... STOOOOOORM!!!

But no seriously, i understand the points made. and as one of the servers World-pvp dinosaurs i've seen a few things and been around the block enough to make the following comments.

1) Gear is believe it or not, irrelevent. i've seen rp geared folks maul pvp gear players.

2) in regards to the 'NPC-ish' battles, this -has- been tried before, between the red blades and DRS, and i must concur, it was rigid, dull and quite horrid from 'my' view. i cant speak for the dwarves.

3) the likes of julius ceaser, ghengis khan, Henry V and napoleon didnt just put their armies in a straight line, charge and hope for the best. such tactics were often noted to be "military disasters".

in my Days playing as Seiken i can say with some modesty i Aquired a fair bit of knowledge regarding tactics and strategy that can be employed in an RP-battle. the problem half the time isnt so much people worrying over gear, or the length of the fight... hell its not even numbers. on multiple occasions i saw the more numerous foe pushed from the field, or the better geared army crushed under foot. Length of the clash shouldnt even really factor, someone has to die.

the Real trick, and which many fail to aspire to... is the use of Tactics.

Flanking, Ambushes, scouting, cavalry charges, feined retreats, the use of terrain, enveloping enemy forces, strategic bombardment. and my personal favourite is Training.

Training can improve the co-ordination of a group/battalion/tregiment massively. proof in the pudding is the orcs of the red blade who hold regular war training events which allows kozgugore to instill basic battle tactics and ethos which allows the red blades to fight, move and work together as one solid mounted pack. and it works, it really does.

so my advice is to forget the rest. worry about tactics, and training. thats the real Trick to making a battle longer, more fun, and often far more decisive. This should in turn allow for a better In character feel. my ideas and methods simply put, come from playing Shogun Total war.

Feel free to slander my methods ^^

Then again you need people willing to listen and act on the tactics when the time comes

Jomir/Nastor/Gannas wrote:Then again you need people willing to listen and act on the tactics when the time comes

Exactly, which is down to training.

Jomir/Nastor/Gannas wrote:Then again you need people willing to listen and act on the tactics when the time comes

1) Vent it up with your raid.
2) Lay down tactics on a OOC and IC level with your troops.
3) Communicate OOCly and ICly.
4) Have people execute tactics which were given ICly (Yells/Say) and instructions on what to do (Vent).
5) ????
6) Profit!

Most times tactics are not followed due to the fact that when the fight/battle/massacre starts people are too focused on killing/healing/fighting the enemy than reading raid chat, even when commands are spammed via raid warnings or yells in caps. All in all even the best planned tactic can fail if there is not enough communication.

Geldar wrote:

Jomir/Nastor/Gannas wrote:Then again you need people willing to listen and act on the tactics when the time comes

1) Vent it up with your raid.
2) Lay down tactics on a OOC and IC level with your troops.
3) Communicate OOCly and ICly.
4) Have people execute tactics which were given ICly (Yells/Say) and instructions on what to do (Vent).
5) ????
6) Profit!

Most times tactics are not followed due to the fact that when the fight/battle/massacre starts people are too focused on killing/healing/fighting the enemy than read raid chat, even when commands are spammed via raid warnings or yells in caps. All in all even the best planned tactic can fail if there is not enough communication.

^ that.

my solution was to often place a raid marker over my head, so people knew who to follow/stick too. if theres multiple guilds at several positons, the leader of each group gets a raid marker, and the people in that group follow that specific symbol.

all down to willingness!

First of all, thanks for all the responses!

I've read it all through and think you're right that it might be a bit boring to play, and indeed more movie-material than an actual way of doing things. Although it did sound very interesting with the IC training and tactics!

I think that is what im trying to locate, a way to keep the feeling of RP inside the battle aswell. If a group would sneak up from a flank that would be very exciting! It would be nice as a healer to be able to keep the members alive, but still be able to somewhat catch a glimpse of the epic battle and not just the raidframe like any arena/bg.

And it is true that battles actually are very messy, so I suppose the NPCs are the stupid ones

Thank you once again for you thoughts, I got my answer =) I'll see how things turns out, and if the next one is somewhat "dissapointing" something like this might be arranged!

Another thing about emoting out things in battle if you did indeed do it slower.
Only half the side would see it, the others would just get " does some strange gestures" spoiling it somewhat.

For more immersion i'd say prepare some macros and have them ready on a keybar at the side for use with battle shouts. For a knight of kind maybe a "Have at Thee!" in /say for when charging a strong opponent.
Can do much to bring life even to a hectic battle when you don't have time too type.