Different servers for different styles?

jepaul · 2012-06-29, 12:58 AM

So many mmo's have different servers for different play styles.

Wouldn't a good compromise, seeing as how there is such division in ranks, be to have different servers based on the type of game experience you wanted to have.

MMO's traditionally have had different servers such as:

PVE = Player vs Environment focus
PVP = Player vs player focus
RP = Rollplaying focus

They are all the exact same game but it is merely the players within that server enjoy focusing on those aspects of the game.

So would an option be in PS2:

Casual Servers = A casual version of planet side similar to how the vets here are use to playing. Still the exact same game but organized units focusing specifically on gun mechanics, movement, cloud spotting, and other aspects of competitive play are frowned upon.

Competitive Servers = Servers where players focus on the details of the game all the way down to single key strokes and movement skill sets. The organization and teamwork is still the same but in game events such as competitive play and live streaming would be put into place.

It is very obvious that there are two different elements within the community, regardless of faction, and those the players that enjoy how the game was played and it's uniqueness from other fps's. And those that enjoy the competitive, shout casts, streaming, movement, and nuances of the fps nature of the game.

No telling where this thread will flame to but at the end of the day if you enjoy your play style, and the outfit youre apart of does also, why not simply have servers focusing on that type of play. Seems to me you wouldn't have to much to bitch about regardless of the direction the dev's want to head if your game experience is still the one you want.

Ratstomper · 2012-06-29, 01:05 AM

But, I wanna be a casual who kills competitives...

TheApoc · 2012-06-29, 01:08 AM

Not really what planetside is IMO, its a shooter nothing more or less as far as gun play.. the mmo just makes it have life and complexity

Razicator · 2012-06-29, 01:12 AM

No no no. Trust me it won't work. You heard of "smurfing" before in other games right? Bored veterans leveling up new characters to absolutely destroy the new players? There's nothing preventing a "hardcore" player to start on a "casual" server. Furthermore, what if a casual player decides to go hardcore, or vice versa?

Splitting up a FPS only makes sense in the context of smaller arena-based games like Halo's ranked, unranked, and arena games and League of Legend's ranked and normal games, where ELO can be tracked. Casuals can play ranked, but they'll be put very low on the ladder, but they'll eventually only play with other casuals because of ELO tracking. No such thing can be done with Planetside 2.

I mean, I CAN see it being done, but it'll have to be a whole new arena mode for a future eSports mode. Perhaps 50v50 matches where each side has one base, and the first to capture the middle base wins. Thing is, games would last so long that tracking something like ELO purely based on wins and losses would be infeasable. In League of Legends, going to top rank even winning every battle would take 40+ hours, and that's with only 30 minute rounds on average. Imagine hours-long battles for control, then your ELO moves up by 10. Not very motivating.

Bags · 2012-06-29, 01:13 AM

planetside is a PVP shooter.

IF you start balancing for pvp pve etc it gets so bad and no one is happy, look at wow's balancing.

FPClark · 2012-06-29, 01:15 AM

Planetside will have this already but instead of servers its split into these magical player driven outfits

(AKA find an outfit that matches your playstyle)

If you are looking for an arena based shooter you should probably go play arena based shooters.

p0intman · 2012-06-29, 01:26 AM

Originally Posted by Bags

planetside is a PVP shooter.

IF you start balancing for pvp pve etc it gets so bad and no one is happy, look at wow's balancing.

I like you. You may annoy me on /c a lot, but I like you.

jepaul · 2012-06-29, 01:37 AM

Just be ok when you start seeing shoutcasts, livestreaming, and instance based competitive play. The handwriting is on the wall and the business model needs it to support the game without sub. With the TWL and CAL crowd excited about this game and moving here in droves it might be a good option now to separate those types of players out. Play style servers work on every other MMO out there and in fact work on every FPS game out there as well. It is the exact same game you're just fighting people of a like mind set and with the same amount of play for fun vs play for the win as you do.

p0intman · 2012-06-29, 01:49 AM

instanced based combat is a stupid idea and if they ever implement it, they're pissing off their core audience once again.

FPClark · 2012-06-29, 01:56 AM

Originally Posted by p0intman

instanced based combat is a stupid idea and if they ever implement it, they're pissing off their core audience once again.

This

Dagron · 2012-06-29, 02:48 AM

My first reaction is to agree with this idea, probably for the oposite side of your reason to suggest it. To me the serious business hardcores who want an e-sport ruin games if let loose into the general population.

I just don't think it'll work though. Splitting servers into PvP and PvE is one thing as those are different server mechanics, but splitting servers into Casual and Hardcore is the same as doing it for PvE and RP: since there is no difference in the mechanics, a handful of people will follow the guidelines but most of them will just make their characters wherever. Some people don't like to lose the option to play both ways, others don't like to lose contact with the other type of players and some just like to dick around with other people's playstyles.

Though in today's stream Higby said he likes e-sports and that they'll come up with something in that area. So if that's what you're interested in, keep an eye out.

CutterJohn · 2012-06-29, 02:52 AM

I'd take a server where there is no empire specific gear.

Greater personal customization is better to me than greater enemy variety, and I really don't want to have to level multiple characters(with many year training times) to experience all the game has to offer.