So I was chatting with another intelligent Knight in another thread here in suggestions, and obviously a LOT of people have this or that issue with LD. Balance, OP gear, AFKers, costs/rewards, all kinds of crap!

So, plenty of us like LD, right? It's fun, it's a CR sink, and we can get a few neat little items from it. But the main thing is it's fun; as long as you aren't lagging like all hell, but that's another issue entirely.

Now, LD does not have the capacity to be very competitive. There are some balance issues to some extent, and also some glaring mechanical/network or possibly video issues during some matches. But most of all, the teams are random (which is fine) and you get points to up your rank no matter what. The people at the top of the "Leaderboards" aren't skilled like the 3 letters at the top of a Pac Man high score list. They just play a lot; they MIGHT be skilled and great at the game, but they also might suck or bot their way to the top!

So, how do we make something a bit more competitive and balanced? This isn't anything that needs to be done right away, or before PvE content or anything like that. I am simply asking semi-hypothetically, to simply stir up ideas.

I will paste on here the post I had responding in another thread. It's obviously out of context, but as it states just take the ideas as brain food for thoughts. If something I suggest has an issue that you see, change it instead of shutting it down.

The reason I am doing this is because I feel that this game has the capacity to have a very intriguing and unique PvP experience and competition. The game play itself is fast paced and unique, and having a real, algorithm driven leader-board that set up matches based on skill level determined from wins against other players of X ranking etc. would be very neat. In other games, some of the most fun I had was playing until the wee hours of the morning, with 2 other people in a STATIC team, and the fun we had helping each other become better players and developing our skills, and accomplishing something cool together that we could be proud of, at least in game XD

Having static teams is a must in my opinion; like having a team with X amount of people on it, and only 2-5 play at a time in random matches. Those who didn't play enough matches wouldn't be considered as actually ranked with the rest of the team, etc.

But anyway, here's my post.

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Very good points! I understand what you are saying completely; the Class system, or lack thereof, in SK makes balance a very unique issue. I do not want you to think I mean an exact copy; simply thinking along those lines, or the way other games, either MMOs or even RPGs, whatever, go about PvP and balance.

I am just saying to keep in mind many games pull it off, and the lack of a class system may create more issues or less. That's on OOO's side.

When I pointed out "Resilience" I simply wanted to convey a possibility. The Beta PvP was lackluster for a couple/few reasons:

Same loadouts
Repetitive
Lack of rewards (I never played the Beta, but this is an issue with LD to some extent, at least according to some players, and was then too)

The class system is great for what it is. And maybe it would work in an Arena style match, 1 death just like other games with comp. PvP. You wouldn't be able to change, but new matches would load and probably end quickly, and slower the higher skill you play. You have a rank which there is a REALLY long and complicated algorithm for (Math is not my subject) and it determines who you face and what skill level you should be at.

Giving possibly different classes, or maybe change what gear you can use in these Arenas, and create completely new gear that you only use there, but you acquire through maybe LD, BN or just the CWs, and have the weapons and gear be tailored to only use in PvP; either make them required, or give the gear some kind of weakness in PvE (only slight) and PvE gear some weakness in PvP.

Some say this split in WoW ruined the game's feel or certain styles of play. And it might have, for a lot of people and at least the feeling of an open, sandbox type world. No one likes having choices taken away. But WoW isn't really a sandbox game. And SK DEFINITELY isn't a sandbox; it's an action RPG/MMO. Or something like that.

So some limitations in play style are expected to simply create something even better, cooler, and more fun! I know a lot of suggestions make it into SK, which is great, so don't let anything hold back ideas. Be creative and feed off each other.

I am just throwing things out there; take it all and feed off it for your own ideas and suggestions. Eve if you think it's dumb; that which is spoken through ignorance can spark brilliance. :)

Again; Good luck and have FUN!@!

- POST

So that is my first response, and I won't post anyone else's response simply because I don't have their permission. But here is something small from my other response:

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Making unique PvP gear is a bit much with a game like this; so take the idea and build on it. Instead, make only PvP armor modules; modules you attach for X amount of CE on a piece of gear to make it have much more protection against other players, according to the stats it already as also (Vog would still be better against Elemental than Shadow, but you would have more protection against both)

I just think this game would be a GREAT avenue for comp. PvP. LD obviously doesn't quite work for comp. but is great for fun and some Guild matches. I think there are too many avenues that haven't been explored; this game is young! It can be whatever the players and OOO's decides and wants.

Make it the best it can be; just because LD has some problems keeping it from being competitive, does not mean it can't be done in a way that makes players happy and is good for OOO's.

- POST

OK! Sorry for the length, and remember, we are just creating ideas. Feed off each other and if you want other types of PvP, or maybe something else entirely, simply manipulate each other's ideas and suggestions into your own, and help each other make some kind of idea that works!

This game is young, and the players and OOO's are the only ones who can make it better, so help make it the best it can be! A lot of suggestion's here make it into the game.

And remember; someone may seem to speak ignorant words, but let them spark brilliance. :)

And good luck and have fun, as always. XD