Curse

revler · Jul 07, 2006, 06:25 PM // 18:25

Prophecies didn´t have enough features to keep me that much interested in Guild Wars, but Factions solved a lot of the issues to me. Guild Alliances, different way of setting up enemies in PvE areas, PvE games, and, most importantly, something I have been dreaming about in Guild Wars and in a lot of games I played before: ever lasting conflict (the faction wars) that changes landscape.
Still, while I PvP all the time, and I really enjoy a balanced competitive game (don´t think I'll ever be moving to other action-rpg titles because of that) it is really PvE that keeps me playing, and I believe PvE needs some sort of conflict, something that can make it more significant to the players instead of merely bashing enemies for the sake of a balanced challenge.

So, I have a System suggestion that may give Guild Wars more depth to the PvE experience.

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1. Contracts

I suggested in another thread that GW follows the example of Freelancer, and have contracts that players can choose and attempt to solve them. Contracts are somewhat everlasting repetitive quests, that have a number of random elements associated with them.
They give experience, items and money, and, most importantly to me, makes us go through areas and fight monsters that unless I have a reason to, I'll just run along.

While just contracts may be a good idea, I think the system can have more aspects and have a much greater impact on GW. Like I was saying, PvE needs some sort of everlasting conflict, and contracts could play this role.

1.1 Contract basics

Each major town (Kaineng, Lion's Arch, Ascalon, Hu Zelter, Droknar's and so On) has 1 contract handler. You can only accept 1 contract at a time (having to abandon it if you want to change), and you have an hour or two to complete it before it expires. If you have a contract, you get the "Begin contract" buttom on the party box, taking you to whatever area the contract takes place. Henchmen will then be leveled to the contract difficulty.

Contracts are quests with randomized elements that can be about exterminating bosses, gathering materials, exterminating Charr camps and so on, and you always have a limited number of minutes to win the contract, to make it more challenging and to represent that other people are after the contract too.
Some rarer contracts could involve going to other kingdoms, such as capturing an ascalon refugee that is hidden in the shiverpeaks. But generally they should take place in the kingdoms they originated.

There should NOT have contracts all the time, so players have to do something else while they wait for new ones.

1.2 Contract rewards

Each contract has a random gold reward, but that is proportional to the contract difficulty. With the gold reward, you also receive continent (Tyria or Cantha) faction.

1.3 Using the faction

The faction can be used so the Contract guy trusts you and gives you special, more difficult and rewarding contracts that are locked.

1.4 The kingdoms

Each contract the players succesfully finish raises the quality bar of the kingdom. The more on the red a kingdom gets, the worst the economy is, and less the contracts will pay. If its on blue, it is normal, and the more towards gold, better the economy is, because the citizens are thriving, and more the contracts can pay.

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2. Back to the individual

With all that is said, contracts can play a fun part of the game, giving ever lasting quests to everyone, while letting people play on the kingdoms they like most, and also significantly affecting the PvE world by interacting with it. I don´t think that is enough though.

Guild wars is a group game, where individuals don´t shine because, no matter how good they are, they can´t single handely destroy the enemy group.
But individuality is an important reward, and while we won´t shine by our fighting skills, there are other means people can still attain world fame.

2.1 Titles and renown ladder

Diablo II had a ladder that showed the top players, and even though most of the people would never show there, it was a goal that motivated many of them.
Guild wars can do the same by displaying the top 10 of each title (gladiator level, how much fame, how much unlucky, how drunk), and show a score for those who have helped the kingdom the most by doing contracts.
This way people can still shine as individuals, and it is a powerfull social reward that will make people want to play more, and also will connect the community.

Imagine you open the Ladder tab and see:

Ascalon top heroes:

1. Fargoth 5094
2. Jake badlands 3039

2.2 New titles and other contracts

New titles could be Citizen of Ascalon to Hero of Ascalon, Shiverpeak cold feet to Shiverpeak Endurer, and so on.
There could also be contracts that are not tied to kingdoms, but are given by individuals such as gangs, monks or rangers that want to change the world. Then you can have evil, good or treehugger titles as well, allowing a bit more depth to Roleplaying.

2.3 Hero of the Town

And to finish, by unlocking epic contracts with a large ammount of Cantha or Tyrian faction, heroes can take part on really hard quests (such as the ones from the Dragon event), that most will not finish.
Those who finish this extremely hard epic contracts, will have the leader's name or guild name displayed in all areas of the kingdom, the same way the winners of the HA.

Ken Dei · Jul 07, 2006, 07:04 PM // 19:04

Very interest notions. I like Freelancer it's a well done game. Contracts are an interesting concept, and you seem t have implemented that relativly well.

"Signet of Approval"

What I would like to see are contracts between players for:

-Power Leveling
-Quest Assistance
-Mercenary Work: Working for one faction or another without really joining them, good for neutral players.
-Resource collection
-Gold Loans
-etc. (can't think of any others atm.)

Rikimaru · Jul 07, 2006, 08:37 PM // 20:37

That's a decent idea. I Think you should be able to choose solo contracts too; ones that don't require a group, and you can only do them alone.

Tien ak · Jul 07, 2006, 09:13 PM // 21:13

Brillant idea! I am 100% behind this

I have played a bit of Freelancer and its a great game I do think however this obviously won't happen soon but should deffintly be impletemented in chapter 3 or 2007's summer update.

revler · Jul 08, 2006, 05:04 AM // 05:04

-Mercenary Work: Working for one faction or another without really joining them, good for neutral players.

I like this one =D