Jsc
Disney's Princess
A Guide to Arena Style PvP
Recently, objective based PvP has become super-duper popular and I'm not all about it. So I'd like to create this guide for posterity. Warning. This text is heavily biased towards JSC's unique perspective. Here we go.
What is Arena Style PvP?
Arena Style PvP involves playing in a setting, or an Arena, rather than moving pieces like a board game. Here are the steps:
[*]Step 2:
[*]Step 3:
[*]Step 4:
[*]Step 5:
How is this different than Objective Based PvP?
In a number of reasons,
How is this a bad idea?
Good question,
Would you recommend this idea to a friend or a Faction Admin?
Yes. I would recommend they at least understand they have options.
Recently, objective based PvP has become super-duper popular and I'm not all about it. So I'd like to create this guide for posterity. Warning. This text is heavily biased towards JSC's unique perspective. Here we go.
What is Arena Style PvP?
Arena Style PvP involves playing in a setting, or an Arena, rather than moving pieces like a board game. Here are the steps:
- Step 1:
Faction Admins meet together to create the setting, or the Arena, where the melee will take place. Unlike building a Colosseum, they will build a story first. Defining the status of the war at present, leaving almost all of it's intricacies and manipulations outside of their sphere of player influence. The battle is become 'Background Noise'. The board is now set and locked to players.
An OOC conclusion date is set for when a judging must take place to determine victors and territory exchanges. - Faction Admins can invite their dedicated Warmongers and Fleeters to assist them is setting the board before it is locked, to account for nuance and technical detail.
[*]Step 2:
- Faction Admins agree that no matter the current state of the NPC battle, anybody can still win. No matter how numerically outmatched either NPC army is, it's anyone's game. And winning that game will involve the RPJ's favoring the best content, substance, and style from the players thusly engaged in playing it. In short, the tide or statistics of the battle does not pick the winner. The players must earn it themselves through RP and storytelling.
Surprisingly. Losing a duel can still net you a victory point. All you must do is be a more cordial player, avoid power-gaming, and write a more proficient story. The RPJ's may reward your faction positively for your excellent behavior, superb storytelling, and not for your loss of a single combet.
[*]Step 3:
- Players enter the Setting and begin engaging in duels and storytelling. Ship-v-Ship, Soldier-v-Soldier, Adept-v-Adept, etc. In unlimited amounts of combinations. Some may even engage in telling a story against the limited NPC environment in an attempt to tell a even greater tale and gain the RPJ's favor through literature and awe. Though, resistance is sure to be expected as players will gravitate to your awesomeness like moths to a flame.
[*]Step 4:
- Alas, now the Setting has reached it's OOC conclusion date and must now be judged for a victor. The players may continue writing and finishing their tales and duels. However, these later entries will not be judged according to victory.
[*]Step 5:
- A winner is announced and the Faction's Admins must respond the Setting and their lore accordingly. Examples: Despite a tactical and numerical advantage, Faction One was beaten back into Hyperspace by the efforts of a few empowered heroes. Or:/ Being overwhelmed by the enemy forces and despite a gallant sacrifice by it's many heroes, Faction One retreated into Hyperspace to fight another day. You need not be more specific or grandiose than that either. It's Star Wars after all. Get too detailed and the plot-holes mire the fun.
How is this different than Objective Based PvP?
In a number of reasons,
- 1. You are not playing a board game. You are playing mostly inside and around it.
- 2. There are no rules. The setting is your melee whilst the fleets, armies, and vehicles are simply the accompaniment to your literal symphony. Background noise.
- 3. No Faction can declare a win via numbers, counter tech, command maneuvers, or industrial leverage. The RPJ's aim is to reward storytelling, nerf powergaming, and create an absence of godmoding.
- 4. You as a writer are not focused solely on winning. You can lose a combat and still be awarded kudos for your excellent sportsmanship.
How is this a bad idea?
Good question,
- 1. Some players would rather play a Board Game than write a book. Winning is much easier the more closely you define it. Fleeters beware.
- 2. RPJ's have a lot more to read and judge. Rather than just seeing who took 2/3 objectives and calling it a day.
- 3. Participation still matters heavily, as combat is easier the more allies you have assisting you.
- 4. Nerfs the Factory by eliminating the escalation of counter-&-parry technologies that effect of the Setting as a whole. Individual duels can still be leveraged by superior tech and tactics. Especially powerful technologies may in fact leverage the RPJ's against you via powergaming concerns.
- 5. Having characters on both sides of the Melee can leave you gaining, or losing, points for either side. This can be done on purpose as well as on accident.
- 6. Unlike a Galactic Event. Someone stills wins and someone still loses.
Would you recommend this idea to a friend or a Faction Admin?
Yes. I would recommend they at least understand they have options.