The topic came up on conversation earlier and I decided to get a general idea as to what the community thinks or their feelings as to the given options. With Raiding in the game it introduces two very different scenarios. Both have their merits while at the same time, their detractors.
1: Open World Raiding Target: In this format, you have a raid target accessible to anyone while having a set respawn timer. This means that a guild or groups of people can kill this target and do so even for loot once every set respawn time.
Benefits
- Raid target feels like part of the open world
- Raid loot is released to the server at a limited set rate keeping the rarity and value relatively high with a very slow declination over time
Detriment:
- Raid target will likely have limitations preventing you from engaging with too many people
- Raid target will be heavily contested leading to toxic engagement between guilds or groups
- Players will be unlikely to see the loot as the rate of obtaining it will be extremely slow
- Outside players can grief or sabotage the raid target causing the raid to lose or wipe
2: Instanced Raid Target: In this format, you have a raid target closed to players while having a set reentry timer set to their account. This means that a guild or group of people can only kill the instanced target and do so even for loot once every set reentry period similar to respawn timer in the open-world design.
Benefits
- Raid target is removed from greifing and sabotage from an outside source
- Raid content is able to raided by guilds and players without contention
Detriments
- Raid loot becomes more saturated over time and less valuable
- Raid target feels instanced and less impactful in the world
[Disclaimer] Apologies for the format adjustments. Forums seems to have indents, bullets, etc. as options, but don't work on submission.
Mod Edit: Remove external link to a poll as we do not allow them on these development forums unless issued by a VR staff member.
wildenightwolf said:A little of both would be fine with me, and you don't have a choice for that on your poll.
If that was an option, the poll could be used to dictate to which degree they use in 'A little bit of both'. This is for the choice as to the two primal options. There's more tertiary type options which either run parallel or offset from these choices like a triggered Raid in reference to the EQ1 Velious 'Ring War'.
fazool said:No need for a poll. It's been discussed extensively.
Aside from this, OP, this poll is a little .....well, not a poll.
I'm not sure which side you land on here, as you didn't specify, but this shows a pretty clear bias. Presenting a poll to the general population, and then attaching more "detriments" to one side than the other, automatically discredits the poll. It then becomes just a conversation, and not an impartial poll.
Aside from that, the whole reason why this is even a conversation is because these pros and cons are subjective. What you find to be a detriment or a benefit, I may not.
But also, yea, it's been discussed extensively.
Just quoting the FAQ here :
All dungeons are open world. There are no plans for instanced dungeons at this time. The dungeons will be very large to handle multiple groups of players. More shards/servers will be added if overpopulation becomes a problem.
I will simply insist there is no need to back Pantheon and jump on the forum only to try to change it into another consumerist oriented game. There are already enough games like this now, no need to change this one into them.
With respect, I disagree with MauvaisOeil and a few others.
Not on the merits, but on the procedural point.
The FAQ is not the word of God, it is the current thinking of VR subject to change as a result of testing or for that matter change of opinion. It is entirely appropriate for people to point out why they think going in a different direction would be better for Pantheon. I venture to say that almost all of us like *most* of what is in the FAQ or we wouldn't be here. I very much disagree that anyone that questions one or two points is "trying to change [Pantheon] into another consumerist oriented game."
There is great room for difference of opinion on specific issues among people that all support a slow pace, limited rapid travel, social oriented game. Debate on these points can only help VR. Mostly they will stick with the FAQ but if they decide on even a single point that new arguments warrent a change the game has been improved.
By the way - please read the FAQ that you highlighted again. It says "no plans for instanced dungeons AT THIS TIME" (emphasis added). That almost screams out that they retain an open mind on this point and will be reconsidering the plusses and minuses of a limited amount of instancing. So its an excellent FAQ to discuss both sides of openly.
On the specific point of whether instances are desirable in some circumstances I decline to comment. It has been discussed to death not that long ago and I have nothing to add to what was said then.
So, this poll is horrible and let me explain why.
There is only 2 options. Why can't there be a both option? Or an I don't have a preference option? You only suit the poll to 2 types of people.
I can see having instanced raids being a plus, you can easily do a lot more with mechanics with instanced raids, also, it prevents people from zerging. A lot of open world targets on the EQ TLP servers were downed with well more than 72 people, therefor cutting out any real strategy involved with taking the raid target down. Also allows more DPS from people not being in raid, which in turn will severely lower the difficulty. Then you gotta think about the jerks, that want the kill and are willing to do anything for it, and will train a raid just to get it.
There's more pro's in the instanced raiding and more cons in open world raiding. I do like to compete, but I also like to have a good strategy and you don't have to watch your back for the jerks out there at the same time. I prefer to have both instanced targets and non instanced targets.
