ArenaNet:Guild Wars 2 suggestions/Faction Allegiances and Rivalries

Idea (Discussion)

Alliance / Faction should play a major role in the upcoming game. Unity and camaraderie among guilds or even in general would be greatly increased and a welcome element in the game.

Now that GW2 will take place in a persistent world, competition between rival factions can be realized to a greater extent. What I was thinking would be two to three factions that the player would have the option of joining. A player may only join one faction at a time. (This mutual exclusivity could be either character-based or account-based depending on how GW2 fleshes out.) A player should be able to change faction for the sake of being with their friends, but this change should come at a great cost or time investment.

Combat between opposing factions should be able to take place nearly anywhere. (Perhaps certain server Shards can be of the "PvP" type for those who would like the element of danger.) One also could, with a properly sized army, invade an opposing faction's city and the like.

Faction allegiance should be made obvious just by looking at the character. (In terms of armor types, for example.)

Anything to further blur the line between PvE and PvP, which seems to be a goal of GW2...


 * Why this is a good idea


 * Sense of camaraderie.
 * Additional mode of competition. ("Competitive Online Role Playing Game", remember?)
 * Adds to the immersion factor.


 * Why it may not work out


 * Player killing between factions might be fun, but it doesn't suit everyone.