Feedback:User/Nocktheshaman/World PvP/GvG/Guild Relations

Comprehensive Conceptualization of Guild Function, Guild PvP, and World PvP for Guild Wars 2
The name of the game is "Guild Wars 2" yet thus far in released information there aren't any "guild wars". I hope to rectify this problem with my suggestion, while also opening up the playerbase for those players who enjoy world pvp (which at this time seems disabled for GW2).

The concept is not complicated, but takes some explanation and some ground-laying before it can be realized in full.

First, that other MMO’s are using an imperfect system of PvP. Namely, that world PvP gets in the way of players enjoying the game, that faction divides cause players to have to choose between the race/faction they want to play and their friends, and that PvP guilds cannot truly prove their prowess in battle against foes and rivals due to lacking PvP functionality.

Second, this document will show a system and solution that addresses all of these issues. World PvP (not to be confused with WvW) will be available, which many MMO players want in their games, but they want it in a more perfect system than other MMOs have, and I believe I’ve found a fix. Also, it covers the basics on the relationships different guilds on the same server can have available. It also covers how to avoid players abusing functionality of options meant to keep them having fun, NOT to change a battle in their favor. Let’s get started.

Guild Relationships

Let us assume there is a guild window with frames involving guild functionality in the game. What I propose is having either a tab or frame inside of this with the following headers and columns containing them:

Ally - Friendly - Unset Reputation - Unfriendly	- Enemy

In order, the columns are colored: Blue, Green, Grey, Yellow, and Red. The middle column has a search tool at the top, and a scroll bar on the side. The leader of a guild can look through the Unset Reputation list (Which holds the names of all the guilds on his/her server) and move these guilds into the other four categories.

Enemies are guilds your guild is at odds with and who could be labeled “Attack on Sight”.

Unfriendly guilds are those guilds with the understanding that you “Don’t attack unless they attack first”, with a few exceptions such as, “If under 10% health, go ahead and take the kill.”

Friendly guilds are those you should aid when you see them in battle. They have your back, and you have theirs.

Ally guilds are much closer than friendly. They are more akin to sister guilds in that they must have identical reputations with guilds in friendly and enemy columns, but due to their alliance, can mingle each other’s members in the GvG battles I am about to introduce.

Guild vs. Guild

Depending on what ArenaNet wants to make available, different possibilities are available for GvG content. Based on the aforementioned guild relationships, certain rules would apply:

Auto-fill GvG

Think premade battles with the Auto-fill tool finding your guild a match against other guilds on your server and other servers. These could be either structured or unstructured depending on ArenaNet’s desires.

The rules would be: Ally guilds cannot be matched against each other. Friendly guilds cannot be matched against each other.

Tournament GvG

Since the parties sign up, the only rule is Ally guilds cannot be matched against each other (Since being Allies means they can intermingle their members in GvG matches).

Either, or both of these GvG types could be implemented. Embellishing what was alluded to previously, if your guild has an ally guild, then in the hypothetical situation that you want to do a 20v20 GvG Auto-fill match but do not have enough people, your allies may join your group to battle alongside you and vice versa.

World PvP

In the beginning of the document, I mention how world pvp gets in the way of the player in other MMOs more often than not. No one enjoys being camped for hours on end. No one wants to be forced into pvp when they are really into a given quest-line or lore driven event. So, let’s take a look back at guild relationships and the potential they have.

In guild settings or options let us put another tool for a guild leader to use. The “Must be this powerful to represent my guild in battle” option. Using this tool a guild leader can set what levels it’s members can be to get involved in world pvp. (Note: This is not the ONLY option for allowing or disallowing world pvp!!!) This setting makes characters in the guild who are within the levels given, both the opportunity to attack and BE ATTACKED by enemy and unfriendly reputation guilds.

Let’s do some hypotheticals. If  and  are enemies. And ’s leader sets his guild’s tool to “Levels 60-80 may represent my guild in battle”. And ’s leader sets his guild’s tool to “Levels 50-80 may represent my guild in battle”. Then  members can attack their enemies in  only if they themselves are 60-80 and if the  member they are attacking is 50-80.

So, to clarify, your guild’s setting of this tool makes it so that ONLY members of those levels can be attacked, or do attacking of their own against the guild’s enemies and unfriendlies.

“What if  and  get into a large scale battle and one of them gains the upper hand? Can the guild leader of the other guild change their standing to friendly on the fly?”

No. In order to adjust these settings the guild leader must be out of combat, as well as this function change having a one hour cooldown and a one hour delay. Meaning, for 60 min after he changes their relationship everything stays the same as it was. This way it cannot be abused. I used one hour as the value because of two reasons. 60 min is half of the day/night cycle in-game. And, because it is short enough that someone won’t be stuck with old settings for too long, but long enough to not change the course of a fight at an unfair time.

"Will these GvG fights in the permanent world take place in capital cities or other high population areas where it could pose a problem for those not involved?"

No. ArenaNet will have the decision about where this form of world pvp can and cannot take place, and capital cities would likely be off limits for such fights.

“What if my guild leader sets the tool to levels 1-80 and I get ganked/camped while trying to level?”

Each player may individually turn PvP off or on in their personal settings. These settings take priority over the guild settings.

“What if I’m ‘hardcore’ and want to have pvp on all the time, but my guild doesn’t allow me to represent them in battle until I’m higher level?”

You may turn on “Free Range PvP” in your personal settings. This allows you and other players with this setting to fight each other whenever you see them, regardless of guild rules. (Note: If friendly guilds both have 1 or more members with this setting on, these members CAN attack each other.)

The personal settings take only 5 min to implement with a 15 min cooldown. (To avoid abusing this tool)

So, in short.

Those that want to PvP in the world without restriction may turn on “Free Range PvP”.

Those that do not want to PvP in the world may turn PvP off completely.

Those that want to PvP in the world on behalf of their guild may do so within the guild’s restrictions.

GvG battles will not be hindered by these systems, but rather promoted.

Guilds will be able to adjust their relationships with one another in more than just a cosmetic way.

Guilds will not be able to bring thier in world battles into capital cities or other places designated by ArenaNet.

Measures have been taken to avoid abusing the powers given to the players.

Enabling these features will allow for a wider player base to consider purchasing Guild Wars 2

And, enabling these features will give players another outlet for their enjoyment in Guild Wars 2.

This suggestion is rather short for the complexity of what I am introducing. If anything was unclear, or if I should embellish on any facet of this suggestion, please let me know.

Thanks for reading.

-Nick C.