4 New PvP Modes- Some That PvErs May Also Enjoy

[TheZag]

I don’t PvP often but my SG does some PvP events on occasion and a few of the rules we used let me have an enjoyable experience. There is potential for several different modes of PvP using current ingame mechanics that some PvErs could possibly enjoy as well. My main distaste with PvP is how horribly I get stomped by players with ‘dedicated PvP’ builds. Casual PvP is hard to enjoy if someone can destroy you in 5 seconds while you missed every one of your attacks. That is an extreme example and some of these games address that while others would still have a ‘my build is better than your build’ option. So without further ramblings, the games---

 

Hero Ball

 

Capture the Flag

 

Defend the Fortress

 

Mech Assault

 

 

Each game is covered in its own post, scroll down to check them out or click the name of the game above. Feel free to offer feedback to games individually or to all of them at once.

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by TheZag

[TheZag]

Hero Ball

 

Or super soccer or whatever other name the kids are calling it these days. Its the game that several people made super bases to play back when super bases were PvP enabled.

 

There are 2 teams with a ‘Ball’ in the center and a goal at each side. Using Knockback powers, the players attempt to knock the ball into the opposing teams goal to score a point. Most points in the time limit wins. This game will rely heavily on the vectored knock system put in place by Number Six and detailed ‘here’. I believe that physics objects are processed client side so an actual bouncy ball wouldnt work and instead will need to be an NPC that just doesn’t move (and is preferably ball shaped).

 

Here is the first opportunity for a PvP game that PvErs may enjoy. This is due to the fact that players wont have their regular abilities and instead will only have a ‘Hero Ball’ powerset. Your normal abilities will be disabled and replaced by a power bar similar to what you would see in a ‘do so-and-so’s personal story’ mission. Everyone will be ‘equal’ as far as available abilities are concerned

 

The Abilities

 

Kick, 2 second cooldown – Knock the ball a short distance away from you

 

Punt, 5 second cooldown – Knock the ball a moderate distance away from you

 

Shoot, 20 second cooldown – Knock the ball a long distance away from you

 

Dash, 20 Second cooldown – Run faster for 5 seconds

 

Trip, 30 second cooldown – Knock down an opponent

 

Second Wind, 1 minute cooldown – Reduce the remaining recharge on your Dash and Trip by 15 seconds

 

 

The size of the field should be tuned so that Dash will last for no more than 2/5 of the field. Meaning a Second Wind Dash wouldnt cover the entire field. The abilities would certainly need tuning and could be removed or have new ones added as needed to allow players to remain engaged. Such as single target buffs and debuffs for allies/opposition. I could throw several more abilities in already but these hopefully give a feel for how the game would be able to flow.

 

Edited June 28, 2022 by TheZag

[TheZag]

Capture the Flag

 

I didn’t go far out of the box for this one and most people are familiar with it already. In capture the flag you attempt to steal the opposing teams flag and return it to your flag area. This game can be played with player abilities available or with premade powersets where everyone has access to the same powers. There can also be a single flag version where the flag is in the center and players battle it out to first acquire the flag and then return to base.

 

The player carrying something that is dropped on defeat already exists in Bloody Bay with the meteor fragments so this game will draw from that mechanic in a smaller arena version. This also is one of the games that my SG played with players being the ‘flag’ and defeating them meant you picked it up and being defeated yourself meant you dropped it. We played it with level 2 blasters and it was the most fun I have had in PvP in City of Heroes due to the fact that we still had some options on what powerset to choose and focus yourself as offense or defense but were more or less equal since enhancements and eleventy billion available powers arent a thing at level 2. Having to watch chat for the referee call outs on who had the flag and if it was returned did prove to be a challenge and the arena maps that were suitable for this purpose were limited as well since we had to define the areas ourselves.

 

I shouldn’t need to go into what premade powersets would specifically be but just to say that they would be a mix of offense and defense related abilities and that there would probably be several to choose from that include offense heavy, defense heavy, and more balanced sets. I do think capture the flag would benefit by having a premade power mode and a normal mode.

[TheZag]

Defend the Fortress

 

Defend the fortress may be similar to the super base raids of the olden days but I don’t know for sure since the SG I was in was defunct by then in the retail run and I didn’t look for another. In this game each team has their own fortress that they need to defend while trying to destroy the enemies fortress. Each base has 3 outer force field doors, 2 inner force field doors, and a generator in the innermost room. Players can pass through their own force fields freely but enemies must destroy them to gain access inside. The outer 3 doors lead to a single room with the left and right side doors that finally lead to the generator room. Destruction of the opposing generator wins the game. Fortresses will have several turrets defending each point of entry so that singular players will have trouble taking a door down by themselves. Turrets can be destroyed and also repaired while the corresponding force field is still active. After a door is destroyed, the turrets guarding it will no longer be repairable.

 

As an alternate version, there can be only one fortress and 1 team attacks while the other defends. After the generator is destroyed or time (10 minutes?) expires, the teams switch sides and play a second round. The team that destroys the generator the fastest is the winner. If no team destroys the generator then whoever made it farther into the base wins. If this results in another tie, the team with the most kills wins.

 

This game I feel would be the least fitting to have premade powersets but could potentially have them. There would be a lot going on for this one and premade sets might be too limiting here.

[TheZag]

Mech Assault

 

In Mech Assault you get to choose your mechanized armor to control and battle against other players mechs. Choose your favorite from melee, ranged, tank, and support. Each mech has several abilities that are the exact same across all types and a few abilities that are unique to its type. Team battles are the intent of this game but free-for-alls are also possible although not every mech would be ideal in a FFA situation.

 

Abilities for all mechs

Pummel, single target melee – When all else fails, do some damage by swinging your robotic fist

Ice Cannon, single target ranged, – Turns out that robotic fist can also shoot, slows opponents

Flame Thrower, cone attack – Always equip your mech with a flamethrower, damage over time

Dash – Move faster for a short time

Reconstruction – Heal a small amount of HP

 

Abilities unique to Melee Mechs

Energy Sword, single target melee – Swing with your sword

Energy Slash, cone attack – Swing your sword in a wide arc to hit multiple foes

Overheat, self buff – Overheat your mech to do more damage for a short time

 

Abilities unique to Ranged Mechs

Double Blast, single target ranged – Someone equipped this mech with 2 cannons

Sniper Shot, single target ranged – Longer range, longer recharge, more damage

Explosive Shots, self buff – All your shots explode in a small radius for a short time

 

Abilities unique to Tank Mechs

Ground Smash, single target melee – Smash the target with enough force to pop them into the air

Electrical Discharge, PBAoE – Enemy mechs in range take light damage and are slowed

Absorb Shield, self buff – Gain an absorb shield that lasts a short time

 

Abilities unique to Support Mechs

Heal Ray, single target ranged ally – Heal a friendly mech

Overclock, single target ranged ally – Friendly mech recharges and moves faster for a short time

Teleport Mech, self teleport – Casts like combat teleport but goes on cooldown after one use

 

There is room to have more or less unique and in common abilities between the mech types. I considered a control mech but I think it would be too powerful to lock someone down when there arent any abilities that counter it. Tank mechs were given light controls but arent meant to lock someone down. The mechs could be used for the previous games as well with some adjustments but that is beyond the scope of this suggestion unless the devs were interested.

[Rudra]

Those actually sound interesting. Not sure it will get PvE'ers to do it, but it definitely has the potential to. I think I'd possibly at least give the Capture the Flag a try depending on how it was implemented. Probably even the Mech Assault.

[Glacier Peak]

10 minutes ago, TheZag said:

Hero Ball

 

Or super soccer or whatever other name the kids are calling it these days. Its the game that several people made super bases to play back when super bases were PvP enabled.

 

There are 2 teams with a ‘Ball’ in the center and a goal at each side. Using Knockback powers, the players attempt to knock the ball into the opposing teams goal to score a point. Most points in the time limit wins. This game will rely heavily on the vectored knock system put in place by Number Six and detailed ‘here’. I believe that physics objects are processed client side so an actual bouncy ball wouldnt work and instead will need to be an NPC that just doesn’t move (and is preferably ball shaped).

 

Here is the first opportunity for a PvP game that PvErs may enjoy. This is due to the fact that players wont have their regular abilities and instead will only have a ‘Hero Ball’ powerset. Your normal abilities will be disabled and replaced by a power bar similar to what you would see in a ‘do so-and-so’s personal story’ mission. Everyone will be ‘equal’ as far as available abilities are concerned

 

The Abilities

 

Kick, 2 second cooldown – Knock the ball a short distance away from you

 

Punt, 5 second cooldown – Knock the ball a moderate distance away from you

 

Shoot, 20 second cooldown – Knock the ball a long distance away from you

 

Dash, 20 Second cooldown – Run faster for 5 seconds

 

Trip, 30 second cooldown – Knock down an opponent

 

Second Wind, 1 minute cooldown – Reduce the remaining recharge on your Dash and Trip by 15 seconds

 

 

The size of the field should be tuned so that Dash will last for no more than 2/5 of the field. Meaning a Second Wind Dash wouldnt cover the entire field. The abilities would certainly need tuning and could be removed or have new ones added as needed to allow players to remain engaged. Such as single target buffs and debuffs for allies/opposition. I could throw several more abilities in already but these hopefully give a feel for how the game would be able to flow.

 

Actually called Repel Ball back in the day 😁

 

 

[Greycat]

I mentioned something like 4 (and sort of like 1) back on live, and some people hated the fact it removed everything about your character (build, powers, etc.)  So, possibly expect a few comments like that.

 

I occasionally enjoy some casual PVP when I find it, but .. yeah, part of the point when I suggested that on live, and I'd say part of the strength of *these,* is that it pulls exactly that imbalance out of the equation. Yes, it's "casual" or "PVP lite" or whatever... but it'd also be approachable and be a toe in the water that might get other people interested in trying "regular" PVP.

 

Or, you know... just easy to jump in and screw around with without much of a consequence.    People can avoid the "stigma" of PVP and enjoy... what do you want to call it, "hero sports?"

 

In any case, yeah, any or all of these would be interesting. It'd take work, but it'd likely be fun in the end.

[Luminara]

1 hour ago, TheZag said:

I don’t PvP often but my SG does some PvP events on occasion and a few of the rules we used let me have an enjoyable experience. There is potential for several different modes of PvP using current ingame mechanics that some PvErs could possibly enjoy as well. My main distaste with PvP is how horribly I get stomped by players with ‘dedicated PvP’ builds. Casual PvP is hard to enjoy if someone can destroy you in 5 seconds while you missed every one of your attacks. That is an extreme example and some of these games address that while others would still have a ‘my build is better than your build’ option. So without further ramblings, the games---

 

Hero Ball

 

Capture the Flag

 

Defend the Fortress

 

Mech Assault

 

 

Each game is covered in its own post, scroll down to check them out or click the name of the game above. Feel free to offer feedback to games individually or to all of them at once.

 

 

[TheZag]

2 hours ago, Rudra said:

Those actually sound interesting. Not sure it will get PvE'ers to do it, but it definitely has the potential to. I think I'd possibly at least give the Capture the Flag a try depending on how it was implemented. Probably even the Mech Assault.

 

Not that PvErs will be chomping at the bit to play these.  But that as a 99.9% PvEr myself,  those are the type of pvp that i have enjoyed and that the majority of the functionality already exists in the rest of CoH.