Open letter to Perfect World: Neverwinter PVP is a real disappointment

pwniexpress

Perfect World staff, I really want to enjoy this game. I want Neverwinter to be such a rich, enjoyable experience that I stay with it for a long, long time. I am rooting for your success. However, I like PVP play, and I am very disappointed with the PVP experience in Neverwinter.

1. The Gauntlgrym PVP experience is entirely unplayable for my Delzoun-allied guild because the Luskan side consistently enters our spawning area and spawn-camps us for 25 minutes. I don't even try to play this PVP any more.
2. Up to 50% of my Domination matches are 4v5 matches that are really only an exercise in futility for the undermanned team. I have just completed four pvp matches for the level 60 daily quest, and in two of the games, the server placed only 4 players on my team versus 5 opponents. Unfair fights are not fun, even if my side were to benefit from the mismatch.
3. Of the Domination matches that at least feature equal-size teams, two-thirds of these are one-sided curbstomps between well-geared, experienced players and undergeared, inexperienced opponents. I enjoy challenging gameplay in which I have a chance to either win or lose depending on how I play, so again, these are not fun.
4. Perhaps one game in six is actually a fun, challenging match between well-balanced opponents.

This is a terrible player experience. I understand that you have an immediate focus on generating new content to deepen the endgame experience, but please also attend to the feedback on these forums and work to improve the quality of play for your existing content. The Gauntlgrym map needs to be fixed. Your server needs to create 10-player matches that actually include 10 players, and swiftly fill vacancies if a player drops. The PVP system needs to include a ladder-based matchup that at least attempts to pair players of equal skill against one another. If you make these changes, the PVP experience will be greatly strengthened, and you'll be rewarded with a more loyal and engaged player base.

munkey81

pwniexpress wrote: »

Perfect World staff, I really want to enjoy this game. I want Neverwinter to be such a rich, enjoyable experience that I stay with it for a long, long time. I am rooting for your success. However, I like PVP play, and I am very disappointed with the PVP experience in Neverwinter.

1. The Gauntlgrym PVP experience is entirely unplayable for my Delzoun-allied guild because the Luskan side consistently enters our spawning area and spawn-camps us for 25 minutes. I don't even try to play this PVP any more.
2. Up to 50% of my Domination matches are 4v5 matches that are really only an exercise in futility for the undermanned team. I have just completed four pvp matches for the level 60 daily quest, and in two of the games, the server placed only 4 players on my team versus 5 opponents. Unfair fights are not fun, even if my side were to benefit from the mismatch.
3. Of the Domination matches that at least feature equal-size teams, two-thirds of these are one-sided curbstomps between well-geared, experienced players and undergeared, inexperienced opponents. I enjoy challenging gameplay in which I have a chance to either win or lose depending on how I play, so again, these are not fun.
4. Perhaps one game in six is actually a fun, challenging match between well-balanced opponents.

This is a terrible player experience. I understand that you have an immediate focus on generating new content to deepen the endgame experience, but please also attend to the feedback on these forums and work to improve the quality of play for your existing content. The Gauntlgrym map needs to be fixed. Your server needs to create 10-player matches that actually include 10 players, and swiftly fill vacancies if a player drops. The PVP system needs to include a ladder-based matchup that at least attempts to pair players of equal skill against one another. If you make these changes, the PVP experience will be greatly strengthened, and you'll be rewarded with a more loyal and engaged player base.

I dont mean to be negative here...but, everything you are saying seems like...well.....inexperience issues, not bad game mechanics

GG spawn camping, I cant imagine how bad players must be to even let this happen. I have been in some terrible matches, but this...I didnt even think possible.

Matching equal skilled players. I understand your frustration, I do. But how would it even be remotely possible for Cryptic to do this? Only thing I could think of would be ranked arena matches, to put people in some sort of category. With that being said, not everyone wants to do any sort of ranked matches. You could have the best pvper in all of NW not wanting to do Arena battles, so in theory. You and your friends would still be getting facerolled by "overgeared experienced" players anyways.

I agree however with the Q system being jacked up, everyone does. Bots and <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> Q's are a hinderance for sure, but imo not a gamebreaker. Eventually it will be fixed.

In all honestly bud, in any mmo ever. Nothing will be perfect. Even if Cryptic made all the changes you just asked for, I guarantee there would be a new issue, or something you still dont like. Its impossible to make that "perfect" game. Feedback and opinions are obviously great, but all in all its Cryptics game and cryptics vision. Not ours. Many things are in the process of being fixed, and some things are going to stay the way they are. Either learn to deal with them, or find a new game.

wholyhandgrenade

There aren't any leave penalties for domination PvP play and I take full advantage of that. I'll quickly switch matches and might a couple times to find one that is a good team against a good team. I'd suggest doing that and your enjoyment should go up.

griz024

wholyhandgrenade wrote: »

There aren't any leave penalties for domination PvP play and I take full advantage of that. I'll quickly switch matches and might a couple times to find one that is a good team against a good team. I'd suggest doing that and your enjoyment should go up.

While i hate doing it, but this guy is correct. I do the same thing when the system screws up.

Or when my team has a bot on it.

No point in sitting in a one-sided rofl-stomp match, which most 4v5's are.

drayian

Well the PvP in this game is extremely fun imo. I only wish there were more zones and events. I enjoy the 4v5 battles when im on the under manned team. makes me hone my skills and learn my char better. I do wish they allowed people que'd to join a team when someone leaves, because it is almost impossible to win when a teammate leaves. But I have had no problems with gear, or class vs class complaints. Keep it up and thank you for making a PvP system that seems balanced, and PLEASE don't tweek it like WoW until it messes up the entire game PvE and PvP. Don't give in to the whiners. Skill>gear/class

chabowbies

wholyhandgrenade wrote: »

There aren't any leave penalties for domination PvP play and I take full advantage of that. I'll quickly switch matches and might a couple times to find one that is a good team against a good team. I'd suggest doing that and your enjoyment should go up.

This guy. Either whining imba or telling people to ragequit. Either way, last person anyone of sound intelligence would bother taking advice from.

pelkast

1. Same, I quit it.
2. Game never places 4 players to any game, there are bots, there are leavers. Unfairness is mostly because of fresh 60s are fighting against ancient 60s. It's broken, unplayable and not fun.
3. Game is about gear, you can't do anything about it. It could be different on balanced matches.
4. For me it was more like 1 out of 50-100, people are not joining to play pvp. They want to grind the glory or do the daily quest.

modimor

The biggest issues with the pvp in this game is the gear gaps. Once you hit 60, you might aswell just afk trough the matches until you have full PVP set, ofc you can get it from AH and if you spent alot of time lvling up trough pvp you can use your glory for em. Then once you have geared up. You start facing the next gear gap. t1-t2. Wich is way to high imo. lvl 10 Enchants that goes for several million AD each vs casual gamers lvl 5-6 are almoast twice as effective. If you want to be competative in end game pvp you better spend quit alot of time doing dungeons or buy zen for quit alot of money. All these factors makes the game not well tailord for pvp. Ofc better gear should give a slight edge in the game. But it's way to high gaps between em. They moast likley won't do much to ballance this either since gear is bought with AD, and AD is bought with Zen, wich is bought with real money and their only way to profit from the game.

yerune

modimor wrote: »

The biggest issues with the pvp in this game is the gear gaps.

I fully agree. In a pre-60 match where a lvlx1 is pitted against a lvlx9 will still do a lot better. Fresh 60s or inexperienced (or just not too good) players get insta-slaughtered, and the way to somewhat evening the odds is either P2W or grinding for more hours than is healthy.

I do understand rage-quiting, I've done it a few times too. I've also been in doomed matches where something just 'clicked' and went from underdog to domination.

Anyway, my 2cents of suggestions:

- Glory should not be able to buy stuff you can't equip. (Not fun if you have alts, but imo this is the only reason why bots make profit)
- Empty spots need to be filled, even during the match
- Communication system needs a complete overhaul so it can act like a real communication system. (Right now I feel like every team consists of mime's)