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What I Want for Endgame Content

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
If you're edging up into admiral land, you're finding there's less and less to do out there. Suddenly space seems like a lot of... empty space.

Of course, Cryptic has already said they're working on more content, and it's expected that there will soon be missions to ease you above Admiral level 5 and maybe some new exploration areas, drops, and a fleet action or two to keep the game going.

But while fleet actions are probably the closest thing to a traditional "raid" that we're likely to see, there's one thing I'd much prefer to see in the game, and end game content is a perfect place for it: persistent, meaningful, war zones.

By this I don't mean a single system where PvP takes place as it does now -- I mean a whole sector block of systems the control of which can flip between Federation and Klingon. Not only would this give higher level players something to work on, it would provide a place where Devs could experiment with even bigger concepts: supply lines (control of neighboring systems provides a bonus in taking the next), exclusive crafting materials (materials that can be used in purple items available only when your side has control of certain systems), general bonuses (everyone in a faction receives a boost when their side controls above a certain % of the war zone systems), on-station combat (clear the area of space around a station, then beam in to try and take it away from the faction in control -- with NPC characters helping the controlling faction)...

Persistent war zones provide not just another place to fight, but a place to fight for a cause bigger than just your score in the latest arena.
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I agree completely and so do so many other people. We were sold on this star trek war with conflicting factions. and then given a single player random mob generator for grining without even any plan or reason to grind like good MMOs have.


    in my opinion end game content IS pvp. what else are you going to do end game, until they raise the level cap there are no goals or objectives at all except for raids to get better equipment which also ends at some point. pvp is the only thing you can have as dynamic end game content. It is the only thing you can give as a goal that doesn't require an expansion, a raising of level caps, and more skills. If you make a solid territory control pvp system the end game content is taken care of. There area always goals and things to accomplish, it promotes socialization of friends and fueds.

    I don't get why people and game companies are so scared of pvp when it is the eventual and obvious end game content. it's an absolute no brainer.

    like the OP said, territory pvp gives a purpose.

    a purpose is what cryptic is missing, they got the grind part of an MMO right......but they left out a purpose or reason at all to do it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I'm hoping for a similar thing. The only problem is the game mechanics being based around instancing and everyone being on the same server.

    There'd need to be a means of binding people to instanced regions, so they could just hope between them while battles where going on or visiting instances where your fraction had won (for whatever period).

    The only canon way I could think of it working is if it were a dimentional war (i.e. each RvR instance becomes and alternative time line for the given period). The conclution of which unlockes the next tier (and scenario) of RvR for the victors, while having two (reset state) scenarios (i.e. starts with whoever won owning the region) for the lossers (binding them to the correct one). Basicually a tree structured RvR system.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yawn. Hasn't it ever occurred to you people that "endgame" means, well, the end of the game? The game was that thing you just played.

    Just because WoW has no meaningful content before the level cap does not mean that every other MMO has to place all of its content at the level cap. In fact, pretty near all of them don't.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Dryan wrote:
    I'm hoping for a similar thing. The only problem is the game mechanics being based around instancing and everyone being on the same server.

    There'd need to be a means of binding people to instanced regions, so they could just hope between them while battles where going on or visiting instances where your fraction had won (for whatever period).

    The only canon way I could think of it working is if it were a dimentional war (i.e. each RvR instance becomes and alternative time line for the given period). The conclution of which unlockes the next tier (and scenario) of RvR for the victors, while having two (reset state) scenarios (i.e. starts with whoever won owning the region) for the lossers (binding them to the correct one). Basicually a tree structured RvR system.

    Agreed. There's an issue here. The best I've seen "realm vs realm" done is the original set up from DAOC, but that was a single shared area which could be invaded from all sides (and there were three). With all the systems being instanced, it's hard to see how you determine "ownership" of a system in the broader sense.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Miiru wrote:
    Yawn. Hasn't it ever occurred to you people that "endgame" means, well, the end of the game? The game was that thing you just played.

    Just because WoW has no meaningful content before the level cap does not mean that every other MMO has to place all of its content at the level cap. In fact, pretty near all of them don't.

    Talk about not understanding linear leveling based MMO concepts...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I'd cite Pirates of the Burning Sea as an example of why persistant PvP isn't a viable end game for a large MMO. That game was well-executed, the combat was VERY, VERY similair to STO. But utimately, if you weren't very well praticed AND didn't have the back up a solid team AND didn't have the best equipment you would find yourself consistently on the losing team. Even if you enjoyed the mechanics of the game, eventually people get burnt out on losing frequently to the hardore players and quit. Sooner or later, all that's left is the small dedicated core group of players wondering why there's nobody left to sink?

    If that game style appeals to you, I HIGHLY recommend checking out PoTBS. The game is great, but sadly, because PvP is the end-game, there's very few people left playing it.

    Having said all that, there's no reason this developer or another couldn't find a way to make it work. Or even just offer persistent end game PvP as an end-game option.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Or just put the game content before the end. Like all the others do.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Miiru wrote:
    Yawn. Hasn't it ever occurred to you people that "endgame" means, well, the end of the game? The game was that thing you just played.

    Just because WoW has no meaningful content before the level cap does not mean that every other MMO has to place all of its content at the level cap. In fact, pretty near all of them don't.

    You do realize that with the exception of a handful of decent missions, STO has no meaningful content, especially after space combat was nerfed in beta. At this point, people just want content. The fact that they want content at endgame shows us just how easy it is to get to admiral.
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