How to make end game more interesting

alaerick · May 2013

Just to give you a little background on where I am coming from in my point of view I started gaming on a commodore 64 with a game called artillery, intellivision, atari, etc. I've been playing online games since text based MUDs. I've seen the birth of MMOs and as a result I've been around the block a few dozen times. Having said that I'm going to explain what I think this game needs to retain end game (max level) players. I know there are many massive sweeping changes that could be done to make the game better, things to do with balance or this or that but this is not the thread for those ideas. This is just about simple to design content with lasting player rewards.

In all of the games I've played the ones which have the best success of holding end game players are those with "LC PVP" that is to say Land Control. Where by sides battle in open world for territory. This type of system can be executed in a number of ways be it holding planets in this game or Notum Towers in Anarchy-Online. This constant back and forth battle for territory is probably the single most effective "end game activity" that works to hold long term interest between pve content patches. This however requires a total overhaul of the game world so while I think it would be best I don't see it happening.

Beyond LCPVP there is the concept of side vs side PVEVP Raids. Things where by all factions fight over a PVE Raid type boss encounter and the rewards for killing it and each other. So here's a little proposal that doesn't require totally reworking the game world to fit LCPVP like the previous suggestion.

What is it? Every X time interval can be 1 hour or 6 doesn't really matter as long as it happens often enough to give everyone a chance at it a special encounter occurs. It can be much like "fleet" action where the bad guys change every so often but should be limited to "universal bad guys" like Borg, Undine, etc. Once a player or team of players queue for the battle they get to a preop situation until the time expires and should allow between 50-100 players to engage in the encounter (this could be for both ground and space and alternate between them every hour ideally.) There they will be given a simple overview of the objectives. Which could be flying from one point to another killing some groups of bad guys (sort of like a deep space encounter) then moving on to another objective (or 3,4,5,6 at once) such as protecting a group of players while they try to repair some game object. Then on to a final boss like encounter..

Where this starts to get really interesting is that while you are fighting the NPCs you have to contend with the other side trying to work their way to the center of the encounter as well. So tactically some would be about accomplishing your sides objectives others would be stopping the other faction from completing theirs. Each sub-objective that is completed could give a bonus to the rewards or some buff to the entire fleet for the final encounter.

Rewards should be participation based meaning, everyone gets some basic token for accomplishing it which can be spent on new ship skins, player outfits, pets. The final boss kill can grant special unique items such as outfits, gear, or what ever you could imagine. So everyone gets a reward for participating and the winning side gets the extra special rewards. I could get in to very descriptive detail of every last step of this type of encounter and design it myself if given the tools to do so. (You hiring? I'm a 3D artist who knows how to use game editors). But since this is just a suggestion I figured keeping it as simple and freeform as possible would be the best use of my time.

I'm one of those people.. I've grinded up everything in the game I need. Now I am wondering.. why am I still running the same few stfs over and over and wishing there was more to pvp than just a 5-10 man encounter where it's more about who has the best premade team than which side works together the best. If people show interest in this I'd be happy to give it a full play by play treatment with pretty formatting and diagrams. But for now doesn't anyone else want something like this?

mimey2 · May 2013

alaerick wrote: »

wishing there was more to pvp than just a 5-10 man encounter where it's more about who has the best premade team than which side works together the best.

A point I'd like to make:

The best premades often times are the ones who work together the best, irregardless of anything else.

Anyways, I like your entire idea, and hope one day this is made into the game. It exists somewhat in the form of the War Zones, but that's a more simpler version of what you proposed.

Unfortunately, your idea would require them to actually DO something with PvP.

alaerick · May 2013

mimey2 wrote: »

A point I'd like to make:

The best premades often times are the ones who work together the best, irregardless of anything else.

Anyways, I like your entire idea, and hope one day this is made into the game. It exists somewhat in the form of the War Zones, but that's a more simpler version of what you proposed.

Unfortunately, your idea would require them to actually DO something with PvP.

Yeah bad choice of words on that.. lol.. I shoulda said "most balanced side which works together rather than side with the most bug ships or fleet scorts". Each ship type should have some bonus in the event. It could even be that cruisers get a bonus to repairing the pve objectives or science vessels get the ability to discover some special relic in space that gives a buff. But yeah I agree it usually is the premade that works together the best. It's just that as it is it's much easier to coordinate 5 people to work together flawlessly than say 50+ who are spread out across a large area all focusing on different pve and pvp type objectives.

And thanks for the thumbs up.

wolfentir · May 2013

Sounds like an interesting idea.

I'm working slowly towards leveling my character and I will probably have to stop playing because End game in STO consists of running dungeons. I know it's like that in most MMOs, but i can't see myself playing same scenarions over and over wiating for new missions.

They need to do something with PvP. Fleets need to battle each other for territory and stations. Why introduce them just to grind for cosmetic items?

alaerick · May 2013

wolfentir wrote: »

Sounds like an interesting idea.

I'm working slowly towards leveling my character and I will probably have to stop playing because End game in STO consists of running dungeons. I know it's like that in most MMOs, but i can't see myself playing same scenarions over and over wiating for new missions.

They need to do something with PvP. Fleets need to battle each other for territory and stations. Why introduce them just to grind for cosmetic items?

Thanks and the reason I suggested cosmetic items is because then they wouldn't be needed by anyone as a grind. They would be totally side chained optional items. Something that is a reward for people participating beyond the event itself. Custom skins is just art assets with no stats. And tbh something the game could use a few more of in circulation for both ships and people.

alaerick · May 2013

Only two replies huh? At least both were positive. :P

alaerick · May 2013

I was thinking about another possible "reward" to be added to this system. A reward bonus based on galactic influence. In a nutshell.. A sliding average based on number of wins over a given amount of time. That time slot could be updated at the end of every battle or once every 6 or even 12 hours. For that duration of time all missions and content yield greater bonuses for the side which has won the most battles. It could be handled a number of ways. From a sliding scale awarding a bonus to both sides based on a percentage boost to normal reward values, or a flat bonus to the side with the most victories. It should effect xp, skill points, money and dilithium at the very least. It would be a reason to do this as often as possible especially with the onslaught of new alts people will be creating in the coming expansion pack.

eardianm · May 2013

Was hoping for an OP with just "alcohol"

sjamesh · May 2013

I agree. End game now is a bit dull.

rinkster · May 2013

I like the idea.

How about a nice big asteroid field, divided into cells which each side (Klingon and Fed) would battle over for control.

Some cells would contain dilithium refineries.

At the end of the set daily cycle (prolly midnight PST given where Cryptic live) take a snap shot.

If one side owned everything then that faction would get a 2k boost to the dilithium refining limit for the day.

Bet that would get peoples attention.......

alaerick · May 2013

rinkster wrote: »

I like the idea.

How about a nice big asteroid field, divided into cells which each side (Klingon and Fed) would battle over for control.

Some cells would contain dilithium refineries.

At the end of the set daily cycle (prolly midnight PST given where Cryptic live) take a snap shot.

If one side owned everything then that faction would get a 2k boost to the dilithium refining limit for the day.

Bet that would get peoples attention.......

Not a bad suggestion hehe. I'd love to see a slight cap raise for this. And yes I think it would get peoples attention.

alaerick · May 2013

A system like this could help to retain the surge of new players from the LoR xpac and movie release.

How to make end game more interesting

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