PvP Basics in an MMORPG

Discussion in 'ArcheAge' started by Phaedo, Oct 24, 2014.

PvP Basics in an MMORPG

Discussion in 'ArcheAge' started by Phaedo, Oct 24, 2014.

  1. Phaedo

    Phaedo The Weeaboo Hunter

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    Hello everyone!!

    With No Nonsense Gamers being a more FPS/Action style gaming community, and this being the first real MMO that we've jumped into, I'm unsure how many of you are actually familiar with MMO PvP combat and tab-targeting style game play.

    I hope to change that with this post.


    In an MMO there are 3 main styles of PvP:

    Closed
    Open
    Controlled


    Closed PvP would be your standard instanced arena style combat. Battlegrounds, Arenas, Conflicts, Assaults, what ever the game decides to call it Closed PvP is an instanced area in which a set number of players fight each other.

    Open PvP, or Open-World, is your basic "I see a red while questing, so I'm going to kill him" style of fighting. It is only and always done in an open environment. Quest zones, towns, outposts, cities, rivers, oceans, anything where you are not instanced and free to kill whomever you wish, is classified as Open-World PvP.

    Controlled PvP is a rare style but a style nontheless. Examples of controlled PvP would be a duel, or open-world arena. World of Warcraft had a great example of this in its arenas like the one in Stranglethorn Vale. It was a gladiator pit, where anyone on the field, friend or foe, would be flagged as hostile to the other players in the pit. Controlled PvP is controlled because you have some form of control over either engaging in it, or not.




    Combat Basics:

    In MMOS there are a few basic combat skills that everyone must have or be willing to obtain. They're listed below on a scale of importance, with the top being the most important. But just because it's not at the top doesn't make it unimportant. ALL OF THESE are VERY important. It's mainly just a "do order" list:

    Rotation
    Recognition
    Classes
    Tabbing
    Engaging
    Focusing
    Distance
    Quantity
    Disengaging




    Rotation: is your cycle of abilities. The skills you always use in the same order over, and over, and over, is called your rotation.
    Recognition: as a player you need to be able to recognize threats quickly and effectively. Who/Where/How Many
    Classes: Healers are priority. Raid leaders should mark all hostile healers and the entire group should focus marked targets IMMEDIATELY upon call-out.
    Tabbing: Using tab to cycle through available enemies is called tabbing, or tabbing through (tab through). Use it to isolate the healers and get them marked.
    Engaging: Knowing when and when not to attack someone is key. Poking, or attacking with range to instigate a fight, is what usually sets the tone for an upcoming fight. Whoever pokes better, whoever harasses the other players more and does more damage, will usually always win upon charging.
    Focusing: YOU MUST know how to focus a marked target down. Marked targets will almost ALWAYS be a healer. And it's hard as fuck to heal your team when 7 people are trying to kill you.
    Distance: Not how far the enemy is from you, but how far you are from your friends. You must be aware at all times how many friendlies are next to you and never EVER get too far away. I'm talking 10m max. and NEVER get more than 15m away from your healer. (Assaulting their healer is the only exception. However don't leave your own healer defenseless in the process)
    Quantity: How many of them? How many of us? Fight to win. Don't try to take 10 people with 4. Choose your engagements wisely and isolate soft targets.
    Disengaging: Retreating isn't always the best choice. You'll usually end up just dying tired. However if you need to disengage and you see your friends disengaging, unless they're stealthed try and group up elsewhere ASAP. People will almost always chase a lone player, throw that player in a group and they might hesitate. Use that hesitation to escape. NEVER run to a cloaked friendly. You're just going to get both of you killed.




    Gear is also very important in terms of PvP. You must be doing everything you can to constantly be trying to upgrade your gear. Hasla Farm, Do a Dungeon, Do a Raid, Get rich and buy it, Get it crafted. You must never stop looking to upgrade what you have. It will take a very very long time for you to reach the point where you're done gearing. Especially in ArcheAge. When you're not in a PvP op with us, and just hanging out, you should be trying to acquire better gear, or working toward acquiring it. PvE will have set "this will be impossible without x gear" however PvP is slightly more dynamic and you have a little wiggle room. But not as much as you probably think.




    Naval PvP: Advanced PvP

    ArcheAge has naval PvP which is quite a ways more involved then regular PvP because in addition to what is listed and explained above there are important things you must remember when fighting at sea:

    'Me' is not a person.
    'Over there' isn't a direction
    Cardinal directions
    Bow
    Starboard
    Port
    Stern
    Starboard Bow
    Port Bow
    Forward, Forward of
    Aft, Abaft


    'Me' is not a person.: Speak in the third person. "Hostile at Phaedo's position"
    'Over there' isn't a direction: If you say this, I'll smack you. Don't.
    Cardinal directions: North, South, East, West, Northeast, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest. Know these and use them often.
    Bow: External; Front of the ship
    Starboard: External; Right of the ship
    Port: External; Left of the ship
    Stern: External; Rear of the ship
    Starboard Bow: External; Front right
    Port Bow: External; Front left
    Forward, Forward of: Internal; means "To the front". "Get to forward" go to the bow.
    Aft, Abaft: Internal; means "to the rear". "Abaft the mainsail" get on the rear half of the ship.


    Some of these terms we won't use. However for directional purposes most of these are KEY so know them, and use them whenever at sea.

    Example of describing locations of hostile clippers:

    "I see 3 clippers, [Guild name] off the port bow of [Ship Captain]'s ship."
    "Yup yup, we see them. Turning hard starboard to intercept, forward sail, aft sail, (sails go down) forward sail, aft sail, (sails go up) We have two more coming in to the north off [Ship Captain]'s stern, relocating." *



    Please please please. Terminology is important. We all need to be able to communicate effectively what is happening. And being as descriptive as possible, yet quickly, is important.


    While engaging in naval combat the captain will assign roles to people. It is your obligation to do them. If he/she says "Man port cannons" X people (x being amount to the number of cannons) should instantly jump on the port cannons and stay there unless instructed otherwise. There will always be needed someone to be on sail duty. If you are put on sail duty pay the fuck attention. You have the most important job on the ship.There will be a navigator, if the ship has a radar.

    NEVER EVER EVER FUCKING EVER leave your post without saying anything. You could get everyone, and the ship killed. Especially those on the sails. When we're out on the open seas its fucking nut up time. So give it your undivided attention.




    *note when ordering sails to be raised and lowered, if there are multiple ships, the captain will state their own name and then follow it with sails: "Shuzzah sails" and those who are controlling the sails on Shuzzah's ship will lower/raise them. We do this because some ships have multiple sails, and calling out multiple names could take longer, when turn speed is needed instantly. Being on the sail is arguably the most important job on a ship. You cannot AFK (unless you LOUDLY let people know you are and there is a replacement), You cannot browse the internet, you have to literally stare at one fucking wooden pole and be available in a seconds notice to click it. Failing to do this could cause the ship to be lost.

    Be aware: Clipper captains may call out their sail-man by name and tell them to raise/lower the sail as there is only one sail on a clipper.




    So start yourself off with the basics in Hasla, and join us on Naval Ops when you're confident you know your stuff. It seems like a lot, but once you know it it will come to you naturally and it will strengthen us as a fighting force.
     
    Sixten, DarthXaos, Shuzaah and 2 others like this.