Reviving PvP & Ballista

[Akujima]

I've had a few thoughts about making a Ballista LS myself on Asura. But I've wondered whether or not it could hold water against Abyssea and keep members interested for more than just a few weeks. The PvP possibilities in FFXI are enormous considering the amount of job/subjob combo's, I think it has great potential for fun and sport amongst the player base.

But...

There are some things holding Ballista back from being popular, and I'll post some of those topics as well, as am being open to further discussion about other new ideas on how to revive PvP within FFXI.


Ballista Time Construct

The rotation schedule for Ballista is quite long, and it takes 30~ hours or so for an uncapped battle to come along. This time constraint really puts a hurt on players wanting to go to certain level restricted battles.

New Time Construct: Allow for there only to be Lv30, Lv60 and Uncapped battles. Do away with the days of the month system, and allow each capped/uncapped battle to rotate between the 3 area's.

Example:

Pashow: Lv30 cap -> Next Event -> Lv60 Cap
Jugner: Lv60 cap -> Next Event -> Uncapped.
Meriphataud: Uncapped -> Next Event -> Lv30 Cap

Keep this rotation constant and allow for an extra 30~ minutes or so for people to take a break between battles and/or prepare for the next fight in whichever Lv Cap they choose to enter. This way there will always be a Lv30, 60 or Uncapped Ballista happening all the time.


Ballista Points

Allow for us to obtain more Ballista Points to be spent on various rewards. (For list of rewards, see below)


Rewards

And now for one of the most important points.

First and foremost, we all know that knocking down a tough boss and seeing some amazing equipment drop from him is what drives most people to go to events and explore new area's and expansions such as Abyssea. We can't deny this fact, and this is where Ballista as an event fails. There are no tangible rewards to obtain, but I've come up with some solutions to fix this.


Reward Ideas: Equipment, Furniture & Trophies.

Equipment: Equipment can range from anywhere to fun costumes to awesome PvP specific gear, that have stats which only come into effect during Ballista. This PvP specific equipment would make Ballista extremely popular and would encourage ALOT of players to compete in fun friendly Ballista battles regularly.

The fun equipment and costumes, such as job specific costumes with nation flags on them would appeal to people just wanting to have some fun and not be too competitive while still being able to obtain a neat little reward.

Furniture & Trophies: Wall plaques and battle trophies that can be placed in your mog house. These furnishings could even have some moghancements that boost PvP somehow, such as allowing for more Ballista Points to be earned or something along those lines. But nothing too powerful and nothing that would boost stats in PvP itself.


Tournaments for the PvP'er at heart.

This is by far my favorite idea. Take an area, such as the battle arena in Aht Urgan Whitegate. Allow for teams to sign up for tournaments and face off in scheduled tournament battles.

Team Battles: Allow for players to specifically choose their teammates. Have Tournaments that range in different sizes, such as 2v2, 3v3 and 6v6. Allow for different trophies and amounts of tournament points to be earned from each division.

Tournament Points: These points would be specifically gained from participating in tournament events. Points could be spent on another Tier of PvP specific equipment and other such tournament related items.

Tournament Trophies: Trophies that prove your heroism in the arena. Different size and material (gold, mithril, etc) trophies for 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize.

Spectators: Allow for people who aren't participating in the tournament, to spectate the matches, and be able to cheer their favorite team on.


I think this would add tons of fun and variety to FFXI. And If you're one of those people who don't like PvP, you wouldn't have to participate, because most of the rewards would be PvP specific. And if you would rather just cheer on your favorite team, you can spectate certain matches in the Tournament Arena.

I think bringing a PvP system like this to life, would make competition friendly and allow for people to try out new jobs in the PvP battlefields. Have fun watching matches, and play around in PvP to get some neat little rewards.

Thanks for reading and tell me what you think!

[Mezzopiano]

I like the ideas. Also, don't forget about Brenner too, which has most of the same problems.

[Akujima]

I like the ideas. Also, don't forget about Brenner too, which has most of the same problems.

Mezzo, I'm trying to make a new PvP LS on Asura.

It's ganna be fantastic, wanna join? (My name is Shinjima in game, Asura server)

We can single handedly revive PvP! Me and you, lets do it!

[Ravenmore]

Posted what I thought in the other thread this was brought up in.

[Arlan]

I like this post. Almost everything about what the OP says I agree with and support.
I don't know much about brenner tho..

But here is one other thing that I would like the PVP element to have.
I would like it if there was a function where PlayerA can go up to playerB, (Anywhere Outside a cities), and select "Dual" on them and when that happens, playerB will receive a message saying "PlayerA wants to Dual you".
If PlayerB accepts the dual. Both characters are allowed to engage on each other. If death occurs, No Exp loss will happen. This would make pvp even more interesting for players who want instant action with friends.
But no special Points should be awarded for "Instant Dual".
Also, The idea that the OP has with PVP gear being obtained from belista to increase stats for pvping only, I think those stats should also be accessible for "Instant duals" as well. That way people can get epic Belista pvp gear to pvp with friends using the "Instand Dual" function rather than having to "wait" and "Wait" for an event to start.

So ya, "Instant Dual" feature would also make pvp neat. But no rewards from them since Belista and Brenner should be the primairy pvp system that offers PVp rewards while "Instant Dual" can be just for fun without needing to sign up when bored.

[Akujima]

I just did some Brenner today and... That stuff is amazingly fun!...

I say revive PvP this way and lets all have some tournaments!

[Habiki]

I can never get anyone to do PVP, most people dont like it because it restricts your gear.

[Akujima]

I can never get anyone to do PVP, most people dont like it because it restricts your gear.

I don't understand why really. All In all you would just have to think more carefully about what kind of equipment you would wear full time, and you can still switch gear. You just get a penalty (a 10 second self stun effect), but if you're out of danger and you know there's like a BLM or someone that Sleeps you alot, you can equip an Opo-Opo necklace to get some TP while slept. Or something like an Insomnia Earring and +Darkness Resist for some resist sleep equipment.

PvP has alot of strategy to it. Personally I think the dynamics involved are overwhelming, but the Fun Factor is SO worth it.

[Volkai]

FFXI is a PvE MMO.

PvP was added as an afterthought.

Most people I know with any interest in PvP left FFXI for WoW when it first came out.

The rest left after the Ballista Royale was completed.



I think the Ballista Royale was the last hurrah for PvP in FFXI. I doubt it will see anything (aside from patches to game-breaking elements when new traits, abilities, and spells designed for a PvE game are used in PvP) in the foreseeable future.

Especially now that the XI dev team seems to be so reduced due to the focus on devs working on making XIV profita- I mean more enjoyable to play.


===========

While we're talking about PvP, I'll accept any 40-cap one-on-one challenge, on Phoenix server.
Send me a /tell.

[Urteil]

FFXI is a PvE MMO.

PvP was added as an afterthought.

Most people I know with any interest in PvP left FFXI for WoW when it first came out.

The rest left after the Ballista Royale was completed.



I think the Ballista Royale was the last hurrah for PvP in FFXI. I doubt it will see anything (aside from patches to game-breaking elements when new traits, abilities, and spells designed for a PvE game are used in PvP) in the foreseeable future.

Especially now that the XI dev team seems to be so reduced due to the focus on devs working on making XIV profita- I mean more enjoyable to play.


===========

While we're talking about PvP, I'll accept any 40-cap one-on-one challenge, on Phoenix server.
Send me a /tell.

There is a huge learning curve to PvP in XI and there are systems in place to prevent 1 shotting, endless CC'ing of a single target, and many many many gear choices to help one bolster themselves against status ailments.

The gear restriction allows a person to have to pick what set and what role and what enemy they will be fighting against. A group or 1v1 situation, the people who hate the gear restriction aren't smart enough to tie their own shoes, because understanding and analyzing a situation and making gear for it should be a fundamental skill every FFXI player should possess.

There are still a lot of people who enjoy PvP but the simple fact is they don't even know when its occuring and the signup/method for doing it is rather esoteric. Anyone who left to WoW for PvP promptly went other places or returned, I being one of them. I find the system horrid and too (RNG) driven.

I support the ideas of this post and it would not take drastic overhauls to revive ballista. All that they have to do is give 30,000exp a piece to the winning team and probably 40,000-50,000g and I guarantee people would show up.

Or just add titles or cosmetic things, it really wouldn't take much.

If they had a broadcast in lower Jueno when matches were starting, and if matches weren't so picky about starting, a million bored people would jump up and do it for the sheer fact that there is not a lot to do.

I don't see how anyone who PvP's at the 40cap expects to be taken seriously, but if you get to the max level which takes about 4 hours I'll play you. As far as game breaking things, I'm a DRK, not a BLU or a RDM or a BLM, and these 'game breaking' things are just mythical things that people who /cough play 40cap /cough tote around to try to harm the integrity of the system.