PvP Needs An Endgame Once Again

[Theodric]

Allowing rewards from previous seasons to be purchased would go a long way towards encouraging more players to invest in competitive PvP. Many people I know just don't bother with it due to a combination of long queue times, blatant win trading and a lack of an incentive for their investment.

What we desperately need is fresh blood - if we don't get that then less and less people will be bothering with PvP. I'm ready to give up on it if 4.2 does not make some improvements. If the PvP community does not allow for a bone to be thrown at the 'masses' every now and then we won't see much, if any, improvement.

[ThirdChild_ZKI]

Allowing rewards from previous seasons to be purchased would go a long way towards encouraging more players to invest in competitive PvP. Many people I know just don't bother with it due to a combination of long queue times, blatant win trading and a lack of an incentive for their investment.

What we desperately need is fresh blood - if we don't get that then less and less people will be bothering with PvP. I'm ready to give up on it if 4.2 does not make some improvements. If the PvP community does not allow for a bone to be thrown at the 'masses' every now and then we won't see much, if any, improvement.

3.5 was one big bone throw to the masses. Honestly, everything except the Feast chat restriction was one giant step in the right direction. Making gear more affordable, launching an event that attracted attention to it, cross-server support, implementing both vital CC changes/standardizations and the biggest feature players asked for over 3 years all at once (Freelancer) which improved queue times drastically; 3.5 did a LOT to bridge the gaps between the PvP community and everyone else. . .

Then look at what 4.0 did: upset, alienated, and drove off long time players (taking with it knowledge and experience, and splintering the dedicated community that existed prior to), effectively reduced jobs and imbalanced them in the name of simplification or making them "more accessible", attracted exploiters, afkers, and botters for XP, and overall took one giant step backward from the good foundation laid with 3.5.

I'd like to share a comment made by another long time PvPer recently, as part of a 2017 retrospective. I think it was the most profound one out of all of ours:

My favorite part of 2017 on this game was when there was a sense of a pvp community, espicially right after patch 3.5 came out. Balmung was considered to be the main pvp server and there were several pvp-exclusive linkshells for it. [Name ommitted for privacy] and I had joined [FC name omitted] a few months prior, and it was a really fun experience in the beginning- At least until it grew too much and fell apart.

The feeling of being a part of the pvp community was a great feeling, and practicing with other people was just fun. I used to hang out in the dueling arena a lot and really improved as a player. You just don't see that anymore. I don't think I've seen a single duel on Balmung since 4.0 launched. Everybody has moved on to other servers, and you don't even see them in matches anymore. 3.x pvp was my favorite part of this game, and with the introduction of cross server PF, I was able to play with people that I haven't been able to before. It felt like the community grew since you were able to play with anybody now.

It's a bit depressing to remember all the fun times I used to have, then look at what I do now. I don't enjoy pvp anymore, or this game, for that matter. 3.5 was a game changer and it was the best experience I've had in this game.

Take note, SE. THIS is the truth of your grand "improvement" to PvP in 4.0, for many of us who were so dedicated and enjoyed it before.