PVP and 1v1: Sparring for fun/bragging rights

[SCHawks73]

In a post by user kodokun3, he/she linked an interview with Naoki Yoshida talking about 1v1'ing in PVP:

http://jpgames.de/2015/08/gamescom-2...naoki-yoshida/

JPGames.de: Are there any plans for a 1 vs 1 dueling system?
NY: It’s been asked several times already, but we don’t have any plans to do it at the moment. We are not going to make something on the system with it, that is, make content with it. We do not have this plan at all. Say that in Duty Finder you have a list PvP 1 v 1, we will not have that. Because the job balances are not based on 1 v 1. Let’s say that a scholar won’t be able to beat astrologian, that’s impossible. It will not be fun, that is why we will not do it. If we would do it and start balancing on the jobs, it would affect PvE. But if you want to request something like to calculate how much damage you deal for test purposes, then you can let us know and we can look into it.

What I want to suggest to the Dev's is a system that CAN be implemented that will have zero effect on PVE, and will require zero re-balancing of the jobs.

This system was in a game that I played during the mid to late 2000's and even though I was never really big into PVP, this was a quick, fun system in place to challenge people to a 1v1 duel, with only bragging rights being the benefit.

The system would be called "Spar" and this is what it would include/exclude:

1. Any job can challenge any other job
2. There would be no encounters, or duties that would need to be joined
3. Spars would only be allowed in sanctuaries (towns, camps, neighborhoods, etc.) as to not get interrupted by mobs
4. No leader boards, no score is kept, no stats on the PVP in-game pages, etc., just bragging rights
5. There would be no equipment damage
6. The loser of the spar would be incapacitated for 3-5 seconds, then would slowly start regenerating HP, so no need to rez/return
7. Spars would last 2-3 minutes
8. The first player to 0 HP would get incapacitated and the spar would be over (I use 0 instead of 1 because of certain skills like the WAR's Holmgang)
9. You can challenge someone to a spar by either right clicking on them and selecting "Spar" from the drop down, or click on someone and type /spar. This would bring up a 15 second countdown timer on the person being challenged, and once accepted, a 10 second timer for both players would countdown to the start of the spar.
10. There would be an option to turnoff incoming spar requests.

I know nothing about programming, but it seems we already have similar systems in place with the regular PVP, and with the Dummy. I think this would be a good way to implement a 1v1 system without causing the main issues Yoshida has with re-balancing the classes and having it end up affecting PVE.

[Atreus]

Yes please.

Many want this as a time-passer or way to practice against real targets (I'm sorry, but the Wolves' Den Pier training dummies only do so much), and do not care for the balance.

It isn't always about winning with your job against another, but surviving longer and putting a bigger dent in before going down.

I have a small hope that they don't continue to be stubborn about it despite acknowledging the request of it so many times.

[Geologo]

Toootally up for it!
But to be honest I would prefere that you could be able to spar almost anywere, in order to implement annoying adds too if you want, try different scenarios with hills or something similar and instead restrict them in only some places near in the cities or sanctuaries, cause if they will start to spar on an important NPC or over the summoning bells, I would like to FLARE THEM ALL with no mercy xD

Also I think that seeing 2 people fighting in a cool place will somehow make Eorzea a more "alive" world and they will take part to fill it like if they was part of the enviroment *-*
*dreaming*

Also I have other little ideas that will only make it far more complex and controversial so as always my post will seems a tome, so this time I'll avoid to write them here now XD

[Mapleine]

The combat system really doesn't even work all that well in goofy, mass combat, objective based PvP....

I mean, sure you could do it just for the sake of it but that's not a really good justification for content, especially when people are pushing back against it so hard.

Heavensward is suffering from a huge lack of end game content and direction as is, maybe if they can clean that up but I'm not sure I want resources diverted for that even as a joke.

Also, to the person who wants them in sanctuaries: no. Even MMOs with real PvP mechanics and dueling systems don't allow it in towns and safe havens. No one wants people fighting on top of the damn vendors ...

[Soular]

Going off some of the stuff the OP talked about...

What about something like this?



(Pardon my poor paint skills)

-Start the match countdown once both players agree to the rules (like Triple Triad), and click Commence
-Can only spar in specified areas (Perhaps certain areas outside of specific towns, or just away from vendors)
-Players who reach 0 HP during a sparring match are inflicted with the Down for the Count debuff rather than being incapacitated, and are returned to 1 HP after the match ends
-Pretty much everything else the OP mentioned

Edit: Added no level sync option thing to it, because why not. (Could techincally pvp at 1~29 with that, lol)

[Yaichiro]

I had something similar to this in my mind ever since I read about the balancing issue with 1vs1 PvP. I think duelling is a good spice to the game at least much better than gardening in my opinion. Balancing issue is unneeded as long we do not have any kind of rewards for duelling.

[Serilda]

Also, to the person who wants them in sanctuaries: no. Even MMOs with real PvP mechanics and dueling systems don't allow it in towns and safe havens. No one wants people fighting on top of the damn vendors ...

Limit it to certain places then; housing areas and the WD pier, or similarly quiet areas. Being able to spar with a willing buddy is fun, especially while waiting for boring queues.

[Synestra]

Balancing issue is unneeded as long we do not have any kind of rewards for duelling.

Yup just for fun and trying diffirent tactics against certain jobs.

[Saru_Grey]

None of that duty finder stuff please, we don't need to have another system which requires a queue time.

Like others have said Sparring should only be for fun (unranked), optional (enable/disable) activity that can be done while waiting for queues. Sparring would just be another activity to enjoy the game.

Sparring is one way to meet new people, share ideas, bypass the wait/downtime from queues, and open a more social community. I don't feel like anyone's playtime experience should be tabbing out and watching videos on YouTube while they wait for a loud DING and ticking sound to pop up to actually play (end)game.

I'm relatively new to the community / game and I do like it so far (besides long queues, and no friends), but the biggest flaw I've noticed is that people (including myself) will generally stand in a city the whole day waiting for queues for PvE/PvP. There is nothing much to do end-game and Sparring would be a neat addition of activities to do while waiting on queue.

[EddardStark]

Bring ffxi ballistic back where we can enter with friends and set up our own rules of engagement. Give us a circle or a small map, let us pick teams or ffa. We don't care about 1v1 DF.