The endgame of Global Agenda and World of Warcraft couldn’t be more different, at least in design and content. World of Warcraft features massive bosses requiring complex strategies, attempts and learning to overcome. Most players participate in the painful (and costly) progression for the shot at additional purples. A minority group attends solely for the experience. Global Agenda features massive PvP battles that requires healthy attendance, pre-combat strategic choices and in-combat tactical decisions. Players participate mainly to defend the property of their multi-guild alliance, or expand its reach. Both titles feature lengthy, repeatable battles. However, the challenges in WoW are scripted, while Global Agenda features dynamic content due to player interaction.
The frustration sets in when you try to participate in the fun of endgame. Global Agenda suffers from the same debilitating problem that plagued early World of Warcraft players. The bar to enter endgame is too restrictive, and too dependent on being in the “proper” guild. Hi-Rez Studios attempted to head this off by allowing any player to enter Alliance versus Alliance combat. If you are in an Alliance, then you can effectively participate in AvA, regardless of level.
Disabling a level requirement raises the pool of potential players substantially, but the problem persists. I’ve been booted from a number of guilds for being “too casual,” despite members enjoying my healing capabilities. The reason for the kick is based on strike force cap and upkeep costs. I am the casual player, so I am at fault there.
What is out of my hands is the entry point for guilds to be a threat on the hex grid. Small guilds and alliances are at a severe disadvantage for numerous reasons, be it size, time commitment or funding. And without AvA, the problem snowballs. Underfunded, understaffed and under-committed groups can’t participate in all the endgame they desire. This in turn can cause the hardcore players to jump to another guild/alliance. Restarting the cycle.
Hi-Rez Studios is working on the problem, as recently seen by the addition Theft missions in patch v1.2. These AvA missions enable smaller coalitions to pick on the big guys with quick strikes, much like Robin Hood. It’s a start, but the fact remains that only a small percentage of players are getting to experience and fully enjoy all the game has to offer.
Global Agenda is currently available on Steam at a 25% discount.
I can understand the statement, but understand the point of where it all stems from. If a Good player knows he can be the best by staying with people he Knows can be the best, and decides to build on that, then why would he stay with people he knew Couldn’t?
The fact is, no matter what MMO, someone will always strive to be at the top. That’s called “Competitive Nature”. It shows that your willing to strive for something beyond the unreasonable, and That is how people see you.
It can’t be “Fixed” because it’s not Broken. It will always be part of the core gameplay element as long as there’s a “Number 1” ranking out there. (and if there isn’t, rest assured someone will make it up)
@Nextgener:
I have no problem with the competitive edge you speak of, it’s what drives me in Global Agenda and WoW (although I just fight for top DPS since I dislike WoW’s PvP). That’s not the issue at hand, nor me being kicked from guilds. It’s that people want to be able to experience the endgame but can’t. There are ways for Hi-Rez to design the game to let even the little guys get a taste. The Theft missions being a good start.
In fact, and I didn’t think of this while writing the article, it’s absolutely crucial to the game that the developers give everyone a taste. After all, only subscribers get access to AvA content. If the game is to get subscribers, the devs need to lure in players from the pool of one-time purchasers.
I disagree that it can’t be fixed. You’ll note that I said it was an issue in early WoW, meaning vanilla WoW. See the original Naxxramas, an incredibly small percentage managed to see the original incarnation of one of the game’s most epic dungeons. Blizzard managed to fix the barrier to entry issue in Wrath of the Lich King.
The argument of WoW becoming more casual friendly to “fix” the issue is a separate issue. Global Agenda’s endgame has no difficulty in the first place, since it is PvP based.
I think a game like Global Agenda needs to be putting less emphasis on the ‘MMO’ and more emphasis on the TPFPS.
Levels are nice, but the game is largely skill based, and should be treated as such. In Planetside BR 1 with enough skill could compete with a BR20, and outfits where generally rewarded for taking newer players into their organization and showing them the ropes.
It seems GA punishes outfits for not culling their ranks often and booting non-hardcores. I believe this holds the game back in the long run.