I think game developers have realized that most gamers are more mature than previously believed; rather than being whiny kids, most gamers appreciate the idea of consequences in games. As much as I hate losing stuff when I die, it makes sense to me. The Division will add meaning to multiplayer by adding some serious consequences for player death.
The Division’s game director, Ryan Bernard, knows that a lot of games are trying to make multiplayer a more immersive and fluid part of the experience and narrative. With a bunch of games entering this genre, The Division seeks to stand apart with their approach to PvP. While we don’t know much about how The Division will handle equipment, we know that you will be able to trade with others and craft items, leading to a Borderlands-esque “thousands of combinations” idea. Barnard believes the prospect of losing that precious gear is what will make PvP so thrilling:
“We want player versus player to be meaningful. And the way player versus player gets meaningful is you need to have something to lose – it’s not just a scorecard in a multiplayer map.”
While there will be a mechanic to keep your items when you die, we don’t know how that will work. It has been implied that it won’t be as easy as changing your settings.
I suppose we need to know more about how this will work, but I’m a bit apprehensive about this. Apparently the game designers went on survival training exercises to gain a greater appreciation for living without those things we take for granted. Does this mean that players in The Division will also need to forage for food and water? Will survival be a part of the experience? If so, I’m not sure how it will work when you engage in a PvP battle only to lose your food, water and gun. This could lead to some horrible over powering of some players, while others are hunted for their supplies. At the same time, it could make people more careful while playing and keep everyone from going kamikaze in multiplayer.
I know this would be more realistic – the world would not be a pretty place if The Division were true. However, it still has to be viable for new players. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see as more details come out. For now, at least we can prepare ourselves for a game that takes its players more seriously. I’m still so excited for this title – can’t wait for it!
Last Updated: August 12, 2013
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 12, 2013 at 10:46
Sounds like a good idea. It makes PvP more interesting knowing you can lose something, so you have something to think about before running around guns blazing.
They’ve got a similar idea in Star Citizen with insurance on hulls, mods & cargo. Don’t insure & get blown up – tough luck you lose it.
Sageville
August 12, 2013 at 10:51
I hope they do it carefully, I wouldn’t want to be “Farmed” until I was nekkid.
Admiral Chief Zombie Slayer
August 12, 2013 at 11:04
Heh, immediately you assume the prey role…
Me on the other hand…
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 12, 2013 at 11:07
Admiral Chief Player Farmer
Sageville
August 12, 2013 at 11:09
I have a list of “Alternate” names for those types…
Alien Emperor Trevor
August 12, 2013 at 11:18
I can well imagine heh.
Admiral Chief Zombie Slayer
August 12, 2013 at 11:27
Kinda like it, might chance to AC BOER
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
August 12, 2013 at 11:00
There are a bunch of games that do the whole “lose stuff when you die thing” some of them very successfully.
Eve Online and DayZ spring to mind and both do it very well. So if done right this can make for great gameplay.
Admiral Chief Zombie Slayer
August 12, 2013 at 11:05
Agreed, but the possibility for abuse is quite high.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
August 12, 2013 at 11:09
For sure. That’s why they need to be very careful.
DayZ balances it by having seriously tough survival mechanics which don’t let you live long enough to become a player farmer; Eve online has “safe space” (sorta) where the chances of you being farmed is very, very small and insurance to ensure that if you die you don’t lose out too badly.
So it just needs to have a proper working mechanic running in the background to ensure “safety” from abuse
Kromas
August 12, 2013 at 13:30
“safe space” … tell that to my blown up Orca that had a whole lot of ore and a hulk in it. 🙁
Edit: and I forgot to mention DayZ has abusive admins and hackers all equipped to the teeth. 😛
Edit take 2: Yet I still play both … I must be a masochist.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
August 12, 2013 at 15:29
Lol hence why I said “safe space” (sorta) with the apostrophes and a defining statement in brackets 😛
Every system has its flaws though. DayZ is prime example with admins being able to do as they please and always the hackerz :'(
But in general it’s not a bad game mechanic. Just needs a lot of thought.
You have my sympathies on the Orca loss. That must have been heavy. Did you get podded as well? Did you have any expensive mining foreman links?
Kromas
August 12, 2013 at 16:46
I do. Good thing is though with both my accounts it takes about 2 relaxed weekends of roiding to recover such costs. I only get podded when I fly lowsec in my battleships (I have lost a total of 3 Kronos Class hulls kitted with only the best) cause for some reason they scream “kill me”. Then again I always keep my clones at maximum grade. I once got lucky in my Oby in a spacelane when someone in suicide squad webbed me. I think his friends did not appreciate his blunder but I sure did.
Sir Rants-a-Lot Llew
August 14, 2013 at 13:56
Lol. That’s crazy. 2 weekends lazy roiding to make up those costs? Not bad at all
ElimiNathan
August 12, 2013 at 11:23
CAN NOT WAIT