Contested content: yea or nay?

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Contested Content has an extremely valuable place in an MMORPG. That doesn't mean that players should always have to wait around for an exciting opportunity to open up for them.

Incentive-izing and limiting access to certain types of content provides an important degree of personalization for a Role Playing community. Perhaps even putting restrictions on certain contested events or items based on Lore, Faction, Character History would help limit the "Hardcore" players from cornering the market on these things.

Maybe restrictions that could even completely prevent certain characters from touching certain items or entering certain places who've "lived their lives" a certain way. That being said, I'm a huge opponent of No-Drop items. If an item is no-drop it had better be AMAZING. I don't mean legendary, I mean fabled, or MYTHICAL... and it better ONLY be able to be picked up by characters who can use it, i.e., the Chosen Paladin pulling the Fiery Avenger from The Stone Golem's core. =P

But lets be honest now, contesting everything would certainly turn-off MANY new players looking to get a foot-hold in a world where the more mechanic-savvy veterans have the clamps down on some of (what could potentially be) the best content.

As always, a balance needs to be struck.

Too much contested content could probably be construed as a Denial of Service for many players.

A mix of both for those that want to group and plenty for those that don't. I assume this is what they meant by contested correct? I don't even know what they are asking here.

I sure as hell don't want myself or other people constantly waiting for stuff and I certainly don't want the best gear to require people to constantly wait or band together in order to get it. Some sure, but there should always be appropriate alternatives and options to choose from and from a very large pool of variety at that .

How does this question even make any sense and why is it even up? I thought the devs already stated that there is going to be content in both areas and that players are going to be able to pick and choose what they want to play and when they want to play it.

The idea that even 1 person voted for "no contested content" makes me afraid of the future of gaming. What is wrong with some of you people...

A good mix is best. Not everything though. That's for pvp servers.

I agree 100% I think that players should have the option of an instance for the development of their character, but by the time the content starts to require a guild or raid there should be some level of competition. Guild hierarchy has a huge impact on the game. The pride of belonging to a guild that has some server "firsts" is a huge motivation for many of us

Contested like camping Quillmane? Anyway sounds good with a healthy mix to me.

7 hour North Temple of Veeshan Standoff without either guild killing anything. That was a huge problem with the original EQ.

No contested content unless it has a very fast respawn (1-4 hours) and is locked for those that recently participated in the event (like half day lock out).

But my view on it is it causes more problems than the benefits. While many will complain part of the fun is racing to mobs. I really doubt the majority of the players will agree with this. I used to do those rushes for years on end but after a while its very stale. It breaks up guilds. There is drama between guilds that hurt the community.

If there will be contested content, please make it not all that important or have the same items(or comparable) that can be found elsewhere or in quests. If you want to rush mobs you can to get the items faster, but allow others to get the items in an alternative way.

Contested content is what made Everquest I, well Everquest. It had problems, but all around it made the loot that dropped; valuable. That is something that Everquest II really missed, was the lack of really valuable treasure that could be traded. Most people viewed the broker in Everquest II as the trash heap. Contested mobs on a PvP server also increases the fun of PvP. In Everquest Next it would be awesome of they had a mixture of both contested, and instant dungeon loot. The contested loot should be the most powerful loot available from drops. I have to add a little thing here though about loot. The most valuable loot in the game should be available through crafters, with some of the rare materials coming off contested mobs.

I read this as a question asking us to chose between PvP vs PvE. I may be dead wrong on this, but "Contested Content" sure does sound like PvP to me. This is something I am going to have to think about.

I have picked the middle of the road option. I remember when everything was contested and I have also played games where virtually nothing is contested. There has to be a happy medium ground somewhere.

I really am all for contested content though, it promotes interaction and community. Whether good or bad it gets players into the same area's attempting to reap the same goals and benefits. Again there is a fine line to this though, I don't want to be sitting in one spot for hours on end but I do not mind having things like this that characters will get players together in one area.

Personally something like Nagafen or Lady Vox or some very rare mob like that should be contested always, that shouldn't be something that a player can just waltz into a cave with a group and walk out with their head once a week.

You need contested content. It's a "MMO"RPG remember? Why should we try to make as much content in MMORPGs as single player as possible? Bring back the feeling that you're living in an online world with other people and competing for resources instead of giving everyone everything. It's fine in certain instances, but don't go overboard please.

The question does seem a little vague. I hated spending hours and hours grinding through a dungeon, just to have to roll at a chance for an item I really wanted. I felt like "Hey, I just survived this long, epic battle, nearly died a zillion times and I lost my reward due to a chance roll?" Not cool. I feel like if "Ye Olde Epic Dragon" Drops the bone shards needed to create Epic Weapon of Awesomeness, well that massive dragon has plenty of bone to spare for the whole group... Like Dravun said, almost feels like denial of service.

This isn't the same game it was. That was the way of EQ. This is a different game. I would rather have instanced versions of content for those that don't want to have to rush to something. Also with all the randomness of events server/game firsts lose any type of achievement. You can say "YES WE BEAT GOBLIN ASSASSIN FIRST" but thats the only time it could spawn. So whats the point? You can still be server firsts or whatever with all instanced raids and such. But rushing to mobs and fighting over them is bad for the community. That is a big reason (besides the marketable reason) mmo's have gone to instances or high respawn rates.

While I love the first time we beat a guy and get the awesome gear, I also likes how even on normal mobs you would once in a while get something awesome. so I agree certain things should be having to complete things as a group.. I love the suprise of getting an item out of no where not expected while solo

...

Someone please tell me this isn't correct.

Not a huge fan of "everyone gets one!" models. It sucks doing the work and not getting what you want, but if everyone always gets one then the game economy crashes.

What would be nice is if you could eliminate junk loot entirely. The idea that your bags are filled with garbage that you have to go back and sell when you could take more useful items instead gets a little annoying. If items could be broken down for crafting resources, used as spell components (bring those back!!!), and made into jewelry or other trinkets or even decorations for your armor then it would be great. Instead it usually is just stuff you dump at a vendor for a small bit of added coin.

I would prefer it if everything was contested. I don't think that's realistic though, but the hardest content being contested should absolutely exist. It seems most people prefer instancing though.

As the seconds tick away.. more MMO's are becoming water downed to please everyone.
You shouldn't be able to kill a dragon by yourself, unless your epic! It should be a group/raid effort.
And I don't want to go into an instance to kill that mob either! It comes down to adventure!

I would like to see a mix of contested mobs wandering the landscape!

Waiting for spawns in EQ 1 sucked.
I, like many people my age (having played since EQ 1 should give an idea), have a 'real' job and don't have time to camp spawns; if that's what it takes it will surely lead me to greener, less obstructed pastures eventually. That is, to other games.