Introduction

PS: Yes, thats a TL:DR at the end....

How in the hell you improve SPvP?Frankly speaking there are countless posts going left and right in this section, most of them complaining about balance.Tough is true that balance will always be an important factor to PvP, for me this is more of a Veteran's issue than actual problem with the game mode.Balance don't kill new players, they don't even know what works and doesn't works for at least a few hundred games. Lack of content variety tough, that IMO is the main reason people run away.

For 6 long years the only thing to do in SPvP is conquest. Ranked or Unranked.We got a few some game modes over the years, but due to bad implementation people have simple forgot them. Relegated to custom arenas that frankly speaking, no one really cares.

In this topic, I would like to give a few suggestions of what "I" would change to give a breath of life to SPvP.Being more game modes for new players and more variety for Veterans......

A New UI, New League Seasons, New Game Modes

For starters I would like to change the UI of the SPvP tab.

One of the biggest gripes I have with ANET over the years is that they implemented a few new "Game Modes" but they were all killed due to terrible implementation. The game modes are in itself, not bad, but the bad implementation ended up pilling up a lot of useless complains from players that got dragged in the game mode by accident (like Courtyard on Unranked) or got flatly forgotten because you can only play then on Custom Arenas (2x2). Stronghold got implemented slight better but the random queues on Unranked weren't the best way IMO.

First change I would make is to separate Conquest from everything else. The idea work the same way as the "Arcade" on Overwatch, you basically have the normal game modes on the first page and place everything else on another tab.

Image Example below:

ImgurPlease pardon this poor mortal in his photoshop quick journey.

On Home, we would have the shortcut for Unranked Play (next to the other game modes shortcut, since it's the fastest way to play this game), the "Ranked Season" button with your current SR/Rank. Followed by Automatic Tournament Call (on first page, for attention) and the Alternative Leagues Queue (more on that below).

Statistics of the player can be outright moved somewhere else (and improved! If possible) or simply hidden below the game modes.Your Rank sticks at top merely because it calls more attention of new players and the Leave button stays at the top right, in detail.

Now lets start with my additions to the game mode......

New "Alternative Leagues" Seasons

Work like "drafts" on online card games. Basically we create an alternative ranked season where games are played under a unique set of rules. These rules aim to create a variety on game play on both Conquest as well as other game modes, rotating every few days.

Each "Alternative Season" lasts for only a Month, and there is a maximum of 2 alternative seasons rolling alongside the main Ranked Season. Those alternative seasons would further have a 15 days discrepancy, which means that basically, every 15 days we would have something different to play.

Lastly, we could have a third alternative season, albeit shorter, between ranked Offseasons. Instead of Conquest, it could be merely a ranked season of other Custom Game modes.

Now, you must be wondering what kind of seasons they could be and how they affect the game? Well here is a few examples:PS: All names are merely examples

Standard Rules:

• PvP League Season (Ranked Arena): Your typical Ranked arena. Last 2 months as normal and has 15 days offseason.

Class Regulations:

• Zaithan's Legends League: Only Core and No specializations. Conquest.
• Jungle Trailblazers League: Only Core and HoT Specializations. Conquest.
• Fire Seeker's League: Only Core and PoF Specializations. Conquest.

Amulet's Regulations

• Might makes right League: All Amulet Attributes except Power, Precision, Ferocity and Toughness receive a 50% reduction. Conquest.
• This Rose has Thorns League: All Amulet Attributes except Condition Damage, Expertise, Concentration and Vitality receive a 50% reduction. Conquest.
• Defense, then offense League: All Amulet Attributes except Vitality, Toughness, Healing Power, Concentration and Expertise receive a 30% reduction. Conquest.
• Celestial Call League: All Amulet Attributes are Celestial stats. Conquest.

Instability Regulations: (now yes, this is like fractals)

• Last Laugh League: Finished players will explode in a 600 units radius in 1 second after death. Conquest
• Social Awkwardness League: Fighting closer to other players increase damage received. Conquest.
• Stick Together League: Fighting far away to others players increase damage received. Conquest.
• Toxic Circle League: Staying inside the point for over 5 seconds deals damage and poisons. Conquest.
• Death Call's League: Permanent "Death finisher" effect, the same as Sword on Coliseum. Prolly the thing closest to a "no downstate" on SPvP.

Testing an others:

• PTR League: So we can test balance patch notes before they drop.

Note: One rule = One Season. The point is to NOT create chaos over a pool of rules every season, this is NOT Fractals Tier 4.

Either way, these are just examples of how the alternative leagues could work.The only point of note is that players should not be limited in class choice or range of damage. Technically every class is capable of dealing or Condi or Power damage to a certain degree, so that much would be fine.

Objectively speaking, any extra rule would spicy things up. The meta, classes and builds could change a lot between seasons. Players could always look forward on checking the effective of tailored builds. Plus the change of testing old metas.Likewise, it works as playground for testing for ANET and the community as well. As people will tend to test different classes and builds depending on the active regulation......

The "Custom Games"

Moving on to something a little less competitive, I present the idea of the new UI of the Custom Games.

ImgurA lot of wallpapers were used on this image. Too lazy to create actual symbols.

First thing to announce that those "Custom Games" (temporary name) have nothing to do with the Current Custom Arenas. Those are going to stay there for any guild or player that bother using those.Frankly speaking having a organized place to announce those games modes is already a lot considering the current state of the game, but nothing stop to create a few extra game mode:

Examples:

• 2x22x2 game mode. Work the same as the current game mode.Queue for 1 or 2 players. If there is no partner the Matchmaking will tag you with someone of different class.

• Team Death matchBasically, Courtyard game play. Queue for 1 to 5 players.

• StrongholdBasically Stronghold. Queue for 1 to 5 players.

• Duel:1x1 combat between random players. Happens on Courtyard or other Team DM matches.Besides the internal fighting, to prevent players to run away the whole match or stealth abuse, this games mode would include a "Aggression" Boon."Aggression" would last for a certain amount of seconds relative to the current game time, and resets every time the player interacts with the opponent, which means "Hit", "Misses" and even attacking someone "Invulnerable". Lastly, "Aggression" will freeze if the enemy is in any state that prevents Point Contribution."Aggression" timer reaching "0" means that the player will automatically lose the duel.Each duel will last a max of 5 minutes, where "Aggression" lasts for 60 minutes and relatively reduces as times goes on until it lasts only 6~8 seconds.Worth mentioning that meanwhile Opponents "Aggression" freezes while you are stealth or invulnerable, your "Aggression" reduces normally. This mechanics is devised to force the players to fight. The closer you are of the end of the match the more offensive you must play. Also prevents people from stealth stacking to draw the match.Queue of 1 or 2 players. If in party you will duel said party member.

• Mirror Duel1x1 duel, same rules as Duel. Only happens between Players of the same Class. Ex.: Engie vs Engie, Guardian vs Guardian. Etc.Queue of 1 player. (if you wanna mirror match a friend you can just use Duel)

• Death match10 players in one conquest map, everyone against everyone. Each kill participation scores a point, extra point for finishing players. Getting finished by players loses a point. First players to reach 20 points, wins.People will spawn at random corners of the map, with 10 seconds of invulnerability, where using any skill will drop the boon.

• Guild Vs Guild20x20 duels with SPvP stats inside a big arenaHumm? Oh, must be WvW? Ohh.....mumble mumble.... Whatever I tried.

The objective of the custom games are:

1. Its a solid and organized way to implement and test new game modes. Whatever they may be.Plus a lot of PvP players are put off by Conquest. Custom Game modes separated from the main modes work as a great way to enjoy PvP. Plus ANET don't need to worry about balance in "unofficial" game modes.

2. Works like a solid way for players to PRACTICE. A big issue with Conquest currently is that people go straight to Unranked and have no other way to practice SPvP alone besides throwing themselves in the fire.Solo PvP game modes like Duels and Deathmatch are a solid way to train your technical skills without having to rely on teams. Plus people can train actual direct combat on TDM and small engagements on 2x2.Once they feel ready, they can start testing Conquest.

Lastly, for the sake of adding some sort of progress, lie show in the bottom of the image above we could have a list of "daily quests" regarding the Custom Games.The reward of those quests can be either Money, Reward Track progress and even Ranking Experience.This is more of something for people to look up for while playing the custom games as well as a help for new players too look forward in the short run. Plus, it helps keep people engaged.Every time you finish a quest, it is substituted for another random one. Repeat until the player get the "Daily Custom Games" chest. Then wait the reset......

Conclusion

And that's it.That's my "vision" of how our current Structured PvP mode could be improved without major "development" of new features. Tough I did add a few new game modes above they are just examples.The alternative leagues would be a great way to add variety and breath a bit of long life for veterans and new players alike. At very least, there is SOMETHING new every few days. Keep the community distracted long enough to add other features whenever possible.

Oh and yes, extra bonus if we could have all extra rules sets available to custom arenas as well.

TL:DR

• See the images
• New UI idea
• Get all custom game modes in a custom tab. Create more game modes and add then there. Plus extra daily quests.
• Besides Ranked. New league seasons with different rule sets for variety of conquest game play.
• More variety to Veteran players and more methods for new players to practice without having to throw themselves in the fire of unranked.

I don't know why you went to all this effort, it's only going to fall on deaf ears and be read by the blind.

You should try to work for anet. Good ideas but they wont go anywhere. Sadly pvp is a dead game mode. Circlequest will be the thing until the next game they develop. The have let pvp become a uncompetitive win trading war.

@sephiroth.4217 said:I don't know why you went to all this effort, it's only going to fall on deaf ears and be read by the blind.

:< We can't lose hope to try right?SPvP is already great, it just needs a push.

@Ziggityzog.7389 said:You should try to work for anet. Good ideas but they wont go anywhere. Sadly pvp is a dead game mode. Circlequest will be the thing until the next game they develop. The have let pvp become a uncompetitive win trading war.

I enjoy the Circle quest as much I enjoy killing fest.My problem is that there is a big button for circlequest and killing fest is hidden on custom arenas.

Pretty sure that even ONE of these ideas, if accepted, would take at least a year to be implemented, giving Anet's development history.

BTW, lots of good ideas.

Nice ideas, the spec locks feel like Timewalking Dungeons in WoW or some sort.

I've watched yolo queue become ladderboards and then split into ranked and unranked. I've seen the rank gain squish and removal of the PvP armor wardrobe.

I don't have any more dreams for the sPvP of this game and just play it as it is, instead of wishing to play it as it should have been.But seeing someone with inspiring ideas is refreshing.

nice ideas hope anet implements some of them..... dream

ORRRRRrrrrrr, they can make a bunny skin that sparkles and make some immediate cash, which they can pump into other games, which can get canned, then they can lay off 25% of their workforce. PvP is fine...

Good ideas here, but they have 1 or 2 devs working on PvP at this point. I do not foresee any reworks.