I make servers not to cater to a market but to do what I like to do(its nice when other people have fun too). The primary focus of the server will be the RTS(PVP) aspect however to be able to compete you need to do the PVE part as well.
I view PVP alittle differently though, most everybody is ok with saying that a max level player in end game raid gear should be more powerful than a guy in defiant armor who just hit max level. Similiarly, I don't see any issue with somebody who has invested alot into their character being able to destroy lesser gear/etc character with ease. This can lead to frustrating cases of new players getting slaughtered endlessly however to accomplish that on this server would require control of a ton of zones and no competition. Its possible but its not a given like on most PVP servers.
In regards to the zone upgrades resetting or capping. Most of the upgrades have caps(few are unlimited, like the exp boost), however they won't reset or anything. The reason for this is so people don't have to focus on one continent forever and to help players get to the next expansion. As guilds upgrade zones, people will level faster, get more aa, etc which will allow more and more people to get to the next expansion where the process can begin anew. It also allows guilds to have a headquarter zone if they wish where they can pimp it out to make it very hard to capture(keep in mind the points used to purchase the upgrades are the same as used to buy the guild bonuses, so I imagine the upgrades will be used sparsely).
Most of the work was figuring out ways to make it so I don't have go to every zone and make a mob, with a script to write and read information. The system I have now it will take me a few hours work to add an expansion and it all involves adding information to arrays(besides adding some perl to the actual progression mobs). Once we get to GoD then things will slow down expansion-wise but that bridge is a ways away.
That all said, who knows how it will turn out but thats half the fun.
|