What exactly is PvP and PvE?

[CaptainDaniels]

Any light you could shed on the subject would be greatly appreciated. I'm a MMOG newbie, so thanks for your help! :D

[Kinjiru]

Ahh, okees.

PvP = is player versus player combat.
PvE = is player versus environment, basically NPC's or Non Player Characters.

[exracon]

PVP = Player vs. Player (here u fight other players in the game)
PVE = Player Vs. Environment (here u fight random npc mobs)

[Ramierez]

PvP = Player Versus Player (killing other players)
PvE = Player Versus Environment (no killing other players)

[arosenau]

PVP stands for Player versus player, so If you and I are playing and I attack you thats PVP.

PVE stands for Player versus Environment, so if we both attack a computer controlled NPC (Non playable character) that is PVE

[Admiral_Patrick]

PvP is player versus player. PvE is player versus everything. i.g. monsters controlled by the game.


Ok...fifth....

[Ramierez]

Damn...exracon stole my thunder.

[Kinjiru]

Heh... I type faster than alla youse. :)

[Ramierez]

Heh... I type faster than alla youse. :)

Ya...I had a split second hesitation when I hit reply and thought "You know when you hit that there will already be like a dozen posts saying the exact same thing by the time this gets out there" lol

[exracon]

Damn...exracon stole my thunder.

and kinjiru stole mine :eek:

[Kinjiru]

and kinjiru stole mine :eek:

Hehe. Hey, maybe that'll be the name of my first ship!

Behold, the USS Goat-Thunderer!

[Ltfngr]

A lot of players (myself included) enjoy pitting themselves more against the computer and the AI behind it rather than against other players, while another group is the opposite.

There can be many reasons for this (I'm 40, and do not have the reflexes for taking on players much younger and more dextrous than myself), but some games end up with a conflict between the wants and desires of the player vs environment (pve) and the player vs player (pvp) crowd. A good game can balance the two, and give both things to do at what is called the 'endgame' (when your stats/talents are as high as the game allows).

A game that has an endgame for both is WoW. A game that has practically no end game is City of Heroes. That piece is what holds onto players, and why a lot of people left CoH, and why WoW holds so many players.

The problem comes in with the dreaded 'nerf'. 'Nerf' is the term used when your character is weakened by the developers, thus turning your big hitting power into a nerf bat. Most 'nerfs' occur because of imbalances in player vs player situations, but it ends up affecting those doing only player vs environment as well. This breeds a lot of resentment between the two 'camps'.

The more those imbalances are dealt with during beta testing, the better.

[Ltfngr]

A lot of players (myself included) enjoy pitting themselves more against the computer and the AI behind it rather than against other players, while another group is the opposite.

There can be many reasons for this (I'm 40, and do not have the reflexes for taking on players much younger and more dextrous than myself), but some games end up with a conflict between the wants and desires of the player vs environment (pve) and the player vs player (pvp) crowd. A good game can balance the two, and give both things to do at what is called the 'endgame' (when your stats/talents are as high as the game allows).

A game that has an endgame for both is WoW. A game that has practically no end game is City of Heroes. That piece is what holds onto players, and why a lot of people left CoH, and why WoW holds so many players.

The problem comes in with the dreaded 'nerf'. 'Nerf' is the term used when your character is weakened by the developers, thus turning your big hitting power into a nerf bat. Most 'nerfs' occur because of imbalances in player vs player situations, but it ends up affecting those doing only player vs environment as well. This breeds a lot of resentment between the two 'camps'.

The more those imbalances are dealt with during beta testing, the better.

[Aterlatus]

Perfect, although you neglected to mention it works the other way too. Quite often changes made for PvE screw up the PvP experience at the same time.

I don't envy ANYONE who has to try and balance several races/classes/factions for both PvE and PvP. *shudders*

[Kinjiru]

Perfect, although you neglected to mention it works the other way too. Quite often changes made for PvE screw up the PvP experience at the same time.

I don't envy ANYONE who has to try and balance several races/classes/factions for both PvE and PvP. *shudders*

The best way to handle it is with scaleable difficulty in group missions. Basically, when you add more players to your happy little fleet, the AI will see that, and increase the difficulty for the mission. This could be simply more NPC enemies, or better tactics, I.E. they work together better. I hope they don't just make the armor and weapons harder, that kind of "elite" mob treatment (like in SWG) always bugged me. In other words, a Gorn ship is a Gorn ship, it shouldn't magically get tougher shields simply because I've been playing the game a while. Now 10 Gorn ships that work together might be a problem though.

[Tuvya]

The best way to handle it is with scaleable difficulty in group missions. Basically, when you add more players to your happy little fleet, the AI will see that, and increase the difficulty for the mission. This could be simply more NPC enemies, or better tactics, I.E. they work together better. I hope they don't just make the armor and weapons harder, that kind of "elite" mob treatment (like in SWG) always bugged me. In other words, a Gorn ship is a Gorn ship, it shouldn't magically get tougher shields simply because I've been playing the game a while. Now 10 Gorn ships that work together might be a problem though.

Well maybe you first fought a Gorn light cruiser and now you are facing a destroyer? more weight, more guns, more armor.

But yes, just straight scaling is annoying and lazy programming.

[Pilov]

PvP = is player versus player combat.

- Lead to the wonderful world of getting grief ed to hell and back




PvE = is player versus environment, basically NPC's or Non Player Characters.

Is safe for the most part unless well your doing a mission and someone comes along and wham lol