Game Mode Concept: Skirmishes
This is a concept for a PvP game mode I put some thought into over the weekend and wanted to share here. It's rather long and seemingly detailed, but it's actually a simple game mode that I think could work given what we've seen in the Beta with some additional functionality from Rare. Kudos if you read through it all and I'd appreciate your thoughts or ideas.
Objectives: Capture the Flag/Elimination
Teams begin at their outpost on opposite sides of the map. Your goal is to control the map by either eliminating all opposing players or by locating and taking control of 3 hideouts protected by NPCs. How you approach these objectives is entirely up to your team. For example, you can decide to have all three ships hunt together for the opposing fleet and kill them at sea or on land, or you can spread out and try to capture the three hideouts as soon as possible.
Players: 12 v 12
- Standard matchmaking allows 1 to 4 players to queue for a spot on a ship.
- 12 players can queue as a single group so long as they're part of the same Fleet (see below). Otherwise, limited to 1-4 players.
- Character loadout and appearance options depend on your Privateer Level (see below).
Ships: 3 v 3
- Once matchmaking is complete, each crew will have time to choose what type of ship they'll sail.
- Ship composition is voted by players (4 votes per ship) and can be changed up to timer end. You can see each crewmember's votes in your team. Tied votes result in random selection between the two ship types.
- Any ship type can be selected and players are not restricted to sailing on their original crew's ship.
- Ships cannot respawn nor be scuttled.
- Ship appearance is generic and fleet name determined randomly if multiple queues form the team.
- For Fleets, ship appearance/fleet name is determined by the Fleet leader. Ship appearance can be modified by leader at an outpost and depends on Fleet Level.
Privateer / Fleet Level
- Progression system unique to this game mode that tracks your experience as a Privateer.
- Privateer level is tied to your individual character and unlocks additional appearance options as you progress.
- A Fleet is a "guild" that allows members to queue as a 12-player roster in a Skirmish.
- Fleet Level is the total Privateer Level of your Fleet members. You carry your Privateer level with you across Fleets, so leaving one will decrease their Fleet Level while joining another will increase that Fleet's total level. Fleet Level unlocks ship appearance options, which can be lost should the Fleet Level drop below a given value.
- These unlocks should require a substantial effort from a Fleet and offer exclusive and quality ship appearance options that can carry into the base game.
Letters of Marque
- Access to Skirmishes is granted with Letters of Marque ("Marque" for short). They function as one-time licenses that allow a player to queue for a Skirmish.
- Marques be purchased at an outpost with gold, found in the base game world during voyages, or earned by winning Skirmishes.
- Marques serve as a gold sink and encourages players to also play the base game.
- Marques are consumed upon death, disconnection or at the end of the Skirmish.
- They should be priced low enough to not discourage players from queuing with less than a full Fleet.
Capture the Flag:
- Hideouts are generated at random locations at the start of Skirmishes and are not revealed on maps.
- Hideouts are protected by generic enemies and one "boss" NPC.
- Hideout is captured once all NPC enemies are killed or after a player survives in a specified area of the hideout for a period of time. Ideally, balanced so that it requires the efforts of 4 average players to capture, though possible with 3 skilled players. May scale in difficulty if more players are present.
- During capture attempts, hideout location, countdown and team indicators are revealed on every ship's map. All players are notified on their screen of an ongoing capture event, but details are only seen on ship's map.
- Once captured, NPCs in that hideout respawn/heal as allies (indicated by flag). Players of that fleet are also given a small defensive buff (e.g. armor, stronger hull, etc.) that stacks per captured hideout.
- Once captured, your team can also use this hideout to stock on supplies and special ammo.
- Capture timer increases with each subsequent capture.
- Dying to hideout NPCs respawns the player at the nearest ship so long as it is docked at the only available dock on the island. Otherwise, death is permanent.
Victory/Loss Conditions:
- Victory is achieved when all opposing players are permanently removed from the Skirmish (killed or disconnected), when all three hideouts have been captured by your team, or when an opposing team forfeits. Capture victory grants the largest gain in Privateer Level.
- If Skirmish is at stalemate after a period of time (e.g. 60 minutes), the first team to reach the opposing team's starting outpost and raise a flag wins. This victory condition grants a lower gain in Privateer Level.
- Victory also grants at least one Marque, with possibility of up to 3 Marques.
- Teams can forfeit provided all remaining players have voted. Forfeiting reduces Privateer Level gain significantly.
- Dropping mid-Skirmish will allow you to reconnect within a certain time frame without penalty. You reconnect at the ship of your original crew or at your fleet's starting outpost. To deter using this as a means of travel, the player loses any accumulated buffs or supplies upon respawn and suffers 50% health reduction.
- Failing to reconnect will cost the player a reduction of their current Privateer Level (enough to deter this behavior). This is the only way to lose Privateer Level that was already earned.
- Privateer Level gain should be balanced such that teams throwing matches generate much less level than if they'd played the game normally. Actions and achievements during a Skirmish should contribute to level gain, in addition to the final outcome's flat gain.
- Once a player is removed (not disconnected) from the Skirmish, they're able to spectate by cycling through their team's remaining players, or can leave the Skirmish altogether. Rewards are distributed when the Skirmish ends and payouts are calculated.
- Dying of natural causes (i.e. drowning, sharks, fall damage) or at the hands of an opponent is permanent and the player cannot respawn.
Maps
- Ideally, island locations are generated randomly each Skirmish, ensuring a unique match each time. Things like weather and time of day are randomized at start and constant during the Skirmish.
- Hand-crafted maps can be added as special events with unique characteristics.
- Map size should be roughly 3/4 the size of that experienced in the Closed Beta, allowing for faster enemy contact and reasonable reaction times.
Again, props if you made it this far! Let me know what you think or what you'd change to make it a better PvP experience.
