Player versus player
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Player versus player (PVP) is a type of
History
PvP combat in CRPGs has its roots in various
The first graphical MMORPG was
Other early MMORPGs, including
In addition to this, not all PvP games feature a player's avatar experiencing death. An example of this type of PvP element can be found on MMOs such as Audition Online (2004) where while players are not directly killing each other's avatars as traditionally found in MMOs, they are still competing against each other during certain game modes in a Player versus Player setting.
PvP has been included in other games such as
DOOM was one of the most influential instances of PvP, coining the term "Deathmatch". This MMO-esque mode helped inspire the now-iconic PvP modes found in the FPS genre, such as battle royale and team deathmatch while popularizing PvP as a whole.
Classifications
Player Killing
Player killing, or PKing, is unrestricted PvP resulting in a character's death. Some games offer open PvP (also sometimes called world PvP), where one player can attack another without warning anywhere in the game world. A pure PK game is one where PvP conflict is the only gameplay offered. Ganking (short for gang killing) is a type of PKing in which the killer has a significant advantage over his victim, such as being part of a group, being a higher level, or attacking the victim while they are at low health.
PvP can also create additional facets in the community. In Ultima Online and
Character death in an online game usually comes with a penalty (though some games remove it from PvP combat), so habitual PKers can find themselves ostracized by the local community. In some games a character will die many times and the player must often sacrifice some experience points (XP) or in-game currency to restore that character to life.
Anti-Player Killing
Anti-PKing, also known as Player Killer Killing, PK Killing, or PKK,[7] is a form of in-game player justice. Often motivated by an overpopulation of in-game player killers, vigilante Anti-PKs hunt Player Killers and Player Griefers with vengeance.
Some players, known as "friendlies", choose to befriend other players with pacifism. Voice chat or in-game emotes are often utilized to demonstrate peacefulness and keep others from attacking.
Dueling
Dueling is both voluntary and competitive. Dueling ladders and leagues set up by fans are common for most MMORPGs that have PvP. Dark Age of Camelot was the first graphical MMORPG to debut a formal dueling system in-game (Ballista); other MMORPGs such as
Flagging
Through various means, "flags" can be turned on or off, allowing PvP combat with other people who have also turned on their flag. In
Sometimes the PvP flag gets automatically 'ON' on any player who initiates a PK. Other players who attacks a player who has the PvP flag on will NOT get their PvP flag 'ON'.
RvR (realm versus realm) combat
In 2001, Mythic Entertainment introduced a new team-based form of PvP combat with the release of Dark Age of Camelot.[8] In RvR, players of each realm team up to fight against players from the opposing realms in team-based combat. This can include normal skirmishes between rival groups that is common in other PvP systems, but also consists of objective-based battles such as taking and holding keeps or capturing enemy relics.
This was a new concept to graphical MMORPGs, but was first introduced in the game that preceded DAoC,
PvP in tabletop role-playing games
Tabletop role-playing games (RPGs) have also often featured PvP action. These are usually considered a reasonable part of play so long as the fight is based on "in-character" reasons. Games are often written to balance
This approach to PvP in tabletop games is not universal. For example, in the highly satirical Paranoia, lethal PvP conflict is a core game element, considered normal and heavily encouraged by the rules and support materials.
Ethical issues
Player-vs-player dynamics involve ethical issues with players. Because of ganking, some game developers view PvP with contempt. Despite the advantage experienced players have over new players, many game developers have assumed an honor code would prevent PKing.[3]
See also
References
- ISBN 0-13-101816-7.
Player(s) Versus Player(s) (PvP). Players are opposed by other players in a game. In a combat situation, this means PCs can fight each other.
- ISBN 0-13-101816-7.
PvP and GvG both assume PvE.
- ^ ISBN 9780262261531.
- ^ Reese, George (1996-03-11). "LPMud Timeline". Archived from the original on 2012-02-26. Retrieved 2010-04-14.
January 1992 ¶ _Genocide_ starts as the first MUD dedicated totally to inter-player conflict, which is a fancy way of saying that its theme is creatively player-killing.
- ISBN 0-7645-7003-X.
Genocide is a breakneck-paced, brutal MUD that has none of the mobs or quests you might be used to. It's a bloody world of kill-or-be-killed where you battle your fellow players in a savage race to the finish. [...] The only advantage the veterans have is experience and the knowledge of where to find the good stuff fast.
- ISBN 0-471-11633-5.
Some Muds are completely dependant on player-killing, and have wars that start every half hour or so. These Muds are becoming more common, basing a lot of their ideas on the extremely popular LPmud known as Genocide.
- ISBN 0-13-101816-7.
Vigilantism, defending the innocent from PKs n... The killing of PKers is known as PKKing
- ISBN 0-13-101816-7.
Group versus Group (GvG). Players are members of groups that are in conflict with other groups. In a combat situation, this means PCs can fight any PCs who are members of enemy groups but not those who are members of their own (or a neutral) group.63 [...] 63 This is often known as Realm versus Realm (RvR), as it was popularized under this name in Dark Age of Camelot.
- ISBN 0-13-101816-7.
The term RvR comes from Dark Age of Camelot, but it's not the only virtual world to use this approach; indeed, it's not the only big, graphical world to do so. Anarchy Online has characters divided into three groups, with people meeting in PvP areas for combat. Lineage has clan-like groups called bloodpledges, which can conquer castles from one another in (scheduled) sieges; success here has material results, in that owners of castles get tax income they can invest in preparing for the next siege.