WvWvW: Need ORBs to Return

#1 - June 17, 2013, 2:47 p.m.

Okay, I get why they were removed. There was hackers able to fly through the map with the things; there was Mesmers portaling through the walls; and there were environmental weapons that exploited around keeps. That’s all been cleared up, right?

The orbs also had an issue with them being super powerful for the winning team. A team could cap all 3 orbs and essentially own all 4 maps for the entire matchup against the other servers. Though this is partially due to the other two servers not partnering up to take out the commanding server, yet instead they just gave up all together.

Enough of the negative,..just enough. Let’s look at the positive aspects of them. When there was an orb in a keep, that entire owning server’s presence on that server was to defend that keep at all costs and obtain surrounding structures to support/supplement that keep. The other two servers presence on that map was to consistently harass and attack that keep (whether in unison or individually).

Trebs, catapults, and various other siege was used by literally the 100’s in single invasion attempts. Supply camps never stayed supplied…never. A supply camp was constantly drained to constantly repair buildings, build siege, and help back up whatever objective was your team. This was done through volunteered and assigned supply teams/trains, which kept moving over and over again (not giant zerg balls).

Even when it came to transporting the Orb(s), a team did it in ways that wasn’t so much a zerg as it was multiple team efforts. Different groups would be clearing the roads in front and behind the orb carrying group. There would be siege preparations setting up on where the orb was going, based on the inevitable strike against it by the other chasing servers.

Suggestion related to orbs: Reduce the buff of the orbs by 2% HP and 50% Stats per additional orb owned. Right, so the single orb is a flat 5% HP and +50 Stats, the second orb owned would give another 3% HP and +25 stats, and the third orb owned would give an additional 1% HP and +13 stats. (equates to total of 8% HP and +88 Stats, which is like having two extra food Boons).

DevonCarver

#21 - June 18, 2013, 9:14 a.m.

Orbs will never come back in the form they had as they simply were too easy to hack around. With that said, we are definitely working on finding a suitable replacement for the best parts of the orbs, while avoiding as many of the downsides as we can. It’s not simple task though, so it isn’t as simple as deciding to do it one day and finishing it the next. Our goal is to get a new and improved version out when we can, but we can’t say yet when that will be.

DevonCarver

#28 - June 18, 2013, 10:05 a.m.

Johje Holan.4607:
Darn, when I saw the little red bubble next to the thread I thought Devon had come in here and said the orbs were coming back.

I don’t understand why they’re easy to hack. But then I don’t understand how people hack anything in a game.

They were easy to hack because of the fact that if you managed to fly or teleport hack you could do that and pick them up and take them right back to your base.

DevonCarver

#43 - June 18, 2013, 12:04 p.m.

XII.9401:
DevonCarver.5370:
Orbs will never come back in the form they had as they simply were too easy to hack around. With that said, we are definitely working on finding a suitable replacement for the best parts of the orbs, while avoiding as many of the downsides as we can. It’s not simple task though, so it isn’t as simple as deciding to do it one day and finishing it the next. Our goal is to get a new and improved version out when we can, but we can’t say yet when that will be.

How can you NOT address a simple hack of the game you created, run and monitor?

Change the mechanic of carrying the orb.

Track down and ban people hacking it. I’m sure tracing who picked it when a hack is reported is easy. Track how fast it moves. If it moves beyond a certain speed then ban the person.

A few slaps on the wrists will address the issue.

It is not easy to be done in a day but you had months to fix it..

We have continued to do our utmost to track and ban all hackers, but if you think it’s possible to always be ahead of them, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you. Unfortunately, this particular mechanic is far too susceptible to any number of hacks of this sort and while we can do as much as possible, it doesn’t prevent it from happening all the time and even 1 instance can unbalance a matchup a great deal. Hence, we are attempting to solve the problem on the content side as much as we can.