This is meant to be a discussion thread on the subject of Removing the ability of enemy realm players from crossing over into opposing realm camps through the milegates unless the controlling milegate tower has been taken.




Contributing factors that brought up this topic and which should be discussed:


1. Community Relation issues
2. Concerns over Potential Game Mechanic Exploitation
3. Concerns over crossrealm assisting or rule violations.

Community Relations -


On the topic of community relations, I have noticed an increased amount of hostility between players on the matter of "who opened the gate." On this matter, the issue boils down to the action of opening the milegate and allowing for enemy realm players to enter the camp area against often unprepared and vulnerable targets inside for such an eventuality. The usual criticisms about the individuals who happen to be responsible for doing this are over their 'intellect' and intent behind the action, with them usually being characterized as being 'stupid, foolish, or mischievous. Now, what ever the case may be, these events happen quite often and with usually disasterous effects such as inciting apparently needless hostility between people and opening avenues for possible legitimate paranoia over the issue of whether or not the person you are playing with is 'working with the other side.' The removal of the ability of enemy players to cross over into the enemy realm camp while the tower hasnt been taken would take out this particular element of needless hostility between players and would also serve to remove avenues of mischief that players can cause to others.



Game Mechanic Exploitation


On the matter of game mechanic exploitation the milegate can be seen as both a blessing and a curse, depending on your perspective. If attempting to enter the gate as an enemy or in pursuit of players fleeing through the gate, you may become hopelessly trapped there. Your options in this situation appear to either wait until being killed or having someone (see above) open the gate allowing you through. Naturally, allowing an enemy into the camp area is not exactly a great idea so the preferred method of handling the situation is to kill the trapped opponent as soon as possible. One could argue the ethics of the situation but here we are dealing with the topic of possible questionable uses of this game mechanic such as for example baiting enemies into the gate with the intention of trapping them and later dispatching.

After giving this some thought after some fights over the past few days, I have seen this as a grey area that needs clarification either by the staff or community approval/disapproval. Upon reflection on the matter and discussion with a few people that i confide in, I can say that I will personally no longer be involved in such plots but never the less, it is a practice to which I have witnessed so it does occur and with what frequency, is really unknown except to those who go about it. The matter of dispatching already trapped players (even if you werent involved in their trapping) however seems to have a 'mercy killing' and 'do it to them before they do it to us' aura surrounding it and has a twisted practicality, which underlines the questionable nature of the game mechanic that allows for such things to occur.

Regardless of the reasoning behind the player becoming trapped in the gate either through intentional baiting or through their own bad luck or foolishness to attempt going through the gate to begin with, the ability for a player to be trapped in such a situation without any recourse of escape seems to be a bad feature and the removal of the ability to enter the gates at all would eliminate these grey areas and issues of concern while not deminishing the ability for enemy realms to access the opposing enemy camps as they can simply run around the agramon island zone and enter camps from behind or simply just take the controlling milegate tower. Individuals truely seeking to enter their enemy camps already have 2 tactical choices and therefore I believe that there can only be benificial gains out of the removal of the current gate trapping mechanic.




Cross Realm Assisting


The issue of cross realm assisting is chiefly a community concern however i believe that the current situation surrounding the useof the gates can only highlight the importance of limiting the ability for people to actively affect rvr through intentional actions taken no their part to assist friends or antagonize individuals they do not like either in their own realm or other realms.' The current milegate system allows for the abuse of this system through opening the gates and allowing enemy players to attack essentially unprepared and unwhitting opponents without due warning or recourse. Not only is this a legitimate concern for the security of one's realm (through the gate) it also is a community concern in how player relations are affected through these activities or perceived threat of these occuring. I believe elmininating the ability for enemy realm players to enter the gates will remove this fear from players and will also remove tools of mischief and avenues for unscrupulous behavior from certain players.

This is wrong, from the logical point of view.

When you meet a door closed, or wall not climbable, its normal not to be able to pass it, but phisically its normal to pass trough open doors or be trapped in a closing one. The hostility that you talk about its not so often met in Midgard, because only ones who likes to camp on milegate walls are albs and especially hibs.

The game mechanics allows you to open the gates and wait for them to close, so if you really dont want for someone to pass them stay there till it closes (it's like 10 seconds) or dont open it.

When you teleport in a war zone you must be prepaired, so those unprepaired and vulnerable targets are not a reason. You can take the long route from homekeep and then horse if you feel that a warzone should be peacefull and need a safer way to reach it.

I personally dont think that people go so far to crossrealm for opening the gates, and in my oppinion the way things are now are not wrong.

Cheers.

Easy, shorten opening and closing rates. The door does stay open a bit.

Runis wrote:
The game mechanics allows you to open the gates and wait for them to close, so if you really dont want for someone to pass them stay there till it closes (it's like 10 seconds) or dont open it.

I personally dont think that people go so far to crossrealm for opening the gates, and in my oppinion the way things are now are not wrong.

What i'm getting at here is that this isnt necessarily a realm specific problem, although sure, there is an obvious bias towards particular spot(s) in the zone. The issue is over the ability for other players to do something that affects everyone else in their realm or to another realm without the victims in this situation having any control over the situation what so ever.

I have mentioned possible mischievous uses of this mechanic and in the past, things have been removed due to possible exploitation (using siege engines to level with for instance) and the client update to prevent 'lag jumping'. It really doesnt matter whether or not people are in an rvr zone. The central point here is to remove an element of contention and possible abuse.

Runis wrote: The hostility that you talk about its not so often met in Midgard, because only ones who likes to camp on milegate walls are albs and especially hibs.

than you dont know your realm...some warriors like that too. and when loosing retreat in the gate and hoping to lock the foe to save it up for later if he die.

Runis wrote: I personally dont think that people go so far to crossrealm for opening the gates, and in my oppinion the way things are now are not wrong.

Cheers.

They DO. often seen in every realm.