PvE & Loot Drops

FreddyHouse Q&A April 16, 2013
Gwadien said: 

I don't really expect you to answer this tbh, but...

If money wasn't a factor, would have you involved PvE into this game? - Because in many peoples eyes, the community of DAOC was a prime reason why it was so successful, and most of that community was built up over the tedious leveling that took place, and therefore you may put off quite a lot of those older and more casual players from the earlier days...

MJ Response:

'''If money, time, balance, monetization system and need for a publisher weren't issues, of course I would love to have both just as we did with Dark Age of Camelot. I would focus on RvR and let another team focus on the PvE but it doesn't work that way. I don't want to spend 5+ years making an MMORPG, I don't want to make an FTP MMO (though I don't have a problem with those that do) as I just want to make a very fun, RvR-focused game and take a ton of chances at the same time. With CU, I can take chances like The Depths and with other things we are going to announce. I'm not making this game to make a themepark, casual or mass market oriented game, I want to focus on making an outstanding RvR-focused game.'''

Kickstarter Comments
There will be NPCs of course (as I’ve stated before) since towns need citizens, structures need guards, crafters need leather, etc. The world won’t be empty but NPCs will not be dropping tokens, items, etc. However, you will be able to scavenge/skin/etc. materials from them of course but again, not items, tokens, etc. There is also a difference between PvE-NPCs (cows) and RvR-NPCs (guards, human or otherwise) but no item or token drops. I also promise that there will not be PvE expansions with new tiers of gear drops that become required to complete. This game is a RvR-focused MMORPG and will remain such.

Source: KS Update 11 - April 09, 2013

Foundation Principles
CU does employ a system where items can decay and can break over time; the decay will be slow enough that players will have plenty of warning before items might break while simultaneously ensuring that players have to replace most items over time (thus increasing the need for crafters and their wares).

Source: Foundation Principal 7

What if we don’t want to RvR that day but still want to have fun in the game?” Well, that is where housing, crafting and other systems will come into play. As a RvR-focused game, players will need all sorts of items and the crafters will have to supply them. Whether it is arrows, armor, gold for the mint, etc., there’s always going to be somebody who needs something and that’s where crafting comes in. And if you don’t feel like crafting, well, the housing/buildings system are waiting for you. And if that isn’t enough there will be RvR missions that you can undertake that won’t involve sacking a keep but could still involve some RvR (in an open world, not instanced, k thx bye) if you get unlucky. And if that is not enough, well, we will have some other things that you can do but we are an RvR-focused game and if you are not feeling it that night and nothing we have interests you, well, it’s time to take a break, just like any other game. I cannot promise you that CU will meet all your needs for an MMO. It cannot be all things to all people but it can be a great RvR-focused game with your help, feedback, support and involvement. If on some nights it isn’t what you are looking for, well, that’s okay, your realm’s enemies will be still waiting for you when you get back.

Source: Foundation Principal 2

Our crafters will never have to worry about whether the gear that they make, the arrows that they fletch nor the ring that they forged in the fires of Mount Doom…, whoops, wrong game, sorry, being eclipsed by something that is dropped by a hummingbird, even if it is the “WORLD’S LARGEST HUMMINGBIRD THAT SHOOTS LASER BEAMS FROM ITS EYES.” The best way to accomplish this is to ensure that there are no drops of powerful items from NPCs.

Source: Foundation Principal 2