the only viable alternative: this PvP mode needs to be unranked
BR = DG
short-term fun if 0 ppl in DG & practice for newbies = "new leveled unranked mode"


+ flattening unit stats progression in general
+ restricting noob bashing
+ making minimum PvE time requirements for gnosis lower
+ "noob bonus"
+ "anti-noob-bashing bonus"

which I have talked about all of these in other posts...

That's not a solution to the problem that I brought up, that's another thing entirely -.-

My point is that there has to be a way for players to play ranked PvP without the current DG system because currently, a few of us simply can't use it.

The only solution to the problem that you mentioned is one: more ppl in DG.
There is no easy fix solution for that.

To get more people in DG you must make more ppl comfortable with PvP and PvP more appealing. Whatever helps a player that currently does not PvP to try PvP and want to do it again, solves your problem. All of these "suggestions" in my reply help in doing just that: attract more people to PvP.

It doesn't matter if it is ranked or unranked or anything, as long as it is PvP.
If a player tries PvP and likes it, sooner or later he will hit the DG button too.
But you can't make a new PvPer like PvP by putting him to compete against eg. Reaper.

You can only give him "freedom" to try PvP instead of obliging him to PvE, and then, if he chooses to PvP, to set him to compete against another new PvPer and leave them "grow" their PvP skills together. Then, the first time he competes with a high level PvPer you must give him some advantages not to have an epic fail.. and after some weeks of this baby-sitting, you have a new PvPer ready that hits DG every 5sec!

Again, this doesn't solve the problem encountered by those who progress too fast. The bulk of the player base can still get matched at least once a day if they hit the DG button; those at PvP level 35+ right now cannot. After firing every worker I have in my ToC I'm still at 32 and have no hope of finding a match. The only other solution that comes to mind is to not build a ToC next era (or build one and do 0 research) or not rush Warfare like I did this era. Very disappointing since I wanted to see how fast I could progress, but if it prevents me from PvPing it's hardly worth the effort.

I understand why you don't want a second DG, but I'm asking you for alternatives for us high level players who cannot participate in ranked PvP (or unranked for that matter since nobody wants to play against us) Adding research thresholds for the ToC may help reduce this difference which grows rapidly as soon as the first person begins research.

*Just because a player enjoys PvP, doesn't mean he/she will play ranked PvP either, proven by other MMOs. If they enjoy the setting of unranked, they'll most likely stay in that setting.

Hello shade,

a quick question in between: Where exactly do you get the idea from that DG-matching has anything to do with pvp level? I don't know the inner workings of the system, but I was under the impression that the matching is based on your hidden ELO rating and has exactly NOTHING AT ALL to do with pvp level, number of workers in ToC, etc. So the reason why you can't find a pvp match has nothing to do with your patria manager progression, only with your pvp record. Win enough matches and two things happen: a) Your hidden ELO increases and you will only be matched with other high-ELO players such as reaper (which you cannot find, cause you're in the same CV), b) other pvpers will start to dodge you. Add to that the general effect that this is near era end and no one does any pvp any more anyhow, plus this is a beta and there are very few active players and you get to your current <1 matches per day. Firing workers from ToC should not have any effect, unless you announce it on main and other pvpers think they can beat you now.

Assuming the above is true, adding a secondary DG would only worsen the situation, but the real problem with that suggestion is that it goes against the principle design of DL. DL wants you to play BOTH pve AND pvp. There is ongoing discussion on how much pvp and pve to require (currently: pvp - almost none, pve - lots). See for instance http://www.dreamlords.com/forum/posts/list/9894.page. However, your suggestion would allow players to avoid the ENTIRE patria development, thereby losing half of the game. And unfortunately, experience shows that "allow" is the same as "force". After all, players have to stay competitive, and if other players stay in the alternative DG all day, then you couldn't waste your time doing PvE any more. The point is that the different aspects of the game have to be intertwined. Ideally, the three main aspects of the game (pve, island pvp, dg pvp) would all be necessary and each would benefit your total advancement. An alternative DG as you propose it would by necessity be completely parallel and independent from the rest of the game, there could be no advancement other than total standing. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but if you do want that, it's probably WC3 that you want, not DL. And again, that whole train of thought doesn't even take into consideration the fact that the "totally fair" DG would also reduce spending to 0, which is something that can't happen in the long run.

And please don't think I do not understand your frustration, I completely do, I do a bit of pvp now and then and the low amount of players really does lead to grasping at straws. But the problem needs to be solved in a more fundamental way.

Happy gaming,
Melor

stop scaring the devs, both of you

quick-fix solution for shade: quit AOP, come to WR6, and then dg with Reaper all day long!!

Seems to be completely based off of PvP level, sorry if I'm under the wrong impression. Firing workers gets me matched up against people whom I couldn't get matched up with before, although it means a garunteed loss for myself (low TP/min)

Oh well, I must be missing something. Thanks for the clarification Melor.