Just started but I thought I'd throw in my two cents...

First, a completely FFA PvP game with no safe zones (regardless of consequences for PvP) will turn away a *LOT* of people. I logged in for the first time, ran around for a little bit, got used to the controls, then headed out to find some trees to chop. After I gather some stuff, some guy shows up wearing a really dumb looking outfit and kills me. Loots everything except my "special weapon" (which I'm assuming is either character bound, or he was cutting me a break).

Frustrating? Yeah. I'm not turned off from the game by it, but many will be. That's alright - this sort of game appeals to a specific audience.

I think that *zero* safety is as much of a problem as *complete* unbreakable safe zones. I like the idea of a tribe spot being a safe zone, but it shouldn't be a permanent invulnerability. It should protect you from the roaming griefer for sure - but you shouldn't be able to plop down a totem by yourself and taunt a tribe of 50 people with no consequences.

I think a simple solution is siege mechanics - as in Shadowbane - to break the 'protection' on the tribe's totem, and even capturing it. Not exactly the same as SB, but similar. It would prevent permanent immunity, particularly in tribal wars, but it wouldn't give individual griefers (or small groups) free reign over the game.


Back on an individual level - the protection system may not be realistic, but the fact that a griefer can kill a few people with no *real* consequences (since he's already decided to be red) is just as unrealistic. You've got to give a little and take a little.