[PVP] Was body vaulting intended for long safe storage of items?

[erjoh]

I fully see FC doing away with BV because we have character transfers.

[Nemisis]

@erjoh

I fully see FC doing away with BV because we have character transfers

Then players just upload their character full of loot and leave it uploaded.

[erjoh]

Exactly. While it does limit the stuff since you can’t go over the 99%…it’s still a significant leg up from starting naked.

[Sairdontis]

Then a timer can be added to how long the character may remain in uploaded but not placed on a server after which they are wiped of items as well.

[CodeMage]

@erjoh

Yeah it does. But there are thousands of ways to scam the system.

True, but there’s a specific reason why I’m asking. It has been argued that “an exploit is an exploit” and that it doesn’t matter whether you use it for non-competitive purposes or what actual impact it has on others. As long as it’s an exploit, the argument goes, the ability to use it should be removed, period.

And Funcom’s definition of exploit is:

@Ignasi

Exploits are uses and abuses of game mechanics to obtain an unfair advantage over other players including creating a detrimental play experience through reduced server or game performance.

Long story short: body vaulting is an exploit and should be removed.

It doesn’t matter that it helps PVE players go on a longer vacation while their clanmates keep their stuff refreshed, or that it helps PVE players who go on a hiatus let their stuff decay and then later come back and have an easier time starting over. It’s an exploit. Remove it by auto-killing anyone whose body is about to disappear from the world.

A few days ago I would’ve said it’s important to consider the context, the intention, and the outcomes, but screw nuance. Rules are rules, and exploits are exploits.

@Nemisis

Then players just upload their character full of loot and leave it uploaded.

Excellent point, this has to be considered an exploit too. Maybe there should be a decay timer on uploaded characters?

[Nemisis]

@CodeMage

Excellent point, this has to be considered an exploit too. Maybe there should be a decay timer on uploaded characters?

Ha, we both know that only Funcom can call that, but if they do, they do. Players will find the next best thing to preserve their stuff they want, be it raid materials, rare weapons, thralls etc… likely by hiding them in walls or floors of odd places around the map which means…

SERIAL REFRESHERS TO THE RESCUE!

“Life…ah, finds a way.”

[CodeMage]

@Nemisis

Ha, we both know that only Funcom can call that, but if they do, they do.

True. No harm in asking them to do so repeatedly, is there? After all, they’re the ones who decide.

@Nemisis

layers will find the next best thing to preserve their stuff they want, be it raid materials, rare weapons, thralls etc… likely by hiding them in walls or floors of odd places around the map which means…

I have no problem with that, because that’s not an unintended use of gameplay mechanics that gives an unfair advantage over others.

[Sairdontis]

I have no issue with it as I can still find it as can others as it is visible and lootable. The hunt and search is on. Game on !

[erjoh]

@CodeMage

Excellent point, this has to be considered an exploit too. Maybe there should be a decay timer on uploaded characters?

I would argue they are formalizing body vaulting via the character transfer. As long as you stay at 99% or lower you can keep the stuff. I thought I read in one of these threads that body vaulting has ended up death and back at noob spawn so FC may have already implimented something (like hunger and thirst are still active…muhahahaha). I don’t body vault anymore because I like the idea that the stuff is at risk and it’s not too hard to find 10 minutes a week to reset the timers. Especially in remote play.

[Nemisis]

I agree. But there are some people who lurk around here that have serious problems with refreshers lol

[Sairdontis]

Refreshed buildings and items can still be looted and/or destroyed. Balance can be maintained, imo.

[erjoh]

I haven’t a clue what you mean.

[CodeMage]

@erjoh

I would argue they are formalizing body vaulting via the character transfer.

Yeah, maybe that’s the reason why character transfer is implemented in a way that nobody asked for and most people dislike.

But only Funcom can decide if body-vaulting via character transfer is an exploit or not. So it’s still a good point to bring to their attention.

@Nemisis

But there are some people who lurk around here that have serious problems with refreshers

I do, but they’re not exploiting anything. I’ve suggested a completely new gameplay mechanic to be added to Conan Exiles because I believe their behavior is a problem on PVE(-C) servers. That has no bearing on whether an exploit like body-vaulting should be allowed to exist in this game, right?

[Nemisis]

Load your body up with stuff you want to save. Upload your character.

Dont download it. Its safe. Only download when you want to offload items.

Thats what I mean.

[erjoh]

Oh so just storage unit…yeah but the 7 day wating period makes it not as handy as you would think…secure absolutely but there is a delay in that.

[Sairdontis]

And can be countered with a timer of how long it can remain in upload before it dies in transit or other things happen to it.

[Barnes]

@CodeMage

@Barnes

The disappearing body’s use is not part of what the devs intended, I suspect.

Would you say it also gives those who use it an unfair advantage over others?

That’s a tough question. If one of these Sleepers ticked my Captain off enough I suspect we’d hunt them down and pinch their booty. Doing this, you’re a soft-shell crab lootbox just hanging off a mountain. I would call it a fallback position, and not really an advantage.

[Ulyssi]

@CodeMage

Would you say it also gives those who use it an unfair advantage over others?

I don’t think it gives users an advantage exactly, especially given that we can all use this strategy freely. Functionally in PVP body vaulting serves as a sort of insurance, which is IMO encouraged by offline meta and the need to totally wipe when a group does raid ( largely caused by said meta).

The reason I think this is an issue of greater concern is that now, with server transfer, body vaulting further removes the meta’s relationship with “actual” PVP. Meaning players can, and should, have body vault insurance on dead servers - pulling resources from the vaults and moving them to active servers for use.

PVP is becoming, at least in theory, a more and more complex game of optimization of the systems with obvious holes to abuse. Maybe there’s not enough of the “power players” left to reek havoc with these systems, time will tell. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a position that official PVP is a core concern for FC - again IMO.

[erjoh]

Yeah I think that’s optimistic. I think you’ll see inter server clans stake out the dead servers for a home base. Then transfer out as raiding parties to wipe a server clean and hoard the loot. When tired they funnel the loot back to their home base server. The only hope for those of us that solo or are small is that this will drive these competition in these large clans and the battle stops happening in the typical zones of play as these guys will raid and bash on each other.

[Sairdontis]

@Ulyssi

The reason I think this is an issue of greater concern is that now, with server transfer, body vaulting further removes the meta’s relationship with “actual” PVP. Meaning players can, and should, have body vault insurance on dead servers - pulling resources from the vaults and moving them to active servers for use.

So except for merely personal or clan glory should you even fight player vs player on pvp servers ? It used to be for control for servers and loot which could work hand in hand. Now you can again just sock away stuff on other servers to be delivered like a pizza , though, only 7 days . The 7 day rule can be quickly made meaningless with having 7 or more body vaults so one is always at the ready for your needs .

Server control no longer is important really wtih bving along with server transferring . I made another thread: [Suggestion][Officials Usable][PC, All Consoles][PvP (PvE?)] Transfer Portal Fatigue ,about possible costs being added to server transferred characters in the form of debuffs and/or other weakenings, but few had a comment on the subject. We don’t need sorcery in one form as we just use bodys as item store that don’t decay (necromancy at its finest folks).