Battlegrounds to be Released in Summertime

Battlegrounds for NA TERA will be released this coming summer.

Hey there, TERA fans!

Over the course of the past four beta tests, we’ve been closely reviewing TERA’s PvP as a whole and seeing how to make those systems even better. For example, we introduced a new server ruleset specifically for open-world PvP and reduced the required level to participate from nearly maximum level down to the moment you leave the Island of Dawn starting area. Using the Outlaw Declaration ability, players have been able to attack their fellow Valkyon Federation members, an especially popular activity on the bridges leaving Lumbertown (yes, we saw what you did there).

In addition to open-world PvP, consensual options including duels and deathmatches have brought the total body count to more than 300,000 since the start of closed beta. Closed beta test 2 also gave guilds the ability to declare war on each other. Since that single beta weekend, characters sporting purple-colored names (indicating an active guild war) have become a very common sight. This is just the beginning, and we will continue to make incremental changes based on community feedback—YOUR feedback.

This brings us to an upcoming system we’ll be introducing to TERA after launch: battlegrounds. These organized PvP matches add a level of structure to what is currently very situational gameplay. Rather than having to go looking for a fight, the bloodthirstier members of the TERA community can step into instanced battlegrounds for an immediate PvP combat venue. The excitement of battlegrounds combined with the inherent challenge of TERA’s action combat is a recipe for awesome in our book. Add in unique features like tactical area-of-effect abilities controlled by one team member, environmental damage through player-triggered traps, spawned monsters to distract you from your opponents, or changing map layouts that keep things fresh, and you get an idea where we’re taking organized PvP in TERA.

Excited yet? So are we, particularly about the competitiveness this feature will bring to TERA. We want to get it right from the start. This means that battlegrounds will be a post-launch addition to the game while we hammer away at making them meet our high standard of quality, rooting out exploits, and maximizing fun factor. While we really wanted to have battlegrounds for launch, we think you’ll agree that this added time means a more polished feature and overall experience. Like you, we also think that waiting sucks. The good news is twofold: while we’re aiming to introduce battlegrounds late this summer, we’ll showcase the political system at launch with popular voting as the initial election method for all provinces. On a related note, we’re working to make it so that guilds will be able to declare war on each other regardless of server ruleset.

We’re eager to hear your feedback about our plans for battlegrounds. We’ll be listening and sharing updates about this and other TERA features in the coming weeks; count on it!

Raw Link: http://tera-forums.enmasse.com/forums/news-announcements/topics/Battlegrounds-Coming-to-TERA-This-Summer-18002