Profile: t0nyd
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  Lets start off by defining succeed. I believe that to succeed, you need to break the niche market population threshold. I would guesstimate that threshold being around 250,000 subscribers.

The Advancement Method

   I am not trying to promote a level or skill based system. I believe that either system is viable. Lets start with ability gain. I am tired of the standard, you level, you get this ability, routine. What I would prefer is you level, choose which ability or skill that you want from this list. This way, the player has the final say in what his play style will be even at low levels of play. I am tired of companies forcing a play style on you, then allowing you a choice when you max level.

   I would start by giving the player a large amount of hit points. As you level, you gain hitpoints in small increments and by allocating points to it. This way, how much hit points a player has is his/her choice and not determined by the game and gear that you wear. Every level the player should get a quantity of stat and a quantity of skill points to spend as they see fit. They could spend these skill points to attain new skills or to make existing skill more powerful. This will allow to a player to build a character depending on their own playstyle.

 Killing Players and Mobs

   Advancing through experience gain should not be a ponderously slow event. Killing mobs and players should both be rewarding. The idea is mix player and mob killing to the point that they are viewed the same. I believe a mob should not be a simple, i kill it, im at full health still, kind of ordeal. Every mob should have its own abilities that make it a worth while opponent. When fighting a mob, you should think, is this a mob or is this a player?

  Yes, you will get ganked. You will be attacking a mob and a player will come out of nowhere and gank you. This is an open world PvP game. Thats life. The fight should be interesting if you built your character to deal with situations like this. Fighting an even level opponent and an even level mob should end up in a loss for you, that is, unless you created your character in a way to deal with these situations. If you built your character to be the uber healer with no escape measures, well, thats your choice, deal with it. If you build a character to work effectively in a group, than group.

 PvP based Objectives

   I do not believe a good PvP based game can survive with out good PvE content. I am not saying that there should be 40 man raids. Mobs must interact and behave like that of a player. I believe that at the beginning of a good open RvR world that the player factions should start small. I believe that NPC factions should hold all the PvP goals until taken by a player faction. After taken by the players, then it is up to them to defend that goal. Mobs may be implemented to help guard a goal. Guard mobs should not respawn every 5 secs like in WAR. If the players dont actively defend a goal, they lose the goal. The guild that takes a node would determine how guards are placed to defend that node and they would be subject to the benefits and negatives given for keeping or losing this node.

 Defining a Characters Potential

  As your character progresses through the game, your defining characteristics should not be, your level and your gear. Your defining characteristics should be from the choices that you made when developing your character. Maybe you spent heavy on a hit point based build. Maybe you focused on stats that increase your offensive or healing abilities. Options should be there and they should determine your characters focus. If you want to make a nuke/healer hybrid, by all means, go for it. The point is, the game should not define your character. The point of an mmorpg, is to create a character that you wish to roleplay.

 Equipment

  Equipment should not play a major role in the sense that it does today. Yes, chainmail should be a more effective defense than a robe. Yes this should be a defining choice in how your character plays. No, 50% of your hit points should not come from the items you wear/wield. I can understand incremental gains from equipment, when it relates to statistics. I want options. Games such as WoW use equipment as the focus for play. I believe that in a good open world PvP game, open world PvP should be the focus. Gear should play a part, but not as a primary role.

  I also believe in a well balanced crafting system. I believe that the best gear should come from player crafters. This also allows for mining nodes to be placed and fought for in open world PvP. These nodes wouldnt be only for crafting gear, but also seige equipment.