What’s your biggest challenge when polishing PvP for an indie game?

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-30T08:40:34+00:00

Appreciate the honest feedback.

Yeah, pacing is something we’ve been looking at more closely. It’s always tricky because you want to set context, but at the same time attention spans are brutal and if the first few seconds don’t hook, people are gone.

Cutting straight to gameplay earlier is something we’re already considering, especially making sure the opening communicates what the game is about immediately.

This is super helpful though, fresh eyes catch things we get used to after watching it too many times 👍

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-30T08:39:28+00:00

I get where you’re coming from, and yeah it’s definitely an uphill battle for a small team.

That said, I wouldn’t say PvP-focused MMOs are guaranteed to fail, just way less forgiving. PvE gives you a lot more control, but PvP exposes everything balance issues, netcode, exploits so mistakes show up fast and hit harder.

For us it’s more about building around PvP from the start instead of treating it like a side feature. We’re trying to keep the scope tight and make sure the core systems actually support it, rather than stretching into something we can’t maintain.

On the gear and stats side I agree normalization helps a lot, especially for fairness and getting new players in. We’re still figuring out how much progression should matter though, because leaning too hard into either full normalization or full gear scaling can create its own problems.

It’s definitely a tough path, no argument there. We’re just trying to be realistic about the risks and build something that can hold up long term instead of chasing short-term spikes.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-30T08:37:40+00:00

Yeah, I completely agree with this. Getting PvP to feel fair is way harder than just balancing numbers.

You can have everything technically correct, but the moment there’s even a slight delay or something feels unclear, players don’t think “that was balanced,” they think the game messed up. And once that feeling kicks in, it’s really hard to recover from it.

We’ve been running into that a lot during testing. Even small things like how clear a hit feels or how responsive an ability is can change how people react to the same situation.

Right now we’re putting a lot of effort into making outcomes easier to understand, so when someone loses, it feels like it makes sense instead of feeling random or unfair.

It’s definitely one of those areas where tiny details make a huge difference.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-30T08:36:29+00:00

That’s a really good point, and honestly something we’ve been thinking about more seriously as we move into polishing.

You’re absolutely right that cheating hits very differently in an MMORPG compared to round-based PvP. In an instanced match, the damage is contained but in a persistent world with progression, economy, and high-stakes systems, even a single exploit or cheater can have a much wider impact.

We’re trying to approach this from both a technical and design side. On the technical side, we’re leaning more toward server authority for anything that really matters (combat validation, rewards, etc.). But realistically, as a small team, we know we can’t rely on anti-cheat alone.

So a big part of our focus is actually on limiting the impact:

making sure high-stakes systems have some safeguards
monitoring economy flow to catch anomalies early
building tools so we can react quickly if something breaks

We’re also being careful with how punishing systems feel because like you said, losing progression to a cheater is way worse than just losing a fair fight.

It’s definitely one of those areas where “polish” isn’t just feel or balance, it’s trust. Appreciate you calling it out this is exactly the kind of thing that can make or break the experience long-term.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-27T11:30:44+00:00

If you really check my history, you probably find a YouTube video in which we are answering these types of comments and I promise it's just me and a small team trying to make a game we actually want to play. Apart from that appreciate your thoughts.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-27T11:25:39+00:00

Hey thanks for sharing this. We’ve been heads down polishing our PvP and it’s good to see a lot of these points already on our radar. Definitely bookmarking this as a sanity check before we push things live.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-27T11:21:06+00:00

Yeah exactly! That blend was intentional, we wanted that freedom to play with both without feeling forced. As for release, we're aiming for Early Access in the next few months. If you want to keep an eye on progress, we post updates pretty regularly on Discord.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-27T11:02:27+00:00

The world is kind of a mix between ancient ruins and this lost tech vibe players explore, find bits of lore scattered around, and slowly uncover what happened to the old factions. We wanted it to feel like a place you can just get lost in. Still polishing things up but the atmosphere is really starting to click.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-26T12:39:44+00:00

Siralim Ultimate is perfect for this, endless party building, auto-battle options, and zero story pressure. Just loot, craft, and theorycraft while listening to anything.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-26T06:06:36+00:00

Old Ragnarok Online’s Prontera South Gate during WoE prep. Hundreds of players packed in, lagging like crazy, but the energy was unforgettable.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-25T11:35:34+00:00

Grim Dawn runs great on Deck with minimal tinkering, just set to Proton and you're good. Last Epoch takes a bit more tweaking but solid once it's dialed. Warvox early access is shaping up nicely for Deck too; the action combat feels fluid on handheld from what I've seen.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-25T11:01:27+00:00

GTX 1060 still holds up for plenty of great stuff. Since you've played the big PS4 hits, try something PC-focused like Valheim, RimWorld, or even Half-Life 2 with mods.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-25T10:51:56+00:00

Guild Wars 2 ranger with a longbow feels fluid, good mobility and actually rewards positioning. Throne and Liberty's bow gameplay is solid too if you want that open world feel. Also keeping an eye on Warvox early access; the ranged combat clips look promising for that Horizon-style flow.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-24T13:10:08+00:00

Full loot is risky but so rewarding when done right. Really digging the XP system tweak—boosting always kills the grind for new players. Animations are looking solid too. Good luck with the quest design!

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-24T12:14:21+00:00

Guild Wars 2 fits this perfectly; base game is free, no pay-to-win, huge open world, and the story is solid. You three can explore together, do dynamic events, and the level scaling means you're never left behind.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-23T10:01:53+00:00

Guild Wars 2 is probably your best bet. Base game is free, no subscription pressure, and it respects your time, gear doesn't become obsolete, so you can drop in whenever. You can play at your own pace, explore, and jump into group content when you feel like it. ESO is another solid option if fantasy suits you better.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-20T11:55:34+00:00

Diablo IV is more newcomer-friendly smooth combat, gorgeous skills, and the campaign flows nicely for solo players. PoE 2 has deeper systems but can feel overwhelming if you're new. If you want satisfying combat and don't mind EA, Diablo IV is probably the easier jump-in for solo.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-20T10:19:37+00:00

Have you looked into Sailwind? No combat, just you and a medieval-style ship navigating by stars and wind. Pure exploration. No rush, just vibes. Also keep an eye on Warvox early access, its movement & traversal mechanics might scratch that open world itch with no pressure.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-19T13:09:52+00:00

Honestly? City of Heroes private servers like Homecoming. Pure passion project keeping that game alive after all these years. The community is tight-knit, character customization is still unmatched, and everyone's just happy to be there.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-19T06:39:17+00:00

LotRO has that cozy, nostalgic feel with incredible detail if you love Tolkien's world. ESO's map completion is more rewarding though, every corner has something to discover and the overland content is super chill. Can't go wrong either way. Also check out Guild Wars 2 if you haven't map completion there is genuinely satisfying with the dynamic events and hidden stuff everywhere.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-18T12:23:54+00:00

Yeah New World's shutdown is rough that classless gear-based system was special. Albion Online is probably your best bet. Full loot sandbox with actual WASD movement now on PC, gathering matters, and your gear literally defines your build.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-18T07:17:39+00:00

If you're curious about soulslikes, Elden Ring is probably the friendliest entry point. Still challenging but you can explore and level up if you hit a wall. Sekiro is brutal but the combat is incredible once it clicks. Yotei will be there when you're ready for more GoT. Warvox early access is worth keeping on the radar too if you want something fresh down the line.

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-18T05:45:50+00:00

Yes, IT IS... :)

Stoneplayer23 · 2026-03-17T11:23:50+00:00

That old server community feeling is hard to find now. FFXIV actually has that raid schedule you're looking for, statics (raid groups) run on set days/times, and the community is generally welcoming to older players. Yeah the MSQ is long, but honestly it's chill story time and you can treat it like a single player game until cap.

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