ARC Raiders is a giant gumbo pot of mayhem where pretty much anything goes, and at first, the recipe may have been a little too spicy for some.
This is a game that attracts many different types of players, as some just want to complete quests, forage and craft, or join a team of friendly raiders battling a Matriarch.
However, as PvP is a core element of the game design, some raiders seek out a darker, more sinister path, like rigging the extraction point with traps and blowing up over-encumbered Raiders upon arrival.
This mixture of friendly and hostile players is the reason every raid is different, and that’s what I love most about the game. One raid could be filled with tense standoffs and PvP, and the next ,you could become part of a generous co-operative group.
While many players began voicing frustrations and calling for a PvE-only mode, I think it’s unlikely this will ever happen, as Embark is taking other measures to keep the peace, such as the addition of aggression-based matchmaking.
Friendly Raiders Stand United
Don’t Shoot!
I’ve now logged north of 250 hours on ARC Raiders, and I’m starting to feel like this is the best game I’ve ever played. It’s hilarious, wholesome, intense, brutal, and unforgiving.
When I first started playing, I believed there would be a much higher percentage of hostile players, and instinctively, I was shooting everybody on sight—sorry about that.
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Embark Studios should attempt to make avoiding PvP more rewarding. Here are some examples.
I soon discovered that most of the people I encountered preferred to be helpful and generous, with many people playing the role of medics, using defibs on fallen raiders, and protecting one another from ambushes, and soon I was doing the same.
Humanity Prevails
“It’s A Rat! Take Them Out!”
The majority of my time topside is spent being friendly, as my favorite activity is taking part in Matriarch and Queen battles with large groups working together to achieve victory. I’ve met some incredible people doing this, and I’m always surprised at how well these squads of strangers are able to pull together.
Most of the people I encountered preferred to be helpful and generous, with many people playing the role of medics
These giant ARCs require powerful weaponry to defeat, and hostile raiders are well aware of it. Often, these thieves will try to sneak up and kill their fellow raiders in an attempt to acquire epic and legendary guns and gear, but that’s easier said than done if the group catches you in the act.
This is the biggest reason why I think a PvE-only mode is not only unnecessary but could be detrimental to the overall experience. I believe that aggression-based matchmaking and the powerful scorn of friendly raiders are enough to keep the hostiles at bay, and there are other features Embark can introduce to continue balancing the experience.
My colleague, Christian Bognar, highlighted some great ways to do this, including a truce system to stop betrayals from taking place, as well as an XP bonus for friendly or helpful raiders, and I think these are both great ideas.
Raider Rescue Reward
You Saved My Life!
Whenever I see a raider flare go up, I rush to the scene to see if I can help. Sometimes, if I arrive quickly enough, I’ll catch a hostile in the act of knocking out a downed raider, and I’ll be able to intervene and save their life.
If Embark adds bonus XP for acts of kindness such as this, whether it be for a ‘Raider Rescue’, or defeating ARCs as a team, it would be a great incentive for more friendly behavior.
Don’t get me wrong, I still enjoy PvP, and sometimes I’ll switch it up and head to Stella Montis to partake in some hectic gun battles, effectively becoming a thorn in everyone’s side with a fully-loaded LMG, and a stack of trigger-nades, but, at the end of the day, it’s just about being a good sport, having fun, and not taking the game too seriously.
I think Embark is doing a good job at balancing the blade while not taking away its edge, and I can’t wait to see what comes next.
8 ARC Raiders Enemy Behaviors That Punish Players Who Treat the Game Like a Simple Shooter
These enemy behaviors will punish you in ARC Raiders if you don’t play smart.
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Author: 360 Technology Group
