Games - Player versus player

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	Games - Player versus player

Player versus player, or PvP, is a type of combat in MMORPGs, MUDs and other computer role-playing games pitting a player's skill against another's, where the goal is ultimately the death of the opponent's player character. While this can include player killing or PKing, this term is usually used in a narrower sense. It is the antithesis of combating mobs, known as player versus monster (PvM) or player versus environment (PvE).

History and background

PvP combat has its roots in various MUDs like Gemstone III. However, while the ability to kill another player existed in many MUDs, it was usually frowned upon because of general strict adherences and heavy influences from role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons
. The term PvP originated in Neverwinter Nights, a multi-player roleplaying game hosted by America Online in 1992. Originally intended to be PvM, a bug was found that allowed cast spells to damage other players. After much discussion, PvP was sanctioned and certain areas were labeled "Player versus Player" and the term PvP was born. However, with the groundbreaking popularity of EverQuest, primarily consisting of PvM elements (with the exception of PvP between similar levels on one specific server), PvP was not considered to be a major selling point.

PvP slowly started making a resurgence with the release of Asheron's Call in 1999, Diablo II in 2000, Dark Age of Camelot in 2001, Asheron's Call 2 in 2002 and Shadowbane in 2003. While these games included PvP, they still contained large portions of prerequisite PvM, mostly to build characters. Critics argued the comprehensiveness of this type of PvP lacked in comparison to Ultima Onlines implementation before the release of the Age of Shadows expansion. The main concerns voiced by critics were lack of an individual's skill involved (primarily reaction time and hand-eye coordination), heavy dependence and reliance on items, and too much prerequisite PvM. Some MMORPGs currently in development are starting to use competitive PvP such as dueling as a main feature. In most MMORPGs, dying results in negative consequences. Therefore being the losing party in PvP combat is undesirable. For example, in Asheron's Call, you lose items upon death.

Currently one of the most active PvP games is "Lineage II". Most of the goals of the game directly revolve around the PvP aspect.

In World of Warcraft, PvP is popular and moderately regulated. Characters come from one of two factions. Apart from duels and the "arena", PvP is limited to combat between the factions. Exceptions to this include players under mind control or other conditions in which a player loses control of their avatar. World of Warcraft includes PvE (player vs environment) and PvP servers. On a PvE server, characters cannot be attacked by other characters except in special designated battlegrounds unless they have voluntarily "flagged" for PvP. In other words, characters do not engage in PvP unless they elect to do so. On a PvP server, characters adventuring in areas outside of the initial starting areas are automatically flagged. This means that players in these regions (which make up most of the world) may attack one another without restriction. Players may also attack cities and towns belonging to the other faction. On a PvP server, many of the guidelines for appropriate behavior are relaxed-- players are expected to enforce these guidelines themselves.

In World of Warcraft, victories in PvP contribute points of honor to that character. Every week, characters are awarded ranks based on their honor relative to other players. These ranks permit players access to high-level items. Similarly, players fighting in battlegrounds gain reputation with their faction's army there, in addition to any honor they accumulate for their PvP. Sufficient reputation lets players purchase high-level gear that is otherwise inaccessible, and is more appropriate to PvP play. Thus, in World of Warcraft, regular PvP is a nearly-viable alternative to traditional PvE gameplay.

In MUDs, notably Realms of Despair, players engaged in PvP are usually separated from the rest of the community, and are organized in clans.

On August 4 2005, the Chinese government announced a ban on all "violent" MMPORG play for minors (under 18). Chinese officials defined "violent" as any game that involves player vs. player combat. This new policy is part of a crackdown on pornographic, violent, gambling and superstitious content on the internet and mobile phone networks in an effort to create a so-called "healthy online environment".
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