Still bummed out about Wild West Online’s delay to 2018? Wait until you see the game’s latest dev blog! 612 Games doesn’t mention the delay but does go into detail about some of the bigger changes on the way.
For a start, the game seems to be shedding its free-for-all PvP stylings, as the developers are adding three factions. They’re saying it’s about roleplay flair, but as in other faction-based MMOs, you’ll be locked to grouping with just your same side, and you won’t be able to team kill – you’ll be able to fight just those on the other sides. That more or less puts an end to the game’s original plan to allow free-for-all PvP and looting hemmed in by merely a flimsy bounty system.
“Most Wanted Status is going to be removed from the game and replaced with other mechanics to prevent Kill On Sight style grieving,” 612 Games says. “So under no circumstances when you are killed will you lose your items except gold or quest/event related items such as relic artifacts etc.”
To whet PvP players’ appetites, the studio will be enhancing the game with faction wars, town control, and public PvP events, including a free-for-all PvP “Stagecoach Robber” event and an air-drop battle royale event dubbed “The Hot Air Balloon”.
The game will move toward skill trees, a more detailed economy, and easier-to-get-world-loot. Mounted horseback combat is still on the way, as are changes to mechanics like bank robberies, which proved to be too exploitable during testing.
In light of all those changes, including a pivot on PvP, that delay makes a lot more sense. The patch itself is expected to drop before the end of the year.
