I believe that WvW may benefit from an increase in the number of PvE activities on each map and this would improve the quality of the PVP. 

Although it seems counter intuitive, more PVE equals more oppurtinuty for small group action in off the beaten path areas of WvW even One on ones that dont immeditaely turn into zerg fests. 

THe only Caveat being that the PVE needs to be totally optional so that people who are not into pvp wont be feeling that they have to take the risk of being "ganked" while completing some required daily PvE activity. 

There's already quite a lot of PvE things on the map.  For example, there are skill points you can earn.  There are monsters you can help out (... and they then help you out in PvP).  There's things like the weather control station, or the jumping puzzles, or the dungeon.

All PvE things that are nice to be able to do, that will naturally bring opposing characters together.

They gotta do something, because right now most of them are nothing.

There's a neutral mob that takes -902-92-092-09039339388383 years to kill and gives nothing.

Originally posted by GamerUntouch

They gotta do something, because right now most of them are nothing.

 

There's a neutral mob that takes -902-92-092-09039339388383 years to kill and gives nothing.

The PVE just needs to be a little more compelling. 

It doesnt even have to really tie into the PVP at all but it would be a bonus if it does. 

In DAoC having double PvE XP in the PvP zones worked pretty well

Taking undefended supply camps and towers with small groups gives good exp, and is a PvE activity. Until the defenders show up, muahahaha!

It doesn't need any more PvE because then it becomes a WAR clone with PvE rotations.That's all WAR was: people avoiding others while rotating PvE fights to gain rewards and perks.

The Wx3 is mainly about player control of the map via player attacking/sieging other players.  The guards in this game are even considered weaker saved for the upgraded ones.  This is because players are the defenders, and the attackers.

was just thinking of ways to encourage more small group action similar to what was seen in true open world pvp in other games. The intersection between pvp and pve leads to unexpected small group and one on one situations. There design prevents this in the interest of preventing ganking and providing a consistent theme of cooperation to the world. However I do believe that a few purely PVE like DE may draw people away from the zerg and allow for a more interesting experience in WVWVW overall.

Originally posted by hypersan

was just thinking of ways to encourage more small group action similar to what was seen in true open world pvp in other games. The intersection between pvp and pve leads to unexpected small group and one on one situations. There design prevents this in the interest of preventing ganking and providing a consistent theme of cooperation to the world. However I do believe that a few purely PVE like DE may draw people away from the zerg and allow for a more interesting experience in WVWVW overall.

But there are plenty of PvE mechanics already in play in the Wx3 maps right now.  These just require the player to discover them through exploration and travel.  There shouldn't be an expectation of having Heart-like directories to tell players where to PvE in the Wx3 maps, as that's not going to happen (though there are few similar markers there).

Let's start with the supply camps.  These are the tiniest of the war objectives and can be taken strategically by 2-3 players; which I've tested personally in the BWE's.  With a small group of two, there's a twist of pull mechanics, CC fields, and the like that can slowly take unupgraded locations.  Then agian, building a ballista and having someone tank-pull mobs while you shoot them down is also viable.

Supply camps also come with a great other Dynamic Event of Caravan Escorts.  These are simply escorting caravan Yaks from the camps to the Outposts, Keeps, and Castle.  During these escorts, small groups of creep mobs will try to attack the carvans and kill the Yak, making the supplies lost.  These are so easy that someone post-20 can solo them (assuming they've unlocked their Weapon Skills) or small groups can do.  Be aware that enemy players will try to gank these to choke off the supply lines for your World.

Time to bring up the most important PvE Dynamic Events in the Wx3 maps:  NPC Army Camps.   These things are a make-or-break of many battles and strategic point control.   A small band of players can take these for their World just by doing enough assistance to gain World Favor.   Each of the camps, once taken, will send out armies to near by Keeps and Outposts until it's owned by your world or until the camp is lost.  Once your World owns a Keep that the camp relates to, a army band will post itself to the gates as extra guards.  But again, these start at the DE that is for small or large groups to take.

Another Dynamic Event placed in each of the maps are the Skill Point locations.   Each of these are simple touch-channel to obtain a new Skill Point, but they're surrounded by agressive mobs that will attack a player.  Small groups can work their way to the SP location to obtain.  Yet, if that group plays the rest of the Dynamic Event (which it is) they'll spawn a final boss to defeat for some cool rewards.  Optional as it is, it's another DE that is within the Wx3 maps.

And finally we come to the finisher of the general mobs within the maps.  These are location based, so mosiquettos in the swamps and stag in the woods.  I remember that some of these had Dynamic Events tied to them, but I never completed them myself.  The swamp one did have a DE that 3 objectives to start: Kill mosquittos, clear poisonous plants, or kill toxic ooze.  This had something to do with helping so that the soldiers of the near by camps not get diseases.  Again, never completed it, but I know it exists.