Gang Warfare (aka PvP) is in. I’m expecting a huge share of issues to crop up, so please keep an eye out. There’s enough to it that I’d like to explain a bit in advance.

Short version, if you don’t like long explanations: play it, try it out, see if you like it, give lots of feedback.

Gangs
To participate in Gang Warfare (or if you just want to form a group of likeminded characters), you need a Gang. Gangs can be created from a link in your character sheet (character link at the top of the page). Alternately, you can search for an existing gang. Creating a gang does cost some credits.

The gang leader (or leaders, you can name more than one) can elevate members to recruiter or beancounter. Recruiters can approve requests to join the gang, whitelist people (automatically let them join anytime), or blacklist people (permanently ignore them). Beancounters have to deal with the Gang Stash.

The Gang Stash
Once you join a gang, you can add items to the gang stash. These are packaged for sale by the gang’s beancounters. So any item you put in the gang stash is gone for good. Actual quest items (there aren’t that many) shouldn’t show up.

Shipments of items from the gang stash can be sold from the aptly “Gang Stash” link in the gang page. Only leaders and beancounters can do this. Normal members and recruiters can only add to the Gang Stash, which is done through a new link in the inventory page.

You can use those profits to buy hideouts in various areas (not Southside until you can move your house and not Inside the Slags because that’d be weird in game). These hideouts can be stocked with all sorts of stuff. For the most part these help while resting for the time being. More of these enhancements, like furniture, will be rolled out. Got some good juju here.

So… Warfare
Once you’ve joined a gang, there’s a Gang Warfare link at the top of the gang page. You can mark yourself as active in gang warfare here. It will take a few combats (note: not encounters, specifically combats) to start getting PvP encounters.

Four areas in Metroplex are active for PvP: Southside Park, The Docks, Dockside Sewers, and the Quad. As you adventure normally in those areas, you’ll run into PvP events. If another gang has a hold on the area, you’ll fight their members like a normal enemy. If you’ve eliminated all comers, your gang will start to build control.

When you build control, the game is basically copying your character for other people to fight. You don’t have to be online and it works like normal combat. Wounds are applied to this simulacrum, for example, not your actual hit points. The copy can be worn down over multiple combats, though, to prevent one strong player from gumming up the works.

Awards
Aside from the obvious satisfaction of beating up on other players and spreading your gang’s control over Metroplex? Actually quite a bit.

When you have enough control in an area, you will get special benefits related to that area. For example, controlling Southside Park unlocks the backroom of Little Eddie’s with a selection of interesting items.

Gang leaders can also set agendas for each area. These are listed on the Gang Warfare screen where you activate yourself for PvP. Once you have enough control, you’ll start getting adventures related to the agenda rather than the normal PvP encounters.

Here’s a quick overview:

• Drive Demand – Increases the profits you get selling shipments from the gang stash.
• Scavenge – Like dumpster diving on a cosmic gang-wide scale. Get lots of items from the area you’re lording over.
• Security – Increases the number of combats you can queue in an area, making it harder to take back, to a certain limit. You can switch from this without losing the queued combats.
• Shakedown – Shake down local businesses for credits
• Vigilante Justice – Mete out justice on various more challenging opponents (often in groups). There’s a lot of potential for neat content here, but only one encounter for each area now.

There are also specific rewards for breaking into controlled areas, so don’t feel left out either way. A good back and forth should result in goodies for everyone.

Avatars
You can choose an Avatar in the Gang Warfare screen, basically so other people have an image when they’re trying to beat on you. There are two avatars that are available right away and rumors of more you can unlock. Rumors that I’m starting right now… because they’re true.

Other Stuff
If you have other questions, ask me in game or in the comments section here and I’ll add the answers to this post if they don’t make it unwieldy.

Cheers!
Kinak