“Don't shoot! I'm friendly!” Clap.
Welcome to ARK Raidersa post-apocalyptic world overrun by artificial intelligence, where some people collect wires and pieces of plastic, while others are bloodthirsty killers trying to take everything you have.
The latest and most popular extraction shooter at the moment has been the talk of gamers online since its launch last week, but the very nature of the PvPvE game has caused quite a bit of controversy among those who have gone online.
ARK Raiders The more casual atmosphere has attracted quite a few new players to the genre, including myself, who are pacifistic when it comes to solo play and trying to complete quests given by NPCs. This no doubt contributed greatly to its popularization, but also caused some controversy.
A large number of players who enjoy the extraction genre play it for PvP, which leads to a lot of battles where others will shoot enemies on sight without using microphones or trying to hear arguments. The game has a built-in “don't shoot” emote and voice line, and it's present throughout the single-player game as raiders move from one area to another, trying to find whatever they need for a quest or upgrades.
But at the same time, PvP is only part of this entire genre. It will happen. Sometimes it really sucks, especially when you have valuable loot or are on a quest that takes time, but that's how the game works. I can sympathize with some players who are annoyed by people who don't even carry on a conversation and just want to shoot people, but at the same time, it's kind of to be expected.
I also think that some of the PvP focused players who thrive on ruining the experience for other players could slow down a bit rather than just actively trying to troll others. Will they? I doubt it. I've been on both ends ARK Raiders murder, and I felt angry when I was killed, but also felt guilty and/or satisfied when I beat someone up in a fight. And that's part of what makes the game so special.
I've had a lot of fun so far ARK Raiders working alongside other players to help them fight against the ARCs overwhelming them, or even laying out a zipline so someone could get to where they needed to be to complete a quest. But that's how I enjoy the game. I don't expect others to feel the same way. If they like to shoot other raiders and take their loot, then that is also their prerogative.
I get it, it sucks to lose your loot or stop your progress. But that's the nature of the extraction genre these days. You are against the environment and other players. The game wouldn't be as much fun if EVERYONE was always friendly, would it?
I wouldn't be against some kind of PvE-only mode or time-limited experience where players could team up to destroy massive ARCs in Destiny 2 raid-like activity, after all. But for now, every time you venture into the wilderness above, you risk losing everything you have, and that's exactly how the game should be.
Where do you stand in this discussion, dear reader? It's hard to believe it's only been one week since the game's release, so I'm curious to see where this conversation leads as time goes on.
Let me know in the comments below and I'll see you in the Rust Belt with my “don't shoot” emote as I try to find mushrooms for my chicken. Or maybe I'll shoot you while I'm hiding in the bushes. It depends.
