PvP Mode mod

The PvP Mode mod is a serverside mod created to mitigate the risks / negative consequences of undesired PvP combat while also supporting the immersive experience of players who desire to engage in PvP combat.

Main links
We have released the public BETA version, downloadable link: pvp-mode-1.5.0-BETA.jar

For a quick overview of what lead to this version, check this: changelog 1.5.0-BETA

All relevant info on the mod is to be found both on this page and in this GitHub wiki.

Purpose
The mod is developed for all types of LOTRmodded servers, with focus varying from pure free-for-all PvP with faction-warfare to peaceful roleplay-building. It has originally been specifically designed to support servers that are typically populated by both PvP focussed players and players who are less or even not interested in PvP. The mods aim is to provide all types of players a pleasant gameplay environment and to reduce overly complicated rules of engagement and intense staff monitoring, intervention and meddling as they struggle to maintain a pleasant atmosphere for all in their community. The mod can be used with either consented PvP (PvP toggling) enabled, or disabled. Even with PvP toggling disabled, the mod offers a lot of useful features for server staff and players that help improve their experience, both in-game and behind the scenes. Server staff have enormous freedom to customise the usage of the features of the mod.

Objectives
The mod has two main objectives, both of which lead to various derived objectives.

1) To manage PvP Combat
 * Enable simplification of rules of engagement for PvP.
 * Reduce the work from server staff involved with meddling disputes about many PvP related issues that occur between players.
 * Empower server staff to determine where and when, and with which items/gear, players can engage in PvP and whether the players have a say in this on an individual basis (PvP Toggling).

2) To empower players
 * Create two distinguishable gameplay modes for players: PvP Mode OFF and ON. This is based on the notion that players usually consciously make a choice for their gameplay to be PvP or non-PvP focussed, and this can change on a regular but not very frequent basis. Dependent on this choice they will plan and undertake quite different activities and the nature of their (roleplay) interaction with other players can differ very significantly. We want to offer players in either of these gameplay modes the best experience.
 * Provide a better, more predictable, gameplay environment for all players. The mod intends to create a safer environement for players who do not wish to engage in PvP combat, and more challenging one for players who wish to engage in PvP combat.

Features
The mod offers quite a few features and most of them can be enabled/disabled or tailored to meet the specific needs of servers using the mod. So, do note that the use of them can be different on every server that uses the mod.



Basic Features

 * Enables players to toggle their PvP Mode ON or OFF. The default is OFF.
 * Allows server staff to disable PvP Mode toggling entirely and set a default PvP Mode for the entire server.
 * Enables operators to override PvP Mode status.
 * Enables users to see the PvP Mode of all players in-game and their status via /pvplist.
 * Enables users and operators to see player PvP Mode status via /pvp(admin) info.
 * Prevents hired NPCs of players with PvP Mode OFF to attack other players and their hired NPCs.
 * Prevents hired NPCs of players with PvP Mode ON to attack players with PvP Mode OFF, and their hired NPCs.
 * When players get gamemode 1 and/or flight, their PvP Mode is automatically switched to OFF. This is shown via /pvplist.
 * Customisable settings via a config file for the cooldown and warmup timers controlling usage of /pvp. Warmup timers for opting in or out of PvP can be set separately.
 * Player proximity and direction intelligence: Players with PvP Mode ON and a spy function (or 'little birds') enabled, get info on the approximate distance between them and other players with PvP Mode ON, via /pvplist. The distance shown is rounded up to units of 100 blocks and the direction is given as one of 8 main wind directions. This simulates the availability of 'little birds' or spies in the field, providing intelligence to the player. Players with PvP Mode ON can have the spy function enabled by default, or they can be empowered to activate or deactivate their 'little birds' themselves. When players are enabled to toggle spies on/off, via '/pvp spy', they will only be able to get proximity and direction info on other players who also have their spies activated.
 * Operators can tag items as 'Soulbound' using the /soulbound command when holding the item. This tag prevents them from being dropped upon a death event.

PvP Event Control

 * A combat logger, registering when which player or hired unit hit which other player or hired unit with what weapon. The config provides options to select csv or simple log files, and definition of field separators.
 * Blocking of use of /pvp and any teleportation within a set time after initiation of PvP combat. This holds for Fast transport by the LOTRmod. Blocking of other means of teleportation depends on a command blacklist which can be defined in the config.
 * Item drops upon knockout: Instead of either keepInventory ON or OFF, players lose a configurable number of random parts of their armour and/or of their hotbar and/or of their main inventory slots. The number of each can be defined in the config and this can be defined separately for death events caused by PvE or by PvP (including indirect PvP via hired NPCs). Recommended values are 1-2 armour items, 2-4 hotbar items and 3-9 main inventory items. For this to be effective, gamerule keepInventory must be set to true.

LOTRmod Compatibility

 * A LOTRmod compatible 'enemy biome forced PvP Mode ON' feature. Dependent on the biome a player is in, and the players alignment with the faction supposed to control said biome, the mod overrides the PvP Mode of the player and forces it ON. The mod provides two default config files for this feature: one basic one including all biomes that can be considered under 'control' of their home factions, and an extended one that assumes a wider reach of faction spies. The default config file used for this purpose is created in the config folder of a server: 'pvpmode_lotr_enemy_biomes.txt'.
 * In a similar way, server staff can also define safe biomes, where the PvP Mode for all players is forced OFF. The default config file used for this purpose is created in the config folder of a server: 'pvpmode_lotr_safe_biomes.txt'.
 * To help server management manage and communicate on the enemy and safe biomes features, the mod creates three files in the root folder of the server: 'lotr_mod_biome_ids.txt', 'extended_enemy_biomes.txt' and 'default_enemy_biomes_map.png'.

SiegeMode mod Compatibility

 * The PvP mode is forced to on upon entering sieges.
 * The partial inventory loss doesn't apply for players in sieges.
 * PvP logging can be disabled for players in a siege.
 * Players in a siege don't send or receive proximity and direction information.
 * Players in a siege are displayed further down on the PvP list.

SuffixForge Compatibility

 * A configurable option to prevent items marked with 'Soulbound' to be dropped when the partial inventory loss feature is enabled. Note that this is fully compatible with the 'Soulbound' feature of the PvP Mode mod.

Ender IO Compatibility

 * A configurable option to prevent items marked with 'Soulbound' to be dropped when the partial inventory loss feature is enabled.

DeathCraft Compatibility

 * A configurable option to ensure that drops upon death are disposed in the death chest created by this plugin.

Lootable Bodies Compatibility

 * A configurable option to ensure that drops upon death are disposed in the dead body created by this plugin.

Utilities and Server Management

 * Full tab-completion support for all commands.
 * Various customisable settings for the abovementioned features in the general config file for the mod: 'pvp-mode.cfg'.
 * Global chat messages can be surpressed and are prefixed with a configurable prefix.

GitHub Workspace
The mod is open sourced and available at GitHub: PvP Mode mod @ GitHub

The development team uses this thread to communicate on progress, receive your feedback, discuss options and communicate on our progress. We also have a Discord server that is used for the same purpose, but for a more restricted audience of server owners and developers, and for the more specific purpose of development and testing of the mod.

The GitHub environment is open-source and so is the teams communication on what we plan to do and how we work. Feel free to check our current plans and progress @ GitHub.

Servers using the mod
At present, the mod is in use on the following servers.

Servers with PvP Toggle enabled:


 * Ascension d’Arda
 * Darkness upon Middle-Earth
 * Ilu Ambar - Quenta Arda
 * Isildur's Bane
 * It's an even hARDA world
 * Legends of Middle-earth
 * Reign of Ennor
 * The Ring of Power
 * The Second Server That Won't Rule Anything

Servers with PvP Toggle disabled:


 * Eras of Arda: The Elder Days

What's next?
Work is in progress for v2.0.0-BETA, which is expected to be released in the course of 2019, with pre-releases already made available since 2018. That version focuses on a number of long planned improvements, some of which require restructring of the mod. The mod will improve with respect to interfacing and performance as well. Most noteworthy planned changes for now are:
 * Custom PvP override zones/biomes: forcing either PvP Mode ON or OFF. For example to make The Shire biome(s) a permanent PvP free zone or to create temporary war zones around builds where PvP Mode is forced ON.
 * Gear and item allowance for PvP: when PvP Mode ON, specified gear and items cannot be used. For example to make players not use any vanilla potions in PvP, or Mithril armour, or block usage of Orc Draught for players with negative alignment with either of the orcish factions.
 * Priorisation of items types for dropping upon death. This could imply weapons have a higher chance of dropping upon death by PvP combat than any other items in the hotbar or main inventory.
 * Several mechanics preventing abuse / by-passing of PvP Mode OFF for players.
 * The possibility to force PvP Mode ON for a configurable perido of time after teleportation or entering the game.
 * Creation of temporary event zones where PvP Mode is either forced ON or OFF.
 * The possibility to force Map Location ON for players with PvP Mode ON.

Development team
Lead developer: CraftedMods a.k.a The_Ranger_Malvegil

Coders: Mahtaran and VulcanForge

Grump: AlteOgre