We'll be holding a Devchat late next week (most likely Thursday), so I wanted to get this up before the weekend. Starting with this chat, we're going to begin focusing them on specific topics, so only ask questions related to the topic, please.

This week's topic is: The Hero Games!

Got a question about certain powers in PvP? Want to know more about how the scoring works? Interested in that upcoming "Zombie Apocalypse" map you've heard rumors about? Ask your questions in advance here and get them answered during the IRC chat.

Posts which are not questions will be deleted. Posts which do not relate to PvP will also be deleted. Please keep discussions and feedback elsewhere on these forums. Thanks!

Many have argued that changes to powers because of PVP have been hurting PVE and vice -versa. Will powers ever be changed in the future to have seperate effects in PVP/PVE to avoid the balancing problems that have angered so many fans and driven off so many players?

It's been suggested that Travel powers should be disabled in PvP matches to avoid accusations of imbalance associated with powers such as Teleport and Tunneling; what is the team's viewpoint on this? Is it something that would ever be considered?

One of the problems the PvP game faces is that there's a lack of diversity in maps. Or rather, there are many maps, but they are not always available. Will the lower bracket UTC maps be eventually available to the last bracket?

Many people have expressed concerns of OP in passive powers during PVP, how does the team intend to address this issue?

I seem to remember a Dev post stating that we would be getting a PvP zone with Bloodmoon. Lately there's only talk about a new Hero Game match, is the PvP zone still on the cards and if so is it still on schedule?

How will the scoring in Zombie Apocalypse work?

Does Zombie Apocalypse function like a team mission, or is it another PVP arena? Will it have all sorts of crazy gimmicks to keep users entertained as they play through the content? Players have said you can turn into a zombie hero, is that true?

Will lower tier maps be added to the higher tiers as options so that us who are level 40 may enjoy them? Being restricted to only the lava temple for UTC is really a downer when having a variety of each map would be funner.

There are currently a lot of issues with the two most commonly played game types, BASH'es issue being exploitable by joining as a team or "tagging" kills with AoE's and UTC's issue being the pug vs premade, What can the devs tell us if there will be any future solutions to these issues?

1) Any plans to address the problem of 5v1 contests in arena maps because people don't join? And, for that matter, plans to let us see who is actually in the map, not just who WAS in the map.

2) While assumedly more PvP rewards are planned, where in the pipeline are they? No offense, but I didn't fight against the mightiest warriors, magicians, power-armor-wearing madmen, fire-throwing mutants, and powerful telepaths to earn the right to dress like a nimrod in a mask who does choreographed slapfights on stage. Could the costume rewards please be something I might actually want?

3) When are groups going to be automatic upon entering a PvP map?

4) Currently, healing, while important and useful to the team, does not give personal benefit. Any plans on this regard?

5) Are there plans to add not just new arenas, but new modes as well? I would really love to see a 5v1 arena, where the 1 gets increased size (though not in the completely hideous way that Moreau's serum increases size in the MI crisis) and stats. It'd be like a boss fight, just with someone (hopefully) smarter than your average AI controlling it.

6) Block in PvP is currently on the one hand overpowered, and on the other, pointlessly nullified. Because it can be held indefinitely, it can make players (especially those with regen) like gods among men survivability-wise, and the only real counter is a (fairly expensive) 3 point advantage. On the other hand, one guy with that advantage can completely nullify block for whoever he is targetting, as it disables it for the duration of the cooldown of the ability. Any plan to make it so this advantage isn't so required-yet-expensive for PvP?

7) Currently, AoE is... well... pretty close useless in PvP, but pretty close to supreme in PvE. This (as with crippling challenge) can make for very distinct PvP vs PvE builds, such that a PvE-built character has very little hope in PvP. Any plans to bridge this gap?

8) If two defensively built characters fight, nothing will happen for 40 minutes or so until one gets bored and tries to go more offensive, especially with regen. And usually the one who goes offensive dies. What could be done to make it easier to interrupt heals (and possibly disable regen), keep travel powers suppressed so they can't get health bonuses, and deal damage to actually successfully kill a player who is built to be defensive, especially as a defensive character yourself?

9) Please tell me you AREN'T considering making powers different for PvP and PvE. That would be horrible.

I'm sure I could think of more, but that'll do for now.