The issue with the dark zones is there's multiple reasons why someone would go there. Some only seek PVP action. Some only go there for completing projects. Some go there only looking for DZ-specific drops, like Yahl gear or exotics.
The reason why this is an issue is that several of these are incompatible. If I go into a dark zone solely to just get a project completed, I'm not there for PVP; and likewise if I'm there for exploration, looking for specific gear or whatnot. For people who ARE there solely to hunt other players, this isn't an issue for them, they love it. This is an inherent imbalance in objectives.
If the dark zone were only, exclusively for PVP engagements, there would be no conflict of motivations - the only people who would go there are the people who want to shoot other people, and the people who don't want that wouldn't go there.
So the result is this: there are people who go to the dark zones NOT looking for PVP, and the people who enjoy abusing others take this as an opportunity to do so. It's rather sociopathic behavior btw - there's nothing to be gained from hunting down and abusing other players, no loot that you couldn't get in a myriad of other ways, no achievements, no commendations, no gain at all except the pleasure of abusing people who don't want you to do so. That's sociopathic. But I digress - that's not the subject here.
The problem with the DZ concept is you've mixed objectives that are incompatible. If you want the dark zones for PVP, then remove all other reasons to go there, have no projects that involve the DZs, and have no gear that will only drop where other people can abuse you for their amusement. The only people who go there are the people who actively want what will happen there. Otherwise, you could keep the DZs as they are but have some system in place so that people who don't want to PVP don't have to be victimized by those who do.
Fallout 76 has virtually nothing going for it, but it at least does have a system to separate those incompatible objectives.
The reason why this is an issue is that several of these are incompatible. If I go into a dark zone solely to just get a project completed, I'm not there for PVP; and likewise if I'm there for exploration, looking for specific gear or whatnot. For people who ARE there solely to hunt other players, this isn't an issue for them, they love it. This is an inherent imbalance in objectives.
If the dark zone were only, exclusively for PVP engagements, there would be no conflict of motivations - the only people who would go there are the people who want to shoot other people, and the people who don't want that wouldn't go there.
So the result is this: there are people who go to the dark zones NOT looking for PVP, and the people who enjoy abusing others take this as an opportunity to do so. It's rather sociopathic behavior btw - there's nothing to be gained from hunting down and abusing other players, no loot that you couldn't get in a myriad of other ways, no achievements, no commendations, no gain at all except the pleasure of abusing people who don't want you to do so. That's sociopathic. But I digress - that's not the subject here.
The problem with the DZ concept is you've mixed objectives that are incompatible. If you want the dark zones for PVP, then remove all other reasons to go there, have no projects that involve the DZs, and have no gear that will only drop where other people can abuse you for their amusement. The only people who go there are the people who actively want what will happen there. Otherwise, you could keep the DZs as they are but have some system in place so that people who don't want to PVP don't have to be victimized by those who do.
Fallout 76 has virtually nothing going for it, but it at least does have a system to separate those incompatible objectives.