Neither of those use EAC. I think Rivals uses some NetEase anti cheat and DRG doesn't use anti cheat at all. Lots of games nowadays have pop ups so I don't blame you for misremembering.
Helldivers uses nProtect not EAC but yes, EAC in general is compatible with Proton. The Finals use to run EAC for the longest and Arc Raiders currently uses it and both those games run well.
The gear exclusive to PvE means only usable in PvE or only lootable in PvE? If the former, well that's the same as my seperate progression suggestion. If the latter, how good is the PvE loot in PvP? Can it be really strong against other players or is better gear locked behind PvP? If can be really strong, people will grind out low risk PvE for good gear hence my limited loot suggestion.
You mention the devs struggled to balance between both modes and I'm willing to bet Embark is a smaller studio compared to Bungie. Trying to balance a whole different genre is a lot of effort for not much gain. People who want only PvE will rarely touch PvPvE due to toxicity or skill issues (as cringe as that sounds).
Sure if it's either limited progression/loot, or seperate progression entirely. People will just farm on low risk PvE missions for high tier resources and upgrade to end game gear. I'll be honest, I'm not sure how Sea of Thieves handles this.
The Arc (name of the robots) can be challenging but they are also easy to pick off at range. Maybe if the arcs were stronger in PvE? This then defeats the purpose of appealing to an even more casual crowd. People were already calling for Arc nerfs.
The devs originally pitched this game as a co-op PvE game akin to something like Helldivers 2. Their monetization model is practically the same to HD2. They decided to swap to PvPVE claiming it just wasn't fun though many speculate Nexon, their publisher/owner, had a say in it. I have doubts Nexon influenced the gameplay but Nexon is Nexon afterall.
From my experience playing the tech tests and latest server slam, it's real easy to avoid PvP and only fight the Arc if you so choose. You'll run into players eventually but I've had an easy time making friends with strangers. Last server slam had more PvP due to limited upgrades available.
I'm not opposed to a PvE only mode if it meant the game is still playable after the servers shut down.
Do we know Nexon forced them to change genres? The devs explained that their PvE only concept just wasn't fun hence the change but who knows how much Nexon has a say past monetization strategies.
Yup. It's always what one considers too much plus one more shake to season perfectly...but that still doesn't stop me from under seasoning when cooking new dishes. Can always salt later.
I never understood the whole "you left the toilet seat up" complaint. Never been an issue in my family but have heard "he never puts the seat down" all the time. Is it that much effort to put the toilet seat down when you need to go?
Edit: Always close the toilet seat cover, not just lowering the toilet seat. This is for both men and women.
Another challenger... it has been ages.