Guild Wars 2

Hi all,

I am a newcomer to MMO, I started playing this game and enjoyed it a lot, at level 6 I already wanted to start new character builds and try new stuff, I started crafting, questing and loot searching.

I was having fun when I found one or two rare items for my level, or crafted a new item or found a new powerful weapon..

Then, I got to level 30, happy and all, went to check what the trading post was all about, and realized that all the things I did in game, from crafting to looting exciting new items, could be found at an incredibly low cost, I could get all the crafting materials I needed, I could even ignore crafting and buy the rare bow I find in there, the best armor and the best weapon, I could sell some thrash I find, make easy money and get my leveled items at max.

So there it went, all the fun I had until I discovered the TP. Can I ignore the TP and keep playing as it didn’t even exist? yes! But its a MMO and its not fun when all the people has the best items out there, all the recipes and the unique crazy stuff u may get in a quest or by killing a super awesome boss.

Please share your thoughts, and sorry for my poor english

First, assuming English isn’t your native language, you speak quite well.

Now, for the TP. Is it easy to use? Is it convenient? Certainly. But it’s not always your best route. Personally, I like crafting my own stuff, because I feel more… Er… “Fulfilled” that way. As if I’ve actually accomplished something. I also like crafting because it’s necessary for forging legendary weapons (I believe), if that’s your thing. It’s also cool to use Transmutation Stones on armor that you’ve made to make some really sweet-looking armor.

Sometimes, however, it’s completely necessary. For example: gathering materials. Seriously, you do not want to be gathering hundreds of globs of ectoplasm by yourself to make the best gear. You’ll kill yourself somewhere along the way.

Another thing is that- especially with specific markets- you won’t want to buy your own weapons and gear. When the highest buying price is, say, 230 silver, and the highest sell price is 300+ silver, then you know the market’s in disequilibrium, and you’d be better off going somewhere else to get your gear.

One last thing: think of it this way. Instead of playing to get loot (items, gold, etc), you’re just playing to get gold. Sometimes, you get gold in different forms; maybe in, say, Crystalline Dust, or Heavy Bones. However, really, all of those things are just the equivalent of gold. Now, the Trading Post allows you to trade that gold (things that you don’t want) for things that you do want (weapons, armor, etc). That makes the game way more fun. It means that you don’t have to spend hundreds of hours just to forge one piece of armor, for example.

And it’s not like you’re cheating or anything. You’re using your gold that you earned to buy items that you want. You’re just trading, is all.

Thanks for responding. I think I was just shocked by the huge open market system. I was just reading the forums about how it works, from the long discussed gold-to-gem system to the items supply-demand functionality, couldn’t even imagine there existed speculation inside this game. It is brilliant, from a design perspective.

The idea of not having npc merchants all around, or afk players posting a trade is a game changing implementation. I guess I was expecting common material grinding but it is not how the devs want us to play (well, in fact we can choose, which is even better, though you’ll be at disadvantage if not using the tp). Now there’s something else at stake and as you say, it is gold, convenient or not convenient at a precise moment is what matters, but I still don’t feel like punished when I come up with a bad transaction. I seem to be able to easily compensate my mistakes.

Still, the uniqueness about the equipment drew me back a little bit, as I cannot cheer up the super powerful piece of chest armor I was just given by the quest I completed anymore. I cannot look at other players and laugh at their faces showing my unique rifle I got from a lucky loot. Anyone can still open up the TP window and look for that item, sell a few iron ingots and buy it. Maybe it gets different when in higher levels, i’m unsure as i’m still a 30th.

But it is also true that the TP is really flexible to different kind of players, people who cannot afford playing 14+ hours a day can still enjoy the game in no time and get crafted-by-other-player items at the market.

Some times the supply is so huge (for example on low level raw materials), that finished items cost the same than the sum of its parts. Of course crafting rewards with experience and skill points, but in terms of money, most of the times there’s no aggregate value at all. And if i’m not mistaken, i have even seen finished items cheaper than the sum of its required materials (Again, I’m a low level newcomer so I’m probably missing a few details higher up).

I cannot even imagine of talking about 200-300 silver items as you say in your examples, maybe that later, things change?

Honestly, I haven’t even played other MMOs, I am more the skyrim-full-of-mods player, where uniqueness on each character is key to fun, and challenging combats with a small piece of skill is at stake. Guild Wars is the only game that provides such things, combined with tons of players at the same time. A warrior here can be totally different from that warrior there. Considering the amount of content available in this game, all I mentioned in this thread is far from keeping me from playing this game

There is actually a fair amount of customization available in the game at max level. The transmutation system means all armor appearances are always open to be used. When you start to mix and match pieces from all over the game and then factor in dyes (dyes make a pretty big difference) you can end up with a fairly unique appearance.

Take a look at some threads like this:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Show-your-rangers-here/first
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/races/asura/Screenshot-of-your-Asura-Toon
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Show-us-your-Mesmer
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/guardian/Post-a-Screenshot-of-your-Guardian

Once you start ignoring the ridiculous number of human and norn females in skimpy clothing you will likely notice a very diverse set of appearances. Oh, and CoF armor is over-represented too (the armor with flames).

You don’t ingore the skimpy armor. No one ignores it we just learn to stop staring:p
anyway, I could argue that the TP promotes uniqueness since it lets us buy armor to mix and match

RedSpectrum.1975:

You don’t ingore the skimpy armor. No one ignores it we just learn to stop staring:p
anyway, I could argue that the TP promotes uniqueness since it lets us buy armor to mix and match

Exactly this. In the other MMOs I’ve played my character always looked like they got their outfits by dumpster diving. I’ve got a low tolerance for farming, so I was stuck with the best pieces I got dropped mixed with the couple of nice things I could afford.

With the TP, dye system, and transmutation stones I can put my terrible fashion sense on display for everyone to see