Guild Wars 2

Come on Anet, now we’re dealing with politics? election campaigns?

Wasn’t this game supposed to be a fantasy setting of magic, gods and dragons. Now we’re running around with support tokens. I don’t really care about the two involved, both are just as one dimensional as the other.

I appreciate the frequency in which content is being released but its really stale stuff. Can’t we go on epic quests anymore? I really dislike the direction the writing is going.

The world is so beautiful, the winds of the Bazaar was amazing and the story should reflect that but it doesn’kittens BORING!!

I would guess you have never heard of a series called A Song of Ice and Fire (more commonly known as the basis for the tv-series Game of Thrones).

That is probably one of the biggest fantasy series at the moment and it have extremely much to do with politics and stuff like that.

lordkrall.7241:

I would guess you have never heard of a series called A Song of Ice and Fire (more commonly known as the basis for the tv-series Game of Thrones).

That is probably one of the biggest fantasy series at the moment and it have extremely much to do with politics and stuff like that.

That’s passive entertainment though. This is a game, interactive entertainment. There’s a desire for the culmination of both in a decent way. Clearly the OP doesn’t see the blending done well in this case, and that’s okay. He/she can ignore it until it passes.

Not like bleckish moments in your personal story at any rate…

I agree with politics not to be that much impressive. But it´s just probably something they want to do to put someone on the Council, to get players the feeling they can change the world by their actions. At least I hope it is so and we will have more interesting releases just around the corner.

Gmr Leon.1846:

That’s passive entertainment though. This is a game, interactive entertainment. There’s a desire for the culmination of both in a decent way. Clearly the OP doesn’t see the blending done well in this case, and that’s okay. He/she can ignore it until it passes.

Not like bleckish moments in your personal story at any rate…

True, but the OP seems to assume that fantasy can’t involve politics, and I simply corrected him and gave an recent example.

A fantasy story consisting only of magic and dragons and mythical beast would most likely be quite boring after all.

lordkrall.7241:

Gmr Leon.1846:

That’s passive entertainment though. This is a game, interactive entertainment. There’s a desire for the culmination of both in a decent way. Clearly the OP doesn’t see the blending done well in this case, and that’s okay. He/she can ignore it until it passes.

Not like bleckish moments in your personal story at any rate…

True, but the OP seems to assume that fantasy can’t involve politics, and I simply corrected him and gave an recent example.

A fantasy story consisting only of magic and dragons and mythical beast would most likely be quite boring after all.

Eh, depends on your preference. If you’re the action/adventure type, then political intrigue is less enticing. Given the nature of games, there’s room for action/adventure with political intrigue, but I’d imagine it’s weighted more towards an interest in action/adventure, at least when it comes to multiplayer games.

Political intrigue I’d expect a little more in a solo game, but that’s just me.

I see what you mean though. Seems OP’s more fantasy action/adventure inclined, at least with online games, and with minimal story/story with politics involved.

Its like most of the events anymore. Which is bad news due to the fact that they don’t plan on putting out expansions, just this type of stuff.

Their whole event system is so confusing. I went to their latest event, only to realize there is some timer ticking away that I wasn’t even aware of, apparently I’m supposed to collect something, but its already expired now. What a joke.

Their in game emails, there is too much thinking and reading going on, for a GAME that is supposed to be about fun.

Well, it is true that you have to know what is going on, but that´s normal, I´d say…It´s certainly easier if you are following all the news and stuff, if not, you have to pay that more attention to what´s in the game. The secret is to go easy on it and give it a time, especially in this release (Bazaar) which has some new mechanics and stuff (such as Aspects).
And the ticking timer you are speaking off, if´d have to guess, was just an event to deliver supplies from bottom to top. It pop up from time to time, nothing so hard. But from my experience, it is better to first know what is going on with the Aspects and what way you have to go. Personally, I don´t find the content confusing at all, you just have to read the mail, talk to NPCs and pay attention and you should get general idea of what´s going on

There is nothing like a big election to get peoples mind off the “bigger” issues.

lordkrall.7241:

Gmr Leon.1846:

That’s passive entertainment though. This is a game, interactive entertainment. There’s a desire for the culmination of both in a decent way. Clearly the OP doesn’t see the blending done well in this case, and that’s okay. He/she can ignore it until it passes.

Not like bleckish moments in your personal story at any rate…

True, but the OP seems to assume that fantasy can’t involve politics, and I simply corrected him and gave an recent example.

A fantasy story consisting only of magic and dragons and mythical beast would most likely be quite boring after all.

You misunderstand me. I don’t mind a bit of politics IF they did it like the game of thrones (warring factions on a huge scale, murder, ancient force threatening the world, mystery, betrayal) Not only that but the game of thrones characters are developed and interesting. If that’s what they are trying to do they are failing.

The stories so far have been about employment contracts at a holiday resort, one dimensional characters (unlike the 3 from the living story), election campaigns, roadworks (fixing roadsigns), babysitting refugees, even the fact that Mai Trin was not a priestess was so transparent I felt like I was reading a children’s book. Canach’s way of dealing with the situation by trying to kill the people he was supposed to be defending was so stupid.

Now look at one of the GW1 story arc’s. The bloodstones.

The bloodstones are five shards of a massive stone created by the Gods of Tyria and sealed with the blood okitteng Doric.

At least two of the bloodstones are used by the White Mantle and Mursaat to sacrifice the Chosen. When slain, the Chosens’ souls are channeled into the soul batteries – structures created by the Mursaat to keep the Door of Komalie, and ultimately the Titans sealed away.

The Chosen are commoners from Kryta who are taken by the White Mantle supposedly for recruiting. and are said to be taken away for learning magic at the Temple of the Unseen by the Grand Masters.

The truth, however, is that the Chosen are part of the Flameseeker Prophecies, destined to cause the downfall of the Mursaat. In the Maguuma Jungle the players learn that the White Mantle, servants of the Mursaat, are taking the Chosen into the jungle to be sacrificed on a bloodstone.

Here is a story involving the gods, titan’s, factions misleading you into thinking you’re doing good only to find out the truth – betrayal, horrible mass murder of innocents, then you seek revenge. Strong motives. If Anet are slowly ramping themselves to delivering a story like this they are taking their time about it.

Thobek.1730:

You misunderstand me. I don’t mind a bit of politics IF they did it like the game of thrones (warring factions on a huge scale, murder, ancient force threatening the world, mystery, betrayal) Not only that but the game of thrones characters are developed and interesting. If that’s what they are trying to do they are failing.

Lets check the GW2 story then shall we?

There is a somewhat large-scale war against Separatists, Flame Legion and other splinter factions of the races, the whole reason for the election is murder, the Elder Dragons is definetly classified as an “ancient force threatening the world”, there are also quite a bit of mystery and betrayal.

I would say all those things you mentioned about Song of Ice and Fire is currently in GW2, although not as well written (which is understandable since one is a book and the other is a MMO.)

Thobek.1730:

Come on Anet, now we’re dealing with politics? election campaigns?

Wasn’t this game supposed to be a fantasy setting of magic, gods and dragons. Now we’re running around with support tokens. I don’t really care about the two involved, both are just as one dimensional as the other.

I appreciate the frequency in which content is being released but its really stale stuff. Can’t we go on epic quests anymore? I really dislike the direction the writing is going.

The world is so beautiful, the winds of the Bazaar was amazing and the story should reflect that but it doesn’kittens BORING!!

The election is based around pirates.
Everything is permitted. (Nothing is true:P)
The Zephyrites harness the power of a frickin’ Dragon
Aetherblades are on the lose.

I’m sure this will be just another boring political event. Yep.

Who knows what it will lead to? It might be faction(s) related for all we know.

Tim.9850:

Their in game emails, there is too much thinking and reading going on, for a GAME that is supposed to be about fun.

To me thinking and reading ARE fun.

However, I don’t think there is much of either going on in the GW2 storyline at this point.

The reading in minimal and the story is fairly superficial and predictable. Now, don’t get me wrong – I’m not complaining. It’s a story in an MMO and there is more depth for people who want to seek it out – but it boils down to “players get to vote in an election” – which I think it actually a pretty interesting idea for an MMO and I’m curious to see how it plays out.

lordkrall.7241:

Thobek.1730:

You misunderstand me. I don’t mind a bit of politics IF they did it like the game of thrones (warring factions on a huge scale, murder, ancient force threatening the world, mystery, betrayal) Not only that but the game of thrones characters are developed and interesting. If that’s what they are trying to do they are failing.

Lets check the GW2 story then shall we?

There is a somewhat large-scale war against Separatists, Flame Legion and other splinter factions of the races, the whole reason for the election is murder, the Elder Dragons is definetly classified as an “ancient force threatening the world”, there are

large scale wars? cities aren’t getting sacked nor are armies fighting each other. basically its a few random skirmishes scattered around tyria. You’re clutching at straws to call those fights “large scale wars” Neither are you getting kings overthrown or power shifts. nothing has changed.

Murder? a spark from a tree, it would of been much better if he wasn’t present at the ceremony and latter you found him later with a simple dagger in the back. Then you say one line (not the interrogation I hoped it would be) to each of the 6 you track down i.e.“go to star on map” and after that in lions arch you point to the character any idiot already knew was the killer.

dragons? there was no dialogue or interaction with zhaitan. press 2 to kill the lizard clinging to a wall. Zhaitans minions was basically a zombie invasion. countless millions of mindless reanimated people. You feel nothing chopping them down because they were lifeless souls, could of been an army of ooze.

Do yourself a favour and watch woodenpotatoes GW1 history lesson on the Flameseeker prophecies youtube link That story was amazing in comparison to what we have received so far.

Just chipping in.

ANet are now trying out what happens if the players get more actively involved in “what happens next”. If all goes well, we might see more of such content, where the players determine (by majority vote) where it goes. If the whole thing fails for whatever reason, we’re back at one-way storytelling.

Arguably, the easiest way to test this approach IS a public election.
If ANet decide to continue down this path, I’m sure the writers will come up with other, possibly more exciting ways to “vote” that aren’t elections.
For example, the players collect some sort of material, and then everybody can decide whether to take theirs to the person who builds the airship or to the contstruction site where they build the temple. Or whatever.

We already made choices in the personal story, but we were ONE character (“What do you think, Commander? Should we do A or B? Okay, we will do that then.”). In the living world content, we’re many. And what is it called when many people have to make a decision? Vote.

So, yeah. Let’s all wait and see how this one goes, and what the future brings.

I don’t mind a bit of political intrigue on the side, and I’m not bored with the living story at all, but I also hope that we’ll see something more than that when it comes to “voting” in the future.

I have to agree on both the OP, and Pixelpumpkins posts about this subject. Personally I don’t want to pursue discussion in politics whether fantasy or not, because it eventually becomes a heated debated on which side/candidate is better. Politics and religion can literally put a massive imaginary Great Wall of China between a loved one, best friend, stranger, even though you both have more common ground than not.

I can go with it though, try and make this fun (GO EVON!!! =) ) and as Pixel said, this might be ArenaNet trying to involve the players in an interactive, game changing way that actually reflects where the live story is going. That is exciting so I guess we will have to see how this plays out.

P.S., I do hope the next interactive decision excluded politics though.

Personally I love it, it makes us decide what happens next. Until now, all our actions were scripted and we were just completing task lists.

Being given the opportunity to affect the future history of Tyria is great and immersive.

When i started playing GW2 i was expecting fantasy similar to GW1. We saved the world repeatedly, overthrew a god, fought the greatest villains of our time, and travelled with the greatest heroes. We met the important people of their time, like rulers and emperors.

What we have gotten in GW2 is content that is not changing much in the world. Compare Canach to Shiro, or the pirate council of LA to rulers and emperors of GW1. Politics? Cutthroat politics among pirates at best.

I for my part quit playing the Living World content after Southsun bored me half to death and did not regret it. I couldn’t care less who wins an election among pirates, the whole pirate theme is overused in this game imo. I went to WvW and until they come up with something i find interesting enough to play, and that features an actual storyline, i will stay there.

Oh and the only thing about GW2 that can compare to A Song of Ice and Fire so far is some parts of the personal storyline, like bringing down an Elder Dragon. An election among pirates can hardly compare to the struggle in Ice and Fire.

So i agree with the OP, but opinions are just different.

Maybe a dragon will awaken during the election swoop down and drop a ballet for the election by eating one of the candidates. instead of events always being announced there should be sudden and shocking turn of events during announced events.