Guild Wars 2

I really enjoyed the Opening ceremony it gave some more character to Rox and Braham. I also enjoyed the humor of it.

It was short it was sweet. It got the point of what we were doing in this living story across and why.

A little more direction would have been nice on where to go however. I would also enjoy the ability to re-watch it. I know stuff like that is being worked on for the future however.

Agreed I really enjoyed it, it was especially cool to talk to Rox and Braham and they recognize me and everything.

Only complaint is when the baddies appeared – surprise – Aetherblades, but it was interesting to see their leader (?) finally (I did not do the Aetherblade Retreat so I’m not sure if she appeared in there.)

It got me excited for the living story and seeing continuity was a good bonus too. Keep it up.

Yep, the Opening Ceremony was really enjoyable. I’m still waiting for Braham to make a drunken pass at Rox. XD

I didn’t really like it all that much.

After seeing the loading screen / wallpaper last week, I expected her to stand on a balcony and speak to the masses. Instead, her opening ceremony had all of… five guests? * scratches head * That really made no sense to me…

Jennah’s questionable tactics of celebrating her anniversary with illusion-based, hijackable, brand-new technology AND balloons while fully aware that the current threat is sky pirates teamed up with tech savvy, no-morale Asura? … That really made no sense to me either.

The rest was okay. I like Rox more and more and enjoyed her company, probably my favourite thing about this. And the Rytlock part I liked, too, although I missed what it was that he said to Logan and I couldn’t find it in the chat log later.

Best thing I’ve seen in this game in a while. I loved the additional insight into the various major human characters present in Kryta.

anzenketh.3759:

A little more direction would have been nice on where to go however.

Sorry, can you let me know where to go? I was at the CP and i cant get the opening ceremony and visit CP achievement.

I’m really starting to like Rox.

Faren is such a ….. <face palm>

It was great to see the queen actually fight.

I rather enjoyed it, too, though I fiercely hope we’ll see the end of the Aetherblades in this arc and go back to giving some much-needed attention to older enemies. Not having been around for Flame & Frost, I liked meeting Rox, Frostbite and Braham and wish I’d have been able to do the story where they were introduced. (Though yikes, HER EYES! They’re so huge they’re creepy. The “cute little kitty” design isn’t my thing at all.)

Also, while I was never fond of Logan before, he has my sympathy in this. Anise sounds like a complete kitten and I want to rip her a new one for pulling that stunt with the Rytlock illusion. Curious that there was no mention of Logan and Rytlock reconciling, if all this is supposed to take place way after the personal story. How come?

Orion the Cursed.1206:

anzenketh.3759:

A little more direction would have been nice on where to go however.

Sorry, can you let me know where to go? I was at the CP and i cant get the opening ceremony and visit CP achievement.

Go to the way-point their is a door behind you with a living story symbol on it. Enter the door and it starts a nice personal story. Be sure to stay around after you complete it to get the full effect with all the dialog.

I thought the opening ceremony was awesome and really shows what the living story can become. I hope we see a lot more of these to introduce new patches from here on out. Rox and Braham were awesome, as was Lord Faren. Even the straight-laced characters came across well. It makes me want to do the human personal story so I know more about them.

An entire skyship coming out of the sky was awesome as well. And the mysterious figure.

This was the best “story” moment of the Living Story so far!

As for Logan and Rytlock reconciling… this year’s Living Story does not assume that the Destiny’s Edge storyline came first. It’s supposed to be able to fit in either during or after.

Yeah, Rox and Braham seem to always be present for the best Living Story content. Every time they are around it’s a home run. I actually liked the bit where you follow Rox to each of the spots and protect her so she can snipe the sylvari. It wasn’t difficult but it was more engaging than “kill the mobs until the game says its ok to stop”. It was also kind of cool to see a little team of allies form so it wasn’t just me doing all the work. Usually in instanced content it feels like I am doing everything. Here we had Braham, Rox, Logan, Faren and Anise helping out (she seemed suspicious multiple times, kind of like a red herring). I felt like I was fighting with my heroic friends in this game, which made me feel like I was more important.

The banter was hilarious. Faren is awesome, keep that guy around. Rox and Broham play off each other very well, they are very entertaining and really showcase how compatible charr and norn are. This is the reason why choosing “blacked out” for norn personal story was so entertaining and bringing back that theme is a win.

Thank Kormir that Kiel isn’t around any more. She was an anchor on the story, the Opening Ceremony showcases what entertaining characters can do. I’m looking forward to seeing how Kasmeer and Marjory fit into the mix, they seem to play off each other similair to Rox and Braham (more so if you visit them in the pub). Even Logan and Anise have their little dynamic going, although I’ll admit I’m tired of Logan’s love sick puppy with tunnel vision flaw being the cornerstone of all his interactions with the Queen. I hope they redeem this by making Anise’s decisions ultimately lead to the Queen being in greater threat and Logan was right all along. Bonus points if Canach is the returning Southsun character (although I wouldn’t be opposed to a “good” sylvari character now that it appears the villain and possibly nemesis is a sylvari similair to Faolain).

I think we need some kind of idea of where the Living Story takes place in relation to the Personal Story/Story Mode dungeons. The comments about Logan and Rytlock with the illusion are possibly telling about the identity of Scarlet. My first guess was Faolain (because her face was similair, although fitting a tree branch under that hood is silly) given her relationship with Caithe, but it could have just been Anise knew more than I though she did. Regardless, I’m beginning to be confused by what’s happened and what is yet to happen in the time line, especially now that Destiny’s Edge and major characters are crossing over.

All in all, this was probably the best story instance so far.

My one big criticism is that I can’t repeat it. I like to do story content more than once, especially if I rushed through to get to the real content later on. Please make Living Story content repeatable, at least for the month it is around.

Shiren.9532:

I actually liked the bit where you follow Rox to each of the spots and protect her so she can snipe the sylvari. It wasn’t difficult but it was more engaging than “kill the mobs until the game says its ok to stop”.

Oh, so there were supposed to be enemies attacking at that point. In my instance they were all dead and no more spawned, so it was just “run and stand in that circle”.

I thought it seemed a little overblown…

Is there anyway to redo that instance? I only killed half of the required victims.

TottWriter.8591:

Shiren.9532:

I actually liked the bit where you follow Rox to each of the spots and protect her so she can snipe the sylvari. It wasn’t difficult but it was more engaging than “kill the mobs until the game says its ok to stop”.

Oh, so there were supposed to be enemies attacking at that point. In my instance they were all dead and no more spawned, so it was just “run and stand in that circle”.

I thought it seemed a little overblown…

Yeah same, I had no enemies at that point. I guess we’re not supposed to be THAT good.

Eh, it was fine until the Aetherblades made an appearance. They are an overused plot device, yet do nothing to further the plot. Time and time again living story throws them at us, we defeat them quickly, and they disappear; which is beginning to leave a very ‘Team Rocket’ feel to them. I could be wrong as this chapter has not yet concluded, but I’ll be disappointed if they don’t start taking a serious role, rather than simply being lumped in every chapter.

Mia Lunarfang.5826:

Eh, it was fine until the Aetherblades made an appearance. They are an overused plot device, yet do nothing to further the plot. Time and time again living story throws them at us, we defeat them quickly, and they disappear; which is beginning to leave a very ‘Team Rocket’ feel to them. I could be wrong as this chapter has not yet concluded, but I’ll be disappointed if they don’t start taking a serious role, rather than simply being lumped in every chapter.

“Overused plot device”? They were only introduced a two months ago… their story is in the middle of unfolding.

Did you think of the Molten Alliance as an “overused plot device” two months into “Flame and Frost”, too? :P

actually, i think that the ceremony (but also the wallent and dungeon rewards) is the only good thing in this release. Crown Pavilion is a WvW-zerg-like PvE, the Q.Gauntlet really need some fix to the queue/death/fail, the Ballons events are ok but they are too repetitive

I too really enjoyed that story instance, and I too am jumping on the band wagon that this is the best one so far (but that might be because I actually have played the human story, so I know the characters).

What I liked: The voice acting, the return of characters I like, and the sense of urgentcy to get Logan out of the Cage, and the mystery around the hooded figure

What I didn’t like: the lack of replay ability so that I can enjoy the details more (I for instace never saw the combo between Anise and Jenna), and then there is the problem with it actually being so good that I care and therefore consider 1 story instace too little now that I am emerged in the story.

TL:DR. The best Living World story instace so far, shame it takes so long for the story to progress futher, now that I am actually emerged in it.

The voice acting of the “Suspicious figure” was amazing, really spot on. I so want to see / do it again! Make it happen =D

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Mia Lunarfang.5826:

Eh, it was fine until the Aetherblades made an appearance. They are an overused plot device, yet do nothing to further the plot. Time and time again living story throws them at us, we defeat them quickly, and they disappear; which is beginning to leave a very ‘Team Rocket’ feel to them. I could be wrong as this chapter has not yet concluded, but I’ll be disappointed if they don’t start taking a serious role, rather than simply being lumped in every chapter.

“Overused plot device”? They were only introduced a two months ago… their story is in the middle of unfolding.

Did you think of the Molten Alliance as an “overused plot device” two months into “Flame and Frost”, too? :P

The Molten Alliance didn’t come back after their defeat. The Aetherblades haven’t been given any real purpose in the story (who are they, who do they work for, what are their goals, where do they come from etc) and they’ve been used twice now, for seemingly unconnected events. Their first appearance was to assassinate a member of the Captain’s Council and plant one of their own on the seat. From this we assume they have an interest in politics, at least in Lion’s Arch. We ran through their dungeon and yet we learned almost nothing about them. Here they are again, causing trouble and we still don’t know why, but unlike their last appearance it would seem we might get more answers this month.

Will we have to wait two weeks for the story to develop or will they bring out more story instances before the second half of the month?

In my opinion Aetherblades dropping in to mess with the celebration were fine.
They obviously have more connections and power than the Molten Alliance did. In fact I’ll go so far as to say the Aetherblades were probably formed first and whoever did that tried to expand the business to create the Molten, but we found them out before they could grow.

Anise was wonderful, as always, though her little trick on Logan really was a low blow.
Jenna held her own and acted like a person in charge, I can’t really demand much from her past that.
Rox and Braham were a good buddy combination once again. I’m glad that the stories are starting to flesh them out more. I especially loved how Braham was crying over Ottilla and Rox tried to cheer him up with violence.

I’m hoping this hooded figure is Scarlet, but I won’t be surprised if it is another red herring of sorts. Though I do finally feel like things are picking up faster. If I have to wait a few more releases to hear more I’ll be okay with it, because apparently those are the hooks that Anet is trying to create and string along.