Guild Wars 2

I have to believe that the issue is me, not the game, not ArenaNet, but me. Evidently, since the release of GW1, WoW, LotRO, AoC, to now, some tectonic shift in the MMO demographic has occurred and I just didn’t notice.

I thought SAB was a quirky thing to toss in for an April Fool’s gag. Sure, it grabbed immersion by the collar and shook it like a stray dog would a rat, but it was April Fool’s. I hoped that, when the update page showed signs that SAB would be coming back, that it was just some information about either making it a separate game you can log into or just some news about updates that will come with its release again in April.

Instead, it’s back, again, and with “Back to School” as its tagline… just as children in the US are enjoying back to school sales at the local Target.

Is there a general outcry? Are people lining up en masse saying, “At what point did you decide the lore behind the game, the legacy of GW1, was just an inconvenient barrier to introducing content the way Six Flags offers rides?” No, it’s met with widespread praise.

I am clearly not part of the group this game has been built to appeal to. Unlike a Disney movie, I can’t sit down with my child and enjoy it as much for how it influences her as I do the incredible artwork.

I made the mistake, three weeks ago, of thinking that the QP updates and information regarding more permanent content were a sign the game was heading back in a direction I could get behind. I could forgive the made for teens narrative as the gameplay was good enough to keep me engaged while the more weighty content came in. I spent a little money on gold (gems->gold) and extra character slots… now I have tremendous regret over those purchases.

Jumping Puzzles. Blatant F2P monetization. Quaggan backpacks. SAB with “Back to School” updates. Ascended gear. Loss of build diversity. Made for teen writing. Lack of even a conversation about what’s wrong with the PvE content meta-game (where pure zerk dps is all that matters). Legendaries like “The Dreamer”.

What happened to the soul of this franchise? I want to love the game for what it is. My purchase history shows that, partially as homage to the memories of GW1 and partially out of hope for what this game could be, I was willing to give it a serious chance.

This SAB update has stripped me of any desire to play. Not even to feel like I got something out of the cash investment. I’m sorry, but the game has gone from a fun twist on fantasy to just being silly. It’s Jake and the Netherland Pirates rather than Pirates of the Caribbean. There’s a demographic that loves Jake and his treasure hunting friends, but I’m not a part of it. I’m sure I’ll kick back by from time to time, it requires no subscription afterall, but what little hope I had left for the world of Tyria is fading.

Like the Diablo franchise after Diablo 3, GW2 was my last automatic purchase from ArenaNet. Years worth of brand loyalty, that would have come along for the ride here too, has been snuffed out.

Why so serious?

The SAB is a self contained thing in Rata Sum that doesn’t affect anything but itself. It started as a joke and it was massively popular. People loved it. They started a movement to get it to come back.

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

There was even a petition thread to make it permanent.

Vayne.8563:

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yes, it is that deal breaking. SAB represents significant effort on their part. Effort that did not go into other PvE content. It’s tremendously popular. They will put more effort into it because it’s popular. This means I have little in common with both their vision of the game and what the general player community wants out of the game.

If I don’t like steak, Ruth’s Chris steakhouse isn’t a wise place to go for dinner. Sure, you can get something else, but their menu specializes in something I wouldn’t care for (I do love steak though!).

The menu here specializes in content like SAB. Re-introducing it alongside an actual back to school period for US children and calling it back to school… It’s a minor thing, but like sand trickling onto one side of the scale, it’s one minor thing among many other minor things.

That’s actually pretty funny. I was telling someone earlier that this game turned out like Adventure Time on cartoon network instead of the “Lord of the Rings” I was hoping it would be.

And Vayne, the SAB is childish, and Anet confirmed that with the tag “Back to School”. SAB is an example for how the rest of the game will most likely turn out. Because people loved SAB, Anet will base future content on that and will produce more “childish” content to please the crowds. I think that’s what the op is trying to get at here. Since they’re bringing back SAB, future content will be similar to it. At least, that’s what I think his point is.

I sort of agree. Personally, I enjoyed SAB for awhile and thought it was a cute way to spend my time in the game. But to bring it back for a second time shows who the real population of GW2 is and who the content is aimed at. Children. Instead of bringing old content back that I wouldn’t like to do a second time, they could’ve produced more serious, save-the-world content

Unleashed.6195:

What happened to the soul of this franchise? I want to love the game for what it is. My purchase history shows that, partially as homage to the memories of GW1 and partially out of hope for what this game could be, I was willing to give it a serious chance.

The “soul” of adventuring is still there.
Face facts, Adventure Box turned out to be a fun thing for a lot of people.
It is optional, more akin to a rotating holiday activity.
It will arrive, then it will leave, eventually to come back again some other month.

Vayne.8563:

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

Now there’s an interesting idea for a “tutorial” level 0. Use the framework of the box to help new players to the basics of the game. Then spit them out into their respective home cities afterwards.

Unleashed.6195:

Vayne.8563:

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yes, it is that deal breaking. SAB represents significant effort on their part. Effort that did not go into other PvE content. It’s tremendously popular. They will put more effort into it because it’s popular. This means I have little in common with both their vision of the game and what the general player community wants out of the game.

If I don’t like steak, Ruth’s Chris steakhouse isn’t a wise place to go for dinner. Sure, you can get something else, but their menu specializes in something I wouldn’t care for (I do love steak though!).

The menu here specializes in content like SAB. Re-introducing it alongside an actual back to school period for US children and calling it back to school… It’s a minor thing, but like sand trickling onto one side of the scale, it’s one minor thing among many other minor things.

I don’t see it. Anet has lots of devs, different devs work on different things. It’s like dungeons. Not everyone likes them. But if you stop playing a game because Anet makes new dungeons, what do you gain?

I’m sure a few people will leave over this…but probably not as many people as will get the game just to play it.

Have fun wherever you end up.

Kyrel.8942:

There was even a petition thread to make it permanent.

Yeah. I read around the forums here and on the internet. I saw almost nothing but praise. This means there is something about me that is abnormal compared to the majority. Maybe I just grew old when I wasn’t looking. I don’t know how to explain the vast difference in what I’m looking for and what is popular here. Perhaps MMOs, as my primary game type, are not for me any more and I’ll have to content myself with single player RPGs until this phase of the industry passes.

Vayne.8563:

Unleashed.6195:

Vayne.8563:

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yes, it is that deal breaking. SAB represents significant effort on their part. Effort that did not go into other PvE content. It’s tremendously popular. They will put more effort into it because it’s popular. This means I have little in common with both their vision of the game and what the general player community wants out of the game.

If I don’t like steak, Ruth’s Chris steakhouse isn’t a wise place to go for dinner. Sure, you can get something else, but their menu specializes in something I wouldn’t care for (I do love steak though!).

The menu here specializes in content like SAB. Re-introducing it alongside an actual back to school period for US children and calling it back to school… It’s a minor thing, but like sand trickling onto one side of the scale, it’s one minor thing among many other minor things.

I don’t see it. Anet has lots of devs, different devs work on different things. It’s like dungeons. Not everyone likes them. But if you stop playing a game because Anet makes new dungeons, what do you gain?

I’m sure a few people will leave over this…but probably not as many people as will get the game just to play it.

Have fun wherever you end up.

Oh come on Vayne get real. They are never going to leave you.

Vayne.8563:

The SAB is a self contained thing in Rata Sum that doesn’t affect anything but itself. It started as a joke and it was massively popular. People loved it. They started a movement to get it to come back.

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yet they tie achievements to this thing and give account wide bonuses for said achievements. Leaving those of us that wish to get the account wide boosts either A) having to suck it up and enter even though we hate it or B ) be left behind.

BTW ANET where are the WvW achievements we desperately need??
Some (almost all) of us won’t live long enough to see 250000 kills.

Other than the crafting for some professions being increased for ascended, I’ll be sitting this one. It may be popular, but this player would sooner see it as a separate www java game instead of implemented into my MMORPG!

Unleashed.6195:

Kyrel.8942:

There was even a petition thread to make it permanent.

Yeah. I read around the forums here and on the internet. I saw almost nothing but praise. This means there is something about me that is abnormal compared to the majority. Maybe I just grew old when I wasn’t looking. I don’t know how to explain the vast difference in what I’m looking for and what is popular here. Perhaps MMOs, as my primary game type, are not for me any more and I’ll have to content myself with single player RPGs until this phase of the industry passes.

Just a suggestion here, I see that you’re a lot like me in the fact that you like more serious, earth-shattering content with minimal childishness on the side. I don’t know if you’ve tried WoW, but I enjoyed it for a very long time. The only childish aspects of the game were the festivals or the carnivals that you barely noticed appear, and I definitely didn’t consider those childish in the least because they were complex and gave you just enough fun without the boring content. You’re on your way to do a quest, see a carnival, go enjoy it for 5 minutes, and then you’re on your way to do your quest again. It’s generally just a more serious mmorpg and they make it feel fun and you’ll definitely enjoy it.

Tommyknocker.6089:

Vayne.8563:

The SAB is a self contained thing in Rata Sum that doesn’t affect anything but itself. It started as a joke and it was massively popular. People loved it. They started a movement to get it to come back.

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yet they tie achievements to this thing and give account wide bonuses for said achievements. Leaving those of us that wish to get the account wide boosts either A) having to suck it up and enter even though we hate it or B ) be left behind.

BTW ANET where are the WvW achievements we desperately need??
Some (almost all) of us won’t live long enough to see 250000 kills.

Other than the crafting for some professions being increased for ascended, I’ll be sitting this one. It may be popular, but this player would sooner see it as a separate www java game instead of implemented into my MMORPG!

Not everyone enjoyed the Secret of Southsun or the election updates, but we still dealt with it to get those same achievement points.

Viking Jorun.5413:

Not everyone enjoyed the Secret of Southsun or the election updates, but we still dealt with it to get those same achievement points.

Two very different animals, those two examples involved the open world and more of less fit into the lore. The SAB is separate and in no way fits into a RPG. A platform YES most defiantly, but I didn’t buy a MMORPG to play donkey kong the next generation.

Galtrix.7369:

I think that’s what the op is trying to get at here. Since they’re bringing back SAB, future content will be similar to it. At least, that’s what I think his point is.

My point is simliar to that, but I don’t know how to describe the content. It’s not necessarily childish, though the “Back to School” tagline certainly made it suddenly like watching a TV commercial for clothes at JC Penny. It’s just that they don’t seem to care about the integrity of their world anymore. If it’s fun, it goes in. If they find a way to put in a little Forza racing? In it goes. Goofy FPS mode? Why not. It’s fun!

The game has no soul. It’s a collection of fun activities, like a Six Flags. It’s a fantasy/sci-fi themed activity box.

Tommyknocker.6089:

Vayne.8563:

The SAB is a self contained thing in Rata Sum that doesn’t affect anything but itself. It started as a joke and it was massively popular. People loved it. They started a movement to get it to come back.

But it’s essentially an Asuran invention to teach kids how to be adventurers. Its that really so deal breaking to you?

If you never enter the box, it doesn’t exist.

Yet they tie achievements to this thing and give account wide bonuses for said achievements. Leaving those of us that wish to get the account wide boosts either A) having to suck it up and enter even though we hate it or B ) be left behind.

BTW ANET where are the WvW achievements we desperately need??
Some (almost all) of us won’t live long enough to see 250000 kills.

Other than the crafting for some professions being increased for ascended, I’ll be sitting this one. It may be popular, but this player would sooner see it as a separate www java game instead of implemented into my MMORPG!

But they KEEP coming out with achievements. If you don’t like something, don’t do it. I’m almost 100% sure I won’t be going for all the achievements in SAB. I’ll find the new hard mode too difficult. So it takes me a week or two longer to get the next point? How does that actually affect my game.

Getting an extra 1% magic find 2 weeks later?

Not at all. Achievement points are nice and all, but I wont’ let them ruin the game for me.

Vayne.8563:

Have fun wherever you end up.

Oh, I’ll be around. There is no subscription fee. Playing a little now and then to see what has changed costs me nothing. There is always the chance things turn a different direction. This isn’t an “I quit” thread, this is a “I’ll play now because I’m bored, but like a marriage that’s become more habit than passion, I kind of don’t care what you do anymore.”

Tommyknocker.6089:

be left behind.

Where exactly are you headed in this game that you feel as if you will be left behind?

Tommyknocker.6089:

my MMORPG!

Hows that going for you? Do you have a release date yet?

I actually really enjoyed SAB the first time around…. but i’m not super thrilled to see it come back. I bought this game for the massive world, the beautiful graphics, the supposedly eic story telling and the living world.

SAB has none of those things. It has 8-bit graphics, pulls 99% of the player base out of the world, the story is not epic or grand, there are no dragons or monsters, and it doesn’t push the world forward in any way. It doesn’t progress my character, it doesn’t let me even use my own skill bar.

This game has slowly been dying to me since they announced they wouldn’t be doing expansions. The quality of the updates is grindy and gimmicky at best and just plain sub-par and buggy at worst. It is becoming clear to me that they are aiming this game much more towards 10-15yr old rich kids who love gambling and less towards everyone else.

Unleashed.6195:

Galtrix.7369:

I think that’s what the op is trying to get at here. Since they’re bringing back SAB, future content will be similar to it. At least, that’s what I think his point is.

My point is simliar to that, but I don’t know how to describe the content. It’s not necessarily childish, though the “Back to School” tagline certainly made it suddenly like watching a TV commercial for clothes at JC Penny. It’s just that they don’t seem to care about the integrity of their world anymore. If it’s fun, it goes in. If they find a way to put in a little Forza racing? In it goes. Goofy FPS mode? Why not. It’s fun!

The game has no soul. It’s a collection of fun activities, like a Six Flags. It’s a fantasy/sci-fi themed activity box.

Oh, I see. I completely agree with you. There are no significant goals to accomplish, and there is no feeling of actual progression when you complete quests and complete your main storyline. This game completely lacks a feeling of actual accomplishment, but replaces it with just more “fun activities”. It gets a little repetitive and extremely boring after awhile. All we can do is wait it out and see if Anet takes this game in the right direction though.

Unleashed.6195:

The menu here specializes in content like SAB. Re-introducing it alongside an actual back to school period for US children and calling it back to school… It’s a minor thing, but like sand trickling onto one side of the scale, it’s one minor thing among many other minor things.

What you don’t realize is that a lot of player base that loves SAB loves it because they were there when first video games came out and are not feeling nostalgic towards it.

“I quit” threads are not allowed on the forums as they are not conducive to creating a friendly community nor do they have room for constructive discussion. As such, this thread has been deleted.