Guild Wars 2

It takes a strong person to admit they were wrong. I only wish ArenaNet would do it as well. I loved this game until the Living Story reared it’s ugly head. Now, I have learned to loathe the new content before it’s even released. ‘Fool me twice, shame on me’ and what not.

Yeah, I got to say that, while I enjoy the invasions, the dungeon and the way they balanced huge world participation with overflows and avoided the southsun cove world event disaster, I am left very empty when it comes to the story line.

Through all the living story the question has been, "who is doing this and why?’

Now we know who but there is no “why”. Did Scarlet get hold of some bad miracle grow? Does she resent humans for mowing their lawns? Why exactly is she planting bombs, hiring pirates and cooking noblemen? She seems to have less motivation than a bond villain – and, goodness knows, they are hardly the most 3 dimensional characters in literature.

At least with the dragons there is the sense they are primeval forces – but with Scarlet there is nothing at all

Please, give us a bit of depth – give us some hint – what is the motivation in her tiny green heart that makes her want to destroy us?

With each abomination of a content release, I wonder WTF happened to guild wars lore? This game is becoming a Skinner box.

I really don’t understand the complaints on the story.

See, the key term they use is “Living” story. It breathes, it grows, and it lives. It continues to drop more and more stuff.

Nearly all story lines and plots are pretty predictable. It’s few and far between when any story throws a curve ball and something happens that wasn’t expected. I mean, this is why there are story elements taught to people about foreshadowing and red herrings and all kinds of stuff.

People are mad because they haven’t said how or why Scarlet is using the Molten Alliance or the Aetherblades. That’s simple really. It’s because there is more story to come. In two weeks will get some more information or the journey will take us on another path. All of this has been for a purpose.

This story started months ago and continues to grow and evolve. It’s pretty amazing to me. I wouldn’t even be mad if we didn’t find out Scarlet’s true motivations for another 6 months. It’s why I’m playing an MMO and not just buying a run of the mill game that is beaten and done in 5 days.

I did one invasion and walked away… Haven’t even logged in since patch day and I usually play everyday, that is starting to change.. I just cannot think about this living story without disgust.

Delvoire.8930:

People are mad because they haven’t said how or why Scarlet is using the Molten Alliance or the Aetherblades. That’s simple really. It’s because there is more story to come. In two weeks will get some more information or the journey will take us on another path. All of this has been for a purpose.

People are mad because it was stated that this patch was going to answer a bunch of open ended questions, and it didn’t really answer anything. We were under the assumption that we wouldn’t have to wait to find this stuff out. All we got was a completely new villian who was not fleshed out.

I thought the words were it would bring things together, or tie them together, not answer a bunch of open ended questions.

Well we got that tie, Scarlet is a Sylvari who is nuttier than squirrel dung and controls the Aetherblades and the Molten Alliance. She now perverted the Warchknights as well.

No doubt in future updates we’ll probably get bits and pieces more of her and why she’s doing it. Now I can agree that pacing-wise something like this should have been in the background building up to a big one or two month span where lots of things could be uncovered all at once. However that isn’t ANet’s goal, they want to give a dripping feed into this story.

Is it frustrating? You bet your sweet bippy it is, but that’s how it is right now.

jweez.7214:

Back when anet first announced their 2 week initiative a lot of people were angry saying that content was going to suffer and we were going to get fluff for story because of time constraints. I took to anets defense creating several topics outlining why I thought it was a marvelous idea and stating that Anet will not do anything that would allow the content to suffer. Well I was wrong…

I’ve tried to be patient with everything but this last patch quickly dissipated the faith I had in them to create a good story and move it along at a decent pace. Or even create a plot that was so lacking in creativity that a third grader could draw it up. I am sorry but who really didn’t see the queen getting kidnapped and the watchknights turning on us coming? The only thing that was interesting or even worth attention was when the asura tells you that Scarlet is something of a prodigy. Speaking of Scarlet….

I have never been so excited about a character during one patch then two weeks later completely loathe that same character. The whole “I want to watch the world burn” villain is one of my favorite archetypes, but seriously there has to be some depth to a character other than that. Lines like “Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.” and “They work for me because they want to live” seriously plays her out quickly and honestly makes her alot less menacing because you just grow to expect it from her everytime she speaks.

In closing I would like to say people can tell when something is slopped together and they can also tell when time and energy is put into something. For example, the steam creatures that she creates are by all measures fantastic. The sounds they make, their overall design, and their death animations are fantastic. Kudos. However, this story really just feels like your shooting from the hip.

I agree with you and more…

My dreams are far more detailed than most of the dialog in this game and I am sorry to say that I could write better stuff sitting around just joking and goofing with my husband.

There are two kinds of people in any creative endeavor that has to do with computers – story people and concept people – programmers aren’t writing the dialog and if they ARE, THAT is where your priorities are messed up beyond thought.

Writers who are creative and who can constantly pull “Tonight Show” quality monologues and dialog (Johnny Carson-quality) aren’t paid what some of these guys are.

So Washington-state-company-that-wants-more-of-our-money, how about either allowing your USERS, some of whom are AMAZING WRITERS, to do some dialog and reward them for it, or stop the dialog that repeats AD NAUSEUM and just stop pretending…

I don’t just grouse, I SUGGEST a fix for what is obviously a very important part of the game that isn’t being given the “attention” that it needs.

When are you going to start implementing GOOD ideas from GOOD players????

Atlas.9704:

No doubt in future updates we’ll probably get bits and pieces more of her and why she’s doing it.

Previous living story updates have ensured that I no longer care about future living story updates.

I’ve looked… and I can’t find the direct quote that says this patch was going to clear up all the loose ends.

I know I read somewhere though that they said as the year goes along, those loose ends will be tied up.

See this below;

[i]“The living world updates that we did in the first half of this year definitely fall under the category of side story arcs kinda,” Johanson said. “However, I can say that the story that’s playing out right now is a part of much larger story, and it’s something that will become clear as the year progresses.”

Johnason said that despite recent emphasis on new events in smaller, specific regions, ArenaNet has many larger plans for Guild Wars 2’s future using the living world idea.

“Some of the bigger pieces of feedback that we’ve heard from our players is that the things that happen in the living world are very compartmentalized,” he said. "They feel like they happen to a very specific part of the world, they feel like they’re transient, that they occur and go away again and that’s something we’re working on.

“There is now, and certainly will be a lot larger focus on ensuring that the content we’re building is creating experiences that people can permanently have when they come back two years later,” he added. “Instead of saying, ‘I see something that happened two years ago but I can’t experience it,‘, we want players to say, ’I’m playing this and I’m playing it as a result of something that happened two years ago.’”[/i]

I find that as each living story update hits I log in to the game less and less. The living story sucks, but people like achievement points so they keep doing it and it pulls everyone out of the normal world making the rest of the game suffer while offering no redeeming qualities.

The two week update schedule is the worst thing to have happened to this game so far.

Tachenon.5270:

Atlas.9704:

No doubt in future updates we’ll probably get bits and pieces more of her and why she’s doing it.

Previous living story updates have ensured that I no longer care about future living story updates.

My thoughts exactly.

Delvoire.8930:

I really don’t understand the complaints on the story.

See, the key term they use is “Living” story. It breathes, it grows, and it lives. It continues to drop more and more stuff.

Nearly all story lines and plots are pretty predictable. It’s few and far between when any story throws a curve ball and something happens that wasn’t expected. I mean, this is why there are story elements taught to people about foreshadowing and red herrings and all kinds of stuff.

People are mad because they haven’t said how or why Scarlet is using the Molten Alliance or the Aetherblades. That’s simple really. It’s because there is more story to come. In two weeks will get some more information or the journey will take us on another path. All of this has been for a purpose.

This story started months ago and continues to grow and evolve. It’s pretty amazing to me. I wouldn’t even be mad if we didn’t find out Scarlet’s true motivations for another 6 months. It’s why I’m playing an MMO and not just buying a run of the mill game that is beaten and done in 5 days.

The story doesn’t breathe and grow. They aren’t growing the core world of GW2, they are throwing a bunch of stuff in (and even going so far as to retcon in a villain – Scarlet and her history with the asuran colleges). They are barely touching the existing world, instead choosing to throw in a bunch of new stuff.

As far as the Aetherblades go… they have been around for over three months now!!! When I ran into the Nightmare Court I began to learn about them, who they are, where they come from, what they want etc. The same can be said for every enemy faction (centaurs, Flame Legion, Inquest etc). The biggest telling point for how annoying the Living Story is is that the Aetherblades have been an enemy faction that we’ve fought for over three months, we’ve killed or captured countless of their numbers and we can’t even disprove they come from another reality! They have such a freaking weak tie to Tyria (read: almost no backstory, lore or development as an enemy faction) that we don’t even know for sure they come from the same world as us! What is going on with your story when not a single person can say “I know that guy, he bought omnomberries from me” or “He’s my neighbour” or “This dude used to be in the Vigil”. The Aetherblades appear out of nowhere and the story does absolutely nothing to explain who they are.

I actually though the Molten Alliance disbanded. I was surprised to see them return during the invasions. If the Living Story is growing and expanding Tyria, where the freaking hell have they been for the last few months? If they still have an army capable of mobilising in those numbers, how is it not a single person in Tyria said something for half a year?

One of my issues with the Living Story right now is that you can replace all of the enemy factions with anything and at all and the story would almost be the same. Currently, from a story perspective, it just seems like the enemies exist to give the players something to swing their swords at. The Molten Alliance has a very slight story to it, but it is incredibly shallow compared to the Flame Legion (I know very little about the dredge) which is a shame, because it replaces the Flame Legion. The Aetherblades could be robots for all I care, that’s how much of a personality or identity they’ve been given.

Scarlet has just made her first appearance but she’s actually been around since the beginning of the year. In all of that time we know nothing about what’s going on yet we know she’s supposedly been quite busy. People are getting frustrated with the story simply being a series of events with no greater purpose. It doesn’t matter if there is a greater purpose if none of it is being revealed. There isn’t enough story in the Living Story.

I think there is a gameplay/mechanics clash with the story and the content release schedule. They are pressured to push out content every two weeks and that results in some weird story representations in the gameplay. Invasions are a good example – they aren’t actually invading anything, they show unbelievable large numbers of enemies – so much so that these armies could probably take over any city in Tyria – and the number of Molten Alliance seems higher than it should be after Flame and Frost.

We are being told that more story is coming, what many of us are saying is that the story that we are being given is not rewarding enough. They can’t keep giving us such shallow content with no answers. It’s not even an issue of loose ends or cliffhangers, it’s a lack of depth. Players want to be invested in the story but we aren’t being given enough to invest us. There was a lot of discussion in the last update because people thought the story might finally move somewhere, many of those people are disappointed.

To add insult to injury, the next release on the release page appears to be super adventure box…

jweez.7214:

However, this story really just feels like your shooting from the hip.

I made a similar complaint here:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/speech/Unexplained-Story-elements/first#post2680949

Other players basically told me either “Just enjoy the farming” or to “wait two weeks and see what happens”.

I am sick, sick of the zergfarm events. They tell no story, and in fact, they confuse more than they explain. It has since come to my attention that Queen Jennah will be making her “real speech” later on (this was mentioned on their Twitch channel). If it’s anything less than “We’re opening the Desert Gate alongside Ebonhawke – Have at ye, Kralkatorrik!” I shall be disappointed.

Guess I’ll be disappointed then.

Sarie.1630:

jweez.7214:

However, this story really just feels like your shooting from the hip.

I made a similar complaint here:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/speech/Unexplained-Story-elements/first#post2680949

Other players basically told me either “Just enjoy the farming” or to “wait two weeks and see what happens”.

I am sick, sick of the zergfarm events. They tell no story, and in fact, they confuse more than they explain. It has since come to my attention that Queen Jennah will be making her “real speech” later on (this was mentioned on their Twitch channel). If it’s anything less than “We’re opening the Desert Gate alongside Ebonhawke – Have at ye, Kralkatorrik!” I shall be disappointed.

Guess I’ll be disappointed then.

I hope they do have her do a real speech. Because I was actually looking forward to it.

It goes both ways, mind you – I’m quite vocal about the things I don’t like about the direction of the game ANet is taking, but I’m willing to applaud them if they do something well. For the time being, though, my biggest concern is still the fact that ANet is pushing Living story so heavily as the primary content and means of adding that content.

Sarie.1630:

jweez.7214:

However, this story really just feels like your shooting from the hip.

I made a similar complaint here:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/speech/Unexplained-Story-elements/first#post2680949

Other players basically told me either “Just enjoy the farming” or to “wait two weeks and see what happens”.

I am sick, sick of the zergfarm events. They tell no story, and in fact, they confuse more than they explain. It has since come to my attention that Queen Jennah will be making her “real speech” later on (this was mentioned on their Twitch channel). If it’s anything less than “We’re opening the Desert Gate alongside Ebonhawke – Have at ye, Kralkatorrik!” I shall be disappointed.

Guess I’ll be disappointed then.

I feel like they hyped this patch up alot too. I was actually telling my girlfriend-who had 0 interest in games of any kind-how excited I was for the patch and how I couldn’t wait to see where they go with the scarlet character.

atheria.2837:

jweez.7214:

Back when anet first announced their 2 week initiative a lot of people were angry saying that content was going to suffer and we were going to get fluff for story because of time constraints. I took to anets defense creating several topics outlining why I thought it was a marvelous idea and stating that Anet will not do anything that would allow the content to suffer. Well I was wrong…

I’ve tried to be patient with everything but this last patch quickly dissipated the faith I had in them to create a good story and move it along at a decent pace. Or even create a plot that was so lacking in creativity that a third grader could draw it up. I am sorry but who really didn’t see the queen getting kidnapped and the watchknights turning on us coming? The only thing that was interesting or even worth attention was when the asura tells you that Scarlet is something of a prodigy. Speaking of Scarlet….

I have never been so excited about a character during one patch then two weeks later completely loathe that same character. The whole “I want to watch the world burn” villain is one of my favorite archetypes, but seriously there has to be some depth to a character other than that. Lines like “Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.” and “They work for me because they want to live” seriously plays her out quickly and honestly makes her alot less menacing because you just grow to expect it from her everytime she speaks.

In closing I would like to say people can tell when something is slopped together and they can also tell when time and energy is put into something. For example, the steam creatures that she creates are by all measures fantastic. The sounds they make, their overall design, and their death animations are fantastic. Kudos. However, this story really just feels like your shooting from the hip.

I agree with you and more…

My dreams are far more detailed than most of the dialog in this game and I am sorry to say that I could write better stuff sitting around just joking and goofing with my husband.

There are two kinds of people in any creative endeavor that has to do with computers – story people and concept people – programmers aren’t writing the dialog and if they ARE, THAT is where your priorities are messed up beyond thought.

Writers who are creative and who can constantly pull “Tonight Show” quality monologues and dialog (Johnny Carson-quality) aren’t paid what some of these guys are.

So Washington-state-company-that-wants-more-of-our-money, how about either allowing your USERS, some of whom are AMAZING WRITERS, to do some dialog and reward them for it, or stop the dialog that repeats AD NAUSEUM and just stop pretending…

I don’t just grouse, I SUGGEST a fix for what is obviously a very important part of the game that isn’t being given the “attention” that it needs.

When are you going to start implementing GOOD ideas from GOOD players????

I hope that programmers aren’t writting the dialogue. And if they are that would explain alot. Your post makes me wonder about the structure of their living story department. Is their a writer on every Ls team? A group of writers that explains their vision for the story?

I can’t even find words to express my agreement of opinion with OP.

The whole Scarlet mess reminds of a scene from the movie Megamind.

Titan: This town isn’t big enough for two supervillains!
Megamind: Oh, you’re a villain all right, just not a SUPER one!
Titan: Oh yeah? What’s the difference?
Megamind: Presentation!

Yup, lack of presentation on Scarlet part.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

jweez.7214:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

I care a great deal about the lore but if it isn’t in-game, I’m not reading it. I’m don’t support this kitten poor extra-game storytelling.

Something to consider is that this update is designed to be long lasting. The grind is getting old at this moment since everyone is busy doing it on repeat, after this next week and a half passes, the invasions will slow considerably.

Which is what people wanted – recurring, repeatable open world content. I consider a grand invasion to be a step up from adding just another claw, or SB.

boredinbc.2786:

Something to consider is that this update is designed to be long lasting. The grind is getting old at this moment since everyone is busy doing it on repeat, after this next week and a half passes, the invasions will slow considerably.

Which is what people wanted – recurring, repeatable open world content. I consider a grand invasion to be a step up from adding just another claw, or SB.

No, that’s not what we wanted at all. We wanted more zone-by-zone storytelling through chained dynamic events….events that would have a permanent and visible impact on the zone and it’s surroundings.
What we got, instead, with this update was nothing more than a rolling zerg on an hourly schedule.

Elbegast.6970:

jweez.7214:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

I care a great deal about the lore but if it isn’t in-game, I’m not reading it. I’m don’t support this kitten poor extra-game storytelling.

A tad duplicitous coming from someone on the forums. This game is not just built inside the client. It is a community effort. I see nothing wrong posting a short story on this site, and frankly it would have felt cheaper if it had just been info dumped by some random Asura in a wall of text in Rata Sum, which technically meets your requirements of “in-game”.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like it as an info dump, and the story itself did nothing to deepen the character. I’m just disagreeing that an online short story is a bad way of expanding content.

Elbegast.6970:

boredinbc.2786:

Something to consider is that this update is designed to be long lasting. The grind is getting old at this moment since everyone is busy doing it on repeat, after this next week and a half passes, the invasions will slow considerably.

Which is what people wanted – recurring, repeatable open world content. I consider a grand invasion to be a step up from adding just another claw, or SB.

No, that’s not what we wanted at all. We wanted more zone-by-zone storytelling through chained dynamic events….events that would have a permanent and visible impact on the zone and it’s surroundings.
What we got, instead, with this update was nothing more than a rolling zerg on an hourly schedule.

I think its fair to say that people wanted both. And I agree that the hourly rolling zerg has been played out, my point is that once the next installment rears its head, this hourly zerg will slow down to-hopefully- a crawl. The Scarlet story will continue and when an invasion happens it will rally people to a specific zone, for a short faceroll. This will be ongoing, but better paced.

Think ahead 3 months, that’s 6 opportunities to add persistent events to the world. I hope they will not be all like this, and I hope that the story telling will get better. But that’s a lot of change and a lot of content to look forward to.

Something to consider with any open world events is that the masses will always go to whats profitable. Zone by zone DE chains, sound fun on paper, but will be no less of a zerg. And regardless of how well ANet balances the rewards for different parts of the chain, min/maxers will find a way to use the content for farming. They have to design within this constraint.

Elbegast.6970:

jweez.7214:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

I care a great deal about the lore but if it isn’t in-game, I’m not reading it. I’m don’t support this kitten poor extra-game storytelling.

I agree with you aside from the I’m not going to read it part. This story while-very interesting-is not a suitable replacement for in game lore. There is no suitable replacement for in game lore. But it makes me wonder, why the hell didn’t ANET put that part into to the LS update?

Kiel!! Where are youuuuu????

jweez.7214:

Elbegast.6970:

jweez.7214:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

I care a great deal about the lore but if it isn’t in-game, I’m not reading it. I’m don’t support this kitten poor extra-game storytelling.

I agree with you aside from the I’m not going to read it part. This story while-very interesting-is not a suitable replacement for in game lore. There is no suitable replacement for in game lore. But it makes me wonder, why the hell didn’t ANET put that part into to the LS update?

At least they posted it on their own website instead of facebook or reddit.

Pacifica.9576:

To add insult to injury, the next release on the release page appears to be super adventure box…

Actually this is great news. They should keep the box in, add to it slowly as it’s easy to develop new content for. They can use this time to refocus their efforts on the game they promised in the manifesto. I am by no means saying this should be the only content added, but from a living story standpoint they need more time to develop than what they are doing now.

SirMoogie.9263:

Pacifica.9576:

To add insult to injury, the next release on the release page appears to be super adventure box…

Actually this is great news. They should keep the box in, add to it slowly as it’s easy to develop new content for. They can use this time to refocus their efforts on the game they promised in the manifesto. I am by no means saying this should be the only content added, but from a living story standpoint they need more time to develop than what they are doing now.

Although I personally don’t like SAB I enjoy that the community pretty unanimously loves it and once again I respect it because it seems like thought and passion went into. I pretty much get along with most content even if it is not for me as long as it doesn’t seem like it was poorly put together.

jweez.7214:

Elbegast.6970:

jweez.7214:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/short-story-what-scarlet-saw/

Haven’t read this yet, but I figured anyone who would post here likely cares a great deal about the lore so I figured I’d inform you of it.

I care a great deal about the lore but if it isn’t in-game, I’m not reading it. I’m don’t support this kitten poor extra-game storytelling.

I agree with you aside from the I’m not going to read it part. This story while-very interesting-is not a suitable replacement for in game lore. There is no suitable replacement for in game lore. But it makes me wonder, why the hell didn’t ANET put that part into to the LS update?

I gotta say i was more upset that they had NOTHING from this blog post in game then anything else, i personally LOVE this patch (minus the Zergvasions, they’re cool but i hate zerging), Scarlet is easily one of my favorite characters, and the mystery of her is a good portion why!

I’m hoping something similar to how the Mad King Thorn’s scavenger hunt loreapalooza will be added for Scarlet, i’d LOVE to stumble across that Asura strung up like a thorny pinata(sp?)!

PS: Super Adventure Box may be the greatest thing ever added to GW2 in my opinion.

The queen didn’t get kidnapped and if an amazing story with no holes is so easy, can you please make a story in GW2 that coincides with the lore (without retcons, mind you)?

matjazmuhic.1649:

Tachenon.5270:

Atlas.9704:

No doubt in future updates we’ll probably get bits and pieces more of her and why she’s doing it.

Previous living story updates have ensured that I no longer care about future living story updates.

My thoughts exactly.

Mine too

SirMoogie.9263:

Pacifica.9576:

To add insult to injury, the next release on the release page appears to be super adventure box…

Actually this is great news. They should keep the box in, add to it slowly as it’s easy to develop new content for. They can use this time to refocus their efforts on the game they promised in the manifesto. I am by no means saying this should be the only content added, but from a living story standpoint they need more time to develop than what they are doing now.

sorry, i think i wasnt very clear. I enjoy the super adventure box, I just question the timing of revealing the gw2 equivalent of joker and then having tyria play video games. While normally i’d agree with your second part, they had half a year to build up scarlet.

Esplen.3940:

The queen didn’t get kidnapped and if an amazing story with no holes is so easy, can you please make a story in GW2 that coincides with the lore (without retcons, mind you)?

I can take you up on that, but I’m half afraid of writing something for the lovely people I’ve annoyed to go to town on once I post it.

On paper I loved the idea of the living story. The way I understood it originally is that they would add more story to the game every so often which had me giddy. But when I had read “story to the game” I expected that it would use the base GW2 lore as a blue print.

Its been a year since launch and we still haven’t seen any movement to rid Tyria of something that is supposed to be a serious threat.

From my perspective there was LOADS of things that could have been expanded on from the original lore so many places that could have been opened and toyed with. I personally would love to see more areas implemented under the premise of pushing back corruption. Perhaps start pushing areas back towards Eye of the north/Charr Home lands?

I guess all I am really trying to say is that the Living Story at the moment doesn’t feel like we are going anywhere to the paths that the original guild wars lore/story lines put us on.

I understand where you’re coming from. I assumed the Living Story would bring forth story based off of the current lore/stories ingame as opposed to creating new stories from nothing. There are hundreds of untold stories ingame yet Arenanet insists upon creating a new tale out of nothing. In fact, a lot of the Living Story doesn’t fit in the lore of the GW universe, but what can we do? Retcon the makers of the game?

Well the invasions are not that bad, they could be better but it’s also hectic fun.
They could have made the foes spawn and conquer the map, but they randomly just stay there waiting to get attacked.
Not a mastermind behind these attacks

This is the thread I expected to see when I went to add my own comments on ANets new every two week updates, but better. It begins with a well written post from jweez concerning the depth of this new content and quickly follows with many other well written posts from so many of you that share my views.

Still for ANets sake, as I assume that someone trolls these forums, I’m going to add my thought to the many here. This is the most rushed feeling, sloppy, cluster f—-udge of an addition I’ve seen since Bioware chased millions of their SWTOR players away with total crap. It’s so bad that my girlfriend wouldn’t even complete watching the closing ceremony. The only saving grace there is that the content is so bad and the reward so lame neither of us cares if we complete it.

What we got out of this update is a new villain who, in addition to her other many villainous talents, can add ventriloquist of bad dialog. Her lips didn’t even move as she flew around the arena at the closing ceremony. Divinity’s Reach loads like the game is still in Alpha. Not even during the beta weekends did I hover in blue sky for several seconds while the game renders the world in chunks around me. Not even when Divinity’s Reach was the mecca of insanity in the pit was the game incapable of rendering properly. This tells me almost more than anything else (and the list is long) just how rushed the programmers are to meet some ill-conceived marketing ploy foisted on them by management that’s quickly outliving its usefulness.

Please ANet stop producing crap just to show you can produce something every two weeks. What in heaven’s name leads you to believe that your players want one zerg after another after another after another? Is that all we get to expect for the future? It might work for 12 year old’s with 6 second attention spans, but I fail to see how you expect to retain your mature player base with this flotsam.

To top it off, you pick this weekend to offer a free trial. Every single player I’ve asked has echoed my thoughts; if what we see happening in game right now was our first look at GW2, we would walk away. I think it’s safe to say that a high percentage of first toons made are human. So it follows that the first look these trial players will experience is standing in blue sky above nothingness as they wait for the city to render around them. Wow! That was some solid thinking.

Please ANet, before GW2 follows in the footsteps of SWTOR, cook your content until its ready and stop the madness before the whole game die-die die-die die-die-dies!

aspirine.6852:

Well the invasions are not that bad, they could be better but it’s also hectic fun.
They could have made the foes spawn and conquer the map, but they randomly just stay there waiting to get attacked.
Not a mastermind behind these attacks

Not meant to be sarcastic now but I’m sure that we will get an explanation in the next Short story
What’s the next thing that I’m almost sure of:
the Super Adventure Box we ought to get in next update is to chill the humors that arose – no one complaint about that, everyone wanted more of SAB and now we will get it, so it’s all ok. It’s not. It’s addition, nice one but again isn’t it to distract playerbase from serious problems with the game? Is it connected at all with what’s happening?
Please not another far-fetched plot.
I really hope that the next update will contain more than SAB. More than skins for it and grinding without using our characters but their representation within SAB (separate skills, etc.).
GW2 now tosses without purpose, it’s chaotic, it’s tiring, it’s sad and should be looked into ASAP!

Edit:
Another thread about how “great” this game now feels:
What is it all about

Elbegast.6970:

boredinbc.2786:

Something to consider is that this update is designed to be long lasting. The grind is getting old at this moment since everyone is busy doing it on repeat, after this next week and a half passes, the invasions will slow considerably.

Which is what people wanted – recurring, repeatable open world content. I consider a grand invasion to be a step up from adding just another claw, or SB.

No, that’s not what we wanted at all. We wanted more zone-by-zone storytelling through chained dynamic events….events that would have a permanent and visible impact on the zone and it’s surroundings.
What we got, instead, with this update was nothing more than a rolling zerg on an hourly schedule.

AMEN! Zergs are grand fun for about a day. Hourly zergs suck. Good dynamic events that move the world forward are what we want.

Elbegast.6970:

It takes a strong person to admit they were wrong. I only wish ArenaNet would do it as well. I loved this game until the Living Story reared it’s ugly head. Now, I have learned to loathe the new content before it’s even released. ‘Fool me twice, shame on me’ and what not.

I wish they’d say they were wrong about the ranger pet and give us a perma-stow option. Looks like we’re both going to be disappointed.