Guild Wars 2

“It really is all about you”
I would like to contradict that statement in three ways. First of all, a disclaimer. I loved the personal story. Second to SWTOR, GW2’s story was branching, epic in scale, lovely written and mostly fair. However, along my journey I noticed several flaws that I would like to address. First of all, is it really all about you? To quote Rhee Sosebee, “the most important thing in a MMO should be the player.” – then why do I feel like the second, the third, or the fourth most important thing in the story? I have read the complaints about Trahearne and I agree with most of them, however, after playing through 4 races and 4 stories I still feel that the character remains a sideliner watching the action. You saved the fort? You fought Zhaitan? You saved hundreds of lives? None of it matters at the end, because you are still a second in command in Orr, and while the congratulations are in order, I still feel that my character plays on the sides – doing the vital things but never getting recognition. What I liked about SWTOR’s story was simply the fact that you had great recognition and felt IMPORTANT at the end of the story. Guild Wars 2 simply fails for me to feel that way. Removing Trahearne might be the right step, but it is not the only problem. My character feels unable to think by himself, always following orders or doing someone else’s bidding. He/she is very agreeing with everyone who puts a suggestion to him, I cannot count the number of times my sylvari has said “I agree” “Let’s do this” “You’re right”. Maybe instead, the story paths branch from ideas your character has on his own for once?
The personal story is excellent, however these nagging issues still feel that “Its not really all about you.”

I have to agree sadly, I wont go into the past “Arcs” since many valid complaints were made already. But the future of it looks bleak.

Lets take the latest living story update for example. I’l even make it a small recap (may contain small spoilers)
You get mail (the most generic mail ever as if they don’t give a…) to come to a closing ceremony. You enter the instance, watch a cut scene were a side character gets more screen time that your character (well actually you get none). OK after its done you have a fight on your hands. Naturally you do the clean up duty while you have no idea what the “main” heroes are doing. After all baddies are done for you go to were the “heroes” have gathered an literally just stand there on stairs listening in how tough their life is and how important they are (again nobody really cares if you are there or even acknowledges your presence). Then one smart Charr has a great plan what to do next, the problem is she wont do it herself, nor anyone else for that matter. So here we go again, like a true hero with no pay or gratitude you go alone to take care of the problem for them. After few hours of running around the maps killing stuff you return to face the big bad villain. (Well her character has “flavor” I give you that) You enter the instance. You see two(and a half) heroes already waiting ready to kick butt. They politely ask you if your ready and once you are they follow you to battle. 3 min latter they decide they they are gonna stay behind to protect hostages you rescued (lazy kittens (cute)) So again you go alone to take care of everything. After the deed is done you see all the “heroes” gather again, they talk, complain, argue, brag or just being stupid… they story grows and continues and yours… well sidelines are your domain ‘sigh’

Well that’s the gist of it, this short instance actually shows the Anets whole take on “your” personal story. All you do is listen and watch npc characters grow and interact while all you do is watch and fight their fights for them. And as far as we know they are going to play and even bigger role and evolve. While your character…

You have a home instance that you never go to, rescued sister that you never see again, war band you gather to never be heard of again, Orders you join only to leave them few moments latter, dragons slayed that nobody really seem to care about etc.

It’s really not the personal story they so passionately advertised, and as its stands is one of the great things that could have been but just never happened.

I don’t want to sound like a complainer, but living story isn’t much of a story – people go from one zerg to another, which, at least is Isle of Janthir, is filled with farmers. Arenanet needs to focus on giving people incentive to go back to the open world, incentive to do the meta events and noone does anymore, incentive to experience Tyria. Instead, the bulk of the population is either a) dungeon running b) In Lion Arch or c) Finding where the next world boss is and zerging it.

+1 I am simply going to support anyone who posts about our awful personal stories after we joined a legion.

Branching?

Lolno.

Anonmly.2436:

I have read the complaints about Trahearne and I agree with most of them, however, after playing through 4 races and 4 stories I still feel that the character remains a sideliner watching the action.

I dunno, my characters were right in the middle of the action, blood and gore (not depicted), smoke and ash all around them. Depends what type of ‘action’ you want, i guess.

Anonmly.2436:

You saved the fort? You fought Zhaitan? You saved hundreds of lives? None of it matters at the end, because you are still a second in command in Orr, and while the congratulations are in order, I still feel that my character plays on the sides – doing the vital things but never getting recognition.

It would be silly to have the player be the leader, because it wouldn’t make sense to have all the players be the leader of the Pact. Second in command is hardly better at all, actually. We should only be the leader of a squad, at best. Non-Charr characters should have a few NPCs assigned to them once the Pact gets going, and Charr characters should get to have their ’band mates with them.

Pretty much what Tikky said. Player Characters should have been part of an elite force (within the larger one that is the Pact) that was formed to battle Zhaitan and the rest of the Elder Dragons. trying to make each PC unique and as if they were the only hero of the story failed on so many levels it’s not even funny.

Anonmly.2436:

My character feels unable to think by himself, always following orders or doing someone else’s bidding. He/she is very agreeing with everyone who puts a suggestion to him, I cannot count the number of times my sylvari has said “I agree” “Let’s do this” “You’re right”. Maybe instead, the story paths branch from ideas your character has on his own for once?
The personal story is excellent, however these nagging issues still feel that “Its not really all about you.”

Quoting myself, I still feel that the illusion of player “choice” gives way when you realize that all of the decisions are pretty much made for you – they are just slight variations on each that your characters choose between. I agree with Tikky, perhaps our character could even be the leader of an elite strike group or something, and I recgonize that Trahearne is needed from a lore perspective, you can’t really say “Player A defeated Zhaitan blah blah bah”. I just wish that our characters were more than mindless drones following orders without thinking for themselves or something. TL;DR: Player characters are one dimensional.

this shouldn’t be a topic, this should be part of the consolidated “everyone hates trahearne” thread… everything OP has talked about is a problem with trahearne and not a general personal story problem……

I dont even care about Trahearne, I do care however…about the lazy design of the the personal story past you pick an order to join. “oh, this lizard risen is actually an orrian spy” …“claw island” …“retake it”, “your mentor dies”, hence and repeat. It might be OK the first time around, but once you want to breach into a different story with a different order to choose, it just goes straight forward into the gutter. Nothing personalizied about the same events being acted out by different characters with the same outcome.

@BlackWing: The fact that the player character is a complete non-entity in the living story is one of my biggest issues as well. For all its flaws — and there are many, a lack of depth, personality and actual RP choices among them — the personal story at least allows us to participate. The living story does not. As I have said before, it makes me feel like a trained animal, not a person, except that Frostbite is more of a character than I get to be.

Tikky.6231:

Anonmly.2436:

I have read the complaints about Trahearne and I agree with most of them, however, after playing through 4 races and 4 stories I still feel that the character remains a sideliner watching the action.

I dunno, my characters were right in the middle of the action, blood and gore (not depicted), smoke and ash all around them. Depends what type of ‘action’ you want, i guess.

Anonmly.2436:

You saved the fort? You fought Zhaitan? You saved hundreds of lives? None of it matters at the end, because you are still a second in command in Orr, and while the congratulations are in order, I still feel that my character plays on the sides – doing the vital things but never getting recognition.

It would be silly to have the player be the leader, because it wouldn’t make sense to have all the players be the leader of the Pact. Second in command is hardly better at all, actually. We should only be the leader of a squad, at best. Non-Charr characters should have a few NPCs assigned to them once the Pact gets going, and Charr characters should get to have their ’band mates with them.

But it makes sense for there to be a seperate Pact and Trahearne for each character? How is that any different from just having each character be the leader of their Pact?

Face it, your reasoning is just a cop out.

The Personal Story is solo content and therefore there is zero reasoning why your character could not be the leader seeing as you are the only player who interacts with your personal story quest chain which takes place outside of the game world in personal instanced zones.

you gotta remember that Anet’s in america, and that the personal story is a reflection of the current political situation, and how civilians/ordinary ppl are just suppose to follow and agree with their governments plans to make war, for me (and you can call me mad) that thinkings evident in the personal story, where its like we’re the self proclaimed good guys and you’re not suppose to question command just follow orders.

Your always the one agreeing with ideas, or helping someone else. I wan’t to feel like the amazing guy who saved the day. Not the janitor no one know, but helps clean kitten up. I wan’t to be in charge. I want to be the one most remembered.

Agreed with Bob, Anet, if there is any future personal story, please, please, make my character grow a brain and speak for himself.

speak for himself.