Guild Wars 2

I just noticed a fair few posts in this section heavily critiquing some of the writing in game, and I’m not here to overly glorify the writers, I just hope they don’t get too discouraged by all the criticism because people can be quite picky and have very personal opinions above all else, however I doubt any of them are professional writers.

All in all a TON of content was written, in the stories alone and then a few more tons all over the world, half of it spoken even. It all can’t be amazing, or it would have never been finished! A lot of fantastic jokes have been snuck in and quite frankly I think this is just as important! Sometimes when you’re running around doing busy work (which has been GREATLY reduced by some smart decisions in this game) it just really brightens the mood when something hilarious or out of context happens.

Thanks for all the effort guys!

Welcome to the age of the internet, where there are 2 million people who all think they could do it better, and by the law of averages alone thousands of them are probably right.

It’s a scary time to be an artist in any field. The illusions of monoculture and meritocracy have both been fairly well dispelled. It can be really difficult to admit to yourself that you’ll never be the best at what you do – and that you may not ever even create the best version of the piece of art you set out to create – and nevertheless retain the necessary ambition and discipline to be a productive artist. The grander the scope of your project, the more tempting it is to isolate yourself (or your group) in a hermetically sealed bubble just to avoid any existential crises that might derail you. But I think the AAA video game industry – especially over the past year, and especially as applied to storytelling – has been teaching a hard lesson about that approach. It doesn’t seem to produce top-quality results all that often. I think highly critical outside eyes and ears need to be brought into these types of projects far earlier.

Oh, I know I couldn’t do better. And probably most of the people who are complaining would agree that they couldn’t do better on their own. There is a LOT of writing/story in this game and the fact that they have managed to pull it all off this well is quite the feat.

The problem is that “choice” is one thing the game gets right in just about every way EXCEPT in the case of the high lvl personal-story. I’ll admit I haven’t finished my own personal story (not quite lvl 60), but it sounds like once you get past a certain point you no longer have any significant “choice” of how the personal story progresses. This is contrary to everything that came previously. You chose your race, faction, past event, and Order. And even though you only have 3 choices for an Order, you are then given a number of ways to help the order you do chose. What significant choice is there after the lvl 50 story quest? By the sound of it, not even the previous significant choices have any influence.

THAT is why people are complaining: not because people think they can do better, but because GW2 builds up a promise of “choice” and then does not live up to it.

Great post OP, and I agree. I’ve offered some critique on the writing in personal story (and I actually am a writer by trade) but I wouldn’t begin to say I can do it “better.” This game is stunning in terms of the writing and all of the content. The huge amount of voice work and detail in the stories just blows away other games. Every day I find new things to love about the experience. I’ve gotten to 80, and my only real issue with my story is the post-Claw Island quests and Trahearne’s character. I agree that you seem to lose touch with the choices you made earlier in your story quests, and I found myself longing for a return to the pre-level 30 story quests around home. Everything else has just been wonderful.

“I don’t trust lip-smilers.”
“Lip-smilers?”
“People who smile with just lips. They’re obviously hiding something.”

Heard this dialogue section dozens of times — still chuckle every time. Keep up the great work ANet. =)

The OP is flawed and fallacious. I don’t have to be a master chef to know when something tastes bad. I don’t have to be a professional film critic to know what I don’t like about a movie.

And I don’t need to be a writer to know when dialogue sucks.

There are a handful of reasons why the writing in this game needs an overhaul (there are a lot of good pieces of dialogue, but there are also a lot of very very bad pieces of dialogue), and while I may or may not be able to write something better than the writers for this game, that has absolutely no bearing on whether or not the writing it actually good.

Just out of curiosity, what makes a dialogue bad? English is not my first language but I am good enough to understand the stuff being said. Aside from that, I have not encountered any dialogue that I thought was bad. I listen to a conversation, when it’s done I move on with the related story/event. Not once have I gone “OMG that was terible!”

Maybe someone could show me an example of a bad dialogue in game?

Mouhappai.5406:

Just out of curiosity, what makes a dialogue bad? English is not my first language but I am good enough to understand the stuff being said. Aside from that, I have not encountered any dialogue that I thought was bad. I listen to a conversation, when it’s done I move on with the related story/event. Not once have I gone “OMG that was terible!”

Maybe someone could show me an example of a bad dialogue in game?

It’s about reading/hearing a conversation between two people and being able to believe that these two characters could actually exist in the real world. The tone most cutscene dialogue takes is very hard to take seriously, because it sounds stilted and fake. It sounds more like two people reading a script for the first time, rather than two people having an actual conversation.

And that sort of thing usually boils down to how the script is written. The words chosen, their inflection, that sort of thing.

There’s more to good fiction than just telling the reader about events that happen.

Sycophancy does not make for good criticism, critiquing, or general observations. All it does is facilitate a group-think mindset where everyone toes the party line and any and all straying is met with hostility and locked ranks. Insulting critics by dismissing them due to a lack of professional participation is poor behavior. It’s what has gotten Bioware in a lot of trouble when their ardent fans consider any dissagreement to be dissident which much be squashed.

If this forum exists simply to be an echo chamber of applauds…well, it wouldn’t. Arenanet are good developers who want an engaging audience, and not simply to hear empty and pleasing words. And you are doing absolutely no good by coming in and challenging dissidents to silence because they aren’t simply singing empty praise of Arenanet. We wouldn’t be here, playing and offering views on the game if we weren’t fans.

One cannot point to the magntitude of writing as an excuse for the widespread disappointment in the Trahearne/endgame story. If anything, that should be the most important and prioritized part of the personal story. Yet as Belian says, the promise of choice is diminished rather than enhanced as time goes on.

There’s no dancing around the fact – Trahearne is horribly presented as a character. Those who have expressed approval are in the minority and many have even taken to unfairly mock the “This is your story” theme by joking “This is Trahearne’s story – not yours. You don’t matter”. Which is a strong impression given in the later levels. The term Mary Sue is thrown around absurdly, yet he really fits the bill to a T:

1) He shows up randomly (even for Sylvari who interacted with him, he treats them he never met them) in medias res to the storyline. Despite this, we are told, not shown (Like Greyfeld notes) how he is this awesome super special firstborn who is widely respected and beloved by everyone who ever meets him. As my friend noted, he is “a character whose overimpressive qualifications and forced heroism detract from the story rather than enhance it”. Compare this to characters we meet and get to watch develop and prove themselves (Tybalt, Magister Sieran), or the Destiny’s Edge characters we are very familiar with the exploits of.

2) He’s destined to cleanse Orr. From what I understand Sylvari player’s Wyld Hunt of killing Zhaitan is marginalized, while Trahearne’s wyld hunt is magnified. So the player is mitigated at the cost of Trahearne.

3) Despite being a scholarly study of Orr, he’s randomly chosen for the almighty position of Warmarshal. Then he suddenly develops ‘brilliant’ warmarshalling and everyone applauds his speeches and strategies. You, however, are constantly given doubt (both self, such as fighting the Mouth, and external, from the Asuran Explosive’s wive) to your performance.

4) He always has some superpower perfect for the situation at hand from his necromacy.

5) He’s given Tyria’s equivalent to Narsil.

I am at the cusp of completing the campaign so I cannot comment further. But I’ve met only one individual who liked Trahearne (and he’s practically a Sylvari nationalist) and another who was ambivalent. I don’t mind a setting which has the character not being the great big hero. However, those settings don’t shove a great big hero in the player’s face and let them claim the player’s glory. This feels like one is playing Seleucus I Nicator while Alexander the Great takes all the glory, or some minor Arthurian Knight who plays Dr. Phil to getting Arthur and Lancelot and the rest of the round table back together. Ultimately, the experience reminds me of how many depicted Kormir.

I’m personally also not a fan of how important Destiny’s Edge factors into the story, how we are quite literally told we’re nothing more than “A catalyst” to their re-creation. We’re also given very little means to like the members of Destiny’s Edge prior to their patching up. I find Thackeray and Zojja to be loathsome. Eir’s spinelessness is tiresome, and I am only sympathetic to Caithe and Rytlock because they have to deal with those three buffoons. All the likable and engaging characters Among others, the asuran explosive experts (Tomm?), each of the Order representatives usually end up dying.

How I would have done it? Caithe and Destiny’s Edge realize they cannot be put back together again. They facilitate the player’s development of a new Destiny’s Edge. It would consist of the Whisper’s Tybalt, Priory’s Magister Sieran, Vigil’s Warmaster Forgal, then maybe Zojja or another Asuran.

Thus, you would feel like you are going on your own adventure, rather than hitch-hiking on another’s group.

I will be buying Guild Wars 2 expansions in times to come. I am praying that we will not have Destiny’s Edge, and I’ll even offer sacrifice to Abbadon to keep Trahearne from joining us. The story should be the player’s. Not Trahearne’s. Not Destinty’s Edge.

Soooooo about those early game characters… where did they go….?

Kyosuke Dei.3216:

Soooooo about those early game characters… where did they go….?

The same place the rest of the story went, absolutely nowhere, Trahearne took over. Nothing is done with them after they are finished with their dialogue.

Greyfeld.7104:

Mouhappai.5406:

Just out of curiosity, what makes a dialogue bad? English is not my first language but I am good enough to understand the stuff being said. Aside from that, I have not encountered any dialogue that I thought was bad. I listen to a conversation, when it’s done I move on with the related story/event. Not once have I gone “OMG that was terible!”

Maybe someone could show me an example of a bad dialogue in game?

It’s about reading/hearing a conversation between two people and being able to believe that these two characters could actually exist in the real world. The tone most cutscene dialogue takes is very hard to take seriously, because it sounds stilted and fake. It sounds more like two people reading a script for the first time, rather than two people having an actual conversation.

And that sort of thing usually boils down to how the script is written. The words chosen, their inflection, that sort of thing.

There’s more to good fiction than just telling the reader about events that happen.

Thanks, I guess I’m probably just not listening enough to English speakers in a conversation to come to a conclusion like that. Reading is my forte, but not listening or speaking. But even then, I still don’t think it’s as terrible as people make it out to be.

Mouhappai.5406:

Greyfeld.7104:

Mouhappai.5406:

Just out of curiosity, what makes a dialogue bad? English is not my first language but I am good enough to understand the stuff being said. Aside from that, I have not encountered any dialogue that I thought was bad. I listen to a conversation, when it’s done I move on with the related story/event. Not once have I gone “OMG that was terible!”

Maybe someone could show me an example of a bad dialogue in game?

It’s about reading/hearing a conversation between two people and being able to believe that these two characters could actually exist in the real world. The tone most cutscene dialogue takes is very hard to take seriously, because it sounds stilted and fake. It sounds more like two people reading a script for the first time, rather than two people having an actual conversation.

And that sort of thing usually boils down to how the script is written. The words chosen, their inflection, that sort of thing.

There’s more to good fiction than just telling the reader about events that happen.

Thanks, I guess I’m probably just not listening enough to English speakers in a conversation to come to a conclusion like that. Reading is my forte, but not listening or speaking. But even then, I still don’t think it’s as terrible as people make it out to be.

As somebody who watches a lot of subbed anime, I understand where you’re coming from. When you’re not listening to your native language, it can be hard to discern the nuances of the dialogue.

It should be noted that the story itself isn’t horrible, as far as it goes. It’s the way it’s written that’s horrible. It’s the difference between idea and application.

I’m loving the writing ’till now. Both in the Personal Story and in the open world.
Just go around and listen to a Skritt speaking.
Or go in Rata Sum and listen to the Progeny Speaking. “Your Mother IQ is so low!” is one of the funniest piecies of dialogue I ever heard in a MMO, guys. xDDDDD

I find alot of the random diaglogue to be entertaining, I also find that yeah I was hitching-hiking onto someone elses story. Needless to say among other things the personal story was supposed to be “completely soloable” which turns out to be rubbish consider the most important part of the story, the ending, is set in a dungeon. Not to mention, unless you do story mode of all of the other dungeons at least 1 time you miss out on the entirety of the story that is the story you are hitch hiking on.

p.s. charr kids have the attitude of skyrim children >.>

Sorry to say this to all of you but there is not one thing in this game that is not an improvement from Guild Wars. Enjoy what you have been given for goodness sake. Nothing is perfect however the team at Anet have nearly done that. You are experiencing their work their hearts and souls and creativity went into this. You all are just criticizing and nitpicking until they feel so disheartened they change things that were fine. So please stop. Anet the worlds you have created both in GW2 and Gw1 have enchanted me since I was 12 I now am an adult and I can say that I applaud you all for your skill and artistry. Thank You!

Dawn.6917

Sorry to say this to all of you but there is not one thing in this game that is not an improvement from Guild Wars. Enjoy what you have been given for goodness sake. Nothing is perfect however the team at Anet have nearly done that. You are experiencing their work their hearts and souls and creativity went into this. You all are just criticizing and nitpicking until they feel so disheartened they change things that were fine. So please stop. Anet the worlds you have created both in GW2 and Gw1 have enchanted me since I was 12 I now am an adult and I can say that I applaud you all for your skill and artistry. Thank You!

Never played guild wars 1. I find in this game my personal story is only personal up until I met a certain someone, then it felt just like playing oblivion. Then the epic final boss of the game and end of the story, after “slaying” him, all the regular guards or citizens just speak to me like I’m so ordinary nobody citizen that did nothing. Feels great.

[edit] myspoiler tags didn’t work so had to rework some text -.-

I think Meloncat has said it the best so far.

Side note: I keep trying to leave Trahearne for dead every time he dies in an instance, but the other NPCs keep reviving him, even that Norn Priory NPC that rezzes NOBODY..ever..except Trahearne.
I keep hoping if I can leave Trahearne dead, that I can have my Tybalt back.
I miss Tybalt. A lot!
Soaps bring characters back from the dead, and turn heroes into traitors all the time. It’s easy. #hinthinthintbegplead

Dawn.6917:

Sorry to say this to all of you but there is not one thing in this game that is not an improvement from Guild Wars. Enjoy what you have been given for goodness sake. Nothing is perfect however the team at Anet have nearly done that. You are experiencing their work their hearts and souls and creativity went into this. You all are just criticizing and nitpicking until they feel so disheartened they change things that were fine. So please stop. Anet the worlds you have created both in GW2 and Gw1 have enchanted me since I was 12 I now am an adult and I can say that I applaud you all for your skill and artistry. Thank You!

So sorry, never played GW1.

You can squee and fanboy all you’d like, and I applaud the effort that’s gone into this game (there is plenty to like, which is why I’m still playing), but I’m not going to keep my opinions to myself on what needs improvement. So, you can plug your ears and go, “LALALALALA” while I actually try to help Anet improve their game, for the benefit of everyone.

Greyfeld.7104:

Dawn.6917:

Sorry to say this to all of you but there is not one thing in this game that is not an improvement from Guild Wars. Enjoy what you have been given for goodness sake. Nothing is perfect however the team at Anet have nearly done that. You are experiencing their work their hearts and souls and creativity went into this. You all are just criticizing and nitpicking until they feel so disheartened they change things that were fine. So please stop. Anet the worlds you have created both in GW2 and Gw1 have enchanted me since I was 12 I now am an adult and I can say that I applaud you all for your skill and artistry. Thank You!

So sorry, never played GW1.

You can squee and fanboy all you’d like, and I applaud the effort that’s gone into this game (there is plenty to like, which is why I’m still playing), but I’m not going to keep my opinions to myself on what needs improvement. So, you can plug your ears and go, “LALALALALA” while I actually try to help Anet improve their game, for the benefit of everyone.

Obviously not for the benefit of everyone if someone obviously expresses an opinion other than your own. Go ahead – give your opinions. No one’s stopping you. But you know what? I’m of the opinion that someone who has played GW1 does have a little more room to talk than you do. Also, not every piece of criticism that you type is pure gold. And fanboying? Hardly. Maybe we just…I don’t know, like the game the way it was given to us? We don’t not want improvements, but we’re just not seeing the problems other people are. Because we’re blinded by fanboyism? Hardly. We just like the game. We’re not saying “OMG DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT’S SO PEEEERFECT!” I, personally, am saying “I love where this game has gone. There are a few issues, but nothing huge, maybe just some tweaks here or there.” What I read other people saying? “OMG, I hate this! Cut it out of the game! Gimme something new! Kill off this character!” instead of “Could you improve upon this by doing x” or “Maybe re-record this character’s lines and give him some new dialouge?”

riku.2091:

Greyfeld.7104:

Dawn.6917:

Sorry to say this to all of you but there is not one thing in this game that is not an improvement from Guild Wars. Enjoy what you have been given for goodness sake. Nothing is perfect however the team at Anet have nearly done that. You are experiencing their work their hearts and souls and creativity went into this. You all are just criticizing and nitpicking until they feel so disheartened they change things that were fine. So please stop. Anet the worlds you have created both in GW2 and Gw1 have enchanted me since I was 12 I now am an adult and I can say that I applaud you all for your skill and artistry. Thank You!

So sorry, never played GW1.

You can squee and fanboy all you’d like, and I applaud the effort that’s gone into this game (there is plenty to like, which is why I’m still playing), but I’m not going to keep my opinions to myself on what needs improvement. So, you can plug your ears and go, “LALALALALA” while I actually try to help Anet improve their game, for the benefit of everyone.

Obviously not for the benefit of everyone if someone obviously expresses an opinion other than your own. Go ahead – give your opinions. No one’s stopping you. But you know what? I’m of the opinion that someone who has played GW1 does have a little more room to talk than you do.

Since this game is not, in fact, the first Guild Wars game, it should be taken on its own merits (and demerits, as the case may be). Which means that any experience in the first game is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

And I don’t care if somebody expresses their opinion. What I care about is when people tell me that I should shut up, because they don’t agree with me. Those people can go jump off a cliff for all I care, and those sorts of people are the types whose opinions I don’t respect.

riku.2091:

Also, not every piece of criticism that you type is pure gold. And fanboying? Hardly. Maybe we just…I don’t know, like the game the way it was given to us? We don’t not want improvements, but we’re just not seeing the problems other people are. Because we’re blinded by fanboyism? Hardly. We just like the game. We’re not saying “OMG DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT’S SO PEEEERFECT!” I, personally, am saying “I love where this game has gone. There are a few issues, but nothing huge, maybe just some tweaks here or there.” What I read other people saying? “OMG, I hate this! Cut it out of the game! Gimme something new! Kill off this character!” instead of “Could you improve upon this by doing x” or “Maybe re-record this character’s lines and give him some new dialouge?”

I think you should take the time to actually read the posts I’ve made, because it’s obvious you’re lumping me together with other people.

I made a thread about the dialogue here that has gotten a lot of attention. I’ve also been fairly active in a few other threads, where I’ve given civil opinions and feedback for the thread posters, and the developers.

So, if you’re going to get defensive, at least do it with somebody who deserves it, instead of getting your panties in a twist over somebody who’s just trying to improve the game that he loves playing.

Greyfeld.7104:

Since this game is not, in fact, the first Guild Wars game, it should be taken on its own merits (and demerits, as the case may be). Which means that any experience in the first game is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

And I don’t care if somebody expresses their opinion. What I care about is when people tell me that I should shut up, because they don’t agree with me. Those people can go jump off a cliff for all I care, and those sorts of people are the types whose opinions I don’t respect.

riku.2091:

Also, not every piece of criticism that you type is pure gold. And fanboying? Hardly. Maybe we just…I don’t know, like the game the way it was given to us? We don’t not want improvements, but we’re just not seeing the problems other people are. Because we’re blinded by fanboyism? Hardly. We just like the game. We’re not saying “OMG DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT’S SO PEEEERFECT!” I, personally, am saying “I love where this game has gone. There are a few issues, but nothing huge, maybe just some tweaks here or there.” What I read other people saying? “OMG, I hate this! Cut it out of the game! Gimme something new! Kill off this character!” instead of “Could you improve upon this by doing x” or “Maybe re-record this character’s lines and give him some new dialouge?”

I think you should take the time to actually read the posts I’ve made, because it’s obvious you’re lumping me together with other people.

I made a thread about the dialogue here that has gotten a lot of attention. I’ve also been fairly active in a few other threads, where I’ve given civil opinions and feedback for the thread posters, and the developers.

So, if you’re going to get defensive, at least do it with somebody who deserves it, instead of getting your panties in a twist over somebody who’s just trying to improve the game that he loves playing.

I wasn’t trying to lump you. I was pointing out that you merely, in that one instance, were coming off as saying that anyone who takes the time to say “Thanks, I love it!” without pointing out an issue is being a fanboy. And I specifically tried to not specify you in the rant that followed, because it wasn’t about you. If you asked me to think up something I want fixed, I could probably give you 3 answers easily. But I choose not to because many people here have done a fantastic job at pointing out these issues…and directly insulting ANet employees while doing it. Not they do for a fact feel insulted, but there are definitely things being thrown around that are not acceptable to say to someone trying to entertain you. And not that everyone does it. It’s a relatively small amount, but they stick out in my head more.

And yes, I will give you that those are very civil, thoughtful answers.

I think the writing is fine, it’s just the execution was bad. There are several different and more immersive ways they could of handled it.

riku.2091:

Greyfeld.7104:

Since this game is not, in fact, the first Guild Wars game, it should be taken on its own merits (and demerits, as the case may be). Which means that any experience in the first game is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

And I don’t care if somebody expresses their opinion. What I care about is when people tell me that I should shut up, because they don’t agree with me. Those people can go jump off a cliff for all I care, and those sorts of people are the types whose opinions I don’t respect.

riku.2091:

Also, not every piece of criticism that you type is pure gold. And fanboying? Hardly. Maybe we just…I don’t know, like the game the way it was given to us? We don’t not want improvements, but we’re just not seeing the problems other people are. Because we’re blinded by fanboyism? Hardly. We just like the game. We’re not saying “OMG DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT’S SO PEEEERFECT!” I, personally, am saying “I love where this game has gone. There are a few issues, but nothing huge, maybe just some tweaks here or there.” What I read other people saying? “OMG, I hate this! Cut it out of the game! Gimme something new! Kill off this character!” instead of “Could you improve upon this by doing x” or “Maybe re-record this character’s lines and give him some new dialouge?”

I think you should take the time to actually read the posts I’ve made, because it’s obvious you’re lumping me together with other people.

I made a thread about the dialogue here that has gotten a lot of attention. I’ve also been fairly active in a few other threads, where I’ve given civil opinions and feedback for the thread posters, and the developers.

So, if you’re going to get defensive, at least do it with somebody who deserves it, instead of getting your panties in a twist over somebody who’s just trying to improve the game that he loves playing.

I wasn’t trying to lump you. I was pointing out that you merely, in that one instance, were coming off as saying that anyone who takes the time to say “Thanks, I love it!” without pointing out an issue is being a fanboy. And I specifically tried to not specify you in the rant that followed, because it wasn’t about you. If you asked me to think up something I want fixed, I could probably give you 3 answers easily. But I choose not to because many people here have done a fantastic job at pointing out these issues…and directly insulting ANet employees while doing it. Not they do for a fact feel insulted, but there are definitely things being thrown around that are not acceptable to say to someone trying to entertain you. And not that everyone does it. It’s a relatively small amount, but they stick out in my head more.

And yes, I will give you that those are very civil, thoughtful answers.

As I said, I don’t care if somebody disagrees with me. What I care about is when somebody says that all people who have criticisms should just shut up and bask in the glory of the developers’ work, which is obviously a gift from god that we should all be thankful for.

Ok, that was a bit hyperbolic, but you understand where I’m coming from.

Greyfeld.7104:

riku.2091:

Greyfeld.7104:

Since this game is not, in fact, the first Guild Wars game, it should be taken on its own merits (and demerits, as the case may be). Which means that any experience in the first game is completely irrelevant to the discussion.

And I don’t care if somebody expresses their opinion. What I care about is when people tell me that I should shut up, because they don’t agree with me. Those people can go jump off a cliff for all I care, and those sorts of people are the types whose opinions I don’t respect.

riku.2091:

Also, not every piece of criticism that you type is pure gold. And fanboying? Hardly. Maybe we just…I don’t know, like the game the way it was given to us? We don’t not want improvements, but we’re just not seeing the problems other people are. Because we’re blinded by fanboyism? Hardly. We just like the game. We’re not saying “OMG DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING, IT’S SO PEEEERFECT!” I, personally, am saying “I love where this game has gone. There are a few issues, but nothing huge, maybe just some tweaks here or there.” What I read other people saying? “OMG, I hate this! Cut it out of the game! Gimme something new! Kill off this character!” instead of “Could you improve upon this by doing x” or “Maybe re-record this character’s lines and give him some new dialouge?”

I think you should take the time to actually read the posts I’ve made, because it’s obvious you’re lumping me together with other people.

I made a thread about the dialogue here that has gotten a lot of attention. I’ve also been fairly active in a few other threads, where I’ve given civil opinions and feedback for the thread posters, and the developers.

So, if you’re going to get defensive, at least do it with somebody who deserves it, instead of getting your panties in a twist over somebody who’s just trying to improve the game that he loves playing.

I wasn’t trying to lump you. I was pointing out that you merely, in that one instance, were coming off as saying that anyone who takes the time to say “Thanks, I love it!” without pointing out an issue is being a fanboy. And I specifically tried to not specify you in the rant that followed, because it wasn’t about you. If you asked me to think up something I want fixed, I could probably give you 3 answers easily. But I choose not to because many people here have done a fantastic job at pointing out these issues…and directly insulting ANet employees while doing it. Not they do for a fact feel insulted, but there are definitely things being thrown around that are not acceptable to say to someone trying to entertain you. And not that everyone does it. It’s a relatively small amount, but they stick out in my head more.

And yes, I will give you that those are very civil, thoughtful answers.

As I said, I don’t care if somebody disagrees with me. What I care about is when somebody says that all people who have criticisms should just shut up and bask in the glory of the developers’ work, which is obviously a gift from god that we should all be thankful for.

Ok, that was a bit hyperbolic, but you understand where I’m coming from.

But…the museum tells us to be tolerant!

Bassario.3465:

I just noticed a fair few posts in this section heavily critiquing some of the writing in game, and I’m not here to overly glorify the writers, I just hope they don’t get too discouraged by all the criticism because people can be quite picky and have very personal opinions above all else, however I doubt any of them are professional writers.

All in all a TON of content was written, in the stories alone and then a few more tons all over the world, half of it spoken even. It all can’t be amazing, or it would have never been finished! A lot of fantastic jokes have been snuck in and quite frankly I think this is just as important! Sometimes when you’re running around doing busy work (which has been GREATLY reduced by some smart decisions in this game) it just really brightens the mood when something hilarious or out of context happens.

Thanks for all the effort guys!

You don’t have to be able to do it better in order to know that something is wrong.

The same way you don’t have to be a movie director to know if a movie plot works.

The same way you don’t have to be a musician to critique music.

“Writing” actually encompasses a lot of things, many of which are good, some of which are “subpar”. Like with all forms of art, this is subjective (despite there being some general rules to follow).

The dialogue for example, both the writing and the voice-overs, were pretty well done afaik.

The most criticism has been directed at:

1. The story arc(aka. setting up the villain, explaining motivations and backgrounds, twists, etc.
2. The lack of consequences for each decision (in the end, no choice you made really matters)
3. One-dimensional characters

And these critiques have some merit, like it or not. For an MMO the story is never going to play a huge role (except for SWTOR) but given the time and resources invested, I was expecting a better story arc and delivery.