Good day, and first let me say thank you for taking the time to read this.
From day one of pre-access these are the two biggest issues I have had with the game. Mind you, this is my point of view of each system and what I don’t like about them. I will put them each into a spoiler tag because they are both walls of text, the alternatives will be neither.
1. Meaningful Achievements
This topic has been discussed before, but what I mean is something people probably haven’t thought of. And in-fact this is the main reason I stopped playing. Funnily, it wasn’t the un-rewarding WvW content, or the lack any real endgame (this was even before Fractals). It was the fact that achievement points were awarded for doing dailies/monthlies. To some i’m sure this reason is silly and mundane, but I play these games to Achieve. Epic Mounts and Titles through Achievements? I’m on it.
To put it into perspective, I started playing World of Warcraft in Cataclysm, a very short time ago considering the games life, but I am already over the 10k Achievement point mark and would be much higher if I decided to do the Holiday Events. That is how I play the game, that is where I find value. Awarding achievement points for doing dailies/monthlies devalues how I play. There’s no other way I can see to put it. I, personally, do not have the time to log on every single day to do the daily so I can compete in the field I like to compete in. Why should I even bother then? I’m sure many of you might not share my sentiments on this, but there must be some of you that do.
The alternative I have dicussed with some friends is to separate them. Achievement Points and World Points. Accumulating World Point can show how active you are in the World, performing dailies and monthlies.
2. Costume/Skin Management
Guild Wars 1’s system for this was excellent. Purchase the desired costume from a vendor for free after you have bought it and then wear it. Simple. Clean. Easy.
Guild Wars 2’s system is something that I can only describe as greedy, to be frank with you. And I felt the same way since pre-access. I bought the skins (Krytan and so on) the night they were released. I have been wearing Krytan since day one. I am sick of Krytan armor, but no, I can’t get rid of it because it cost 500 gems so I have to store it in my bank. But oh no, the bank is beginning to fill. Whatever can I do? Well purchase a new bank tab of course! And lets not forget the fact of the special transmutation stones that must be used to infuse armor!
The transmutation stones, I’m willing to accept. Sure, I see the need to put in some for of money making mechanism. But currently how it is set up, the entire system of customizing your character is built towards you spending money in some way. I can say, without doubt, that buying Krytan, and the other two, were the biggest mistakes I’ve ever made in this game. It has only caused me frustration and I’m sick of my Thief looking like a Hunter/Pirate.
The alternative. Go back to the old Guild Wars 1 system. A vendor allows you to purchase your items you have bought through the shop and you can use these items how you wish. Destroy, use a transmutation stone on an item to change its appearance, or buy more and fill your bank with them!
Thanks for reading, to anyone who read it all, and I’d love to hear what anyone else thinks!
Cultus Cthulum [CULT]
Blackgate [BG]
