After reading through a couple of threads and attempting to understand different viewpoints on the new Tequatl revamp, I’ve come to a conclusion of my own. Before I state it though, I would like to clarify that:
- I’m not against challenging content in INSTANCED areas.
- I’m not against anti-zerg mechanics in world boss fights.
- I’m not against people using voice chat clients to complete content faster/more effectively.
- If ArenaNet is against raids/increased party size in dungeons because “it takes too long for people to form groups” then why would they pull a 180 on that philosophy for an open world boss?
Open world boss events shouldn’t require voice chat programs to be completed. In fact, I would even say that it’s a strict requirement. I’ve yet to hear rumors of a specific server, not an overflow, that has defeated Tequatl without strong cooperation/communication through voice chat programs (mumble, skype, ventrilo, teamspeak, etc). I did hear a rumor that an overflow has completed the Tequatl event though, but again I wouldn’t doubt it if voice chat programs were involved in the success of the overflow.
There are barriers to this however, and it’s worse in overflows.
- Not everyone has a voice chat program installed on their computer, own mics, and/or are willing to listen/speak with strangers just to defeat an open world boss. Even in main servers, not everyone wants to interact with strangers past text chat for the sake of completing an event. It’s fine if this sort of interaction is optional, but once you make it a requirement it’s crossing a line.
- The time between each encounter with Tequatl. It puts people to sleep/AFK and turret players are no exception. An entire zerg of lives depending the experience and knowledge of six people on turrets is a step in the WRONG direction.
- Unofficial Tequatl-slaying servers (BG, TC, etc).
1) Low pop servers do not have the numbers or the coordination to beat him, thus guesting over to such servers.
2) Players native to those servers are automatically kicked down to overflows when they paid large amounts of gems to be on that server in the first place.
- Eventually, higher priorities will get in the way of the guilds who coordinate for these world boss fights, ending the prime time of successful Tequatl runs.
But supporters of Tequatl are right about one thing, there has to be large-scale events that require good organization and communication, unfortunately ArenaNet’s priority list doesn’t have guilds, you know.. in GUILD Wars 2, at the top of the list. No Guild Halls, No instanced Guild Missions where the progress isn’t stolen by another guild following behind, no Guild vs Guild (which plagues World vs World in certain corners), etc. Supporters of the revamped Tequatl want harder, much more challenging group content because let’s face it.. dungeons are pretty Easy Mode right now. Isn’t it the best time to introduce Elite Missions/Dungeons into GW2? That way, ArenaNet can revamp the current dungeons without going overboard and still Tequatl’fy content, making them Elite Dungeons.
Implementing, or even mentioning, raids has a stigma in the Guild Wars community. But turning world boss fights into kittening raids isn’t the answer.
I’m not saying that world bosses should be killed in seconds, just don’t make it so that the success of the mission revolves around 6 people who may or may not be at the keyboard, inexperienced, or both. No wonder voice chat is heavily recommended for the new Tequatl, that’s where ArenaNet went wrong and at this point they would have to either:
- Increase the amount of poison field-cleansing turrets in the area.
- Nerf Tequatl’s poison fields.