Guild Wars 2

We already know without a doubt that there will 100% be a jumping puzzle for Wintersday.

Here’s how we know: https://www.guildwars2.com/en/media/videos/ (look closely at the image for the latest video).

So, topic discussion is going to be as follows:

-Difficulty of the jumping puzzle.

-Achievements tied to the jumping puzzle.

-Title(s) for the jumping puzzle.

-Rewards for completion.

-Norn/Charr blocking jumping puzzle progression (just kidding ;P)

From the limited image, it looks like large columns surrounded by spiraling stones floating mid-air. There’s distinct ground below them, as seen by the trees (barely), so falling could cause death…though that mist/snow could do a magical ‘teleport’ back to the beginning.

Another thing to note is the snowmen. Not the large ones, but instead the tiny ones spread out on different columns. These could be objective blocks that trigger some AoE frost condition or something of that nature; then again they could throw snowballs at players to knock them off the columns as well.

Edit: Courtesy of Massively.com

The first activity within the snow globe is the Winter Wonderland jumping puzzle. The developers are predicting that players will not find the puzzle easy, but it is meant to be “less frustrating” than the maddening Mad King’s clock tower. Players will still be going through in batches together. Unlike the clock tower jumping puzzle, however, Winter Wonderland starts off with three different paths, which should help the problem of visibility significantly. The path is wider at some points, which means that players will be able to spread out a bit and worry less about tripping over each other or missing a jump because a gigantic Norn or a Charr with oversized pauldrons happens to be nearby. Like the Halloween puzzle, this one is effectively timed: Players will continually be taking frostbite damage, which will erode their health over time.

Edit#2:

The puzzle is a blast. I’ve completed it and encourage anyone looking for a challenge to try it out.

I really hope there isn’t any moving platforms/rocks/etc. Also, hopefully its available very close to the beginning of Winterday, especially if its like the Halloween one, or as difficult/timed like the Tower.

I’m curious if they will put in another achievement for this JP (if it really is on), after what happened with the Halloween one.

As for rewards, hopefully we get something winterday-specific related. Would be really nice to be able to get stuff that will inevitably be BLTC chest only some other way.

Lets hope they enable pvp in it. Oooh the christmas grief would be splendid <3

Rookni.2469:

Lets hope they enable pvp in it. Oooh the christmas grief would be splendid <3

I’m pretty sure that would be the last straw for me. I would have to quit if they ever put something like that in. (I’m probably not the only one)
The Norn/Charr scaling in the Tower was enough of a grief.

I hope it’s harder than the Clocktower so that I can have as much, if not more, fun as I did with that. The hours I spent on the Clocktower are the most memorable for me in years; it was such a blast. I also loved how people complained about the Norn/Charr scaling, yet I succeeded repeatedly and reliably despite it.

It’s so satisfying being able to do the hardest jumping puzzles in the game while others fail and complain about the difficulty on the forums. Call me sadistic, but I think it’s a good thing that only the top X% of the population can succeed at certain content!

For me it has to at least match the difficulty of the Clocktower, I loved it so much. (Especially after flawlessy finishing the puzzle several times in a row and seeing the same people fall down near the end over and over)

If it has moving platforms and rely heavily on speed/timing I am gonna hate it. I love puzzles, but puzzles that stress me because of movement and the need for speed are not fun. At least not to me. It is fine to have them in the game, but not so much for events.

Personally, I’d prefer that they ended up creating a puzzle that many people could enjoy. Probably a tricky proposition all else considered, especially being that everyone has different skill and that some people seem to enjoy the fact of others failing moreso than the puzzle itself. chuckle

Looks like a lot of jumps with definitely some chill effect to slow you down; make you fall and hinder progression. Maybe timed.

First off, let me say that I really do not like jumping puzzles…at all. However, the Wintersday jumping puzzle from the video preview looks AMAZING and I might actually have to spend some time on it

I looks Awesome!!!!!!

Just looking at it makes me want to cry.

But that of course means I will spend HOURS and HOURS working on it.

Muahaha I love jumping puzzles and that picture is 100% guaranteed to be a new jumping puzzle.

I can’t wait! I hope it’s as challenging (or even more challenging) than the Mad King Clock Tower!

If those platforms are not moving it will be just like Coddler’s Cove, a little bit frustrating, but not hard. If those platforms are moving or are on timer, then it will be more interesting. If they are on a timer I hope that those towers are “checkpoints” and you will respawn at the last touched checkpoint if you fall.

I think some giant norn is going to annoy the kitten out of you guys on that giant jumping puzzle with tiny little Airborne rocks. It was worse enough during the clock tower jumping puzzle, but now this one looks even worse. Didn’t the jumping puzzle designer state after the Halloween event that he regretted making the clock tower puzzles also difficult? But judging by the screenshots this one looks even worse.

I don’t mind a difficult challenge, I think people are going to enjoy this jumping puzzle after having had so much experience playing the game until up to now. I’m also looking forward to reading the form posts complaining about the difficulty of the jumping consul being compounded by giant character models purposely distracting other players. I hope they have some simple puzzles that are not as difficult for those players who are just starting out and cannot handle too difficult of a challenge.

Another idea would be too have a infinite jumping puzzle or A evolving jumping puzzle that gets more difficult each time you complete it.

Hopefully we’ll have more time during this event to complete it. It takes me alot of time to get the hang of some of the puzzles.
I didn’t get much time to practice or complete the clocktower.

I just hope they don’t put a cutscene at the start, or whatever it was that glitched the clock tower. I only got to try it about 3 times because every other time I tried I’d see my character standing on the roof of the starting area, cut to repeatedly falling into the water and then re-appear back in the lobby waiting to go again.

It really dissapointed me because the jump puzzle was one thing I was really looking forward to doing.

Notice some of the “blocks” are floating peppermints with a giant peppermint supported by candy canes in the center!

And did anyone watch that video and have to back it up several times when they said Tixx is bringing and “arsenal” of gaiety to the towns. It really sounded like it said something else and I was laughing my butt off!

What if some of the platforms have an “icy” effect to them, causing characters to slip off if not done right?

It would be awesome fun having a PvP version BUT there would need to be a PvE version too. I’m rubbish at PvP but it would still be fun having groups battle it out to get to the top, but then again I’m rubbish at jumping too, most of the laughs would probably be at my expense.

I am expecting the usual ‘evil’ Anet mechanics, getting blown off or knocked off is highly likely, this should be fun

My friends and I who are not agile enough, who are slow, and bad at this are completely shut out from enjoying and reaping the rewards of jumping puzzle. Could there be an easier mode for the jumping puzzle? Maybe you can choose “Easy, Normal, Expert” modes to enter. We’ll even take lesser loot, but as long as we get rewards too.

We all spent also hours and hours at the clocktower, but unlike others who are more talented, we never made it.

i think repetition is the key to the jumping puzzles. i have had numerous occasions of rage and frustration, and even when i go again with other players, i still have trouble. a few puzzles are easier after doing them so many times, but others can still be brutal, even with practice.

once or twice i intentionally leaped off so that i could practice the one section (only to anger myself further)

also, what character race are you using? my human ele has a decent time on some of them, but my real puzzle star is my asuran. it looks as if they have extra speed, but probably feels that way since they are the smallest of the races, so they seem like they move faster. the norn look like they might move a bit slower.

i sometimes practice jumping around the towns – if there are crates and stairways, i am always testing myself by jumping around on things, trying not to hit the floor.

ive only completed one jumping puzzle in the game took me two weeks of repetation to get it because im not good at them but i dont think they should be dumbed down in a sense for those jumping untalented. i think they could ad a harder mode those who wanted one

Personally I’m hoping for something more difficult.

The Mad King’s Clock Tower was a lot of fun to run through, but it got kind of repetitive to just run it for ToT bags. I would like to see something that’s harder but with a chance for awesome loot each time

Hey just a heads up in regards to moving platforms, so far it doesn’t appear their engine is capable of generating them and/or handling them. At least not in group settings. Even the clocktower panels didn’t actually move, there were two versions of it, one you could see from the lobby, and a separate one off to the side where the tower moved and the platforms were stationary (A very clever idea I might add, bravo guys)

The description says test your balance….icy, slippery platforms? Ugh, that would suck! I just hope it isn’t wind like in Cliffside, I hate wind! lol

Can’t wait for the new jumping puzzle!

JPs are a different mindset than normal PvE play, and doing them with huge groups can be a challenge. If I have trouble with a JP, I like to check out Dulfy’s guide (she usually has them up ASAP), or the wiki to find clues.

really really wouldnt like that

i spent a couple of hours on the clocktower, and it felt so rewarding to actually finish it; id hate for that feeling to be cheapened knowing that others could just easymode it

(not that im expecting this jumping puzzle to be better or equal to the clocktower; i dont see how anything else could be "/)

Not harder, please. Some people don’t have the hardware, wrists, or time but don’t want to miss out.

No. I want something extremely difficult with a HUGE reward

Please don’t create easy modes for JP’s. If you want to finish a difficult JP, practice more like the rest of us who completed the Clocktower. An easy mode would really ruin the experience for people that like JP’s. It would cheapen it. There’s no place for difficulty modes in online games, not even for optional stuff because it’s all about comparing your skills. In the end that’s what all online games are about, otherwise you should just play an offline RPG so you don’t have to worry about a stable internet connection or servers. Plus don’t you think that if you are not able to make it, you do not deserve the reward? Atm I’m not able to get a Legendary item because I don’t invest enough time into the game for that, but I’m not going to ask for a free one because I want it.

Making them easy would just reduce the achievements to a “thanks for participating” “reward”. Might as well change the name from “achievement” to “participation”. There are already plenty of “thanks for participating” rewards in the game.

Hycinthus.6483:

My friends and I who are not agile enough, who are slow, and bad at this are completely shut out from enjoying and reaping the rewards of jumping puzzle. Could there be an easier mode for the jumping puzzle? Maybe you can choose “Easy, Normal, Expert” modes to enter. We’ll even take lesser loot, but as long as we get rewards too.

We all spent also hours and hours at the clocktower, but unlike others who are more talented, we never made it.

see, that’s why you don’t push your way all the way to maximum.

Here’s a few starter JP that you can try.

Urmaug’s secret
The Collased Observatory
King Jalis’s Refuge
Under New Management
Spelunker’s Delve
Demongrub Pits

And once you are ok with these, you can start adding difficulty like …

Morgan’s Leap
Spekks’ Laboratory
Loreclaw Expanse
Mistwrought Vault
Obsidian Sanctum

And slowly progressing on it.

JP is skill, it takes practice to perfect it.

And it stimulates your brain alot, so it’s a good practice to do JP every day

I want something harder. There is no reason at all to make difficulty levels. Just practice on the easy ones in the game and dont get scared.

Pochibella.8394:

The description says test your balance….icy, slippery platforms? Ugh, that would suck! I just hope it isn’t wind like in Cliffside, I hate wind! lol

Rather have that, than moving platforms and a stressfull timer ala clocktower. I love a challenge, but I prefer having time to it.

Hopefully it’s not timed. This old lady can’t handle the stress!

I just hope it’s not like the mad king’s clock tower which was basically a speed puzzle. It was fun trying but I was never able to complete it. I have problems judging distances and timing the jumps which slows me down.

I don’t understand why people could object to there being a normal/hard mode as long as you have a title and recognition for completing the highest level of difficulty. That would still set you apart from everyone else. People who are really good at jp can still have their challenge and distinction. People who aren’t as good can still at least experience the puzzle.

Anyone above who only wants a hard mode is basically saying too bad for you if you can’t do it… l2p or jump (in this case.) Great holiday attitude.

I hope it’s not timed for pure point of fact that there were a number of people, myself included, who were unable to do the Clock Tower due to the fact that we were underwater by the time we loaded in and were immediately sent back to the lobby before we even got a chance to do the puzzle.

I disagree making extra modes. However having another way of obtaining the item of Hard JP in another Hardway would be understandable. ppl can get rewards and experience the jump puzzle.

Gilosean.3805:

Not harder, please. Some people don’t have the hardware, wrists, or time but don’t want to miss out.

Sucks to be them

Garacaius.6105:

I hope it’s not timed for pure point of fact that there were a number of people, myself included, who were unable to do the Clock Tower due to the fact that we were underwater by the time we loaded in and were immediately sent back to the lobby before we even got a chance to do the puzzle.

Didn’t have lag or slow loading times at all inside, because there were only a few people allowed per Overflow. Couldn’t this have something to do with your internet connection? However even if this was Anet’s fault this can also be fixed easily by adding a short countdown once people can enter the JP instead of completely removing the timed element.

Wesley.4590:

Garacaius.6105:

I hope it’s not timed for pure point of fact that there were a number of people, myself included, who were unable to do the Clock Tower due to the fact that we were underwater by the time we loaded in and were immediately sent back to the lobby before we even got a chance to do the puzzle.

Didn’t have lag or slow loading times at all inside, because there were only a few people allowed per Overflow. Couldn’t this have something to do with your internet connection? However even if this was Anet’s fault this can also be fixed easily by adding a short countdown once people can enter the JP instead of completely removing the timed element.

Under most circumstances I would agree with you that it was probably my connection, especially considering I’m wireless, but I play with a friend of mine and she always takes longer to load into zones then I do, and she had no trouble at all in the Clock Tower. I even turned my graphics to baseline to see if that would speed my load up but every time without fail I heard myself sink into the goo before the cutscene ended. You’re correct though, this could have been avoided with a countdown after the cutscene, or only having the cutscene play the first time you enter, or a whole host of other things.

Well is it that bad that a game element requires some level of skill from players and practice? If you’re not able to do it or don’t want to invest into practicing then you just have to accept that you can’t make it. Sure it’s a holiday event but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be any challenges. There also are other stuff you can only get or make if you practice them a lot ingame and are a skilled player and that’s great because these things should be rewarded aswell. Anet will always make sure that the majority of the content is suited for everyone.
I don’t believe a harder JP than Clocktower is needed, but if they do add it I already know that I will keep on trying it until I make it to the top again!

Garacaius.6105:

Under most circumstances I would agree with you that it was probably my connection, especially considering I’m wireless, but I play with a friend of mine and she always takes longer to load into zones then I do, and she had no trouble at all in the Clock Tower. I even turned my graphics to baseline to see if that would speed my load up but every time without fail I heard myself sink into the goo before the cutscene ended. You’re correct though, this could have been avoided with a countdown after the cutscene, or only having the cutscene play the first time you enter, or a whole host of other things.

Weird, well I can see how that would be annoying. Let’s hope they implemented a fix for that in this JP, because I would sure hate to see the timed element being removed. It just made the puzzle so frustratingly good!

Unfortunately ANet will of inevtiably given in to the whiners, well represented in this thread, and will of turned this JP in to a baby mode challenge.

Because everyone deserves to complete all ‘challenges’ otherwise they’re unfair and mean.

God forbid people actually need to anything other than spend time in order to complete something.

On the other hand, timed jumping puzzles just shouldn’t exist, imo.

Spekk’s Laboratory is a prime offender here, I do fine in jumping puzzles when I can take my time and line up the camera, but I can’t do that quickly.

Groans Not more dang jumping! There’s too much of that in this MMO as it is. I’ll dust off my N-64 and plug in Super Mario World or Turok, Dinosaur Hunter if I want to do more jumping. I’ll have better controls for my char then too.

The most frustrating JP I’ve done so far would actually have to be Dark Reverie, just because of that one unforgiving jump that kills you if you miss or overshoot. Even worse, if you’re attempting the JP alone, you’ll have to WP out and go through Morgan’s Leap all over again just for a second opportunity. I can’t stress enough how essential it is to do Dark Reverie with a few other players just so somebody can res you if you fall.

As far as difficulty for Winter Wonderland is concerned, I’m alright with it being the same difficulty as the Clock Tower (I completed it once on each of my characters, including Norn, Asura and Charr, for the curious), but in that case, I hope that ANet at least eases up a little on the timer, for the benefit of people whose reflexes aren’t quite what they used to be. If the Clock Tower didn’t have that little pause at the start that ate up 3 – 4 valuable seconds, I bet a lot more people would have an easier time with it, because it gives them a little more window of opportunity to make the jumps.

Please please please add easy modes to JPs. Just to shut the whiners up.

Make the easy modes you jump up one step and then you win. Just so we don’t have to listen to how their grandmother can’t be left alone for more than 20 second intervals, how they’re a nearsighted war vet, or how their hand eye coordination was destroyed saving kittens from a burning tree. Wah wah wah wah wah wah wah and another million excuses.

Let them have their meaningless victory that 100% of babies can also achieve and then make the real game where people who want a challenge can get things done.

This is the world they want to live in, where they can complete everything- just like they deserve- without actually putting any effort in to it. And it’d be better for everyone if you just gave it to them.

Otherwise they’re going to threaten to quit again and create 50 page whine threads instead of actually learning how to play- and no one wants that.