Guild Wars 2

Let’s talk about vertical progression in mmos: a grind for items that allows one to play the most difficult content at the given time. A key part is that the level cap gets raised when the developers run out of ideas or the publisher needs some pay, thus starting up another grind to get the highest level gear.

Ascended gear on the other hand has set values across the board and there will be no level cap increase. Ascended gear is not a vertical grind. It is a challenging goal that should be rewarded.

5 percent is pittance for the time and energy put in for meh skins. Every lvl 80 player can get ascended trinkets and even weapons in nearly no time at all. It’s not hard, and it’s def not required. You can play in Rares[yellows] and handle the content [if you’re good enough].

So man up. Don’t whine about something that isn’t vertical progression [at all]. Perfectionists are the only ones that were upset because they felt “obligated to fully gear all my toons with full ascended”. That’s bs and you know it…

Ascended gear is literally and unarguably vertical progression. Small vertical progression, but saying it’s not is denying reality is a bizarre and rather bananas way.

Also:

A) You first make the vertical progression bigger! (“It is a challenging goal that should be rewarded.”).

and then say

B) Then say Ascended gear is for bads (“You can play in Rares and handle the content if you’re good enough.”)

I mean, man what? No sense was made.

Also lengthy grind != “challenging goal”.

Wait a minute, isn’t this something I can reflect right back at you? Hmm, yes, I think it is!
So you know, man up and deal with it.

Those aren’t legitimate arguments. Read the whole thing. Give me a good reason not to have it be a worthy stat increase. One really good, thought out reason.

I would like to hear your crazy definitions of vertical progression. It’s def based around level cap increases not a single goal. The game is fine with any tier of gear. No one needs ascended.

There is no one checking your dps. It’s not wow.

Who says I haven’t?

TL;DR: “I spent time making this equipment and I want it to be a bigger deal.”
But you know, it isn’t, so be happy with your 5%.

Go back to WoW.

Proof the community is withering. They can’t read and respond without getting sarcastic.

Let’s have a legitimate debate, not an argument. Make a point.

Ascended gear is for Fractals, end of story. I don’t think it should even be as powerful as it is, but in order to put people through the effort of getting it at all they had to give it something, so 5% is what it gets. This makes it worth putting in the effort for those that care about such things, while making it remain unnecessary to those who don’t.

The only people who need Ascended gear, and I’m not even entirely sure how true that actually is, are those running the highest level fractals who need/want more Agony Resistance, which can only be achieved through Ascended.

Carmello Yello.4875:

I would like to hear your crazy definitions of vertical progression. It’s def based around level cap increases not a single goal. The game is fine with any tier of gear. No one needs ascended.

Vertical progression is numbers going up, regardless of how small the increase is.

Not only that, but you DO need Ascended gear in order to do Fractals after level 10, since you need the AR.

I’m arguing against WoW, your response sounds like a WoW players.

WoW is vert progression because level cap changes. We do not need to worry about it. Once you have ascended, you’re done for good. That is not vertical. It is both horizontal and vert, a plateau if you will.

Make points, not whines

Oh, I’m terribly sorry! I read:

So man up. Don’t whine about something that isn’t vertical progression [at all]. Perfectionists are the only ones that were upset because they felt “obligated to fully gear all my toons with full ascended”. That’s bs and you know it…

and I assumed I was allowed to answer in a comparable childish manner. My bad.
I’m personally over the moon that the difference will remain 5%, for many practical reasons such as testing out builds, before I make the decision of making what I call “expensive stuff”.

I like the fact that it remains optional and not obligatory for certain game modes. So I say nay to your proposition, kind sir. Good day.

Actually it is vertical. Is it more powerful stat-wise than exotic gear? If not then it’s not vertical progression, if it is, then it’s vertical. A good way to look at gear is between Ascended and Legendary. If you have a Legendary Greatsword and I have an Ascended GS , they both have the same stats, numbers wise. That’s great. There is a nice horizontal progression thing baked into the Legendary GS though: It can switch its stats on the fly.

It doesn’t matter if ascended was .05% stronger than exotic. It’s vertical progression. The other great part is that if you don’t want it, you can still be competitive. Most games can’t boast that. This is one area where I feel ArenaNet did a great job appeasing the most people possible and they should be praised for it. If you go through my post history you will notice a lack of a lot of praise from me for them recently.

Carmello Yello.4875:

I’m arguing against WoW, your response sounds like a WoW players.

WoW is vert progression because level cap changes. We do not need to worry about it. Once you have ascended, you’re done for good. That is not vertical. It is both horizontal and vert, a plateau if you will.

Make points, not whines

You’ve no idea what you’re talking about.

Vertical progression is the steady increase of ANY value that change your performance in game.

It CAN be only level cap. It CAN be only better gear. It CAN be both of them. It could even be something like “use your skill X for 100k times, and that skill will increase its damage/efficacy”.

So, Ascended gear is, no matter what, a vertical progression, since it raises stats/armor rating/weapon damage. And widening the gap, widens the vertical progression.

Eurhetemec.9052:

A) You first make the vertical progression bigger! (“It is a challenging goal that should be rewarded.”).

and then say

B) Then say Ascended gear is for bads (“You can play in Rares and handle the content if you’re good enough.”)

I mean, man what? No sense was made.

Also lengthy grind != “challenging goal”.

I appreciate the edit, this is what I was wanting! I’m just saying that once the goal is reached, it’s done.

I’m mostly talking about armor since you can get trinkets and weapons with ease. This leaves a micro increase otherwise at the current state. I was actually excited to see that ascended was getting a boost and wanted to shine a light on how it wasn’t a bad thing that would affect anyone else that didn’t want it at all.

I haven’t made full ascended. I want a reason to.

Carmello Yello.4875:

I haven’t made full ascended. I want a reason to.

Get into high level fractals, then you have a reason.

Otherwise you have no reason other than it being a thing to do, and that’s kind of the point.

Carmello Yello.4875:

I’m arguing against WoW, your response sounds like a WoW players.

WoW is vert progression because level cap changes. We do not need to worry about it. Once you have ascended, you’re done for good. That is not vertical. It is both horizontal and vert, a plateau if you will.

Make points, not whines

It’s vertical. A 5 or 10% increase is purely vertical. It is not also horizontal. That is not open to debate. It is simply wrong to claim otherwise.

It’s not WoW-style progression, but it is vertical progression, so do you want to rephrase?

Carmello Yello.4875:

I haven’t made full ascended. I want a reason to.

If 5% isn’t enough, 10% won’t be, imho, given the difference between Ascended Trinkets + Weapon + Exotic Armour and Ascended Trinkets + Weapon + Ascended Armour is what, 2.7% stats even with the 10% version.

Carmello Yello.4875:

I’m arguing against WoW, your response sounds like a WoW players.

WoW is vert progression because level cap changes. We do not need to worry about it. Once you have ascended, you’re done for good. That is not vertical. It is both horizontal and vert, a plateau if you will.

Make points, not whines

Vertical progression isn’t limited to the level cap raising.

The gear and upgrade system as a whole is a mixture of vertical and horizontal progression:

• Certain tiers are outright better than others statistically. Ascended is better than exotic, Exotic sigils and runes are better than Masterwork sigils and runes. This is the vertical progression aspect.
• Depending on which sets you pick will affect your build. Berserker is better for high direct damage output while Soldier is better for tanky characters. This is the horizontal aspect of it.

.

It’s the exact same thing, it’s just called ‘ascended gear’ instead of ‘level 90’. It’s an increase in stats one way or the other. What’s wrong with calling it vertical progression when it functions as the same thing as raising the level cap?

The game doesn’t require you go full ascended to do the content. But it does make the content easier. You do realize there are mobs in the game that go above level 80.

If it’s not required to do anything then why complain about it? Just don’t get it.

Carmello Yello.4875:

Let’s have a legitimate debate, not an argument. Make a point.

You didn’t even make a legitimate OP.

• You don’t understand the meaning of vertical progression [at all]. <- cwutididthar
• You think Ascended gear’s stats are not its own reward.
• You undervalue the difference 5% of whatever stats you choose can make.
• You antagonize some imaginary “whiner.”

You have no idea what you are talking about, nor can you demand any particular type of response to such a horribly uninformed thread topic.