Dear Arenanet,
I’ve been playing your great products since the release of the first Guild Wars. I even purchased the GW2 Collectors Edition and have had countless memorable experiences as a result of these great games.
However, based on the April 2014 Features update, there are several items that have really hindered my enjoyment of the game. These observations/suggestions are not coming just from me but are based on conversations with my friends and fellow guild members who are paying customers of the game. It is not my idea to place blame on new ideas but to offer suggestions/opinions on what works in the game prior to the release of the April 2014 features update.
Suggestions:
1. Rework the daily/monthly achievements so there are subcategories for PVE and PVP. Prior to the update, it was supremely enjoyable to log-in and acquire the daily (& the much desired laurel) in a reasonable amount of time. I don’t believe that it is fair to create a situation for players where they HAVE to participate in PVP in order to achieve their daily. Prior to the features update, the daily was setup in a way that was fun and you didn’t realize you were going towards the achievement until it flashed on the screen. I loved how you could just log into a zone and get gatherer, kill variety, ambient killer, veteran or champion slayer, etc. and you were done with the daily. By making players have to participate in an event they don’t want to (e.g. PVP) you have created a game that FORCES players to play you want them to play not rewards them for doing what they love to do, which, to my understanding, was the impetus behind Guild Wars 2. To not make it feel like a grind.
2. Reset Champion/Boss Timers. Coming from a 30 something gamer who does not have a lot of time to play, waiting for champions to spawn for an extended amount of time (e.g. 30 minutes) wastes the players’ time and patience, resulting in them looking for other games to play. One feature that I enjoyed pre the April 2014 features update was that you could log into Frostgorge Sound or Queensdale and enjoy the “Champ Train”. What was great about this was that you could take down a number of champs for the daily/monthly achievement and get a lot of great loot in a reasonable amount of time. The older timing of champions was great because you could go from one champion to the next with minimum waiting time. By making players wait you are asking them to look for another game.
3. (Separate from the April 2014 Features Update) Engineer: Weapon Swapping. This has been a feature that’s been needed to be in the game for awhile now. As a player whose main is the engineer please add weapon swapping to this profession. I realize the profession has bundles to choose from but it should be easier to switch from pistols to rifle then having to open your inventory and equip the appropriate weapon in the slot.
Now for some positive comments, the wardrobe and trait reset options are extremely helpful and appreciated. Having skins that can be unlocked and stay with the character is great and the ability to reset your traits on the fly is a dream come true.
Thank you for taking the time to read these suggestions. I hope you can review them, reflect on them and possibly make some corrections so you continue to have a game that retains its current client base while attracting new/potential customers. I am glad to be a citizen of Tyria but I fear some of these new changes will impact the future of this great game !