Hello folks,
I’ve been browsing some calendars and notes and it worries me a bit. I’m talking here only about the open world PvE. Let’s roll back in past :
- 28/08/2012 : GW2’s launch
- 28/01/2013 : LS1’s 1st episode’s release
- 13/01/2014 : LS1’s last episode’s release
It has actually been quicker than I thought, but I took my time to explore and enjoy GW2’s core content, so I didn’t pay much attention to living story at this time. There already were meta events (Ulgoth i.e.), world bosses, big events (marionette, lion’s arch) were tested. We also got one more map (southsun cove) Then it goes :
- 20/05/2014 : LS2’s first episode release
- january 2015 : LS2’s last episode’s release + HoT announcement.
We’ve been quite busy at this time, with a 1 month = 1 episode pace. There also has been a noticeable traits revamp somewhere there. And 2 maps were added to the game (dry top and silverwastes).
I think at this time, most things were settled for the future of the game : mapwise meta-events (SW being the new prototype), traits system for elites. Then, after ten months of vinewrath farming :
- 23/10/2015 : HoT’s release.
Nice new content : 4 new maps with meta events, 1 new profession and 9 first elite specs, promise of a more dynamic system of getting a class to evolve in the player’s fashion. Mastery points system too. LS1 took 4 months to come, and LS3 took 9.
- 26/07/2016 : LS3’s first episode’s release.
And here comes my first worry : even if I suppose some LS1 things were designed during GW2 developpement, I also guess LS3 was the same relatively to HoT. So why roughly twice the time, whereas mechanics were supposed to be set ? New map maybe ?
We’re now in january 2017, running 3rd episode of LS3, and now, I’m asking : are we on scheudeule ? Supposing we’ll go with 8 episodes (which I honestly doubt. I suppose we’ll get less of them), then last episode should be released roughly next year, meaning a second X’Pac will be launched in the end of 2018 !
So what’s the point of having a whole elite specs system ? It’d actually provide a lot of diversity supposing each class has, say 4-5 choices of elite specs. Now, if it takes 3 years to make a new set of elite specs, then GW2 will be “diverse” in 2026… Moreover, people will switch to the new elite spec just like we don’t see that much vanillia professions. Does that make any sense ?
I’m not telling there hasn’t been work, and there has been lots of improvements and things done in various aspects of the game. I’m here only focusing on PvE, which also implies professions and core mechanics. The pace is far too slow to keep the hype train running. Elite specs and such things are good ideas, but a new set of elite specs should be given every, say, 6 months/1 year, so that the system would work and provide what it’s meant for.
There’re people saying that GW2’s content and graphics and engine and some things of gameplay are getting old. The game is 5 years old so, indeed, there’re old things. But I’m truly not sure it can afford to drag things any longer. Issues is : all those good ideas will need to be used before any GW3 announcement.
I’m hoping there’ll be an announcement for a new X-Pac this year, but if it’s as small as HoT, then I’ll be really worried. Don’t take me wrong : HoT is not small in itself. It’s small compared to core game (while Faction or Nightfall were not that small compared to Prophecies).
And I’m hoping things will go faster afterwards, otherwise the game may just slow down and freeze because all those good ideas and nice tools were put aside and let to rust.
(edited by ThomasC.1056)