Guild Wars 2

Could someone please help me understand the introduction of Ascended items?

• GW2 loses market differentiation. Being grind-free (or grind-optional) was what drew many people to it. Now it’s just a generic grindy MMO that is actually very inadequate compared to the real grindy ones.

• Playerbase that does not want grind is alienated. This is unfortunately the loyal playerbase that would have ensured the longevity of the game because there are few alternatives available, and they were already enjoying what the game offered.

• Playerbase that wants grind will continue to want more grind and will continue to demand for higher and higher stats.

• The gem store sells cosmetic and convenience items. Presumably players who care about vanity items would be the ones that buy from the store. If gearscores become primary and cosmetics become secondary to the game—gem store loses out. Unless the store starts selling things like infusion boosters or Ascended-item-finder boosters. But this borders on being pay-to-win if infusion and Ascended items are necessary for completing Fractals.

• Doesn’t this drain players from all other areas? Level 80 players would be grinding Fractals non-stop because that’s where you get the high-end items. Fractals become the new Cursed Shore (omg Lost Shores, Cursed Shore, it all makes sense now). Dungeons and all other areas become obsolete. This is a drastic reduction of content, and doesn’t help in player retention.

I’m sure the developers have a good idea of why they are doing this, but I don’t, so could somebody please help me out? I love this game, but I don’t understand why they are doing this.

Go read the other 100 threads about this

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

axiology.5807:

• The gem store sells cosmetic and convenience items. Presumably players who care about vanity items would be the ones that buy from the store. If gearscores become primary and cosmetics become secondary to the game—gem store loses out. Unless the store starts selling things like infusion boosters or Ascended-item-finder boosters. But this borders on being pay-to-win if infusion and Ascended items are necessary for completing Fractals.

Actually, no. If gear progression means we have to effectively replace our armor every major content update, people concerned about visuals will have to buy a full set of transmutation stones each update as well, just to keep their old looks. Now it does make sense that they did not simply go for the mechanically far superior and elegant solution of appearance slots.

Wagnard.4027:

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

you HAD to infuse your armor in GW1 to fight the mursaat so stop telling crap

Wagnard.4027:

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

Where are they now?

wintermute.4096:

axiology.5807:

• The gem store sells cosmetic and convenience items. Presumably players who care about vanity items would be the ones that buy from the store. If gearscores become primary and cosmetics become secondary to the game—gem store loses out. Unless the store starts selling things like infusion boosters or Ascended-item-finder boosters. But this borders on being pay-to-win if infusion and Ascended items are necessary for completing Fractals.

Actually, no. If gear progression means we have to effectively replace our armor every major content update, people concerned about visuals will have to buy a full set of transmutation stones each update as well, just to keep their old looks. Now it does make sense that they did not simply go for the mechanically far superior and elegant solution of appearance slots.

Okay yes that makes sense now. Transmutation stones every update.

saurus.8290:

Wagnard.4027:

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

you HAD to infuse your armor in GW1 to fight the mursaat so stop telling crap

But that infusion mechanic was different from this. You just had to do a fast and straightforward mission to get it on all the armor you were wearing. This “infusion” is the same in name only.

Norax.2405:

Where are they now?

From Wikipedia: ArenaNet co-founders Jeff Strain and Patrick Wyatt left ArenaNet to take roles at NCsoft West in 2008, and ultimately left NCsoft in 2009.

I’m not sure about the other developers.

saurus.8290:

Wagnard.4027:

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

you HAD to infuse your armor in GW1 to fight the mursaat so stop telling crap

but you could just infuse any old piece of armor and didn’t have to farm new gear which also has better stats

Well, if you think about it, the most playerbase is always at Cursed Shore. I haven’t heard a single person complain that it was to grindy.

Than why not expand more of it, since people enjoy the grind.

Norax.2405:

Wagnard.4027:

Because the core devs that created GW1 without the gear gate content left ANet a long time ago.

Where are they now?

they are there: http://undeadlabs.com/