Guild Wars 2

First, let me head off some accusations before they happen: I hate the shape of this change as it is. This is awful, and completely the wrong direction. We all know the reasons.

First, I suggest a bit of forum-based activism. Let’s make sure that even if they avoid this topic, they will know how unhappy we are. I will be ending every post I make with “And the new tag system should be changed.” and I encourage you all to do something similar. It’s the kind of low-effort activism that may just catch their eye and make our universal displeasure on this topic clear.

Second, let’s discuss better systems and address what we think their concerns on this topic are. They won’t cave to our pressures without compromise, and though I may even go so far as to say they didn’t think this choice through I will not credit adult, professional game makers with being COMPLETE idiots. They had reasons for this, and I suggest we discuss them, or at least guess what they are likely to be.
Their goals here seem clear to me:
- A gold sink. This is important, and Tags disproportionately target high-income players.
-A new collectible system. MMOs exist for finding variations on things, that is why the Fashion title exists and why most people enjoy it. I know farming for that badkitten new armor skin is a fun experience for me personally, and I’m sure they thought that Collectible Colors would be the same, and hoped to add longevity with the gold wall. We need another way to add longevity to it, then, to make sure they get what they want and we get a decent system.
-An effort to limit the permeation of tags. They certainly do not want the common WvW all-chat suggestion of an “All commander zerg” to come true, so I’m willing to bet they’re trying to make sure only the most dedicated of players have a chance of getting these tags.
-Easy to Implement. It should require using systems that already exist and interact in a similar way. For example, making them WvW achiev point drops, or adjusting badge costs, and

Third, for organization, I suggest a simple Suggestion/purpose/function format excluding posts asking questions or posing challenges to these main format posts.
EX:
“Suggestion: Make them purchased via a new World Boss currency and/or more Badges instead of gold, or make them rewards for certain WvW/World Boss achievements.
Purpose: Focus tag acquisition along WvW/Mass PvE lines instead of all players, make tag acquisition meaningful as status symbol.
Functions: Will focus tags onto players most likely to use them altruistically and understand their purpose; will help improve community by filtering quality of community leaders; will make tag colors represent game knowledge. For example, a WvW expert will have a red tag for his defeat of 10k enemies, and will then be known to WvW constantly but also be known to not understand Teq’s run strategy as well, so a Purple PvE-based Tag will be followed over his. "

You can even discuss pros/cons here for easy discussion, but I think that’s best handled by challengers/supporters in the thread.

Discussion along these lines will be more productive, and will hopefully get us some more attention from devs excited to see players trying to see their side of things, and meet THEIR needs as well as player’s.

And the new tag system should be changed.

I think 300 gold is very, very much if there really is only the 4 colors shown in the preview – that means that people will still be wearing the same color tags all the time which helps with nothing. This is supposed to encourage players to get the different colors, upping the price from (formerly) 100 gold to 1200 for 4 colors. Erhm… by Grabhtar’s Hammer, what a price increase!!

I’d be willing to pay:

• 100 gold per color, or
• 300 gold to be able to put in my own hex code once,
• 600 gold for the ability to switch to any color on the fly.

Furthermore I support the notion that people should be able to pay for them (in part) with WvW badges. They should not be required (PvE commanders exist and are useful, just look at world bosses, Dry Top or rebuilding Lion’s Arch).

Low-Effect Activism

YewWoodntBeLeafthePuns.2761:

I will be ending every post I make with “And the new tag system should be changed.” and I encourage you all to do something similar. It’s the kind of low-effort activism that may just catch their eye and make our universal displeasure on this topic clear.

The problem with passive-aggressive tactics such as these (which would include using expressions like “COMPLETE idiots”, regardless of how oblique, or “cave to our pressures”) is that they undermine credibility and actually work against whatever you’re trying to accomplish. You could tack “And you may safely disregard this post” at the end and achieve the same effect.

Asserting “universal displeasure” on the part of players also makes a claim that is highly dubious, further undermining credibility and alienating players who may not object to the tag system changes, but might otherwise support further refinements.

For all its length, your opening post doesn’t even explain what you want ArenaNet to do, which makes most of it noise that developers simply don’t have time to decipher. I think it would be more constructive to focus on what you don’t like about the upcoming changes and what you would specifically prefer instead.

My two cents. YMMV.

And you may safely disregard this post.

Majic.4801:

Low-Effect Activism

YewWoodntBeLeafthePuns.2761:

I will be ending every post I make with “And the new tag system should be changed.” and I encourage you all to do something similar. It’s the kind of low-effort activism that may just catch their eye and make our universal displeasure on this topic clear.

The problem with passive-aggressive tactics such as these (which would include using expressions like “COMPLETE idiots”, regardless of how oblique, or “cave to our pressures”) is that they undermine credibility and actually work against whatever you’re trying to accomplish. You could tack “And you may safely disregard this post” at the end and achieve the same effect.

Asserting “universal displeasure” on the part of players also makes a claim that is highly dubious, further undermining credibility and alienating players who may not object to the tag system changes, but might otherwise support further refinements.

For all its length, your opening post doesn’t even explain what you want ArenaNet to do, which makes most of it noise that developers simply don’t have time to decipher. I think it would be more constructive to focus on what you don’t like about the upcoming changes and what you would specifically prefer instead.

My two cents. YMMV.

And you may safely disregard this post.

Fair points, but you seem to have missed that I was saying they are NOT complete idiots. As in, crediting them competence.

It is not “Passive” aggressive, it is ACTIVE PROTESTANT, in that it clearly states your opposition to a thing. PASSIVE aggression requires you not directly address the subject, for example: “But at least it’s not colored tags.” at the end of every complaint, voicing displeasure without addressing anything behind it.

My post does not in any way slap of knee-jerk and unjustified hatred, as far as I can read it, and though some lines may imply a displeasure with the quality of the suggested implementation that’s because I AM displeased with the quality of the suggested implementation. ANet is better than this, and they must not be trying or must have some VERY compelling information that we don’t know ANYTHING about if they think this is a good idea. I’ve heard it suggested that they’re underfunded due to NCsoft siphoning profits away from them, but I have no ideas as to how accurate/crazy that may be.

I have been following the Reddit and the forum posts and have not seen anyone defend the idea in any way but a role as devil’s advocate or as someone who believes 300g is a very small amount and everyone else is just not trying hard enough, and thus has no right to complain. Everyone else has been in some way very unhappy with it. I admit that saying “Universal” is an overstatement as it implies not ONE SINGLE PERSON will defend it, but the opinions are at least OVERWHELMINGLY negative.

The post was not marking MY demands, it was an effort to draw a topic-based discussion out on a very specific issue. I’m not going to say what I want them to do until I know more about what they PLAN to do. I did give one idea of something I would be happy with as an example, but that’s hardly my end decision. Much more efficient to get some ideas flowing in an orderly way. The point was not for me to tell ANet what I wanted, but to hopefully start a thread where every player could voice THEIR displeasure.

Solved by making tags 300g for a one-time purchase for all colors, all my gripes are solved.

Thanks ANet!

/thread