Guild Wars 2

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/brahams-story/

I enjoyed reading it, however… one major complaint.

You created this vast medium for story telling, and you’re going to tell me you couldn’t perhaps fit this into your game.

You know, like a flash back after his mission is complete ?

Just wondering why you decided to use this post as a stop gap instead of using the game people are playing. It makes little to no sense.

Is this all you people can do is complain? That is all I see on this blasted freakin forum. There are some things you just can’t show. Just like in movies.. Movies just can’t show everything.

I like the idea of teaser back stories – although yes I can see the argument for it being in game.
To be honest and I’ve really wanted to to be as diplomatic as I can on this, but that isn’t a particularly great piece of writing (sorry author!!). I appreciate that is my own opinion and others may not share it (fair enough), but I hope anything that does make it into game, will be more professionally written and evoke more atmosphere/emotion.

Maybe the next GW2 book will have more about Braham. I quite enjoyed Ghosts of Ascalon

Eladriel.7295:

Is this all you people can do is complain? That is all I see on this blasted freakin forum. There are some things you just can’t show. Just like in movies.. Movies just can’t show everything.

Complaining about people complaining are you ?

That’s terrible. Also, you seemingly only see what you want to there’s more than just complaints on these forums. There was a massive thank you Anet thread just yesterday.

My complaint is founded on the basis that this should be in the game. They spent the time working on the living story and this would have made me way more interested in the events if it was in act 2 or even in the current acts as either a viewable cinematic / mission similar to the Reunion of Destinies Edge.

TexZero.7910:

Eladriel.7295:

Is this all you people can do is complain? That is all I see on this blasted freakin forum. There are some things you just can’t show. Just like in movies.. Movies just can’t show everything.

Complaining about people complaining are you ?

That’s terrible. Also, you seemingly only see what you want to there’s more than just complaints on these forums. There was a massive thank you Anet thread just yesterday.

My complaint is founded on the basis that this should be in the game. They spent the time working on the living story and this would have made me way more interested in the events if it was in act 2 or even in the current acts as either a viewable cinematic / mission similar to the Reunion of Destinies Edge.

Whatever! I would much rather read it in a GW2 book.. Better way to get to know the characters.. There are some things they just can convey in a cinematic.

TexZero.7910:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/brahams-story/

I enjoyed reading it, however… one major complaint.

You created this vast medium for story telling, and you’re going to tell me you could perhaps fit this into your game.

You know, like a flash back after his mission is complete ?

Just wondering why you decided to use this post as a stop gap instead of using the game people are playing. It makes little to no sense.

probably because writing a short story requires paying 1 person, and spending say 2-4 man hours. Putting this in game, requires much more, and honestly they dont seem to have people with the required skill set. Hey guys, no offense but you could make a lot better use of your engine if you hired a storyboard/sequential artist, or perhaps some one who does film. Still i think its a really good idea to add to the story through text, art, any form of story telling really
While i think its a good idea to spread this type of stuff around, i think you guys goal should be to try to be able to tell this level of story with the constraints of your current engine, in a semi timely fashion. I understand you cant tell every story with this type of thing, but you can tell parts of the story with this level of storytelling (visually) Keep in mind RPGs back in the day were able to generate these types of seens with nothing more than text speed, and hand pixelated sprites, You dont need to have Toy story level cgi to tell a story better.

Use the camera, you have complete control of it, Its built into the game. Build useful emotes, that you can reuse. Play with pacing and movement, sometimes npcs should run faster than normal to keep the story pacing high.

That said if you really cant improve the ingame stuff, i think expanding on this type of thing isnt that bad. However you can incorporate it into the game somewhat as well. Create a lore entry, and put some of these records in there, add a few choice images (like a light novel)

BTW i think it was a mistake tying Braham to Eir, doesnt really seem consistent with her charachter, and so far not really adding anything to his charachter. As someone who agonized about her father everyday and carries the burden of snaff, doesnt seem likely that she would not think about/mention her son at all.

One of the great things I like in the game, is walking up to a random NPC and discovering a mini story from them. The new patch had loads of little NPC’s which didn’t obviously have stories to tell, but rewarded the player when you spoke to them – many within the instances. For me, this is a hugely rewrading way of telling the story and really got me going out exploring the village and talking to more NPC’s.

For me, this is the way forward for subtle, world building story telling to accompany the main story. As I said, I’ve no objection to them being on the forums/website, but I LOVE to discover these lesser stories through background NPC’s

Randulf.7614:

One of the great things I like in the game, is walking up to a random NPC and discovering a mini story from them. The new patch had loads of little NPC’s which didn’t obviously have stories to tell, but rewarded the player when you spoke to them – many within the instances. For me, this is a hugely rewrading way of telling the story and really got me going out exploring the village and talking to more NPC’s.

For me, this is the way forward for subtle, world building story telling to accompany the main story. As I said, I’ve no objection to them being on the forums/website, but I’d LOVE to discover these lesser stories through background NPC’s

I agree with you, nevertheless I liked the blog post about Braham’s story.

Eladriel.7295:

TexZero.7910:

Eladriel.7295:

Is this all you people can do is complain? That is all I see on this blasted freakin forum. There are some things you just can’t show. Just like in movies.. Movies just can’t show everything.

Complaining about people complaining are you ?

That’s terrible. Also, you seemingly only see what you want to there’s more than just complaints on these forums. There was a massive thank you Anet thread just yesterday.

My complaint is founded on the basis that this should be in the game. They spent the time working on the living story and this would have made me way more interested in the events if it was in act 2 or even in the current acts as either a viewable cinematic / mission similar to the Reunion of Destinies Edge.

Whatever! I would much rather read it in a GW2 book.. Better way to get to know the characters.. There are some things they just can convey in a cinematic.

More power too you. This is a personal preference just as my preference is to have the game story in the game.

Valento.9852:

Randulf.7614:

One of the great things I like in the game, is walking up to a random NPC and discovering a mini story from them. The new patch had loads of little NPC’s which didn’t obviously have stories to tell, but rewarded the player when you spoke to them – many within the instances. For me, this is a hugely rewrading way of telling the story and really got me going out exploring the village and talking to more NPC’s.

For me, this is the way forward for subtle, world building story telling to accompany the main story. As I said, I’ve no objection to them being on the forums/website, but I’d LOVE to discover these lesser stories through background NPC’s

I agree with you, nevertheless I liked the blog post about Braham’s story.

Pretty much how i feel, i like the backstory. I just wish they’d have put this into the game in some form. At the least im glad we have one, i just want more :P

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

Auesis.7301:

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

Yeah, it’ll be the fourth and final one, can’t wait to see how this will affect the world forever! (Make a volcano explode! YEAAAAH!)

Auesis.7301:

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

I’m aware there’s still more, but as far as story telling goes i feel that expanding on his backstory isn’t a likely priority, so much as expanding him as a character would be. Fleshing out his role in the world.

TexZero.7910:

Auesis.7301:

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

I’m aware there’s still more, but as far as story telling goes i feel that expanding on his backstory isn’t a likely priority, so much as expanding him as a character would be. Fleshing out his role in the world.

Well, remember, for norn it’s about what your deeds are rather than who you’re related to. Braham hasn’t done anything yet, but he’s sure on the path to doing something to get him a lot of glory and free ale.

I’m more interested in Rox, but then that’s because my charr is probably my second favorite character. My norn is probably my third.

TexZero.7910:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/brahams-story/

I enjoyed reading it, however…
-snip-

… It makes little to no sense.

In my opinion, short stories like these, and of course novels of the game, actually benefit the game and the game’s lore. Let me try to explain:

1. The book is always better than the movie.

Of the movies that were made that was based on book, 99% of the time the book was better. Take Game of Thrones for example, the movie series was awesome but the book contained so much more details. The way the characters think, and their emotions are more “bare” to the readers.

This is also true for MMORPG lore, you can empathize more with a character through reading about them in a book/short story.

2. Gaming constraints – resources.

Creating a whole backstory via cut-scenes and/events about a character in-game will take up a huge chunk of Anet Dev resources better spent on other things to improve the game. Paying an author to write a book costs less than paying the same author to write the story and actually creating the content in-game.

Specially so when a story has it’s slow-paced moments.

3. Elements of the Story.

We don’t want slow paced moments in-game when the character is just standing there speaking out his thought for a good 15 mins. What we want in-game are the fast-paced moments, the one where we are breathless after all the fighting was over.

But both slow-paced and fast-paced moments are required to tell a good story and give it more depth. So elements that are more exciting should be in-game and elements that are more character building should be in text format.

4. Profit for the Company

Let’s not deny it. All companies are made to generate profit.

If a well written book is published and becomes a bestseller, the publishers gets more profit. The more the publisher earns, the more Anet earns from royalities and the more they can invest on Guild Wars 2, both the game AND the games lore.

I for one love these short stories and novels. It gives more depth to the game’s lore. Anet should also invest in good authors and good screenplay writers to elevate the games lore into a higher level.

Baeyne.9584:

TexZero.7910:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/brahams-story/

I enjoyed reading it, however…
-snip-

… It makes little to no sense.

In my opinion, short stories like these, and of course novels of the game, actually benefit the game and the game’s lore. Let me try to explain:

Even if i were to ackwnowledge what you said as being factually accurate (and it is for the most part) Even The town Ebonhawke has “scripts” laying around for a player to stumble upon. For me having this lore (albeit in ebonhawks case its gw1 lore) in the game is a far greater story telling tool as it reaches your entire base, not just the select few who read the post.

Eladriel.7295:

Is this all you people can do is complain? That is all I see on this blasted freakin forum. There are some things you just can’t show. Just like in movies.. Movies just can’t show everything.

Actually it wasn’t a terrible idea. We already have the lost and found type stuff. It would have been cool to do a scavenger hunt type thing where you talk to four or five different norn relevant to Braham’s story and finally find someone to tell you the whole story. Better yet, once you finish the scavenger hunt they use one of those awesome concept art cinematics with a voice over to tell the whole story, that would be really cool.

For the most part though, I suspect this was a lore piece they wrote to flesh out Braham’s past, either to get a clearer picture of who he is while developing him, or as a side project that didn’t require a lot of extra team members (writing something like this is a lot easier than coding a bunch of new things in the game, let alone creating a whole new concept art cinematic with voice over). I’m glad we got this much rather than nothing. Most of this information was conveyed in story content in game already, this short story just gives that stuff a little extra meat.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

TexZero.7910:

Auesis.7301:

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

I’m aware there’s still more, but as far as story telling goes i feel that expanding on his backstory isn’t a likely priority, so much as expanding him as a character would be. Fleshing out his role in the world.

Well, remember, for norn it’s about what your deeds are rather than who you’re related to. Braham hasn’t done anything yet, but he’s sure on the path to doing something to get him a lot of glory and free ale.

I’m more interested in Rox, but then that’s because my charr is probably my second favorite character. My norn is probably my third.

How utterly single dimensional. Of course they would care who he is, son of famous parents, he would be known, under scrutiny, and under more pressure to create something of himself. To infer that he would be some unknown, in spite of his parents, it silly and unrealistic. He would have to prove himself, but to imply anonymity till he does is just wrong. Norn are a people, not a single aspect.

Its worth pointing out that Eir doesnt talk about her son. The fact she has one is probably not common knowledge and neither Braham and Eir seem to like bringing it up in detail.

Being a lore geek, I like outside sources of lore to flesh out stories. Games always have a limitation to what they can portray and share of stories because of the tools available and the resource requirements to develop the content.

Thats the joy of multimedia appoaches. They allow the development of story from several angles. While its important for them to keep the game as the central source of story, having outside sources like this short story really build on that basis.

I liked this short story and hope we get more.

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

TexZero.7910:

Auesis.7301:

There is another installment in the F&F arc, remember. This might be expanded upon.

I’m aware there’s still more, but as far as story telling goes i feel that expanding on his backstory isn’t a likely priority, so much as expanding him as a character would be. Fleshing out his role in the world.

Well, remember, for norn it’s about what your deeds are rather than who you’re related to. Braham hasn’t done anything yet, but he’s sure on the path to doing something to get him a lot of glory and free ale.

I’m more interested in Rox, but then that’s because my charr is probably my second favorite character. My norn is probably my third.

How utterly single dimensional. Of course they would care who he is, son of famous parents, he would be known, under scrutiny, and under more pressure to create something of himself. To infer that he would be some unknown, in spite of his parents, it silly and unrealistic. He would have to prove himself, but to imply anonymity till he does is just wrong. Norn are a people, not a single aspect.

Maybe so.

But it seems he does not receive special treatment, honors, or anything else until he earns them. Respect, perhaps . . . but not much more than that.

TexZero.7910:

Baeyne.9584:

TexZero.7910:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/brahams-story/

I enjoyed reading it, however…
-snip-

… It makes little to no sense.

In my opinion, short stories like these, and of course novels of the game, actually benefit the game and the game’s lore. Let me try to explain:

Even if i were to ackwnowledge…
-snip-
…just the select few who read the post.

I will not disagree with you that this kind of approach, the scavenging hunt, is a good idea. I find it a pleasant surprise to find a piece of information about the lore, in-game as well.

What I AM trying to say is that there are aspects of the game lore that can only be best presented in a specific medium of story telling.

- Presenting the lore in-game via events like the living story.
- Short Stories
- In-game lore reference that you come across
- NPC text, and much more

These are the tools of the trade to present the lore of Guild Wars, and all of them should be utilized by the Dev team to bring more life to the world of Tyria and its denizens.