Guild Wars 2

The collections system that will arrive with the feature pack tomorrow includes several difficult scavenger hunts. The enchanted Treasure Chest collection for example (see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6N8v43D1H0&list=UUYUY9_i44IDNOs_Ja815mlA#t=1121 ), encourages you to explore Tyria and collect a large amount of obscure and rare items. Seeing collections like this one got me thinking, wouldn’t collections be a perfect platform for a non-RNG way to get a precursor?

I envision a precursor collection as a ‘hidden’ collection that you can buy from a collection vendor once you hit level 80. Every precursor could have a different, and themed collection (as far as this is possible). Upon finishing the collection, a specific (account-bound) precursor is the reward. This system could encourage you to (re-)play different parts of the game, and these items should not be items you can simply buy off the TP.

E.g. for The Chosen (Precursor for the legendary shield The Flameseeker Prophecies), the collection could include things like:

• Several named exotic shields
• A reward from the final personal story step
• A dragon finisher
• Collectible books from heart vendors
• Rare drops from some dungeons/ world events
• An ascended shield
• Many more obscure and hard-to-get items.

except for gating pve content behind pvp levels (dragon finisher), I think scavenger hunts would be just fine as a way to earn a precursor. I have posted a couple times in other threads that this is a part of being “legendary” and that luck/farming gold is not “legendary”. Also, even if the current RNG system were left in place, this would be fine and making them account bound on acquire when earned through a scavenger hunt would be fine as well since, by definition, legendaries are supposed to always scale up when a higher tier weapon is introduced (at least that is my understanding).

The collections system would kinda be like a scavenger hunt though, wouldn’kitten (ie., go forth and find and collect a number of items)

Elsdragon.5109:

The collections system would kinda be like a scavenger hunt though, wouldn’kitten (ie., go forth and find and collect a number of items)

if you really wanna stretch it.. it already is. Collect your kitten off for mats, gold, gems and sell your soul to the devil to get enough gold to buy a precursor. XD

Elsdragon.5109:

The collections system would kinda be like a scavenger hunt though, wouldn’kitten (ie., go forth and find and collect a number of items)

Whether it turns into just a shopping list, will to a large extent depend on the items that are required to craft the precursor. I agree that that would not be the best solution though. I propose to combat this type of behavior by including items from all areas of the game of the game, and some items that are linked to personal achievement rather than simply how deep your pockets are.

^ I am dissapoint

I would have hoped these rewards where atleast new skins, owell maybe next time ><

Well, at least precursors won’t have a very boring way (collecting all 18 ascended gear skins) to unlock them. Let’s hope we will get a non-rng way to craft them in the near future. Mawdrey II is an awesome 1st step if you ask me.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Hi,

Just a quick clarification about the initial video: this is a preview of the September 2014 Feature Pack collection and it shows rewards that are unique to the collection feature, but they’re not precursors. These rewards are the named exotics that drop from Champion loot bags.

This is my shocked face. /s

sirflamesword.3896:

This is my shocked face. /s

why?? It’s only… 18 pieces of ascended armor! Should be completed in 2016.

:P

Wait wait wait, so you collect a bunch of exotics and you get Ascended Armor, but you complete all the sets of Ascended Armor and you get an exotic?

Please tell me I’m not the only one that this doesn’t make sense for.

That’s…hilarious.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Hi,

Just a quick clarification about the initial video: this is a preview of the September 2014 Feature Pack collection and it shows rewards that are unique to the collection feature, but they’re not precursors. These rewards are the named exotics that drop from Champion loot bags.

So the reward for collecting 1200g of skins… is a skin that you can buy off the tp for at most 8g….

And you wonder why people say Anet can’t figure out rewards…

That does seem illogical, but look at it from the other way. If completing the Ascended armor trilogy set guaranteed you a Precursor, wouldn’t players then be complaining that they’re “forced” to craft Ascended armor to get their Precursor? (Not to mention it would make Silk/cloth prices even more insane than they already are.)

Zaxares.5419:

That does seem illogical, but look at it from the other way. If completing the Ascended armor trilogy set guaranteed you a Precursor, wouldn’t players then be complaining that they’re “forced” to craft Ascended armor to get their Precursor? (Not to mention it would make Silk/cloth prices even more insane than they already are.)

As long as there was still the Mystic Toilet Method of aquiring a precursor, you wouldn’t really be forced into doing anything.

Along with guild halls, we are way past due on the precursor scavenger hunt front.

It really doesn’t make sense at all. Ascended armor isn’t that easy to get. It literally costs hundreds of gold to make a full set, and the reward is an exotic?

I guess i shouldn’t be surprised though. I did get grey junk items for completing the living story chapters.

And actually, aren’t some Exotics ridiculously expensive anyway? Like Infinite Light or Immobulus? I reckon those skins would be an excellent reward for crafting 18 Ascended armor pieces.

I think the bigger shock is how people believed the rewards for completing difficult tasks would actually be rewarding.

Yea, that’s not going to happen with ArenaNet.

Zaxares.5419:

And actually, aren’t some Exotics ridiculously expensive anyway? Like Infinite Light or Immobulus? I reckon those skins would be an excellent reward for crafting 18 Ascended armor pieces.

Except she said “named exotics that drop from Champion loot bags”. The exotics you mention are forge weapons.

Did anyone actually think that suddenly dumping hundreds and perhaps thousands of precursors into the market would be a good idea? Anyone who does fractals regularly is likely swimming in those ascended chests.

Kaldrys.1978:

Did anyone actually think that suddenly dumping hundreds and perhaps thousands of precursors into the market would be a good idea? Anyone who does fractals regularly is likely swimming in those ascended chests.

Then you’re clearly not running fractals on a regular basis.

It’s faster to craft Ascended armor than it is to obtain it in fractals by a significant margin, even if you were to farm the gold.

I don’t think we’ll find the precursor scavenger hunt being implemented in the game. It’s great in theory but Anet just can’t get their shizz together… I mean look how long it’s been on the backburner for.

That said, I want to be wrong. Please prove me wrong Anet!!

Chase.8415:

Kaldrys.1978:

Did anyone actually think that suddenly dumping hundreds and perhaps thousands of precursors into the market would be a good idea? Anyone who does fractals regularly is likely swimming in those ascended chests.

Then you’re clearly not running fractals on a regular basis.

It’s faster to craft Ascended armor than it is to obtain it in fractals by a significant margin, even if you were to farm the gold.

Well I’m sitting on a stack of pristines and have most of the fractal skins (all but one acquired post-fractured) so I think that would qualify as running fractals on a regular basis. At one point I had half a bank tab of ascended armor and weapon chests with terrible attributes and I know other members of my fractal group had even more. I even managed to put together a full celestial set from all the healer/defender chests that I got, which is convenient for wvw I guess.

The RNG element in the acquisition of a Legendary weapon is a ridiculous concept and should never have been included. Two years on and I still haven’t obtained a precursor. I was at the point where I just didn’t care anymore a long time ago and to be honest I don’t know why I’m still even trying at this point. The precursor and thereafter the Legendary should be acquired by actions not dumb luck. Remove the RNG, make it Account bound at the very least and then it genuinely will be a “Legendary” Weapon.

Ltomato.8649:

Wait wait wait, so you collect a bunch of exotics and you get Ascended Armor, but you complete all the sets of Ascended Armor and you get an exotic?

Please tell me I’m not the only one that this doesn’t make sense for.

I facepalmed

This video… What about NDA? Prices skyrocketed already. GG a.net.

Waikd.4632:

E.g. for The Chosen (Precursor for the legendary shield The Flameseeker Prophecies), the collection could include things like:

• Several named exotic shields
• A reward from the final personal story step
• A dragon finisher
• Collectible books from heart vendors
• Rare drops from some dungeons/ world events
• An ascended shield
• Many more obscure and hard-to-get items.

1. Get Gold, buy from TP
2. Meh
3. PVP FOR MAH SKINS!?
4. Meh
5. RNG BULLkitten
6. TIMEGATING!

Basically, what you’ve suggested wouldn’t really change a thing. Heck, you even included an actual RNG element (with no alternative), which is far, far worse than what we currently have for Precursors.

The thing is, people asked for the scavenger hunt for 2 reasons. Firstly, it’d be doing content to get your precursor, instead of buying it from someone. Secondly, it’d be less dependent on random drops, which would mean actually progressing towards the precursor.

Of course, there are also those who simply think that any content they could possibly put into the game would be a far, far easier, quicker and cheaper way to get Precursors and that’s why they want it.

I seriously ask ANet to reconsider this. A way to get a precursor without RNG or buying off the TP is far more important to players than you seem to realize. This is an elegant solution to make that happen without totally wrecking the economy OR the price of precursors. Do this and you won’t hear us whining about it for quite awhile, you’ll win so much goodwill, and without even really changing much of anything.

You’ve changed stuff before based on feedback. CHANGE THIS PLAN TO GIVE PRECURSORS. Implement a scavenger hunt in the future, rethink how precursors work later. Make this a path to get one now and give yourselves a break to not have this constantly as a request. I don’t think you know how many people get tired of the game because of this, I’ve heard this without prompting from 2 people tonight alone.

ezd.6359:

This video… What about NDA? Prices skyrocketed already. GG a.net.

Yeah, i wish people wouldn’t reveal items that are needed. I saw some regular exotics going for 700g now.

Kaldrys.1978:

Well I’m sitting on a stack of pristines and have most of the fractal skins (all but one acquired post-fractured) so I think that would qualify as running fractals on a regular basis. At one point I had half a bank tab of ascended armor and weapon chests with terrible attributes and I know other members of my fractal group had even more. I even managed to put together a full celestial set from all the healer/defender chests that I got, which is convenient for wvw I guess.

That still doesn’t mean there would be thousands of precursors dropping onto the market at once. Because of course the item you get from this is one per account and account-bound. So you’d need to get the precursor you want and then have the drive to complete the achievements to craft a legendary.

And frankly, if a huge number of people who do high-level fractals frequently haven’t gotten the precursor they want enough to get it from this, then that says a lot about how much this is needed, no?

Ltomato.8649:

Wait wait wait, so you collect a bunch of exotics and you get Ascended Armor, but you complete all the sets of Ascended Armor and you get an exotic?

Please tell me I’m not the only one that this doesn’t make sense for.

You’re not the only one. I was excited as this could give me an incentive to craft ascended for alts, but not anymore.

It would’ve made sense if these included expensive mystic forge exotics, but a couple gold champ bag exotics… not excited.

Exotics drop from champ bags? That’s from the 3 or 4 an hour from proper wvw..I guess I need to wexp/karma train moooore in eotm

Lothirieth.3408:

Zaxares.5419:

And actually, aren’t some Exotics ridiculously expensive anyway? Like Infinite Light or Immobulus? I reckon those skins would be an excellent reward for crafting 18 Ascended armor pieces.

Except he said “named exotics that drop from Champion loot bags”. The exotics you mention are forge weapons.

Fixed if for you. Stephane Lo Presti is a guy (Pretty sure its really an é at the end of his name though).

Kaldrys.1978:

Chase.8415:

Kaldrys.1978:

Did anyone actually think that suddenly dumping hundreds and perhaps thousands of precursors into the market would be a good idea? Anyone who does fractals regularly is likely swimming in those ascended chests.

Then you’re clearly not running fractals on a regular basis.

It’s faster to craft Ascended armor than it is to obtain it in fractals by a significant margin, even if you were to farm the gold.

Well I’m sitting on a stack of pristines and have most of the fractal skins (all but one acquired post-fractured) so I think that would qualify as running fractals on a regular basis. At one point I had half a bank tab of ascended armor and weapon chests with terrible attributes and I know other members of my fractal group had even more. I even managed to put together a full celestial set from all the healer/defender chests that I got, which is convenient for wvw I guess.

I think that just means you have one of the lucky accounts that is blessed with all the best rewards. Most people are lucky to have gotten 1-2 of the ascended chests (either fractals or world bosses).

I don’t think there’s any reason to hand out precursors to people that feel entitled to them, merely because they want them.

If Anet wants to implement a scavenger hunt for legendary precursors, let them make NEW precursors for NEW legendarys…………ones that pertain to the new method of obtaining them.

Firebaall.5127:

I don’t think there’s any reason to hand out precursors to people that feel entitled to them, merely because they want them.

If Anet wants to implement a scavenger hunt for legendary precursors, let them make NEW precursors for NEW legendarys…………ones that pertain to the new method of obtaining them.

I think this new collection system is what the Scavenger Hunt for precursors was. They scrapped it and it became this. The precursor thing isn’t going to happen. It’s too lucrative a money maker for them as people buy gems and then buy their precursor with the gold they converted from gems. This is a cool system though for the most part.

Olba.5376:

Waikd.4632:

E.g. for The Chosen (Precursor for the legendary shield The Flameseeker Prophecies), the collection could include things like:

• Several named exotic shields
• A reward from the final personal story step
• A dragon finisher
• Collectible books from heart vendors
• Rare drops from some dungeons/ world events
• An ascended shield
• Many more obscure and hard-to-get items.

1. Get Gold, buy from TP
2. Meh
3. PVP FOR MAH SKINS!?
4. Meh
5. RNG BULLkitten
6. TIMEGATING!

Basically, what you’ve suggested wouldn’t really change a thing. Heck, you even included an actual RNG element (with no alternative), which is far, far worse than what we currently have for Precursors.

The thing is, people asked for the scavenger hunt for 2 reasons. Firstly, it’d be doing content to get your precursor, instead of buying it from someone. Secondly, it’d be less dependent on random drops, which would mean actually progressing towards the precursor.

I am totally with you on the point that the items I list in my example scavenger hunt are not perfect, ofcourse the required items should be chosen in a way that there is progress through playing content, and not through RNG. I merely gave the example to flesh out my main point a little bit. This being that Arenanet may have stumbled upon a perfect system to hand out non-RNG precursors with the implementation of the collections system.

P.S. At some point this topic drifted towards discussing about whether the ‘unique exotic weapon reward’ for some of the current collections included precursors, rather than the suggestion to add new collections with specific precursors as a reward. Could a mod perhaps tidy up the thread a bit?

I love the game, but I feel that Anet has a huge problem with rewards in this game.

How can it be satisfying for anyone if you’ve crafted 18(!!) pieces of ascended gear and then getting one exotic which could be bought in the trading-post for the price of less than 1 ascended piece of armor?

What’s a good start is the treasure hunt collection imho. You will probably be very happy when you see the unique exotics drop from the worldbosses, something which hasn’t been that way before. Also, working on Mawdrey was a big step forwards imho, players work long-time on something that isn’t that out of reach as Legendaries (especially with the precursor-rng-problem).

… but some of the rewards, I just ask myself: what were they thinking? I feel like in a lot of cases there is no discussion of whether players will feel rewarded or not behind the curtains.

To be a more constructive- something that players might want for completing the highest tier armor sets in the game would be Transmutation Charges!

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Hi,

Just a quick clarification about the initial video: this is a preview of the September 2014 Feature Pack collection and it shows rewards that are unique to the collection feature, but they’re not precursors. These rewards are the named exotics that drop from Champion loot bags.

This sort of disheartening, I was kind of hoping it might be an interesting implementation of the non-rng precursor acquisition methods. Is there any update on that? Either a scavenger hunt, or with the crafting? Not looking for specific details, just some confirmation that it hasn’t been thrown out the window, I suppose.

Beyond that though, as others have pointed out, if these unique exotics are not precursors, then some of the rewards vs work required might be bit a skewed. Obviously people that craft all 3 tiers of ascended armor aren’t going to want an exotic weapon (despite its skin) as a reward, it’s a down grade for them. Perhaps we could politely ask whoever is in charge of determining these rewards to reconsider some of them?

Ltomato.8649:

To be a more constructive- something that players might want for completing the highest tier armor sets in the game would be Transmutation Charges!

Not really, I have still tons of unused ones. For completing ALL armor-sets you want something unique, not something every 3rd person runs around with.

Firebaall.5127:

I don’t think there’s any reason to hand out precursors to people that feel entitled to them, merely because they want them.

If Anet wants to implement a scavenger hunt for legendary precursors, let them make NEW precursors for NEW legendarys…………ones that pertain to the new method of obtaining them.

I disagree.

There always should have been a better way for precursors. As it is ALL precursors are RNG.

Even if you pay an exorbitant amount of gold to purchase one directly, it came from RNG. It’s luck. You’re paying someone’s lottery winnings out of your own pocket. I refuse to do that, and playing RNG with the forge isn’t fun at all.

Making Mawdrey was somewhat fun, even though it had time gated aspects.

Marcus Greythorne.6843:

Ltomato.8649:

To be a more constructive- something that players might want for completing the highest tier armor sets in the game would be Transmutation Charges!

Not really, I have still tons of unused ones. For completing ALL armor-sets you want something unique, not something every 3rd person runs around with.

Like the spirit backpack?

The 5 spirit weapons costs about 2000g-3000g to make… GL

Devildoc.6721:

Firebaall.5127:

I don’t think there’s any reason to hand out precursors to people that feel entitled to them, merely because they want them.

If Anet wants to implement a scavenger hunt for legendary precursors, let them make NEW precursors for NEW legendarys…………ones that pertain to the new method of obtaining them.

I disagree.

There always should have been a better way for precursors. As it is ALL precursors are RNG.

Even if you pay an exorbitant amount of gold to purchase one directly, it came from RNG. It’s luck. You’re paying someone’s lottery winnings out of your own pocket. I refuse to do that, and playing RNG with the forge isn’t fun at all.

Making Mawdrey was somewhat fun, even though it had time gated aspects.

The fact that they can be sold/bought makes them not only RNG. It doesn’t matter if it was a lucky drop for the original owner. If they ONLY came from the forge or as a drop then you’d have a logical leg to stand on.

Listen to yourself…. “I refuse to do that” (purchase off the TP). Entitled, does not a legendary make.

Firebaall.5127:

The fact that they can be sold/bought makes them not only RNG. It doesn’t matter if it was a lucky drop for the original owner. If they ONLY came from the forge or as a drop then you’d have a logical leg to stand on.

Listen to yourself…. “I refuse to do that” (purchase off the TP). Entitled, does not a legendary make.

What they’re saying is actually considering more sides than you are. I don’t like the idea of spending hours and hours and hours grinding more gold than I’ve ever gotten before, strategizing and saving… then handing it over to some other player who got a lucky drop. It’s crappy, I’d much rather spend hours grinding and just throwing it into a gold sink.

If it were clear that all accounts were wired to provide similar levels of “luck”, then it might not be a problem, but that is not the case. And I don’t want to subsidize someone else’s burgeoning career flipping stuff on the TP.

wwwes.1398:

Firebaall.5127:

The fact that they can be sold/bought makes them not only RNG. It doesn’t matter if it was a lucky drop for the original owner. If they ONLY came from the forge or as a drop then you’d have a logical leg to stand on.

Listen to yourself…. “I refuse to do that” (purchase off the TP). Entitled, does not a legendary make.

What they’re saying is actually considering more sides than you are. I don’t like the idea of spending hours and hours and hours grinding more gold than I’ve ever gotten before, strategizing and saving… then handing it over to some other player who got a lucky drop. It’s crappy, I’d much rather spend hours grinding and just throwing it into a gold sink.

If it were clear that all accounts were wired to provide similar levels of “luck”, then it might not be a problem, but that is not the case. And I don’t want to subsidize someone else’s burgeoning career flipping stuff on the TP.

A legendary should represent amazing luck or amazing work. If you want to buy enough gems to purchase one, that’s amazing support of the game. Giving everybody the best items in the game because they feel they “deserve” it, is hogwash.

The kittening and moaning of entitled players is ridiculous. The facts are, if you aren’t lucky enough to have one drop….you can still earn one. You’re not excluded by anything but your own laziness, or general lack of effort.

Firebaall.5127:

wwwes.1398:

Firebaall.5127:

The fact that they can be sold/bought makes them not only RNG. It doesn’t matter if it was a lucky drop for the original owner. If they ONLY came from the forge or as a drop then you’d have a logical leg to stand on.

Listen to yourself…. “I refuse to do that” (purchase off the TP). Entitled, does not a legendary make.

What they’re saying is actually considering more sides than you are. I don’t like the idea of spending hours and hours and hours grinding more gold than I’ve ever gotten before, strategizing and saving… then handing it over to some other player who got a lucky drop. It’s crappy, I’d much rather spend hours grinding and just throwing it into a gold sink.

If it were clear that all accounts were wired to provide similar levels of “luck”, then it might not be a problem, but that is not the case. And I don’t want to subsidize someone else’s burgeoning career flipping stuff on the TP.

A legendary should represent amazing luck or amazing work. If you want to buy enough gems to purchase one, that’s amazing support of the game. Giving everybody the best items in the game because they feel they “deserve” it, is hogwash.

The kittening and moaning of entitled players is ridiculous. The facts are, if you aren’t lucky enough to have one drop….you can still earn one. You’re not excluded by anything but your own laziness, or general lack of effort.

You’re just paying for someone else’s luck, that’s the part I refuse to do.

I’d rather work for it, like I worked for the other parts of the legendary. I did dungeons, WvW, world bosses, I grinded T6 mats, I salvaged a ton of stuff for ectos, I completed the map.

Those aspects, while grindy, were fun.

having to either get lucky, or pay someone else who got lucky, that’s not remotely fun, that just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

That’s like someone walking up to your door one day and saying “hey this ticket says I won the lottery and I’m to go to your house to collect my winnings. Pay up!”

just to clarify my thoughts: I would find the choice of a champion-exotic an awesome idea… if it weren’t for the tradingpost.