Do my wife and I have to choose the same race
In general no, but there are a few exceptions.
Your race determines where you start, and your level 10, 20 and 30 person story chapters.
Where you are
This isn’t a problem because the game uses a fast-travel system called Waypoints. You will both have 1 waypoint in each starter map unlocked automatically, so all you need to do is work out where you both are, then pick one map to play on and the person who is not on that map can use the waypoint to get there.
This game also uses a system called ‘mega servers’ where all the servers share maps, and new versions of each map are created as needed to house all the people who want to go there. Which means sometimes you can be in the same location in the game but can’t see each other because you’re in different versions of the map.
To fix this form a party by right-clicking the other persons name in chat or typing it into the party window in the top-left of the screen. They should be added to your part with a black outline portrait. Then one of you needs to right-click that and choose ‘Join in [map name]’. That will move them across so you’re both in the same version of the map.
If you add each other to your in-game friends list you’re much more likely to be put into the same map by default and won’t need to do this as often.
There is also a way to get to the same map without paying copper for a waypoint, but it’s more complicated. When you first appear after the tutorial instance you need to turn around and go through a blue swirly portal to enter your racial city, then look for a pink swirl symbol on the map. This is an asura gate which will lead you to Lion’s Arch. Then you need to look for 5 gates all together, and go through the one whose guards are the same race as your partner’s character. That will take you to their racial city and then you can go out and find them. But for the first time it’s much easier to just use a waypoint.
Story
This is a little more complicated. The first 3 chapters are different for each race (and there’s different versions depending on the choices you make at character creation). You can play the story together by forming a party (click the box above for instructions on doing that) but the only person who will get credit is the one whose story it is, so you’ll then need to go and do the other person’s story.
From level 40 it’s possible for different races to have the same story, but it depends on the choices you make within it. The first important choice is which Order you choose to join during the level 30 story. After that there will be other choices at various points. As long as you pick the same Order and then make all the same choices you will be able to complete your story together.
(But if you enjoy the storyline you might actually want to make different choices to see 2 different versions of it.)
Danielle Aurorel, Dear Dragon We Got Your Cookies [Nom], Desolation (EU).
“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”
“Life’s a journey, not a destination.”
(edited by Danikat.8537)
No, everyone can easily create a character of choice, warp then via PVp lobby to Lioans Arch and Warp from there to every other town to go meet up with their partners that play an other race.
You dont have to play as the same race to play together from begin on, unless you want to play also together the same tutorial area, then you have to do that.
Personally I like the idea behind sub classes ~ quoted from Chris Whiteside
If we choose the same race can we complete our story missions at the same time or would we have to complete the same missions twice?
Well no, but if your wife is a Norn and you are an Asura you might want to invest in a decent quality ladder.
I mean she’s gonna put all your weapons on high shelves all the time.
if you choose the same race, you can play togehter the story missions directly from the start together.
You can play also story missions together if you dont play the same race, just make a party, invite your wife and start the story mission of you. She will be asked by the game to join your Story Mission and can either accept or not to join then when you start the mission
However story missions need to be played by everyone once as “Leader” to progress your own personal story.
Your wife can support you with your Story Mission, but she won’t get the same progress as you.
She will earn daily for helping you out at Story Missions only a small sum of money (50 Silver) Means if you help out each other with every Story Mission, you make together this way 1 Gold when you both share together also all the gold that you make together.
So every Story Mission when played together needs to be played twice, so that everyone of you was once the Leader of the group.
With achievements even in mind it means later you have to do it together practically 4x in certain cases, because certain achievemetns later require specific missions to be replayed several times. Not all achievements can be done on the first run.
Personally I like the idea behind sub classes ~ quoted from Chris Whiteside
(edited by Orpheal.8263)
If you choose different selections in the character select screen, whether race or other choices, and decide to play Personal Story chapters together, you will be asked if you want to accept progress on that chapter.
If you choose ‘yes’, the story will put you both on the same story arc track, and you won’t be able to move off that track until the next story arc (L10, L20, L30, etc.). Keep this in mind should you choose to accept another player’s story progress.
Welcome to Tyria, and good luck.
No, everyone can easily create a character of choice, warp then via PVp lobby to Lioans Arch and Warp from there to every other town to go meet up with their partners that play an other race.
You dont have to play as the same race to play together from begin on, unless you want to play also together the same tutorial area, then you have to do that.
Actually it’s much easier now, since the first waypoint in each zone is automatically unlocked as soon as you create a character. You no longer have to go through Lion’s Arch.
And those the OP clearly has a paid copy of the game, we don’t know if his wife does. Free to play people can’t go through to LA until level 35, so the waypoint would then be the only way for free to play players to play together.