Guild Wars 2

…they’re farming enemies for virtual money for virtual loot that doesn’t matter that much in comparison to the fact that with that virtual loot they’re conjuring dark magics, illusions, elemental attacks or slashing, smashing, and blasting down all manner of crazy creatures and people? Or is that just me?

Did everyone completely forget that our characters are pretty much awesome apart from their loot, not necessarily because of or with it? I dunno man. Give your character some love. Go do something crazy. Rocket boot into a group of enemies and pop up a toolkit and smash some enemy heads then overcharge your shot and fire away…If they think they’ll get close then tease them with your personal battering ram.

Do whatever’s similar with your profession. If you’re doing this already and realizing how amusing it is, while making that money and phat loot, good on you. If you’re doing this and forgetting that and just stacking up the money and loot unphased, take a step back to see what your character’s doing. Realize it’s pretty awesome, and that money and loot’s just a side-benefit to your general wickedness.

Point taken.

Our characters would be even more awesome if they could do some more of these;
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Emote

Allowing us to interact with our defeated foes, and live human friends more meaningfully.

Yeah it’s the difference between playing with content, and playing through content. However, the game actively commits to rewarding consumption over creativity. A mind-boggling direction IMO.

Redfeather.6401:

Yeah it’s the difference between playing with content, and playing through content. However, the game actively commits to rewarding consumption over creativity. A mind-boggling direction IMO.

Welll sure, because only a percentage of players play the game. Most just use the game to get their rewards. And since play is its own reward, the in game rewards have to exist for the majority.

I’m saddened that it is the majority, but I’m not surprised. I blame WoW. lol

Pure Heart.1456:

Point taken.

Our characters would be even more awesome if they could do some more of these;
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Emote

Allowing us to interact with our defeated foes, and live human friends more meaningfully.

Pff god yes We’re missing out on so much emotes in this game,Gw1 had an enless list of emotes..we barely got a thing in here,just some of the basic stuff.I mean,we got WvW and they didn’t even add a CHARGE or ROAR emote…

Vayne.8563:

Redfeather.6401:

Yeah it’s the difference between playing with content, and playing through content. However, the game actively commits to rewarding consumption over creativity. A mind-boggling direction IMO.

Welll sure, because only a percentage of players play the game. Most just use the game to get their rewards. And since play is its own reward, the in game rewards have to exist for the majority.

I’m saddened that it is the majority, but I’m not surprised. I blame WoW. lol

You would. You should be blaming human nature instead, really.

Pure Heart.1456:

Point taken.

Our characters would be even more awesome if they could do some more of these;
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Emote

Allowing us to interact with our defeated foes, and live human friends more meaningfully.

You just murdered them with a bear, an undead monster, an elemental, a greatsword, a barrage of arrows, a meteor shower, a rocket round, a series of illusionary clones, quick dagger swipes, or any number of other things…That seems pretty meaningful to me! =P

With friends, you complemented their attacks with your laid down AoE effects or defended them from enemy fire or happened to incidentally aid them as you smashed up or blew up the enemy. That seems pretty meaningful too!

However, I do follow your point, regardless.

Gmr Leon.1846:

-stuff-

….

Hmm? What was that? I was too busy staring at my character’s kitten.

Gmr Leon.1846:

…they’re farming enemies for virtual money for virtual loot that doesn’t matter that much in comparison to the fact that with that virtual loot they’re conjuring dark magics, illusions, elemental attacks or slashing, smashing, and blasting down all manner of crazy creatures and people? Or is that just me?

No it’s not just you, but I think players like us are in the minority. For better or worse, the era of subscription MMOs conditioned players to think that gear hamster wheels define MMOs, and the concept of roleplaying (not talking about heavy rp, just the “roleplaying” that’s in the term “MMORPG”) in a virtual world was almost forgotten.

GW2 is doing a good job of trying to pull back from the abyss of grindy design elements, but it’s difficult, because farming is still what most players enjoy doing, and they have to be satisfied because they bulk up the numbers.

And after all, everyone enjoys a bit of grind now and then – when you enjoy playing your toon, when you’ve built it sweet to suit your playstyle like a glove, and when you’re in love with the atmosphere of the game world, grind doesn’t feel like grind so much, it’s more of a pleasant trance state.

Pure Heart.1456:

Point taken.

Our characters would be even more awesome if they could do some more of these;
http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Emote

Allowing us to interact with our defeated foes, and live human friends more meaningfully.

F*** I miss /flex. and all the other ones too while I’m at it. >;o

Nope.

People would rather measure your worth in this game by the amount of virtual currency you wasted your time on.

It is useless to put impressive sights and sounds when people are too urgent to race to the finish line and decide that everyone else is playing “non optimally” while fact is, wasting your time on mindless farming is hardly optimal at all.