Guild Wars 2

I’m done. After a month of posting in various forums about how Fractured had impacted a great community of challenge seeking players, I’ve lost all hope in achieving anything in these forums at all. The furthest we’ve gotten is “collecting feedback” and “we’re thinking about it” which the followed with locking the thread.
I went to fractals the other day for the sake of filling a spot in my friend’s party. It’s been a while, since I’ve had any desire to go back in after completing the meta. First two levels went smoothly, but then dredge happened. We passed it without wiping, but it hit me why I (at this point) do not enjoy fractals anymore. Aside from dredge level being there, the sense of advancing in levels is completely gone.
The drive behind the original fractals where each character had their own progression level and how each and every one of them advanced accordingly of their play-style is now lost. If I was to play for rewards, they’re pitiful when it comes to the time spent. So the content is practically dead to me now. I don’t enjoy doing them at all anymore. There is no drive, reason nor feeling of accomplishment. It was all wiped off without a trace, just like our personal levels.
I was fighting till the very end, but that fight seem to be just bashing the head against the wall at this point.
In the past if you asked in Guild Chat if anyone wanted to do fractals, you’d get tons of responses, even if it was asking what level. These days it’s hard to get 1-2 people even remotely interested. It’s almost like Living Story killed fractals. Many people got into mentality that it’s a temporary content just like the personal level and it can go away at any time.
I would love to see how many people play fractals on daily basis now vs. what they were playing before the update. From what I’m seeing it’s barely any. But then again it’s a personal point of view.
Well… Anet… You’ve won in a way. I moved on. I won’t complain or ask for things, since the time I’ve put into many of my toons in fractals was a simple waste of time and clearly do not deserve any recognition at all, as it was stated by many players throughout the forum. I’ll still play the game, but I’ll be steering far away from fractals.

R.I.P. Fractals
November 16th, 2012 – November 26, 2013

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

That depended on personal perspective. People complained about fractal level not being account bound because they didn’t want to waste time leveling their alts. I’ve had 3 toons at level 49, where I leveled each and every one of them by putting time and hard work into them. Now that was also taken away in favor of being on equal footing.
People that put work into multiple characters were not complaining about level not being account bound, people that had one toon at high level and didn’t feel like doing fractals all over again on different toons complained.

I can’t understand the reasoning behind this complaint. I really can’t.

What do you want for fractals?

Romo.3709:

That depended on personal perspective. People complained about fractal level not being account bound because they didn’t want to waste time leveling their alts. I’ve had 3 toons at level 49, where I leveled each and every one of them by putting time and hard work into them. Now that was also taken away in favor of being on equal footing.
People that put work into multiple characters were not complaining about level not being account bound, people that had one toon at high level and didn’t feel like doing fractals all over again on different toons complained.

and in the end the outcome is exactly the same. Your 3 toons are still the same level as one another.

Don’t take what I’m about to say (type) the wrong way, but you’re doing it wrong.

There is no achievement, no goal within this game that they can’t take away from you. You’re level 80? They might move the bar up to level 95. Or release Elona and make you earn seperate EXP for Elona levels. All your gear? Wiped out when the Elder Dragons consume enough magic to drain existing enchantments and spells, so start all over again. And so on.

This is an MMO, and that means that the world can be changed. For good or for bad, the Devs can change it at any time. NOTHING you earn here is set in stone. No goal is unmoving, no prize guaranteed to remain within your grasp. Someday, NCSoft will shut down the servers, and every last thing you have in game, even the characters themselves, will be gone.

So, you play for the moment. Don’t spend your time trying to earn the moment when you have fun, have fun at that moment. Play what you enjoy, not something you find a chore so that you can get to a goal that may be pulled out from under you later. If you have fun chasing that goal, then fine, play for the thrill of that chase, not the goal.

And no, this is not an easy thing to keep in mind all the time. I’ve spent a lot of money on gems, and I don’t like to think that someday all the armor and toys I’ve gotten are going to disappear. They will, though.

Play for fun, don’t work for goals. Some day, when GW2 is shut down, what will you have? Fond memories, or a bunch of digital ashes where once were prizes and titles you worked so hard for?

It’s not a complaint. It’s a personal statement. I’m done “complaining”. I want nothing from fractals anymore.

Romo.3709:

It’s not a complaint. It’s a personal statement. I’m done “complaining”. I want nothing from fractals anymore.

oh. What’s the point of this topic then? Why are you so special that we all should care that you won’t run fractals anymore?

Hard and challenging content, and recognition for it. That’s what I want.

Mirta.5029:

Romo.3709:

That depended on personal perspective. People complained about fractal level not being account bound because they didn’t want to waste time leveling their alts. I’ve had 3 toons at level 49, where I leveled each and every one of them by putting time and hard work into them. Now that was also taken away in favor of being on equal footing.
People that put work into multiple characters were not complaining about level not being account bound, people that had one toon at high level and didn’t feel like doing fractals all over again on different toons complained.

and in the end the outcome is exactly the same. Your 3 toons are still the same level as one another.

Exactly. So unless OP is kitten ed that others can get the toons at those levels without spending that much grind/work, what proves an incredible selfish attitude, i can’t understand that complaint either.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

It’s even less alt-friendly than it was before.
With the changes they made, with the required AR being much higher (as it can’t always be dodged with skill like before, and some instabilities just spam agony every 10s), you can’t come in fractals with an alt if he doesn’t have a full stuff with AR (ascended weapon or a few ascended armor pieces), which cost so much that most alts can’t have. So you can’t use alts in higher fractals anymore.

Romo.3709:

That depended on personal perspective. People complained about fractal level not being account bound because they didn’t want to waste time leveling their alts. I’ve had 3 toons at level 49, where I leveled each and every one of them by putting time and hard work into them. Now that was also taken away in favor of being on equal footing.
People that put work into multiple characters were not complaining about level not being account bound, people that had one toon at high level and didn’t feel like doing fractals all over again on different toons complained.

I suppose. But it still stands…. kitten ed it they do, kitten ed it they don’t.

There is no ‘right’ solution for this issue…

There are people like you, who want to build each character. It’s gives them a sense of progression and achievement. Each character is its own “individual”…

Then there are others that want it account bound because they want to be able to freely switch. “I want to play my mesmer today” “I want to play my necro today” and so on. To them, it is a hassle to progress each individually because they don’t view it the same way. Each character is merely a “costume”…

Considering the changes that were implemented, I am going to assume that those like you are the minority. Doesn’t make it fair, but what can Anet really do? They have to keep the majority happy for obvious reasons. Anet is a business after all.

Estriella Faerie.4029:

It’s even less alt-friendly than it was before.
With the changes they made, with the required AR being much higher (as it can’t always be dodged with skill like before, and some instabilities just spam agony every 10s), you can’t come in fractals with an alt if he doesn’t have a full stuff with AR (ascended weapon or a few ascended armor pieces), which cost so much that most alts can’t have. So you can’t use alts in higher fractals anymore.

I wouldn’t say this is quite the same thing…

People wanted it so you could level fractals once, so any character could jump in at w/e max level had been built. We were given what was asked for.

The issue with not having alts geared is something else entirely. The suggestion of making agony resist account bound (similarly to MF) has been made ( I think), but I don’t think it should be as would cause simply that many more issues with the whole ascended debacle.

Can’t agree with the OP since I support making the reward level accountbound, even though I only run it with one character.

This thread makes me very sad. To see how community members treat each other… shakes head

I also see less folks in fractals than before the patch. But this was predicted. Once the meta was no longer doable, fair weather fractal players left, hardcores are all that do them. And now they stick top remade groups, rather than pugs.

Overall, I think that the patch had a negative effect on the community and game. While it was brought out to please the majority of the player base, it actually only positively affected the minority. Things like account bound levels helped some people, who had AR on multiple non leveled characters, but undermined the efforts of those who actually leveled their alts to higher levels. These things are sad. And I think it’s about time more people at least acknowledged that there was a mistake made.

I think the biggest issue was clawing our levels back for the leaderboard, then pulling the leaderboard. I haven’t played fractals in a while because I don’t have the time, but I wasn’t having any trouble filling parties 2 weeks ago. Granted these groups were for 30-40, can’t speak for 41-50 since I haven’t had the time to get that far yet.

Palador.2170:

Don’t take what I’m about to say (type) the wrong way, but you’re doing it wrong.

There is no achievement, no goal within this game that they can’t take away from you. You’re level 80? They might move the bar up to level 95. Or release Elona and make you earn seperate EXP for Elona levels. All your gear? Wiped out when the Elder Dragons consume enough magic to drain existing enchantments and spells, so start all over again. And so on.

This is an MMO, and that means that the world can be changed. For good or for bad, the Devs can change it at any time. NOTHING you earn here is set in stone. No goal is unmoving, no prize guaranteed to remain within your grasp. Someday, NCSoft will shut down the servers, and every last thing you have in game, even the characters themselves, will be gone.

So, you play for the moment. Don’t spend your time trying to earn the moment when you have fun, have fun at that moment. Play what you enjoy, not something you find a chore so that you can get to a goal that may be pulled out from under you later. If you have fun chasing that goal, then fine, play for the thrill of that chase, not the goal.

And no, this is not an easy thing to keep in mind all the time. I’ve spent a lot of money on gems, and I don’t like to think that someday all the armor and toys I’ve gotten are going to disappear. They will, though.

Play for fun, don’t work for goals. Some day, when GW2 is shut down, what will you have? Fond memories, or a bunch of digital ashes where once were prizes and titles you worked so hard for?

+1 to you, sir or madam. Well said. It took me a long time to decide to even try for a legendary because I’m well aware that what is great (and here) today may be gone tomorrow in a game like this. But hey, I’m enjoying the ride, the moments, of getting there. Meeting great people and having loads of fun. I’ve spent an armload on gems because I enjoy this game and it’s my entertainment. Sadly, my ONLY entertainment, but that’s a whole other story LOL.

I understand how the OP feels, but I’m glad you stopped doing something you’re not enjoying. It’s a game. PLAY, don’t work.

LittleLepton.8915:

This thread makes me very sad. To see how community members treat each other… shakes head

I also see less folks in fractals than before the patch. But this was predicted. Once the meta was no longer doable, fair weather fractal players left, hardcores are all that do them. And now they stick top remade groups, rather than pugs.

Overall, I think that the patch had a negative effect on the community and game. While it was brought out to please the majority of the player base, it actually only positively affected the minority. Things like account bound levels helped some people, who had AR on multiple non leveled characters, but undermined the efforts of those who actually leveled their alts to higher levels. These things are sad. And I think it’s about time more people at least acknowledged that there was a mistake made.

I have to agree that the way some players are treating the OP is very bad. Here is a player that worked their way up to the top tiers of one of the more difficult areas of the game — the only place where vertical gear progression is essential to play, but it also required a good deal of skill. The gear he had already accumulated was made obsolete. The levels that he had accumulated were completely taken away to satisfy the requirements of a “leader board” that was poorly imagined and has already been removed. This player’s motivation has been pulverized. A little empathy might be in order.

I never played high level fractals, but from what I’ve seen it looks like the people that were most into playing fractals aren’t anymore, and the people that were level 2 or 3 or 6 are suddenly interested. Overall that might be good for the game, but it’s very sad for the players that were completely shafted with the Fractured update.

Its worse than that. The players who were interested in fractals before arent anymore and the players who suddenly are will only be interested until they get their achievements. After that fractals will be completely dead save a few dedicated players (It was already like that before the patch but now its even fewer).

Well, you get what you pay for

Never been in a fractal, and never will.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

Agreed. I like the change that it is not account and not character bound.

This means if I have the AR on a particular toon, I can play him/her without being restricted via level.

Laurels killed fractals for me…as soon as didn’t have to do fractals to get my rings, I didn’t…

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

I’m very aware of the difference. I did touch on it in a post further down..

cesmode.4257:

This means if I have the AR on a particular toon, I can play him/her without being restricted via level.

But you weren’t restricted by level, even before.
You could let other open the fractal and come with any alt you wanted, whatever the level of the alt. Even if only you had the level to open, people could come to the same map as yours to open with your level, then you could switch and take whatever character you wanted.

This change didn’t give us anything we already had. You could argue that by opening like this and playing with another character, you wouldn’t get the rewards of your high level toon. But it was easy to switch character back at the end of last map, just for the rewards. Now, we can only get the rewards for one run anyway, so no point doing it again with an alt.

Nobody gained anything with the account-bound level. People with only one leveled character lost nothing. People with multiple leveled characters lost the possibility to do multiple dailies.

My condolences go out to all those affected by this giant PR blunder of Anet’s. I’m not a fractal player, have never done a single one, but I feel like the way they treated the Fractal community with the “update” is something that should go down in game development history books as what not to do.

To the OP: Don’t let the forum guys get to you, there is no wrong in wanting compensation when compensation was promised, and then promptly not delivered.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

I’m very aware of the difference. I did touch on it in a post further down..

Well, excuse me…

I was more putting it out there for general consumption than aiming it at you in particular. I should have put something in the post to that effect.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

I’m very aware of the difference. I did touch on it in a post further down..

Well, excuse me…

I was more putting it out there for general consumption than aiming it at you in particular. I should have put something in the post to that effect.

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

I’m very aware of the difference. I did touch on it in a post further down..

Well, excuse me…

I was more putting it out there for general consumption than aiming it at you in particular. I should have put something in the post to that effect.

I wasn’t grumping at you. I was simply letting you know. =)

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

zenleto.6179:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Wait…. wasn’t one of the biggest complaints about fractals, previously, that it wasn’t account bound when it came to fractal level? (As such, making it not “alt friendly”)

Now it is….and it’s an issue?

kitten ed if they do, kitten ed it they don’t….

There’s a difference between “friendly for your alts” and “friendly to the player of alts”.

Stripping away individual character progression, which Anet is doing slowly but surely, might be making some players giddy with joy with all the account-bound stuff that’s been introduced but for people who want their characters to be completely separate from each other then its another nail.

I’m very aware of the difference. I did touch on it in a post further down..

Well, excuse me…

I was more putting it out there for general consumption than aiming it at you in particular. I should have put something in the post to that effect.

I wasn’t grumping at you. I was simply letting you know. =)

Well…that’s alright then…

:)

My issue with fractals atm are the amount of bugs that are still there and the dredge fractal. Other than that, i thought the update, esp the account wide change, was great.

LittleLepton.8915:

This thread makes me very sad. To see how community members treat each other… shakes head

Totally agree you with.