Guild Wars 2

Ok I’m having a hard time coming to terms with how this new Ascended Gear fiasco is being introduced in total contradiction to all previously stated goals. Anet have had a good history with GW1, so I can only imagine this is pressure coming from the NCSoft overlords who don’t understand what GW2 is about.

It’s quite obvious that there is a huge response from the community, as the 200 page post will attest. And if there is one thing that beancounters do understand, it is customer satisfaction.

So let’s have a referendum.

You implement a straightforward poll that comes up once for everyone who logs in in the next week or 2.

It has a simple question:

Do you want future armor, weapons and accessories to have a stats progression
OR
Do you want Exotic-equivalent equipment to be the maximum stats possible for any character, with all future equipment tied to that stat cap (but with possibly different skins and graphics effects)?

It will have 3 answers:
A) I want stats progression with more and more powerful equipment in the future.
B) I want Exotics and their future equivalents to be the best equipment in game, stats-wise.
C) I have no opinion on this, do what you think is best.
D) I need more information on this before I vote. (link to more info, and the poll will pop up again next time they log in)

Every account will have 1 vote. You can tally the results in a week or 2, and see what the player base wants.
If the majority want stats progression, you can silence the critics, and allow them to either accept this or move on to another game.
If the majority don’t want stats progression, you can show that to NCSoft and reverse the changes.

Simple, fair, democratic. You already have the code for surveys from beta, so implementation should be fairly easy.

If people agree with this, bump this so that Anet will see it.

Great idea, I actually don’t understand why this was not done in the first place given the huge change the addition of vertical progression has brought to the game.

This is a well written and balanced referendum, and I think it’s a great idea. I’m somewhat doubtful it will be implemented, but who knows..

I’m actually still unsure what to think of the gear progression, I haven’t seen enough yet to form an opinion. However, I do dislike false advertising, and one of the many reasons I bought GW2 was because I’m not a fan of gear grinds. I’m typically moreso into single player games.
However, there is still much I truly enjoy about the game and it still differs markedly from other MMOs, so for the moment it’s a ‘wait and see’ for me.

B) I want Exotics and their future equivalents to be the best equipment in game, stats-wise.

This is a good idea. It will clear up the issue and the people who don’t like the answer will still know what the answer is. Then they can leave because they know that GW2 is not for them.

No nonsense about what the ‘silent majority’ thinks because we will now know.

I actually don’t think a straight polling of users is a good idea. I think this should be driven by the game companies vision and design philosophy; that’s what people have bought into after all. And, it’s clear what this companies vision is (was) from their manifesto. I say let’s go with the manifesto; that’s what we all bought into and it’s really a great solution to the current problem. And, that’s what founding documents do best; guide the evolution of what follows. So, can we agree with the Anet’s stated goals? That is, no gear grind and gear that has the same stats for all at max level. Sounds simple enough. Player skill trumps a gear check—what do you think?

its hardly a problem, and definately not a fiasco.

stick with the current plan anet, we’re looking forward to ascended gear.

I agree with the OP, but the odds of ANet going through with it are microscopic.

Stay with the manifesto this is what made us buy this game and not any other vertical progression game in the market. in this game the player make the difference his/her skill in playing the game, battle awareness and teamplay, gear progression will nullify it and the “strong” will inherit the land. It will divide the community and make part of it less tolerant. It is starting now the game is changing for the worst, please don’t escalate it.

azmodeus.3409:

its hardly a problem, and definately not a fiasco.

stick with the current plan anet, we’re looking forward to ascended gear.

If you believe this then I why not support this idea? If most players agree with you, you would have proof that people who dislike the change are wrong.

I support the OP, lets get some player feedback Anet, you only will end up with happier players and better data on their desires. It just makes sense.

I’ll vote:

A) I want stats progression with more and more powerful equipment in the future.

Don’t wanna be stuck farming for the “looks”. Now, if “looks” would function the same way as Dyes do, I can go with B.

A compromise:

Ascended gear given equivalent stats as exotics, but also given infusion slots. Infusions slots function ONLY inside the Ascended dungeon(s). They do not function in WvW, open-world PvE, or non-ascended dungeons. Stat cap for those who want it, vertical gear progression for those who want it.

As for horizontal progression being boring, no it isn’t. Horizontal progression can mean the introduction of new stats to give players more variety in choosing gear. Horizontal progression means I can roll an alt or change my character’s spec and still acquire max stat gear in a reasonable amount of time. Horizontal => variety, vertical => locked into one progression.

Morrigan.2809:

Great idea, I actually don’t understand why this was not done in the first place given the huge change the addition of vertical progression has brought to the game.

Seems crazy right? When there are so many better ideas that avoid vertical progression why would they choose the one that doesn’t avoid it?

Because, they – want – vertical – progression.

Orr temple vendors could sell those stupid items. 42k karma is good price.

This will probably never happen, since they would gain an immensive pressure when going against those results if they choose to ignore them and the loosing side would be inclined to abandon the game. If they don’t make a poll, it’s easier to retain more of the unsatisfied people since they will hope for a better future.

Nevertheless I am all for a poll!

i dont think it help… in any case…

B

I don’t know if I’d jump the gun on blaming NCSoft. They were overlords in GW1 as well. If you’re going to credit Anet for GW1, you can’t discredit NCSoft. Also, what company lets their developers work without a deadline (which was the whole enabling aspect behind the "when it’s ready)? NCSoft has been fairly lenient from the looks of it.

It may just be that Anet and/or NC escaped much scrutiny with a smaller game, but were just not ready for a project the size of GW2.

What do we want? A Poll! When do we want it? Now! >_>

Come on Anet, let’s find out for certain what your customers really want before it’s too late.

Eder.9120:

Simple, fair, democratic.

I’m against Ascended gear enough to quit, but I have to speak out against this logic.

Games made by democratic action are notoriously the worst possible trash imaginable. As a programmer I’ve taken part in community developed games not just small projects but whole communities, and the end results make you want to puke.

Besides they know darned well they’re pissing off their current player base. They’re doing this for money. They’re hoping to attract and keep more people who would not otherwse play than lose people wh are so pissed off they will quit.

They know not many will quit, maybe a couple ten thousand, but most will silently accept it. That’s what they think anyways. And they’ll be right until it starts to sink in for people.

Greep.6394:

Games made by democratic action are notoriously the worst possible trash imaginable.

…

They know not many will quit, maybe a couple ten thousand, but most will silently accept it. That’s what they think anyways. And they’ll be right until it starts to sink in for people.

I have also been a developer, and I know you can’t make good software by committee. It takes a visionary who will drive core principles. That is the problem here, we HAD the vision, we BOUGHT the vision, and now it’s being destroyed. The difference with this poll is that it’s essentially a poll on whether to retain that vision. One per customer, actual data on the ground, no ambiguities, no finger-in-the-air estimates. It directly drives the bottom line which, at the end of the day (sadly), is the only thing that really counts in anything nowadays.

The thing that has to be disturbing to them now is the number of customers asking for REFUNDS. To their credit, Anet are actually granting it, but that has GOT to hurt, and probably was not taken into account in their financial projections of the current gamble to woo the WoW crowd.

The other thing is, once you have damaged customer relations like this, even if you undo the changes now, people will always wonder if you won’t just do the same thing again after the refund deadline has passed. A year from now, I bet Anet will fervently wish they had never opened this Pandora’s Box.

There was a referendum. Just we aren’t the electorate!