Guild Wars 2

I’ve noticed many of the inevitable “Next Expansion” threads and I’ve also noticed they all seem to share one common theme; the next Elder Dragon. While these might be the most clear danger to Tyria, I feel we are forgetting there are more present threats to the individual races, and even the whole of Tyria, that could be explored and, though smaller, would be just as fun as the next ED. These could be in the form of smaller, semi-annual content updates, with a much smaller sticker price, and maybe even no new specializations or masteries getting back toward the vain of a Living World as seen in Season 1.

1. The Fire Legion still represents a threat to the Black Citadel. With the loss of Scarlett but with new technology and allies at their disposal, how prepared are the Charr to deal with them on their own?
2. The map north of DR could be populated by a Centaur Horde intent on laying waste to the human race. Introduce new siege mechanics and engines. PCs would be tasked with infiltration/assasination and then facilitating peace talks hosted by the Dry Top Centaur.
3. The Dredge, also with new Scarlett tech, finally attempt to take down the last living Dwarf. The Durmand Priory must be fortified and hold the line against them.
4. The Aetherblades are still out there, somewhere…
5. The Underworld is still trying to break through in Godslost Swamp and northeast Kessex Hills. Why? Could Dhuum be awakening after the rising of Orr. Perhaps Zhaitan had been feeding off Dhuum’s weakened energy and now that Zhaitan is gone, Dhuum’s servants are stirring as they hear his call once more. The Undead minions of Orr could slowly be replaced by those servants. Maybe, the rebuilding efforts in Orr accidentally free Dhuum. Could we fight alongside Grenth and try to contain Dhumm once more, or destroy him once and for all?
6. The Inquest, again with new Scarlett tech, are at work on nefarious plans throughout Tyria. What’s going on in the labs around Tyria? In the same vain as has been alluded to in HoT, could the pact begin investigations into the Inquest in light of their alliance with Scarlett? Could the PC be sent to the various labs on ‘fact finding’ missions to determine any new threats. A storyline of political intrigue and backstabbing within the Arcane Council could lead to an eventual armed take over of Rata Sum and the Pact are called on to help oust the revolutionaries and the Inquest are finally removed from representation within the Council.

Those are a few of the non-ED story lines I can think of. What further stroies of Tyria would you like to see played out?

I’m not really interested in an expansion that only focuses on a threat to a single race. Flame Legion isn’t a threat, and they never really were, they’re a nuisance. It’s three to one against and the “better” tech isn’t really renewable without the Dredge to help.

The Centaurs are an interesting thought, and I definitely want to travel north of Kryta, but in what way are they a threat to the Sylvari, or the Asura, or the Norn or the Charr? They want their land because it’s sacred to them, they’re not on a kick to take over the world.

The Inquest didn’t get anything out of the deal with Scarlet. They really didn’t. They’re no more important nor dangerous than they ever were. That isn’t to say they aren’t extremely dangerous to everyone since they have absolutely no scruples nor ethics. But they’re a sideshow at best.

The Aetherblades are also a sideshow and don’t make sense as the main attraction. Personally I’d rather see them show up in a Han Solo move where at the last minute they save the day because they realized it was their butts on the line too, ultimately.

The Dredge aren’t even a sideshow, they’re a joke and not worth the attention of whole expansion.

Dhuum could be interesting, I guess. But only to veterans from the original game. To anyone, like myself, entering the story from GW2, he’s not more interesting than Dragons. He also doesn’t open up any area.

That’s the most important thing, having new areas to explore. Mordremoth is opening up Maguuma. Kralkatorik opens up the Crystal Desert. Jormag opens up the Far Shiverpeaks. Of the enemies you’ve mentioned only the Centaurs open up an area of the map that is new. They’re just not a good enough hook to base an expansion on.

All of your suggestions are more useful for Living World stories than expansions.

And that’s not even going into what is going on outside the Tyrian subcontinent. The isolationist policies of the Canthan emperor and the tensions within, the undead reign of Palawa Joko… Really, this game won’t run out of potential to expand during it’s lifespan.

Kal Spiro.9745:

All of your suggestions are more useful for Living World stories than expansions.

Cherokeewill.7504:

These could be in the form of smaller, semi-annual content updates, with a much smaller sticker price, and maybe even no new specializations or masteries getting back toward the vain of a Living World as seen in Season 1.

I definitely appreciate the feedback, but I already mentioned these would be smaller updates. Expansions should be just as you say, expanding the map, the story and the abilities of the players. These are suggestions to play out stories that are already hinted at in GW2 as it is today. And sideshows are just what you want, when the main event is in intermission.

As to why the Pact should be involved in the troubles of the individual races? It only makes sense that if one member race is threatened then all should come to their aid. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

Kal Spiro.9745:

…
Dhuum could be interesting, I guess. But only to veterans from the original game. To anyone, like myself, entering the story from GW2, he’s not more interesting than Dragons. He also doesn’t open up any area.
…

Actually, that would open up the underworld (and possibly FoW).

Kal Spiro.9745:

…
That’s the most important thing, having new areas to explore. Mordremoth is opening up Maguuma. Kralkatorik opens up the Crystal Desert. Jormag opens up the Far Shiverpeaks. Of the enemies you’ve mentioned only the Centaurs open up an area of the map that is new. They’re just not a good enough hook to base an expansion on.

All of your suggestions are more useful for Living World stories than expansions.

And Bubbles will open up the never ending underwater content

Tuomir.1830:

And that’s not even going into what is going on outside the Tyrian subcontinent. The isolationist policies of the Canthan emperor and the tensions within, the undead reign of Palawa Joko… Really, this game won’t run out of potential to expand during it’s lifespan.

Don’t forget all the other continents/islands that we know of (names anyways, or at least what was translateable). Could be some rich stories there…

I’d love to get multiple simultaneous stories, with enough braiding crossovers to make them part of a greater whole. It’d be lovely if there was so much complex narrative that only dedicated lore hounds could experience all of it. Or at least if the world had enough happening to allow for more branching tales, ala S M Stirling’s Emberverse, which he likens to Hyperborea’s conglomeration of cultures.

A woman can dream.

Story can get as much creative, complex and fun as GW2 writers can imagine it and GW2 developers can implement it. Looking back at Living Stories, that saddens me…

Donari.5237:

I’d love to get multiple simultaneous stories, with enough braiding crossovers to make them part of a greater whole. It’d be lovely if there was so much complex narrative that only dedicated lore hounds could experience all of it. Or at least if the world had enough happening to allow for more branching tales, ala S M Stirling’s Emberverse, which he likens to Hyperborea’s conglomeration of cultures.

A woman can dream.

I’m not familiar with the Emberverse, but I otherwise agree with this sentiment. I wish the plot were less focused on a single main threat, but more on several threats of approximately the same magnitude. That allows for more interesting writing as the threats interact.

Does anyone have a link to where the designers discuss their earliest plot ideas for the game? If I recall correctly, there was going to be a plot with demons invading, in addition to the elder dragons, but they later decided to cut that plot and focus on the dragons, but I’d still be happier if someone else knew what I was referring to and could find the link (since I can’t).

The best I could find is this note on the wiki:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Elder_Dragon#Trivia

" Dragons were not always the main antagonists of Guild Wars 2. According to The Making of Guild Wars 2 book, original drafts for story included demons and angelic beings descending to the world to judge it."

Cherokeewill.7504:

Kal Spiro.9745:

All of your suggestions are more useful for Living World stories than expansions.

Cherokeewill.7504:

These could be in the form of smaller, semi-annual content updates, with a much smaller sticker price, and maybe even no new specializations or masteries getting back toward the vain of a Living World as seen in Season 1.

I definitely appreciate the feedback, but I already mentioned these would be smaller updates. Expansions should be just as you say, expanding the map, the story and the abilities of the players. These are suggestions to play out stories that are already hinted at in GW2 as it is today. And sideshows are just what you want, when the main event is in intermission.

As to why the Pact should be involved in the troubles of the individual races? It only makes sense that if one member race is threatened then all should come to their aid. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

I didn’t catch that, since the whole point of this thread seemed to be about the next expansion.

Anet put the plot around dragons (Zhaitan) = People conplain the lack of iconic anthagonist.

Anet put a iconic anthagonist (Scarlet) = People conplain the lack of dragon related content.

Anet turns the focus on Dragon (Mordrem) content = People conplain the lack of iconic anthagonists.

Yeah, the cycle never ends.

I don’t know that the complaint is about no iconic antagonists. But there could be centaur tribe alliances, a surge of Icebrood, Ministry politics deepening a Krytan economic crisis to spur more banditry. There could be a shift in zone cyclical events to reflect new tensions or just to play out more side stories. Not everything needs to feed into the uber plot, either: the little girl lost in the Kessex cave is a lovely little story showing that smaller dramas can play out independently of what the Big Bad is doing.

A little girl is lost in a cave… and stumbles upon a bunch of seeds. She takes one, finds her way out of the cave, plants it, and raises it into….

what about the 6 gods? the extraterrestrial humans? corporal bane from the future… theres a lot of thing that can be done, if this game have any writing at all and not just “go play Gw1 to get some lore”, what the hell even dark souls have more lore that this game (actually it does, you just have to dig for it), so theres a lot of epic under-rated material, but if you dont have anyone on the dev team that actually care about the “plot” you dont have any theatrical content.

Well, for the next expansion to explore something else, this one needs to be fully contained (or bring living story seasons after that finish it out)
I don’t know how many people noticed, but during the Rev beta if you were logged on as the beta character there was a zone level marker west of SW/DT (level 80 obviously)

But it was the only one.
Now, obviously again, the expansion isn’t finished so I make no claims that that is sure proof of only a single zone, however it is what is is, a single new marker on the map.

I’m hard pressed to imagine the whole story of going after Mordremoth to be contained on a single (if large) map.
So either it’s simply unfinished and not added to even the beta map yet, or this expansion is only going to start us off into Maguuma and we’ll see more as Living Story expands the, um, expansion.

Quaggan expansion.

NOBODY will complain about cute little quaggans swimming around.

Demented Yak.6105:

Quaggan expansion.

NOBODY will complain about cute little quaggans swimming around.

Except for the people that don’t think they’re cute…

ekarat.1085:

The best I could find is this note on the wiki:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Elder_Dragon#Trivia

" Dragons were not always the main antagonists of Guild Wars 2. According to The Making of Guild Wars 2 book, original drafts for story included demons and angelic beings descending to the world to judge it."

That would actually be pretty interesting… Could still technically work. Assuming them angelic and demonic entities were responsible for the Elder Dragons in some way, having killed one has messed with their plan and so they get directly involved

Cherokeewill.7504:

I’ve noticed many of the inevitable “Next Expansion” threads and I’ve also noticed they all seem to share one common theme; the next Elder Dragon. While these might be the most clear danger to Tyria, I feel we are forgetting there are more present threats to the individual races, and even the whole of Tyria, that could be explored and, though smaller, would be just as fun as the next ED. These could be in the form of smaller, semi-annual content updates, with a much smaller sticker price, and maybe even no new specializations or masteries getting back toward the vain of a Living World as seen in Season 1.

1. The Fire Legion still represents a threat to the Black Citadel. With the loss of Scarlett but with new technology and allies at their disposal, how prepared are the Charr to deal with them on their own?
2. The map north of DR could be populated by a Centaur Horde intent on laying waste to the human race. Introduce new siege mechanics and engines. PCs would be tasked with infiltration/assasination and then facilitating peace talks hosted by the Dry Top Centaur.
3. The Dredge, also with new Scarlett tech, finally attempt to take down the last living Dwarf. The Durmand Priory must be fortified and hold the line against them.
4. The Aetherblades are still out there, somewhere…
5. The Underworld is still trying to break through in Godslost Swamp and northeast Kessex Hills. Why? Could Dhuum be awakening after the rising of Orr. Perhaps Zhaitan had been feeding off Dhuum’s weakened energy and now that Zhaitan is gone, Dhuum’s servants are stirring as they hear his call once more. The Undead minions of Orr could slowly be replaced by those servants. Maybe, the rebuilding efforts in Orr accidentally free Dhuum. Could we fight alongside Grenth and try to contain Dhumm once more, or destroy him once and for all?
6. The Inquest, again with new Scarlett tech, are at work on nefarious plans throughout Tyria. What’s going on in the labs around Tyria? In the same vain as has been alluded to in HoT, could the pact begin investigations into the Inquest in light of their alliance with Scarlett? Could the PC be sent to the various labs on ‘fact finding’ missions to determine any new threats. A storyline of political intrigue and backstabbing within the Arcane Council could lead to an eventual armed take over of Rata Sum and the Pact are called on to help oust the revolutionaries and the Inquest are finally removed from representation within the Council.

Those are a few of the non-ED story lines I can think of. What further stroies of Tyria would you like to see played out?

Forumers : We want dwagons!
WP: Woohooo!

CureForLiving.5360:

ekarat.1085:

The best I could find is this note on the wiki:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Elder_Dragon#Trivia

" Dragons were not always the main antagonists of Guild Wars 2. According to The Making of Guild Wars 2 book, original drafts for story included demons and angelic beings descending to the world to judge it."

That would actually be pretty interesting… Could still technically work. Assuming them angelic and demonic entities were responsible for the Elder Dragons in some way, having killed one has messed with their plan and so they get directly involved

So Guild Wars 2 would get a cross over with AION?

Unfortunately, the prevailing sentiment on this forum is that we have a checklist of dragons and we should be ticking it down at least once per year.

Celtic Lady.3729:

Demented Yak.6105:

Quaggan expansion.

NOBODY will complain about cute little quaggans swimming around.

Except for the people that don’t think they’re cute…

You mean monsters?

1. Not only Flame Legion, but also Ghosts of Ascalon. Those are side enemies, so peace times won’t be too peaceful.
2. Centaurs were always Human race problem. Another Side enemy.
3. Dredge aren’t really a threat because they’re like moles in garden. Race just like Skritt.
4. Aetherblades are pirates with advanced technology – side enemies, they’re scattered in fact since the end of battle for LA.
5. I remember there was a thing with Plane of Torment and Abaddon. Making even a twist for his resurrection would be beneficial to lore and action. Abaddon’s Statue tingled me a bit when you met Ogden in Durmand Priory’s HQ.
6. Inquest are Asuras. They’re also a part of Rata Sum and their Council. As evil as they may be, they’re only a side enemy, or rather a backfired craziness caused by static discharges between braincells in Asura’s head, which motivated them to do anything for their Eternal Alchemy.

Nevertheless, I liked the Alliance part in game which gave birth to mixed races with unique abilities, story and finally overall theme.

Would be great to step on the side and have something similar, because Mordemoth is starting to be as dull as Zhaitan and Orr.

i stile think the inquest are the most evil off all
stile testing on the undead make them more powerful and also interest in mord power

that’s why you see them so much in LS2
with out the inquest scarlet cant never build those machines and summon mord

the inquest might already no about scarlets power and her vision
only she need a little push to the right direction

and wola mord is awake and the inquest are happy

Seth kitten nik.7253:

CureForLiving.5360:

ekarat.1085:

The best I could find is this note on the wiki:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Elder_Dragon#Trivia

" Dragons were not always the main antagonists of Guild Wars 2. According to The Making of Guild Wars 2 book, original drafts for story included demons and angelic beings descending to the world to judge it."

That would actually be pretty interesting… Could still technically work. Assuming them angelic and demonic entities were responsible for the Elder Dragons in some way, having killed one has messed with their plan and so they get directly involved

So Guild Wars 2 would get a cross over with AION?

Never played AION XD