Guild Wars 2

You know what I love about Dota-type games? Moba’s if you wanna get technical? It’s the ability to be able to just jump in and have a 20 minute play session. It’s with a group of people and the rewards themselves are bugger all (some cosmetic skins), your reward is the fun of teamwork and skill.

Now I log into Guild Wars 2. It’s one of my favorite games I’ve ever played and they’ve done so many right things. Combat, design, graphics, user interface. It has so much right it’s amazing. It’s also apparently one of the fastest updated games on the planet.

But I can’t just log in and have a 20-30 minute fun play session.
The update cycle forces you to invest way more into actually playing the game. If you’re short on time, you barely even get around to the regular content. It forces you to complete the limited content or feel like you’ve missed out eternally.

I honestly would love if they just completely stopped all content and just streamlined what they’ve already got. Fixed up some dynamic events and some balance and you’ve already got a game that can provide entertainment for many years to come.

They’ve got the basis for cosmetic rewards and permanently addable rewards. Why, if this game isn’t really about loot, is the primary form of reward still loot?

I can’t play this game anymore. Every time I log in, I am met with a new living world story content to try take in, I spend 10-15 minutes figuring out whats new or reading the patch notes and then seeing if I can complete any of it and then get to the end and realize I haven’t spent any time with any friends, haven’t accomplished anything in terms of character progression, I haven’t even really had much fun as it has always been fairly straight forward pve to just get through story content.

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

Unfortunately, you’re part of a small minority of players.

Also, if you find yourself worrying about living story stuff or reading patch notes, just don’t. Have fun and do what you want to do and if you have time, give Dulfy a little look over, or don’t.

You’re not missing out on anything by not getting that moderately cool backpack skin that will just be replaced by another one in the next few weeks.

I agree with Jrunyon.

If you’re not interested in playing the Living Story content and don’t want the rewards why not just ignore it? The only thing you’ll miss out on is the stuff you’re currently not enjoying, and not playing a game (or part of a game) you don’t enjoy doesn’t sound like much of a loss to me.

If you do want to play a particular update, or part of one, later on you will still be able to. You don’t have to have finished (or even started) anything that came before. Playing through something you don’t enjoy just because it’s there is a waste of your time, no matter how much time you have.

Yeah, ignore all the new content and play the same game that is there all the time, you only will lost everything that the game is getting because it will only stay there for 1 month as always.

The “small minority” is leaving the game and farm majority is there for everything.

Every time new conent comes out i check Dulfy.net to get a clue as to what’s going on since ANet never, ever gives any useful information. Based on what i learn fro Dulfy i decide i want to do the content or skip it. Sometimes, like with the LS going on now, i try it, it’s found to be another boring zergfest and i say screw it and go have actual fun in WvW.

It’s YOUR game. Play what you enjoy and ignore the rest. You get AP for PvP, and i lve getting AP, but i don’t do that because it’s not FUN.

I do not get it. How can you not have a enjoyable 20-30 min play session? I can never log in for 20-30 minutes and not find something fun to do. To me this appears as more of a problem restricted to the player, not the game.

I can appreciate that “honestly would love if they just completely stopped all content and just streamlined what they’ve already got” but I would honestly just love if they didn’t

It is as if you are here being ver selfish and greedy demanding they screw the entire rest of the community simply because you do not enjoy the content.

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

All any MMO ever really is is a bunch of things to do. Anet is providing a lot of things to do, for people who like to do different things. There are people who really enjoy getting achievement points. It’s what they like. All they want is a checklist of things to do and they’re happy. More people than I thought it was possible.

There are other people, like me, who prefer to just do other stuff. I’ve been playing around with alts and trying to get my head around the ele this week, one of the two professions I haven’t leveled to 80.

You have to make decisions sometimes. Let the game think for you, or think for yourself.

I’m afraid I’ve got to be another person saying, “If you don’t like the release material, just don’t bother with it.” If what you’re looking for is just to jump in and play with your friends, there’s plenty of that already available, with or without the new releases. The game might dangle a new carrot every other week, but it’s up to you whether or not you want to chase it.

If the only reward you want is “the fun of teamwork and skill,” then you’re not missing out Living Story rewards for grinding. You’d be missing the reward you do want by playing the content you specifically dislike, and that sounds more like work than a game.

Vayne.8563:

You have to make decisions sometimes. Let the game think for you, or think for yourself.

Well said, Vayne.

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

Less posting, more farming!

STRanger.5120:

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

this doesn’t even make sense.

OP may be a minority in this thread, but he lines up well with the general themes in the LW collaborative thread. Many players have a problem with temporary content and achievements that come with a deadline. If you don’t do them now, they are gone forever. The problem here is that they are grindy by design and experienced gamers know this. And, in that thread, they are letting Anet know.

One of the problems Anet has right now is that it has adopted a bad model for evolving a living world. The model they have chosen is an old school episodic TV show that has the characters participate in an event (an adventure) and then resets (removes) everything at the end of the show. It’s not how a living world evolves.

A much better model would be to consider a traditional expansion. Generally, with an expansion, you have a permanently evolved game world in terms of story, territory, and characters. If you want to evolve a living world, why not deliver an expansion, but do it over time. Then updates (hopefully now months apart) will be greatly anticipated for the new content they will bring rather than be greeted as a bi-weekly to-do list.

coglin.1867:

STRanger.5120:

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

this doesn’t even make sense.

Maybe to you, but it makes perfect sense to a player who loves RPG genre. Do you know what RPG means at least?
Also, this was discussed on these forums as well, what this term means exactly.

Why can’t you jump into WvW or PvP with a bunch of friends for a 20-30 minute session?

Why compare different genres in this way? Why compare the story aspect to the 10vs10 skirmishes in Dota?

STRanger.5120:

coglin.1867:

STRanger.5120:

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

this doesn’t even make sense.

Maybe to you, but it makes perfect sense to a player who loves RPG genre. Do you know what RPG means at least?
Also, this was discussed on these forums as well, what this term means exactly.

“I consider the RPG genre to be dead, so please don’t use that term even though it’s just my personal opinion”.

Personal opinions apart, (back to the topic) it’s pretty much the same in all MMORPG, they are a trap for your free time.

Alukah.2063:

STRanger.5120:

coglin.1867:

STRanger.5120:

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

this doesn’t even make sense.

Maybe to you, but it makes perfect sense to a player who loves RPG genre. Do you know what RPG means at least?
Also, this was discussed on these forums as well, what this term means exactly.

“I consider the RPG genre to be dead, so please don’t use that term even though it’s just my personal opinion”.

Personal opinions apart, (back to the topic) it’s pretty much the same in all MMORPG, they are a trap for your free time.

RPG has quite a good definition, this is not about my opinion, but of course, MMOs are a time-consuming designed games, nothing against that…

Edit: In simple terms, a game can be called RPG if the game requires player to actually role-play while playing it, or it is implemented by another means, for example that the player character/s have some sort of personal characteristics on which their behaviour is dependant. You know, like an allignment or a negative stats (greed, fear from heights, necrophobia, curiosity etc etc….).

And that’s the simple core base of the role-playing folks…. (with the strong expression on “simple” word)

I completely agree with the title of this thread. For a game updated so often, I find myself doing the same things I did a month after launch in game every day. Why? Because nothing beside FotM has been added since launch.

Actually, I have to disagree with the OP. The LS updates last for 2-4 weeks, so logging in for 30 mins a day will still let you experience the content and get the meta achievement. Also, if you want to play thru the regular content then play thru the regular content. Nobody is saying you must play the LS events. There are plenty of days that I only play for 30-60 mins or none at all and I still get the metas every time.

If every game worked like this, they would all be essentially the same game. If you are short on time, why not play a MOBA or some other short session game like a Tower Defense game? GW2 is already the most trivial, casual MMO of the 30 I have played and traditionally MMO’s have been oriented for when you want a longer, deeper gaming session.

There is a reason there are lots of different types of game. If they make GW2 any more trivial they might as well turn it into a Tetris clone.

I don’t understand why the title is as it is. What you’re talking about doesn’t have anything to do with the title, the title should have been something along the lines “LS takes too long for me to enjoy it”, I dunno.

On that note I think the OP’s problem is boredom. It’s not that they can’t find something to do that’s enjoyable in 20-30 minutes, it’s that there’s nothing to do.

As far as the title goes, it’s true. If you compare what’s actually new playable content that you can do or obtain today in game, as opposed to how it was on release, there’s little to no new content.

You have fractals and a deserted new map, as far as new content goes that’s it… in over a year. You also got some new cash items and finally achievement rewards but nothing else.

Not one single full armor set was added to the actual game (for a game that claims it’s about the looks this is a sin), and a huge percentage of the “new” weapons added to the actual game are just recolored or re skinned versions of existing ones.

For a game that changes so often, it sure doesn’t change a lot.

STRanger.5120:

coglin.1867:

STRanger.5120:

kokiman.2364:

Jatacid.3725:

I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You should because the game you are talking about is an MMORPG, those games are designed to be time wasters. It’s kinda weird that you don’t want to invest much time with games but yet choose one of the most timeconsuming genres out there.

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

this doesn’t even make sense.

Maybe to you, but it makes perfect sense to a player who loves RPG genre. Do you know what RPG means at least?
Also, this was discussed on these forums as well, what this term means exactly.

Why yes, yes I do.
It means Role Playing Game. And as we actually have a Role playing server, thousands of players on that server contradict this point alone. I am fairly certain every time I log in, I am playing the role of whatever profession and race I log in on, and this is certainly an MMO. So by definition this is an MMORPG. As well, the professions in the video game industry have defined this as an MMORPG. Simply because you declare it is not, doesn’t change the industries facts on the matter.

A problem is the two-week content doesn’t persist beyond the two-week window because it’s a “living world”.

Unlike the introduction of new zones which would be around indefinitely, you cannot enjoy the two-week content when you want. You have to enjoy it during the two-week window, or not at all.

It makes it hard to focus on other things (like leveling an alt) without missing the two-week content.

juno.1840:

A problem is the two-week content doesn’t persist beyond the two-week window because it’s a “living world”.

Based on the fact that all content for some time now stays for a minimum of 4 weeks, I have to call shenanigans on this comment.

STRanger.5120:

It’s more like a MMO, not MMORPG. RPG as a genre is dead for a long time already, so please do not mistake it with present games. Thank you.

RPG fan

It’s more like a Massively Multi-player Online? I thought RPG meant role-playing game, as in you take on the role of the character you are playing. I didn’t realize that RPG implied you are required to role play.

I consider Fallout a Role-Playing Game as I’m sure most would, but you could also play the game without Role-Playing (i.e. name your character “Buttzlol” with a giant head, crazy big eyes, giant protruding nose, and then go around killing everyone for the lolz of it). Doesn’t change the fact it is still a Role-playing Game. How is GW2 any different?

Jatacid.3725:

snip
I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You are not alone. I feel exactly the same way.

I always feel like I am missing out on content. I did take a 10 month “vacation” away from the game and there is no way I can ever experience that lost content or win those rewards. And now, whenever I do log in (nearly every day) I feel like I have to do the LS content or miss out on it and that means I don’t spend time with my online friends, my daughter (who plays this game), doing dungeons, character progressing. I do not like the feeling that to do these other things I have to pay the “cost” of not doing LS stuff. It is really turning me off to this game.

100% agree with OP’s message, just not his specifics. title basically sums up my opinion.
my GW2 experience has been going downhill ever since this living story turned to chapter 2 and I realized that chapter 1 was gone. it’s not living or a story if there are no lasting remnants.
What we have here is more of a TV show series. “previously, on GW2, Scarlet’s invasion of Twilight Arbor gets canceled and the Lion Guard get revenge. Now that everything is back to normal, will the Krait’s tower of evil be thwarted by our heroes?”
I’m reminded of when I told my Mom about NCIS (she really likes Law & Order, so I thought she might like that as well): she said it was boring as all they did was sit around, get called out to a dead sailor, solve it, sit around again. GW2 living story could be summed up the same way.

pdg.8462:

Jatacid.3725:

snip
I do wonder if I’m the only one that feels this.

You are not alone. I feel exactly the same way.

I always feel like I am missing out on content. I did take a 10 month “vacation” away from the game and there is no way I can ever experience that lost content or win those rewards. And now, whenever I do log in (nearly every day) I feel like I have to do the LS content or miss out on it and that means I don’t spend time with my online friends, my daughter (who plays this game), doing dungeons, character progressing. I do not like the feeling that to do these other things I have to pay the “cost” of not doing LS stuff. It is really turning me off to this game.

Do you mean you feel forced to do the LS meta achievement or miss out? I somewhat agree with what you’re saying feeling forced to do LS content but only as someone that wants the AP. If you’re talking simply about experiencing the story (for this release the solo story instance and then the 5man instance), that can be experienced literally in one sitting.

You may not be able to grind out all of the achievement points in one sitting, but you can 100% experience the actual Story of it.

If by “having to do the LS content” you strictly mean completing every possible achievement, then honestly that’s on you. At no point do you need to get every achievement to “experience” the LS. You just need to do the story stuff. Whether you kill 5 toxic mobs or 200 it’s the same experience minus AP. I really like the fact they added daily categories that go towards the LS meta as well, because now you 100% can get the meta without having to do a bunch of grinding. I think one of yesterday’s was to touch an obelisk. That was almost as easy as daily Laurel vendor, and I’m pretty sure doing that obelisk daily goes toward the meta.