After uninstalling I reinstalled so I could actually play through the new player experience, just so I can comment from experience – even though it’s obvious without playing what a terrible, terrible mistake it was.
So far, my new Sylvari Necro is up to Lvl 10.
I don’t think the 1-15 experience is going to be too bad, and so far it really wasn’t. There are a few things that are kind of weird, like not being able to dodge right away, but since leveling is so fast at that stage, it doesn’t make enough difference to be an issue.
My feeling on the 1-15 changes are that they aren’t that bad, but they also aren’t necessary, either. They don’t really help new players, but they’re not much of an inconvenience either.
It’s 15+ that worries me more. The boring, painfully slow grind from 15-80. Getting stuff so slowly.
The other thing that worries is me is how these changes speak of Anet’s underlying philosophy and strategy towards game design. It does not bode well at all for the future of this game.
The changes themselves are indicative of a flawed and toxic design strategy aimed at milking everything they can get out of the cash shop, which will in turn lead to people abandoning the game in droves.
GW2 is now part of the MMO death spiral.