Guild Wars 2

It’s a good idea. I say “idea” because it feels like an unfinished product. Even simple options like showing damage floaters, character specific KBs (or mousewheel, for that matter) and UI customization are lacking. That would have been fine at beta or a few months prior to release but not years afterwards. This is basic functionality that gamers have come to expect and the fact that GW2 thrives despite lacking such features is a testament to its appeal. That said, this is a warning sign to me, a red flag.

I’ve played MMOs for some time as I find the genre suits me. I am of the opinion that MMOs fade away -eventually, as they all do- because they fall behind. Improvements that could have been made are postponed or neglected in favor of other projects whose upside is clearly measurable. Instead of improving existing content or functions, companies release new chargeable ones. As time goes by, the inconveniences or annoyances experienced by players (which were know and could have been addressed) reach intolerable levels and something new comes along which doesn’t show as many cracks on its surface. That’s how MMOs fade away.

Upgrades. That’s my point: improving its foundations as opposed to adding new gadgets. For MMO gamers, who are in it for the long haul, this is often preferable. New and shiny may feel appealing and can be advertised, but those who know better will see right through that and eventually even grow tired of it. At which point, new announcements aren’t met with excitement but incredulity.

In Spok’s words, I hope GW2 lives long and prospers.
This red flag tells me that won’t be the case.

Unfinished and yet probably the most polished mmo out there and is 4 years old in a genre with mmos actually very rarely fade away in comparison to any other genre, in fact the lifespan of a AAA mmo is going on for 10 years+ I suspect you have not played GW2 very long as you argue for the very things that GW2 champion (e.g horizontal growth etc etc. What MMORPG would you say gives you all these things you refer to?

vesica tempestas.1563:

Unfinished and yet probably the most polished mmo out there and is 4 years old in a genre with mmos actually very rarely fade away in comparison to any other genre, in fact the lifespan of a AAA mmo is going on for 10 years+ I suspect you have not played GW2 very long as you argue for the very things that GW2 champion (e.g horizontal growth etc etc. What MMORPG would you say gives you all these things you refer to?

Well, I’ve had GW2 since the beta, and I can say I agree with OP in some aspects. ArenaNet develops new and improved systems for new maps and for HoT, but the original maps and content remain largely unchanged. It would be nice if all the upgrades that are used in the new content would be applied to the old content as well; it would make for a much better experience, imo.

we cant have everything that everyone wants though, and 4 years content out of a game is pretty good compared against any other genre. Re existing zones, they do, e.g gliding, new events, storylines in existing zones, but we as customers also demand new zones, new skills and thats k*tten the balance comes in. floaty damage meter to me is not high in the priority in a mmorpg, and my point was really that GW2 makes as a good a job of keeping existing zones live than any other mmorpg – testament to that is that you see people constantly in all zones. Try same in games like WOW and its like a ghost town, everyone is farming the latest content.

Biglulu.3928:

vesica tempestas.1563:

Unfinished and yet probably the most polished mmo out there and is 4 years old in a genre with mmos actually very rarely fade away in comparison to any other genre, in fact the lifespan of a AAA mmo is going on for 10 years+ I suspect you have not played GW2 very long as you argue for the very things that GW2 champion (e.g horizontal growth etc etc. What MMORPG would you say gives you all these things you refer to?

Well, I’ve had GW2 since the beta, and I can say I agree with OP in some aspects. ArenaNet develops new and improved systems for new maps and for HoT, but the original maps and content remain largely unchanged. It would be nice if all the upgrades that are used in the new content would be applied to the old content as well; it would make for a much better experience, imo.

What upgrades are you talking about?

You’re welcome to your opinion, but I think you may be missing the point. The choice to lock down the UI and keep it simple was not an oversight. It was intentional. Just as the decision to rely on “horizontal” progression was intended. ANet set out to capture a segment of the market that was disillusioned with the MMO format.

It appears that they succeeded, even if these design decisions carry their own set of issues.

No they havent succeded in the long Term. An actual way to look at it is the game Watchdog of ubisoft.

Watchdog 1 was in Terms of Sale a success. But Watch Dog 2 is a fail in terms of Sale. The reason is simple. They “lied one time to much”.

So u can belive me or not A-Net wont pay their depths in gw2. But if ever gw3 comes out or another game form An-Net. They will pay the bills.

Deaths.9165:

No they havent succeded in the long Term. An actual way to look at it is the game Watchdog of ubisoft.

Watchdog 1 was in Terms of Sale a success. But Watch Dog 2 is a fail in terms of Sale. The reason is simple. They “lied one time to much”.

So u can belive me or not A-Net wont pay their depths in gw2. But if ever gw3 comes out or another game form An-Net. They will pay the bills.

That is just a bunch of words garbled together without forming any kind of coherent post.

Anyway, GW2 is approaching 5 years old. For all intents an purposes, its still thriving. Anet are active and so is its players. Given the gaming scene climate the last 5 years of one MMO after another being toppled by stupid design decisions or developers being greedy beyond comprehension, thats a good resumé. There is no “red flags”. GW2 has already lived far beyond expectations.

We still complain of course. Because we love the kitten game.

Ironically, long-time players of this game often complain that ANet keeps “reiterating” existing systems instead of just adding new content.

Savvy.3258:

It’s a good idea. I say “idea” because it feels like an unfinished product. Even simple options like showing damage floaters, character specific KBs (or mousewheel, for that matter) and UI customization are lacking. That would have been fine at beta or a few months prior to release but not years afterwards. This is basic functionality that gamers have come to expect and the fact that GW2 thrives despite lacking such features is a testament to its appeal. That said, this is a warning sign to me, a red flag.

Allowing players to play the game rather than the UI is the third rule. This rule is responsible for the lovely and minimalistic UI, which is meant to convey as much information as necessary while staying more or less out of the way. Important combat information isn’t necessarily going to be relayed through the UI so much as through the game world.

From:
https://www.engadget.com/2012/07/03/arenanet-explains-golden-rules-of-guild-wars-2/