Guild Wars 2

*Edit: I meant traits. Sorry forgot the “s”. I originally had the word " changes" in the title too, but hit the character limit.

I have not yet logged in today to see for myself, but I have read the notes and although I do see some good, I also see a lot of potential disappointments. So, I ask those of you actively played around with the new changes – how did Anet do? Did they knock it out of the park or miss the mark of what the community wants?

After reading through all the whines in GW2 guru forums, I have started to wonder if Anet has stopped listening to the community. During the beta stages, they listened to the community and issued many statements that had many of us cheering in joy and looking with fevered anticipation for the game launch. In beta we were given in game surveys and the choice to give constructive feedback. It seemed they were the champion of the MMO player.

After reading through these forums (mostly within specific professions) and on other sites, I am left wondering how do we give our feedback to Anet or do they even want it anymore? If so many people are unhappy with these changes shouldn’t there be an avenue to let them know. I’m sure we can leave feedback here, but no one is 100% certain these posts go to the right sorts of people. They usually just get locked or buried.

So, maybe the changes are not that bad, maybe there’s just a lot of whiners, but I for one would love to hear what the community thinks in a mature, constructive sort of way. Right now I see a lot of negative out there, if there is some positive, I would be the first to want to hear it. Who knows, maybe the right people at Anet will read this and get a temperature check of sorts to see if they are hot or cold with this community. Because we all know unhappy players leave and that doesn’t bode well for a game that is not even a year old yet.

So lets hear those comments!

It feels like the thief had a small buff towards survivality. I like the shorter cooldown on Steal and upgraded Signet of Malice (100->133 hp per hit). On my warrior the difference was also minimal, i like the 30% cooldown reduction on burst skills.

Other than that, I see no big difference.

I can’t say for sure, but it seems 3/4 of my level 80s are unaffected. My primary, warrior, though has but one change. As a dungeon runner build, i use berzerker power on my traits to boost my dmg (for a rather tanky build), which now is moved UP to grandmaster level. Since i only spend 20 points on that trait line, it seems i must change trait choices or move points from other line into that to get back berzerker power. Overall I can’t say much, Im optimistic it can be for the better, so im not gonna cry and go all “NOOO THEY NERF ME!” . I’m gonna head over to build editors and try tweak stuff around to get a new build. Likely I need to spend currency one a few new gears even, so that be my only, truly.. sour point.

I play warrior.
Zerker traits regarding pve needed to be changed. Saw that coming.

Lots of odd changes to sword that I enjoy, but nerf on leg specialist was uncalled for. Was hoping for a really big change to warriors to bring them back into some category of usefulness, but so far all I see is all the other classes specializing in something the warrior can do, but better. So we are still subpar and do not dominate any one field of play.

Sad day. Still waiting for entire warrior re-build as a class, so poorly designed for pvp. No sustain.

I like what they did with engis cept 1 thing. Napalm Specialist is in a weird place now, not sure how that’s supposed to help anyone being in the same slot with the new pistol/rifle enhancement especially in the condition builds that use the traitline above it to enhance the condition damage and get more damage from explosives, but i guess most people probably weren’t using it.

I would have loved a system similar to torment for the conditions of the engineer that directly improved the damage output of conditions since we are directly stuck with conditions in every build of one kind or another.

As an Ele I am very happy, my build now has a stun breaker when it didn’t before Learning the new lightning strike playstyle is very interesting.

Kythan Myr.4719:

After reading through all the whines in GW2 guru forums, I have started to wonder if Anet has stopped listening to the community.

ArenaNet listens to the community. But you are confusing “listening to the community” with “doing what the community asks”. Let’s be honest – the majority of the playerbase lacks the ability to be good game designers. If ArenaNet did exactly what the most vocal parts of the community tell them to do, we would have a disaster far worse than what GW2 is right now. In fact, you could point any topic from Guru and I could point you ten reasons why it’s completely stupid.

No successful business does exactly what customers ask them to do.

My thief was completely destroyed by this patch thanks to the shortbow nerf, but the new condition is…..unimpressive really (only one skill that can cause it? Really?). But a few of the trait changes are nice; in fact I think I may have specifically asked for one of them months ago.

That said I’m still experimenting with my engineer, so time will tell on that one.

Erasculio.2914:

Kythan Myr.4719:

After reading through all the whines in GW2 guru forums, I have started to wonder if Anet has stopped listening to the community.

ArenaNet listens to the community. But you are confusing “listening to the community” with “doing what the community asks”. Let’s be honest – the majority of the playerbase lacks the ability to be good game designers. If ArenaNet did exactly what the most vocal parts of the community tell them to do, we would have a disaster far worse than what GW2 is right now. In fact, you could point any topic from Guru and I could point you ten reasons why it’s completely stupid.

No successful business does exactly what customers ask them to do.

To be fair the majority of game designers are not good. If they were we would have more good games then bad, which is evidently not the case.

Our dungeon teambuild only got stronger.

I love the new changes.

I don’t see where much of anything changed.

condition necros still can’t kill siege, and the new condition is useless.

when a thief uses his dagger storm against a group, he gains stability, he reflects all ranged damage, he can survive it. when a necro uses the new torment, it’s instantly disrupted, the condition is cleansed, and the necro is slaughtered for getting too close to a zerg.

engineers are slightly better… but not enough to make a person want to play one.

guards are still gawd-awful slow

warriors 10 point defense trait is almost completely wasted; the traits are horrid

so except for the 900 range on shortbow for thieves (good lord, anet) nothing game changing happened

Erasculio.2914:

Kythan Myr.4719:

After reading through all the whines in GW2 guru forums, I have started to wonder if Anet has stopped listening to the community.

ArenaNet listens to the community. But you are confusing “listening to the community” with “doing what the community asks”. Let’s be honest – the majority of the playerbase lacks the ability to be good game designers. If ArenaNet did exactly what the most vocal parts of the community tell them to do, we would have a disaster far worse than what GW2 is right now. In fact, you could point any topic from Guru and I could point you ten reasons why it’s completely stupid.

No successful business does exactly what customers ask them to do.

This is completely true, and I agree with you. I see many posts here and there from players who want everything in the easiest, quickest sort of way. If those paths existed then any game would burn bright, but then quickly die out.

I see so many of these posts tho, and not many positive ones. I realize it’s easier for people to be negative, and for many people that is just in their nature and they are quick to complain. As I said I don’t see many positive posts (a few here and there – especially after new content).

That is why I wanted to make this post. To see people’s honest feedback. I was hoping I would draw out some positives – and I did. I hope they keep coming, not just for me, but also for the company. Because a successful business needs to keep its client base happy. (not to mention share holders – but I’m not addressing them)