Guild Wars 2

Next week we get the concluding chapter of Scarlet. Good because after that we get the so long promised “huge feature build” with “a lot of quality of life improvements”. (source)

Colin Johansson on Eurogamer

We’re going to provide that experience and have this huge feature build that has a whole lot of gameplay-changing elements, a lot of quality of life improvements, a lot of features bundled together into one big patch. And that’ll come some time not too far after Season One completes.

So what to expect, ArenaNet? What do you mean by “not too far after season one completes”? Give us dates. Is that the next patch on March 18th?

Also, bait us, give us reason to not even think about buying your competitors’ new games. You have our hopes in your hands, give us more reason to hope! What do you plan to include in that release?

I would love me some Guild Halls, but I’m not too hopeful about that.

Considering they will appear in between of Living Story seasons, I dread that they add more gear progression into the game…

Haven’t you already done this thread last week?

Fror,

There is a lot going to be implemented in the March 18th patch. How much however is unknown.

They never gave an answer wether expnasion type content would be released in a traditional retailer package, through gemstore unlocks or for free in the living story.

They will not tell you what to expect ahead of schedule. They decide to tell us when and what to tell us bout what future content.

As the 18th will not be a traditional expansion pack, I do not think that any info bout that patch will be given before the 11th (one week ahaead). And on top of that, they have been giving leeser and lesser info in the one week heads up announcement as well.

So wait and see!!

Yargesh.4965:

Haven’t you already done this thread last week?

Link? Because no.

mercury ranique.2170:

Fror,

There is a lot going to be implemented in the March 18th patch. How much however is unknown.

They never gave an answer wether expnasion type content would be released in a traditional retailer package, through gemstore unlocks or for free in the living story.

They will not tell you what to expect ahead of schedule. They decide to tell us when and what to tell us bout what future content.

As the 18th will not be a traditional expansion pack, I do not think that any info bout that patch will be given before the 11th (one week ahaead). And on top of that, they have been giving leeser and lesser info in the one week heads up announcement as well.

So wait and see!!

Wait and see? I can already read the patch notes for the version 2.0.1 of Diablo III for a while now and that version is gonna be released together with (but without dependency to) the expansion… after the presumed date of the huge feature build.

Also, I never read they’d actually deliver anything on March 18th. They always said after season 1, which ends on March 4. We all assume it’s March 18th, but no one is sure.

All I’m asking is for the big lines and some samples that are gonna make it for sure from day 1 (unlike Fractured’s weapon skin boxes or leaderboards). Examples are like “we made improvements in the guild management, the way your inventory is patched and we made lot of your stuff account-bound rather than soulbound, but not all”.

Regarding the less and less information they give, it’s an incentive to leave the game. It’s more opaque. But it suits what you see on TV with one-episode-per-week series. Well, actually, it suited (past tense) because they had a story. Now that we’re back in QoL, they should bring back good old habits and shout their features like any MMO. ArenaNet should be proud of its game and put its feature in front page. They should create a buzz around it using their weapons. Making videos about an oath was a failed attempt and rendered the game/players silly, why not go back to more traditional business?

mercury ranique.2170:

Fror,
There is a lot going to be implemented in the March 18th patch. How much however is unknown.

People will be a lot disappointed when they see that they will not be anything on the 18th March. They already said that after the end of the Living Story on 4th March, they will take a break like during Christmas. On 18th March they may of may not remove the content on the last path but they probably won’t update much if nothing at all.

The Christmas break was a month long so i bet the Big Feature update will be on 1st April, but its only my opinion. It could be in May or June.

ok it was from Zoid

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Guess-the-Huge-Feature-Update

In my opinion Anet’s holding back of information is not a good way to hype releases. Many people envision about the content and at the end they are disappointed because it isn’t as big as the imagined content. Happened to me a few times too. So i hope there will be more information prior to release because don’t forget the Headstart of ESO in April and how it can effect “disappointed” customers (not meant as a threat).

VitaminK.2517:

In my opinion Anet’s holding back of information is not a good way to hype releases. Many people envision about the content and at the end they are disappointed because it isn’t as big as the imagined content. Happened to me a few times too. So i hope there will be more information prior to release because don’t forget the Headstart of ESO in April and how it can effect “disappointed” customers (not meant as a threat).

Well as far as story releases go, I’d rather have less than more information beforehand. Kinda dilutes the story if we already know what’s gonna happen in the release.

About feature patches, absolutely should tout the features beforehand. That’s why I don’t think there will be any feature patches for a while now.

Tom Gore.4035:

VitaminK.2517:

In my opinion Anet’s holding back of information is not a good way to hype releases. Many people envision about the content and at the end they are disappointed because it isn’t as big as the imagined content. Happened to me a few times too. So i hope there will be more information prior to release because don’t forget the Headstart of ESO in April and how it can effect “disappointed” customers (not meant as a threat).

Well as far as story releases go, I’d rather have less than more information beforehand. Kinda dilutes the story if we already know what’s gonna happen in the release.

I agree also i don’t like the current LS because there is no real story only events. 30 sec. Video of the attack on LA. And this part is stretched to 2 weeks. Of course, this is an opportunity for everyone to join but also too much for just a little chapter in the LS. Like the Hobbits movies which are bloated too far.

Hmm as a wishlist
O Guild management features(e.g last login, able to see the chat of all guilds you belong to at the same time, guild halls)
O Precursor crafting
O Fixing the Overflow system
O Build templates
O Able to dynamically change stats on ascended gear
O Profession/bug fixes.

that’ll come some time not too far after Season One completes.

after Season One completes.

after completes

so since the next patch is the last chapter of season one and the dev in question said that the huge update after LS Season one is complete what makes you say the huge update is in this next installment of the LS

I usually keep my expectations low so that I can be pretty surprised at what comes out…. like a second chance to get the monocle and molten jet-pack….that was pretty epic.

But like the post above I would also like to see Precursor crafting cause that would be pretty big… I just hope that the cheaper Precursors don’t become more expensive after.

There will not be much mention of the feature build until the living story is over. If A-Net started the hype now, no one would be paying attention to the end of the LS. That is why things have been relatively quiet. Give it 2-3 weeks after the 4th of March. Then they will start to release information on what comes next. This is typical marketing no reason talking about the next big thing until the first big thing is over.

I’m sure whatever they do will likely fit in with every other overhyped change. If you look at the hype from last summer about the big massive exciting can’t-wait change, you’d think it was an expansion. Because most game company’s put that much hype into a full expansion. We got a revamped dragon fight.

Anet: Hype to 10, delivery to 1.

Why do people keep throwing around the 18th as a date for the feature patch?
We have heard this date several time, in combination with the words MAINTENANCE patch.
Not feature patch, and thus we really shouldn’t assume that they are the same.

And as for them not telling us anything: Because people will rip them apart if something that was announced doesn’t get implemented due to changes and/or bugs.

Well, the proposed Profession balance patch changes have already been posted a month ago with the changes to Ferocity, Runes/Sigils, so thats a racing cert to be included.

I think its also fair to assume that they will include those features that were planned for 2013 but didnt make it. I am pretty sure about cooking/Jeweler 500 but not precursor crafting.

Zypher.7609:

This is typical marketing no reason talking about the next big thing until the first big thing is over.

Except that for some people the first big thing you mention is absolutely meaningless. I won’t give my complete advice on Living Story, but in short, it’s negative.

You should expect it will be released no sooner than 2 weeks after the END of the living story. They will put some buffer time in because they can. They have no reason to rush into new features and changes while the end of LS is going on. They want people playing and doing that, not waiting for new changes.

Once it is done, they can slowly release tidbits of information to keep people interested for 2 weeks before the patch itself will actually hit. I don’t expect them to wait until the middle of April, as that would be shooting themselves in the foot with the impending release of another market giant.

My unfounded guess is they will dump everything they have in the April 1st release to try to prevent people from trying that “other” game, and hopfully lock those folks in long enough for the hype of the other game to fall away.

Good strategy really.. Kind of unforunate that balance updates are now going to be 4 times a year…. but hey, marketing is marketing.

Rennoko.5731:

Good strategy really.. Kind of unforunate that balance updates are now going to be 4 times a year…. but hey, marketing is marketing.

Good strategy? Well I’m ready to put my money in other MMOs because they have interesting things advertised for eons. All the money I put in other MMOs is money I don’t put in ArenaNet’s pockets.

-daydream mode activated-

Guild halls
New pve zones
More weapons for each profession
More utility skills (and no, not just one for each prof)
More permanent dungeons (with their own gear set/tokens)
Precursor crafting

-Daydream mode off-

I have no idea. Probably a lot more crafting and less content.

what to expect??

The usual:
Nerf for rangers, buffs for warriors, guardians as they were, and bugs ..
Lots and lots of bugs …

Fror.2163:

Rennoko.5731:

Good strategy really.. Kind of unforunate that balance updates are now going to be 4 times a year…. but hey, marketing is marketing.

Good strategy? Well I’m ready to put my money in other MMOs because they have interesting things advertised for eons. All the money I put in other MMOs is money I don’t put in ArenaNet’s pockets.

So you have a respsectable long-term view of things, most people don’t. OoOOOo Shiney works for the vast majority of the player base, and all they need is a strong spike of interest in the game during the ESO release to keep people from going over.

Don’t hate because they are playing smart politics. I think they would have drawn out the living story longer to meet that same date, but realized so many players are not that concerned with the living story; things like new QOL features, balance changes, new weapons, new skills, and all the other possible-to-happen during the transcendent feature patch are what they really needed.

The main reason they haven’t released more information is that the sky is the limit right now. Why bring the expectations back down when you can continue to push, “amazing things are coming for mesmer”, “I think eles will be really happy with the changes”, “ranger has been completely redesigned, but we can’t release details”.

People who like this game won’t walk away with that in the mixing bowl…. but only time will tell if the patch keeps the game going, or pushes people away by not meeting those very high expectations.

Windu The Forbidden One.6045:

-daydream mode activated-

Guild halls
New pve zones
More weapons for each profession
More utility skills (and no, not just one for each prof)
More permanent dungeons (with their own gear set/tokens)
Precursor crafting

-Daydream mode off-

I have no idea. Probably a lot more crafting and less content.

If we’re going to daydream…

-Crafting for CURRENT precursors, not just new ones
-Removal of Farming Punishment (DR)
-Floating UI components
-Perma-stow for ranger pets
-Trait saving
-all “style” items moved to wearable in combat (because kitten it, if you have your Quaggan backpack, I want my thief to wear sunglasses)
-A monetization group that puts the game first, not profit.

The Gods should return, and with them we see the return of the Underworld and Fissure of Woe. End-game content anyone? You can get Obsidian Shard drops in FoW.

Please fix crafting to make it more assessable.

In GW1 it takes me 2 minutes to switch my build.

In GW2 it takes me 3 months to switch my build (from one ascended gear to another set).

And this is just one character. We can also talk about alt-characters….

20 new “features” in the gem shop. It wouldn’t be patch day without including a way to separate your from your money. It’s too bad that the most efficient way of getting what I want is to buy it from the TP instead of actually, you know, playing the game. Mats, skins, and minis included.

Naus the Gobbo.5172:

What you can expect is that everyone will whine no matter what happens.

If we get a new race, 15 new zones and guild halls then people will whine about the fact that we didn’t get legendary armour, player housing and new dungeons.

People will see the update and attack it with everything they can – that is what you can expect.

And even though the updates are free people will complain about ArenaNet putting new stuff in the optional gem store, which you can buy everything from with gold.

Welcome to forum life. Go to the Diablo 3 general forums. There is whining going on there that has reached Legendary status. It’ll make this community look good in comparison.

They will give us all the basic needs for the Expansion pack the will come out next year…..ohhhh wait that was just a dream I had last night.

Seriously tho, I hope it has something for all the back skins/armor skins they keep putting in to the game. Something along the lines of how the achievement skins work.

As far as I’d heard all they’re doing is splitting Living Story and Feature updates because some people couldn’t understand that they released both together – they’d fixate on one aspect of each release and claim that’s all we got.

So it won’t be anything more than what we normally get, it’s just coming without anything new to do.

This is what I hope for:

• Unlockable stats on ascended gear -> precursor crafting
• Some improvements to commander tags
• Bugfixes (especially on world boss events)
• Build Templates

Here’s my hope:

• New legendaries
• Precursor crafting
• Commander Tag improvements
• LFG Merge Bug fixed
• Guild QOL updates (last logged in, please)
• Fractal QOL updates (dredge fixed)
• Minipet inventory slot
• Easier to use halo/horns/rep button/etc slot or something
• Charr armor not clipping / looking better (hey, a guy can dream)

To answer your question about the “when”: The patch on March 18th is not going to be the feature patch. It is a maintenance patch where they remove glory from PvP and boost rank point rewards.