Guild Wars 2

Currently we have a single raid, with I can only assume, plans on adding more.

My proposition: Turn previous raids into both explorable zones AND raid locations.

How would it work?: When a second raid is added, the events of the current raid (story wise) would be…older. And just like some events in guild wars 1, could be triggered manually instead in the world.

Once the next Raid is started (wing 1) the previous raid areas would become explorable zones, with their own events and enemies, just like the remainder of the HoT zones. And have an option (NPC, Book or Portal) that would turn it into the Raid instance.

All current/last added Raid areas would still remain as purely raid areas for the purpose of story/raid content until the main living world events or side story moves beyond it, which it will then become a persistent zone.

NOTE/tl;dr: This has nothing to do with allowing raid accessibility or experience to everyone, it is to use the assets in place to further expand the open world using the zone, and adding new events, enemies and places to explore once the living story moves beyond the Raid’s timeline.

I like this idea. I hate that I can’t even peek inside the zone without being in a raid group. I just want to see the place!

This is kind of what many have been asking for. What you suggested is a good way to do that.

I think it only seems logical the areas would open up for all players for exploration once the storyline goes beyond it.

Unless they change the way raids are handled, and the maps and areas are no longer part of the world map (like fractals) I just do not see why they should exist and be locked away after they have served their original purpose.

I have the same feeling towards the Labyrinthine Cliffs (https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Labyrinthine_Cliffs) which I loved exploring and using the Zelda-esque hide and seek achievements.

But alas, the area is locked away and forgotten.

Great idea and a great way to do it. Hope they do it at some point – hopefully sooner then later – for those of us who are less interested in the raid and more interested in the area/story.

Aurora Peachy brought this idea up in the last guild gab on her YT channel:

Use the Raid zones as instances for Living World.

This way you have well developed and polished maps already in existence and you can fill them with story, lore and PvE content non-raiders are currently missing out on.
Raids would still be the thing to do if you want the shiny rewards, but the general public would have a chance to catch up with what Raiders know about the Bandits & the White Mantle + Bloodstones.

Gorani.7205:

Aurora Peachy brought this idea up in the last guild gab on her YT channel:

Use the Raid zones as instances for Living World.

This way you have well developed and polished maps already in existence and you can fill them with story, lore and PvE content non-raiders are currently missing out on.
Raids would still be the thing to do if you want the shiny rewards, but the general public would have a chance to catch up with what Raiders know about the Bandits & the White Mantle + Bloodstones.

I would prefer them not to use them as instances, that would imply that people would have no reason to return to them after they experience whatever is there once.

As a persistent zone, with events etc would mean everyone could come back whenever they want, and still just…do stuff, like a normal zone

Zietlogik.6208:

I would prefer them not to use them as instances, that would imply that people would have no reason to return to them after they experience whatever is there once.

As a persistent zone, with events etc would mean everyone could come back whenever they want, and still just…do stuff, like a normal zone

I would put 2ct on a very vocal raiding minority to cry havoc, if the maps would be turned into normal persistent zones, because they “owned” the right to have those maps, because of raiding. (although I would prefer this as well)
The instance idea is a middle ground, which gives the majority of players something they long for and does not annoy the “elite” too much that they complain.
It would be on Anet to make the decision.

Gorani.7205:

Zietlogik.6208:

I would prefer them not to use them as instances, that would imply that people would have no reason to return to them after they experience whatever is there once.

As a persistent zone, with events etc would mean everyone could come back whenever they want, and still just…do stuff, like a normal zone

I would put 2ct on a very vocal raiding minority to cry havoc, if the maps would be turned into normal persistent zones, because they “owned” the right to have those maps, because of raiding. (although I would prefer this as well)
The instance idea is a middle ground, which gives the majority of players something they long for and does not annoy the “elite” too much that they complain.
It would be on Anet to make the decision.

I don’t think the raiding community would care about the actual map being used persistently. The general populace wouldn’t get the raid goodies, the boss battles or achievements etc that you would get as a raider.

Wyndsong.9087:

I like this idea. I hate that I can’t even peek inside the zone without being in a raid group. I just want to see the place!

Indeed. There’s no reason not to let a one-man party in. It’s not like he’s going to beat VG. Dungeons and Fractals can be entered solo.

It’s my belief that a version of the Raid areas will be in LWS3 as an area to explore, clean up stragglers and let non-raiders catch up on the lore found there.

Behellagh.1468:

It’s my belief that a version of the Raid areas will be in LWS3 as an area to explore, clean up stragglers and let non-raiders catch up on the lore found there.

It would still be optimal if they revamped the zone itself to be persistent, then added living story markers (like currently, Dry Top, Silverwastes, HoT zones)

Then it can serve 3 purposes, and wouldn’t negatively impact any of the 3 major components (Raids, Story, Persistent)

People could run around in the zone normally, there would be story instances that are triggered in the zone (like currently) and people would be able to use the aerodome or other method to use the zone as their normal Raid Instance.

There is zero reason not to do this. There is already clear states that raiders can go into to freely explore the areas, there’s no reason not to let everyone else have access to that, even if it’s just the older raid wings.

hardy.7469:

There is zero reason not to do this. There is already clear states that raiders can go into to freely explore the areas, there’s no reason not to let everyone else have access to that, even if it’s just the older raid wings.

It makes no sense to pretty much gate the clear state behind a taxi. But my suggestion doesnt give a clear state either, there would still be mobs and events running all the time.

Clear state is only good for looking at the scenery and getting some backstory, once you are done with it, there would be no reason to go back. If they do this it would replace clear states, but clear states would still exist for those who want to get some nice screenshots etc.

If you want to look around in a cleared raid wing use the LFG and just request someone to open for you. I have seen wing 3 up alot. There always someone that will open one for you just dont pay for it. Also some have things you can still kill even after its been cleared now.

I actually think the idea of using raid-maps for open world once the next raid is out isn’t bad. The bosses inside the instances are all dead at that point (chronologically speaking) so those places could be made open for exploration and events, with normal open world rewards and whatnot. Biggest problem would be how the maps are set up though, they’re very linear; so it wouldn’t exactly make for a good experience if they’d end up opening raid zones as open world maps.

NovaanVerdiano.6174:

I actually think the idea of using raid-maps for open world once the next raid is out isn’t bad. The bosses inside the instances are all dead at that point (chronologically speaking) so those places could be made open for exploration and events, with normal open world rewards and whatnot. Biggest problem would be how the maps are set up though, they’re very linear; so it wouldn’t exactly make for a good experience if they’d end up opening raid zones as open world maps.

Unless they set them up similar to Dry Top or Silverwastes. Design wise, Dry Top is actually quite linear, but the meta let’s you be anywhere on the map, it just weaves around a little bit. Silverwastes goes the other way and sets up the Meta event so that you can just be anywhere on the map, but generally try to stay in 1 place to defend, and when it culminates, everyone groups at one central area.

It’s a good way to re-use some content for the living story I think, just like how LS instances are the “introduction” to the open world maps they become. Raids would be the “introductory instances” for these areas, and now that we have the aerodrome you could remove the open world raid portals when they’re “defeated” in the LW chronology so its a seamless transition like any other zone, but still have the ability to do the raids from the aerodrome.

The world maps they become would be sort of like exploration mode in dungeons, what the map becomes after the main story is finished. I could imagine a lot of priory combing the current wing looking for clues, bad guys from “that faction” trying to retake the place from them, etc.

Would be a great way to save time and also to keep non-raiders “in the loop” as the NPCs there would know very well what went down.

Heck, they could even use the story-relative HoT conversation tech so that the NPCs in the new zones recognize you if you’ve cleared the wings and have conversation with it about you, like some of the HoT NPCs do.