Guild Wars 2

Everything is just about great but there’s one big problem… it’s simply not addictive. As I’m leveling up, I don’t feel stronger at all and I don’t feel rewarded. Even the skills that I unlock are really boring compared to gw1. A bunch of generic shouts/signets that give damage/crit/etc. I find myself asking myself why I should even load the game, what can I do that is fun.

Gw2 has failed to be “revolutionary”.

I’m sure some would refute that, but I have to agree. After around level 33, when I realized the only difference between 33 and 80 would be passive traits/stats, I just simply stopped caring about progression.

I think a huge chunk of the fun in MMOs is progressing, whether leveling or end game. For the exciting new abilities you can’t wait to unlock. There’s just no more interesting utility powers that I care to progress toward on my Guardian.

Id have to disagree

I feel a lot stronger now than I was because my arrows pierce through targets.

I get that too. I had to change my mindset. This isn’t that game.

I have to see GW2 for what is it, not for what I thought it was, or what I wanted it to be.

Character progression and character development aren’t big in GW2. I love those things, but I find that I still enjoy GW2 in a casual, social way.

Does it need to be “addictive”? Do you really want to be psychologically dependent on this game?

Level progression is boring to me. I want to have FUN. Grinding through level after level to get to the next best armour set or the next best weapon is extremely tiring and feels more like a job than a game, ultimately, it’s made me leave many MMOs.

Now, the armour and weapon set progression is still there, but the levelling system is almost invisible to me, I really don’t care what my character’s level is. If I level, great, if I don’t, who cares? I’ll just go explore some more, run another dungeon if I feel like it, go help a random village who’s being attacked by centaurs, I’ll do anything I want to without worrying, “Oh, am I too high level for this?”.

Obviously, this system isn’t for everyone. Some people, like yourselves, love the challenge of progressing your character’s level to the max, getting the best gear, the best skills, the best traits, but to most casual players, this has been the bane of our existence.

I personally want to thank ArenaNet for giving casual players a game to have fun playing and I sincerely hope they will pay more attention to the hardcore player demographic, as I agree they don’t seem to cater for that group of gamers.

There’s a lot of character progression and development in the game. I’ve actually been more addicted to this game than any other MMO out there, so far.

Unlike some, I don’t need a carrot on a stick to have fun with a game, and enjoy it thoroughly. It’s a LOT more fun for me than the usual “constant gear grind” in so many other MMO’s to date. It’s a breath of fresh air in the MMO genre, to know that I can have fun, without having to constantly do the repetitious gear grind over and over again.

Noxbringer.8296:

I’m sure some would refute that, but I have to agree. After around level 33, when I realized the only difference between 33 and 80 would be passive traits/stats, I just simply stopped caring about progression.

Can’t say about guardians but there are active traits, you can proc them through dodges or boons/effects (like fall damage, stealth).

Passive traits are percentage or number based, if traits activate on skill use they are designed to augment your active skills, thus inherently active by nature of use.

I agree. People who like “progression” wont like GW2. The game is simply unrewarding, which is fine for the ultra-casual fans who support the game.

Noxbringer.8296:

I’m sure some would refute that, but I have to agree. After around level 33, when I realized the only difference between 33 and 80 would be passive traits/stats, I just simply stopped caring about progression.

I think a huge chunk of the fun in MMOs is progressing, whether leveling or end game. For the exciting new abilities you can’t wait to unlock. There’s just no more interesting utility powers that I care to progress toward on my Guardian.

Two lessons for Arenanet in Guildwars2 should be..

1)FUN is not enough..
People like to be different .. people like to be see progress in their time invested in the game.. not just numbers . I also lost interest in the game as soon i learned what you discovered. Essentially you end at level 80 with the same abilities you have at the first day. On top that gear is about the same for everyone do not help much either.
So essentially you end playing the game more because of the social experience.. than the game itself. really doubt for example people

2) If is NOT broken don’t fix it..
Arenanet simply had a very solid and polished game already..in GW1 , all they had to do is add features on top to their previous game and Better graphics..
but they simply created a different game , that gets old fast.. No idea what they will do in the future..to get back their more mature Gw1 fan base.. because will take radicals changes to their game.. that really doubt they will do. Arena net only had to look how other american developers do it.. with very very very popular RPG offline games that sell millions .. and look how is possible to create games that are incredibly fun but also have lots of character progression , awesome combat system and no grind.

I am enjoying this game and you are not. I like pizza and you don’t. It is normal.

woodyfly, I hope you´ll never find an addictive game in the words true meaning.

About being “revolutionary”(another quite strong word); a thing that struck me after a while, was that already in the starter area, I subconsciously forgot about the levels, my mind more occupied with what i would find around the next corner.

Most often I realize I´ve suddenly gained a level due to disco-lights erupting from my char, accompanied by some lame one-liner and my biggest gripe is that I feel it happens to often, goes to fast. Yesterday, my main char hit level 70 and it made me sad, though my musket wielding Norn havn´t seen more than 44% of the world.

Now going back into low-level areas to explore really proves how huge a difference all the skills and traits do. The level scaling is not preventing my char from being very powerful there, compared to what it felt like when first entering these areas.

Running around in the areas suited to my level, my Norn don´t cut through mob like a hot knife in butter, for which I am thankful; then where would be no hint of a challenge and I would be bored away from the game.

The big rewards are seldom enough to make me jump in my chair when they unexpectedly arrives.

The game really is unrewarding, and being lvl 1 or 80, there is no difference just traits.

why havent i been able to stop playing since headstart? i called in sick just cuz i stayed up playing all night earlier this week =( preference i guess.

thing about me is….im not addicted to the rewards (not really chasing them). i crafted some cool spiky armor in the mists, and currently have my t1 cultural set in the open world. couldnt be happier with my looks, but it gets better. all achievable through casual play.

woodyfly.4169:

Gw2 has failed to be “revolutionary”.

myself and many others would disagree. it has changed just about every aspect of the MMO toward the better. it can be deemed revolutionary when you see its influence on the development of future titles, which you absolutely will.

atticus.2897:

Level progression is boring to me. I want to have FUN.

Now, the armour and weapon set progression is still there, but the levelling system is almost invisible to me, I really don’t care what my character’s level is. If I level, great, if I don’t, who cares? I’ll just go explore some more, run another dungeon if I feel like it, go help a random village who’s being attacked by centaurs, I’ll do anything I want to without worrying, “Oh, am I too high level for this?”.

Some people, like yourselves, love the challenge of progressing your character’s level to the max, getting the best gear, the best skills, the best traits, but to most casual players, this has been the bane of our existence.

I personally want to thank ArenaNet for giving casual players a game to have fun

and this. couldnt have said it better (i tried).

What was amazing about GW1 to me was the huge assortment of skills. You’re not cookie cuttered into having useless skills on a bar because you need a certain weapon type.

Sure, it creates meta builds…but, trying out new builds was vastly more fun in GW1; having to go capture skills you needed. Some people hated the capturing, but it was rewarding for me

Less addictive , less human casualties from overplaying :P

I agree. I think I spent more time around divinity reach trading/flipping than playing last week.

woodyfly.4169:

Gw2 has failed to be “revolutionary”.

To you.

It’s funny hearing people claim there are not diverse ways to play this game.

Between having a wide variety of traits you can change at will, different weapons to equip, basic stats to proritize and stack, weapon sigils, runes, utilities and elites there is plenty to experiment with. Nothing is monotonous. Despite these other MMOs that " appear" to have more abilities available on your toolbar you are generally pigeon-holed into playing in a very restricted way. There is not much freedom to be creative.

vann.4297:

1)FUN is not enough..

This has to be the single best thing i’ve read all day. Making a game fun is the point. ( Game: 1. an amusement or pastime ). Making a game fun is hard. Making a MMO fun is harder still.

I love that there is always something to do. I think the problem is people running from fight to fight. The NPC’s are supposed to be allowed to “play out the scene”.

My bf and I started our Norns the other day and we were at the snowball fight. As soon as it was over he’s like “ok, let’s go..why are we just standing here?” I was like “wait, look at what he’s doing with that Dolyak we just gave him!” Bf still wasn’t getting it. Few minutes later we got to the part of the bears swarming (there was a lot of content between those two things happening too!).

For the love of giving the game a chance, I wish people would slow down and enjoy Tyria.

Mea.5491:

Why do people need epic rewards to play a game? I seriously don’t understand. I blame the lame reward (and gear) oriented MMOs.

I’m having lotsa fun, still too many things to do (and I’ve been lvl80 for 10 days now), don’t even have time to lvl my alts because I’m busy on my main, lol.

I believe it comes down to what we’re used to. Coming from WoW, there was always something that you “needed to do”. Be it for PvE or PvP it doesn’t matter, you had to run those dungeons or get slaughtered in BGs/Arena till you got more “competitive” (got gear).

In GW2, on the other hand, you don’t need to do anything. Ever. You just play to have fun. But, there is a downside. People like to see a shiny from time to time for their “effort” (this is mind blowing for me tbh, effort in a game?!?) and GW2 doesn’t really provide it. Or rather, has a strange way of providing it.

Imo, people need to adapt. But, above all, they need to stop being whiny kittencats (too many kittens, we need cats!) and get it in their head that they CAN come back 2 months from now and play the game again. You don’t have to play each day like WoW (where if you didn’t play you had a feeling that you’re not getting your moneys worth) but you can come and go as you please with no negatives.

woodyfly.4169:

Everything is just about great but there’s one big problem… it’s simply not addictive. As I’m leveling up, I don’t feel stronger at all and I don’t feel rewarded. Even the skills that I unlock are really boring compared to gw1. A bunch of generic shouts/signets that give damage/crit/etc. I find myself asking myself why I should even load the game, what can I do that is fun.

Gw2 has failed to be “revolutionary”.

I’m simply shocked! Why in the world would you use the word “Addictive” as a positive thing about anything? I completely disagree with you about GW II not being revolutionary, it’s exactly what it is. It’s tries to move away from that “addictive game’s” group, many MMORPG’s fall in. If you ask yourself why you should load them game, cause you don’t find it fun, then maybe you shouldn’t? Game’s shouldn’t be and addict if you ask me, it should be a fun waste of your free time. Being addicted to game’s it actually a psychological illness in my country…

Not Addictive ?

Hmmm, dunno, right now I have a love/hate relationship with GW2 tbh, but I keep comming back, so not sure.

It’s not addictive in terms of char progression thats for sure, the game as it is set up at the moment gives you far to many goodies early on, instead of having an even spread.

The game allows you to unlock all your weapon sets and skills way to early imo, when it really should save some of the good stuff for the very end of the lvling curve.

I think if Anet put some sparkle into the later part of the game then they will have a fairly addictive game.

But having said that, I think the glory days of ‘addictive’ MMO’s are over tbh, I think the gaming community as a whole has grown tired and bored of MMO’s

People are starting to understand that all it can ever be, and all it ever will be, is a Grind, an endless Grind,

The only thing that will ever change, is the ‘Packaging’

Kittens are fluffy, but when they get their claws out, and climb up your leg,

It still hurts.

atticus.2897:

Grinding through level after level to get to the next best armour set or the next best weapon is extremely tiring and feels more like a job than a game.

Grinding through level after level for nothing is better. Right.

Well OP I guess it’s up to you to be our Savior and make that game that is completely new and never get boring and also “revolutionary” and not just a wow clone. Come on OP prove to AN that you are not just nerd raging , show them how it should be done.

I dont see the point in endless geargrind loop. It’s just a feature designed to go hand in hand with subscription fee that makes you feel like you have to spend time in the game because you pay for every minute, and getting better gear gives you the illusion that you’re getting something for that money, when it’s just repetitive recycled content x-pac after x-pac.

I dont want to be in that loop. I dont see the point and it does not satisfy me, nor give me the illusion of progress since all it is really is the endless loop to keep you paying.

It’s crazy to see people hoping to get addicted, unable to find a way to have fun by any other means I’m not just saying, I have been waiting for a game like this for quite a while, and now there’s so many saying they need the geargrind.

I dont know what else to say, if this game would statistically fail somehow I’ll be shocked, not least because it would mean this genre just is not for me no matter how much I’d like it to be…

Why do people need epic rewards to play a game?

Not to play A game, to play THIS kind of games.
You can’t compare the gameplay of a shooter,sport game, fighter game, or such to an mmo. Those games are all about reflexes, strategies, total control of your char…. An mmo isn’t. You target things, you don’t aim for them, you autoattack, you have huge cooldowns, the action/reflexes/skill is just lower than in those games.
But why do they still shine? Because they have levels, skills to unlock, gear to get.
If you take that away, you just have an action game with bad gameplay

I think the comment regarding a lack of skills being rewarded, later in the game – other then buffs/boons, etc – is certainly something which could easily be addressed by the devs.

In fact, as development moves forward after the release, I am certain that we will eventually see more skills (and other things which will give rewards to higher level characters) being released.

OP, I am not sure if you have done so yet (I haven’t checked) but, it would be prudent to place your suggestions in the Suggestion area of this forum: your comments are valid and, if you are feeling there is ‘something’ missing then your comments may well bring about change that will help others.

I agree… I don’t find myself wanting to rush home to play like I have past MMOs. Even though I’m still just in level 80 greens I just don’t feel like there is anything meaningful to be doing or anything urging me along to progress, even within the confines of things I haven’t achieved.

The game inspires a sort of laid back lackadaisical attitude in me, and that’s not why I play MMOs. The drive just isn’t there for me and I’m not blaming the lack of loot progression- it’s something else about the game I can’t quite put a finger on.

@ OP:

you made a mistake by saying “GW2 failed to be revolutionary”.

You should have just said “GW2 failed”.

Raging Bull.5048:

@ OP:

you made a mistake by saying “GW2 failed to be revolutionary”.

You should have just said “GW2 failed”.

Tssk tssk…

So, everything about GW2 is kitten in your eyes?

Haragan.8470:

atticus.2897:

Grinding through level after level to get to the next best armour set or the next best weapon is extremely tiring and feels more like a job than a game.

Grinding through level after level for nothing is better. Right.

The funny thing is, there’s no actual need to grind levels. I don’t find myself doing it, I remember seeing a player around level 30-ish with 100% world completion, so there’s nothing stopping you doing that. Level means nothing in Guild Wars 2, it’s an old, flawed, boring system that should’ve never happened in the first place.

@ Rock:

unfortunately it is. And I’m a dog person.

Edit: ok not EVERYTHING. The game has potential, but the devs haven’t taken advantage of it honestly. So without RESULTS, the potential itself has no value.

I actually quite like that the game doesn’t reward you through progression as much. Gear plays a little role. You work to look cool, but at the end of the day it comes down to how much you know how to play, and how decent your build is.

My only regret is that it’s quite annoying to try to find dungeons. There needs to be some sort of system in place or at least the capability to look for group mates easily.

80 for one and half week, and still having a blast, can’t stop playing.

But then, I’m an “old fart” who played games like UO or AC1 which didn’t have the “gear carrot”. It seems the newer generation of MMO players can’t play without being rewarded… they can’t play for what games have always been intended for: fun.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bartle_Test

Different strokes. GW2 seems to be great for Explorers. Achievers… not so much.

I do wish gw2 had more skills to choose from.Or like gw1,a second class too choose from.I do feel there is much to little variation in the set of skills im able to use.Im a warrior and double axe or GS are the weapons i prefer,not fighting with sword and shield,or with a mace,its not my style.So im always stuck with the same skills,nothing i can do about it. ( can change some traits but i really feel like its not enough to keep me interested ) It does make me feel like every pvp match is gonna be the same ( for me ).It would make the game so much more interesting to have again like gw 250 + skills too choose from or a second class,it gives so much more variation to the current gameplay,i honestly dont understand why this hasnt been implemented from the start,its been made too easy.Only being able to use 8 of the 250+ skills you had was such a great thing in gw1 imo,and it took me such a long time to create perfect builds for every situation,but it was fun.Here i run in with the same builds ,press the same buttons do the same things..basically in every round or against every mob,and yes its starting to bore me..the pvp aspect that is,every round is the same.Whereas i felt like playing gw1 every round felt different because of this huge amount of skills we were able too choose from.

It is all about opinions. Yours is that the game is not addictive. Mine is exactly the opposite.

I’m sorry to hear it wasn’t enough for you. Maybe after a couple months, who knows?

so sick of crying threads,

don’t like it? too bad for you.

Korrigan.4837:

80 for one and half week, and still having a blast, can’t stop playing.

But then, I’m an “old fart” who played games like UO or AC1 which didn’t have the “gear carrot”. It seems the newer generation of MMO players can’t play without being rewarded… they can’t play for what games have always been intended for: fun.

Thats what I think as well. Uo was a great game. So great that even with all the new tech and stuff from today’s games and all the good ideas that were implemented on every other game that came after it, I still miss UO a lot. It was never about gear back there, just plain old fun.

The sad thing is that today people whine without even knowing for sure what they want. If there is a grind, they whine, but if there isn’t and things are just easy to acquire, they will whine because there isn’t anything to do. Fun for the sake of itself, is no more… In the end, they spoil themselves.

woodyfly.4169:

Everything is just about great but there’s one big problem… it’s simply not addictive. As I’m leveling up, I don’t feel stronger at all and I don’t feel rewarded. Even the skills that I unlock are really boring compared to gw1. A bunch of generic shouts/signets that give damage/crit/etc. I find myself asking myself why I should even load the game, what can I do that is fun.

Gw2 has failed to be “revolutionary”.

I felt it does leveling better than any MMO in the market, including Rift which allows you to queue for instant adventures, has downleveling as well, and a “dynamic world” of sorts.

While the combat isn’t as great as Tera, it is a very very close second.

The graphics are top knotch. The sounds are top knotch.

The stories are decent.

For a no-sub game, I think we got what we paid for. If you aren’t addicted, thats fine..again, youre not paying a sub. Sign off for a few days or week, and then come back.

I love this game! It’s one of the best online games I’ve played in the last ten years. I would need to track back to BF1942, Planetside and SWG Pre-CU to a game were I have had this much fun.

@Ironangel,you need to learn to respect people’s opinions.And need to understand that criticism is needed in order to better a game.And again,this is His opinion,dont like it ? Then dont bother commenting.

Just typed /age ingame.

364 hours 43 minutes over the past 27 days.That’s 13 hours a day for a month.I lost the september exams and I’m starting to feel really unhealthy so I decided to stop for a while today and start playing in smaller intrvals.

Is that addictive enough for you?

Gear and progression as mere numbers mean nothing to me.I want my character to be a seasoned veteran at level 80 NOT a walking,one-shotting GOD.Also,it has aways bothered me how,in other mmos,my characters were 1% innate power 99% gear stats.Take away a wow character’s gear and he’s a mueling infant that gets one shot himself in endgame zones.I found all those things artificial,immersion breaking and designed around gear grinds.

So far the experience here has been so seamless that I lost a month of my life and I still feel like I have to log in every day to do more things.

So please do not pass your opinion off as fact.The game is not addictive to you.It sucks,I understand but it’s not the case for everyone.

It hasn’t failed to be addictive to me… At the end of the work day, I always have the same thought, “time to get home and play some GW2!” Although, I would say it’d be cool if there were more skills… but I figure expansions usually introduce things like that (at least they did in GW1) so I have hope for the future.

@Callidus,they introduced new skills because we were already able to have 2 classes from the start,and were already able to get a huge amount of skills..from the start.In GW2 this is Not the case..im Really really hoping this will be adressed in the future,i cannot see myself playing for months,using the same exact build over and over..Thats just,not fun at all.

I wonder OP… what did you expect to be “revolutionary”? What does the game lack for you to make it addicting?

Gear rewards? If that is what makes a game addicting to you, it would also not be revolutionary – just play one of the many other MMOs out there.

Hundreds of skills? Sure, but you can only use those 20 to be allowed to play with the so-called big boys? Also not revolutionary.

So… what exactly is it you are missing that would make the game “revolutionary” in your eyes?