Guild Wars 2

@1: You are taking yourself way too seriously. Most other people that aren’t as obsessed with these items don’t give a crap about it (source: pulled that fact out of my kitten.

When I see someone parading ugly gear that was behind a no-skill-zergwall I don’t respect him for his prestige and honor and whatever else may be in your head. I just think, ‘boy, THAT is ugly, and to think he spent hours on a task he hates, lol’
It’s a mechanism of making yourself look more important – in front of yourself xD

Oh and I laughed really hard at your use of the word entitlement. It’s funny how you wanna shove your point of view down everyone else’s throat while being totally ignorant towards the fact that you’re just a little fish in the big sea just like everyone else.

yours truly, a dude that has had BiS raid gear and piles of event gear before and still tries to keep a level head

Conski Deshan.2057:

Sartharina.3542:

Also… what’s all this talk about work? I’m playing a game over here called Guild Wars 2, it’s really fun. But, I’m off to work at the bar in a few hours.

I intentionally used the term investment instead of work in as many places as possible. Your work and play can be one and the same, are you telling me you’re not “working hard” when you try to beat a single player game on the hardest setting?

Work does not necessarily mean not fun.

Nope, not working hard. I’m playing hard.

Of course, my play has been cut by a storm ruining local internet access, so I have to hunt to get 2 seconds of connectivity between 15 minutes of downtime.

ScribeTheMad.7614:

Hmmmmm, I see where the OP is coming from, in part, you work really hard to get something, and its a reminder and a badge of pride for your accomplishment.
And then all of a sudden its much easier to get.
Now, I don’t have a problem with anybody having anything I have, this is not taking pride in something just because other people can’t have it. (at least for me, for many others this is the only reason they care, and I do not consider that cool but that’s just me)

The problem, as I see it, is that it feels like it lessons my achievement to a degree. See for me, when I see someone else with the same thing I worked for, I know they went through the same thing, brothers in achievement if you will. A feeling of “aw yeah, someone else who knows exactly what I went through to get this and will actually appreciate it more than most” kind of thing. So I at least like to see other people achieve the same things, and actively encourage people to do them (opposed to a few I know who try to get people not to because they don’t want anyone else to have it)
Then all of a sudden you don’t have to do that anymore, and everyone assumes you got it the new, easier way (heck, I’ve caught myself thinking along those lines, “ha, probly just bought it”) >.<

But to be fair, when you have one-time world changing events being the source of a skin, how do you keep getting it fair to both people who missed the event and people who were there? How do you let newer players in on the new skins without making the older players who worked for them feel like their efforts have been trivialized?

Take the Fervid Censor as an example, I love it, its an awesome skin. But to me that skin belongs as the reward for a set of achievements set on Southsun. That way even if they weren’t here for Lost Shores there’s still that “uh hunh, that Southsun, those Karka, nudge nudge wink wink” with new people who have it.
Now I’ll get “Southwhere? Karkwhat?”

That, to me, is respecting the prestige. You know what I mean?

So my suggestion going forward would be after a big one time kind of event or living story part, instead of leaving an empty space behind, fill it in with leftover traces of the event, like the tower stuff still in QD and Kessex, only have enough stuff to do that its still possible to achieve the meta, if maybe a little longer to do timewise since there’s less stuff around.

I’m agreeing with this and OP’s view. Working for such cosmetic items is what drives some people on, so that there’s a goal to play the content. To make it rather easily available to anyone during a non-related event, the value of the item is lost. During the TA aether path event, I worked hard to complete the achievements in a tough dungeon, and received a nice slickpack which is kinda exclusive. Making it available to people who didn’t do the event just makes the effort seemed insignificant.

Two responses here: yes if I cared about “prestige”, I would agree there are problems. And two, not everyone will agree this is important.

I belong to the 75% of the world’s population (backed by scientific research) that does not care about “prestige”.

I don’t care what the item is, or how you got it. I don’t look at another player and think “oh wow, he got that accomplishment”, whether it’s gear or title. I’m focused on other things.

My motivation and the motivation of 75% of the player base has nothing to do with “prestige”.

Do I think TP-bought Legendaries cheapens the item? Yes. I believe Legendaries ought to be account-bound, and have said so for as long as the game has been out.

Does anyone swinging their particle-effect producing legendary all over my screen engender respect, awe or envy? No. Normally it produces annoyance.

I respect the fact that you value what should be the on-going developer-created “prestige” of particular items. I acknowledge that some of those have been devalued by the revenue-motivated decision (items on gemstore, making LS items available again.)

I support the fact that this would cause a sense of anger/distress/betrayal.

And I understand that other players will not see this as an overriding issue in the face of so many other problems with the game.

I belong to the 75% of the world’s population (backed by scientific research) that does not care about “prestige”

I guess I’m curious then, why you list all your level 80s and alts and “BG since headstart” in your sig?

To identify when I’m on the WvW board that those inform my playing perspective. I don’t know what it’s like to transfer and the problems that come from that. That I only have experience on one server. My experience is limited.

To tell the devs the game is stupidly easy to level.

To indicate I’m bored and keep track of my alts because I’m getting senile.

Having that many alts as a WvW player will be viewed as someone who is not really hardcore. There is no prestige there. There is only some experience with different classes/builds.

Prestige usually results in a bunch of sought after items being available to only a select few.

I think I’ll pass on prestige.

@Goldenwing
52 alts? Jesus…
That’s quite an accomplishment

Conski Deshan.2057:

For the people against any form of limited items/prestige items, what motivates you to play the game?

I play MMOs for the big persistent world, the setting and lore, the environments, the teamwork and friendly banter, the ability to customize characters and stick with a favored one for years, the enjoyment of how a particular class or role plays (sigh I miss tanking). Not a single shred of my enjoyment hinges on “status”-jockeying or excluding people (rude or abusive jerkwads aside).

If I enjoy something, why would I not want others to enjoy it too? If someone would really like to have a certain item, why should I stop them from getting it? Hell, I might help them if it isn’t too much of a pain for me.

And if another player wants “respect”, they get that by being friendly, helpful, fair and a good teamplayer, not by stroking their ego at me. The more obnoxiously someone demands attention — either verbally or by jumping around me like a flea on crack or by swinging their flashy weapon at me or by parking their bigarse mount on an important NPC — the faster they get blacklisted.

Chadramar.8156:

Conski Deshan.2057:

For the people against any form of limited items/prestige items, what motivates you to play the game?

I play MMOs for the big persistent world, the setting and lore, the environments, the teamwork and friendly banter, the ability to customize characters and stick with a favored one for years, the enjoyment of how a particular class or role plays (sigh I miss tanking). Not a single shred of my enjoyment hinges on “status”-jockeying or excluding people (rude or abusive jerkwads aside).

If I enjoy something, why would I not want others to enjoy it too? If someone would really like to have a certain item, why should I stop them from getting it? Hell, I might help them if it isn’t too much of a pain for me.

And if another player wants “respect”, they get that by being friendly, helpful, fair and a good teamplayer, not by stroking their ego at me. The more obnoxiously someone demands attention — either verbally or by jumping around me like a flea on crack or by swinging their flashy weapon at me or by parking their bigarse mount on an important NPC — the faster they get blacklisted.

Well said, sir!

Before playing GW2, I had very nice prestige from another game. High leveled character, lovely weapons and gear, event limited items, titles, plenty gold. And then I quit, because the pedestal of ‘prestige’ was getting harder to get to – and I was not willing to drop more time and money to get to it.

Prestige is a fun thing to aim for, but there’s a limit of how much people will want to invest for it. The way GW2 set it up, it’s so you can still earn the prestige, but there is no pressure that you must do it. There is no underlying deterrent of not participating, nor any backlash when real life takes over.

“kitten” the thread. “i was there you werent, im better and get a special toy you dont”

Great impression there!

Being a “special snowflake” is the main point for me to play MMOs, Anet is just removing more and more reasons to play this game. I dont want to play 5000 hours to have the same stuff other people who used their credit card and started playing a week ago.

Malediktus.9250:

Being a “special snowflake” is the main point for me to play MMOs, Anet is just removing more and more reasons to play this game. I dont want to play 5000 hours to have the same stuff other people who used their credit card and started playing a week ago.

Then it’s as simple as moving on to another game that allows you to be a special snowflake all you want. Of course, you can also go earn Yakslapper in WvW too. Cant buy your way to that title.

I don’t think these items can be called prestige. Prestige is something positive. I think when someone sees a Legendary/Ascended, they either think “that guy has too much money” or “that guy has no life”.

Prestige items are linked to achivement, which is linked to ability or skill to excell at something that others do not. Spending 18 hours a day in front of the computer is not a skill. At best, it is a lifestyle.

Aidan Savage.2078:

Malediktus.9250:

Being a “special snowflake” is the main point for me to play MMOs, Anet is just removing more and more reasons to play this game. I dont want to play 5000 hours to have the same stuff other people who used their credit card and started playing a week ago.

Then it’s as simple as moving on to another game that allows you to be a special snowflake all you want. Of course, you can also go earn Yakslapper in WvW too. Cant buy your way to that title.

I tried out TESO a month ago, sadly it was a buggy mess with even less prestige items than GW2. I will probably give Wildstar a chance next, but not sure if I will enjoy it in the long run because of the art style/graphics.
But that is not the point of the thread. GW2 is getting ruined more and more by entitled people who think they should be able to have everything just for having bought the game and throwing more money at the game.
I doubt I will have the motivation to ever try a buy to play or free to play game again after this debacle. Its great for people who have little time and can afford throwing a lot of money at the screen, but for people like me who want to earn their stuff and also have some immersion this is terrible.
In the current state its unlikely I would even buy a expansion for this game, it would be just more of the same casual content with no longevity or skill required. Of course also with very terrible rewards because Anet would want to make extra bucks by offering them in the gem store.

Yeah, they started diminishing the prestige of items towards the end of gw1, when they made those masks available years after the events were over. For some reason they’ve continued to do that in GW2. There’s essentially no limited items that won’t pop up again. Its almost like they don’t want to exclude new players from anything, at the expense of their longtime customer base. Its an odd approach, that’s for sure.

Yes, lack of prestige items in a game touted as “non-traditional.” Come on people, if you want prestige crap, go play WoW. Want items in GW2 that requires some amount of skill, thus potentially worthy of being respected? Get Sunless weapons from Teq, Wurmslayer armor from THW, and Fractal weapon skins out of FoTM. Aside from those three categories, there are zero items in this game worth a chance at respect.

chronus.1326:

I don’t think these items can be called prestige. Prestige is something positive. I think when someone sees a Legendary/Ascended, they either think “that guy has too much money” or “that guy has no life”.

Prestige items are linked to achivement, which is linked to ability or skill to excell at something that others do not. Spending 18 hours a day in front of the computer is not a skill. At best, it is a lifestyle.

I disagree, what you are suggesting is that a clock from Rolex, a Ferrari, a Bugatti, a private jet, a yacht, etc has no prestige in real life. You can get all that stuff in real life without being skilled, just by exploiting your employes, winning the lottery or inheriting it. Yet people still consider that stuff prestige.

Prestige is probably a strong word as in people start taking offense once this word pops up, as it sounds elitist. A souvenir or memento perhaps when you participate in an event.

Having some item available to everyone devalues the meaning behind the memento. It’s like you can just use real money to purchase everything in the game, what’s left with the meaning of actually playing the game?

Malediktus.9250:

Yet people still consider that stuff prestige.

For different types of people. But people who run for those material gains don’t function through positive emotions. If you are wishing for the respect of people who are bank robber bankers and thieves you are in for a ride. It is faked love. And nobody below your pay grade will look up to you for having a Rolex or a Ferrari. Only the scum of Earth that you want to avoid because they want to suck you dry of all your material gains. That’s how that part of society functions. It is the farther thing away from genuine positive feelings. It has everything to do with hatred and envy, and results in appropriate actions based on those two feelings.

A prestige in a positive sense is something like a 1st prize on the Olympics, or a Nobel Prize, or an Oscar. Something that people aspire to get for its meaning, not the material value of the gold it is made out of, because it means something about you as a person, not about your financial status that you could have acquired in any kind of evil way. You don’t get an Oscar or a Nobel prize in an evil way. They are representing symbols of the undeniable value of your skills, abilities, personality. Your essence. Other than giving you a feeling of having achieved yourself, they also initiate positive feelings in normal functioning human beings, and you only get hated and envied by the aforementioned “scum of Earth”.

In short, your example is privileges for evil people, based on fear and hate, while mine is prestige for good people, based on love and virtue.

Its two completely different things. I know society is not perfectly “there yet” to get it, so I don’t expect it to be implemented into a computer game (especially by a dev team so immersed in office politics as ANet) that’s why I didn’t go into detail in the previous post. But it’s still true.

You don’t get the love of other players in GW2 if you have a Legendary. A prestige is something like achieving Legendary Cartographer title in Guild Wars and everyone messaging at you and congratulating you. That was back then. That game displayed it in the world chat when something like that happened. And that was that title, not the “God Walking Amongst Mere Mortals” title. Not the grindy titles. Nobody cared about a maxed Lightbringer.

Two completely different concepts that are in no way related to each other in any way that is worth considering. They have completely different reasons, reactions, and results in society.

You wanna call one of them prestige, decide which one. But one of them sould be implemented in the game, while the other only generates elitism and further alienation of player base groups. Like the current “AC 5k only” trends, and zerker gear, and so on.

An online community is a slice of the real world community. A reflection. A miniature. But if you want to build a fun game, you should be aware of and in control of which slice you are preferring to work on.

It is the point where game developer teams who work on mmorpgs should hire sociologist. This isn’t the Tetris era anymore.

I personally don’t feel item prestige should be put before the happiness of the players. I was extremely sad when i missed the twisted watchwork shoulder because I was travelling across Europe that week, that skin looked amazing.

So you can imagine my happiness to be given a second chance to obtain it, and I doubt I’m the only one who got jipped out of things they really wanted due to real life having to come before video games

I’ve barely seen anyone even USING the watchwork shoulder skin, so all those people who’s being smug in their “prestige” didn’t seem to care about the skin anyway,wh tais the point of “prestige” if it’s just languishing in your wardrobe, while the people who would actually use the skin, can’t obtain it, because real life clashed with an arbitrary in-game timer?

Secondly, obtaining 1 skin is realistic, but obtaining the back-catalogue for the entire season would be nigh impossible. I don’t really see the problem, at the end of the season giving everyone a chance to obtain 1 or 2 of the skins they may have otherwise missed.

Conski Deshan.2057:

I did’nt expect such polarized answers to come out of this,

For the people against any form of limited items/prestige items, what motivates you to play the game?

Make my characters look “good” in my eyes, instead of running around like a clown just to show of my “prestige” items.

I would proudly give all my gas mask, karka shells and whatever else to a totally newbie if he relly likes the look, but never wear those abominations myself.

Just wondering, what if it’s a skin you like? Let’s say a Gw1 HOM weapon skin, or a SAB green/yellow weapon skins, or others I can’t remember.

Those took people plenty of effort to get them I would think, so let’s just put a price tag on those, for eg, 3200 festival tokens. Would that be fine? We probably should make a universal token so we can get any skins we want, it doesn’t matter if you have never put a foot onto the event that skin came from.

I agree with you OP. I’ve been playing this game for a month after release and took a break for a long time (logging in occasionally for a week). I have lost a lot of living world items, that I wanted to have when I returned to GW2 for good. Even that I lost it, I would like to never be able to get them again but to make sure, that any future item that I’ll get will have its prestige. Unfortunately these items are cheap crap now :/

For me, I don’t care if other people get a chance later to get what I’ve gotten through playing the game earlier. I can see the point where it shows that they were there too but, for example, a couple of months ago someone whispered me about my Sclerite Karka Shell. I had to tell him it was unobtainable. I felt bad for him. If you want something in the game you don’t want to hear “nope, no chance for you. Maybe you’ll get something later.” People buy games with the expectation they can earn the rewards if they try, not that the rewards are unobtainable.

Nocturnal.5023:

Prestige is probably a strong word as in people start taking offense once this word pops up, as it sounds elitist. A souvenir or memento perhaps when you participate in an event.

Having some item available to everyone devalues the meaning behind the memento. It’s like you can just use real money to purchase everything in the game, what’s left with the meaning of actually playing the game?

This would be more along the lines of what I meant, something special that means something rather than just another bought item for the collection.

chronus.1326:

For different types of people. But people who run for those material gains don’t function through positive emotions. If you are wishing for the respect of people who are bank robber bankers and thieves you are in for a ride. It is faked love. And nobody below your pay grade will look up to you for having a Rolex or a Ferrari. Only the scum of Earth that you want to avoid because they want to suck you dry of all your material gains. That’s how that part of society functions. It is the farther thing away from genuine positive feelings. It has everything to do with hatred and envy, and results in appropriate actions based on those two feelings.

A prestige in a positive sense is something like a 1st prize on the Olympics, or a Nobel Prize, or an Oscar. Something that people aspire to get for its meaning, not the material value of the gold it is made out of, because it means something about you as a person, not about your financial status that you could have acquired in any kind of evil way. You don’t get an Oscar or a Nobel prize in an evil way. They are representing symbols of the undeniable value of your skills, abilities, personality. Your essence. Other than giving you a feeling of having achieved yourself, they also initiate positive feelings in normal functioning human beings, and you only get hated and envied by the aforementioned “scum of Earth”.

In short, your example is privileges for evil people, based on fear and hate, while mine is prestige for good people, based on love and virtue.

I think you many be getting a tad fanatical there, you can’t demonise a whole group just because they’ve gained wealth they don’t turn into evil people who use fear and exploitation.

Ryuujin.8236:

Secondly, obtaining 1 skin is realistic, but obtaining the back-catalogue for the entire season would be nigh impossible. I don’t really see the problem, at the end of the season giving everyone a chance to obtain 1 or 2 of the skins they may have otherwise missed.

I’ve been playing an average of 1-2 hours a day since the update came out and I’m on 3400 tokens so far, consider also people can buy more tokens with gold (z boxes) and that the event is on for at least another week possibly 3 a determined person could easily purchase every item from the first two tabs.

Nocturnal.5023:

Just wondering, what if it’s a skin you like? Let’s say a Gw1 HOM weapon skin, or a SAB green/yellow weapon skins, or others I can’t remember.

Those took people plenty of effort to get them I would think, so let’s just put a price tag on those, for eg, 3200 festival tokens. Would that be fine? We probably should make a universal token so we can get any skins we want, it doesn’t matter if you have never put a foot onto the event that skin came from.

I feel you choose bad example items, both the HOM items and the SAB colored skins are skill prestiges and making them buy-able without setting foot in the event is exactly like allowing someone to buy an olympic medal or nobel prize , you may want one but if you weren’t capable and competent enough to earn one you won’t get it.

Nocturnal.5023:

Just wondering, what if it’s a skin you like? Let’s say a Gw1 HOM weapon skin, or a SAB green/yellow weapon skins, or others I can’t remember.

Those took people plenty of effort to get them I would think, so let’s just put a price tag on those, for eg, 3200 festival tokens. Would that be fine? We probably should make a universal token so we can get any skins we want, it doesn’t matter if you have never put a foot onto the event that skin came from.

It’s still possible to earn HOM gear – The Guild Wars 1 servers are still up and running with HoM still open (From what I last heard), with the purpose of allowing players to go back and earn that content for GW2 explicitly stated by the devs.

There’s nothing wrong with content locked behind specific activities. There IS a problem with content lost forever because of timers on content, which was a mistake from last season of LS.

And even then… “item prestige” that demands exclusive content is a blight. This is a game – everything should be earnable somehow. And it’s harder/more time-consuming to earn the festival tickets to get the gear than it was to earn them in the first place now. It also still requires dedicated exposure to Living Story content.

Aidan Savage.2078:

Yes, lack of prestige items in a game touted as “non-traditional.” Come on people, if you want prestige crap, go play WoW. Want items in GW2 that requires some amount of skill, thus potentially worthy of being respected? Get Sunless weapons from Teq, Wurmslayer armor from THW, and Fractal weapon skins out of FoTM. Aside from those three categories, there are zero items in this game worth a chance at respect.

Those are still based on being lucky and being at the right place at the right time. It shows nothing about person being skillful or having accomplished anything special. Someone in my guild was doing Teq since release at least once a day until they stopped playing. Never got any of the weapons. Some people get it on the first time.

I don’t think being lucky is worthy of being respected. I can’t actually think of anything that is based on skill rather than luck.

Nocturnal.5023:

Prestige is probably a strong word as in people start taking offense once this word pops up, as it sounds elitist. A souvenir or memento perhaps when you participate in an event.

Having some item available to everyone devalues the meaning behind the memento. It’s like you can just use real money to purchase everything in the game, what’s left with the meaning of actually playing the game?

If it is a souvenir or memento then the value is based on your memories of the things you’ve done during the associated event/content. Unless other people acquiring the items starts to cause you brain damage resulting in memory loss their value remains constant.

Did you mean trophy? Giving a trophy to everyone would certain devalue the item but in the context of GW2 there were already hundreds of thousands of people who already had the same trophy already. Pouring a few extra barrels of water into the ocean isn’t going to do much to dilute it.

timmyf.1490:

Conski Deshan.2057:

Types of prestige
There are several types of prestige,

-“I was there prestige”: These are attendance rewards usually with some also having to be earned, they show you played back then or that you participated in a limited time event. Most living story skins used to fall into this category. Is destroyed by re-releasing the item by any means as the statement is no longer valid.

-“Skill prestige”: These would be items such as the tribulation mode weapons and Liadri they not only require you to play a certain activity but to do it to a high level of skill. Care has to be taken with these as power creep or an exploit can wipe out all their value in an instant.

- “Investment prestige”: These are items that take a large amount of resources be it time or money to complete and make a general statement about your playtime and choice of activity. Is wrecked by deflation/inflation or awarding of a previously high investment item for a low investment activity.

Requoted because relevant. All three types of these should exist to allow players with different goals and styles of play to acquire items with prestige.

Pointing out it was the “Special Snowflakes” whom complained about the Champ trains to begin with. Snowflakes are against any content where others can obtain items or have fun in general. Prestige is just a form of selfishness from our ego’s. That attitude really isn’t good for an MMO. You want to know what really gives you any form of Prestige, your actions in game. You consistently do well, treat others well, and people will start to remember you.

DeWolfe.2174:

timmyf.1490:

Conski Deshan.2057:

Types of prestige
There are several types of prestige,

-“I was there prestige”: These are attendance rewards usually with some also having to be earned, they show you played back then or that you participated in a limited time event. Most living story skins used to fall into this category. Is destroyed by re-releasing the item by any means as the statement is no longer valid.

-“Skill prestige”: These would be items such as the tribulation mode weapons and Liadri they not only require you to play a certain activity but to do it to a high level of skill. Care has to be taken with these as power creep or an exploit can wipe out all their value in an instant.

- “Investment prestige”: These are items that take a large amount of resources be it time or money to complete and make a general statement about your playtime and choice of activity. Is wrecked by deflation/inflation or awarding of a previously high investment item for a low investment activity.

Requoted because relevant. All three types of these should exist to allow players with different goals and styles of play to acquire items with prestige.

Pointing out it was the “Special Snowflakes” whom complained about the Champ trains to begin with. Snowflakes are against any content where others can obtain items or have fun in general. Prestige is just a form of selfishness from our ego’s. That attitude really isn’t good for an MMO. You want to know what really gives you any form of Prestige, your actions in game. You consistently do well, treat others well, and people will start to remember you.

yes this was entirely true back when we had servers- in mega server not only do you not have your server rep— your" I was there and can tell you some cool war stories" are complete nonsense as well.

Conski Deshan.2057:

Ryuujin.8236:

Secondly, obtaining 1 skin is realistic, but obtaining the back-catalogue for the entire season would be nigh impossible. I don’t really see the problem, at the end of the season giving everyone a chance to obtain 1 or 2 of the skins they may have otherwise missed.

I’ve been playing an average of 1-2 hours a day since the update came out and I’m on 3400 tokens so far, consider also people can buy more tokens with gold (z boxes) and that the event is on for at least another week possibly 3 a determined person could easily purchase every item from the first two tabs.

Fair enough, perhaps the implementation this time around was questionable.

Nonetheless I think it’d be greatly appreciated, wise and fair if at the end of each future season they give everyone a chance to obtain a single item out of that season that they may have missed, simply as a goodwill gesture to the players who have for whatever reason ended up missing out – maybe they are new players whoever never had the chance, or maybe they’re veteran players who due to extenuating circumstances could not attend. But it seems like a better attitude to have than mocking them with the gap in the wardrobe for reasons beyond their control.

Conski Deshan.2057:

I did’nt expect such polarized answers to come out of this,

For the people against any form of limited items/prestige items, what motivates you to play the game?

I will say I did’nt mean for it to come across as a “I have this you don’t nah nah nah nah” It was more along the lines of “this guy has every LS item and a bunch of cool rare items I can respect that he clearly put a fair amount of work and effort and played in an efficient manner.”

That said In my opinion an MMO is all about being a special snowflake and trying to out special all the other players I mean thats the competition? the whole basis of trying to get items? the “victory condition”.

As Rouven said it was sold as a feature the once off LS events and items. I have nothing against china getting a chance at the items and wasn’t talking about them at all I’m focusing on the EU/NA aspect.

I play the game because I find it entertaining. AND as an MMO it means there is a great possibility that a large number of people interested in the same game as I will be playing (and I don’t even have to leave the comforts of home L). I don’t play the game for “prestige”. I just play it to have mindless fun with other people. I don’t “need” a legendary to enjoy the game. I don’t play the game for the competition of trying to be the best “special snowflake” in the game.

I understand though that there are people that like/want prestige items and those that want to be competitive. Nothing wrong with that. People play this game for various reasons. It’s a big game that has many different parts. PvP, WvW, Open world PvE, and Dungeons. No one is “playing the game wrong”. If someone wants to follow a zerg in PvE and spam 11111, fine and dandy, if someone wants to play in small coordinated skilled groups, fine and dandy too. There’s plenty of room for both and whatever lies in between.

Conski Deshan.2057:

For the people against any form of limited items/prestige items, what motivates you to play the game?

Well I’m not against any form of prestige item, I’m queued to fight Liadri again to try and get the mini and I have no complaints about how hard it is or that I haven’t gotten it before.

But what I am against is limited time items – things that are available for a few days or weeks and then gone forever. There is no prestige in happening to play the game in the second half of June, or whenever, at least no more than playing it at any other point in time.

If the requirements to get an items were difficult the first time around and easy the second time then you would have a point, but all the Living Story items on offer were given for easy meta achievements. At worst you had to waste your time grinding things like killing enemies and doing events and there’s no prestige in that. (Which is exactly what you have to do this time around.)

Since I don’t consider limited-time items to have any prestige to begin with I see no reason to limit them. If someone wants to get that item they should have the option to earn it, no matter when they’re playing.

As for what motivates me, it’s mainly that I enjoy the game and I want to play through the content. I want to see it, learn it and beat it because doing that is fun.

I do sometimes decide to go for specific items, for example I collect minis and most of my armor is from dungeons, but it’s because I like those items, not because I think someone else will be impressed by them. My main character wears the Fire God’s Vambraces and I don’t think anyone has ever commented on them to me (if they did I don’t remember), but I couldn’t care less because I only wear them because I like them.

Malediktus.9250:

I disagree, what you are suggesting is that a clock from Rolex, a Ferrari, a Bugatti, a private jet, a yacht, etc has no prestige in real life. You can get all that stuff in real life without being skilled, just by exploiting your employes, winning the lottery or inheriting it. Yet people still consider that stuff prestige.

Not really, they are just agreed upon tags saying “i’m filthy rich”. Their “prestige” is completely derived from your wealth. A rolex on the hand of a hobo, as far as prestige goes is worth exactly nothing. Also, people may be envious of your wealth, but are unlikely to respect you for it.

If you feel, that someone else being able to acquire those skins somehow diminishes your accomplishments, it just means that for you they were never worth much. I know exactly what i needed to do to get what i have, and nobody’s ever going to take this away from me. I have also seen enough noobs with rare/costly gear to remind me, that respect is for who people are and what they do, not for the bling they wear.

And i definitely feel no reason to respect someone based on the fact that they decided to log in during a particular week.

Everyone just wanna be the new lady gaga

Astralporing.1957:

And i definitely feel no reason to respect someone based on the fact that they decided to log in during a particular week.

You don’t have to “respect” anybody. Some of us would like ways to show that we’ve been around from the beginning, stuck with the game through thick and thin, and put in the time to complete all the content from all the releases. (Which isn’t all that much, mind you, but I’ve really had to push to complete some of those metas during times when real life got busy.)

I guess I’d say it this way: I used time in Guild Wars 2 that, if not for the desire to acquire one-time-only skins, I would have used for other things. I’m totally fine with ArenaNet releasing skins multiple time – in fact, like an idiot, I missed out on Kasmeer’s staff the first time around and was overjoyed when it was rereleased – but they should be up front about it.

If it’s a one-time-only skin, it should not come back. That’s what “one-time-only” means.

Living story items aren’t “prestige" item, many people in fact have them, they are memento items. Frankly I never like exclusivity. It mean only a small percentage of the players will enjoy it. There is already many things that is very exclusive, hard to get or limited, having a lot more of those isn’t something I like.

I don’t care about your ‘e-pride’, that’s something that is just for YOU and for the record, I don’t care about you either or your friends, family, neighbors, city, college, state, country. This is a game that I can play and develop MY character. You are just some ancillary character I meet along the way to MY goals. If this was OUR game then you would have a much more prominent role in MY part of it but from MY characters’ point of view YOU are just an NPC.
This is a game about collecting things now – see wardrobe for more information, therefore I see fit to collect ALL THE THINGS regardless of some NPC thinking he has the PRIDE of ownership over something that he thought was a limited offering. I’m happy for you that you find pride in THINGS and STUFF that you think makes you special but I don’t care about you and your pride, I care about being able to get ALL THE THINGS because now the ability to COLLECT ALL THE THINGS has been granted to me by the almighty creators!

If you were offended by the harsh tone of this, remember this simple thing: You’re not me and I don’t care about you or your opinion because I have my own opinions and things I care about. Humans, we’re not all alike.

Besides, in the real world, prestige items can be purchased and traded at will… so much for prestige.

Astralporing.1957:

Malediktus.9250:

I disagree, what you are suggesting is that a clock from Rolex, a Ferrari, a Bugatti, a private jet, a yacht, etc has no prestige in real life. You can get all that stuff in real life without being skilled, just by exploiting your employes, winning the lottery or inheriting it. Yet people still consider that stuff prestige.

Not really, they are just agreed upon tags saying “i’m filthy rich”. Their “prestige” is completely derived from your wealth. A rolex on the hand of a hobo, as far as prestige goes is worth exactly nothing. Also, people may be envious of your wealth, but are unlikely to respect you for it.

This is going off topic, but I’m going to have to disagree here… and I find it disturbing that people demonize financial success. A hobo with a Rolex is indicative of two things worthy of prestige – a once-successful person who has managed to hold onto a token of his former success (Perhaps as motivation to try to climb the social ladder again – down but not out), or someone who, while may have little currently, has a token of wealth to serve as a reminder and motivation to keep trying to improve his lot in life: a taste of the luxury that is attainable through perseverance and dedication to that end.

Of course, it could also represent negative things as well, if he attained that watch through crooked means.

Nocturnal.5023:

A souvenir or memento perhaps when you participate in an event.

Having some item available to everyone devalues the meaning behind the memento.

How? Nothing short of horrible illness or injury can take your enjoyment of a particular event, or the memories of it, away from you. Souvenirs, to me, exist as a reminder to myself, as a way to evoke those fond memories.

It’s like you can just use real money to purchase everything in the game, what’s left with the meaning of actually playing the game?

Doing what we enjoy because we enjoy it for itself, not because we think it entitles us to others’ envy or admiration or whatever.

Nocturnal.5023:

Just wondering, what if it’s a skin you like?

Doesn’t matter if it’s my favourite skin ever or the worst eyesore in the history of gaming. Let ’em have it for a pittance or for free for all I care, it will not change my own fondness or lack thereof of the item. Joy or fun or nostalgia is not like a cake, something that diminishes the more people we have to share it with.

Ryuujin.8236:

I personally don’t feel item prestige should be put before the happiness of the players. I was extremely sad when i missed the twisted watchwork shoulder because I was travelling across Europe that week, that skin looked amazing. […] I’ve barely seen anyone even USING the watchwork shoulder skin, so all those people who’s being smug in their “prestige” didn’t seem to care about the skin anyway,wh tais the point of “prestige” if it’s just languishing in your wardrobe, while the people who would actually use the skin, can’t obtain it, because real life clashed with an arbitrary in-game timer?

Very well said.

“I was there” prestige is completely destroyed after the last patch. For example, as one of the first LS backpieces, I liked the karka shell backpiece but now, even a new-starter will easily acquire it via bazaar festival. I think there should be limited edition items, or there’s no point to get them. I want to use rare skins and be different. Old and regular players need some prestige as a reward. Now there’s no rarity nor prestige. That greatly destroys the point to play and get new skins.

Also investment prestige is gone too, due to gold sellers. They sell gold at very cheap rates so everyone gets their legendary in several minutes. That makes legendary items very common. They had to be rare…

If this is a horizontal progression game with aestethic priority, then “skin prestige” must be preserved.

Umut.5471:

Old and regular players need some prestige as a reward.

That’s what i am saying. Bling doesn’t grant you prestige. It never did. Your skills, experience, knowledge, and willingness to help others do.

Astralporing.1957:

Umut.5471:

Old and regular players need some prestige as a reward.

That’s what i am saying. Bling doesn’t grant you prestige. It never did. Your skills, experience, knowledge, and willingness to help others do.

It helps however you can judge that a person may have spent a lot more time and effort in the game if they are fully decked out in awesome items.

How do you convey this skill experience and knowledge to passing players? you’re just another piece of background scenery unless you stand out.
In GW1 I gave out perfect rares to newbies and ran them through the first few missions helped them out etc , that doesn’t get you remembered or make you stand out.
In Mabi I was a Royal alchemist the unique pose and uniform only available to 100 people per server.It certainly gets you noticed and by using the special ability it grants (it allows you to be an extra person in certain dungeons , I.e like allowing you to bring a 6th person to Arah) I earned respect and people came to you for help and knew your name.

Yes your actions do give you some prestige but items are badges of honour/ trophies/ mementos /medals/ whatever. Regardless of what anyone says what items you have does make a statement as does who else has those items.

The only real thing that can bring real prestige is anything that cames from ingame effort based on skill/endurance, and never mean farming here.

Anet doesn’t bring previous LS items and events = This game sucks because LS is only temporary and if you miss it too bad! It should be permanent!

Anet brings some LS stuff back = Omg It’s not fair it should be exclusive and now everyone can experience it and get items regardless THIS GAME SUCKS

kitten ed if they do and kitten ed if they don’t. Quit whining please

I couldn’t call LS items a prestige.
Prestige would be if I manage to discover spread-pieces of Dhuumseal and craft them together.

Maybe there should be a Champion/Legendary loot weapon pack that can be salvaged onto pieces, and we could reforge them to make an another set. THAT would be the EPIC PRESTIGE, haha!

What the

op is really talking about isnt so much prestige items, its limited edition items. Its kind of a different arguement. Af first i thought he was talking about prestige, but that appears not to be the case.

So really the discussion is, should some items be limited time only, or should everything be re releaseable.

i think that some ltd stuff wouldnt be bad, at the very least for re releases, they should change some details, so that the ltd stuff is still ltd.
color changes on weapons or backpacks would probably suffice. Of course that would add more wardrobe entries, but ehh whatevs

Conski Deshan.2057:

Why is prestige important?
Personally I believe prestige items to be important because they are the main thing I work towards in any MMO. They are the main source of enjoyment for me, attempting to collect as many of them as possible under the conditions imposed by the game. They act as badges of honor cataloging your deeds and accomplishments in a visual manner.

Plus one to you, Conski Deshan. I agree with most of what you say. Items that say, “Hey, I was there for that one-time event” just aren’t that cool, or “prestigious” as you would say, if you bring them back a second time.

The main point that people seem to be countering this viewpoint with is, “Well, I wanted that item so I could get a certain look!!!” Well, sometimes, things don’t always go your way. Unfortunately, just like all MMO’s, it’s nearly impossible to get every item you want in this game. You may have to compromise on certain things from time to time. To me and many other players, it’s better to have those prestigious be just that: something that shows that you’re experienced, and that you’re a veteran.

I missed most of LS 1 because I had to leave for 7-8 months. My wife and I have been here since the 3 day head start.

I left 3 days after the Super Adventure Box debuted and got back in time for Winter’s Day 2013. My wife only did my dailies and monthlies for me while I was gone because that is all I asked her to do.

You want to block off the LS gear, then block it off for accounts made AFTER LS 1 ended. Don’t punish those of us that have this thing called a Real Life that demands our attention. Maybe you should be with the rest of us that want Permanent Content (expansion) instead of Temporary Content. Though that would ruin ALL of your prestige.

What you advocate is more of a “I can sit at my PC for weeks on end” bragging right which makes you look like you have no real life.

Right now we’re just grabbing skins we missed. Some things are just getting trashed once the skin is unlocked.

At the end of the day, it is JUST A GAME. Get over it.
And never forget, Money talks louder and clearer than petty achievements.