Guild Wars 2

By that I mean less describing enemies behind stats like levels and normals, veterans etc..
Also, while this thread may seem like a suggestion thread it is not one. Instead of providing a solution I write here things I don’t like and want to see other opinions.

Back to topic. One of the things that annoy me in mmos is the fact I never look at mob’s appearance but rather on any special symbols and numbers around its portrait. It doesn’t matter if it is dragon minion or dredge or moa, if they have “correct” numbers I engage them, otherwise I do not. I never think like “Oh boy, its an aatxe, better be careful.” but rather like “This mob #364218 has 2 levels less than me. Conclusion – obliterate(even though its a giant icebrood beast and I should think twice before engaging this enemy).” or “This mob #4624719 has champion status. Conclusion – call for more people( even though its just a single bandit and my hero should have no reason for calling for help).”

Other thing is that while there are a few mobs that use dodgable attacks or other moves that can be prevented there are still far too many mobs who just simply autoattack and by that the whole comes to wow-like “my stats vs yours”. Of course its talking mostly about open world.

By that logic you may think that karkas are perfect in my view, and you are almost right. They are far from perfect but a step in right direction. I don’t have to look at the portrait (mostly) and karka can either obliterate me or be obliterated which depends on how I time my dodges etc. Veterans (adults) are very funny to solo.

“Less MMO-like enemies” posted in a MMORPG forum? I’m sure I’m not the only one finding this a bit weird.. :P

I think that every MMO needs some time to get used to, and that includes the mobs.. I’m sure that in a pure stat-showing MMO some stats are better than others (while they sum up to the same amount), so also there you’ll learn by experience when to and when not to get into a fight with that mob#24564645.

And not sure what you mean about all those mobs auto-attacking? Even the sillies moa bird refrains from using his auto-attack (will try to daze first, for instance)..

Or am I completely talking next to the subject?

Tribio.8531:

“Less MMO-like enemies” posted in a MMORPG forum? I’m sure I’m not the only one finding this a bit weird.. :P

I think that every MMO needs some time to get used to, and that includes the mobs.. I’m sure that in a pure stat-showing MMO some stats are better than others (while they sum up to the same amount), so also there you’ll learn by experience when to and when not to get into a fight with that mob#24564645.

And not sure what you mean about all those mobs auto-attacking? Even the sillies moa bird refrains from using his auto-attack (will try to daze first, for instance)..

Or am I completely talking next to the subject?

To be fair, GW2 is not as MMOy as most, and that is what I like about it. I recently decided to buy GW1, and was quicky struck by how more standard MMO it was in comparision.

Essentially, what they want is a less “meta” game, where you look at everything in terms of obvious video game thinking, instead of scary ice monster is obviously more dangerous than a basic boar. But a boar in higher level areas game wise, is more dangerous than some of the scarier looking guys in lower level regions, simply because of the leveled areas, since its a game.

Im not complaining that mobs are difficult. They arent. Im complaining about the fact that in mmos a wolf can kill a dragon, provided wolf has bigger level. I know that lore =\= gameplay but its 2013 and Gw2 wants to be a revolutionary mmo so might as well end with this bad (imo) habit.

This seems like its not just an MMO problem, but a RPG problem. Going all the way back to the days of D&D your level determined your stats. Its the way that RPGs are structured. Unless they were to only have weak characters playing at the lowest levels of the game, and who wants to fight nothing but kittens and womp rats until they reach level 15, I don’t know how they would avoid this issue.

Would you want levels to be replaced by scale and ferocity then? That would be interesting.

GW2 is not as MMO.

It sounds like you want to add a bit of “reality” to the mix, correct? I see what you mean but it might be tough to implement in a game like this. If it applied to player races for example, a Norn should be able to run faster, hit harder, and generally be a better fighter than any Asura.

Orion Templar.4589:

It sounds like you want to add a bit of “reality” to the mix, correct? I see what you mean but it might be tough to implement in a game like this. If it applied to player races for example, a Norn should be able to run faster, hit harder, and generally be a better fighter than any Asura.

Please, oh please don’t let them add Asura punting.

I entered the thread to shout at you “hey, pal, GW2 IS a MMO!!!”, but after reading your post, I wholeheartedly agree with you.

Is a great idea, and will add a lot to the game experience. It should, however, be “configurable”, so that people that love to zerg or speedrun will be able to still do that.

I agree that I’d like more visual cues regarding champion/veteran/normal status. I definitely find I look at the name and portrait more than the being itself.

Perhaps all Champions should have a glowing gold aura to them and Veterans a silver aura?

Some of this has to be perspective, too, though.

That single, lonely bandit? He might have mad weapon skills. That menacing ice beast? Might have an easy-to-shatter shell. That boar in the woods? Could be tenacious and freakishly powerful.

If we’re talking about reality here, there are seldom visual cues to let one know how dangerous one particular thing is to another.

All that being said, I wouldn’t mind seeing some more variance or individuality in certain monster designs. But, in this case, be careful what you wish for.

Eddie G.8731:

If we’re talking about reality here, there are seldom visual cues to let one know how dangerous one particular thing is to another.

In reality, you would not have one bandit that can take 1000x as many hits as any other bandit that he works with.

Thanks all for the replies.

I’m not asking for realism (after all it’s a fantasy), I just don’t want mobs scream “computer game” in my face. The idea that normal, veteran, champion should have auras is kinda cool, but I’d rather see something like: normal bandit wears some common armor, while veteran wears something better and champion uses some rare unique (amongst bandits) equipment etc.

While I know that the whole thing with wolf lvl.64 beating the crap out of earth elemental lvl.23 is a necessary evil, the zone shouldn’t break the immersion among itself. As long as this is done the level scaling can do the rest.

So I don’t want to see things like:
- in Cursed Shore champion abominations and normal abominations are exactly the same, except the chamion has bigger numbers.
- the fact that in Orr simple risen thrall is as powerful as risen abomination

(SPOILERS HERE)

- that in PS I beat the crap out of at least 3 different Eyes of Z. (including the sovereign one) but when I meet an Eye outside of PS (in Malchor’s Leap) then it is far harder than those in PS.

- or CM story mode. The second boss is a simple guardsman, yet requires the united effort of Logan, Zojja and 5 experienced adventurers to be defeated.

Well, they look normal but 10000000 times harder to kill because of …… magic !
If he found a kitteng amazing spell that makes his skin 437 times harder than diamond ?
Zaithan makes abomination using more or less magic depending on his mission.
Think of it like that : the higher the zone lvl is, the higher is the amount of magic infused in the soil making things tougher, and some rare mob found a condensed magic source and ate/used it.

So, now on, if something illogical happens in gw2 just say to yourself : Ow, well, it’s because it’s magic.