Guild Wars 2

I liked the leveling in Guild Wars 2, until it became all about the Risen. Mostly because the zones you level in after the 50-60 zones are just really unplesant. Here’s a few issues I have with them

- The zones are basically empty of other players during most hours of the day
- Undead (“Risen”) everywhere, for like three zones (30 levels), with little to no variety
- Almost every Waypoint is contested. Combine this with the lack of Mounts, and getting from point A to point B in GW2 becomes a major hassle
- Unusually high respawn rates (this actually seems to be pretty much everywhere in the game to a degree, but feels even worse in these zones)
- They’re pretty ugly zones, with weird Oceanic stuff covering everything on land… almost like the zone was originally intended to be underwater, then they just plopped the terrain down on land-level at the last minute
- Undead catapult things shooting you from miles away with no provocation
- Mobs are packed (really packed) in, oftentimes there will be 3-4 mobs in the same space that one mob would occupy in other zones
- Lots of bugged/broken events (dynamic or not, these are just a hassle when they can’t be finished)
- Random “Veteran” NPCs, which, while easy to kill, still take more time to kill, and only serve to waste my time and annoy me
- Events are often longer than in earlier zones, but without an adequate xp rate to justify the added time it takes
- Events often tell you to kill a “group” NPC, despite the fact that you’re the only player within a hundred miles (not very “fluid”, or “dynamic” there). These can usually be solo’d, but again, it’s not worth the time it takes to kite them around, as they give little xp

On a personal note, I also found these Undead zones to be aesthetically unappealing. I don’t mind Undead places usually, like all the Undead stuff in WoW was cool, but these zones in GW2 just don’t look good at all (imo), and make me not want to play the game

When I hit 80 in Guild Wars 2, I wasn’t excited that I was max level, and could do the real content, like I was in other MMOs. I was just relieved that I was done grinding in those zones… this experience has also made me very reluctant to level another Class

Yes, Orr is my least favorite part of the world.

Orr is just terrible.
I was expecting more. Reaching here then discovering how bad it was has seriously put me off the game.

Bloodtau.4672:

Orr is just terrible.
I was expecting more. Reaching here then discovering how bad it was has seriously put me off the game.

Me too

I powered through it, and forced myself to 80, so I can at least say I had someone at max level in Guild Wars 2 (did the same for other MMOs as well), but I honestly just can’t conjure up the motivation to go through it again with another Class… which is unfortunate, because I desperately want to play a different Class

Just one comment about your complaints…

Orr was sunk in a great cataclysm and was under the ocean for a couple centuries. Then Zhaitan rose it. So all that coral and stuff that seems just “Attached”? That really WAS just “attached”. Sure stuff may have grown around some of it, but still, most of the oceanic stuff grew on top of things.

It wasn’t meant to be underwater… it WAS underwater. It’s just not anymore.

Chessrook.8643:

Just one comment about your complaints…

Orr was sunk in a great cataclysm and was under the ocean for a couple centuries. Then Zhaitan rose it. So all that coral and stuff that seems just “Attached”? That really WAS just “attached”. Sure stuff may have grown around some of it, but still, most of the oceanic stuff grew on top of things.

It wasn’t meant to be underwater… it WAS underwater. It’s just not anymore.

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

Ganadorf.3460:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

Lol.

- I love underwater content.

- I like Orr – it’s not the prettiest zone, but it’s full of fascinating things and ancient ruins. I really like the remains of coral and other stuff that suggests it’s been at the bottom of the sea for the last two hundred years.

- I agree that lots of contested waypoints is inconvenient, but it does make it feel like a genuine invasion. The further into Orr you go, the fewer players and allies you find, and the more enemies you come across.

- I agree that Risen are boring – never been a fan of zombies. However, they do fit the theme and it’s not like they are going to be the only level 80 content.

- Am I right in thinking Orr is not the only level 80 zone? I see a lot of unexplored content on my map (38% right now) and I don’t think those bits are all levelling areas.

I find the zones challenging, which I like. I do however agree with some of your points. I really enjoyed pretty much every zone until I hit Orr. With astronomical teleportation fees, it’s just a chore to try to move around the zones.

For me, if they just made it so teleportation fees were based on distance traveled, and not level, Orr would be more bearable. I am not a fan of these zones aesthetics either, but I understand they are supposed to be ugly as that does support the lore.

Orr suffers from the same thing the rest of the game suffers from and thats the lack of the ability to lose holding once a force shows up. ZERO of the zone battles across the game are a challenge because you can never lose them. While i enjoy getting free karma coin and exp the idea of a changing world (short of a server restart) doesnt happen one players “win the fight”.

Orr was interesting when we had to get people to push the stairs and we failed because we didnt have enough (which was like a week into the game). Since then 90% of the time we have everything unlocked. Orr is controlled by the pact, the Seraph control everything and i dont even remember any other zone battle lines.

NPCs NEED to win.

God sake they move too fast like they have diesel engines on theirkitten You do not have time to cover yourself. And when you think “yes, you are done with it” another one spawns just next to the corpse you’ve killed.
Eternal action!

Campana.9216:

- Am I right in thinking Orr is not the only level 80 zone? I see a lot of unexplored content on my map (38% right now) and I don’t think those bits are all levelling areas.

Frostgorge is the other zone… level 70-80. However, it’s not on the same efficiency level as Orr in terms of spawning a ton of mobs. Frostgorge is mainly for farming the trolls and occasionally telling yourself that killing the dragon is worth it only to be disappointed.

Campana.9216:

Ganadorf.3460:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

Lol.

- I love underwater content.

- I like Orr – it’s not the prettiest zone, but it’s full of fascinating things and ancient ruins. I really like the remains of coral and other stuff that suggests it’s been at the bottom of the sea for the last two hundred years.

- I agree that lots of contested waypoints is inconvenient, but it does make it feel like a genuine invasion. The further into Orr you go, the fewer players and allies you find, and the more enemies you come across.

- I agree that Risen are boring – never been a fan of zombies. However, they do fit the theme and it’s not like they are going to be the only level 80 content.

- Am I right in thinking Orr is not the only level 80 zone? I see a lot of unexplored content on my map (38% right now) and I don’t think those bits are all levelling areas.

Frostgorge Sound is also 70-80, and it’s a fairly decent zone, but you’ll be forced into Orr repeatedly, for your story quests

Risen mobs have way too much hp, IMHO, when set against other level-comperable mobs.

Also, the contested waypoint nonsense should be scaled back.

I agree with the OP for the most part.

The only thing that put me off is that I couldn’t have the ease of exploring in peace with all the Risen killing me But I think for an area corrupted by Zhaitan, Orr is made to suit the situation

Ganadorf.3460:

Chessrook.8643:

Just one comment about your complaints…

Orr was sunk in a great cataclysm and was under the ocean for a couple centuries. Then Zhaitan rose it. So all that coral and stuff that seems just “Attached”? That really WAS just “attached”. Sure stuff may have grown around some of it, but still, most of the oceanic stuff grew on top of things.

It wasn’t meant to be underwater… it WAS underwater. It’s just not anymore.

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

the Orr mythology is as old as GW1 and the Rise of Orr along with Zhaitan is actually what the campaign story is all about – so no, you are off the mark.

Ganadorf.3460:

- Undead (“Risen”) everywhere, for like three zones (30 levels), with little to no variety

Orr is nothing – you should play a human. When you’ll get stuck with centaurs and bandits from level 1 to 50, you’ll look upon Orr very favorably.

It seems as if I’m the odd one out in this thread, but I love Orr.

I enjoy the aesthetic feel, and how it imbues the sense of corruption. Until I came to this thread, I had no idea that Orr was sunk and had been underwater for a time (though the coral everywhere made me think it had been, I had just never known).

I like how dangerous the area feels. I like how you can get killed inside of a base, making it feel as if nothing is truly a sanctuary. While I understand complaints that the enemy density can be bothersome, I would rather it be this way. Paired with the fact that the Orr areas will only see an increase in player activity, this makes sense. I would actually prefer if the “group” dynamic events were tougher.

It is a pain to travel through, but it’s also one of the most exciting zones.

Zeke Minus.5720:

It is a pain to travel through, but it’s also one of the most exciting zones.

Stun, stun, stun, immobilize, sink, stun, immobilize, immobilize, stun, sink, sun – exciting. Can’t get from point A to point B, while exploring, without getting ensnared and beaten to a sliver of my health by a few zombies. To be frank – that’s the worst thing about Orr. It’s not hard, it’s not exciting, it’s just purely annoying.

Ganadorf.3460:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

The debut trailer where they mentioned Zhaitan raising Orr was over three years ago.

VakarisJ.5619:

Stun, stun, stun, immobilize, sink, stun, immobilize, immobilize, stun, sink, sun – exciting. Can’t get from point A to point B, while exploring, without getting ensnared and beaten to a sliver of my health by a few zombies. To be frank – that’s the worst thing about Orr. It’s not hard, it’s not exciting, it’s just purely annoying.

You misunderstand what I regarded as fun, as I have said that it’s not fun to travel through, but that’s okay. I agree.

But I also don’t get impatient when having to fight my way to something. I thoroughly enjoy combat on my Guardian.

I loved Orr, sure the fact that all of them pulled/immobilized you was irritating when you just wanted to explore, but those zones are much more challenging than the previous ones.

I hate 150% or 200% movement speed zombies depending on how crippling works.
They start moving at a “normal” speed after you apply a 50% movement speed reduction, ridiculous.

The reason Orr looks like it does from Lore stand point it was sunk and then rose up to the surface along with the dragons. The mobs need to be rethinked as you can’t move 5 steps in some parts of the maps without getting an enemy on getting ontop of you like pulled/immobilized is annoying as hell.

Ganadorf.3460:

- Unusually high respawn rates (this actually seems to be pretty much everywhere in the game to a degree, but feels even worse in these zones)

^

I’d be fine if they adjusted spawn rates. Other than that, I actually like the difficulty of Orr.

It is not that hard area, but i really am annoyed how you have to constantly fight from every meter specially when you just want to get some place. No time to look around like other maps. I kinda like the looks of place but hard to say as there is so little time to look around

Let me say that I hate Orr. And I don’t hate Orr, because of poor design, I hate Orr, because it was designed exactly how it was envisioned. It is a dangerous, dead, dank land absolutely filled to the brim with Zhaitan’s undead minions. All bases are subject to attack and there is no true safety and no true refuge. Honestly, if you could imagine yourself in a situation like that and really LIKE it, then you’re a masochist.

That said, I love the execution of Orr and a lot of your complaints are really just unconstructive rants. In fact, out of your HUGE list of complaints:

Almost every Waypoint is contested. Combine this with the lack of Mounts, and getting from point A to point B in GW2 becomes a major hassle

Really only this one has any merit. I would prefer that there were more “neutral” location waypoints that aren’t associated with the security of a base or a location.

Also

Lots of bugged/broken events (dynamic or not, these are just a hassle when they can’t be finished)

Obviously an issue, but, unlike the above, is not intentionally part of the design and will be fixed.

From what I’m reading, it honestly seems like you want to be able to come into this zone and just trounce around with complete impunity. Sorry, not going to happen. This is Zhaitan’s territory and you’re in it. And then when you say things like this:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

THEN you sound obstinent and like you just want to come here and complain. Orr, like every other zone in GW2, is very well-designed and the art team did a fantastic job at executing what is supposed to look like a dead and previously submerged island.

DrTenma.7249:

I hate 150% or 200% movement speed zombies depending on how crippling works.
They start moving at a “normal” speed after you apply a 50% movement speed reduction, ridiculous.

I take it you have never played Day Z mod for ARMA II… THOSE zombies could move sokittenfast. The Orr risen practically crawl in comparison.

Ganadorf.3460:

Chessrook.8643:

Just one comment about your complaints…

Orr was sunk in a great cataclysm and was under the ocean for a couple centuries. Then Zhaitan rose it. So all that coral and stuff that seems just “Attached”? That really WAS just “attached”. Sure stuff may have grown around some of it, but still, most of the oceanic stuff grew on top of things.

It wasn’t meant to be underwater… it WAS underwater. It’s just not anymore.

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

Who said “no one likes underwater content”? I like underwater combat, underwater content, everything underwater. It’s different. I even like how ANet made underwater system, like combat, different from land. I can’t drop down traps for example, unlike in that other MMO, I can drop a fire trap underwater.

Secondly, if you followed the development and storyline of Guild Wars, Orr was really destined to surface. Clues were dropped before we saw the first videos and screenshots of GW2, even in-game of GW1. We knew Orr is going to surface 250 years ago. I highly doubt that it was an underwater content that they changed and made into a land and built the lore after.

And I like Orr zones too. It’s challenging. You have to get out of your comfort zone, learn the game, adapt, and adjust your strategy and game style to survive. That’s my kind of game, not some linear, hack-n-slash, go from point a to point b games.

Now to be fair to you, what I don’t like, not just in Orr but all of the zones, is that we rarely see DEs failing. People flock to DEs to get EXP and Karma, end-result 99% of the time, the DE is a success. Which locks out the DEs that only gets activated if the previous DE failed.

Then in other zones, the DEs almost always fail because it requires a certain number of players – but unfortunately, the zone isn’t popular. The same end-result – we rarely see, if ever, the other DEs if the per-requisite was successful.

In that area, it needs improvement. How, that’s up to them. There are so many factors involved, and on our end, we can only guess what are the “checks” or “triggers” involved in DEs.

I just don’t like the fact that pretty much every game is turning to zombie slaying.

Srondon.3642:

Let me say that I hate Orr. And I don’t hate Orr, because of poor design, I hate Orr, because it was designed exactly how it was envisioned. It is a dangerous, dead, dank land absolutely filled to the brim with Zhaitan’s undead minions. All bases are subject to attack and there is no true safety and no true refuge. Honestly, if you could imagine yourself in a situation like that and really LIKE it, then you’re a masochist.

That said, I love the execution of Orr and a lot of your complaints are really just unconstructive rants. In fact, out of your HUGE list of complaints:

Almost every Waypoint is contested. Combine this with the lack of Mounts, and getting from point A to point B in GW2 becomes a major hassle

Really only this one has any merit. I would prefer that there were more “neutral” location waypoints that aren’t associated with the security of a base or a location.

Also

Lots of bugged/broken events (dynamic or not, these are just a hassle when they can’t be finished)

Obviously an issue, but, unlike the above, is not intentionally part of the design and will be fixed.

From what I’m reading, it honestly seems like you want to be able to come into this zone and just trounce around with complete impunity. Sorry, not going to happen. This is Zhaitan’s territory and you’re in it. And then when you say things like this:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

THEN you sound obstinent and like you just want to come here and complain. Orr, like every other zone in GW2, is very well-designed and the art team did a fantastic job at executing what is supposed to look like a dead and previously submerged island.

This guy has it right. Orr is supposed to be a challenge, and it’s supposed to be a huge battlefield. All other zones, literally every other zone in the game, feels like a cakewalk compared to Orr. The beauty of it is that you can choose NOT to play in Orr, or you can partake in the prestige of Cursed Shore. GW2 needs at least one zone which is difficult, otherwise I’m sure a whole nother flock of people would cry out, “OMG! Where’s the PvE zone that really challenges us?! Add it NOW Anet!!!”

i agree in every point.

as soon as i hit the first undead only zone i was like… meh, not mine but well, there are to other zones.
and suddenly they r all the same, or even worse.

a thing u forgot to mention r these… how should i call it random holes and traps:
I’m just running around, climbing over some ruins and suddenly fall into a whole (i didnt glitch through any wall or something, it was really a whole in front of a deadend) and was unable to get out of there and had to port myself to the next waypoint which cost me over 2 silver cause guess what… exactly the next 5 points were contested.

similar things happened to me 3 times in those last three zones

Agreed, on most stuff. The looks I do understand because it’s exactly what the lore is… a sunken city that rose.

But the polish of the zone is way off. The entire game is fun up until that point and then it’s just like someone decided to remove everything elegant from zone design and call it a day.

Even worse I logged in today… paid 3 silver to go back to Orr and finish the last quest of the game… and the dungeon was contested so I couldn’t. It’s just like nothing in Orr is the positive experience GW2 usually reinforces. And I like challenge but dungeons do that better than Orr.

I have to agree with alot of this while some of the earlier maps/lands in the game i found really inspiring and pleasant to be in Orr for being the last area where high level players will mainly be is totally uninspiring and puts me off the game, the map is dull and ugly and unpleasant to be in. I wish they made 70-80 zones with the theme of Divinity Reach or Salvari, Lions Arch theme or more of the Norm but this just no, i can’t stand be their for long. I really hope they’ll makes some high level areas that are pleasing to the eye and in atmosphere to be in. Not everything needs to lead to some dark gloomy end.

Steinbeck.2105:

GW2 needs at least one zone which is difficult, otherwise I’m sure a whole nother flock of people would cry out, “OMG! Where’s the PvE zone that really challenges us?! Add it NOW Anet!!!”

Orr isn’t difficult – I kept circling around my enemies, blasting unload at them ever since my thief awoke in Queensdale – it haven’t changed in Orr one bit. The mobs didn’t become smarter to counter this tactic, they didn’t become any harder and were just given artificial difficulty by allowing them to cripple/pull/immobilize/stun every few seconds. If I’m fighting 1v1 or 1v2 against those zombies, then my healing roll takes care of the debuffs they throw at me, but if there are any more then that – I won’t be able to do anything at all, I’ll just stand there, ensnared one way or the other, unable to do any kitten thing. It’s not difficulty – it’s an annoyance.

Agree with all points in the OP.

The Risen zones are annoying and time consuming, not difficult. They are also ugly and purple, but whatever. What it achieves is that people just run around on full ignore with a train of mobs behind them. That looks disgusting and ridiculous.

Throw in some bugged DEs into the mix and it’s a mess.

I like Orr but I’m a Necro… so yeah I like undead stuff.
I just wish there were crafting stations there somewhere.
Or maybe there are and I just haven’t found them yet.

There’s also a lv70-80 zone north of the Norn areas.
I’ve never been there but I’ve heard that since so few people go there you can get materials that are more valuable than the zillion bones everybody has from Orr.

Definitely gonna pay a visit sometime.

Orr is basically an excersice in gathering, getting from point to point and generally accomplishing things while trying to kill as few mobs as possible.

Unless a DE is going on, it will usually take twenty minutes before I bother killing one of the mobs. As I’m a thief, I’ll just shadowstep, dodge, heartseeker, stealth heal around to avoid mobs. There’s no freaking risen, haha, good one, to bother with them. They take too long to kill without being fun or engaging. If I do take the time to kill it, it will respawn in twenty seconds, and I’ll most likely pull another one anyway.

What they should have done is mixing up normal mobs, maybe “sick” mobs (about to be converted) and undead in those areas. Having only undead would be fine for one zone, but for three, it’s a bit too much, I agree on that. Thankfully, there’s Frostgorge Sound to take a break from all the undead slaying.

VakarisJ.5619:

Zeke Minus.5720:

It is a pain to travel through, but it’s also one of the most exciting zones.

Stun, stun, stun, immobilize, sink, stun, immobilize, immobilize, stun, sink, sun – exciting.

You forgot “Pull” – my all times favorite

Srondon.3642:

Let me say that I hate Orr. And I don’t hate Orr, because of poor design, I hate Orr, because it was designed exactly how it was envisioned. It is a dangerous, dead, dank land absolutely filled to the brim with Zhaitan’s undead minions. All bases are subject to attack and there is no true safety and no true refuge. Honestly, if you could imagine yourself in a situation like that and really LIKE it, then you’re a masochist.

That said, I love the execution of Orr and a lot of your complaints are really just unconstructive rants. In fact, out of your HUGE list of complaints:

Almost every Waypoint is contested. Combine this with the lack of Mounts, and getting from point A to point B in GW2 becomes a major hassle

Really only this one has any merit. I would prefer that there were more “neutral” location waypoints that aren’t associated with the security of a base or a location.

Also

Lots of bugged/broken events (dynamic or not, these are just a hassle when they can’t be finished)

Obviously an issue, but, unlike the above, is not intentionally part of the design and will be fixed.

From what I’m reading, it honestly seems like you want to be able to come into this zone and just trounce around with complete impunity. Sorry, not going to happen. This is Zhaitan’s territory and you’re in it. And then when you say things like this:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

THEN you sound obstinent and like you just want to come here and complain. Orr, like every other zone in GW2, is very well-designed and the art team did a fantastic job at executing what is supposed to look like a dead and previously submerged island.

I pretty much agree with you, my dear guildie, I would just have liked a bit more mob variety. You basically have the same type of humanoid undead in the three zones – those which stun, those which pull, those which fear… you got the idea. The area is amazingly designed like everything else in GW2, but as I said, it’s a relief to teleport away to Frostgorge sometimes to get out of the same, bland landscape you have in 3 areas.

Doesnt really feel like a warzone.
There should be places where there are constantly respawning NPC’s and monsters. (remember that spot in ascalon in pre where you could see the charr and humans constantly fighting? Imagine that, on a larger scale, but players can fight too)

For example, near the entrance of each zone place a large-ish town full of strong NPC’s. Make it constantly respawn fairly beefy NPC’s who then run towards a position towards the other side of the map where there’s a large town full of strong risen NPC’s (preferably immortal) which have the same thing (respawning and then attacking troops)

Possibly give troops buffs the closer they are to their home base to prevent either base from being completely overrun (Risen should be slightly stronger than pact so that players dont imbalance everything. But Risen shouldnt just walk all over the humans 24/7 if no players are there. Likewise players shouldnt be able to easily push the risen back to home base)

Suddenly Orr feels like an actual war zone and players always have something to do. Waiting around near arah for a group? Head to the nearest NPC battle and fight.

Because right now Orr feels no different than say… queensdale. I’ve got a few towns full of helpless NPC’s (and they are helpless. They will get slaughtered instantly by any dynamic event of any kind) and then outside the towns are wild beasts. The risen feel like wild animals rather than an unstoppable undead army. They mill around outside places that have walls just because the places have walls. Then suddenly they realize “oh hey we can just waltz through this, lol lets do it” and dynamic event time (in which the NPC’s usually lose)

For what was meant to be a large scale war effort. I felt more like I was just a babysitter. Any town was there because I put it there. Any town still there after an hour was because some player saved it rather than because the pact did anything.

tldr; Pact NPC’s feel 100% useless. Risen feel like your average hyena or warg rather than a zombie army. And orr doesnt feel even the slightest like a warzone.

I actually like orr and don’t have any issues with it… that said, I really think there should be more level 80 zones for variety, so if you are trying to make gold or get good drops you don’t have all but one option of places to go.

Zeke Minus.5720:

It seems as if I’m the odd one out in this thread, but I love Orr.

I enjoy the aesthetic feel, and how it imbues the sense of corruption. Until I came to this thread, I had no idea that Orr was sunk and had been underwater for a time (though the coral everywhere made me think it had been, I had just never known).

I like how dangerous the area feels. I like how you can get killed inside of a base, making it feel as if nothing is truly a sanctuary. While I understand complaints that the enemy density can be bothersome, I would rather it be this way. Paired with the fact that the Orr areas will only see an increase in player activity, this makes sense. I would actually prefer if the “group” dynamic events were tougher.

It is a pain to travel through, but it’s also one of the most exciting zones.

No, you’re not the only one. I love Orr as well.

And I agree with the guy who said the art team did a fantastic job at executing what is supposed to look like a dead and previously submerged island. The atmosphere on Orr is great. I like the weird howling wind noise as well, if you go under water it just cuts out and you’re left with a creepy silence.

By the way Ganadorf, you say you liked the levelling until Orr, but wasn’t it you yesterday telling some guy asking for levelling advice that he should grind mobs to level since this is an “Asian grindfest”?

Orr has fallen into a couple of design problems that both plague other MMOs and the original Guild Wars.

The first is that you can’t move ten paces in any direction without aggroing something, so densely are the monsters placed. This makes play dangerous and claustrophobic for single players, as the risk of adds is ever-present.

The second is that like in Prophecies and Nightfall, this end-game area is drab, dark and depressing, which is not really appealing and really drags a player’s mood down.

To its credit, it can be very fun, albeit wearing when played with one or more people, and I honestly think the intention with the area was to promote group play.

I also feel that there’s possibly a bug resulting in Risen forces being more powerful underwater than on land, as they seem an order of magnitude tougher underwater with player attacks doing significantly less damage.

I hate zones that have undeads>< they almost always zerg and when u run pass them u hear; “every come!”

Too many undead high lvl zones.

Good post, I agree with most of it. The biggest gripe with Orr for me is that it’s so dull, gloomy and depressing. It’s very unpleasant, drags my mood down and makes me not want to log in after hitting 80.

Guild Wars had a similar problem with Domain of Anguish – I very much preferred Ring of Fire (or even better – Echovald Forest / Jade Sea!) areas to Elona endgame areas.

I understand that endgame area can’t really be all flowers and butterflies but it doesn’t have to make you want to go hang yourself, for god’s sake…

For the record, I have a level 70+ toon, and I have not set foot into most 60+ zones with him, Orr, or the high level zones are not a requirement for leveling in any way.

For the point about waypoints being contested, that is kind of the point, it is a game of push or be pushed. If you don’t push the undead back, Orr is horrible place, if you do accessing Arah becomes much easier, and the more co-ordination the easier it is.

Some people have, rightfully so, described Orr as PvE version of WvW (minus deployable siege weapons and supply). It should be played in that way, Orr is not a solo friendly zone by any stretch of the imagination. But there are plenty of other zones to spend time in, including but not limited to another 80 zone up north. The content in this game does not expire, you only unlock more of it, then you can make a choice of either play it or play something else, it is unlocked either way. Just like I made the choice not to go into Orr, with my current character.

Orr can be a very different experience, have too few players there and it becomes tedious or have too many and it degrades down to defend X, defend Y etc. If the zone has the right number of active people the ebb and flow of the zone is natural and you will have diversity because the control of different points shifts, rather than being stuck in either end.

Imo the Real Endgame for GW2 is WvWvW.
Orr is just for farming mats or shards for exotic armors/weapons.
Then hit WvW with the max stats for full effectiveness

I enjoy the higher challenge level of Orr. I like that it emphasises working with a group. I like the desolate look and feel.

I do not enjoy the constant respawn that makes it take forever to get anywhere. Due to the sheer amount of snares and slows, you pretty much have to kill everything along the way to get anywhere (or stealth, which many classes do not have). That’s fine, but it often makes travel between events very time consuming, since you can’t depend on waypoints.

I also do not like that it’s impossible to complete the daily kill variety by just doing the Orr maps (even including Straits).

Mungrul’s term ‘wearing’ is the best description. By the time you’ve spent an hour or two in Orr, you end up mentally exhausted from the constant action, especially solo. There is no period of “let down” where you can walk a bit without threat like most of the other areas of the game.

ARAH Dungeon Shard Farm now patched. FML

Ganadorf.3460:

I think they made the zone to be underwater, then decided that since no one likes underwater content, they made it land level, and then wrote the lore around that

Someone might have already pointed this out, but that piece of lore existed in GW1, so what you are suggesting is not only false, but also completely impossible, because GW2 did not even exist as a concept back then.

When Orr was made part of GW2, it had to be brought up from the ocean, which is the event that the whole Zhaitan lore center’s around (also allowing the remake of Lion’s Arch).

My thoughts on Orr are similar to what’s being said here already. My issue is also several fold deep.
Need the mats that are here for crafting or selling. Toss in the constant respawn of, not difficult, but annoying Risen that pull, bump and cripple and each encounter is a “sigh. Really? Again?” encounter.
For entertainment purposes, there’s nothing interesting in Orr. Zerg to points is not fun. That’s just mass farming. I like the look of Orr, but I’ve only found a few places where I could stand still and look at the surroundings before something pounced on me.
The Risen are also extremely silly. They really need to remove that dumb hyper drive they have. It doesn’t make them difficult, only more annoying. If the goal was to make them harder to escape… well, stand around and watch the non-stop trains following people. It didn’t work.

Like a few others, I’ve moved off of Orr and started playing in Frostgorge. A much more entertaining area at least (to me). I’m hoping they add a lot more events there soon.

Edit:

Crise.9401:

For the record, I have a level 70+ toon, and I have not set foot into most 60+ zones with him, Orr, or the high level zones are not a requirement for leveling in any way.

For the point about waypoints being contested, that is kind of the point, it is a game of push or be pushed. If you don’t push the undead back, Orr is horrible place, if you do accessing Arah becomes much easier, and the more co-ordination the easier it is.

Some people have, rightfully so, described Orr as PvE version of WvW (minus deployable siege weapons and supply). It should be played in that way, Orr is not a solo friendly zone by any stretch of the imagination. But there are plenty of other zones to spend time in, including but not limited to another 80 zone up north. The content in this game does not expire, you only unlock more of it, then you can make a choice of either play it or play something else, it is unlocked either way. Just like I made the choice not to go into Orr, with my current character.

Orr can be a very different experience, have too few players there and it becomes tedious or have too many and it degrades down to defend X, defend Y etc. If the zone has the right number of active people the ebb and flow of the zone is natural and you will have diversity because the control of different points shifts, rather than being stuck in either end.

Actually, it’s quite the opposite of this, at least currently. Soloing is very easy. Undead are not difficult; they are just overly fast to the point of being silly. There’s no Push or Pull with the events. The population in Orr is too high of players vs undead. Players almost always win and setup “zerg rushes” to farm the events for karma (one of the easier ways to get max stat armor).

The ideas you list are what it should be; and what I wish it were, but it’s not.