Guild Wars 2

Omg that sounds fantastic and is from a Suggestion thread!

(Patch notes are up).

Yeah, sounds gamebreaking.

It is from a suggestion on the forums. I remember reading about it…somewhere here.

Here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/customize-mail-dove/first#post4496095

I was quite shocked to actually see that suggestion being implemented.
I look forward to getting my griffon delivery agent after patching.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/customize-mail-dove
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Unique-Mail-Pigeons

I laughed so hard when I saw this

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

This and some other points in the notes actually show us, very good, that certain thigns actually do really reach the devs from all of our suggestions

I hope to see more improvements for this sections in the future, like I brainstormed about it in that other thread.
Still so much unused potential there

Kaiyanwan.8521:

Yeah, sounds gamebreaking.

But, but.. PAY2WIN!!1!
qq
Okay, sarcasm off. :P

I’ll have to give this feature a peek and pray for a Skritt version of it later.

So we can customize a mail carrier but we still can’t send mail to our alts…guess there is no way to monetize that feature so mail carrier wins in development time.

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

As for the home notes, I completely missed that. I agree, those should have been a straight up purchase like the other node packs. I wonder if they meant ancient wood or maybe mithril ore. Odd that it’d be a t6 ore and a t5 wood.

azurrei.5691:

So we can customize a mail carrier but we still can’t send mail to our alts…guess there is no way to monetize that feature so mail carrier wins in development time.

You have a bank for doing that.

Yes, I know, I know. Other games you can send mail to your alts. However, you don’t have shared bank space in those games either. It’s a trade off.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

I guess you could say they listen, but there are better things to add then customizable carrier pigeons (such as upgrading the wallet with all the new currencies). Or even spent the time fixing bugs. Instead, its on something they monetize (which I do grant they need to make money somehow, but isn’t that what the kitten BL weapon sets are for? Or even minis).

LanfearShadowflame.3189

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

Just got flamed by some seriously kitt-hurt children over on reddit for daring to talk up this feature in a positive light. And here I thought they were the more mature forum. XD

I like the idea, but there are a couple of carriers I would hold out for. Someone had suggested Chauncey, which would be cool. I figure a quaggan is due any day.

They should add a Skritt Mail Carrier. It can unburrow, deliver a shiny to us, and then burrow back underground. I would spend 500 gems for that.

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

I guess you could say they listen, but there are better things to add then customizable carrier pigeons (such as upgrading the wallet with all the new currencies). Or even spent the time fixing bugs. Instead, its on something they monetize (which I do grant they need to make money somehow, but isn’t that what the kitten BL weapon sets are for? Or even minis).

it was probably someones fun spare time project and not a core duty. like sab.

keep employee morale up ya?

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

I guess you could say they listen, but there are better things to add then customizable carrier pigeons (such as upgrading the wallet with all the new currencies). Or even spent the time fixing bugs. Instead, its on something they monetize (which I do grant they need to make money somehow, but isn’t that what the kitten BL weapon sets are for? Or even minis).

Really…. you think it took 300 people to skin a carrier pigeon?

rolls eyes

Different people doing different things.

That’s all beside the point though. Its something that was asked for (even said we’d pay for it) and we got it. Also, considering it’s just a skinning an image, it’s going to be much easier to do (in theory) than fixing some bugs or re-coding where the game tallies the new currency. (From previous comments, it sounds like their code is a tad bit messy) Although admittedly, I rarely encounter bugs in game myself (guess I’m just lucky).

insanemaniac.2456:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

I guess you could say they listen, but there are better things to add then customizable carrier pigeons (such as upgrading the wallet with all the new currencies). Or even spent the time fixing bugs. Instead, its on something they monetize (which I do grant they need to make money somehow, but isn’t that what the kitten BL weapon sets are for? Or even minis).

it was probably someones fun spare time project and not a core duty. like sab.

keep employee morale up ya?

If it was on someones spare time, then good job to them. But I doubt it was that case, since they made it so it could be monetized (by unlocks). I guess they could have done the first one on their own and then told to make it modular by management though.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

skullmount.1758:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I laughed so hard when I saw this

Same here. I guess this feature will be useful for people that send lots of mail, but for most of us its kinda useless. They should have put the griffon in the BLCs instead of the home node and made the home node direct purchase.

Useles or not, that’s not what made me laugh. It’s because people were just chatting about this..like last week, and yet people will continue to claim Anet doesn’t listen to what we ask for. You watch.

I guess you could say they listen, but there are better things to add then customizable carrier pigeons (such as upgrading the wallet with all the new currencies). Or even spent the time fixing bugs. Instead, its on something they monetize (which I do grant they need to make money somehow, but isn’t that what the kitten BL weapon sets are for? Or even minis).

Really…. you think it took 300 people to skin a carrier pigeon?

rolls eyes

Different people doing different things.

That’s all beside the point though. Its something that was asked for (even said we’d pay for it) and we got it. Also, considering it’s just a skinning an image, it’s going to be much easier to do (in theory) than fixing some bugs or re-coding where the game tallies the new currency. (From previous comments, it sounds like their code is a tad bit messy) Although admittedly, I rarely encounter bugs in game myself (guess I’m just lucky).

I never said it would take all 300 (of which, I have a feeling at least a 1/4 of them are just management/PR people). It most likely took 2-5 people (coders, ui/graphics people, and ofc the BL person/people), at most, possibly even a single person.

I don’t get this, what is it for? Don’t we already have a mailing system?

Shen Slayer.3058:

I don’t get this, what is it for? Don’t we already have a mailing system?

its just a skin for the pigeon

Rauderi.8706:

Kaiyanwan.8521:

Yeah, sounds gamebreaking.

But, but.. PAY2WIN!!1!
qq
Okay, sarcasm off. :P

I’ll have to give this feature a peek and pray for a Skritt version of it later.

And the alert sound should be, “Got stuff, stuff, stuffy stuff.”

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

azurrei.5691:

So we can customize a mail carrier but we still can’t send mail to our alts…guess there is no way to monetize that feature so mail carrier wins in development time.

You have a bank for doing that.

Yes, I know, I know. Other games you can send mail to your alts. However, you don’t have shared bank space in those games either. It’s a trade off.

plenty of games have both…we all know the (poor) reason it doesn’t exist $$$

azurrei.5691:

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

azurrei.5691:

So we can customize a mail carrier but we still can’t send mail to our alts…guess there is no way to monetize that feature so mail carrier wins in development time.

You have a bank for doing that.

Yes, I know, I know. Other games you can send mail to your alts. However, you don’t have shared bank space in those games either. It’s a trade off.

plenty of games have both…we all know the (poor) reason it doesn’t exist $$$

shrug

Just a design decision they made. Whether or not its due to monetization or not… can’t really make a call on that. Only they know for certain, but I don’t think that was it. There is a helluva lot more that could have been monetized if that’s what was really driving their decisions, and those things aren’t.

As much as I like the griffon, I also recognize that its just another gemshop category now.

Hmm, looking at the preview in the character screen… it’s more then just a re-skin. The griffon has it’s own little animation that’s different from the regular carrier pigeon.
Heh, not sure if I’ll be buying this… /but/ it is pretty cool.
And again, proof that ANet does in fact listen to suggestions! (A fact that will be conveniently ignored or judged as inconsequential by the majority of naysayers, as per usual…)

=^_^=

So, there are people buying this…lol.

Yunielesca.2850:

So, there are people buying this…lol.

Clearly there are. Makes sense since people asked for such a thing.

Yunielesca.2850:

So, there are people buying this…lol.

And I’ll probably buy one if I get a skritt mail carrier. …lol

This is the perfect thing for the gem store. +1

I don’t think I’ll be getting the griffon, but I’d pay for something else. Maybe a flaming phoenix, or something very cute.

I didn’t even know there was a carrier pigeon until it was pointed out to me that it apparently delivers mail. Maybe I’m blind?

Yet another wobbly step down the slippery slope. How long until mounts? Or instant level 80s?

Well, predictably, I am really glad.

YES, they used dev resources for this.

NO, this is not a bad thing. Cause this will generate more income which can then be used towards more dev time. All the while we have stuff to play with.

This makes about as much sense as custom finishers, and I don’t see people criticizing those a lot.

I fully intend to customize my mail bird on a per-character level, depending which ones get released.

Kiriwar.7382:

I didn’t even know there was a carrier pigeon until it was pointed out to me that it apparently delivers mail. Maybe I’m blind?

Have you never received a mail while underwater and wondered about “suddenly underwater bird”?

Could there be ghosts, confetti, gifts as carriers? Hmm….

I would probably be interested in a confetti carrier, should something like that ever come to pass. ; )

Somehow, “whoop-de-doo” just doesn’t seem to capture the spirit of this ‘added feature’ for me. Maybe we can have a spoon/mail carrier feature where we could equip our mail carriers with spoons? “ZOMG DUDE! HOW L33T WOULD THAT BE!!!!”…sigh…

Gaile Gray.6029:

It’s a good feature, and yep, something that players suggested in the past. Whaaa…? You’re thinking there should be other options? Seriously, let’s start a list.

Mine:

• Skritt
• Fire Imp
• Ice Drake
• Frog

I’d also love seasonal carriers, like a ghost at Halloween or reindeer at Christmas.

I know this isn’t everyone’s “thing,” but I love the idea. Heck, I’ll be sending more mail just to see the little guys.

Animals, of course:

• snow owl (c’mon)
• crow/raven
• exotic bird, kittenatoo <— would buy
• raccoon <— would buy
• flock of bats
• underwater animals

Plant stuff:

• Pale Tree seed pod sailing down
• Toxic Alliance seed pod

Machinery:

• golem drone <— would buy
• charr helicopter drone
• watchwork drone

Special / events:

• zephyrite parachute/kite (keep this in mind for the next bazaar maybe)
• holographic dragon (Dragonbash)
• flying beedog (SAB /o/) <— would deffo buy

In my opinion, those that are already available in game as environmental creatures (birds etc.) don’t even need fancy custom animations. Just use their usual bird swoop and make them a little cheaper or something.

Well, there are obviously going to be more since there is a dedicated tab.

Suggestions;

- Llama! Come on…got to happen!
- Squirrel!
- Lightning Bolt
- Mini pact airship
- A cloud
- A trumpet with an unfurling guild banner
- Rytlock as he is falling through the Mists hand delivers our mail
- something SAB related

OK, some of those are serious, some less so….but it’s a start!

Now at least we know their priorities…

I would love to see a tequatl mail carrier. You already have his big swoop down animation in place One can always wish.

you have got to be kittentin me. all of the great ideas thrown about that the devs probably already had thought of but was told it was a waste of time and resources, and this is what is eventually added.

what a joke

Well, there’s already a gift-carrying Dolyak in the game…

Christmas mail carrier?

Better be earnable rather than buyable. shakes fist

poisonality.8972:

you have got to be kittentin me. all of the great ideas thrown about that the devs probably already had thought of but was told it was a waste of time and resources, and this is what is eventually added.

what a joke

I think you’ll find that everybody considers something completely different a “waste of dev time”. Including you, apparently.

ANet put cosmetic items in the gem store? IRRELEVANT FLUFF! WHAT A WASTE! ANet put useful items in the gem store? PAY TO WIN! SCANDALOUS! ANet put nothing at all in the gem store? No revenue = no new content.

So, I don’t know. I don’t think the latter is what anybody wants.

Gaile Gray.6029:

It’s a good feature, and yep, something that players suggested in the past. Whaaa…? You’re thinking there should be other options? Seriously, let’s start a list.

Mine:

• Skritt
• Fire Imp
• Ice Drake
• Frog

I’d also love seasonal carriers, like a ghost at Halloween or reindeer at Christmas.

I know this isn’t everyone’s “thing,” but I love the idea. Heck, I’ll be sending more mail just to see the little guys.

Of course you want a frog.

Can I get my rocket powered Dolyak then? You know, the one Scarlet was thinking about?

I don’t remember the Devs saying suggestions were a waste of time and resources. I must have missed that announcement….

I think carriers can be fun. At least I would be able to use them more often than Finishers.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• Frog

That would be unique to you, I would hope.

My friends and I have been calling them “Xunlai Pigeons” because, like the Xunlai agents of GW1, they will show up literally anywhere. Even in places that you would think are too dangerous.

We believe that these pigeons were the true backbone of the Xunlai banking monopoly, but the training or breeding methods (a closely guarded secret) were lost sometime after Primordius awakened. Much more recently, Evon Gnashblade discovered the methods again, possibly from digging through remains of the Xunlai agents or their documents.

Using the Xunlai pigeons, Gnashblade built up the Black Lion Trading Company, able to transport goods and coin anywhere in the world by using one of these amazing birds, capable of boring through solid stone or swimming in the deepest oceans with the ease normal birds glide through the air, fearing no hostilities from other beasts. The birds even seem to be precognitant, picking up goods or coin within seconds of a customer deciding to make a transaction (as they were already nearby).

Now, it appears Gnashblade has successfully raised gryphons to accomplish this task as well, but due to the much smaller number of suitable gryphons, he sells contracts to people, as there simply are not enough Xunlai Gryphons for everyone to use. We can guess that he is experimenting with other creatures as well. One success breeds another.

Thanks! Any chance some of it’s canon? :P

Mental Paradox.3845:

Now at least we know their priorities…

So many things that need work, like any update to WvW, but we get this… ><

… and of course it’s a coin mall item that will lead to many more similar items.

To anyone who wants to tell me “chill, it’s just a skin on a pigeon”… Capes? Thanks.

Herr der Friedhoefe.2490:

Mental Paradox.3845:

Now at least we know their priorities…

So many things that need work, like any update to WvW, but we get this… ><

… and of course it’s a coin mall item that will lead to many more similar items.

To anyone who wants to tell me “chill, it’s just a skin on a pigeon”… Capes? Thanks.

To be honest. I think using existing resources and rig them to a new path, with modified animations might be a bit easier than coding and balancing.

These “pidgeons” do not interact with any other object. They appear and disapear like Finisher and you see how many of them we have already.

If it is fun and they are able to do so, they should go for it. I do not see your problem.

As long as they implement ways to get some of them outside the Gem-Shop. I will be even more pleased.