Guild Wars 2

One thing that has been on my mind for quite a while is this: The maps are a lot smaller than they seem… the mountains a lot lower… and our characters run at incredible speed. But what are some actual numbers?

How tall are the Norn, Charr or Asura (min/max height) based on Humans? This one would be easy to work out if we decided on either the minimum or the maximum height of a human character.

What are the actual distances in the game – how many meters or kilometers are the maps, across? How big is Divinity’s reach really? How high up is the pig iron quarry’s jumping puzzle? It looks quite far away from the ground, but once you’re up, everything’s suddenly tiny.

The game messes with our concepts of near/far/large/small/slow/fast quite a bit.

If we had a way to measure the distance between A and B accurately at least once, then we’d easily be able to work out the actual speed that our characters run at with/without swiftness.

I would love to work our some numbers, but I’m not quite sure how to go about starting to measure distance accurately. If anybody has any extremely clever ideas, I’d love to hear them!

Level of measurements are assigned by humans to help in the real world. We decide how long a CM is, or how long a kilometer is, or a feet, for example.

In the game world you will have to assign your own measurement system. How long is a foot going to be in this game? Is it going to be as wide as a dolyak’s hind leg? How about as wide as a Norn’s?

Once you figure out a system of measurement, then you will be able to find distance travelled per second, and using that, you could be able to find the distance between point A and B. From there, you could even figure out the distance between any point on a map without having to run it.

Yes, but I’m less interested in inventing the “Tyrian foot” than how the distances relate to the real world. For example, if the shortest possible female human character is assumed to be 1.50m tall, then I still need to find a way of mapping this height to equal length on the ground…

Human males at max height are six feet tall, norn males are nine. You can probably work out the rest from there.

foofad.5162:

Human males at max height are six feet tall, norn males are nine. You can probably work out the rest from there.

Thanks. Where did you get these numbers?

To get a rough estimate I would use a known value from the real world: the average time it takes a human athlete to run a set distance for instance 50 yds or 100 meters. Assuming our characters are in good athletic condition they should be able to run at the speed of a real athlete. Once you determine the average time an athlete can run 100 meters for instance then you can run that distance in the game. Now you would know about how far it is from point A to point B in the game. Or you could run from one end of Lornar’s Pass for instance to the other and see how long it takes. Based on the average speed of a human you would have at least a rough idea as to the length of the distance covered.

You’d need to have a map scale; measure a centimeter on the world map (this will always be only a rough estimate since it may be difficult to do on a monitor and depending on the screen resolution.) In any case, find a distance that is approximately a centimeter long, have your character run that distance, and now you would know about how many meters or yards is equivalent to that centimeter.

Not sure, but I seem to recall a rescaling of certain character models in Beta and those were the new, post-change numbers. Norn were actually bigger in the past.

Rosen Myst.7641:

To get a rough estimate I would use a known value from the real world: the average time it takes a human athlete to run a set distance for instance 50 yds or 100 meters. Assuming our characters are in good athletic condition they should be able to run at the speed of a real athlete. Once you determine the average time an athlete can run 100 meters for instance then you can run that distance in the game. Now you would know about how far it is from point A to point B in the game. Or you could run from one end of Lornar’s Pass for instance to the other and see how long it takes. Based on the average speed of a human you would have at least a rough idea as to the length of the distance covered.

But they don’t run at the speed of athletes, that’s exactly my point – they seem to be much faster. Look at the ground while your character runs. (Running from one side of a city to the other in a matter of minutes… try that in Berlin, athlete or no)

It depends on the size of the city obviously. I don’t think Lion’s Arch is the size of Berlin or New York. But I see your problem; I guess you’d have to estimate about how fast you think they are running.

http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/in-game-character-heights/

As for the maps, keep in mind that they don’t show everything. They only include the stuff that’s important and interesting to the game. In a city, they have the important buildings and enough other structures to give you the feel of that part of the city. The same kind of idea applies out in the wilds, important points of interest and enough of the other stuff to give you a feel for the area.

During Flame and Frost, you had refugees trudging along on long journeys as they made their way from their destroyed holds and settlements to safety. However, we only saw one or two settlements come under attack, and none actually destroyed. A walk of 30 minutes or less to safety isn’t all that impressive, either. The full distance and all the destroyed houses are simply not shown, because they would be nothing but empty areas and a waste of time. Would you REALLY want it to take 4-5 days to cross Wayfarer Foothills, even with the game’s 2 hour night/day cycle? With still only as much to do in that area as there is now, just spread out much wider apart? Heck no!

In short, the distances shown on the map vary by what’s in the area that’s important. Empty fields or tundra? Assume a lot of it’s been cut out. Middle of the city? You’re going to have more accurate distances, but there’s still stuff missing. You simply can’t measure large distances on the map with a single, consistent standard of measurement.

Karizee.8076:

http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/in-game-character-heights/

That is very helpful, thank you!

Palador.2170:

As for the maps, keep in mind that they don’t show everything. They only include the stuff that’s important and interesting to the game. In a city, they have the important buildings and enough other structures to give you the feel of that part of the city. The same kind of idea applies out in the wilds, important points of interest and enough of the other stuff to give you a feel for the area.

During Flame and Frost, you had refugees trudging along on long journeys as they made their way from their destroyed holds and settlements to safety. However, we only saw one or two settlements come under attack, and none actually destroyed. A walk of 30 minutes or less to safety isn’t all that impressive, either.

Not to mention the sheer number of refugees that walked down that path every hour – probably exceeded the entire rest of NPC population at the end of the event

Palador.2170:

The full distance and all the destroyed houses are simply not shown, because they would be nothing but empty areas and a waste of time. Would you REALLY want it to take 4-5 days to cross Wayfarer Foothills, even with the game’s 2 hour night/day cycle? With still only as much to do in that area as there is now, just spread out much wider apart? Heck no!

In short, the distances shown on the map vary by what’s in the area that’s important. Empty fields or tundra? Assume a lot of it’s been cut out. Middle of the city? You’re going to have more accurate distances, but there’s still stuff missing. You simply can’t measure large distances on the map with a single, consistent standard of measurement.

I’m aware of these things, and I’m not trying to take a little pickaxe and hack away at the in-game consistency. For the record, I think ANet’s designers have done an incredible job giving us the illusion of height (shiverpeaks mountains, pig iron quarry) and width. Even if the sea around southsun is the size of an RL pond with a fountain, that doesn’t change any of the lore for me.

I’d just like to work out the walking and running speed of the characters because I’m geeking out about the numbers right now, that’s all.

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

I’d just like to work out the walking and running speed of the characters because I’m geeking out about the numbers right now, that’s all.

Okay. That I can understand wanting to do.

And now I’m wondering… if you can figure out the height of something in-game, and then jump off of it and time the fall, can you figure out Tyria’s gravity from those numbers?

Wow, oddly enough I have become intrigued by this.

Palador.2170:

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

I’d just like to work out the walking and running speed of the characters because I’m geeking out about the numbers right now, that’s all.

Okay. That I can understand wanting to do.

And now I’m wondering… if you can figure out the height of something in-game, and then jump off of it and time the fall, can you figure out Tyria’s gravity from those numbers?

You’re taking it to a whole new level!

The range is in inches – you can take a ground targeted skill (maybe), like the mesmer blink – that’s 900 inches away.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Range

Did you see this? He talks about the coordinates …
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/community/api/Map-API-Mumble-Mashup

Rouven.7409:

The range is in inches – you can take a ground targeted skill (maybe), like the mesmer blink – that’s 900 inches away.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Range

Did you see this? He talks about the coordinates …
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/community/api/Map-API-Mumble-Mashup

Wonderful, thank you.

I will check out the links when I’m back online (maybe I shouldn’t have started this thread the day before my vacation)! In the mean time, feel free to discuss… very much looking forward to doing some maths when I return

Karizee.8076:

http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/in-game-character-heights/

Does that mean that a human female at max height is 6’3?

they already have a measure of distance: the range measurement from the skill descriptions (though when you’re automatically zoomed out in boss fights like Lupicus, I’m pretty sure range is “zoomed out” as well).

Radar range is 63 meters across. You could easily use a personal waypoint to gauge speed to cross the radar.

munkiman.3068:

Radar range is 63 meters across. You could easily use a personal waypoint to gauge speed to cross the radar.

Nice find! May I add for increased accuracy that 2500 inches are 63.5 meters.

Well, when we first found out about the world map in beta, I tried estimating the size of the world based on a quote from the first GW1 manual. Yeah, it’s just one quote from a game ANet doesn’t really like talking about positively anymore, but its the best we had at the time. Maybe there’s something of interest mentioned in the books.

Rouven.7409:

munkiman.3068:

Radar range is 63 meters across. You could easily use a personal waypoint to gauge speed to cross the radar.

Nice find! May I add for increased accuracy that 2500 inches are 63.5 meters.

I’m now totally intrigued at gauging speed and distances… Best thing to do would be capture traveling between two points and get it accurately through a photo finish. Might give it a go tonight.

Guild wars 2 is approximately done in inches.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Range

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/community/api/Map-API-Mumble-Mashup/first#post2256579

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/vj2nc/stitched_the_map_of_the_planet_tyria_together_not/
http://i.imgur.com/uBWCz.jpg
http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/40833-how-big-is-the-world/

Sorry to be the one to resurrect an old thread, but— oh well. I’m working on a little fan fiction and am trying to figure out travel distances, so I’m glad I came across this. Based on Mystic.5934’s linked maps, I’m estimating the distance from Divinity’s Reach to the Durmand Priory at about 300mi, but that seems really far. Does that seem right?

Based purely on in-game distance, travelling from Divinity’s Reach to the Durmand Priory (without going through Lion’s Arch’s back door) is roughly 4.9 miles. Distances in-game, like the range of your skills, is measured in inches.

A max height norn was said to be 9ft tall. I measured it as 9.7ft, so I guess it’s roughly accurate.

Out of combat running speed without any modifiers is roughly 16.72 miles/hour. It should take roughly 18 minutes to run the course within the game.

I’m sure the actual lore would tell a very different tale.

I always assumed that a medium height human male (slider in the exact middle) is 5’8" since that’s average while Asuras obviously seem to hang around the three foot range. Norn are seven and eight feet tall give or take.