Guild Wars 2

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/a-fresh-start-the-new-player-experience-in-guild-wars-2/

Guess I can’t level up my lvl 38 necromancer until september.. Because I won’t level up another character anytime soon.

So much content aimed at new players. I cant imagine the established fanbase, who’s complaints have been largely ignored, are running out and telling their friends to pick this game up.

I’m in the same boat, I have a mid-30’s necromancer whose been my go-to for doing dailies. He’s going to sit fallow until I can use him to test out these changes. I have a couple of empty slots; I could start an all new alt in September, but I prefer an RP need to help me design a character before I work on them.

Rallies, weapon skills, personal story locked behind levels…

Leveling alts: now more boring then ever. Can we finally get the instant-80 scrolls, please?

And looks like death to keyfarming, from the sound of it.

Well all of that stuff is from the chinese client so it was fine, because the game released there with those new features, so it kinda makes sense.
The only thing i,s it doesn’t make sense for the eu/na client, sure it’s a nice addition but we crave for content aimed at level 80 characters. And by the looks of it we won’t get it with this feature sync patch

I’m looking forward to discovering these new rewards and changes. I will probably postpone for these 12 days working on leveling my characters, as well. Can’t wait! =)

“We’ve also taken some of the systems that felt needlessly complicated or obtuse and simplified them to make them consistent, so leveling is the big way you gain new abilities. Our last feature pack also changed traits to no longer require going to a merchant and buying a book at each tier to unlock them; you unlock a tier for free as soon as you reach the appropriate level. "

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

I believe that part is talking about April’s trait change. It’s a bit out of place to put it in this blog about new changes.

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

Not sure I really like these changes. It doesn’t make me want to go an make a new toon. Especially if weapon skills are stuck until certain levels. Being able to unlock all a weapons skills right off the bat (especially for us vets) is more useful.
Kinda sucks no retroactive level rewards for those of us with only 80s. Though PS rewards are less of an issue for me, since I have only a couple that are above ~lvl50 quests.

Tasmosuth.4265:

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

Read further down in the blog:
“We won’t be able to retroactively give these rewards to existing level 80 characters, but all characters under 80 will use this system for their remaining levels between their current level and level 80. All new characters you create after this system will have access to all of these changes from level 1.”

Sure sounds like it will affect any leveling up to 80 no matter the start point.

If I use an Experience Scroll, will I get the rewards from each level?

Tasmosuth.4265:

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

It will affect them after the patch goes live. Don’t level them until then. It says it in the blog even. " We won’t be able to retroactively give these rewards to existing level 80 characters, but all characters under 80 will use this system for their remaining levels between their current level and level 80."

narwhalsbend.7059:

If I use an Experience Scroll, will I get the rewards from each level?

Good question there.

I have to learn how to bleed on the floor?

I’m curious to the personal story stuff…I get that it “doesn’t affect existing 80’s”…but what if you have not done the personal story? Or only part of it? I’m assuming any parts of it you have not done will reward the new rewards, correct? Heck, technically I never finished it even on one character – I helped some friends kill Ziatan before I was on that step of the personal story…and never bothered to go back and finish it after the disappointment (of that fight.)

I wonder if level 80’s will also get a reward when they “Level Up”

anzenketh.3759:

I wonder if level 80’s will also get a reward when they “Level Up”

Free precursor for everyone! Or just a blue.

Looks fine to me, diffiuclt to comment further til it is launched. I’m glad I can turn off the pointers – that would infuriate me otherwise

Best comment from my guild tho came from this line;

“There are still countless bonus locations that remain hidden in the world, such as bear’s picnics”

“THERE ARE BEAR PICNICS???”

It really does seem like this feature pack is targeted more towards new players rather than ones who have been sitting at “endgame” for over a year.

That’s not necessarily BAD, mind you, but for those “endgame” players, there understandably hasn’t been much to perk their ears.

Morsus.5106:

anzenketh.3759:

I wonder if level 80’s will also get a reward when they “Level Up”

Free precursor for everyone! Or just a blue.

It would not surprise me if this system is related to pre-cursor crafting. They did say last time the rewards structure changed so they were not able to implement it last feature patch. Looking at this feature patch the reward system really did change. I could see a lot of these new systems being useful for pre-cursor crafting.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

Well that’s disappointing. You should consider reverting to traits unlocking when you reach the level. Right now having to unlock the traits feels like a punishment. It also just doesn’t make sense; I don’t see how completing Arah Story Mode somehow allows my pet to learn how to regenerate health.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

Awesome, so arenannet has completely ignored the 41 page feedback post where every single player has told you guys that the trait system you put in in april is completely broken and makes leveling miserable for everyone! Thanks guys!

Also making new players wait to play the personal story now is horrible

Sooo, you’ve stopped key farming, didn’t you ANet?

Anatolious.8539:

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

Awesome, so arenannet has completely ignored the 41 page feedback post where every single player has told you guys that the trait system you put in in april is completely broken and makes leveling miserable for everyone! Thanks guys!

Yeah… So much effort into making the levelling system better, and completely ignoring the biggest hurdle to enjoying levelling. So, so weird that the traits haven’t been put back to their original set up yet.

Oh well, at least we’ll have loads of people trying new characters soon so they can add their voices to the hundreds of posts asking for it to be reverted.

I am pleased about the Personal Story alteration to a degree.
They weren’t kidding when it was said that stuff from China would come to EU and NA eventually.

I hope there’ll be some focus on lvl 80s at some time.
For example: I have a lvl 80 for each profession.
1 of them I “played right” by doing the Personal Story, map exploration, etc.
The others I either crafted like crazy or used whatever trains were available to level them up.
I wouldn’t mind wiping my crafting alts just to experience the leveling up stuff they are doing.
If I do that though I’ll lose out on all my recipes I had.

I guess I could wipe the alts that don’t craft, then try it out.
It isn’t like I put much effort into them to begin with.

It will really suck for key farming if they’ve altered the rewards significantly.
Though I have faith in the player system to game the game for keys after this release.

I’m concerned about the section about “Stat gains”. Does this mean we will get a powergrind necessity because not every level reward Stat increase? If thats the case its certainly not new player friendly.

Iason Evan.3806:

Tasmosuth.4265:

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

It will affect them after the patch goes live. Don’t level them until then. It says it in the blog even. " We won’t be able to retroactively give these rewards to existing level 80 characters, but all characters under 80 will use this system for their remaining levels between their current level and level 80."

Ah, I must have missed that sentence, thanks.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Tasmosuth.4265:

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

Yes these changes will be effective for all existing characters.

Thanks for replying.

Morsus.5106:

I have to learn how to bleed on the floor?

You have to become powerful enofe not to just out right die when your hp hits 0. That is kind of true to life if you think about it ppl who are not use to getting harmed or are unhealthily go into shock easily then say some one who is healthily and has taking such pain.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

But but but a few patches ago you completely destroyed leveling experience and now you want to bring it back without reverting what you did wrong? im confused

Mesket.5728:

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

But but but a few patches ago you completely destroyed leveling experience and now you want to bring it back without reverting what you did wrong? im confused

No you are missing it. The new “features” aren’t features at all, it’s what we have now, “presented” in a different way. Like most of this “feature pack” it another Nothing Burger…

chemiclord.3978:

It really does seem like this feature pack is targeted more towards new players rather than ones who have been sitting at “endgame” for over a year.

That’s not necessarily BAD, mind you, but for those “endgame” players, there understandably hasn’t been much to perk their ears.

Yeah, I’d be interested in an answer from someone at ANet as to what they think the balance is between appeal to new and returning players? There’s some things that seem nice and all, but it’s mostly stuff that as a veteran I’ll never use. If this feature pack is intended to be disproportionately aimed at new players, that’s fine, but I do hope that yall at least recognize that the number of benefits to long-term players with full character slots feels pretty non-existent beyond the crafting subrecipes and class balance updates. So if this is the last implementation of game improvements coming out until next spring or summer, it’s a little bit puzzling.

Some things in the blog post, I am ok with. Other’s have asked for / stated that the game needs some better introductory systems. Some of the things China got were…ok. Even helpful. Some of them, personally, I’d have tweaked a bit rather than just shuffling them over, but we’ll see how it pans out.

Other components of this blog…. We’ll just go with I am not pleased.

Excursion.9752:

“We’ve also taken some of the systems that felt needlessly complicated or obtuse and simplified them to make them consistent, so leveling is the big way you gain new abilities. Our last feature pack also changed traits to no longer require going to a merchant and buying a book at each tier to unlock them; you unlock a tier for free as soon as you reach the appropriate level. "

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

You’re still doing chores. They were just restating what they did regarding traits 5 months ago for some unknown reason.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Tasmosuth.4265:

ArenaNet, can you please answer this:
I currently have some alts which are not level 80. Will these changes affect my alts too, or do I need to remake them to get the changes (just like the Trait change)? I’d rather have my alts be grandfathered into these changes than having to remake them.

Yes these changes will be effective for all existing characters.

Will this allow us to replay our personal story steps?

Why did Anet spend the last two years revamping systems they didn’t exactly need to revamp? and in just the first two years after release. Streamline some things like the loot drops sure, but the revamping traits was not needed since it was made worse, and offering cookies on level ups now is not going to hide that fact.

Two years that could have been used to strengthen the end game or actual new content like a new race class or weapons. Even Wow did not rework their leveling zones and systems until they did cataclysm six years later.

Such a waste.

I have a hard time understanding how any of this is an improvement. Seems like you are just dragging out a boring process and adding the illusion of progress through clumping benefits together. The only thing that interests me in the slightest, so far, is some of the balance changes.

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Excursion.9752:

I keep reading this part does this mean traits will be unlocked when you level now or do we still have to do the chores.

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

I appreciate that they’re at least responding to us more on the forums now but…
NOOOOOO why! Waiting until level 30 to unlock traits is terrible and the unlocking system is terrible too!

Stephane Lo Presti.7258:

Regarding unlocking traits, the New Player Experience will effectively be exactly the same, except in the way it’s presented to players.

Can you elaborate on what this means? Or is it not finalized yet or something?

I got to admit I’m kinda bummed that this “fresh start” does nothing major for traits. That is one of the main things that I feel gypped on, having joined the game after they were changed. I still haven’t unlocked all of my traits on a single character; the current system doesn’t exactly encourage me to experiment and get to know my class.

I mean, just something as simple as being able to unlock specific traits with a few skill points (and no money) from the trait UI would be awesome. It’s confusing that most everything is spoonfed to you, except for traits, where you need to go do random crap to unlock them, or go to a major city to buy them.

I’m sure there are several ways you could do it that would be just as in-your-face and informative as the skill point system for new players, without being excessively tedious and expensive.

Very good upcoming changes. Can hardly understand all the complaints. The only thing I’m a bit worried about is the future of key farms but even that wouldn’t make me mad.

i get it Anet. New players. New players. New players. New players means people that don’t know better and who might be swayed by the same thing being presented differently. That’s like saying, we know you don’t like eating durian, so instead, we’ve cut it up and put a sprig of parsley on the plate so those new customers can try it that way instead. At the end of the day its still durian and people aren’t going to want to eat it, let alone older customers returning to see if something has changed. I actually LIKED having to open the weapon skills individually. It forced me to learn how the skills worked and how they worked with each other. Maybe for vet players this is a good thing, but for new players? nah. And please, please, please don’t mention traits in an update like this unless you are actually talking about changes/fixes to the trait system.

Because new players means business,… you (we) vets are not. It’s really that simple.

Well there is that.
Yes new players mean new blood into the game.
Also though I think this is ANet’s way of trying to fix the problems we were complaining about in the past.

“The game leveling is too slow”, okay they do this number.
“Don’t know where to go”, okay they make this update.
Hoping that some vets will start a new character in a slot, start and see how it differs from the days they did it long ago.

Does this mean it wasn’t geared to the already established lvl 80s who don’t want to replay as another character? Well yes, it seems not every update is going to relate to every one.

wow, does anet think new players are completely dumbfounded when they play GW2 or something?

Does anet realize how simple this game really is? This is by far the most casual MMO on the market .. there is literally NOTHING difficult about leveling up a character in this game.. just takes a bit of time.. and for some reason they want to make it even more casual for new players?

There are HARDLY any new players flooding to get into gw2…
I seriously hope they stop spending soo much time developing and wasting resources for all this new player junk that hardly affects ANYONE playing gw2…develop for the players actually supporting this game…

Now… when I first started playing, I don’t remember being overburdened with the Downed State. It was more like “Oh bugsy, I’m dea… no I’m not!”.

Needless change.

Do the new changes mean I can’t do WvW until I level to 18? What’s with all these restrictions?

Letting people know what is available is one thing, but restricting certain things until you reach a certain level is just MORE confusing and unnecessary.

narwhalsbend.7059:

Do the new changes mean I can’t do WvW until I level to 18? What’s with all these restrictions?

Letting people know what is available is one thing, but restricting certain things until you reach a certain level is just MORE confusing and unnecessary.

You can still access it… via the portals or the hot key. They are just hiding the icon for it.

I can agree that these systems need an introduction of some kind. An informational pop up or something. I don’t agree with making players wait until levels 18 and 22. Mainly because people are going to stumble across those hot keys anyway go “wtf is this?”

C’mon, guys. We knew when Isaiah posted in the traits thread that no trait updates were forthcoming in this patch.