Non-game content communication
Don’t they do that with the stories we get on the News Blog?
They do, however the last one I saw was the one from January about MomoCon.
I think those can be produced relatively quickly (in 1-2 weeks w/non-engineering resource), and can be released during content drought.
I think the Narrative Team has plenty to do, already.
Also, those stories have, in the past, been a source of contention within the playerbase.
Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Good luck.
I have seen numerous complains by other players about lacking communication by ArenaNet in the past few weeks.
The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
Players always complain about the level of communication from developers; we always want more and different information from what we get. One of the complaints is from someone impatient to hear early news of the 2nd expac (something that ANet has never done in its entire history). One is for a road map, something that ANet used to do (and got criticized for too little information) — however, this has been replaced by post-patch “Ask Me Anything” sessions, which have offered probably more details than we used to see.
Gaile is often in-game as herself (and takes questions), as well as posts on the forums. Others prefer to post on Reddit (a few do both).
In short, ANet already communicates with players on a regular basis. The only issue is that we want to hear more details more often than ANet seems to have ever offered in the past.
(I don’t blame the community for wanting it — I, too, would like to hear more. That’s not the same as agreeing that it’s an issue that ANet needs to address.)
John Smith: “you should kill monsters, because killing monsters is awesome.”
> Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Unfortunately the latter requires engineering resource, which would further delay development of expansion/living story/etc.
> The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
My post is not only about the complaint, but also about the “content drought”. The current “content drought” is readily apparent and mentioned by WoodenPotatoes and various GW2 caster that’s part of TeaTime.
> Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Unfortunately the latter requires engineering resource, which would further delay development of expansion/living story/etc.
> The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
My post is not only about the complaint, but also about the “content drought”. The current “content drought” is readily apparent and mentioned by WoodenPotatoes and various GW2 caster that’s part of TeaTime.
Current content drought? https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Current_Events
The story line with the anomaly and new events tied to that. The bandits and new PvE bosses. The inquest story line and its events and achievements. Bloodstone crazed creatures. Transfer chaser. Caladbolg crafting story. Ember Bay and a story section (with achieves and new items to get). Rifts and anomalies. A Crack in the Ice with its new map, achievements and items. The Head of the Snake with its new map, story, achievements and items. As well as festivals; Halloween, Lunar holiday, SAB.
I’m not seeing a content drought. New content may not be coming out at a rate you want but it’s been a steady release of new maps, story lines, events, achievements and items to get.
Be careful what you ask for
ANet may give it to you.
ANet may give it to you.
> Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Unfortunately the latter requires engineering resource, which would further delay development of expansion/living story/etc.
> The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
My post is not only about the complaint, but also about the “content drought”. The current “content drought” is readily apparent and mentioned by WoodenPotatoes and various GW2 caster that’s part of TeaTime.
Who, exactly, do you think would write/create these stories/comics? I’m confused by your repeated mention of ‘engineering resource(s)’. Do you imagine there are employees lazing around with nothing to do? That only the ‘engineering’ team works on in-game content? It would be the Narrative Team and the Art Team. I’m sure they are hard at work on in-game content that has a ‘story’ and ‘art’. I’m also convinced the social media managers and GMs aren’t paid to write stories or create comics; even if, by some chance, they had that particular talent. Perhaps, you were suggesting these employees create content in their spare time? Still, someone would need to vet it; again, using Dev resources.
Perhaps, OP, you could write some stories and create some comics and post them in the Community Creations sub-forum for all to enjoy. =)
Good luck.
The story line with the anomaly and new events tied to that. The bandits and new PvE bosses. The inquest story line and its events and achievements. Bloodstone crazed creatures. Transfer chaser. Caladbolg crafting story. Ember Bay and a story section (with achieves and new items to get). Rifts and anomalies. A Crack in the Ice with its new map, achievements and items. The Head of the Snake with its new map, story, achievements and items. As well as festivals; Halloween, Lunar holiday, SAB.
With the exception of SAB, everything else were from a month ago.
; Do you imagine there are employees lazing around with nothing to do? That only the ‘engineering’ team works on in-game content?
No, I work in the software industry. There is something call “critical path” in software projects, whereby any delay of it would cause a delay in delivery of the whole product. Engineering are generally on the critical path because they cannot be cut from the product (cause it is a software, duh). On the other hand, supporting elements of the product can be reshuffled. For example, for design resources, instead of creating new models for mobs, you can reuse existing ones.
Of course, Anet could’ve mis-allocated and it is the engineers who are lazing around currently. In that case, they can’t remedy their “content drought” in the way I suggested, but they should expect cleaner code and more features in the future.
(edited by voidvector.2780)
Um…okay.
Best of luck with your suggestion and the re-shuffling. =)
> Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Unfortunately the latter requires engineering resource, which would further delay development of expansion/living story/etc.
> The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
My post is not only about the complaint, but also about the “content drought”. The current “content drought” is readily apparent and mentioned by WoodenPotatoes and various GW2 caster that’s part of TeaTime.
Current content drought? https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Current_Events
The story line with the anomaly and new events tied to that. The bandits and new PvE bosses. The inquest story line and its events and achievements. Bloodstone crazed creatures. Transfer chaser. Caladbolg crafting story. Ember Bay and a story section (with achieves and new items to get). Rifts and anomalies. A Crack in the Ice with its new map, achievements and items. The Head of the Snake with its new map, story, achievements and items. As well as festivals; Halloween, Lunar holiday, SAB.
I’m not seeing a content drought. New content may not be coming out at a rate you want but it’s been a steady release of new maps, story lines, events, achievements and items to get.
Its commendable that the content comes on a steady stream but thats about it, it doesnt change the fact that this content is irrelevant after a day or 2.
> Some enjoy them, some feel the lore should be included in-game, rather than out.
Unfortunately the latter requires engineering resource, which would further delay development of expansion/living story/etc.
> The rest of your post assumes that those complaints are accurate.
My post is not only about the complaint, but also about the “content drought”. The current “content drought” is readily apparent and mentioned by WoodenPotatoes and various GW2 caster that’s part of TeaTime.
Current content drought? https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Current_Events
The story line with the anomaly and new events tied to that. The bandits and new PvE bosses. The inquest story line and its events and achievements. Bloodstone crazed creatures. Transfer chaser. Caladbolg crafting story. Ember Bay and a story section (with achieves and new items to get). Rifts and anomalies. A Crack in the Ice with its new map, achievements and items. The Head of the Snake with its new map, story, achievements and items. As well as festivals; Halloween, Lunar holiday, SAB.
I’m not seeing a content drought. New content may not be coming out at a rate you want but it’s been a steady release of new maps, story lines, events, achievements and items to get.
Its commendable that the content comes on a steady stream but thats about it, it doesnt change the fact that this content is irrelevant after a day or 2.
I would say that if it’s irrelevant after a day or 2 then it’s more irrelevant to the content locusts than the more casual players. There’s no way that any game can keep up with the players that do all new content in one day, including all achieves and getting all new items. Like all the vanilla maps it’s meant to be played long term. Not played through once fast and furious, never to return again.
In addition to the above comment from voidvector.2780 that the last was a month ago, well yes, they’ve said new releases of LS episodes will be every 2-3 months. Again, that might not be fast enough for you but it’s still a steady rate of release. New maps, items and story every 2-3 months is not a content drought.
Be careful what you ask for
ANet may give it to you.
ANet may give it to you.
I’m not seeing a content drought. New content may not be coming out at a rate you want but it’s been a steady release of new maps, story lines, events, achievements and items to get.
Honestly with how thin and quickly forgotten the new throwaway zones are, there is quite a drought. Yeah they’re coming out at a steady (if still slow) pace and omg omg omg new zones, but frankly the zone-modifying events in LS1 felt more “meaty” than the entire new zones we’re getting here.
The strength of heart to face oneself has been made manifest. The persona Carighan has appeared.
I’m not seeing a content drought. New content may not be coming out at a rate you want but it’s been a steady release of new maps, story lines, events, achievements and items to get.
Honestly with how thin and quickly forgotten the new throwaway zones are, there is quite a drought. Yeah they’re coming out at a steady (if still slow) pace and omg omg omg new zones, but frankly the zone-modifying events in LS1 felt more “meaty” than the entire new zones we’re getting here.
Buuuut….How can you feel like it is more meaty if you can’t access it anymore ? I mean it is not like if nobody was playing the new zones. Ember bay still people calling up on map chat for the different meta events, bloodstone fen still has players doing justiciar hablion and the anomaly at the end, Bitterfrost frontier still has players defending The kodan torch nodes and the same goes lake Doric. Casual players don’t farm the same map over and over ad nauseam to get it done the fastest way possible I would say.
Things don’t need to be permanent to feel like sensible and important elements of a MMORPG. That they were limited in time was part of what actually sold them as an actual, ongoing story. That’s a huge part of the atmosphere and impact already lost, now it’s just the usual amusement park full of attractions I can visit at my own pace, each so forgettable I can’t even remember the name the moment I exit.
The “there are still players in the map”-argument is also a bit flakey in regards to how the server architecture works. 10 players still being in the map is enough to make it “work”, simply because there’ll only be a single instance. Which is a big plus for GW2, as it means nearly-abandoned zones still function. As evident in this case I suppose. :P
However, the point is that there’s just no impact or weight to the new zones. If they weren’t permanent, they’d feel no different to me. They’re clearly theme park set pieces, designed to host and augment the current part of the living story, and that’s their purpose. And that’s all they do. They give you some additional vectors for rewards ofc, but nothing you would rely upon, same with the stat combinations (which, as a whole, aren’t a good element of the game to begin with).
The problem then is the time spent on these maps. Imagine how many zone modifications could be done with the same amount of artist/dev hours compared to creating a new zone from scratch. And those map modifications could very well be permanent, changing the face of Tyria. And moving the game world as a whole forward.
The strength of heart to face oneself has been made manifest. The persona Carighan has appeared.