Guild Wars 2

Okay, not really hyped.
It was a bit underwhelming.

Which is a good thing. The others promised way too much. It`s a nice change of pace…
… if it weren`t for the finale.
Yeah, there is always something to nitpick.

Checklist of predictable things
- Shadow of the Dragon? check
- Pact attack on Mordrem-Plant? check
- “Heroes” standing heroic? check
- Re-used footage? check
- Namedrop? check
- Possible doom? check
- Caithe and Faolain have seen things? check
- We open the door? double check…

Unexpected things?
- “Ghostly Hero”
- “Jade Sea Sculpture”

So yeah. The interesting things in this trailer actually have nothing to do with Mordremoth.
In fact we get two bones thrown to us hinting at Cantha or Elona (Chrystal Desert in that regard).

How I love this teasing… (well, I get fed up at the moment. It`s getting annoying to be honest.)

Cliffhangers are fine if loose ends get tied up. If not, and they just throw more cliffhangers on the pile, then color me unimpressed.

I really want to be excited, but I jumped off the hype train. I hope they make me want to jump back on with this season finale.

Jaken.6801:

- We open the door? double check…

Read a bit back, that door has symbols on it found in the Crystal Desert.

If this was any other MMO I would say that all the signs in the video would lead to a full blown expansion in the Crystal Desert/Elona and Ascension. However this is GW2 so I reserve the right to be as negative as the policy has made me over the last year and say I have very serious doubts.

Sooo….it turns out this is the finale. I wonder what will be…and will not be…wrapped up.

Might be some interesting news coming later in the month, now.

I thought last years’ finale was exceptional and is a benchmark for how I will view this finale. The trailer also hasn’t excited me, but that’s probably because it hasn’t shown anything exciting or anything that indicates “finale”. Anything of value I suspect they are keeping locked away until release.

As a minimum, I hope all the loose ends are tied up completely. I enjoy GW2 more than any other MMO, but I tire of the loose plot ends and cliffhangers.

Beyond that, I’d hope for a new zone or two and a new boss (maybe even two). Wishful thinking I suspect on my part, but one can dream!

Guardian of Angels.9867:

Don’t believe it’s rurik, or he changed his armor when he was dead…

I dont know, it might make sense for it to be Rurik… Rytlock does have his sword…

He’s wielding a chaos sword, and he looks 99% like the Ghostly hero from GW1 – scroll a bit up and you’ll see a side to side comparison in attachment.

I saw just saying Rytlock has his sword…have no idea who the figure actually is…but if its Rurick, maybe he’ll tell us how a char ended up with his stuff.

So this is the last one of session 2?

BrotherBelial.3094:

So this is the last one of session 2?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe it’s the final episode for Season 2 yeah.

According to the GW2 homepage, it is the finale of Season 2, yes

Hylgeriak.8250:

erm that ghostly figure is Ogden Stonehealer dude…

New dragon, yeah! Though not Mordemoth…but hopefully a new world boss. That’d be great :-)

The ghost is human shaped and blue – almost all blue ghosts are Foefire ghosts. As said, that Dragon is not new, but the Shadow of the Dragon.

Guardian of Angels.9867:

Don’t believe it’s rurik, or he changed his armor when he was dead…

The ghost is wearing typical heavy Ascalonian armor (AC heavy), which a ghostly FDS by the looks of it.

Either Rurik or a royal guard. I doubt they’d bother making the same exact armor for what may a minor figure.

Jordo.5913:

why is no one talking about the sea wurm encased in Jade?

obviously a Jade Sea reference….we headed to Cantha?

That thing is in the Durmand Priory Basement during Hidden Arcana. The entire “research your enemy” clips come from the E5 preview of Hidden Arcana. At best it means we’ll be returning there.

No Cantha. At this point, Cantha is the Half-Life 3 of GW2.

I also believe it is the Ghostly Hero, with the ascension glyphs being a nice nod as well. The “ancient weapon” in the back of the room that you find in a box.

But mainly because of the small tidbit they forgot in the game before they patched it out, which is the Ghostly Heroes Throne:

Guardian of Angels.9867:

BrotherBelial.3094:

So this is the last one of session 2?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe it’s the final episode for Season 2 yeah.

Is it just me or did this season seem really short?

Zietlogik.6208:

I also believe it is the Ghostly Hero, with the ascension glyphs being a nice nod as well. The “ancient weapon” in the back of the room that you find in a box.

But mainly because of the small tidbit they forgot in the game before they patched it out, which is the Ghostly Heroes Throne:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekOuw_SRUUI

Pretty sure that was pointed out by lore people to be the teleporters that we used in the Crystal Desert in GW1.

Gardening gone wrong. Its Plants versus Zombies (Zombies lost, Zhaitan’s dead)!

The plant people aren’t happy. BEHOLD, its ART!

And then there was a fangry vine-dragon.

skullmount.1758:

Zietlogik.6208:

I also believe it is the Ghostly Hero, with the ascension glyphs being a nice nod as well. The “ancient weapon” in the back of the room that you find in a box.

But mainly because of the small tidbit they forgot in the game before they patched it out, which is the Ghostly Heroes Throne:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekOuw_SRUUI

Pretty sure that was pointed out by lore people to be the teleporters that we used in the Crystal Desert in GW1.

Pretty sure that doesn’t make it true, I still have GW installed, go into the Dunes of Despair mission, it is the exact same model, the teleporters are actually a different shape, and taller. They also include the 4 attunement nodes which are lacking here.

Teleporter: http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/File:Teleporter_(Crystal_Desert).jpg
Throne: http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/e/e2/Dunes_of_Despair_1_cinematic_still.jpg

“lore people” lol

So the camp is attacked by these vines we saw coming ? So an army is fighting in the desert for months and do nothing against it ?

To all those shouting “Ghostly Hero!”

I show you this:

(see attachment)

Chest, gloves, and boots are AC heavy armor. The helm looks like a slightly modified version of such.

My bet is on Rurik still, not the Ghostly Hero.

Also some lore for you folks on the Ghostly Hero:

In life, the Ghostly Hero was Turai Ossa. He believed himself to be a Chosen from the Flameseeker Prophecies and took his people on the Great Pilgrimage to the Crystal Desert to Ascend. He failed however, and was forced to act as a guide for the true Chosen to Ascend. However, once the true Chosen Ascended, he would be released from his mortal bindings, and allowed passage to the Hall of Heroes. This is why we see him in Tomb of the Primeval Kings later on.

Turai’s ghost – the Ghostly Hero – is no longer in Tyria and hasn’t been for 250 years.

Plus, what ties would Turai’s ghost have to the Durmand Priory (what’s in the background is the basement – so it seems we’re returning there)? It would make no logical sense.

Edit: Also, Zietlogik is right, that’s the Throne of Pellentia. Though why we have this is odd. And again, doesn’t make much sense.

Whatever it is, it’s closer in resemblance to the Ghostly Hero then to Rurik. Maybe they used AC parts but that helmet and pants are like 1-1 in looks.

That throne is more reason to believe it’s Turai / Ghostly – it doesn’t make sense, though it’s more then what we know about Rurik.

As he’s also in the priory archives, I’d say he’s summoned somehow to tell the heroes to get past the runed door. As which a guildie of mine claims they are “Sealing Runes” rather then specific for the Hall of Ascension.

Randulf.7614:

According to the GW2 homepage, it is the finale of Season 2, yes

I wonder what comes after. Chinese New Year, maybe?

Nick.6972:

Is anyone actually really hyped about this?
Maybe it’ll be an interesting story update, but hyped, don’t think given their track record, but hey, please arena net, prove me wrong.

Yes there are people really hyped about this. There are people who really enjoy the living story. There are people who don’t see Anet’s track record the same way you do.

I love how people are so vested in their own view, they assume other people all feel like they do, when there is obvious evidence to the contrary…such as, I don’t know, people actually saying they’re hyped. lol

Guardian of Angels.9867:

As he’s also in the priory archives, I’d say he’s summoned somehow to tell the heroes to get past the runed door. As which a guildie of mine claims they are “Sealing Runes” rather then specific for the Hall of Ascension.

throws in ‘wrong’ buzzer

To quote Matthew Medina!

“The three Ascension glyphs (along the with others in that “style”) are just ancient pictographs of the three areas you need to unlock to gain access to Augury Rock (Elona Reach, Thirsty River and Dunes of Despair). It would be safe to assume that the same forces who created Augury Rock/The Hall of Ascension created the “key” for unlocking it and the symbols that go with it."

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/User_talk:Matthew_Medina#Curious_about_a_few_runes

So not quite to the Hall of Ascension (this comment, btw, was the first time we got a name for the Hall of Ascension), but the three locations in the Crystal Desert tied to the Hall of Ascension.

Which calls into question: Why are they in the Silverwastes?

Potential lore blunder (again)? Perhaps!

Konig Des Todes.2086:

To all those shouting “Ghostly Hero!”

I show you this:

(see attachment)

Chest, gloves, and boots are AC heavy armor. The helm looks like a slightly modified version of such.

My bet is on Rurik still, not the Ghostly Hero.

Also some lore for you folks on the Ghostly Hero:

In life, the Ghostly Hero was Turai Ossa. He believed himself to be a Chosen from the Flameseeker Prophecies and took his people on the Great Pilgrimage to the Crystal Desert to Ascend. He failed however, and was forced to act as a guide for the true Chosen to Ascend. However, once the true Chosen Ascended, he would be released from his mortal bindings, and allowed passage to the Hall of Heroes. This is why we see him in Tomb of the Primeval Kings later on.

Turai’s ghost – the Ghostly Hero – is no longer in Tyria and hasn’t been for 250 years.

Plus, what ties would Turai’s ghost have to the Durmand Priory (what’s in the background is the basement – so it seems we’re returning there)? It would make no logical sense.

Edit: Also, Zietlogik is right, that’s the Throne of Pellentia. Though why we have this is odd. And again, doesn’t make much sense.

The legs are pitfighters and the helmet looks like splint helm.

I agree it looks like Ghostly Hero but the armor would lead me to believe it is an Ascalonian.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

So not quite to the Hall of Ascension (this comment, btw, was the first time we got a name for the Hall of Ascension), but the three locations in the Crystal Desert tied to the Hall of Ascension.

Which calls into question: Why are they in the Silverwastes?

Interesting.

The trailer was more ’ eh ’ to me. I was really hoping the teasers from the twitter account of rytlock and the trailer teasers would finally come together. I mean, how cool would’ve it been if rytlock was narrating, and it ended with him stepping forth with the ghost beside him.

I would’ve squeed like a girl >.>

Bolbo Baggins.8594:

The Sign on the wall at 0.50 is exactly the same as this one:

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/File:Elona_Reach_Tablet.jpg

Connections to augary rock, elona reach? Ascencian, the doppelganger? who knows

Good catch
Crystal Desert is the next region in the Expansion.

Take note of the SeaWurm at 0:45
thats the Crystal Sea aka Crystal Desert
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/cakeye/MargoniteMesmer2a.jpg
Margonite as the new Race
the new class will be called one of the following:
*Shadow Knight,
*Reaper,
*Ascendant,
*Patriarch

2hander Axe will be added as a new weapon in the game as well as
Land Spears either 1 handed or 2 handed.
http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/thumb/4/4e/Doppel_female.jpg/364px-Doppel_female.jpg

Man this is making me want to download GW1 now…

Serophous.9085:

The trailer was more ’ eh ’ to me. I was really hoping the teasers from the twitter account of rytlock and the trailer teasers would finally come together. I mean, how cool would’ve it been if rytlock was narrating, and it ended with him stepping forth with the ghost beside him.

I would’ve squeed like a girl >.>

i swear if i dont get my bowl of rytlock O´s the next patch i throw i kittenfit the likes the world has never seen before…

Point of no return means that the LW will no longer be returning. We’ll be getting an expansion instead.

Knighthonor.4061:

Bolbo Baggins.8594:

The Sign on the wall at 0.50 is exactly the same as this one:

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/File:Elona_Reach_Tablet.jpg

Connections to augary rock, elona reach? Ascencian, the doppelganger? who knows

Good catch
Crystal Desert is the next region in the Expansion.

Take note of the SeaWurm at 0:45
thats the Crystal Sea aka Crystal Desert
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/cakeye/MargoniteMesmer2a.jpg
Margonite as the new Race
the new class will be called one of the following:
*Shadow Knight,
*Reaper,
*Ascendant,
*Patriarch

2hander Axe will be added as a new weapon in the game as well as
Land Spears either 1 handed or 2 handed.
http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/thumb/4/4e/Doppel_female.jpg/364px-Doppel_female.jpg

Man this is making me want to download GW1 now…

You realize that ALL Margonites were killed off or re-imprisoned in the Realm of Torment by the end of Nightfall, right? This was the entire plot behind the Domain of Anguish elite mission.

The only potential survivors would be The Lost and Apostate, both of whom are very, very, very much outliers in the fanatic group of Margonites.

Also, Margonites aren’t their own race. They were humans transformed into etheric demons by a mad god.

No, it just means we are getting new shoes.

BrotherBelial.3094:

Guardian of Angels.9867:

BrotherBelial.3094:

So this is the last one of session 2?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe it’s the final episode for Season 2 yeah.

Is it just me or did this season seem really short?

Nope, not just you: it was very very short and they sought to hide this by having very very long breaks in it. Still, its quality was greatly improved as opposed to season 1. If this is indeed the final episode, then I expect a break from LS until summer at least.

#justanetthings

BrotherBelial.3094:

Guardian of Angels.9867:

BrotherBelial.3094:

So this is the last one of session 2?

I’m not 100% certain, but I believe it’s the final episode for Season 2 yeah.

Is it just me or did this season seem really short?

yes and no.

Yes in that season 1 took a year and 2 months to fully play out while season 2 took just 5-6 months

No in that season 2 episodes where an average size of 4-5 season 1 episodes as such season 2 had a lot more story content. 29 “episodes” vs 18 “episodes” without counting the last episode. not sure if episodes is the right word here but well its the best one I can think that describes each individual story we had in this season of the living story.

People wanted a more fast paced release then we had in season 1 and Arenanet obliged. Everything has a cost though. Naturally if you condense stuff it will last longer and because of the higher amount of content they were not able to consistently keep up the bi-weekly release for all of season 2 which is why we had a break in the middle of it I guess.

I’m just wondering how many seasons it will take to kill one dragon. It’s been 2 now and we sure as hell are not taking down Mordremoth anytime soon, judging from the trailer that it will trash Camp Resolve in the next update.

Rytlock is the new bass player for Kansas.

I really do hope the next episode will resolve the (way too numerous) cliffhangers from LS2 (if not, we can say their storyteller is quite bad).

I’m quite reserved regarding what’s coming next, especially at and after PAX (a 2-month break?), but a tiny part of me is hyped because if they didn’t put their full potential into work these two years, logically they can only have been working on something so massive we will all faint (or just something massive that will make us say “GG ANet”). I really do hope we finally see something expansion-like (even if it’s as they first planned it to be: tiny updates that would bring content on a regular basis), because we’re stuck in 1325AE (and a bit in 1327), and I wouldn’t mind going on a trip somewhere else than good ol’ Tyria.

I just hope that, unlike Zhaitan, it won’t take 100+ years to kill Mordremoth… And every other dragon each century…

• Caithe join the Nightmare Court.
• She use the egg to make a new, revamped Shadow of the dragon.
• We get a new teq/wurm-like event.
• NPCs won’t shut the kitten up
• Our character stare at the void wondering how magnets work

By the way, no Rytlock in the trailer, despite of being teased earlier in his new armor…

now speculation time….. muhahhaa
For those who havent played the living story yet… beware spoilers beyond this point

well seems to me like there have been a truckload of hints pointing to the crystal desert down to at least the realm of torment.

- Statue of Abaddon
- The teleporter that appears when you first get into the hidden arcana library.
- The diagram on scarlet’s wall looking almost identical to the realm of torment
- The ascention glyphs as Bolbo Baggins points out
- The 3 glyphs are further more sided by two serpentine creatures which might indicate a link to the forgotten
- Glints lair
- As VergilDeZaniah and lordkrall pointed out that ghost in the teaser looks a lot like Turai Ossa

All hints point to the crystal desert going down to at least the desolation (due to the realm of torment)

My only issue is the story is technically taking us exactly in the opposite direction. We’re hunting mordy and the dude is actually deeper in the maguuma wastes not down towards the crystal desert.

Only thing that I can think off tying the two together is our old pal Rythlock. What if the ritual he did trying to vanguish the ascalonian ghosts actually opened a portal into the realms of torment. Perhaps the ritual didnt fail, perhaps the ritual actually was in order to access the focus that would allow rythlock to vanguish the ghosts and that focus might reside right inside the realms of torment. I mean the realm of torment is where the evil twisted individuals get banished right and who more would qualify for the honor then King Adelbern. Though strictly speaking he is in the ascalonian catacombs bound to the land by the foefire. Who knows perhaps the spell freed him? or maybe they’re actually existing in both worlds who knows? if thats the case however the ghost may very well be Rurik

ohh man so many possibilities!
is it possible all this will be answer in just 1 more living story release?

Galen Grey.4709:

snip

True that we’ve been going to the “wrong side”, yet remember that Maguuma Jungle also includes Sparkfly Fen, Mount Maelstrom, and Labyrinthine Cliffs. Also, I’ve been pointing for a long time that, in Mount Maelstrom, in the lower right side of the map (Judgement Rock), there is a portal going straight to Crystal Desert (same goes for the Desert Gate in Fields of Ruin, Blackwing Excavation).

This “expansion” of land has been called since the release of the game, and the last LS2 episodes only reinforce the idea that in a close future we will be walking in the sand of the Crystal Desert. From there, it’s quick and easy to assume that Palawa Joko might be the main focus of our next arc.

Tom Gore.4035:

By the way, no Rytlock in the trailer, despite of being teased earlier in his new armor…

To be fair Rytlock have been teased for months, even before multiple other Episodes that said nothing at all about it.

Looks like another cliffhanger

Rebound.3409:

Looks like another cliffhanger

well like I said, if the signs are true and we are indeed going towards the crystal desert Rythlock might actually be the catalyst to get us there.

Its entirely possible whatever they plan as large scale updates be that an expansion or some other form of content distribution will take place in the crystal desert area and they will use Rythlock to get us there.

That would leave the Mordremoth issue though thats actually happened on the other opposite side of Tyria (the continent not the world) Could they plan to expand the world starting starting from the crystal desert and at the same time season 3 would get us deeper in the Maguuma waste and the fight against the nature dragon?

I dont know, its awesome and weird at the same time. Cant wait to see what happens next

Why does everyone keep droning on about the Crystal Desert? Yes, I’d love to go there, but we’re in the Maguuma Wastes, that’s an entirely different desert on the opposite side of the continent!

Rebound.3409:

Looks like another cliffhanger

Based on a minute-long teaser? Really?

Short question to you guys:

I didn’t play the Living Story Season 2. My question is, can I play this last episode without completing the previous five episodes?

Yes, you can (and it is 7 episodes before not 5).

lordkrall.7241:

Yes, you can (and it is 7 episodes before not 5).

Oh, my bad. Thank you for the clarification, lordkrall.

Mental Paradox.3845:

Why does everyone keep droning on about the Crystal Desert? Yes, I’d love to go there, but we’re in the Maguuma Wastes, that’s an entirely different desert on the opposite side of the continent!

because plenty of hints point in that direction but like we’re saying yes you’re right seems unlikely the story in a single episode would twist itself enough to lands right across the other side of the continent. Yet at the same time too many things are pointing that way for it all to mean nothing.