Guild Wars 2

While it is true that the Lost Shores mini expansion added a new tier of equipment, and an annoying grind method of acquiring that equipment, I am really tired of seeing post after post, thread after thread, complaining about how ArenaNet has abandoned their manifesto and their design philosophy, or how they have lied to the players.

In the first place, ArenaNet is a company, and like all companies it is made up of people, and like all people, they are inclined to make mistakes from time to time. So unless you’ve never done something stupid in your entire life, lay off! It’s one thing to give constructive criticism and feedback to let them know you think they’ve made a mistake in some of their decisions, but it is entirely something else to call them liars! And in the second place, please, for the love of Pete, please read their official responses at https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/info/news/A-message-from-our-Studio-Design-Director-Chris-Whiteside and https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/info/news/Chris-Whiteside-on-the-Lost-Shores-and-Beyond. I’ve seen more than a few posts complaining about how ArenaNet hasn’t responded to player concerns… well check again, because they responded right away! And then they responded some more.

The simple fact of the mater is, that while the current method of acquiring Ascended gear is an annoying grind, they have stated quite clearly that they will be implementing additional ways to get Ascended gear. They have also stated quite clearly that Ascended gear is not a step towards vertical gear progression, but was intended to be an intermediate step between Exotic and Legendary gear to make a more manageable progression regarding a stat gap. They have also quite clearly stated that they do not intend to introduce additional tiers of gear on a regular or frequent basis.

The short of it is this: every single post that says they have lied to us about wanting a no-grind game, or that they have turned their backs on their own manifesto, or that Ascended gear is ruining the game, are all just plain wrong. ArenaNet could have made some better decisions regarding their initial choice for method of acquisition, and they probably should have introduced a minimum of two possible methods right from the start, instead of just one, so those of us who hate dungeon crawls don’t have to try and grind a fractal dungeon crawl. But to say that they have turned their backs on their own philosophy, or on their players, is simply not reflective of all the facts. I cannot help but feel that most such posts, if not all, are posted by people who have failed utterly to pay attention to the tools the company has put in place for us to get direct feedback from the company itself.

I’m amazed at how many people have said they’re going to stop playing just because the game isn’t flawlessly perfect even though it’s only 3 months old, or because they don’t like a single design descision. Name me one MMO that has ever been so good that it didn’t need significant adjustments and changes after initial release, or even after a full year! Every MMO I’ve ever played — from EverQuest to Asheron’s Call, from WoW to GW1 to GW2, to over 50 Free-to-Play titles across multiple genres — every single one of them has had balance issues. Character balance, gear balance, and economics are the BIGGEST challenges faced by MMO developers, and always have been. If you think it’s so easy to make a well-balanced game, then go make it. If you succeed, you’ll be a legend overnight, and filthy rich within a year.

My suggestion to the players. Before you complain any more, try looking through the tools that we have to track what the devs are actually saying to us. Read through the News and Announcement section of the forums. Check out the Dev Tracker and see what has actually been said within actual threads. Stop complaining about how the company never responds to our concerns, and start actually looking for those responses. They have more important things to do with their time than to reply on every other page of every thread complaining about something. I for one would rather have them spend that time making changes to improve the game rather than wasting it posting the same thing 50 times just because the players refuse to read what has already been posted.

My 2cp.

You have your bias as others have thiers.
If you actually read the statement and compare to what is implemented you would realize that it is actually full of absolute contradictions.

Did you ever stop to realize that if there are that many people complaining that maybe, just maybe there is an issue.

I dont care if you like it or not. It wont go away so get use to it. And complaining about the complaints isnt helping either.

Simply saying everything is perfect and nothing is wrong will get no one anywhere and will kill this game faster than tor.

I dont share everyone’s viewpoint on most issues in game but they bought it and have a right to have that say. This is the venue for that. If you cant handle that I would suggest you not frequent the forums.
PS If they gave an actual answer to the issue then people would lay off.

Drake Phoenix.6158:

My suggestion to the players. Before you complain any more, try looking through the tools that we have to track what the devs are actually saying to us. Read through the News and Announcement section of the forums. Check out the Dev Tracker and see what has actually been said within actual threads. Stop complaining about how the company never responds to our concerns, and start actually looking for those responses.

I’m pretty sure that most of us are very aware of those announcements. Personally, I have read every one of them at least twice meanwhile, some even more than that.

The problem is, it still doesn’t make sense to me how the introduction of this new gear with new stats does not contradict previous quotes and official statements. Unless those are just not valid anymore from one day to the next.

People want an explanation and a real statement that addresses what our concerns are about. Being able to know what the whole deal about the game is now, so we can at least decide to leave the game and forums for good because the game has taken on another direction.

Right now there is still hope that maybe all of this is really just a bad dream and only a huge misunderstanding. But we don’t know.
I also don’t really understand why a Q&A session instead of an official statement here on the forums. There is already a lot of mistrust among players that got disappointed and feel betrayed, what if questions about these issues will just get censored or ignored on the Q&A the same way we feel ignored already? Or if we only get vague answers all over again that don’t really tell us anything? Well, I guess we won’t know before monday.

I already mentioned it in another post, but one of the things that confuses me the most is that initially it was said that this new gear and progression was supposedly implemented “due to player feedback”, but now noone seems to be willing to deal with the feedback they are actually getting from players in response.

I never read too many complaints about a lack of stat gear progression on these forums before. Some of course, sure, but a relatively small amount compared to all the rest of topics on here. But it was reason enough to add a new idea of progression into the game, even if it contradicts things that were supposed to be the game’s philosophy before?
Now feedback on that move speaks volumes, but what is the consequence, is there any at all? We all wonder.

Everybody is allowed to be frustraded at something. so I have nothing wrong with you frustration.

However,
“They have also stated quite clearly that Ascended gear is not a step towards vertical gear progression, but was intended to be an intermediate step between Exotic and Legendary gear to make a more manageable progression regarding a stat gap.”

I’m not sure exactly what your implying here with ‘stat’ gap, but a legendary and exotics never had a stat gap. If implying that a Legendary will gain stats because of Ascended gear, then why introduced Ascended gear?

Anyways, I have already made a long post about this if you want to read.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/A-pregressive-question-of-why/first#post829780

I’m glad they are adding free content every month, not too concerned with the new gear. As soon as they allow us to get it with karma, it will be no harder than exotic. The gear right now is not really that much of a grind. Keep up the good work Anet, excited to see what is in the December update!

Yeah seeing all the complaints of the forums and nothing, but complaints is really depressing… There was 1 thread that talked about quaggans… that was it.

In my opinion, the forum climate has improved already since three days ago. I believe that some people have vented their opinions, calmed down and have continued playing.

This situation is still very toxic, though, because it is very taxing to read post after post by people who are religiously fanatic about the truth of their opinions.

Opinions are not truths.

The game is not ruined, just because someone believes it is.
There is no vertical gear progression, with tier upon tier of better quality items after ascended items, just because someone says they can see where things are going.
Everything ArenaNet says from now on is not automatically a blatant lie, just because someone believes that ascended items run counter to their MMO manifesto.

If it is up to these people, there is no need to wait and see what happens, because they tell us that they, in their infinite wisdom, already know that ArenaNet, Guild Wars 2 and all its players are doomed for all eternity.

I need to get away from this forum, but I thank you for your words.

Narkosys.5173:

I dont care if you like it or not. It wont go away so get use to it.

ANet on Ascended gear.

Hi everyone,

Please refrain from opening thread that are simply a rant or a complain with no constructive discussion.

We are closing this thread. Thanks for your understanding