Hey everyone (Especially ANet People),
I really do enjoy all the aspects of GW2, and I know people make suggestions for changes all the time. Stuff like housing, mounts, bringing SAB back, etc etc. While I would love to see some of these be implemented, I acknowledge that they take time and resources to design, test, and patch. Some things, however, should take very little time. Things like expanding on the rich and incredibly detailed lore that was so prevalent in the Original Guild Wars, but almost seems to have been passed over in Guild Wars 2. Here are a list of a few small, but meaningful things you could incorporate to better immerse players in Tyria.
Legendary Lore
Legendary weapons are BORING. There, I said it. They aren’t legendary, they’re flashy, and big, and way too difficult to get, but I digress. Legendary implies they have a story, a LEGEND that makes them so sought after. This can be SO easily fixed by simply hiding a few NPCs throughout the world (Maybe near the dungeons where you get the dungeon gift for the legendary) that tell you the story. As a Necromancer, I am currently aiming for Howler, so here’s my example, say, from a lone Centaur at the base of the Pale Tree:
“It was carved by Ventari himself from a broken branch of the Pale Tree’s sapling, under the light of a full moon. It is said he imbued it with the gifts of the Centaur Tribes that came before him, and that his magic protects its wielder in a bank of ancient Maguuma fog.”
Because even those 2 sentences gives that weapon the lore it needs to meld beautifully into the fabric of GW2 Lore. Imagine what Frostfang and Twilight could be!
Ascended Names
Okay, I’ll admit that I love ascended gear. I have full Morbach’s Armor, Two Mathilde’s Weapons, a Hronk’s Spire and a Razor of the Sunless. But, so do other people. While it doesn’t take as much work as the Legendary Weapons, Ascended Gear still holds so much lore, it’s one of the few things that connects deeply with the first game. Which is why we should be able to change the name of our Ascended Weapons (For a price of course). Say, for 1gold, you could go to an “Ascended Quartermaster” and name your weapon. For instance, my Mathilde’s Reaver transmuted to be a Tormented Axe would be named Abaddon’s Teeth. I’m sure a lot of other people would want to name their weapons too if you work that long for them.
NPCs and Lore
You have some great NPCs in Tyria, but so few of them really delve into the lore of the game. Most of them serve a set purpose (Or none at all) and nothing else. You have everything there already, you just have to tell us the stories. Make different merchants sell things at different prices, and have reasons why. Have Asuran Professors teach lessons on introductory subjects in the lower levels of Rata Sum. Fill the Durmand Priory with historians that tell stories from the original game and beyond, the Vigil Keep with soldiers training, each with their own stories about why they joined, and fill the Chantry of Secrets with vendors bearing contraband from Elona and beyond. Let Necromancers, Elementalists, Guardians, Thieves, Charr, Asura and more name their minions, similar to how a ranger does. I’ve longed to name my Bone Minions Snap and Crackle, then my Flesh Golem Pow. These are just a few things you could do in the massive and incredible world you’ve built.
You’ve already done so much, but each time you try only to expand on the lore of this game. Why not try to connect the two, as to better immerse every player in the story you’ve crafted for them? I’d love to hear everyone’s feedback on these ideas. I know there is some negative or apathetic stigma revolving RPers since the megaserver was introduced, but while this would be a goldmine for them, it would also be really cool for the rest of the players, and might help to get people more interested in the story and depth of Tyria.
Sincerely,
Professor Shibi