Guild Wars 2

Hey, awesome job relaying news to Reddit, and not your actual official forum, ANET.

lordkrall.7241:

So, here you have your comment about where SAB is:

Rinith’s reply is probably the closest description to the reality as of today where we stand with SAB. We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.
We’re all focused on expansion – both the announced details, and the un-announced details and simply can’t peel anyone off a team to work on it right now without it effecting expac. The two SAB worlds we’ve seen will return as we’ve said before, but simply put our focus right now is on making the expansion amazing

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3bqhaf/infinite_continue_coin/csoszn5

tl;dr It’s on the table.

skullmount.1758:

CrashTestAuto.9108:

lordkrall.7241:

So, here you have your comment about where SAB is:

Rinith’s reply is probably the closest description to the reality as of today where we stand with SAB. We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.
We’re all focused on expansion – both the announced details, and the un-announced details and simply can’t peel anyone off a team to work on it right now without it effecting expac. The two SAB worlds we’ve seen will return as we’ve said before, but simply put our focus right now is on making the expansion amazing

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3bqhaf/infinite_continue_coin/csoszn5

Umm… what does he mean “needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul”??? SAB has the best reward system in the game!!! The balance between “luck/money/farming” for blues and then “skill/dedication” for greens and yellows (which are just different colours, not qualitatively better than blues) was fantastic!

I’m with this guy. Why the kitten does SAB need a “solid rewards overhaul”? Its the best system in the game. If anything stuff like Teq and TT need to be overhauled so that they are more like SAB reward structure. Its like they try to kill SAB off, first with the “rework” to world 1 and the bauble changes, now this…

Because SAB doesn’t have rewards? Basically at all. The original release was pretty good, you got skins sometimes, but the second release was kind of trash.

My hope is that this rewards overhaul will make SAB a legitimate game feature. Meaning you can get xp and level just by playing SAB, and potentially earn gold from more than skin drops.

skullmount.1758:

CrashTestAuto.9108:

lordkrall.7241:

So, here you have your comment about where SAB is:

Rinith’s reply is probably the closest description to the reality as of today where we stand with SAB. We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.
We’re all focused on expansion – both the announced details, and the un-announced details and simply can’t peel anyone off a team to work on it right now without it effecting expac. The two SAB worlds we’ve seen will return as we’ve said before, but simply put our focus right now is on making the expansion amazing

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3bqhaf/infinite_continue_coin/csoszn5

Umm… what does he mean “needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul”??? SAB has the best reward system in the game!!! The balance between “luck/money/farming” for blues and then “skill/dedication” for greens and yellows (which are just different colours, not qualitatively better than blues) was fantastic!

I’m with this guy. Why the kitten does SAB need a “solid rewards overhaul”? Its the best system in the game. If anything stuff like Teq and TT need to be overhauled so that they are more like SAB reward structure. Its like they try to kill SAB off, first with the “rework” to world 1 and the bauble changes, now this…

What he might be alluding to is looking at the differences between what the rewards for SAB were originally and what they were for the second release (see wiki for details). Because at the time of that release they did get a decent amount of critique because of those differences. Especially because stocking up on continue coins became more laborious while Tribulation mode became a huge sink for them. In my opinion an entirely valid criticism, though thanks to the Infinite Continue Coin it got completely blown out of proportion.

I doubt they would change the requirements for skin acquisition of any type from SAB in any significant way (that is the single best part of SAB reward scheme, as in the skins are truly tied to skill sans the entry level rewards of course), if they did the salt would be real everywhere, from anyone who went through the Tribulation Mode.

The kind of things they might change include how Tribulation mode treats lives or the rate at which baubles can be earned, which while likely devaluing the blue skins (not a bad thing unless you are looking to cash in on the TP long term using them, which I think shouldn’t be something they should encourage) could make going for the Tribulation skins less of an exercise in living inside the box for the duration of the release window to farm baubles for higher possible number of attempts and more about actually getting through the Tribulation mode itself.

In short, not necessarily about making the rewards easier to get as much as them being more varied (see obi shards being removed from Moto’s selection for the second release, there is no reason why this should not be reverted for example and add some ascended mats there while you are at it) and allowing people to try for different rewards with lower barrier to entry (keyword being try, as this wouldn’t take away the skill required to get the hardest skins at all).

This is just my interpretation of this of course, but seeing as how on the ball the people involved with SAB were about not allowing access to Trib mode skins on someone the coattails of the effort of someone else I don’t see why that would have suddenly changed.

Kal Spiro.9745:

My hope is that this rewards overhaul will make SAB a legitimate game feature. Meaning you can get xp and level just by playing SAB, and potentially earn gold from more than skin drops.

I don’t think they should incentivize gold earning through the trading of the blue SAB skins any more than they have in the past to be honest. If they would make SAB more integrated in the overall reward structure of the game the opposite would be more likely.

For example (not that I think this exact approach is a good idea as is): treat normal mode runs bit like story mode dungeons (adding scaling daily account exp and currency rewards in addition to the inventory available through baubles as a currency of course) and Tribulation mode something like the explorable paths.

Look, if Anet isn’t going to work on SAB until after HoT is released, I get it. We get it. But, please, do us all a favor and give us a vendor next to Moto in Rata Sum where we can trade in our Baubles, Bubble Baubles, and (if possible) Continue Coins for Masterwork skins; those that are account bound on acquisition. That’s not too much to ask for because we have Festival Reward vendors in Lion’s Arch and Divinity Reach selling rewards for content that is no longer playable… at the moment.

Crise.9401:

Kal Spiro.9745:

My hope is that this rewards overhaul will make SAB a legitimate game feature. Meaning you can get xp and level just by playing SAB, and potentially earn gold from more than skin drops.

I don’t think they should incentivize gold earning through the trading of the blue SAB skins any more than they have in the past to be honest. If they would make SAB more integrated in the overall reward structure of the game the opposite would be more likely.

For example (not that I think this exact approach is a good idea as is): treat normal mode runs bit like story mode dungeons (adding scaling daily account exp and currency rewards in addition to the inventory available through baubles as a currency of course) and Tribulation mode something like the explorable paths.

If you’d read what I wrote and what you quoted, I’m specifically talking about getting gold from things other than skins. My point being, from playing the game, like fractals and dungeons. Like a real game mode.

SwanDive.8651:

Look, if Anet isn’t going to work on SAB until after HoT is released, I get it. We get it. But, please, do us all a favor and give us a vendor next to Moto in Rata Sum where we can trade in our Baubles, Bubble Baubles, and (if possible) Continue Coins for Masterwork skins; those that are account bound on acquisition. That’s not too much to ask for because we have Festival Reward vendors in Lion’s Arch and Divinity Reach selling rewards for content that is no longer playable… at the moment.

I agree, I’ve got a set of green and yellow tribulation rewards that I’d like to turn into an actual item skin, but I have no intention of buying the skins off the market. I don’t even want to use the skins, I just want to turn three used bank spaces into one, without deleting anything.

So before the physics changes they weren’t actively working on it because not many people played it the second time around(according to ArenaNet’s metrics)and now it’s because of physics changes?

Or nah?

Iason Evan.3806:

So before the physics changes they weren’t actively working on it because not many people played it the second time around(according to ArenaNet’s metrics)and now it’s because of physics changes?

Or nah?

They weren’t working on SAB during Season 2 “because it didn’t fit into the story.” After Season 2 ended it can be assumed that they had already moved three of the four living world teams to start work on the expansion. No SAB during the expansion life cycle because no resources.

lordkrall.7241:

So, here you have your comment about where SAB is:

Rinith’s reply is probably the closest description to the reality as of today where we stand with SAB. We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.
We’re all focused on expansion – both the announced details, and the un-announced details and simply can’t peel anyone off a team to work on it right now without it effecting expac. The two SAB worlds we’ve seen will return as we’ve said before, but simply put our focus right now is on making the expansion amazing

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3bqhaf/infinite_continue_coin/csoszn5

Well, at least we got a good official response on it. SAB Tribulation Mode remains one of the most challenging and awesome experiences I had in a video game, especially for an MMO~ My only real complaint was how long the final world was with being unable to save~ so I ended up spending around 8 hours scurrying through it without a guide of any sort in existence yet and sometimes afking~ major chunk of time was spent trying to get through the ice room with all the spikes and wind.

I also died to thousands of excessive Spike Traps in W2Z2 to the point of fearing random spikes outside of SAB… I still loved it overall and love my Storm Wizard weapons which feels more of an accomplishment than the Incinerator. The SB is far superior to the Legendary Shortbow and the Pistol skin will be unrivaled forever unless the new Legendary one is an intensely epic pew pew laser. Nothing else pews so how could it come close to it?

I never felt the need to ask for a Refund on Infinite Coin. I don’t blame them for prioritizing the Xpan over it just hopefully it has some rewarding and challenging experiences to come close to SAB. :P

I’m curious though of what exactly happened to the physics engine to cause SAB trouble? :o

Kal Spiro.9745:

Iason Evan.3806:

So before the physics changes they weren’t actively working on it because not many people played it the second time around(according to ArenaNet’s metrics)and now it’s because of physics changes?

Or nah?

They weren’t working on SAB during Season 2 “because it didn’t fit into the story.” After Season 2 ended it can be assumed that they had already moved three of the four living world teams to start work on the expansion. No SAB during the expansion life cycle because no resources.

Too bad it still won’t happen even once resources are freed up, since those resources will go to the next Living Story, and SAB “doesn’t fit into the story”.

It’s going to be at least three years at this point before SAB will even be considered to be worked on. ANet needs to bite the bullet and offer refunds on the continue coin since, despite their assurances, it’s very clear they’re not going to actually ever work on or find time for the Super Adventure Box.

Never forget. >.<

I’m glad we got a nice official answer, definitely makes me feel a bit better. But i wish they would put more of an importance on sab on the inside of anet :/ I too worry that once the expansion is out they will be too busy with living world season 3 to work on sab right now and then too busy on working on some feature patch or wvw tournament or pvp ladders. Maybe while we wait we can keep discussing things that we all want to see in sab, for instance like a game controller that when used teleports you to the hub world for whatever the captains airship was priced at when it was released.

TL;DR – SAB’s on hold because of changes made to the engine and focus on the expansion.

“We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.”

Source

Well, at the very least there is a silver lining – to that pixilated cloud far, far in the distance.

When SAB does resurface, it’s take on the newly built glider engine should be most entertaining.

My SO and I are ready:

TheDaiBish.9735:

TL;DR – SAB’s on hold because of changes made to the engine and focus on the expansion.

“We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.”

Source

Seriously how has the physic engine changed because of 2 new regions. People still jump the same distance and animations are still the same…

Xillllix.3485:

Seriously how has the physic engine changed because of 2 new regions. People still jump the same distance and animations are still the same…

Completely new movement skills?

Xillllix.3485:

TheDaiBish.9735:

TL;DR – SAB’s on hold because of changes made to the engine and focus on the expansion.

“We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.”

Source

Seriously how has the physic engine changed because of 2 new regions. People still jump the same distance and animations are still the same…

Physics are how objects interact with other objects. It defines what kind of unique interactions they make. One of the most significant things would be the Beetles which can only be attacks from one direction, and the Mordrem that cause roots that thrash and hurt you, but don’t effect your movement, and chance you as you try to avoid them. Some of the results of these important physics changes would be the Revenant skill that makes a reflecting shield which always faces the same direction as the Revenant.

SAB cheated the GW2 physics engine, it manipulated it in ways it was never meant to work. One of the most significant interpretations of that is actually baubles. It’s the first time that you could pick up an item and add it to your inventory by doing nothing but stepping on it. Since SAB stretched GW2 physics to the breaking point, changing how those physics work would have no choice but to break SAB.

If they’d only let me have a continue coin right now to make my Super Assassin mini, since SAB isnt coming back anytime soon. Its the only thing I’m missing from the recipe.

if we all close our eyes at the same time and wish realllllly hardddd….

Glad we got a real response this time, sad to know that basically with that statement, SAB more than likely won’t see a return for a very long time, it’s a plausible reason, a big reason, but I’m just not totally convinced it’s the whole truth either. Given how much time passed that they basically just scrapped SAB to the side to work on everything else, it really would not surprise me in the least if they continued to say the same. SAB was a side project, and it seems the physics part is a really annoying thing to deal with especially given it was a very small side project. Even after the next release, World 4 could be many more years later if they have to keep recoding and working everything to work again.

Though the tidbit about suggesting the entire studio is working on this xpack hopefully suggests theres far more to HoT than what has been mentioned

Nice to see a concrete reply. At least we know there is something concrete beside that “doesn’t fit with the living story”.

But i hope that by “rehauling the reward system” they don’t just mean making it work like the rest of the game. Even with the changes made in the second release, it is still the most fair reward system we’ve ever got ingame.
Get personal skins by effort, eventually get tradeable skins by being lucky, and get nice, non tradeable, not obtainable in other ways colored variants by being skillful.

And it took this long to get an honest, concrete reply because…er, why, exactly?

minbariguy.7504:

And it took this long to get an honest, concrete reply because…er, why, exactly?

Well., part of it may be that now they can actually refer to HoT as HoT rather than something totally ambiguous. Other than that, there probably wasn’t a strong need for them to say anything until the discussion picked up once more… I mean the reply isn’t exactly positive news (not negative either in that nothing has really changed, other than “no SAB before HoT” is basically set in stone now, but at least I wasn’t really expecting it before HoT, hoping maybe but not expecting).

The only one thing I’m can’t understand is why ANet cant select 2-3 programmers and tell them something like:
“Ok, guys you need to fix SAB. Here is old code, here – someone who created it earlier and you can ask whatever you want. Here is tonns of video, how it should work. You can just use other features to make it work. No falling damage? Grandmaster planner mastery. Dry leafs? Skyhammer power fields. Jumping mushrooms? HoTs jumping mushrooms, etc…”
Thay dont need to design levels, draw textures, place enemies and traps. Only thing thay should fix – SAB mechalics. Why Anet cant pick out 2-3 programmers from more then hundred programmers stuff? Dont think it would take more then few mouths to fix everething, if thay already have old code, fully designed levels and someone, who done it before.

Silvy.3816:

The only one thing I’m can’t understand is why ANet cant select 2-3 programmers and tell them something like:
“Ok, guys you need to fix SAB. Here is old code, here – someone who created it earlier and you can ask whatever you want. Here is tonns of video, how it should work. You can just use other features to make it work. No falling damage? Grandmaster planner mastery. Dry leafs? Skyhammer power fields. Jumping mushrooms? HoTs jumping mushrooms, etc…”
Thay dont need to design levels, draw textures, place enemies and traps. Only thing thay should fix – SAB mechalics. Why Anet cant pick out 2-3 programmers from more then hundred programmers stuff? Dont think it would take more then few mouths to fix everething, if thay already have old code, fully designed levels and someone, who done it before.

Because 2-3 programmers out of a total of probably around 50 (at most) is a rather large chunk of programmers?
There is of course also the fact that programmers specialize in different things. Just because you are a programmer doesn’t mean you will be able to do every single thing related to coding for example.

Silvy.3816:

The only one thing I’m can’t understand is why ANet cant select 2-3 programmers and tell them something like:

It is not a matter of, “can’t.”

Of course they could if they so desired.

The reality of the matter is differing priorities. Anet has placed a higher priority on whatever those 2-3 programmers are currently working on than they have on SAB.

If only there were some way to change anets priorities about sab :/

Therodin.2970:

If only there were some way to change anets priorities about sab :/

There honestly probably isn’t, it is quite probable that when it comes back it will likely be in the same boat as it was when it initially released.

In other words, it will likely have to make its case again to guarantee further development as Colin was very careful in his recent statement to not make any commitments beyond the things we have already seen of SAB, aside from some potential reworks for rewards and W2. This of course doesn’t touch on the matter of availability, because since they sold the Infinite Continue Coin that created much controversy at the time, it is in their best interests to make SAB at least scheduled recurring, if not permanent (one can hope, right?), content even if no future worlds will be developed for it, if it happens to “tank” again.

Just being realistic here.

I don’t care if it’s not illegal, it’s absolutely shameful to deny refunds to people who bought the infinite continue coin, at this point. When they sold it, it had been released twice in a 5 month period, so it had the expectation of happening at least once or even twice a year. In 3 months, it’ll be 2 years since the last time SAB closed.

Guhracie.3419:

I don’t care if it’s not illegal, it’s absolutely shameful to deny refunds to people who bought the infinite continue coin, at this point. When they sold it, it had been released twice in a 5 month period, so it had the expectation of happening at least once or even twice a year. In 3 months, it’ll be 2 years since the last time SAB closed.

While you have my sympathies, if you have (recently) tried to get a refund and they said no then your options are quite limited. You can try making your case again, being nice but persistent often helps even when you don’t feel like being nice, but if that doesn’t work your only option is to look into your local legislation about consumer protection, specifically in regards to digital sales.

I have no insights for US in this regard, but for EU your best bets are laws originating from the European Union or laws that have parallels in the UK in particular as European sales are handled by NCSoft in the UK.

Has everyone given up hope of the SAB returning? Are we done with those types of events? Been six months or so since I’ve been active (I quit specifically because stuff like this wasn’t addressed).

From several days ago:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3bqhaf/infinite_continue_coin/csoszn5

“We’ve made a number of changes to the physics engine as a result of places like Silverwastes, Dry Top, and the expac that means we need to go back and re-work SAB to use all the new movement systems. It also needs a pretty solid rewards overhaul, and I know Josh would love to make some changes to world 2 before it returns.

We’re all focused on expansion – both the announced details, and the un-announced details and simply can’t peel anyone off a team to work on it right now without it effecting expac. The two SAB worlds we’ve seen will return as we’ve said before, but simply put our focus right now is on making the expansion amazing"

If it comes back I hope it’s not limited.

Poor sab 15 length

So I was poking around some old files on my system, and ran across a few songs from the super adventure box. Now I want to play the Super Adventure Box again.

Anet please bring back SAB soon!!! I love playing it and cant wait to get back in and see what you guys do with it again.

Get ready to be merged into a megathread so they don’t have to see this over and over.

For the record, I’m with you though. I paid for the infinite continue coin and was totally scammed. They don’t care though.

i recall reading something credible about a physics system overhaul at around the time of the silverwastes’ launch which means that it requires a lot more work than simply ticking the ‘activate’ checkbox. I also believe it was specifically stated that we wouldn’t see anything new there until HoT dropped.

OTOH, the box itself hasn’t budged and iirc correctly the loading screens implied there would be a lot more worlds than just 2, so while it might take a while yet, you can fully expect it to return… Someday™

if they offer refund for the coin = death of SAB

No SAB until HoT and even then who knows when ANet finds it “appropriate” to release SAB again… Probably not before the second xpac.

I say, just kittening take Josh, bind and gag him (but his littlefingers have to be mobile so he can work), slap him on a chair in the deepest and darkest basement anet has and make him finish all 4 SAB worlds. Then take them, put them together, slap a, I don’t know, 30e price tag on it, and MAKE IT A kittenING STANDALONE GAME.
You’ll see people flocking to buy it. Imma bet by left buttcheek.

As much as i also want a refund for the continue coin, i also agree that if they do that it will be the death of sab.

I wanted to write a really long semi-negative comment, but I feel like you wouldn’t care. Please bring SAB back. It’s been ages. Thanks.

Yoroiookami.3485:

I wanted to write a really long semi-negative comment, but I feel like you wouldn’t care. Please bring SAO back. It’s been ages. Thanks.

I felt like SAO had a pretty satisfying first season, the second season not as much so. It’s a pretty good analogy to SAB.

Kal Spiro.9745:

Yoroiookami.3485:

I wanted to write a really long semi-negative comment, but I feel like you wouldn’t care. Please bring SAO back. It’s been ages. Thanks.

I felt like SAO had a pretty satisfying first season, the second season not as much so. It’s a pretty good analogy to SAB.

SAO was pretty meh to me in both seasons. SAB was fun to me in both seasons.

Does it seem to anyone else like anet is struggling a bit after that last big patch? Not really in regards to SAB since them not working on it is not new, But just overall? That last patch released a lot of bugs which is not new but they seem to be taking longer to get fixed. I dont know, i just get the feeling that HOT is taking longer than they wanted it to.

Do you think SAB might become one of these adventures in the future? Maybe with highscores etc.
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/adventuring-forth/

I would love to compare my tribulation times with other players.