Guild Wars 2

I feel like they should keep all maps in-game and have them dynamically change based on your current toon’s progression in the story.

Einlanzer.1627:

I feel like they should keep all maps in-game and have them dynamically change based on your current toon’s progression in the story.

They wont because it would instantly slice out new players, and those that dont have much story completion on a given character, from the rest of the community.

Endless Soul.5178:

Thorfinnr Sleggja.1209:

may not be best…but include the one at the top of the new lighthouse in your tour…and then try the dive off the top…have fun!

I agree, the lighthouse. Plus that dive afterwards. There was some serious pucker factor!

I died a horrible, gruesome death on that dive. Just didn’t jump out quite far enough…..missed it by that much!

Nah, you can keep the old Lion’s Arch…I never thought much of it, even before Scarlet destroyed it.

Old maps or maps that you no longer can get into should be tired into guild halls so parts of old ls should become guild hall maps. All of this in the long run mind you.

How about making fractal levels that are based around the battles of old LA?

I’ve suggested this in different ways in other threads, but it would be great if LS1 battles made a comeback as fractals.

This would surely be a win-win? More end-game content, revisiting LS1 and being able to revisit previous versions of maps for sentiment… It would make sense lore-wise.

Here are some reasons why I don’t think old LA should be accessible:

-Results in splitting the community, many will buy the pass and regularly disappear off to a different version of LA. New LA instances will be less populated.

-Doesn’t make sense lore-wise. The only tech I can think of that would allow this would be Fractal Technology, but I don’t think this extends further than that lab.

-Similarly, I don’t think A-net want to confuse timeline more than they can avoid. It affects the overall “feel” of the game.

-Building on this, devs have made a point in adding large, meaningful, permanent changes to the world to improve immersion and empathy for the cause. Adding the ability to access old LA could undermine the response achieved from rebuilding it. If there is anything similar to this in the future, a large response would be “I don’t really care, we still will be able to access the previous version anyway…”

-I’m not sure how technically possible this would be. Currently, everything is placed on the map somewhere. Where would the old LA be stored?

-Considering that it would be another very large map to maintain, it could be costly for them. Bugs will happen on such a map, just like everywhere else. Is it worth their while?

Gaile Gray.6029:

The best part.

Well, in my opinion.
And that of a certain amphibian friend o’ mine.

I thought of you as soon as I wandered in there last night

that would be really cool – I would probably buy that, I never got to see the old Lion’s Arch and I’m sure it was also awesome

Great reply, Crimson Clouds.4853 and thanks for your insights! They were all very well thought out. Here are my responses:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

Here are some reasons why I don’t think old LA should be accessible:

-Results in splitting the community, many will buy the pass and regularly disappear off to a different version of LA. New LA instances will be less populated.

So do the Airship’s Pass and the Terrace Pass. Also, remember that the population is already split between shards very frequently. There’s no difference between 4 versions of Lion’s Arch and 3 of Lion’s Arch and one of Old Lion’s Arch.

-Doesn’t make sense lore-wise. The only tech I can think of that would allow this would be Fractal Technology, but I don’t think this extends further than that lab.

The entrance can technically be in Dessa’s lab the same way the entrance to the Airship is technically Gendaran fields.

-Similarly, I don’t think A-net want to confuse timeline more than they can avoid. It affects the overall “feel” of the game.

They’ve already botched that terribly. I stopped playing for while when the story was in the middle of Frost and Flame. When I came back, nothing made sense. I didn’t even attempt to do any living world events until I could purchase the entirity of Season Two. I was put out when I did, however, because “who the hell are these people and where is Destiny’s Edge? QQ” i don’t think Old LA would be any more confusing than the Uncatagorized Fractal or the ones with Scarlett.

-Building on this, devs have made a point in adding large, meaningful, permanent changes to the world to improve immersion and empathy for the cause. Adding the ability to access old LA could undermine the response achieved from rebuilding it. If there is anything similar to this in the future, a large response would be “I don’t really care, we still will be able to access the previous version anyway…”

Too much change and no one cares about the world either. As mentioned above, I don’t give a rat’s kitten about Rox or Braham because I didn’t have Season One to grow to know them.

I DO agree that loss can be a way of making people care more but after Season One people are fatigued. So many experiences and items that have been permanently removed that their loss feels more like a gimmick than anything… like Arenanet is making it all “HEY THIS MIGHT LEAVE AT ANY MOMENT SO YOU HAVE TO LOG IN NOW.”

I don’t think they’d keep Old LA inaccessible because of qualms about wanting us to ‘experience the now’. Rather, I think they justify event and item removals using that ‘live in the moment’ mantra while, in reality, they are just creating an artificial scarcity and the rat race that coincides. They do it with the BLTC… why wouldn’t you believe they do it in other aspects of their games?

-I’m not sure how technically possible this would be. Currently, everything is placed on the map somewhere. Where would the old LA be stored?

Far off the viewable edge, the same way the fractal maps are stored.

-Considering that it would be another very large map to maintain, it could be costly for them. Bugs will happen on such a map, just like everywhere else. Is it worth their while?

It’s no different than adding another zone. They are maintaining Rata Sum and DR and all that just fine. It’s actually BETTER than adding another zone because the whole area has been QAed. It was in live for two years and the bugs have already been fixed. It;s not like it’s a brand new battleground map with potential game-breaking exploits.

I just want to say thank you, Arenanet.
The new Lion’s Arch is so beautiful. I spent hours exploring all the details of this wonderful place. It reminded me of the first time I explored the other cities, expecially Divinity’s Reach, nearly 3 years ago. Thank you for these wonderful experiences.

I can’t wait to explore all the little details in Heart of Thorns, keep up the good work!

Much love,
Luy

I’m fine with not having access to the old version any more but have no deep feelings one way or the other. I’m responding to one part, though: the DR and Airship passes don’t split the player base because when you’re in one of those you’re still in the surrounding zone’s map chat. Since maps are big enough you can’t directly see everyone anyway, the fact that someone’s in one of those doesn’t impact your participating in discussion with them, and they can hop out reasonably fast if there are map events to deal with.

Donari.5237:

I’m fine with not having access to the old version any more but have no deep feelings one way or the other. I’m responding to one part, though: the DR and Airship passes don’t split the player base because when you’re in one of those you’re still in the surrounding zone’s map chat. Since maps are big enough you can’t directly see everyone anyway, the fact that someone’s in one of those doesn’t impact your participating in discussion with them, and they can hop out reasonably fast if there are map events to deal with.

:) Then perhaps they could have a shared map chat between the two instances?

Even if not, remember that LA is often split into various shards already. There’s no difference between 4 versions of LA and 3 of LA and one of Old LA.

they should bring the old one back as 2nd overflow

Taxidriver.2043:

they should bring the old one back as 2nd overflow

Now that WOULD be confusing. People trying to just go to new LA and ending up in old LA instead of New LA Overflow would be like “wut?”

But thank you, I forgot what overflow was called. I was calling it “shards.” Oops.

People are concerned that splitting the population between a New and Old LA would make it feel empty but remember, we already have multiple overflows. Even if just one Overflow was replaced by Old LA (which you could only enter if you chose to), there’d not be a change to how populated the game feels.

Didn’t they change the personal story instances to now use the older maps?

Ayrilana.1396:

Didn’t they change the personal story instances to now use the older maps?

As mentioned in the PS part of my OP, Old LA is featured in personal stories did but personal stories are not repeatable so my toons can not return. Even if they could, however, the instances set in old LA are not the same as the city. As you probably know from your quests, the “map” is just a small fragment of the whole, not explorable and lacking interaction.

Am I the only one that thinks of Lion’s Arch in Guild Wars 1 when people mention “Old Lion’s Arch?”

Just amazing. I typed up this long message but then realized it was probably all said already. I will say though, my favorite part is there are hints of every race all over the city now unlike before where it was all human architecture.

ty for my now fav city in GW2!!

Alice.5360:

Ayrilana.1396:

Didn’t they change the personal story instances to now use the older maps?

As mentioned in the PS part of my OP, Old LA is featured in personal stories did but personal stories are not repeatable so my toons can not return. Even if they could, however, the instances set in old LA are not the same as the city. As you probably know from your quests, the “map” is just a small fragment of the whole, not explorable and lacking interaction.

Yeah. I made a suggestion to allow players to replay those story steps like we can for all of LS season 2. I figured after that then someone could suggest that they extend the story area in the LA instance to include the whole map.

Ayrilana.1396:

Alice.5360:

Ayrilana.1396:

Didn’t they change the personal story instances to now use the older maps?

As mentioned in the PS part of my OP, Old LA is featured in personal stories did but personal stories are not repeatable so my toons can not return. Even if they could, however, the instances set in old LA are not the same as the city. As you probably know from your quests, the “map” is just a small fragment of the whole, not explorable and lacking interaction.

If that ends up being the best they can offer, I’d take it. It’s not an ideal solution but I can’t complain.

Yeah. I made a suggestion to allow players to replay those story steps like we can for all of LS season 2. I figured after that then someone could suggest that they extend the story area in the LA instance to include the whole map.

Loving the Lighthouse

forum bug, un bugging

As a bonus consideration- the fact that they still have old LA present in the LS gives me hope that this suggestion isn’t beyond reach. The data is there, just let us enter it with our toons!

The new Lions arch feels a bit too spacious. It feels really empty at certain places but over all I do like the art style of this along with the older gw2 art style.

I just finished the Karka event and the Trolls revenge jumping puzzle.
I love the look/ feel of the new Lions Arch.

/applauds the artists

Teon.5168:

I died a horrible, gruesome death on that dive. Just didn’t jump out quite far enough…..missed it by that much!

Me too…

I like this new LA, so don’t take this as a negative…but I do miss the ships…the boats were part of the spirit of LA…a Pirate City…but now…not many boats left…I think Cobiah would be a little disappointed…I think its beautiful and way more functional…but I just miss the boats as buildings…

I hated LA in GW2. I was overjoyed when it got trashed. I love new LA. Though, it dose remind me of Stormwind in WoW. But it looks amazing.

Mosharn.8357:

The new Lions arch feels a bit too spacious. It feels really empty at certain places but over all I do like the art style of this along with the older gw2 art style.

The lack of a lion fountain in the plaza is really sad. It’s so empty and lifeless.

Love the Lions Arch, it is so gorgeous, although I have to admit, it has nothing to do with “Lions” and like someone else said. Seaworld is a better name for it

Only thing that bugs me is it doesnt feel very lifely.. Yes there is some npc life in it. npc moving and doing stuff. But for such a big city as this I would expect more life. Some areas feel clean and clear. Get some more npc in there to do their things and stuff.

ImLegion.4018:

Love the Lions Arch, it is so gorgeous, although I have to admit, it has nothing to do with “Lions” and like someone else said. Seaworld is a better name for it

Only thing that bugs me is it doesnt feel very lifely.. Yes there is some npc life in it. npc moving and doing stuff. But for such a big city as this I would expect more life. Some areas feel clean and clear. Get some more npc in there to do their things and stuff.

It is not Lions arch anymore.. It is Lobster Arch.

I support this message! DOOOOO EEEEEEETTT

I just thought of what if the final battle with Scarlet was a fractal XD or an instance raid hehe.

How about we get the real old Lion’s Arch? You know, the one from the original Guild Wars? That was a thousand times nicer than those huts built out of shipwreck.

But seriously, while I appreciate the reasoning behind it, any development time spent on making the old Lion’s Arch accessible would be a waste in my book. I love keeping things correct in the story’s chronology and having things for roleplayers, but the market would just be too niche.

The city looks nice much nicer then the original, nice aquatic/nautical theme to it. But can you please add more vendors/ crafting tables/ and banks. As it stands, and unless I am missing something there only seems to be one of each spread out all over the place making things very inconvenient. The forge alone should have craft tables, vendors, banks, and a tp merchant very close by for obvious reasons. Would appreciate more of these services, but otherwise the new LA is beautiful. Not at all the look I expected but I was pleasantly surprised, the game artists have been doing great work with all the new stuff.

Also please add more labeling on the map for npcs and stuff, for example Dungeon merchant shows up as “merchant” on map

Unloveableone.6082:

Lion’s Arch 3.0 looks amazing.
So amazing.
But it’s a real bummer that we can’t enter any houses like in DR or anything. But there are so many.
A small request, and not one that has to be done now.
But if you could at any point in the future, allow some of these buildings to be enterable?

You can enter some of the buildings near the wvw portals.. I am hoping though they fill them up with the needed NPC servcies we need near the wvw portals though since the area is useless now without them.

Instead of beds in that one building.. put crafting area for cooking, oils , crystals and stones.. Outside the buildings put armor repair, guild bank, guild services, reg bank, TP, merchants and move the staircase in between the wvw portals and push the portals closer together and then the area will be viable as a wvw rally center.

If they wanted to be really awesome they would give us a place to craft superior siege there too. ( If they found a way to make it not involving the mystic forge all the better)

I miss the lion statue. Giant octopi, lobsters and shells in a town called “Lion’s Arch” but no big lion statue? Fail. Plus many of the central parts are a little too beachy/tropical for my tastes.

The Black Lion vault (SE of the Mystic Forge) has a Black Lion NPC that when you talk to him opens up the BLTP,. But you can’t pick up any of your bought items/cash from sold items from him. A little confusing at first. It should be one way or the other. Either let us retrieve stuff from him, or don’t open up the BLTP when you talk to him.

For that matter, a few full-fledged BLTP agents spread around LA would be nice.

But I love that all the bridges are stone/concrete and I love Fort Marriner

I’m a fan of the new lion’s arch. It really doesn’t feel like Lion’s arch to me, but that’s okay.

Meadfreek.6789:

I miss the lion statue. Giant octopi, lobsters and shells in a town called “Lion’s Arch” but no big lion statue? Fail. Plus many of the central parts are a little too beachy/tropical for my tastes.

The Black Lion vault (SE of the Mystic Forge) has a Black Lion NPC that when you talk to him opens up the BLTP,. But you can’t pick up any of your bought items/cash from sold items from him. A little confusing at first. It should be one way or the other. Either let us retrieve stuff from him, or don’t open up the BLTP when you talk to him.

For that matter, a few full-fledged BLTP agents spread around LA would be nice.

But I love that all the bridges are stone/concrete and I love Fort Marriner

I find this a little jarring also, but take note that there is a lion statue in the Ft Marriner area. There’s just not one in the central piazza.

the new LA is AWESOME!, I am so glad those workers were working for so long…everything is polished and Beautiful…Very nice Work.!

The new city looks decent. But now it looks like any city in any other game. When I first entered Divinity’s Reach, I wandered around in it for an hour. I never saw another city in an online game that was as intricate, beautiful, and 3-dimensional. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but DR was so robust and filled with life (people, sounds, etc…), it was hard to take in all at once.

I was expecting more with Lion’s Arch., This was Arenanet’s chance to one-up Divinity’s Reach and blow the gaming world away again.

So here’s what you do:
Scarlett comes back from the beyond, she trashes the place again. And this time, we get a Lion’s Arch so “over the top” that it appears in non-gaming news articles.

Pros:
- Residential quarters are excellent
- Fort Marriner feels important rather just another haven.
- City feels larger overall.

Cons:
- The central area is far too open for me, feels empty.
- The sea creature buildings are not to my taste.
- Too many familiar features from old city removed; canals, merlions, buildings etc.

There’s too much to see in one day…

Moorookoo village is lovely! Be sure to visit the biggest structure there that’s full of the tadpols. Wait just a while and Peneloopee and Bloomanoo will sing a lullaby that’s the best Quaggan song in the game to date (at least in my opinion!)

This little hidden find is absolutely enchanting!

Peakitten.6412:

There’s too much to see in one day…

Moorookoo village is lovely! Be sure to visit the biggest structure there that’s full of the tadpols. Wait just a while and Peneloopee and Bloomanoo will sing a lullaby that’s the best Quaggan song in the game to date (at least in my opinion!)

This little hidden find is absolutely enchanting!

Yes, please reduce the cooldown on the quaggan lullabies!

signed/
entire community

Also thanks for all the quaggans running around and the tonic changes

Just wanted to say the art and design devs have done really well again – GW2 continues to be the prettiest MMO I’ve played. Has some Luxon inspiration which is a nice nod to the old game.

Good job – also enjoyed the jumping puzzle, was great.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/The-New-Lion-s-Arch-Feedback-merged

Love the new Lion’s Arch, absolutely amazing ^^
The only missing things in this beautiful city are:
- Repair station near the fractal portal
- The fractal dungeon indicator in the map (the mini door dungeon style)
Olny this 2 add and it will be perfect

(The fractal portal is quite hidden now if you get in map for the first time)

As a new/returning GW2 player, I enjoy the new Lions Arch. It is bright and vibrant, and easier to navigate. It’s also laid out with amenities bunched in ways that are useful.

While I did also enjoy the original version, I loathed the destroyed version we had for so long. To me, anything is better than that hole.

PeterFries.1057:

ReaverKane.7598:

Maybe i failed to find it, but there’s no significant Consortium Hub on the town. I mean the Black Lion got the huge Vaults building, but the guys that actually worked on rebuilding LA have a smaller presence than before? How the hell would a cutthroat mercantile guild/corporation/wtv would pass up the chance of improving their visibility in a town they rebuilt? And yet it seems they actually managed to erase their presence.

On the contrary, the Consortium had their brand new corporate headquarters built in the Commodore’s Quarter. You’ll find some of their workers milling around the two doors that lead to the workpit of their common functionaries and interns, and to another, more lavish office where they host clients for closed-door meetings.

And just who are these clients in these closed door meetings?

Does everyone else think Lion’s Arch new music is horrible? Quality wise.