Guild Wars 2

Title: My personal views on the future of PVP in GW2, and other desired game aspects

Preface: I do not intend to get infracted for this post. (Move the topic if needed, but it is meant as a civil discussion.) This is merely a very active player posting his opinions about the current state of PVP and hopes for the future of PVP, all respectful and in accordance with https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/rules. I also apologise in advance for this long rant. In my defence, this is my 9th forum post, and I have over 1850 hours played.

About PVP: First of all, Anet has made a great game, with great pvp. This is in no way intended to belittle that. I only seek to point out possible improvements as I see them. As I see it, all the pvp modes (spvp & wvw) of this game revolve around defending points: rings (spvp) or towers with rings in them (wvw).

What a true pvp’er really seeks in a game can differ, but in my opinion it is confrontation, or a way to directly show or measure skill. This is all in favor of PVP modes that make offense or assualt the superior choice.

The way this game currently works, such behavior is not properly rewarded, and thus not the logical thing to do, in order to win. I hope that this will either change in the future, or that game modes where it is more true will be made available.

Example – Spvp: The winning team is the team that plays strategically best in capping and defending points, and not necessarily the team with the players that are the best in combat.

Example – WvW: The winning server is the server that plays strategically best in capping and defending keeps/towers, running supply, and not necessarily the server with the players that are the best in combat. The winning server is also an arrowcart .

Simply put: I want to see a game mode where more individual skill is needed, where better teamplay is needed, and where deaths matter more. Now, this may sound like a difficult task, but what I ask for is actually very simple:

I could for example take the form of a simple 5v5 deathmatch, where there are no respawns until one team is wiped out or a timer goes down (and then either a winning point is counted, or a draw – if equal number of players are alive when timer ends). Then there could be multiple rounds, with best out of 5 rounds, or similar.

Similarily, one could do exactly the same, but at a guild level, 25v25, which is probably the most desired feature amongst active players, that the game does not currently have.

I would very much like to see some simpler spvp modes also. An example would be a simple point A to point capture the flag, which would promote coordinated teamplay, with spiking, control and tanking. Currently Spvp has the orb, but I seek a more pure capture the flag mode, where one absolutely has to retrieve or capture the flag, as that is the only key to victory. Yes, I’m reminiscing

My main point about pvp is that given that I, with my limited creativity, can come up with something like this, I hope that you, Anet, can dedicate some resources to something like this, and come up with better (or more ideas). I also hope I clearly demonstrate which type of PVP gameplay it is that I miss.

I don’t know if you are aware, but most PVP’ers are content starved (atleast the hardcore ones I know). I would gladly pay for more PVP content, and not minor tweaks on existing content (of the type we are seeing currently). I do not mean to belittle your efforts with this, since they are extremely appreciated! I just really need that Guild versus Guild

Earlier my friends suggested an asuran anti-siege device for wvw, that would disable the use of siege within a certain range. As I see it, holding a tower becomes easier and easier, which makes for more and more dull gameplay (in my opinion), so any step in the other direction development wise would be extremely appreciated.

Other game aspects / suggestions:

1. Inspecting other characters equipment, necessary for serious guilds wvw/pve, and pug pve.
2. Ingame Mail Cash on Delivery, would enable safe transactions (trade) outside the Trading Post, and therefore without the commissions.
3. Revamping some legenary skins, personally I dislike the metallic / flat look of the Bifrost for example.
4. An action bar on the right hand side of the screen (maybe 5 slots?), as an optional part of the interface – for food, oils, and gear (for quicker use, gearswap).

Other than that, you are doing everything correctly, and that is alot, so congratulations =)

Warning: I might edit this when I wake up again, to make it even longer, especially the last section
PLEASE KEEP THE REPLIES CIVIL

It’s not difficult at all, look at GW1, sooo many modes. These guys will have a lot to answer for when games like Wildstar get released, now maybe the combat at it’s core won’t be as polished or well refined as GW2 but omg the modes! From 2v2 to 40v40! That’s practically everything this game has then tripled. I love wvw in this game but recently unless 20 of my guys are on I don’t go in because falling with a random zerg is no fun, and I really don’t like the spvp format either, its too hard fought, where is the fun?
Give me 2v2,3v3,5v5 DM and 10v10 to 40v40 objective game and I will play all day long.
The point is, if there is another game, similar but inferior but with more content to keep me busy… Well I know where I would end up.

Loke.1429:

Other game aspects / suggestions:

1. Inspecting other characters equipment, necessary for serious guilds wvw/pve, and pug pve.

My gear is not anyone else’s business.

If I know how to play my profession and I’m not slowing the group down you have no right to complain about what gear I have.

The community in GWII is one of its biggest strength. Allowing inspecting would lead to elitism.

I don’t want any:“You will not be accepted in this guild unless you have the very best gear available” in my game.
Recruit me because of my skills, not my gear.

this game PvP is dead.

faceroll balances dosent helping her.

Loke.1429:

About PVP: First of all, Anet has made a great game, with great pvp. This is in no way intended to belittle that. I only seek to point out possible improvements as I see them. As I see it, all the pvp modes (spvp & wvw) of this game revolve around defending points: rings (spvp) or towers with rings in them (wvw).

What a true pvp’er really seeks in a game can differ, but in my opinion it is confrontation, or a way to directly show or measure skill. This is all in favor of PVP modes that make offense or assualt the superior choice.

Some of my favorite pvp arenas in GW1 were AB, FA, and JQ. These revolved around taking points, defending points, and retaking those points if lost. (Arguable for FA depending on side, but lets face it for Kurzick, you cap the amber, kill the turtle and fix the door. For Luxon, you defend the turtle, cap the amber, and break down the door. Still capping and defending here) Perhaps this makes me a -non-true’ pvper, but meh.

I do agree that GW2 needs some additional modes. I’d be perfectly content if they would take a page out of the old GW1 book for arena modes: RA, GVG, HA.

1. Inspecting other characters equipment, necessary for serious guilds wvw/pve, and pug pve.

No it’s really not. This leads to poor attitudes overall, elitism, and discrimination. It didn’t fix the same/similar issues in GW1 that people are under the impression that it will fix here. Just because you can see someone’s armor or traits does not mean you know anything about how that person plays. If you have an issue taking someone you don’t know, I guess you can use the same advice everyone throws at me….only do it with your guild. If the guild won’t let you in because you don’t pass an armor inspection….just wow, I wouldn’t want to be in that guild anyway. We are more than the armor we wear, and the weapon we use.

1. Ingame Mail Cash on Delivery, would enable safe transactions (trade) outside the Trading Post, and therefore without the commissions.

They removed direct person to person trading purposely. I don’t see them implementing it in this round-about-way when they want you to use the trading post.

1. An action bar on the right hand side of the screen (maybe 5 slots?), as an optional part of the interface – for food, oils, and gear (for quicker use, gearswap).

I could see for foods and such, letting it apply the next in line after the previous runs out. Not sure how much work this would actually entail, but I don’t see it being a ‘simple’ implementation. (Lot of working components have to be taken into account).

I don’t think for gear swapping would work though, it wouldn’t function in the same manner as a food or oil buff (which is on a timer). Telling it to gear swap would end up being a manual thing, unless you would want it to automatically swap your gear as soon as you came out of combat mode? I think having some sort of savable armor template would be more appropriate for that.

The biggest thing PvP needs is other modes. I know why Anet did what they did (they didn’t want to divide the playerbase and wanted to make the game easier to follow as an esport) but it’s not working. It’s not hold the interest of all or even most PvPers. It holds MY interest and I’m not a PvPer, so there’s something definitely wrong. lol

I want the main focus of this thread to be the PVP experience, so I decided to add some redirects to other threads where applicable:

1. Inspecting other characters equipment, necessary for serious guilds wvw/pve, and pug pve.

Please see https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Why-no-inspect/first for indepth discussion on that topic.

This applies to Naus the Gobbo.5172

My gear is not anyone else’s business.
…

and LanfearShadowflame.3189

No it’s really not. This leads to poor attitudes overall, elitism, and discrimination.
…

Loke.1429:

1. Revamping some legenary skins, personally I dislike the metallic / flat look of the Bifrost for example.

Please see https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/New-Legendaries-Rework/first for indepth discussion on that topic.

Loke.1429:

Other game aspects / suggestions:

I wish to add the following to this list:

1. Mounts, I miss their function, and their epic feel/look. Right now we are all pointlessly spamming runspeed anyway, so a 33% or 40% runspeed mount wouldn’t even affect the gameplay
2. Actual capes, I miss their function, and their epic feel/look.
3. More guildslots for gems, similar to character slots, just applied to number of guilds one can be in.

Other stuff that I miss / would like to see, that is more like expansion content, it would be more skills per weapon, new weapons, a more detailed trait system, where one could chose more than 7things – I’d be happier with less powerful traits, but 21 choices or something.

Loke.1429:

1. An action bar on the right hand side of the screen (maybe 5 slots?), as an optional part of the interface – for food, oils, and gear (for quicker use, gearswap).

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

I could see for foods and such, letting it apply the next in line after the previous runs out. Not sure how much work this would actually entail, but I don’t see it being a ‘simple’ implementation. (Lot of working components have to be taken into account).

I don’t think for gear swapping would work though, it wouldn’t function in the same manner as a food or oil buff (which is on a timer). Telling it to gear swap would end up being a manual thing, unless you would want it to automatically swap your gear as soon as you came out of combat mode? I think having some sort of savable armor template would be more appropriate for that.

Thanks for a great reply! My meaning was mainly consumables / useables (like Merchant Express), and then maybe equipment. How they implement it in details beyond that does not really interest me too greatly. I am very happy that you also recognize the need / utility of this.

I also miss pve raiding (10+man pve content) as discussed here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Thoughts-on-Raiding-1

Loke.1429:

1. Ingame Mail Cash on Delivery, would enable safe transactions (trade) outside the Trading Post, and therefore without the commissions.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

They removed direct person to person trading purposely. I don’t see them implementing it in this round-about-way when they want you to use the trading post.

Haha, yeah I know how unlikely it is. Regardless, I listed it because it is something I feel is missing.

Vayne.8563:

The biggest thing PvP needs is other modes. I know why Anet did what they did (they didn’t want to divide the playerbase and wanted to make the game easier to follow as an esport) but it’s not working. It’s not hold the interest of all or even most PvPers. It holds MY interest and I’m not a PvPer, so there’s something definitely wrong. lol

I couldn’t agree more.

LanfearShadowflame.3189:

Some of my favorite pvp arenas in GW1 were AB, FA, and JQ. These revolved around taking points, defending points, and retaking those points if lost. (Arguable for FA depending on side, but lets face it for Kurzick, you cap the amber, kill the turtle and fix the door. For Luxon, you defend the turtle, cap the amber, and break down the door. Still capping and defending here) Perhaps this makes me a -non-true’ pvper, but meh.

I do agree that GW2 needs some additional modes. I’d be perfectly content if they would take a page out of the old GW1 book for arena modes: RA, GVG, HA.

That’s why I wrote that taste “can differ”, and I’m happy to see that! I never played GW1 so I’m probably overlooking some details about the maps, but I understand the general point you are making. I’m very happy that you agree with me on the need for additional modes.

LotuS.4378:

this game PvP is dead.
faceroll balances dosent helping her.

What would help is constructive, polite and well written critique

Victim.3016:

It’s not difficult at all, look at GW1, sooo many modes. These guys will have a lot to answer for when games like Wildstar get released, now maybe the combat at it’s core won’t be as polished or well refined as GW2 but omg the modes! From 2v2 to 40v40! That’s practically everything this game has then tripled. I love wvw in this game but recently unless 20 of my guys are on I don’t go in because falling with a random zerg is no fun, and I really don’t like the spvp format either, its too hard fought, where is the fun?
Give me 2v2,3v3,5v5 DM and 10v10 to 40v40 objective game and I will play all day long.
The point is, if there is another game, similar but inferior but with more content to keep me busy… Well I know where I would end up.

Again, I never played GW1 so I cannot fully relate, but all the modes you speak of would be amazing to play. I can really relate to the lack of will to play unless a large number of guildmates/friends are online. In terms of Wildstar, I’m very sceptical to how these games presumably will compete, given that they are both (GW2 & Wildstar) owned by NCsoft. It would be in NCsoft’s best interest to diversify their games, and their gaming experiences, so maybe that would be the very reason that they are reluctant to make a guild versus guild pvp mode (assuming one will get it in Wildstar instead).

WvW queue timer… (even if very rough, like “You are player number # in line for …”)