Guild Wars 2

I understand this is lengthy, but please give it a chance.

As I have been replaying Living Story on another toon, particularly the portions concerning Ley Lines and Waypoint weakening, I have had some increased centralized focus on Waypoints. I’d like to propose my thoughts on the Waypoint fee and possible alterations to this system.

It is understood that the Waypoint fee itself acts a sort of gold sink and also penalizes (I could not think of another word, however it is not meant to sound as harsh as it does) players for not traversing the map which ANet worked very kitten to bring us brilliant graphics and scenery. It is my opinion that a monetary fee is not the best avenue for this, although consequence is appropriate. Already in root towns there is no fee, which is also greatly appreciated. Why then do we pay to travel between Waypoints within the same area?

My idea on an alternate consequence of using a Waypoint would be a sort of “fuel”, or a method of charge required for the Waypoints in the given area to function, an item to allow the warp. Take for instance some of the trophies that drop from monsters, e.g. charged crystal. These items can be turned in to collection NPCs, however there are very few and most of these trophy items are junked at the merchant or not even picked up by some. In using items such as these as a sort of “fuel” for waypoints, a gold sink is created in and of itself through objects already existential in game, as they would not be sold, and the silver/copper fee is eliminated. It would pay for itself. Furthermore, it would be more lore friendly as well as immersive for players.

A perceived issue may be said to exist in this sort of system as the question of would Waypoints in different areas require different items. My answer would be no. Were multiple items used for this sort of system it would create conflict regarding inventory space. That said, the determined object, or “fuel”, would be solitary and available as drops from NPCs in explorable areas. It would require work on the players part to obtain some of these items, however it would have the benefit of players using a Waypoint without the need for silver/copper, as well as creating an environment in which players would have to spend time within the maps ensuring immersion in the graphics, events, and lore throughout Tyria.

I’m still contemplating finer details but I just wanted to put this out there and see what others thought about it; players and developers alike. Thank you for taking the time to read and I look forward to responses!

I’m sorry, but I don’t see the point in this. We already have to pay, what’s the point in putting unnecessary middle-men into it? The cost is negligible (even to fresh 80s) and even if you do run out of money, you have the PvP lobby and its access to Lion’s Arch (which in turn will give you access to every city hub + Lornar’s Pass, Gendarren Fields and Bloodtide Coast [Southsun Cove, too]). Is there an ultimate goal for your suggestion?

It’s not about middle-men or anything unnecessary, although to call the suggestion such is not different than calling the current system the same. I agree, the cost is negligible. The “ultimate goal” was stated in the original post: it would create a more lore-friendly, immersive experience. Nothing more than that. I for one do not use Waypoints often and spend most of my time on foot between maps; I enjoy the enviroment and the lore. I thought it would be interesting to deepen the lore and the current storyline, an Elder Dragon involved with Ley Lines and Waypoints, by using a game mechanic as a tie in.

I suppose my title makes it seem more of a gripe than a suggestion, so that is my fault. Most everyone that plays either does not mind or ignores the fee altogether because it is, as you said, negligible. My intent was to try and appeal to different views on the topic; not everyone cares for the lore so selling the idea as a monetary benefit catches the attention of a separate mindset.

When I first started this game I swore I would not use them because of the cost. Now I do all the time if what I am WPing to will most likely yield more of a gain in mats/items than the WPing itself.

What I would like to see is more WPs or a way people could construct temporary ones. I am specifically thinking of the SW, where if you die fighting the champs at the western end of the map you have to run back from the eastern end (and hope no low-level monster decides to slow you down).

Menadena, I did the same thing during my first few months of play. Paying to travel was something I had a hard time with as I’m used to fast travel in games by Bethesda, (Thanks Elder Scrolls!). But I came to realize that I didn’t care about the fee in truth and preferred going by foot anyway. The lore is really great and I think that if there is anyway for developers to tie the mechanics into the lore, they should. But I’m a sucker for stories and graphics.

To comment on one of your ideas I really like the thought of constructing temporary Waypoints. It could be a pretty unique spin on things. SW is a pain to run through if you are killed, I’m right there with you on that. It would be interesting to make Waypoints or have a skill to that effect, such as a Mark and Recall sort of system, somewhat like a Mesmer portal but more long range. Granted it would not be usable in PvP, EotM, or WvW.

It seems unnecessary to me.

Currently, I get the trophy, sell it, and that money theoretically goes towards my next WP.
Your suggestion is that the trophy gets exchanged (at a particular vendor) to fund the next WP.

It just seems like an overcomplication of the current system.

It’d make more sense if completing events in a particular area charged a bar for WPing, after 2 events you could WP to somewhere in the same area, after 4 events you could WP to another map (for example).

… But even this seems overcomplicated and unnecessary. WP fees really aren’t much of a big deal. The time I save from having to run is worth that 2-4s, because I could easily earn it back in that time.

Crimson Clouds.4853:

It seems unnecessary to me.

Currently, I get the trophy, sell it, and that money theoretically goes towards my next WP.
Your suggestion is that the trophy gets exchanged (at a particular vendor) to fund the next WP.

It just seems like an overcomplication of the current system.

It’d make more sense if completing events in a particular area charged a bar for WPing, after 2 events you could WP to somewhere in the same area, after 4 events you could WP to another map (for example).

… But even this seems overcomplicated and unnecessary. WP fees really aren’t much of a big deal. The time I save from having to run is worth that 2-4s, because I could easily earn it back in that time.

I understand your point, however my reasoning for the suggestion is obviously not an interest that you share. Paying and Waypointing as you please is convenient, understood, but the thought was focused on lore. As for exchanging trophies at a vendor, no, this was not what I stated. As the game is now, trophies you acquire CAN be turned into vendors. My suggestion was that an item, like the trophies, would be dropped and when you had them you could then Waypoint. It would be really simple. Kill NPC, item drops, item reads, “Double-Click to choose a Waypoint location”, or what have you. It isn’t about collecting anything and turning it in or completing events to allow travel. It was an alternative idea to create lore-friendly immersion. Nothing more.

As stated before, I don’t care about the fee in regards to cost at all. It is just a game mechanic that I thought could be incorporated into the storyline, not a cheap method of pinching pennies.

As the saying goes “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. There’s little reason to rework the system because it works perfectly fine currently and an alternative isn’t worth investing time/resources in.

Lore wise, the WPs and the system is owned by the asura- you are paying to use their service each time you WP. Unless the asura had some need for junk (trophy) items, I don’t understand how this system makes sense.

Crimson Clouds.4853:

As the saying goes “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. There’s little reason to rework the system because it works perfectly fine currently and an alternative isn’t worth investing time/resources in.

Lore wise, the WPs and the system is owned by the asura- you are paying to use their service each time you WP. Unless the asura had some need for junk (trophy) items, I don’t understand how this system makes sense.

If the argument to disagree with the idea is going to be that the we are paying the Asura to run it, then in the spirit of lore I will suggest that the Asura must need technologies and items to keep the system running and sustained. To make their job easier the different individuals of each race could individually contribute by acquiring these items making the need to pay said Asura for the work needless.

You don’t agree. Got it. I still like the idea of further tying game mechanics into the storyline. Looking forward to further ideas on how this can be accomplished, even if what “isn’t broke, doesn’t need fixing”.

Endrance.1680:

Crimson Clouds.4853:

As the saying goes “if it aint broke, don’t fix it”. There’s little reason to rework the system because it works perfectly fine currently and an alternative isn’t worth investing time/resources in.

Lore wise, the WPs and the system is owned by the asura- you are paying to use their service each time you WP. Unless the asura had some need for junk (trophy) items, I don’t understand how this system makes sense.

If the argument to disagree with the idea is going to be that the we are paying the Asura to run it, then in the spirit of lore I will suggest that the Asura must need technologies and items to keep the system running and sustained. To make their job easier the different individuals of each race could individually contribute by acquiring these items making the need to pay said Asura for the work needless.

You don’t agree. Got it. I still like the idea of further tying game mechanics into the storyline. Looking forward to further ideas on how this can be accomplished, even if what “isn’t broke, doesn’t need fixing”.

Yes but they can buy exactly what they need with the raw cash…. imagen this oh no the norn areas havent been active recently so noone can wp since we dont have the trophys we need from those areas to power the system.

People would grumble that they had to grind certain maps to be able to waypoint.

So the player who doesn’t have a lot of time to walk across the map and therefore doesn’t have the time to farm the necessary fuel items is penalized?

And if you pay for the item with gold, then it’s a pointless change and it should just stay as pay coin.

And I don’t want to have to make sure I play in all areas of the world or on all of my characters just to ensure that I can map on any of my characters from anywhere to anywhere. I want to play where I want with who I want and be able to earn whatever it is I need to travel anywhere. And have what I earn for travel be usable on any of my characters. And I have one of each race.

I waypoint often on my Asuran elementalist (and I only have the one elementalist). She mostly does world boss events these days and they aren’t close to each other. So if there were racial waypoint stuff, she’d always be low if not out. And there’s typically time before some of the bosses to go off and do other things, like farm waypoint stuff and they better drop at a high rate, you have remembered that drops are RNG, right? She’d likely be able to farm enough to fund her own personal waypointing.

But I haven’t been doing world boss stuff and I’m running my Human warrior around for map completion. But what if someone really needs an elementalist for something and I volunteer. But the fee to waypoint to where they need me is more than what I’ve got in waypoint materials. I now have to tell who I volunteered to help that I have to either farm those materals or walk to where they need me. So it’s going to be a while. That’s not good for the community at all. I can’t help with my main because I’ve been playing an alt more often.

It may also create less helping out others on the fly because you don’t want to end up with too few of the waypoint items for a specific character in case you really need them. Death for instance because that happens to the best of us. Or for things we want to do. Like world boss trains or gathering mats across the world, etc.

I vote no for changing what is used to waypoint. Coin is just fine. Everyone earns it. It’s usable for all characters going anywhere from anywhere. And is a much needed gold sink.