Guild Wars 2

not really

Casual are players that do whatever they like…
they may exactly know the most effective builds or farming activity, but they still play for FUN using whatever they like.

I’m a casual, and I’m a pretty good player. Mind you, I have a lot more time than most casuals. But I hate min-maxing, and I won’t play the game to be most efficient. As long as the content gets cleared I’m not particularly stressed about how long it takes to clear it.

The only area that hard core would really likely affect me is SPvP, which I do rarely or sometimes WvW, if I happen to get into 1v1 fights. Usually I end up doing okay in them, but sometimes I’m outplayed.

I guess I’m confused about the OP’s desire to incorporate more finger-jerking button mashing in the guise of additional blocks and evades. I don’t own a console game but isn’t that type of play more in that realm?

I’m a casual player, which by my own personal definition, means that I don’t have the time or desire to research the crap out of builds and stats and pros and cons of every little nuance of the game. I’m not going to mock those that do (unless they mock me first, of course) and I have a bit of admiration for those that have the time and energy to get really good at this, or anything for that matter. But when the discussion is about making the difficulty level across the board harder and the requirements to play the game tougher, then yeah, I might be more likely to move on before I waste hours on end being frustrated.

Before the L2P’ers one-line this post, let me give you my idea on who casual gamers really are: these are people who have bought the game (same as everyone else), log in to enjoy themselves (same as everyone else), put in as much time as they can (same as everyone else), and look forward to a measure of success and accomplishment for their efforts based on progressively interesting challenges (same as everyone else). The only difference is the skill level, which is all over the board (same as every other skill set in the real world).

Sometimes I have this analogy of hardcore players versus casuals that goes like this: what if it was a requirement to know every single detail about a character in a movie (every quote, every background story, maybe even every detail of the actor’s real life). How many would walk in to enjoy the movie and how many would discuss, ad nauseum, the details in the lobby? I think for a majority of casual players (or more specifically me – I shouldn’t speak for others), it’s about the movie, the experience, not so much about the nuts and bolts behind the movie or game. To casuals (me) I look to get an escapist experience from playing, not like I think the hardcores look to get the feeling of mastering a profession – I work for a living, I’m tired of being asked to master anything else.

There are already a number methods to challenge the more hardcore players in PvE (most of them have been discussed already). Take out that kittened giant in Diessa that always ties up that little town – that badboy will 1-2 shot you and dance on your body unless you are awesome.

So, looping back around, if it means just different game mechanics, then I say, doesn’t it become more of a console game?

Hmm The problem with what the OP is asking for is that none of the mobs or open world champs/vets really give any indicators for when they are going to attack. Even some of the dungeon bosses are impossible to tell when they are about to one-shot you because of spell effects. Depending on your group composition it can be near impossible to tell when Koehler is going to one-shot you because he is nothing but a ball of light.

If everything had some type of indicator they were going to do certain attacks then I would be fine with 2 shot mechanics.

Vayne.8563:

Kasama.8941:

I feel like a few are misunderstanding this. Just because something is difficult, it doesn’t mean you are suddenly forced to play it. Even if open world mobs hit harder, you could still just chose to run past them.

Also, there’s a big difference between difficult, and annoying.

Running past mobs means no experience and no drops. I’m pretty sure that people want to play the game…even casuals. Making them run past a lot of stuff means they can’t level and why should they play.

Lose the casuals and there’ll be a whole lot less people playing this game.

The majority of exp comes from everything ells but killing mobs. Many heart quests can be completed without fighting any mobs at all. And, as I added in my original post, there would have to be less mobs in the world, as a counter to the higher difficulty, and therefor also a higher drop rate per mob.

I’m still not sure why all the casuals would leave. The game is already set up so you can dodge, block, or interrupt attacks. You just don’t need to take advantage of it in open world PvE, as the game is right now, because mobs don’t deal any notice worthy damage. Making the difficulty higher, would simply mean that you’d have to be mindful of how you fight, meaning it would be more engaging. I think a lot of casual players would love that, although not everyone of curse.

Ruprect.7260:

Hmm The problem with what the OP is asking for is that none of the mobs or open world champs/vets really give any indicators for when they are going to attack. Even some of the dungeon bosses are impossible to tell when they are about to one-shot you because of spell effects. Depending on your group composition it can be near impossible to tell when Koehler is going to one-shot you because he is nothing but a ball of light.

If everything had some type of indicator they were going to do certain attacks then I would be fine with 2 shot mechanics.

This would of curse have to be changed, for the gameplay to be balanced. But the mobs that don’t have any attack indication, are a minority. You just don’t notice the clues, because the majority of fights are so easy, that you don’t need to.

I had a similar thought. If you ever fought a Veteran in one of the starting zones, you realize that he’s about as powerful as you. Some of the vets teach you how to dodge (the Vet Oaks) while others how to interrupt (the summoning of wolves by the Alpha Wolf).

I was wondering what would happen if you reduced the sheer number of mobs, and instead made all enemies veterans, so that a 1v1 encounter would last longer, and have more meaning than just slam-head-on-keyboard button mashing.

ZenonSeth.5739:

I had a similar thought. If you ever fought a Veteran in one of the starting zones, you realize that he’s about as powerful as you. Some of the vets teach you how to dodge (the Vet Oaks) while others how to interrupt (the summoning of wolves by the Alpha Wolf).

I was wondering what would happen if you reduced the sheer number of mobs, and instead made all enemies veterans, so that a 1v1 encounter would last longer, and have more meaning than just slam-head-on-keyboard button mashing.

This is a good example of what I’m thinking. But I don’t think the open world fights should be longer then they are now (taking into account that veterans have higher HP), just that the damage of mobs should be more significant, and that all the dodging, blocking, and interrupts that we have, should be used.

I don’t know, a veteran fight isn’t that long to be honest.
It takes maybe 1-2minutes with a character on par level, and can be down to 30 seconds or so with a slightly higher character.
That is, IF you know the veteran and their moves. Otherwise it’s a pain.