Guild Wars 2

Josh Foreman.8250:

Hebee.8460:

My favorite still is the clock tower. It took the longest of all the JP’s for me, but it felt amazing to finish it.
I’d like to know Josh, if the area in Sparkfly Fen near the Point of Interest and Vista The Tower of Modius that you gain access to through Verarium Delves is going to be a JP later?
I’m not online right now to provide a screenshot but what I came across was a rich platnium with a veteran guarding it, then some bushes to the side that were hiding a cave with what looked like a crumbling fort inside that didnt have anything inside.

Thank you Josh for all the amazing work you & everyone have put into these JP’s, ME LOVE YALL LONG TIME.

Hm. Interesting. I worked on that map mid-development. Meaning someone owned before me and after me. That’s the map where I first started playing around with JPs. The tall ruins bridges and the pirate ghost base in the NE of that map were my first experiments. Then the Lich tower was my idea for making them a mandatory part of an event. Originally you had to take a crazy circuitous rout to get to the cave opening above the tower and drop down onto it. But after I handed the map off to someone else, I know we changed our policy so that no JPs are required for events, map complete, etc. I haven’t actually gone back to that map since launch, so I haven’t seen all the changes, but it’s possible that what you’re seeing is left overs from work I did that had to be cut. But I know that several enterprising map artists are digging around for spots to add more JPs, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it got reopened at some point.

For new JP’s added to the game, would it be possible to add a one-time reward to each one that was unique or themed like the JP? I know that might be a lot to ask, but the general idea of a nice reward for the first run of a JP I think would be really cool. It doesn’t have to be unique to just that JP really, it could just be a reward that was unique to JP’s in general. Kind of like the vendor at the end of the Lion’s Arch Pirate puzzle. After your first run, it would go back to it’s normal (i.e. meager) rewards :P.

like a laurel once per JP would be cool

Josh Foreman.8250:

. But after I handed the map off to someone else, I know we changed our policy so that no JPs are required for events, map complete, etc. I haven’t actually gone back to that map since launch, so I haven’t seen all the changes, but it’s possible that what you’re seeing is left overs from work I did that had to be cut. But I know that several enterprising map artists are digging around for spots to add more JPs, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it got reopened at some point.

Wait, no JPs for map completion? Dredgehaunt, one vista is at a JP, Tribulation Rift Scaffolding I think it is called, by the Sorrow Furnace entrance. I recall it well, since after several hours of deaths I finally realized that map or world completion was no longer important to me.

I have not even bothered with a vista since. I can’t complete the world, why try

I really wish they were standalone. And before anyone rails at me for lacking skilz, I have Severe RA , deformed hands, and very impaired motor skills. I probably worked harder completing normal vistas than many of you did on the hardest puzzle. I finished all up to Dredgehaunt.. and that JP just ended it for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I expect my disability to gate me from certain things. But JP should be totally optional and not required for anything else.

None: I’m a charr.

I hate to point this out, being a person that is in a love/hate relationship with jumping puzzles. It is kinda annoying that two jumping puzzles are required to get world completion (Vizier’s Tower & Great Wall in Diessa). I’m not calling you out to change this, I’ve gotten used to them, but I have friends that have given up on world completion for this reason, their computers are just too terrible on lag to give them the ability to do these puzzles properly. Just food for thought on future creations.

Back to the topic of forgiveness.
But …
I love show jumping puzzles, especially the first area of the charr, and in the hinterland haratis!

The push buttons to open doors hidden …

Discover loose stones!

it reminds me of Tomb Raider, and I love it!

If we could have a full map jumping, I would go crazy, and I would stay for hours!

As a map in the mountains, a temple to distant to be reached, balls of snow avalanches bridges collapse, and then enter the temple, the team, or even whether we put stones plates for pressure input, and op new adventure, a boss at the very end, and chests!

or entering a new area further!

ah! an area with all defits paiguaille mobs in a maze, Whouhouuu!

I’m crazy, but I would love to spend the day with a group!

( sorry for the bad english… i’m frensh =x )

I think the Dredgehaunt one next to Sorrow’s was mentioned as well. This one actually caught me by surprise cause I got the vista and jumped off only to learn there was a jumping puzzle achievement just a hop and a skip from the vista (kinda where the love/hate comes into the equation :P)

Hmm not sure where it is tbh but theres a vista on a straw roof in one of the towns and the jump up to it is really hard. its one jump but u have to be pixel perfect to do it.. sorry im not more of help on that one. I also agree with you josh on the 3 types of people who fail at JP but i feel also there is a fourth. I think you know what that could be..

I’ve done all of the jumping puzzles many times for fun and to help guildies. Every friday night, I take 8-12 guildies with me and do jumping puzzles for a few hours.

My favorite jumping puzzle is by far Scavenger’s Chasm. I spent 3 hours in that puzzle the first time with a random player. Couldn’t believe I had that much fun doing the same puzzle.

I got excited when I completed my first, baby jumping puzzle at Morgan’s Leap the other day. I did it on the first try! And didn’t have to crank Live to Win or anything!

Yeah, I honestly don’t think the Jumping puzzles should be shortened in any way, I would hate to see all the hard work you guys have put in go to waste, and similarly I think they are a good level of challenge the way they are. My thought is that perhaps the Vista’s should just be moved somehow, perhaps a little further down in the puzzle, or perhaps their own mini-puzzle. But I definitely have friends that would give you a million thanks if you made this change. At this point in time those are the only 3 I can think of. I’m wracking my brain to think of the one that Jezath is mentioning, but I can’t come up with it at the moment.

Josh Foreman.8250:

Geikamir.6329:

For new JP’s added to the game, would it be possible to add a one-time reward to each one that was unique or themed like the JP? I know that might be a lot to ask, but the general idea of a nice reward for the first run of a JP I think would be really cool.

I would love to do that. But then we have the problem of driving those who hate JPs to do them so they can get the goodies. And we don’t want people to feel like they have to do stuff they hate in the game.

It wouldn’t be anything other other than skins though. It’s to show that you’ve accomplished something. It’s the same as Legendaries only being PvE or the suggested changes to WvW and sPvP to offer rewards unique to that format. I understand not wanting to alienate people, but it’s unique rewards that really matter the most to the average MMO player (imo, ofc).

Plus, you guys already do this with the karma vendor at the pirate one in LA and everyone seems to be completely fine with that.

Josh Foreman.8250:

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

And before anyone rails at me for lacking skilz, I have Severe RA , deformed hands, and very impaired motor skills. I probably worked harder completing normal vistas than many of you did on the hardest puzzle. I finished all up to Dredgehaunt.. and that JP just ended it for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I expect my disability to gate me from certain things. But JP should be totally optional and not required for anything else.

I hear you. There are 3 kinds of players that have trouble with JPs: Those with poor coordination/timing/depth perception, those with disabilities, and those with poor connections. I think it’s extremely unhelpful to call names or slander those folks, and it’s specifically why we try to communicate the optional nature of jumping content. As I said above, we didn’t implement this perfectly, but I wouldn’t say we failed either. We’re working in a gray area of perceptions and opinions, so we’ll never find a balance that works for everyone.

I have to say I am a fan of your realistic approach to this topic on a candid level. Thanks and keep up the good work!

I remember having problems with the vista Jezath is talking about. It’s the one in Cornucopian Fields in Gendarran Fields, where you follow a pipe and jump up to a straw roof: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Cornucopian_Fields

One of the keeps’ vistas in Eternal Battlegrounds is quite a bit harder than the other two, but I don’t WvW enough to remember which one.

1. Hidden garden (Best. JP. EVER)
2. Obsidian sanctum
3. Winter wonderland

Geikamir.6329:

Plus, you guys already do this with the karma vendor at the pirate one in LA and everyone seems to be completely fine with that.

that is true. maybe it would be an option to add something similar to this to a new JP and then having a DE chain in the immediate area. the DE chain would, upon completion, make the JP-specific karma vendor come down and stand in front of the JP entrance for a while.
that way, there people who don’t want to do JP’s can just complete the DE chain and then access the karma vendor, if they really want those JP-themed rewards.

i dont like any of them

Narcemus.1348:

I think the Dredgehaunt one next to Sorrow’s was mentioned as well. This one actually caught me by surprise cause I got the vista and jumped off only to learn there was a jumping puzzle achievement just a hop and a skip from the vista (kinda where the love/hate comes into the equation :P)

lol!

I hear ya…but…

Once I actually got there (which was a chore to find the start), I actually, instinctively, saw that I could go forward. So I think it should stay as is. For those who have that crazy sense of exploration that I do.

Josh Foreman.8250:

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

And before anyone rails at me for lacking skilz, I have Severe RA , deformed hands, and very impaired motor skills. I probably worked harder completing normal vistas than many of you did on the hardest puzzle. I finished all up to Dredgehaunt.. and that JP just ended it for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I expect my disability to gate me from certain things. But JP should be totally optional and not required for anything else.

I hear you. There are 3 kinds of players that have trouble with JPs: Those with poor coordination/timing/depth perception, those with disabilities, and those with poor connections. I think it’s extremely unhelpful to call names or slander those folks, and it’s specifically why we try to communicate the optional nature of jumping content. As I said above, we didn’t implement this perfectly, but I wouldn’t say we failed either. We’re working in a gray area of perceptions and opinions, so we’ll never find a balance that works for everyone.

I know, I do the things I can, ignore what I can’t. I appreciate the time you took to answer. Its just that a few JP are not optional for world completion. (didn’t help that I have big Norn girls) I actually bribed my son to do a few of the trickier vistas for me, but he bowed out at Dredgehaunt, he doesnt want to do JPs for me.

Finding the jump puzzle Goemm’s Lab in Metrica Province was the first experience that really “bonded” me to this game… I was on my very first character… a diminutive Asuran Engineer just running around in my starter area… the game hadn’t truly clicked with me yet, I was still very much evaluating whether I really even liked it or not. Man… I stumbled on that set of stairs hidden behind those vines and entered an area that I was entirely under-leveled for, entirely unprepared for, and had no idea what it was, what it was for, or why it was there.

My little lvl 6 engineer was entirely nude by the time I made it to Goemm, from dying to all those veterans and trying to figure out the mechanics of progression through it… and Goemm was entirely insurmountable. I only had one utility slot open, no armor left, and didn’t really understand all the mechanics of the game (although going through the puzzle quickly taught me to maximize the tools I had in my posession). Wow… the hatred filled fights he and I engaged in until a level 80 character happened to roll through while I was fighting him yet again.

When I made it across to that chest and saw the achievement bar pop up I realized I had just bonded with the game in a way I rarely do these days. It made me feel something… discovery, outrage, hatred and anger, triumph… normally I pass through a game, have a few “oh that’s pretty cool” or “oh this is a fun part” moments and then I’m done, rarely does a game endear itself to me.

That will probably always be my favorite JP in this game… not because I liked it the best… but because I STILL get a rise out of smashing Goemms face in and dancing on his corpse.

Perhaps instead of getting rid of all the abilities and stuff for the jumping puzzle.. you can copy what the snowball pvp fight did and give each specific class their own unique ability.

For me JPs are like this:

Before I start—“No way I can do this!”
Halfway through—“I can do this!”
Three-quarters through—“Seriously? No one can do this!”
At the end—“I can’t believe I did it!”
A few minutes later—“No way I’m doing THAT again!”

The funny thing about JPs for me, is that since I’m suspiciously bad at determining where I am in the air (maybe I have depth perception issues, I dunno), I never seek them out. I’ve completed 5 so far (plus the initial Morgan’s Leap part—which I did on day 1), and every one was attempted simply because I happened to discover them during my normal nosing about. As far as I’m concerned, I pretty much hate them on behalf of my what’s-the-opposite-of-leet-skillz? On the other hand, I think they’re a superb addition to the game, and despite being green with envy at those that can seemingly whiz through them on the first try like they have anti-grav boots on, I hope the harder ones aren’t nerfed to make them easy enough for clods like me to hop through without screaming at the screen at least a few times. Had the Clock Tower proved something I could do I would probably have had contempt for it. But even Weyendt’s Revenge gave me a sense of accomplishment, so since there are various difficulty levels out there, I see no reason for anyone to moan about them (despite the fact that I moan about them all the time). Just detach the necessary Vistas from the relevant ones and it’s all good as far as can see.

Clock Tower, no other can compete with it.

@Josh, are you aware that you can skip a majority of the Trolls End JP?
Its so hard to resist cheating when its a challenge just to see the ground.

Clock Tower for me is a classic moment from the game as a whole and not just a great JP. The impact that it created, both positive and negative for different people, has made it very memorable.

I was rubbish at first, but I love a challenge and enjoy incrementally improving at things. So my stubborn side eventually prevailed and Clock Tower ended up being a sort of overall JP training course.

Timed nature, and the additional challenge of extra looting on the way up gave it good longevity.

After CT, I did all the rest and the ones that stand out in my memory are:

1) The eagle nest one where you need to blow up the chest.

2) The one in metrica which has 3 parts to it and goes on for ages but had a nice puzzle side to it iirc.

3) One which had you standing at 45 degrees on pyramids and porting through lightning stuff.

4) The one with the pirate ship at the end that referenced The Goonies made me smile.

On the whole they have been a great part of the gaming experience for me, and I’d like to thank those involved in make the JPs.

Aspeon.3520:

I remember having problems with the vista Jezath is talking about. It’s the one in Cornucopian Fields in Gendarran Fields, where you follow a pipe and jump up to a straw roof: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Cornucopian_Fields

On the plus side, this one could be fixed with a little tweaking (either step up, or enlarging the corner that you have to jump on.)

bluewanders.5297:

Finding the jump puzzle Goemm’s Lab in Metrica Province

Reminds me : Anyone else getting bugged on this? It’s not dropping me on the start when I fall anymore… keep landing in the inquest compound… usually dead.

Am I the only one that stays in jumping puzzles looking around for extra stuff that may be in there like secret hidden stuff? trying to take impossible jumps just to get somewhere and then think ‘haha, i bet the dev’s didn’t think i could get here’.. mostly i am stopped by well placed stuff just far enough to not make it or the invisible walls.
Also i love sitting at the end of a puzzle as a mesmer watching people fail for like 30 minutes before offering a portal :P

Was i supposed to be able to get here? tippy top of goemm’s lab
hehe

I haven’t done much of them (i love them but not spoiling my fun with googling where they are). When i find one i do one. So far i gotta say the mount maelstrom one has amazing views, and dremdark enclave UGH! that was a horror of a jq but those views!

Morgan’s Spiral + Dremdark enclave is absolutely amazing, though tough as nuts!

Meowwilson.5106:

Am I the only one that stays in jumping puzzles looking around for extra stuff that may be in there like secret hidden stuff? trying to take impossible jumps just to get somewhere and then think ‘haha, i bet the dev’s didn’t think i could get here’.. mostly i am stopped by well placed stuff just far enough to not make it or the invisible walls.
Also i love sitting at the end of a puzzle as a mesmer watching people fail for like 30 minutes before offering a portal :P

Was i supposed to be able to get here? tippy top of goemm’s lab
hehe

Nope… you aren’t the only one… that’s how I ended up discovering things like the secondary achievement in Griffonrook…

Josh Foreman.8250:

Hebee.8460:

My favorite still is the clock tower. It took the longest of all the JP’s for me, but it felt amazing to finish it.
I’d like to know Josh, if the area in Sparkfly Fen near the Point of Interest and Vista The Tower of Modius that you gain access to through Verarium Delves is going to be a JP later?
I’m not online right now to provide a screenshot but what I came across was a rich platnium with a veteran guarding it, then some bushes to the side that were hiding a cave with what looked like a crumbling fort inside that didnt have anything inside.

Thank you Josh for all the amazing work you & everyone have put into these JP’s, ME LOVE YALL LONG TIME.

Hm. Interesting. I worked on that map mid-development. Meaning someone owned before me and after me. That’s the map where I first started playing around with JPs. The tall ruins bridges and the pirate ghost base in the NE of that map were my first experiments. Then the Lich tower was my idea for making them a mandatory part of an event. Originally you had to take a crazy circuitous rout to get to the cave opening above the tower and drop down onto it. But after I handed the map off to someone else, I know we changed our policy so that no JPs are required for events, map complete, etc. I haven’t actually gone back to that map since launch, so I haven’t seen all the changes, but it’s possible that what you’re seeing is left overs from work I did that had to be cut. But I know that several enterprising map artists are digging around for spots to add more JPs, so I wouldn’t be at all surprised if it got reopened at some point.

There is actually a chest in that one, but it’s very well hidden. It’s not listed as an achievement though, so I don’t imagine many people go that way.

Hidden Garden is my favourite so far too, besides the Asura ones. not done as many as I’d like though :P

The Clock tower of course, it was simply amazing. I would love to have a door to the mad king’s realm somewhere just to be able to do it again

More challenges like Obsidian Sanctum and Scavenger’s Chasm please

Translation: long, complex, interesting mechanics added, non-linear, NON-TIMED.

Something magical about walking into a beautiful JP and having absolutely no frickin idea about what you are supposed to do, or where to go, just have to noodle it out.

I greatly prefer this type of challenge as opposed to the timed mechanic, which just means that I won’t be able to complete the JP at all (read: Clock Tower, Wintersday, Griffonrook Run).

I’d have Josh to add you have one more level of player having difficulty with JPs. Those that have the settings putting them in a low framerate zone. I can tell you the difference in difficulty is dramatic when get more frames pumping out on the screen for timed puzzles.

There is this cool JP in the Sylvari starting area but i forget where it is. But it’s got a bunch of floating leaves and it’s SO HARD because there are a bunch of turns and it’s long. But at the end the chest gives you good things PLUS there is a boss nearby and i like to use the leaves for sniping spots xD -Dekuhornets

I have not been disappointed with any of the jumping puzzles I’ve done so far. They really add something else to the game. Its a fun type of challenge that you really don’t expect in an MMO, but it fits so well.

Also, Josh, your communication with the community is quite impressive. You don’t see it very often with games as large as this one. Quite cool to see “Well, when I made this I didn’t expect that.” Just something about that makes me appreciate Guild Wars 2 even more.

Hidden Garden, hands down the best in the game

Hidden Garden, the part where you jump up the cliff.

I so wish there was a “Jumping Toolbelt” we could equip and it would give us JP-related skills.
It would lead to a lot more depth to JP’ing imo.

Example:
1. Hyper Jump – Your next jump is 33% higher and longer.
2. Grab my hand! – Shout. All allies gain stability for 5s (so they can add things that knock you off which you can counter with this)
3. Acrobatic Leap – Jump and evade attacks.
4. Cat Landing – Damage from falling damage is halved for 5s
5. Rocket jump – Use rocket boots to jump.

Red Falcon.8257:

I so wish there was a “Jumping Toolbelt” we could equip and it would give us JP-related skills.
It would lead to a lot more depth to JP’ing imo.

Example:
1. Hyper Jump – Your next jump is 33% higher and longer.
2. Grab my hand! – Shout. All allies gain stability for 5s (so they can add things that knock you off which you can counter with this)
3. Acrobatic Leap – Jump and evade attacks.
4. Cat Landing – Damage from falling damage is halved for 5s
5. Rocket jump – Use rocket boots to jump.

this is a pretty cool idea
it would make many of the current jps a little too easy, but i like the idea in principle, maybe there’s a way to incorporate it in the future.

Narcemus.1348:

Yeah, I honestly don’t think the Jumping puzzles should be shortened in any way, I would hate to see all the hard work you guys have put in go to waste, and similarly I think they are a good level of challenge the way they are. My thought is that perhaps the Vista’s should just be moved somehow, perhaps a little further down in the puzzle, or perhaps their own mini-puzzle. But I definitely have friends that would give you a million thanks if you made this change. At this point in time those are the only 3 I can think of. I’m wracking my brain to think of the one that Jezath is mentioning, but I can’t come up with it at the moment.

Its a personal opinion really bud.. I feel that size doesent really affect the Jump puzzles being a max size norn. i agree the cameras still goes a bit weird sometimes but.. well… I think its just easy to blame size when youi fail because you need to learn the timing a bit better. Thats not to say though that im painting everyone with the same brush. for some im sure its the size that made them fall but i think for others itsd an easy excuse to fall back on thats all

I have real empathy for those poeple that have disabilitys like myself being arthritic and colourblind i have trouble sometimes.

oh you mean the JP... yeah theres a barn roof somewhere with a vista on top and i remember being there and trying over and over and over for the pixel perfect jump, ill do my best to try to remember it..

Jumping puzzels (or jumping challenges as they should be called as not all of them involve a puzzle), are one of the best PvE elements GW2 has to offer. We’ve seen dungeons and questing a hundred times, but using the game’s physics and other mechanics to overcome challenges, is a more fun experience, and rarely seen in an MMO.

I’m actually a bit disappointed that the recent updates added no new jumping challenges, I kind of assumed this would be something we would see regular additions of, but currently it seems like an almost forgotten game element, placed behind in priority on dungeons and gear grinds in terms of PvE experiences.

Stay innovative ArenaNet, wasn’t that the marketting gimmick? Would be a shame to see all developer attention be spend on the same old stuff we’ve seen in all previous MMO’s instead of unique things like the jumping challenges.

To Josh: Keep up the good work, I hope to see more of your work in the game soon. On a side note, I’ve reported many locations in the game where I was able to get out of the intended playfield. Very often these locations would make solid jumping challenges with some small or large changes. I mentioned these potentially interesting jumping challenge locations in terrain bug reports, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more people also did that. If you’re looking for interesting locations to add more of these challenges using existing terrain, you might want to dig up old terrain bug reports.

As for my personal favorites? Besides the ones that look amazing, from a game mechanics perspective it would have to be the Clock Tower and Scavangers Chasm. I like plenty of others, but many don’t offer as big a challenge as the Clock Tower, and others are too hand-holdy, too one-directional, where as the Chasm can make you properly lost and confused.

So Josh you’re the one responsible for these jumping puzzles… I LhOaVtEe you and I hope you get A RfAiIrSeEd!
No but I really do love them. I haven’t actively looked for them but the ones I’ve run across have been frustratingly satisfying when I can actually finish them. Keep up the good work guys!

yeah i agree! totally awesome work on those

Mosharn.8357:

Hidden Garden and crystal caverns because the crystals and lighting looked stunning.

My picks as well