Guild Wars 2

I think race change is currently a “no” in a similar vein to how better-than-exotic gear was a “no” around launch. That is to say, anything and everything is subject to change.

The people in this thread claiming authoritatively that it will never happen are merely projecting their own preferences regarding race change: they don’t want it. But make no mistake, nobody posting here has any real insider information as to what goes on behind the scenes. The Developer post on the issue was not particularly optimistic that it would happen at all (let alone happen soon), but it also didn’t slam the door on it completely in a we’re-locking-future-posts-because-this-question-has-been-asked-and-answered sort of way.

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Kilandros.2098:

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Well, I don’t know what’s their code structure, but as a game developer I see such a task as an implementation nightmare. Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

I don’t think there’s that much of a demand for it anyways, I met very few people, who wanted to change primary race on their char, so it may just not even be worth it.

Seveleniumus.5973:

Kilandros.2098:

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Well, I don’t know what’s their code structure, but as a game developer I see such a task as an implementation nightmare. Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

Thank you, I also develop games (as a hobby in my case) and I’ve been trying to say this (like in 3 or 4 posts on the first page) but it seems Kilandros didn’t read them or just pass them through

Mesket.5728:

Seveleniumus.5973:

Kilandros.2098:

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Well, I don’t know what’s their code structure, but as a game developer I see such a task as an implementation nightmare. Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

Thank you, I also develop games (as a hobby in my case) and I’ve been trying to say this (like in 3 or 4 posts on the first page) but it seems Kilandros didn’t read them or just pass them through

I said quite explicitly that it boils down to a cost/benefit analysis. The fact that it might be a headache for someone claiming to be a game developer doesn’t mean that it isn’t profitable to do so.

I don’t know how much it would cost to do and I don’t know how much they could make by doing it. But if there’s profit to be had, it’s on the table.

Seveleniumus.5973:

Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

I cant believe how many people keep bringing this up when there are no issues with any of this. A reset of the personal story is pointless.

- Achievements wont change, they are global.

- Personal story wont change, only 80’s with fully completed story allowed (killing of Zhaitan). See my previous suggestion about just altering the first arc to say “you where born Asuran but raised by the Charr” as an example (when you where originally Charr and did the Charr personal story, then did a race change to Asura).

- What mission items can you use at 80 when your personal story is done?

- Race items become account bound/soulbound on use/still racial. If you make a race change, you make that choice.

- Race skills can just be swapped for the new race skills as the simplest solution. Lets slap on the requirement to have all skills unlocked on top of full personal story and 80.

And there you have it. You would be a full new race with no visible difference from any other player of that race. It would look like you designed it from the start. At 80 the personal story is irrelevant. Of course YOU would know its “wrong”, but kitten a roleplayer would never ever race change to begin with.

Kilandros.2098:

Mesket.5728:

Seveleniumus.5973:

Kilandros.2098:

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Well, I don’t know what’s their code structure, but as a game developer I see such a task as an implementation nightmare. Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

Thank you, I also develop games (as a hobby in my case) and I’ve been trying to say this (like in 3 or 4 posts on the first page) but it seems Kilandros didn’t read them or just pass them through

I said quite explicitly that it boils down to a cost/benefit analysis. The fact that it might be a headache for someone claiming to be a game developer doesn’t mean that it isn’t profitable to do so.

I don’t know how much it would cost to do and I don’t know how much they could make by doing it. But if there’s profit to be had, it’s on the table.

In a very simple 1+1 way of seeing it, it will always be profitable. In a long term analysis there are other things they should put this immense effort. I’m not against a Change Race Kit. I’m just realistic and probably have an insight on the matter that others may not (It is my field of expertise, I’m a professional on IT and Software for years now. I don’t know about others in this forums so I provide a more realistic view on the matter). It can be done, but at a high cost. Taking all the things that might need a revamp on the game, I don’t think this will hit their priority list anytime soon. I could be wrong if the economic analysis show it is more profitable than it looks like.

Dawdler.8521:

At 80 the personal story is irrelevant. Of course YOU would know its “wrong”, but kitten a roleplayer would never ever race change to begin with.

You are wrong here since you are assuming things. A serious company can NEVER assume things of their customers. One simple change and you can have 5 guys happy and 500 complains. Or even if you have 500 happy and 5 complains, those 5 complains will be justified and will demand compensation if you assumed things before hand.

And again,… its not as simple as you say.

Mesket.5728:

Kilandros.2098:

Mesket.5728:

Seveleniumus.5973:

Kilandros.2098:

My analysis is that this game is a business, and this business makes money from its gem store. As long as something can be sold for profit, it’s never off the table completely. It’s likely a pretty simple cost/benefit breakdown involving a number of factors like how much they would have to sell the gems for to make money, impact on player satisfaction (those who would and would not purchase race change), and overall difficulty implementing.

Well, I don’t know what’s their code structure, but as a game developer I see such a task as an implementation nightmare. Even if they reset personal story completely, there are still problems with all the achievements, mission items, cultural items, cultural skills.

Thank you, I also develop games (as a hobby in my case) and I’ve been trying to say this (like in 3 or 4 posts on the first page) but it seems Kilandros didn’t read them or just pass them through

I said quite explicitly that it boils down to a cost/benefit analysis. The fact that it might be a headache for someone claiming to be a game developer doesn’t mean that it isn’t profitable to do so.

I don’t know how much it would cost to do and I don’t know how much they could make by doing it. But if there’s profit to be had, it’s on the table.

In a very simple 1+1 way of seeing it, it will always be profitable. In a long term analysis there are other things they should put this immense effort. I’m not against a Change Race Kit. I’m just realistic and probably have an insight on the matter that others may not (It is my field of expertise, I’m a professional on IT and Software for years now. I don’t know about others in this forums so I provide a more realistic view on the matter). It can be done, but at a high cost. Taking all the things that might need a revamp on the game, I don’t think this will hit their priority list anytime soon. I could be wrong if the economic analysis show it is more profitable than it looks like.

I’m really not trying to advocate one way or the other. I merely wanted to point out that the people saying it will never happen because of personal story, etc. concerns are focusing on the wrong issue. This isn’t a subscription game so that kind of thinking goes out the window. Anet makes their money through the gem store, so if there’s money to be made, it’s on the table.

I really don’t know if there’s any real demand for race change. But claiming it isn’t going to happen because it’s a development headache is turning a blind eye of the realities of the situation. Developers routinely revamp and modify games because it’s profitable to do so. The only real question is whether the benefits of developing race change outweigh the costs. I will be the first to say I cannot answer that question.

If they implemented race change then it should work like this:

Your Personal Story gets completely reset, any achievements tied to your previous race’s Personal Story are removed, and you lose the AP from it. The cultural gear you had accrued will no longer be equippable (that’s an obvious one) and since it is soulbound it cannot be used on any other character, so essentially you wasted your money.

This would get around all of the arguments for why you can’t race change.

I mean, if you can currently have your big burly dark-skinned Norn character have a sex change to a svelt, sexy light-skinned Norn woman who is 1.5ft shorter, then there’s really no argument about immersion breaking that can be made.

Now if those that want to be able to do a race change want to be able to continue to wear their cultural gear or transfer to another character or want to still keep credit for personal story then it really sounds like you want to have your cake and eat it too.

I would be willing to pay several thousand gems for a race change. I do feel like the only issues needed to be addressed would be personal story wipe (complete redo) as well as all cultural armor either destroyed or converted over. Considering the lack of limitations we have to things such as sex change, appearance change, hair style change and name change I don’t see how people would be opposed to this.

The argument that we should just restart the thousands of hours we’ve spent on our individual character is pretty arbitrary. After spending many hours, I’ve found that some race restricted abilities would compliment my build and that is the reason I want to race change.

I’m usually aagainst race changes but a tinytiny tiny tiny tiny part of mE wants to changemy human ele into an asura or charr

They have said before there are game limitations to why they cant offer race changes. I am sure they would offer them if they could since it would be a huge money market. I think wow charges like 30-35 dollars for a race change currently.

I remember the exact issue had something to do with the personal story and not being able to switch it around with out major changes.

Just reset the personal story to zero when you do a race change. It’s as simple as that.
It’d be as if you didn’t bother to do the personal story until you reached level 80.
As for gear: everything gets transferred to the equivalent skin of your new race.

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

Race and even faction change is possible in WoW and this was implemented even back in 2008 I think. Anet seems just a bit lazy, be cause needs a bit more effort. But it would definetly be possible.

Scumbag Mawile.6384:

Personal story and home instances aren’t of much importance to many players. With an obvious warning that personal story and home instances would be reset/wiped/whatever, I’m sure many, many people would still buy gems for character race change.

My Thoughts exactly!

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

Ashabhi.1365:

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

You think I’m lazy because i don’t want to level the same class back to 80 that I did once before? You think I’m lazy for wanting to abandon the character I have over 2k+ hours on because I was unlucky enough not to see race specific abilities as important back in august 2012? You think I’m lazy because id rather keep the 2 legendaries I already have on my first elementalist rather than start it all over again?

Simple solution to the personal story… make it unavailable until you choose an order. When you race change, remove the personal story of your character and get rid of the quests, keeping only your order. Cultural armor could be changed to the new race’s of the same tier.

It’s not something I’d ever invest in personally, at least not likely anyways. I just think it’s not as complicated as people make it out to be. There’s point in trying to convert someone’s personal story from one race to another. Just 86 it.

They could easily implement it within the story too. Like, a mighty witch have found a way to alter your body, but it will cost you an arm and a leg if you do not like how you were born. Drink the potion – voila. Story remains the same, home instance – maybe.

NinjaBreadMan.8926:

You think I’m lazy because i don’t want to level the same class back to 80 that I did once before? You think I’m lazy for wanting to abandon the character I have over 2k+ hours on because I was unlucky enough not to see race specific abilities as important back in august 2012? You think I’m lazy because id rather keep the 2 legendaries I already have on my first elementalist rather than start it all over again?

I don’t think you’re lazy, bud. But I personally don’t find the race specific abilities to be that important. Not so important to warrant a race change. What ability do you want?

Screw immersion and realism. You roleplayers can do whatever kitten you want but dont drag us in it. I dont care about so called “realism” or “Story” You dont like it you dont use it. What has it with us to do that it breaks immersion for YOU that I can change race.. Do what you want but dont drag us in it……

Big Tower.5423:

Screw immersion and realism. You roleplayers can do whatever kitten you want but dont drag us in it. I dont care about so called “realism” or “Story” You dont like it you dont use it. What has it with us to do that it breaks immersion for YOU that I can change race.. Do what you want but dont drag us in it……

We can already change gender so yea…
Not to mention that in a world of magic, nothing is impossible and things like realism don’t exist in a fantasy world.

NinjaBreadMan.8926:

Ashabhi.1365:

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

You think I’m lazy because i don’t want to level the same class back to 80 that I did once before? You think I’m lazy for wanting to abandon the character I have over 2k+ hours on because I was unlucky enough not to see race specific abilities as important back in august 2012? You think I’m lazy because id rather keep the 2 legendaries I already have on my first elementalist rather than start it all over again?

I understand where you’re coming from, but I still don’t understand why you didn’t know you wanted a different race before level 80.

If it took months and months to level a character (as in some other games) then I could understand it, but I think changing one’s race to avoid re-leveling is like trying to get an “Instant 80.”

As you said yourself, you spent thousands of hours (and a lot of money) on this character. One would think you knew long before now that it was the “wrong” race for what you wanted.

It’s only an opinion, just like yours. Sometimes one needs to live with the choices they make and not depend on someone else to “fix it” for them.

Big Tower.5423:

Screw immersion and realism. You roleplayers can do whatever kitten you want but dont drag us in it.

well,… you pretty much dragged yourself in the very moment you bought a ROLE PLAYING game…

Mesket.5728:

Big Tower.5423:

Screw immersion and realism. You roleplayers can do whatever kitten you want but dont drag us in it.

well,… you pretty much dragged yourself in the very moment you bought a ROLE PLAYING game…

I usually dont like to get myself in these topics, but even I, a heavy roleplayer, agree with having race change in the game.

Immersion is subjective: I find sex change as much of an “offense” as race change, yet we have one but not the other. I find having more pink bagpacks a giant waste of ‘resources’ as compared to introducing dueling in the game which is long overdue (and no, sPvP does not count, open world PvP is what has been asked too many times to be able to count it at this point)

If something this demanded and with a analog (sex change) already in game, but it is missing, then it is either Anet being lazy and missing out on potential $$ or being held back by roleplayers (very unlikely, I highly doubt anet cares too much about us, in fact they seems to be able to go to the extend of closing roleplaying spots such as human town on the instance, they went as far as putting invisible walls to fix a ‘bug’ yet CoF invisible balls are still bugged since months….at that point you can take it as a personal attack to us roleplayers)

Anet’s thought process:

If it’s hard, don’t do it.
If it takes time, don’t do it unless there’s profit to be made.
If there’s no profit, don’t do it.
If it’s hard, but there’s still money to be made, do something easier.

The answer is no.

Ashabhi.1365:

NinjaBreadMan.8926:

Ashabhi.1365:

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

You think I’m lazy because i don’t want to level the same class back to 80 that I did once before? You think I’m lazy for wanting to abandon the character I have over 2k+ hours on because I was unlucky enough not to see race specific abilities as important back in august 2012? You think I’m lazy because id rather keep the 2 legendaries I already have on my first elementalist rather than start it all over again?

I understand where you’re coming from, but I still don’t understand why you didn’t know you wanted a different race before level 80.

If it took months and months to level a character (as in some other games) then I could understand it, but I think changing one’s race to avoid re-leveling is like trying to get an “Instant 80.”

As you said yourself, you spent thousands of hours (and a lot of money) on this character. One would think you knew long before now that it was the “wrong” race for what you wanted.

It’s only an opinion, just like yours. Sometimes one needs to live with the choices they make and not depend on someone else to “fix it” for them.

So you’ve never changed your opinion about anything before?

Arkham Creed.7358:

Not going to happen. For about the billionth time now; Arena Net already confirmed that they will not be adding race changing to the game because of the impact that would have on your personal story and home instance.

Agreed, but its sort of funny because they dont really care about personal story. Its too expensive(voice over wise) to continue to make more personal story, and they are well entrenched into living story. So I just find it a funny reason that they wont allow race change because of personal story issues when the personal story has all been abandoned since launch.

+1 for race change

Lord Kuru.3685:

Ashabhi.1365:

NinjaBreadMan.8926:

Ashabhi.1365:

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

You think I’m lazy because i don’t want to level the same class back to 80 that I did once before? You think I’m lazy for wanting to abandon the character I have over 2k+ hours on because I was unlucky enough not to see race specific abilities as important back in august 2012? You think I’m lazy because id rather keep the 2 legendaries I already have on my first elementalist rather than start it all over again?

I understand where you’re coming from, but I still don’t understand why you didn’t know you wanted a different race before level 80.

If it took months and months to level a character (as in some other games) then I could understand it, but I think changing one’s race to avoid re-leveling is like trying to get an “Instant 80.”

As you said yourself, you spent thousands of hours (and a lot of money) on this character. One would think you knew long before now that it was the “wrong” race for what you wanted.

It’s only an opinion, just like yours. Sometimes one needs to live with the choices they make and not depend on someone else to “fix it” for them.

So you’ve never changed your opinion about anything before?

Of course I have changed my opinion in the past.

But I don’t want someone else to “fix” the bad choice I made. It was my choice, and realizing I have been wrong doesn’t mean I am going to ask for someone else to undo what I did. It’s all on me.

+1 for race change. my first char was a charr. Everey armor looks terrible on a charr(except cultural armor). i would like to change race so i can use an armor that does fit and doesnt look fugly.

Is it ever gonna happen or just a dream ;(

tbh I don’t see why not though, good way to sink gold and might make even more people buy gems => profit for Anet and also making the players happy

I just don’t see why not

2 weeks ago I would have said it’s never gonna happen… then they “accidentally” put a cultural armor skin in the gem store.

So yeah.. apparently anet meant it when they said nothing is off the table. Your wish may be granted one day soon.

Will be in the game soonish.

It’s potentially messy with the way the personal story starts off being very specific to your race.

Zerole.7306:

It’s potentially messy with the way the personal story starts off being very specific to your race.

I am pretty sure a.net dropped the personal story idea so they could do it.

dropped the personnal story idea? I think that as long as a character has progressed far enought as to be in lion arch personnal story can be rebuilt. otherwise why not simply reset the personnal story upon race change

Butter.3024:

Is it ever gonna happen or just a dream ;(

tbh I don’t see why not though, good way to sink gold and might make even more people buy gems => profit for Anet and also making the players happy

I just don’t see why not

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Will-race-change-be-available-ever

Ashabhi.1365:

Yargesh.4965:

It seems that people are saying ANET is lazy/incompetent because they would rather not re-write the entire game code while it is too hard to use a character slot to level up a preferred race. Am I missing something?

^^This

If you took the time to level a race to 80, don’t you think that you would have found you wanted something else long before 80?

Seriously…it seems to me that people are just wanting a race change because they don’t want to put the time and effort into starting a new character.

Now who’s lazy? It’s not like it takes forever to level a new character.

I hope they never implement race change.

Some of them used items on that class that they would lost – like expanding backpack bags, maybe some cosmetics, colors etc.

Oniyui.8279:

Simple solution to the personal story… make it unavailable until you choose an order. When you race change, remove the personal story of your character and get rid of the quests, keeping only your order. Cultural armor could be changed to the new race’s of the same tier.

This could lead to some technical problems, but I think everyone would agree it’s better to redo the story if you change the race than don’t change race cause the story is the problem.

Or if possible only make someone redo first X levels of the story.
But let us change the race.

Not sure why so many people think the personal story is a problem. Just wipe it clean so that you have to start over. I doubt many people would care too much about that.

Well I was thinking the other day, instead of a complete race change how about we have a compromise where:

- Level a toon to 80

- Upon reaching 80 on that profession you are able to buy a new item from that profession trainer

- The new items is account bound and allows you to instantly level another race/same race to 80 on that profession type.

I don’t see how anyone could not agree this is ok, the person has done the work in leveling the original character.

If race changing is such a massive issue I hope they go back on their stance on class changes. I need to drop my ranger and I’ll never look back.

The main issue is the personal story.

It’s not prepared for a race change.

If they let you change race, you could play personal story again and get all the rewards again with a fully geared character.

Race change would only be possible if you had to replay all the story again at least until the parts that are not unique to race, but also forfeiting their rewards so you can’t get them twice.

Scumbag Mawile.6384:

Personal story and home instances aren’t of much importance to many players. With an obvious warning that personal story and home instances would be reset/wiped/whatever, I’m sure many, many people would still buy gems for character race change.

I can’t agree more. The personal story is a joke. Home instances are a bigger joke. Please give us race change and spare us the misery of re-working our character one by one.

Yeh.. Anet said they wouldn’t put in a race change. Just do what I do. Delete my “useless” 80s and relevel/regear them. I cri evertiem ;-;

Money talks and Anet programs. Race change will come sooner or later. Most likely later.

Arenanet/NCsoft ain’t doing so well financially at the moment so you never know might come within few months. Thats what i personally and most of the community hopes for.

Not gonna happen. I’m sure they have a lot more ways to make money if they ever need to.

If they don’t give us race change I’ll just go back to TERA