And those who dont buy expansion?
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
WvW will only change in that you’ll have a new map to play on some weeks (they can’t expansion lock this new map, I refuse to believe they’d break WvW like that) and you’ll have a new class and people with new builds to fight.
Brotherhood of Blub [blub]
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…
Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
From the looks of it they will be left out of pre-cursor crafting as it requires the masteries system and progression of the masteries system does require Heart of Thorns.
New living world episodes will likely require Heart of Thorns also as they will take place after Heart of Thorns. There is a possibility they may release a few for the core world however.
The new WvW map, PvP stronghold, and Guild halls may still be available to players that do not buy the expansion however. We will have to see.
In Game: Storm Bluff Isle — Anzz, Anzenketh Kyoto
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
It will take place in the old maps, and start by dealing with the fallout of the fight against Mordy.
Eventually, some new threat will rise up, and the story will start to focus on that. This will then become the intro for expansion #2.
Sarcasm, delivered with a
delicate, brick-like subtlety.
delicate, brick-like subtlety.
I’m a little concerned about how leveling for skill points after 80 is being replaced by masteries and skill-points-as-rewards. With apparently all masteries being expansion-locked, (not just the Heart of Maguuma, but also the “core” ones), this sounds like players without the expansion will be completely frozen out of experience track rewards after level 80. I hope I’m wrong about that.
I should be writing.
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
It will take place in the old maps, and start by dealing with the fallout of the fight against Mordy.
Eventually, some new threat will rise up, and the story will start to focus on that. This will then become the intro for expansion #2.
So the expansion will contain it’s own story, that once we complete, there won’t be any more story added (via LS) to the expansion realm? That seems a bit odd…
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
It will take place in the old maps, and start by dealing with the fallout of the fight against Mordy.
Eventually, some new threat will rise up, and the story will start to focus on that. This will then become the intro for expansion #2.
So the expansion will contain it’s own story, that once we complete, there won’t be any more story added (via LS) to the expansion realm? That seems a bit odd…
Oh, there may be some additions in the HoT area as well, but yes the main LS storyline will be in the “base” world. They’ve already said this somewhere, but I don’t remember where or when.
To be cynical about it, look at the LS as an advertisement for both the Gem Store, and anything they’re cooking up for expansions. They want as many people to have access to this advertisement as possible. So, they won’t lock it away from the people that they’re hoping to get money from.
Sarcasm, delivered with a
delicate, brick-like subtlety.
delicate, brick-like subtlety.
I’m a little concerned about how leveling for skill points after 80 is being replaced by masteries and skill-points-as-rewards. With apparently all masteries being expansion-locked, (not just the Heart of Maguuma, but also the “core” ones), this sounds like players without the expansion will be completely frozen out of experience track rewards after level 80. I hope I’m wrong about that.
Doesn’t need to be like that. Anet may introduce the mastery system without the expansion too. At the end of the day, most of the masteries seem to be in the jungle, so not having the jungle opened, will prevent you from enjoying the system to the fullest.
However, I won’t be surprised, if they would offer the mastery system for the old maps for free.
I do await some of the features in the expansion to be given to all players to some degree. However, most of the features will be locked behind the expansion apparently.
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Based on the last two day’s info I won’t be getting this expansion and I spend a lot of money on this game!
You’ll basically miss most of the new content for this year then, I would expect. They’re putting their work into this pack right now, so it’s unlikely to see a lot of extras for the core game.
Players will either buy the expansion or stop playing the game. Let’s stop pretending like there will be a sizeable contingent of core game players that don’t get HoT. There won’t be.
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
It will take place in the old maps, and start by dealing with the fallout of the fight against Mordy.
Eventually, some new threat will rise up, and the story will start to focus on that. This will then become the intro for expansion #2.
So the expansion will contain it’s own story, that once we complete, there won’t be any more story added (via LS) to the expansion realm? That seems a bit odd…
Oh, there may be some additions in the HoT area as well, but yes the main LS storyline will be in the “base” world. They’ve already said this somewhere, but I don’t remember where or when.
To be cynical about it, look at the LS as an advertisement for both the Gem Store, and anything they’re cooking up for expansions. They want as many people to have access to this advertisement as possible. So, they won’t lock it away from the people that they’re hoping to get money from.
Yeah that does make sense actually.
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Based on the last two day’s info I won’t be getting this expansion and I spend a lot of money on this game!
Then you’ll have spent money, but are unable to get the expansion stuff. I spend my share on Gem Store stuff as well, but I understand the expansion is its own thing.
It turns out that you receive less content when you don’t buy the expansion.
Will Hawkins (Human Guardian)
Feryl Grimsteel (Charr Engineer)
Tarnished Coast
Feryl Grimsteel (Charr Engineer)
Tarnished Coast
It turns out that you receive less content when you don’t buy the expansion.
This. You’re not losing anything, you’re just not getting what people who paid get.
Its selfish of me but I am happy for this, if people who dont buy the expansion get everything anyway whats the point of buying it (other than hopefully an awesome revenant rytlock statue)
Well I’m sure there’ll be some free feature packs eventually and the living story should continue, too.
…Actually kind of curious how the living story will continue without touching the expansion for the expansion-less people.
That might just be a case of too bad for you if you dont have HoT, that stuff happened and the story will move on regardless. Its not exactly the same thing but that is the situation with season 1 of the living story.
Most wanted in game additions: Beastiary, readable books
if you don’t buy the expansion you don’t get it. you can still play everything you already paid for.
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
(they can’t expansion lock this new map, I refuse to believe they’d break WvW like that).
And why can’t they? Many other games of the genre have locked out new maps related to PvP in expansions away from those who haven’t purchased it. By providing it free, they’re not promoting enticement to purchase their product; therefore it’s bad business. I’m pretty sure…about 78.9% sure, that they will have this new map as Expansion Only.
To address the OP:
the expansion is cool and all but what will happen to those who dont buy the expansion will they be left out with nothing not even precursor crafting? or how will wvw work as there ll be new profession and such?
Those that don’t purchase the Expansion will be left out of the features included in the Expansion. Those features of the Expansion are listed here: https://heartofthorns.guildwars2.com/en/
-New Map(s): Maguuma Jungle
-New WvW map
-New PvP mode: Strongholds
-New progression #1: Masteries (yes, including Precurser crafting)
-New progression #2: Specialities
-New Profession: Revenant
-Guild Halls
All of these are features listed to be included with the Heart of Thorns expansion. It’s safe to assume with common sense that they’re not going to give those features away. Doing so is bad business on their part because it would give no reason for people to purchase the expansion.
Take this made up example:
-Guild Halls free for guildmembers. Guild Leader must have HoT to unlock the feature to purchase. But once guild owns a Guild Hall, all members can access.
-Guild of 100 has Guild Leader purchase HoT to make a Guild Hall, but the other 99 members don’t purchase HoT and still have access to the magnificent hall. Feature free for the other 99 because of the 1.
Is it fair for the guild members? Yes.
Is that example fair for Arena Net? No.
In this, is it fair to all the other players around the world that forked over the money for the Heart of Thorns expansion to have non-purchasers get features for free? No.
Now life is not fair, I get that and others do to. But in this case is that those that do not purchase the game’s expansion will see it as “unfair” to them that they’ll not have access to it’s many features. But such is the nature of the MMO genre and it is justly fair to the developers who want….no, not want but NEED to get paid for the work that they do in developing this content.
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
I’m a little concerned about how leveling for skill points after 80 is being replaced by masteries and skill-points-as-rewards. With apparently all masteries being expansion-locked, (not just the Heart of Maguuma, but also the “core” ones), this sounds like players without the expansion will be completely frozen out of experience track rewards after level 80. I hope I’m wrong about that.
I wonder how large a group people without the expansion will be over time. Six months in will there still be a substantial percentage of active players who haven’t installed HoT?
So I’m working on the assumption that just like other games that get expansions, most of the playerbase won’t stick with the “vanilla” version even though technically they can continue to play without the new stuff. I would bet that once they install HoT, they’ll retroactively get the mastery points they’ve earned just as day-one players will.
Also maybe those who elect to play under the old version only will still get the skill points when they ding? It would seem odd to strip down the old system without replacing it with anything.
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
From the “Reimagining Progression” post:
“The ability to train Masteries is unlocked at level 80 for all players that own Heart of Thorns…Because the Mastery training bar completely replaces the experience bar, players who’ve reached level 80 will no longer gain levels but will instead train Masteries. This means characters that have reached level 80 will no longer gain skill points through leveling.”
Simple question: what happens for accounts that don’t have HoT but do have Level 80 characters?
Do they continue to gain xp but not skill points? Both? Neither?
If the answer is they still gain Skill Points I would strongly consider not buying the expansion just to retain that facility.
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
because they confirmed they’ll replace the current borderlands with the new map, as part of a rotation system. so there would be weeks where the only thing non-expansion players can do is EotM and EB (and if they make a new EB in another expansion, not even that).
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
From the “Reimagining Progression” post:
“The ability to train Masteries is unlocked at level 80 for all players that own Heart of Thorns…Because the Mastery training bar completely replaces the experience bar, players who’ve reached level 80 will no longer gain levels but will instead train Masteries. This means characters that have reached level 80 will no longer gain skill points through leveling.”
Simple question: what happens for accounts that don’t have HoT but do have Level 80 characters?
Do they continue to gain xp but not skill points? Both? Neither?
If the answer is they still gain Skill Points I would strongly consider not buying the expansion just to retain that facility.
i think you’ll just not be able to earn anything.
the most similar comparison is glory in PvP. it lost all its use (just like lv80 exp will lose), instead being replaced by a reward track (the masteries). if you don’t have a track active, you won’t default back to the old system, you just won’t get anything.
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Based on the last two day’s info I won’t be getting this expansion and I spend a lot of money on this game!
Then you’ll have spent money, but are unable to get the expansion stuff. I spend my share on Gem Store stuff as well, but I understand the expansion is its own thing.
Yeah, I understand and accept that. My only point was that there are a lot of people who have been “supporting” the game that didn’t ask for, and don’t want, this expansion.
From the “Reimagining Progression” post:
“The ability to train Masteries is unlocked at level 80 for all players that own Heart of Thorns…Because the Mastery training bar completely replaces the experience bar, players who’ve reached level 80 will no longer gain levels but will instead train Masteries. This means characters that have reached level 80 will no longer gain skill points through leveling.”
Simple question: what happens for accounts that don’t have HoT but do have Level 80 characters?
Do they continue to gain xp but not skill points? Both? Neither?
If the answer is they still gain Skill Points I would strongly consider not buying the expansion just to retain that facility.
Ahh…
“Skill points will be added as rewards across high-level content to offset this change.”
The next line in that paragraph states that you can still get skill points, and I’d be willing to bet a gold or something that skill points will be easy enough to get if you need to get them. Don’t forget that Anet has a vendor that takes skill points as a commodity, and Anet realizes that those things are needed to make a legendary. You’ll most likely get many more things by getting the expansion than keeping a way of getting way more skill points than you’ll ever need.
Honestly though, I wouldn’t mind skill points having some value again. I liked the feeling of finally grinding up the 200 skill points I needed for my unicorn bow. I also likes knowing what my utilities did, now whenever I make a new character I just spam scrolls of knowledge. I think I have 113 of those in my bank now….
I guess the only thing aviable for everyone will be the Guild Halls, maybe some PvP-stuff and the new skins for armors and weapons you can find(not buy or craft).
I don’t know why it seems to be such an issue for some people that an expansion has to be paid. Living World was for free, events were free, pretty much the whole experience so far had no other payments involved than the optional gem-store.
I think people are greatly overestimating the number of people who won’t buy the expansion.
And honestly, if you don’t want the expansion you won’t have to pay for it. That’s always the thing right?
The issue I’m particularly thinking of is the use of skill points to make Superior Siege for WvW. Each piece of siege requires 1 skill point to buy the Siege Master’s Guide component. Omega golems require 3 skill points. Every match uses many hundreds, probably thousands of these siege engines.
Presumably WvW players won’t be required to do large amounts of PvE to get skill points so there will have to be some alternative method of obtaining them outside of PvE. Alternatively the Siege Master’s Guide could be altered not to require a skill point to purchase or it could be replaced or removed altogether.
Be nice to know what the plan is.
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
because they confirmed they’ll replace the current borderlands with the new map, as part of a rotation system. so there would be weeks where the only thing non-expansion players can do is EotM and EB (and if they make a new EB in another expansion, not even that).
This. This is the reason I said that.
Brotherhood of Blub [blub]
And those who dont buy expansion?
in Guild Wars 2: Heart of Thorns
Posted by: Astral Projections.7320
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Based on the last two day’s info I won’t be getting this expansion and I spend a lot of money on this game!
Then you’ll have spent money, but are unable to get the expansion stuff. I spend my share on Gem Store stuff as well, but I understand the expansion is its own thing.
Yeah, I understand and accept that. My only point was that there are a lot of people who have been “supporting” the game that didn’t ask for, and don’t want, this expansion.
There were people who supported WoW faithfully all those years who neither asked for nor wanted The Mists of Pandaria. But when it came out, subscriptions climbed back over 10 million, making it a success for WoW. Even now in the WoW forums with a new expansion ongoing, I see threads saying they miss that old expansion.
Obviously some won’t want this expansion. That doesn’t mean that it’s a lot of people like you suggest though or that it’s not something that is financially good for ANet.
They couldn’t get away with locking the new borderlands map out from non-HoT players. Imagine if it was locked and you need HoT to play. That would mean arenanet is effectively taking content away from non-HoT players, content that they did pay for when they bought GW2.
Let’s be honest though: customers not spending money on their game isn’t exactly the focal point of developing an expansion. Not a bad thing, just a business looking to remain profitable.
That said, I’m sure there will be stuff for people who continue to play for free. Just won’t be a priority.
Based on the last two day’s info I won’t be getting this expansion and I spend a lot of money on this game!
Then you’ll have spent money, but are unable to get the expansion stuff. I spend my share on Gem Store stuff as well, but I understand the expansion is its own thing.
Yeah, I understand and accept that. My only point was that there are a lot of people who have been “supporting” the game that didn’t ask for, and don’t want, this expansion.
yes, and there are also a lot of people that spent money on this game that wanted it, and will spend more money to have that expansion.
“i bought gems” doesn’t make your argument any more valid than the next.
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
They couldn’t get away with locking the new borderlands map out from non-HoT players. Imagine if it was locked and you need HoT to play. That would mean arenanet is effectively taking content away from non-HoT players, content that they did pay for when they bought GW2.
Why not? Other games do it all the time. The ones who don’t want to buy it can stick with EB, even if it kills WvW let’s be honest here I doubt it will affect Arenanet bottomline significantly.
As u know im pro. ~Tomonobu Itagaki
This is an mmo forum, if someone isn’t whining chances are the game is dead.
This is an mmo forum, if someone isn’t whining chances are the game is dead.
l the time. The ones who don’t want to buy it can stick with EB, even if it kills WvW let’s be honest here I doubt it will affect Arenanet bottomline significantly.
Whilst it’ll be a small number of players that don’t buy the expansion and play WvW, it’ll be extremely bad publicity for them if they shut out even a small number of players from a game mode they’d been playing for years.
Just look at the backlash when they removed the ability to convert custom amounts of gems and gold.
Brotherhood of Blub [blub]
Well if the players who have the expansion have this precursor advantage over those who didn’t bought the expansion. the game might start to go to the ‘pay to win’ path which is bad since GW2 was well known for a non-pay to win model
Well if the players who have the expansion have this precursor advantage over those who didn’t bought the expansion. the game might start to go to the ‘pay to win’ path which is bad since GW2 was well known for a non-pay to win model
The only advantage Legendaries have is the ability to swap stats out of combat, it’s purely a quality of life weapon. There is no “pay2win” involved in getting precursors, only “pay2nothavetousethepublictoiletandwasteafortune”.
Brotherhood of Blub [blub]
Well if the players who have the expansion have this precursor advantage over those who didn’t bought the expansion. the game might start to go to the ‘pay to win’ path which is bad since GW2 was well known for a non-pay to win model
it’s only one precursor per legendary per account (so only one leaf of kudzu, ever), and i bet they’ll be accountbound, and take just as much effort, if not more, than it would take to just farm the money needed to buy one off the TP.
people need to stop thinking precursor collection will be something easy to achieve.
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
because they confirmed they’ll replace the current borderlands with the new map, as part of a rotation system. so there would be weeks where the only thing non-expansion players can do is EotM and EB (and if they make a new EB in another expansion, not even that).
Yes, it will be part of a rotation that they haven’t figured out how they’re going to do it yet, that is was in one of the post PAX interviews. There’s a couple of options, they could replace all 3 Borderland maps with the new one, or leave two of them the same and rotate the 3rd in place of the original, changing it weekly between the different colors, that way everyone gets to have it as their ‘home’ borderlands, or some other system that we have no idea about.
Yes, it will be part of a rotation that they haven’t figured out how they’re going to do it yet, that is was in one of the post PAX interviews. There’s a couple of options, they could replace all 3 Borderland maps with the new one, or leave two of them the same and rotate the 3rd in place of the original, changing it weekly between the different colors, that way everyone gets to have it as their ‘home’ borderlands, or some other system that we have no idea about.
I’d imagine they’d have to swap all 3 to prevent a server from gaining a tactical advantage over the other 2.
Brotherhood of Blub [blub]
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
because they confirmed they’ll replace the current borderlands with the new map, as part of a rotation system. so there would be weeks where the only thing non-expansion players can do is EotM and EB (and if they make a new EB in another expansion, not even that).
Yes, it will be part of a rotation that they haven’t figured out how they’re going to do it yet, that is was in one of the post PAX interviews. There’s a couple of options, they could replace all 3 Borderland maps with the new one, or leave two of them the same and rotate the 3rd in place of the original, changing it weekly between the different colors, that way everyone gets to have it as their ‘home’ borderlands, or some other system that we have no idea about.
adding only one or two at a time would be horribly imbalanced. the home server has the advantage on their own borderland, and since those two borderlands are mechanically very different, it would give servers an unfair advantage if they didn’t all have the same borderland.
i think what’s in question is more “when” they rotate (every week? every other week?), or how they rotate (voting system? pre-scheduled rotation? random event?)
LegendaryMythril/Zihark Darshell
Think of it this way.
In GW1, the expansion pack Eye of the North had new skills, new title tracks, new mobs, new zones, new dungeons, new story, new armours, new weapon skins and stat combinations
If you didn’t buy it, you didn’t get any of these things, but all of the other stuff from which ever campaign you bought was still available to you. I’d say HoT would be much the same. Without buying it, you get no new masteries, no new skills, no way of crafting legendaries, no access to the new area and no new profession.
However, I do see that you’ll have access to the new WvW borderland as that affects a core functionality of the game. And you’ll certainly be able to see players using the new skills and profession in the existing area.
What ABOUT those that don’t buy the expansion? Who CARES if they get left out of a wvw map, precursor crafting, new zones, ect.
If I only buy Vanilla WoW, or only have up to MoP with WoD out, why should Blizzard give a kitten about the fact that I can’t access expansion-locked pvp maps? Why are people acting as if Arenanet should treat their expansions differently?
We all paid $60 for this game as-is, we paid for all of the original races and professions, and the what? 25 zones that came with it? We paid for the base game and nothing more, we got 3 new zones and 2 seasons worth of living story updates. I can’t speak for everybody, but I for one have gotten MORE than my money’s worth out of the game. And no matter HOW much I’ve spent in the gem store, it’s irrelevant, because from that gem store I got what I paid for – skins, keys, character slots, ect.
I don’t see why those who won’t buy the expansion should get some of the major features that are intended for those who actually PAY FOR IT. Sorry, but yes you’re going to get left out of expansion-only features if you don’t get the expansion. If we all ordered a pizza by pooling our money together, and you stamped your foot and said “No! I won’t cough over $3 to help pay!” you’re not going to deserve a slice.
Wait, what do you mean buy the expansion? back when GW2 was in beta and first released they said all expansions would be free due to the in game store and how it works.
Wait, what do you mean buy the expansion? back when GW2 was in beta and first released they said all expansions would be free due to the in game store and how it works.
Post a source, because they certainly did not ever say that.
Their player characters undergo a a forced race change to kittens.
Kidding aside, Arena Net is not about to alienate a section of their player-base, those who do not purchase the expansion will be fine.
^ having the new borderland as expansion-only would effectively kill WvW for good. imagine if every few weeks, all of tyria except orr was completely locked out from PvE players, for an entire week, maybe even several weeks, unless they had the expansion.
that’s pretty much what would happen in WvW terms if the new borderland was expansion-gated.
Why are you assuming that it’s going to be only available every few weeks? Right now I’m pretty sure that all 5 maps -Borderlands x3, Edge of the Mists, and Eternal Battlegrounds- are accessible right now. The only limitation to them is the # of players that are able to get into the map, which leaves a queuing system. [EotM being the exception with the infinite map numbers generated through population balance for overflow.]
So they add a 6th map that is Expansion Only, how does that kill WvW? Sure there will be like a 90min+ queue to get into it, but that is really nothing new to GW2 players. Remember the 4-6hr queues during the game’s 1st season? How it was nearly impossible for people to get into EB because the popularity due to it being the only map with a giant castle in it? Players will still play the other maps while waiting in queue to get into that other map too.
because they confirmed they’ll replace the current borderlands with the new map, as part of a rotation system. so there would be weeks where the only thing non-expansion players can do is EotM and EB (and if they make a new EB in another expansion, not even that).
This. This is the reason I said that.
Tell me where they mentioned this? I recall him specifically stating “will be added to the Borderland rotation”. No mention of replacement, no mention of making maps a weekly thing (such as they did with sPvP and it’s “main maps”).
http://youtu.be/gxLkfXwxLTs?t=43m16s
If anything I read the word “rotation” in that sentence as meaning how which map is your team’s ‘home world’map changes and how your color equally changes. Because this map has “3 unique keeps”, I’m sure it rotates through as to which team starts at which location to which main keeps. That’s the way I read rotation as fitting into the current setting of the game.
If anything what they MIGHT do is remove a single Boarderland, leave 2 of the 3 clones, and replace it with the new one. They’d still rotate out which map has which team starting at which keep primarily. But there’s an issue with that and the “3 worlds” match up: the spawning pavilion. You know that big thing up north of the Northern Keep? Right now because there are 3 clones, each world gets ownership of 1 pavilion on one of the 3 maps. If they were to remove one map for replacement with this new one it would leave 1 of the 3 worlds without a pavilion spawning map. But that might be a minor issue at best because it is mainly a spawn and the whole of having an AH/Bank/things up there is more or less convenience rather than just going to Divinity’s Reach.
Still, out of all the interviews and details to come out of the announcements post-PAX South, I’ve yet to see anything where they mention removal of anything from WvW. Could you please provide proof/link info to where they said that features/maps will be removed from WvW with the HoT expansion and by doing so it would “kill WvW” to make the new map Expansion Only? I honestly think people are only reading into what they want to instead of contemplating and analyzing what was actually said.