Guild Wars 2

I’m sure I’m not alone in this to say that I am a big fan of the Metroid series and even enjoy Castlevania(although admittedly I haven’t played too much of it.). The new mastery system actually sounds really really cool with some elements from these games. Metroid is a game with quite a bit of back tracking and exploration. It leads you along rather subtly and compels you to continue and see the next area, take the next challenge. This new direction for exploration has to be the coolest thing I’ve heard for a MMO in a long time. I’m also very excited for a lot of the other stuff, but this is probably the most exciting and innovating aspect in the expansion in my opinion.

Its so obvious to have in a MMO for exploration. Mapping was something in GW2 I didn’t enjoy. It was rather mindless in my opinion and I’d often just do it to kill time while I waited for something else. With this change, I can see mapping for new areas extremely exciting. This also could be amazing for future Expansions. If Arena net is willing to create a new system such as using hang gliders to reach new areas and master this new skill who’s to say what other skills we might obtain in the future? Mounting a wild wurm in The Sulfurous Wastes? Navel combat? Spelunking? Perhaps even expand this into underwater traversing. This is really exciting and I’m probably going to enjoy the master system the most in the expansion.

Thank You ArenaNet. Now tell me where those breaks are on this hype train.

This is actually my favorite style of games, after RPGs. The merging with 3-D that the Castlevania series took post-PS1 did it no favors, IMO – exploration and discovery took a back seat to a poor-man’s fighting game; the Gameboy iterations remained strong, however.

This may seem contradictory, so read carefully:
Honestly, I don’t believe platforming works well in a 3D environment. You lose the ability to judge distances, and often you can’t see obstacles in your way or safe places to land. Most of the time, you don’t even get to see your feet or the lip of the pit you’re about to jump over. Platforming and 3D are generally a bad a mix. I say this as an avid fan of the JPs in GW2, because in most cases the devs have already considered and negated the pitfalls (pardon the pun) of the 3D approach (locked camera, 1st-person perspective, etc.).

Why am I going on about platforming? Because in the metroidvania style of games, exploration’s main hinderence is getting between point A and point B, which is often a matter of combining jump height and jump distance, or using key-type items/abilities to open locks, or maybe finding that hidden opening/wall you can break open.

We kinda have a lot of these already. The best examples are in Metrica, with the sidequests to get to the Steam Ogre, or into Oola’s Lab, or Goemm’s Lab. And I think the devs are doing a pretty good job so far. But if you didn’t like what you’ve seen so far, I’m not sure that you’ll enjoy anything new that might be coming :/

I also like the approach.
Would love some class specific stuff in the world as well, even if people would be crying, cause they wouldn`t be able to go to a certain part of the game, because they have no friends or alt to get there…

I love meaningfull new skills, to access new areas. That`s why I loved the original Darksiders and was not amused with the second.

Jaken.6801:

I love meaningfull new skills, to access new areas. That`s why I loved the original Darksiders and was not amused with the second.

while i disagree with your point that there should be places only certain professions can reach, THANK YOU for being apparently the only other sensible person that sees darksiders 1 as the superior game. darksiders 1 is essentially zelda with a robust combat system. darksiders 2 felt like an uninspired hack and slash with RPG elements that really didn’t have to be there, and with platforming/climbing that looked straight out of PoP’s 2008 reboot, if that reboot was clunky and unresponsive as hell.

I don’t mind new ways to get to new areas, just as long as it isn’t a repeat of Dry Top. I have yet to get out of the first area near the entrance. I get the crystals, but it’s such a mess of things all over that I can’t figure out where to go, nor do I want to. I’m average at best when it comes to jps. Hearing that zones will have 3 levels is not really enticing to me. And if they don’t do it right I can imagine the lag will be immense. The grove and rata sum can REALLY cause issues with fps because of the layers of doodads and stuff to render. Can you imagine full zones with tons of people in them since it will be brand new?

I want it to be a fun adventure to move around, not painful precision movements and timed jumps. If they can do that, then I’m sold. If it’s another Dry Top, I probably won’t even buy the expansion to be honest.

BrunoBRS.5178:

Jaken.6801:

I love meaningfull new skills, to access new areas. That`s why I loved the original Darksiders and was not amused with the second.

while i disagree with your point that there should be places only certain professions can reach, THANK YOU for being apparently the only other sensible person that sees darksiders 1 as the superior game. darksiders 1 is essentially zelda with a robust combat system. darksiders 2 felt like an uninspired hack and slash with RPG elements that really didn’t have to be there, and with platforming/climbing that looked straight out of PoP’s 2008 reboot, if that reboot was clunky and unresponsive as hell.

Darksiders 2 had too much junk items, which just didn`t feel meaningfull.
In Darksiders 1 everything did matter

As for the “unique class areas”, i wasn`t talking about ultra-secret-stuff. Just some simple litte interaction, which give people a little more insentive to explore.
It could be a cool area. Some little chest (remember how good our loot system is and tell me that would be bad. I need so much more junk and blue and green items). Nothing gamebreaking and unfair.
It would give a bit more value to your class. Teaming up with other people could be more rewarding.

Though i can understand that in a casual and “everyone is able to do everything” enviroment, that might feel out of place for some.
I just threw it out here, simply because: “would it really be so bad?”