Guild Wars 2

Gw2: HoT Annoncement show!

I was so happy, emphasis on was……

Now,

I have this nagging feeling they only started working on the expansion like maybe a month before announcing it.

Why do I think this ?

If they were truly working on this Xpack since 18 months ago, there would be a lot more progress to be seen……

Still,

Since this game has given me so much and I’ve enjoyed this mmo far longer than I’ve played any other crappy mmo out there.

I decided to pre-purchase HoT.

No regrets, but I’d like to see some REAL progress !

Soon ™

Why they already got your money no need to show you progress then

As far as im aware we are only missing like 5 elite specs and the hard group content to be announced maybe after that its release date annoucement? As long as they keep delivering juicy news im content….HAHAHA! “Content” XD

You don’t even wanna know how much money they got from me… and I’d spend it again. Even with all of its faults and definite bugs that they just can’t seem to work out, this is still the MMO for me.

It is starting to drag on a bit. 6 months, no release date, no idea how many pve maps, no clue on challenging content, no festivals or anything new to do.

I love the game, pre purchased and play every day but it’s getting harder to stay hyped atm.

I think the OP is grossly underestimating how long it takes to do stuff. First of all, there were major changes to be made outside of just expanding. New tech was created to give the revenant the skills it has. New tech takes time to produce. The new tech isn’t the revenant, but the revenant skills employeed it. There’s more to changing a game in progress than just adding new zones, and that’s particularly true of this expansion we’re they’re changing so much of the base game.

Velimere.7685:

You don’t even wanna know how much money they got from me… and I’d spend it again. Even with all of its faults and definite bugs that they just can’t seem to work out, this is still the MMO for me.

This is the kind of stuff I love to see. I share your opinion my friend. We need more positivity in both the forums and the game itself.

I pre-ordered it (Ultimate version might I add) and personally don’t care when it comes out. I can’t wait for the Xpac.

And honestly, even without them officially announcing some of the things I’m looking forward to the most (Hardcore PvE, elite specs, etc) I’d still play the Xpac. Can’t wait!

I think that the main issue is that it takes time to fix stuff. Sure people can claim that they should have waited with announcing it then. But then we would have gone all these months without any living story releases and have no idea why, which people would rage even more about.

I would also say that we have seen quite a bit of real progress.

We have gotten the whole specialization system. We have played the new PvP map multiple times. We have had tests of the WvW map. None of those things would have happened without rather major progress.

I remember saying something similar when the expansion was announced and certain posters said, “You see! Obviously the developers have been working on it since Day One.”

Something like that.

I don’t see those posters anymore, but they don’t call me Living Story Lover anymore either.

Good times.

Ardenwolfe.8590:

I remember saying something similar when the expansion was announced and certain posters said, “You see! Obviously the developers have been working on it since Day One.”

Something like that.

I don’t see those posters anymore, but they don’t call me Living Story Lover anymore either.

Good times.

Well to be fair they have most likely worked on it for quite a while before the announcement. Otherwise we wouldn’t have as much done as we currently have (such as the whole Specialization system and fully playable maps). Heck we know for a fact that EotM took over a year to make and it is likely that the new WvW map took just as much (if not more, due to all the new thingies being added).

It is unlikely that they have worked on it since day one. But it is rather likely that they have worked on it for 1,5 years at the very least.

latinkuro.7304:

Gw2: HoT Annoncement show!

I was so happy, emphasis on was……

Now,

I have this nagging feeling they only started working on the expansion like maybe a month before announcing it.

Why do I think this ?

If they were truly working on this Xpack since 18 months ago, there would be a lot more progress to be seen……

Still,

Since this game has given me so much and I’ve enjoyed this mmo far longer than I’ve played any other crappy mmo out there.

I decided to pre-purchase HoT.

No regrets, but I’d like to see some REAL progress !

Soon ™

Is the announcement process for HoT unusual? I admit I don’t usually follow most games this closely, but I can’t think of any that have announced every single detail ahead of release, certainly not as they finish working on it.

They announced it at the end of the Living Story Season 2. Imagine if they didn’t – people would be in the forums raging about no new content for six months, without the knowledge of there being an expansion built.

Would anyone prefer that?

i agree they worked on it maybe a couple weeks and announced an expansion coming haha
i have prepurchased as well no regrets but lets face it they have no been working on it that long and announced it far too early

emendez.3705:

i agree they worked on it maybe a couple weeks and announced an expansion coming haha
i have prepurchased as well no regrets but lets face it they have no been working on it that long and announced it far too early

So they somehow managed to create a more complex WvW map in less than half the time it took them to create EotM? That does seem rather unlikely actually. Not to mention at the same time completing the Specialization system, Mastery System, new PvP gaming mode and multiple maps.

Danikat.8537:

latinkuro.7304:

Gw2: HoT Annoncement show!

I was so happy, emphasis on was……

Now,

I have this nagging feeling they only started working on the expansion like maybe a month before announcing it.

Why do I think this ?

If they were truly working on this Xpack since 18 months ago, there would be a lot more progress to be seen……

Still,

Since this game has given me so much and I’ve enjoyed this mmo far longer than I’ve played any other crappy mmo out there.

I decided to pre-purchase HoT.

No regrets, but I’d like to see some REAL progress !

Soon ™

Is the announcement process for HoT unusual? I admit I don’t usually follow most games this closely, but I can’t think of any that have announced every single detail ahead of release, certainly not as they finish working on it.

It is just slower. They are unlikely to show us all the maps, but usually you are told how many maps there are as a key selling point of the expansion, so far we have only seen or been told about 1 level of 1 map.

Usually the number of raids/dungeons (challenging content) is also a key selling point and is shown in multiple trailers, teasers, and given a fair amount of detail (nothing on this yet)

Usually the new sets of armor and weapons are shown off (nothing on this yet)

Usually the expansion is launched ~6 months after announcement, though sometimes it can stretch to up to a year in advance. People are getting antsy since we don’t even have a release date yet.

Usually the release schedule and festivals continue as normal during expansion development (2 separate teams) it appears everyone at Anet is working on the expansion and they have no other team to release new content and festivals. We have gotten the pre-expansion balance patch though which is usually a sign that the expansion is getting closer.

I think people were expecting the expansion to launch for the anniversary in August. If that is what you are thinking then Anet is waaayyyy behind and the expansion would have to be released 50% uncompleted. A more realistic release date is November-Janurary in which case we are pretty much on par with what one would expect.

You also have to remember that they were probably working on the recreation of the progression systems such as masteries, specializations, and also figuring out the elite specs. On top of this, the masteries are going to provide abilities that make traversing Maguuma more interesting. Gliding alone would take a lot of effort when building maps just because they have to make sure you can’t reach places that you aren’t supposed to yet.

Also, guild halls. And by the preview, they have had significant work done on those while creating entirely new systems (scribing/arena). The guild halls (whether you will use them or not) look BEAUTIFUL and have obviously taken a lot of time and art direction.

The foundations for all of these things would have taken a long time not to mention conceptualizing them and how they would work.

I do think the announcement was a little preemptive, but without it we also wouldn’t have the ability to beta test things as they put the finishing touches on, which in evidence of the revenant, is a great boon to us all.

I think it would be hard to nail down an exact point when they started making an expansion.

The rough storyline (fighting Mordremoth, Pact and Destiny’s Edge in trouble, us and a new group of heroes saving the day, etc.) may have been worked out as far back as January 2013 when we first started to encounter Scarlet’s minions and Rox and Braham. It’s possible that the end of season 2& the Pale Tree and sylvari being dragon minions goes back to the development of the base game/EOTN. Or it might be something they worked out as they were going along.

Either way I suspect it was originally intended to be delivered through the living story format, until they bowed to player pressure to make an expansion instead.

Likewise they may have been planning some features like a new WvW map, guild halls, whatever this challenging content is etc. simply as things they would add to the game at some point and it was only after they’d started that they decided it would be part of the expansion.

Didn’t they say this expansion lays the foundations and will make future expansions easier to do somewhere? I wonder what that was referring too?

Brother Dulfite.5793:

Didn’t they say this expansion lays the foundations and will make future expansions easier to do somewhere? I wonder what that was referring too?

The whole Elite Specialization, Mastery and Guild Hall systems can rather easily be expanded upon in the future.

Brother Dulfite.5793:

Didn’t they say this expansion lays the foundations and will make future expansions easier to do somewhere? I wonder what that was referring too?

They definitely said one of the reasons for redesigning the skill and trait unlocking system was to make it easier to add new skills and specialisations in future, but I’m not sure what else would be making future expansions easier. It could be some of the behind the scenes stuff through.

Pay for something that you will get someday It works

Brother Dulfite.5793:

Didn’t they say this expansion lays the foundations and will make future expansions easier to do somewhere? I wonder what that was referring too?

I’m pretty sure they’ve said that about every single feature and patch since launch. So far it hasn’t helped anything.

Yeah there is no way they started all that long ago. If it took them even 2 years to do this small xpac with half the co, It would have taken 15 years to make the launch game.

I remember when people were saying they working on a “secret project” behind the scenes, and most speculated that it was the expansion. I think we can finally say that speculation wasn’t true.

There hasn’t been any new updates either, which is sad, but i’ve been enjoying Skyforge casually anyway.

lordkrall.7241:

emendez.3705:

i agree they worked on it maybe a couple weeks and announced an expansion coming haha
i have prepurchased as well no regrets but lets face it they have no been working on it that long and announced it far too early

So they somehow managed to create a more complex WvW map in less than half the time it took them to create EotM? That does seem rather unlikely actually. Not to mention at the same time completing the Specialization system, Mastery System, new PvP gaming mode and multiple maps.

You realize those were probably updates and patches to the game . . . before it turned into ‘expansion’ material . . . right?

Ardenwolfe.8590:

You realize those were probably updates and patches to the game . . . before it turned into ‘expansion’ material . . . right?

That doesn’t really change the fact that they were working on thing that are now coming in the expansion. People seems to think that they started working on the expansion the moment they announced it. That is rather clearly not true.

(laugh) Intent makes all the difference in the world.

Lets try to remember lots of big systems are going into this expansion.

They never did state that they were working on it for 18 months though. All they said was that they had laid the foundations for the expansion to happen with the direction of the living story.

Given the slow progress, I strongly expect they only started development of HoT around the end of last year

The wait would not bother me so much if they were to just recycle some content for us to play in the interim. I am quite bored currently having made 3 alts and leveled them and gotten map completion on them all.

I realize that they are introducing new systems, but for the love of all that is holy could we not even get pinatas back!

Ardenwolfe.8590:

(laugh) Intent makes all the difference in the world.

So, if I start coding something today for a new game, and then in half a year I decided to add it in another game, the time I worked on said things would start at the time I decided to add it in another game rather than today?

That is not really how things work..

I think they did have content planned but they needed everyone working on HoT and the content plans went down the drain.

rapthorne.7345:

They never did state that they were working on it for 18 months though. All they said was that they had laid the foundations for the expansion to happen with the direction of the living story.

Given the slow progress, I strongly expect they only started development of HoT around the end of last year

And how would you explain the fact that they already have a fully playable WvW map in a much shorter time than it took to create the less complex EotM map?

To be honest I rather wait 2 or 3 months more than seeing a Zhaitan 2.0 Fight. I also see why Anet isn’t that transperent about everything they are working on.. imagine if they were.. you would know EVERYTHING about the Expansion before even playing it, sound pretty boring to me. Why aren’t they announcing a release date? Probably because they don’t want to set themselves a “deadline”, also people would QQ if it got pushed back. It will also be a bigger surprise for everyone, leading to more hype and more sales of course.

#Soon™

They worked on it even BEFORE the end of Season 1 living story.

Scarlett’s attempt to touch that Ley Line… Season 2’s story… Those all were decided the moment they were planning on making an expansion.

If you’re asking me, I’m 100% sure they worked on it a LONG time before they announced it. Plenty of evidence by looking at Season 1’s finale.

ZudetGambeous.9573:

Brother Dulfite.5793:

Didn’t they say this expansion lays the foundations and will make future expansions easier to do somewhere? I wonder what that was referring too?

I’m pretty sure they’ve said that about every single feature and patch since launch. So far it hasn’t helped anything.

The wardrobe function was made to be easily expanded upon in the future. It helped immensely and there is enough evidence.

The wallet function was made to be easily expanded upon in the future. It helped immensely and there is enough evidence.

The account sharing function was made to be easily expanded upon in the future. It helped immensely and there is enough evidence.

The same with specializations. And mini’s. And dyes.

Honestly, before you criticize ArenaNet, do your research. I often play RuneScape, and compared to ArenaNet, they do a lot of things inefficiently and plainly faulty (for example, they’re adding a skill that builds upon already existing, out-dated skills… If they rework the out-dated skills, they will have to rework the new skill as well.)

I’m not saying they do everything wrong. Their mantra of “We will share more when it’s ready” is ridiculous and absolutely frustrating and they BARELY talk about future plans with the community. When it comes to that, Jagex learned from it and adapted. Now we almost know everything they’re developing and we can give feedback even at conceptual stage.

Learn from your competitors, ArenaNet. But please don’t criticize them for the things they ARE doing right.

lordkrall.7241:

Ardenwolfe.8590:

(laugh) Intent makes all the difference in the world.

So, if I start coding something today for a new game, and then in half a year I decided to add it in another game, the time I worked on said things would start at the time I decided to add it in another game rather than today?

That is not really how things work..

But we’re not talking a ‘new’ game. We’re talking about this one. Prior to this ‘expansion’ nonsense, we were told only Living Story. And these updates were pretty regular. Every two weeks to every two months. Give or take. And then, lo and behold, expansion.

If you really think none of the Living Story content didn’t get rolled into the expansion . . . well then . . . we have nothing further to discuss.

But that is completely irrelevant.

The fact still remains that they have worked on stuff coming with the expansion for a rather long time. Not just 6 months as people here would like to claim. It might not originally have been planned as an expansion feature (but based on the whole structure of Season 2 it seems likely that they had decided on going with expansion before that started) but it is coming as a part of the expansion.

Thus they have been working on stuff coming in the expansion for a long time.’

How something is delivered is completely irrelevant. The time they have spent working on it is still the same.

Oh I have no doubt they’ve been working on ‘stuff’ for a long time . . . for Living Story. At some point, yes, they decided to head in the expansion route. But let there be no doubt—at all—that some of that Living Story content got rolled into the expansion too.

It’s not irrelevant. It’s proof of why we’re not seeing any ‘new’ content. If said content was for Living Story, and only Living Story, even with the expansion coming, wouldn’t you still release said content until it’s exhausted while working on the expansion?

Does that not make sense?

Yes, how something is delivered is more than relevant. If I’m now paying for something that was free prior, and was intended to be free post, you bet it’s relevant.

Seriously? You’re actually arguing this? It’s common sense.

Personally they’re kind of killing the hype by announcing it so early. We heard about so many things at the first announcement, and then a few big things not long after that, but nothing since has been a big deal. Also, telling us (most) everything is kind of lame. I wish we could be more surprised at what is released. I am excited to play, but I’m not playing GW2 at all really while we wait. Makes me feel like I may end up just grinding through HoT content and then quitting until next ExPack or perhaps all together. Tips for next time: Announce MUCH farther in the process, release a couple features and a cool cinematic, then a month or two later release, maybe into a full beta.

I do think they have been working on it for some time before the annoucement, BUT it does not feel that way. I look at cronomancer and at tempest and they both seem to be at the same development stage, despite being what 3 months apart? And they don’t seem finished either, and I’m talking more than just adjusting numbers.

I feel they didn’t think it would take this long we all know Anet they don’t reveal things they don’t believe isn’t ready I think with the conventions and LA and the spec stuff as well as the big changes needed it pushes release back I’m worried that they may need to rush the expansion out and fix the bugs afterwards.

Prepare to wait a while longer. They have yet to let us play test the current elite specs, reveal the unannounced elite specs, core Revenant and explain the kitten is “challenging group content”