Guild Wars 2

I came back afters 3 years and i’m catching up with the infos
What i was wondering is: can i access to this area in any way without having to spend 200 gems (60+ golds) for the living story mission?
I googled a bit but i can’t find a solution; it seems that they pulled a good rip off to the returning players

If you weren’t around for the 2-3 months free period during initial release, then you need to buy the corresponding episode to play in any of the 6 LS3 maps (same with the 2 LS2 maps if you lack them).

Afaik not even teleport to friend works (someone can confirm/deny that I’m sure)

(that should mean you at least have episode 6 for free)

Randulf.7614:

If you weren’t around for the 2-3 months free period during initial release, then you need to buy the corresponding episode to play in any of the 6 LS3 maps (same with the 2 LS2 maps if you lack them).

Afaik not even teleport to friend works (someone can confirm/deny that I’m sure)

(that should mean you at least have episode 6 for free)

No, the teleport doesen’t work, it wastes the charge though
So how many episodes do i have to buy to get access to the corresponding area? There is a list somewhere?

Episode 1 gives access to Bloodstone Fen
Episode 2 gives access to Ember Bay
Episode 3 gives access to Bitterfrost Frontier
Episode 4 gives access to Lake Doric
Episode 5 gives access to Draconis Mons
Episode 6 gives access to Sirens Landing

Basically 1 episode = 1 map

So i’m missing the first 5 episodes > 1000 gems > 300 golds
Woah i would have even considered if i really wanted o buy HoT and PoF if i had knew that, i consider that a sort of rip off

Thanks for the help tho

I understand your p.o.v. and whilst I’m not a big fan of the system at times, it does have the positive factor of rewarding loyalty (ie free for regular players). Content also needs to be funded somehow and this was is a little fairer than everyone paying.

To be honest, I’d buy one episode for 60g and the rest with gems for (smallest package will suffice which is £8.50 in my currency). I got mine for free, but if I had paid, despite some criticisms I have had about the narrative, I’ve loved 5/6 maps utterly and had value for money many times over.

Randulf.7614:

If you weren’t around for the 2-3 months free period during initial release, then you need to buy the corresponding episode to play in any of the 6 LS3 maps (same with the 2 LS2 maps if you lack them).

This isn’t quite right. Anyone can enter Dry Top or The Silverwastes, but they’d need to buy the chapters to play the personal story. Season 3, though, cuts the new maps off entirely until you get at least one character there by progressing through the Chapter (usually after the first instance).

Bloodstone Fen, Ember Bay, Dragonis Mons and Siren’s Landing don’t even have portals to any other maps. Entry and exit from the maps is solely through waypoints, or a portal scroll sold by a special vendor at the relevant map.

Yes, I stand corrected about silverwastes and dry top. Not sure why I misrembered that.

How important are these LS zones, if one disregards the story? After you finish the story in these zones, why would you go back? Is there anything that cannot be obtained in other zones, the ones that are not behind LS paywall?
I am missing quite few of them and if the only reason for them is to present the story, I am not sure I am willing to pay for them.

Access to cheap ascended accessories, or easily farmed ones anyway. Access to various back pack skins you can only get on those zones. Minis you can only get in those zones. Access to unbound magic, which can be converted into gold. It also can work as a karma farm.

I enjoy playing the new zones quite apart from the story

Things I can think of:

• Easiest way to obtain ascended trinkets and backpieces with both core and HoT stats.
• More MPs than their respective masteries require, so you can use the extras to unlock any other HoT mastery that you previously did not have enough MPs for.
• The new legendary accessory is only obtainable if you’ve got all the LS3 eps.
• New bloodstone/dragonite/empyreal eater https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Gleam_of_Sentience
• You get to test your skill/patience in the Chalice of Tears… wink wink.

I can understand them making these maps pay for. Season 2 took place mostly within Drytop and Silverwastes. This really didn’t justify the need to make players pay for it so they just made it part of central Tyria.

However, Season 3 had 5 well crafted maps. Each of which provided a different currency and some easy but time consuming ways to get Ascended trinkets and backpacks. Each map also had something that made its mechanic a little more unique.

I wasn’t there for the entire Season 3, I had parts of it. But I just went ahead and paid for the rest of it with cash. Was it worth it? Subjective to the player.

Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497:

However, Season 3 had 5 well crafted maps. Each of which provided a different currency and some easy but time consuming ways to get Ascended trinkets and backpacks. Each map also had something that made its mechanic a little more unique.

Just a small correction, it’s 6 maps (one for each episode and Season 3 has 6 episodes), not 5.

Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497:

I can understand them making these maps pay for. Season 2 took place mostly within Drytop and Silverwastes. This really didn’t justify the need to make players pay for it so they just made it part of central Tyria.

Slight correction: When season 2 was initially released, the game was still Buy 2 Play, so there were no Free2Play players at the time. As such, the Maguuma Wastes were just considered part of the core game. Shortly before HoT launched, they announced the core game was going F2P and everything related to HoT required that the game be bought. That’s when this divide started to form, and why all the new maps are cut off unless the chapter is unlocked.

Cyninja.2954:

Leo Schrodingers Cat.2497:

However, Season 3 had 5 well crafted maps. Each of which provided a different currency and some easy but time consuming ways to get Ascended trinkets and backpacks. Each map also had something that made its mechanic a little more unique.

Just a small correction, it’s 6 maps (one for each episode and Season 3 has 6 episodes), not 5.

I’m not so sure that was a mistake. Schrodingers said there were “5 well crafted maps”, which could imply that one of the maps wasn’t so well crafted. Which one is that? We may never know…

I wouldn’t worry if you don’t have access to these maps. They’re fun to play, but mostly they’re just there to keep us busy between expansions. I wouldn’t say they’re essential. Gear wise they do provide easy access to farming ascended trinkets but I guess the next season will probably continue that trend anyway with new maps.

If you feel you need something to keep you busy the next two weeks, I’d say just buy the chapter giving access to Bloodstone Fen – the ring and back piece there offer easily changeable stats.

This is a deal breaker imo for returning players looking to get back into the game but missed out on the free living world content. I mean, it wouldnt of mattered much if you could atleast access the maps, but creating exclusive areas only accessible at this time if you pay for it is not right.

Those who logged in earlier will have them for FREE while returning players who purchase PoF will not? They would easily fall into the trap thinking theyll be up to speed content wise if they bought both HoT/PoF only to be gouged extra.

Also the LW isnt even included in any premium editions of the expansion wtf? They shouldnt have offered Living story for free to begin with or make it come with the latest expansion to avoid infuriating players who taken a break from the game. It would also incentivise sales of PoF too (barring the fact it would seem intuitive to do it that way in the first place).

eldrjth.7384:

This is a deal breaker imo for returning players looking to get back into the game but missed out on the free living world content. I mean, it wouldnt of mattered much if you could atleast access the maps, but creating exclusive areas only accessible at this time if you pay for it is not right.

Those who logged in earlier will have them for FREE while returning players who purchase PoF will not? They would easily fall into the trap thinking theyll be up to speed content wise if they bought both HoT/PoF only to be gouged extra.

Also the LW isnt even included in any premium editions of the expansion wtf? They shouldnt have offered Living story for free to begin with or make it come with the latest expansion to avoid infuriating players who taken a break from the game. It would also incentivise sales of PoF too (barring the fact it would seem intuitive to do it that way in the first place).

Drama much?

LW episodes are free for players loyal to the game and are not so expensive as to be a huge burden for returning or new players.

It does incentivise sales of PoF, get the delux edition with extra gems and use part of those gems to get the living world content which you are locked out of, done.

How does logging in 1 day in the month or however long it was to get the LS free constitute loyalty? Maybe have the areas unlock after playtime or login days at least if youre going to make that argument. I dont really understand the that logic anyway. Why not offer PoF for free for loyal players too? I dont count gold-> gem as free.

Why should newcomers be charged for what was offered as a free gift earlier if they pay for the expansion thinking that it would give them access to all playable content? Since thats how it works in almost every game with an expansion. Maybe they should package Living World as a stand alone expansion too for clarity sake. Most new players prob wonder how to access the blanked out lvl 80 areas until the google search it.

All I asked for is to have the areas which were previously given out for free accessible without purchasing living world. It is the maps that are the most important part of it. Those who buy HoT+PoF should have access to all map areas end of story.

eldrjth.7384:

How does logging in 1 day in the month or however long it was to get the LS free constitute loyalty?

Because most likely that player logging in wouldn’t just login to unlock the episode but actually play the game. The game needs players to be active, and unlocking the LS for free is an extra incentive to be there when it releases and experience the content first.

Why should newcomers be charged for what was offered as a free gift earlier if they pay for the expansion thinking that it would give them access to all playable content?

Because the free gift was a loyalty gift. And paying for the expansion doesn’t give them access to all playable content since the expansions are standalone.

eldrjth.7384:

How does logging in 1 day in the month or however long it was to get the LS free constitute loyalty? Maybe have the areas unlock after playtime or login days at least if youre going to make that argument. I dont really understand the that logic anyway. Why not offer PoF for free for loyal players too? I dont count gold-> gem as free.

The fraction of people who loged in 1nce only to unlock the living world content is very likely quite low. Most will have been playing the game actively. Even if some people were only loging in to get the living world content, it ment they were actively following the game and the barrier for reentry is lower.

As to why PoF and living world not getting offered free of charge, simple, developers need to get payed.

eldrjth.7384:

Why should newcomers be charged for what was offered as a free gift earlier if they pay for the expansion thinking that it would give them access to all playable content?

You’ve got that backward, the living world content is not free of charge. Areanet incetivises people to stick with the game and gifts the content to players who are active (and likely spending money on the game while playing). Having a limited time gift offer by the developer does not equal content being free.

You want free content? Play the core game in the free to play version for which most veteran players had to pay a full price amount.

eldrjth.7384:

Since thats how it works in almost every game with an expansion.

Except that it’s not. Most MMOs on the market make you buy old content seperately, this is even more true for free to play or non subscription MMOs.

eldrjth.7384:

Maybe they should package Living World as a stand alone expansion too for clarity sake.

Living World content is packaged and you can get season 2 as a package with a small discount. I’m sure this will get added for LW3 eventually.

eldrjth.7384:

All I asked for is to have the areas which were previously given out for free accessible without purchasing living world. It is the maps that are the most important part of it. Those who buy HoT+PoF should have access to all map areas end of story.

Except that they should not. Dry Top and Silverwastes were gated behind buying the original game before it went free-to-play (and are now accessible with the free to play version). Living World 3 maps are gated behind HoT and loging in as to not overvalue the free-to-play core game.

I do agree arenanet should offer a HoT+PoF+Living World package for a slightly higher price, but that’s what the gem discount in the delux edition is for.

Just a slight clarification: It’s the Ultimate Edition that includes Gems, not the Deluxe Edition.

Also, there is a bundle offer for Season 3 on offer now.

Good luck.