Guild Wars 2

Maps with a Purpose

• First map of HoT has a day/night cycle that influences events; similar to Dry Top sandstorm.
• Focus on maps with multiple layers of gameplay, depth of content and replay value > mass land expansion.

Outposts

• Events are tied to specific sites, outposts; similar to Silverwastes.
• Outpost events are vital for second phase preparation (i.e. day/night cycle)
• Completing outpost events opens services, changes and increases the amount of events.

• Example: Capturing the high land allows Laranthir and the Pale Reavers to provide fire support during the night phase.

Adventures

• Adventures – next level of repeatable content.
• Adventures unlocked as outposts progress.
• Adventures shown on the world map.
• Activities shown prior GW2 launching (Divinity Reach shooting, for example) will be making an appearance.

• Example: Completing a certain jumping puzzle in a certain amount of time.

Challenging Content

• Encounters more advanced than previous (possibly down to new AI guy they hired)
• More details on new group content closer to release.

Tomorrow

• Blog post on how outposts and adventures tie into the Mastery system.

Finally, the hype can start.

If dangerous Mordrem come out during the night cycle, then I definitely see the case for Sigils of the Night becoming even more widely used.

TheDaiBish.9735:

• Challenges not well hidden are only availible once per character.

I think you’re slightly misinterpreting this part. They’re saying that they don’t want to make the hard part finding the adventure, and that none will be heavily hidden (and will display on map similar to events). Maybe I missed something, but a main point is that it’s all supposed to be repeatable..

Windsagio.1340:

TheDaiBish.9735:

• Challenges not well hidden are only availible once per character.

I think you’re slightly misinterpreting this part. They’re saying that they don’t want to make the hard part finding the adventure, and that none will be heavily hidden (and will display on map similar to events). Maybe I missed something, but a main point is that it’s all supposed to be repeatable..

Ah, you’re right.

Where I took that point from was referring to the current GW2, and not what’s being introduced.

Thanks for pointing that out

Maybe I just haven’t had enough coffee this morning, but I read that article with a growing sense of unease. It seems like HoT is going to take almost everything I have not liked about post-release development of GW2 and elevate it to new, ahem, heights.

For example, I despise the never-ending rep grind for the vendors in Dry Top. If that’s what ‘completing outpost events opens services, changes and increases the amount of events’ means, then I call bah, humbug on that. If, on the other hand, it’s a once and done thing, then groovy.

As for the outpost events: “If you’ve been to the Silverwastes, you’ve seen a forerunner of this concept at each tower.” Yeah, that frantic scramble of endless repetition was fun for about a week. After that, well, the bandit chests were cool.

Timed jumping puzzles? Are you kidding me?

Also, ‘…the belief that playing with others makes for a better experience…’ Depends on who the others are, eh? Heroes/henchies? Heroes/henchies for the win! Oh, they probably mean other players. Okay. Well, how many other players are required? One team of five? How about one team of eight? Mapfuls of massively massing masses? If the latter, then /le sigh.

Fellow Forumites! Take my grumbles here for what they are: shadows of doubt. I shall depart now unto the kitchen, for a fresh cup of coffee, and perhaps with it, a more sunny disposition.

I gotta agree that silverwastes and dry top are bit overkill. By that i mean no real downtime for the player to just go explore the map, check out some hidden spots etc if he’s not willing to pass up on the event cycle and it’s rewards.

I would love very much for these types of maps to have roughly 10 mins breather, without any map story events with big rewards, so one can go do some less combat oriented activities, do that jumping puzzle, hangglide without swarms of death below running after their airborn snack, or just sell off all that junk he got making full run of the map.

A few “safe” camps would be cool. Something like a hidden camp, that may close off during map events but opens up during break, and once the map story kicks off, it may close off to outside, but let the players already inside stay. You could leave it anytime, but return inside only during downtime, or decide to stay longer to finish your business or afk your char in it till you’re ready for action.

That would be a huge plus in a silverwastes type map for me if i can get a say in it.