Guild Wars 2

PART 1: [Too long so Part 2 Below]

Just leveled my first character to 69 last night, up from 65, after a long hiatus from GW2.
The last time I was in the game, for any length of time, was during the Halloween event and then a quick try for the Christmas.

The GW2 Halloween event blew away WoW’s in my opinion… and other family members.
It was our first time and we wish that we had tried it out earlier as it was during the final days.

The Christmas, didn’t feel the same… [not just due to theme.]
It felt not quite as prominent?

Either way, watching the release event with the family, etc., I can say that Im interested in the update, but it does not quite feel like a true DLC/expansion to me… though, that may well change as I see more about the new area, etc. [Again, we just got a brief run down, so I am open.]

I did want to address issues that i personally have with GW2 that help with the ‘mixed’ feelings about the update.

GW2 is a family ‘favorite’, as it were, but it does not seem to fully/clearly dominate the imagination, as it were – and I will try to explain why.

First, the good… I feel like games such as Elderscrolls Online, ESO, have actually learned from GW2, and no Im not necessarily talking about their new no-sub, but buy a DLC and pay monthly as an option for ESO plus. [The latter is like Dungeons and Dragons Online, DDO… mixed with GW2 Trading Post and now DLC.]

• The ‘issues’ are as follows:
  Music

PART 2
*
Faction
I half expected, from the trailer, that we would get a WoW type of faction with the conflict shown.

To be clear, the one thing that I do NOT like about WoWs factions is that you can’t choose sides, only if you are a ‘sweet’ little panda.
[As we know there is the argent crusade which has people from both factions.]

So if GW2 did do factions… please let it be by choice. It may be that GW2 is onto something by having all races on the same team, but for those who do not engage in pvp, wvw., nor guilds… it may be fun to sneak in their area, [do it all the time in WoW.]

Sneaking into enemy territory could be a skill even, to gather intelligence, etc.

Mounts
Yes, I know – no mounts.
Even WoW people say it takes away form the world.
I have to say, don’t use it then… what I feel is it gives more.

I love art, and you miss a lot on ground level… so much beauty as I fly around Azeroth that you just can’t see otherwise.

Maybe GW2 just is not big enough, and there are the loading zones for each zone… so I guess it is as it is, and I will be happy for the new gliding system… seems cool.

• Dungeons
  I tried to solo a dungeon, the lowest one, after leveling above requirement… took forever, then I got to one where I later read you needed to throw stones at one of the two antagonist, but to find this out, I logged out and was logged out of dungeon, and so it was all for nothing.

Its nice how GW2 scales back to make it feel a challenge, but if you have to sleep, leave, etc. your dungeon state should be saved… I know, WoW, etc. doesn’t do it – but this is beyond ridiculous and I know Im not the only person to solo it that has said so.

Voice acting
Last but not least, all quest should have animated voice acting like ESO.
ESO, from what I played in the beta made me feel part of the world… feels like WoW day of reading quest are gone – I know GW2 does something with the living world, in which I wish my character better resembled who I see on screen…

Conclusion
Overall it is a lack of immersion… either through the story, [and there is a lot of story, but still], the characters, or just everything mentioned above.

• I really love that you can get specialized equipment after each quest
  But by the time I get to a quest, it is typically too low level, but it feels a lot more consistent and more rewarding than WoW questing… [not necessarily raids which give you cooler armor, at higher lvls anyway – like Panderia… lower lvls. not so much.]

• i also love that my armor feels cool even if I don’t go to the gem store, but I feel the gem store, at least getting gems in game, is next to impossible, as with gold to get gems.
  But that is part of the no sub fee, I suppose – though with the new DLC/expansion route, this could perhaps change.

Either way… i do wonder if there will be a GW3 or if this is like ESO, WoW and should just drop the number, [like ESO renaming to ‘Tameriel Unlimted’ –
Have to say, the ‘2’ is a cool dragon though.

Thanks for reading!

PART 3:
BLENDS….

This is the biggest ‘issue’, as it were…

When I think of WoW, I can remember each area with detail.
The night elf, blood elf, dwarf, questing zones… each area is easy to recall.

With GW2, it blends… I do not recall with the same depth the areas.
I cannot pin point what it is exactly, but ‘blending’ is the best way to describe it.

Trying to recall my Norn walk through… and it is there, but as I go throughout the world, much of it does not just ‘stick’ out. [Yes, I know there is the Charr, sandy area, Sylvari woodsy area…] But the feeling that you are not quite sure what area it is, not being quite distinct is a common feeling.

Again, thanks for reading.

You need to stop looking at games in the context of comparison to other games.

coglin.1867:

You need to stop looking at games in the context of comparison to other games.

Colin, the problem is, that is the only way to express what it is I feel about this game.
Im not comparing it to any game… these are feelings as I play it.

Like the location ‘blending’ its much like what I said about the music… it is there, but it is not distinct and does not stand out on its own right… as Im not humming the tune, as with ESO, etc. – I do not find myself recalling my walk through as in WoW…

or even when Im playing, feeling a bit ‘lost’… it just blends.

Comparison is only to help provide a background to what I wished to discuss, concerning my experience with the game.

Again, i fully appreciate that most are very happy with the game… and as mentioned, I like it a lot, but wanted to share my own experience.

Thanks!

I’d say most of these issues stem from preferences.

The whole blending as it were is something that makes GW2 more immersive than most other games. I mean, I always disliked the super distinct area changes, as those usually feel artificial and fake. Although I can agree that it sometimes make you feel more lost , since the world flows over into eachother from zone to zone. (Probably more realistic)

Most of the other things you mentioned have different reasons of not being there additionally from it being a design decision. Like flying could be awesome (personally GW2 is prettier and fuller than most other environments.) But the zones don’t actually load over into eachother. At the edge of the map there’s nothing. :p As well as being able to get to broken locations. Which is probably something they want to avoid.

Additionally, you talk about quests being too low level, but what exactly are quests?
If you mean the hearts, which are indeed more akin to questing usually, then yes. Most heart merchants eventually sell too low gear for your character to use (although when I level up a character it’s pretty awesome to some extent)
But otherwise, you can always craft armor, or head to a zone which is closer to your character’s level. Or even do a dungeon at your level. But ultimately the difference in stats between drops/heart merchants/crafting is not that big. Even if you’re in a low level zone, you end up getting gear that is close to your level.

As such Hearts are guiding content. They are generally not voiced, because it’s the events that are the things that are voiced. Often enough, when you pay attention anyway, you can see NPCs talking about going somewhere or doing something, then usually you should probably check it out. Or even right after an event is done, the NPC walks to their resting place before turning into a merchant. (although they rarely sell anything useful) Which to me is way more immersive than the quests of WoW and ESO imo.

Thank you for the kind reply,

Indeed, the ‘lost feel’ is part of what I was referring to, but as you mentioned… can be quite ‘realistic’.

That is what I was referring to with quest… I absolutely love that the heart quest give you unique gear, and while it is not too low, per say… it somehow has that feeling that I received it too late.

As for flying, I fully understand what you are referring to with the zones… found myself last night trying to get to a zone over some mountains, and remembered that there are set locations for zoning into new areas. [again was away for awhile, and typically fast travel around – sounds silly I forgot, but anyway.]

You are correct, it is a lot to do with preferences, and I appreciate that you took the time to share yours. [Was concerned that my post may be taken the wrong way, and by no means did I want to come across in an arrogant manner that I had it right… just with the expansion these were a cumulation of thoughts and feelings about the game – that i thought i would put out there.]

FrizzFreston.5290:

I’d say most of these issues stem from preferences.

it sometimes make you feel more lost , since the world flows over into eachother from zone to zone. (Probably more realistic)

flying could be awesome…
…But the zones don’t actually load over into eachother. At the edge of the map there’s nothing. :p As well as being able to get to broken locations.

Most heart merchants eventually sell too low gear for your character to use (although when I level up a character it’s pretty awesome to some extent)