Guild Wars 2

I’m not nearly done with the story thus far and I’m rather impressed with most of the plot. But, I have a bone to pick.

DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU FEAR SPOILERS

Eir’s death is completely anti-climactic. It’s almost a throw away scene, especially for a Norn PC. We spent the majority of our personal story as an apprentice, of sorts, to Eir. The dungeon storylines give even more relationship. While Commander, when we lost a Norn comrade, we were sent to Hoelbrak to attend the funeral. And yet, when Eir dies, we turn to Braham and say, “Sorry for your loss. Dispose of the body quick so we can get back to business.” The indifference my Norn PC showed to Eir’s death and Braham’s loss was maddening and emersion breaking.

We already had a difference in story when playing as a Sylvari. I’m not saying this situation is as earth shattering as the subversion of an entire sentient race, but there were areas this was addressed differently based on your player race. As a Norn, our cultural responsibility, and the personal relationship we had with the deceased, necessitated our travel back to Hoelbrak to attend to Eir as much as it did Braham’s. In the PS, we put the hunt for Zhaitan on hold to attend to our fallen Norn comrade and we’d known her for all of three story steps.

This would also have been a wonderful opportunity for a cut scene showing the Norn ceremony. To show Braham cutting his hair and vowing revenge upon Mordremoth. A far better setup to Braham becoming a Dragonhunter than Taimi asking about his new hairdo.

That’s it. My bone is picked but it does indicate in my mind an area I wish Anet would explore more. Specifically, make parts of the story race specific for all PC races. Each step of this journey will have a different impact upon the PC based on their race. Yes, it would take more programming time for the scenes and the story steps, but it should be seen as an investment; a way to encourage players to create multiple race alts and thereby sell more character slots.

Did you press F?

Yep, press F near her corpse to pay your respect in the very limits you can.

On other note, the player character does emphazise on “no retreat, else Mordremoth gains more power”.

Along the player character’s obvious rank and duties as Pact Commander…

Braham isn’t exactly high ranking members needed that seriously, thus he had his freedom to attend short funeral rites…

FrostSpectre.4198:

Yep, press F near her corpse to pay your respect in the very limits you can.

Pressed it and still feel more ceremony was in order. Rytlock’s back. The rest of DE 2.0 is scouting ahead. Taking the time would have been right for the story and it would have made Faolain’s transformation seem… more. It was too quick. More allusion on that front would have been nice too.

On other note, the player character does emphasize on “no retreat, else Mordremoth gains more power”.

Along the player character’s obvious rank and duties as Pact Commander…

Rank has its privileges. Throughout S2 we ran back and forth between the Magumma Wastes and the Priory Library while Caithe took he leisurely stroll toward Auric Basin. Time has never been of the-essence.

Braham isn’t exactly high ranking members needed that seriously, thus he had his freedom to attend short funeral rites…

Thus, once more, minimizing the loss that Eir’s death was meant to bring to the story.

One of the cheif complaints I recall from S2 was that death should have meaning. The manner is which it was executed makes the loss of one of Tyria’s greatest heroes little more than a foot note.

The last think we need is the Pact Commander acting like a whiny little teenager like the rest of the super hero club.

A few other things to add to this:
Asura character doesn’t have any special dialogue when exploring Rata Novus.
Charr character shows no emotion when their story mentor appears out of nowhere after missing for so long.
Human character has no special reaction to The Exalted AKA transformed fellow members of their race.

The story seems more focused on sylvari characters, and even they don’t get much. A couple of stuns that make your screen shaky, 3 pact members that act racist towards your character and just a handful of special lines said by Mordy himself.

Come on Arenanet, you’re better than this.

AESOkami.1072:

…and just a handful of special lines said by Mordy himself.

That reminds me…. much of the dialogue in this game hasn’t stuck with me. It just seemed forgettable and sometimes melodramatic. That’s probably just me being a soulless husk of a man. But there was one piece of dialogue that sent shivers down my spine:

When you’re fighting that creature that had Faolain’s face, Caithe shouts: “That’s not Faolain!”

Then the creature replies with something like… “You don’t get it, do you? There was never any Faolain, Caithe or Trahearne. It was all Mordremoth!”

That was …..epic.

The concept that all these people we saw an individuals were just figments of the dragon’s imagination, just illusions of individuality in an ocean of mind, the question of identity, the… the.. the mind-kitten…!

I hope this is something that will be explored further down the line.

Schurge.5194:

The last think we need is the Pact Commander acting like a whiny little teenager like the rest of the super hero club.

Yeah, it’s terrible and immersion breaking when characters act at all sad about friends or family getting murdered.

That moment when you find Eir still alive in her house.

Daralii.8940:

Schurge.5194:

The last think we need is the Pact Commander acting like a whiny little teenager like the rest of the super hero club.

Yeah, it’s terrible and immersion breaking when characters act at all sad about friends or family getting murdered.

I expect them to act like soldiers. I expect Braham not to run ahead when I tell him not to. I expect Braham not to venture to the other side of the map when I told him to stay close by. Eir might not have died if Braham had an ounce of professionalism.

The super hero club does what they want and the Commander says “oh okay, do that then.” There is a time to grieve and there is a time to fight.

Cherokeewill.7504:

I’m not nearly done with the story thus far and I’m rather impressed with most of the plot. But, I have a bone to pick.

DO NOT READ FURTHER IF YOU FEAR SPOILERS

Eir’s death is completely anti-climactic. It’s almost a throw away scene, especially for a Norn PC. We spent the majority of our personal story as an apprentice, of sorts, to Eir. The dungeon storylines give even more relationship. While Commander, when we lost a Norn comrade, we were sent to Hoelbrak to attend the funeral. And yet, when Eir dies, we turn to Braham and say, “Sorry for your loss. Dispose of the body quick so we can get back to business.” The indifference my Norn PC showed to Eir’s death and Braham’s loss was maddening and emersion breaking.

We already had a difference in story when playing as a Sylvari. I’m not saying this situation is as earth shattering as the subversion of an entire sentient race, but there were areas this was addressed differently based on your player race. As a Norn, our cultural responsibility, and the personal relationship we had with the deceased, necessitated our travel back to Hoelbrak to attend to Eir as much as it did Braham’s. In the PS, we put the hunt for Zhaitan on hold to attend to our fallen Norn comrade and we’d known her for all of three story steps.

This would also have been a wonderful opportunity for a cut scene showing the Norn ceremony. To show Braham cutting his hair and vowing revenge upon Mordremoth. A far better setup to Braham becoming a Dragonhunter than Taimi asking about his new hairdo.

That’s it. My bone is picked but it does indicate in my mind an area I wish Anet would explore more. Specifically, make parts of the story race specific for all PC races. Each step of this journey will have a different impact upon the PC based on their race. Yes, it would take more programming time for the scenes and the story steps, but it should be seen as an investment; a way to encourage players to create multiple race alts and thereby sell more character slots.

Eir and Taimi are my 2 favorite characters so far in this game… When I saw this scene I was really upset… They could have used this as an opportune moment for Eir to become a Druid… Being healed by the spirits of Nature and passing her Bow over to Braham… It was a failed scene in my opinion, but to each their own… :’(

Actually, Braham should have more dialogue if the PC is Norn and also anger dialogue if the PC is Sylvari.

Like for example:

Sylvari Commander : [Condolence sentence here]
Braham : Saved it Commander. I have nothing else to say to you. Either you take down Mordremoth and avenged my mother together with me or I kill you and your boss together. Now, leave me alone.

Something like that… sorry, that’s the only think I could think off at the moment…..

Otaur.9268:

Eir and Taimi are my 2 favorite characters so far in this game… When I saw this scene I was really upset… They could have used this as an opportune moment for Eir to become a Druid… Being healed by the spirits of Nature and passing her Bow over to Braham… It was a failed scene in my opinion, but to each their own… :’(

I think I like that even more than Funeral Rites. It definitely would have broken the drama-requires-death mold Anet has used for so long.

Eir’s death was so sad, I was so chocked and I was literally crying. She was my favorite member of the main race character.
I am so kittened off that she had to die! Why can’t Braham die instead?! That little annoying kitten.
I really do hope Logan and Zojja gets infected with something after you saved them from the dragonthingy cacoon and BOOOM, they are dead aswell.

Poor Eir,

Alga.6498:

Eir’s death was so sad, I was so chocked and I was literally crying. She was my favorite member of the main race character.
I am so kittened off that she had to die! Why can’t Braham die instead?! That little annoying kitten.
I really do hope Logan and Zojja gets infected with something after you saved them from the dragonthingy cacoon and BOOOM, they are dead aswell.

Poor Eir,

Don’t you go wishing that kind of evil on that adorable genius! She’s a strong female character done naturally and not to appease certain demographics. Eir was an okay character, but her personality screamed middle management type and not rugged viking warrior. Actually, bandits (male and female) suffer from that problem too, they’re not threatening or menacing at all.

Oh and don’t hurt Logan either.

Alga, but Logan and Zojja are not dead…

The commander needs to be strong, everyone knew the price of going against mordremoth.

Snoopy Shannon.5123:

The commander needs to be strong, everyone knew the price of going against mordremoth.

Being strong and not showing any emotions (like a robotic, emotionless soldier drone as Shurge would suggest) are two pairs of shoes.

Strength to a Norn is different than Strength to a Human than Strength to a Sylvari…

Our Norn PC has much to add to the telling of Eir’s legend and should have been present at her wake. Accommodating and adhering to the cultural sensitivities of the member races is as much a success of the Pact as combining magitech for a stronger fighting force.

I don’t think there was time for a ceremony for Eir buuuuuut a norn PC should have different dialog during that scene since their relationship with her was more unique than other races.

Zoltar MacRoth.7146:

When you’re fighting that creature that had Faolain’s face, Caithe shouts: “That’s not Faolain!”

Then the creature replies with something like… “You don’t get it, do you? There was never any Faolain, Caithe or Trahearne. It was all Mordremoth!”

That was …..epic.

The concept that all these people we saw an individuals were just figments of the dragon’s imagination, just illusions of individuality in an ocean of mind, the question of identity, the… the.. the mind-kitten…!

I hope this is something that will be explored further down the line.

Oh yeah I loved that part. My sylvari had a mini existential crisis after hearing that.

Eir shouldn’t die. ANET ditching such iconic and awesome character. Don’t know who approved for that but he had committed a freakin sin -_-’

Sanity Points.8073:

That moment when you find Eir still alive in her house.

This was the first thing I went to see.

Strength to a Norn is different than Strength to a Human than Strength to a Sylvari…
Our Norn PC has much to add to the telling of Eir’s legend and should have been present at her wake. Accommodating and adhering to the cultural sensitivities of the member races is as much a success of the Pact as combining magitech for a stronger fighting force.

And I agree with this, I’m sad that norn have pretty much completely lost their culture and now we are just big humans.

“To Eir! She’ll break the fang yet!” >_>

Lindelle.3718:

Sanity Points.8073:

That moment when you find Eir still alive in her house.

This was the first thing I went to see.

Strength to a Norn is different than Strength to a Human than Strength to a Sylvari…
Our Norn PC has much to add to the telling of Eir’s legend and should have been present at her wake. Accommodating and adhering to the cultural sensitivities of the member races is as much a success of the Pact as combining magitech for a stronger fighting force.

And I agree with this, I’m sad that norn have pretty much completely lost their culture and now we are just big humans.

“To Eir! She’ll break the fang yet!” >_>

Their culture and their shapeshifting. Eir did it a lot in Edge of Destiny, never did it ingame. Neither did Braham or Knut, the only other important norn characters.

Daralii.8940:

Lindelle.3718:

Sanity Points.8073:

That moment when you find Eir still alive in her house.

This was the first thing I went to see.

Strength to a Norn is different than Strength to a Human than Strength to a Sylvari…
Our Norn PC has much to add to the telling of Eir’s legend and should have been present at her wake. Accommodating and adhering to the cultural sensitivities of the member races is as much a success of the Pact as combining magitech for a stronger fighting force.

And I agree with this, I’m sad that norn have pretty much completely lost their culture and now we are just big humans.

“To Eir! She’ll break the fang yet!” >_>

Their culture and their shapeshifting. Eir did it a lot in Edge of Destiny, never did it ingame. Neither did Braham or Knut, the only other important norn characters.

Ah yeah. I get the whole “racial skills can’t be OP” but man this bugs the kitten out of me. I remember before launch reading the books and learning about norn in GW1 and being so stoked for this.