Guild Wars 2

Hello everyone.
I have been playing more than being on the forums, but when I am on the forums reading all these threads about HoT, I want to reach out through the monitor and either shake some people, or give out large Texas hugs.

I can see where everyone is coming from. There are two groups of players here in Tyria and because Anet has starved both groups for new content, both groups are growling like starved dogs after the same dish of dogfood.

The young whippersnapper with young whippersnapper reflexes, and keyboarding skills to match, want the hard content. This is the first group.

The second group is composed of the casuals and people who like to solo/duo.

“Why do you solo? This is an MMO” the first group shrieks.

Well, I will tell you.

This second group is a mixed bag of nuts..nuts as in a real nut such as a pecan or walnut…not nuts as in crazy…the reasons are all different.

First of all there are differences between single player games and an MMO.

(1) MMOs are alive, you can see, and talk, with other players. (2) MMO’s have new content added. (3) MMOs have replayability…when you finish a single player game you are done.

This is why people making up the second group come to MMOs for entertainment purposes as opposed to single player games.

Group two people have a real life and are balancing job, family, and “Me” time. They do not have a lot of playtime and want to make it count..they do not waste their precious time looking for a group.

This group also consists of people who have all spectrums of physical problems, and are either (1) afraid of others in a group jeering at them because of said problems, or (2) they don’t want to be a hindrance to the group.

There are parents who have to drop things right then and there to attend to the needs of a child, and thus shy away from groups.

There is Husband aggro, Wife aggro, Cat Aggro, Significant other aggro, Cat Aggro.

Some players deal with people all day long in their jobs, and just want to unwind and not have to deal with people in their play time.

Hmm, to be honest, there is a third group. This group is composed of people who do have the time to group with others, and want to group with others, but also want to be able to solo when they don’t feel like dealing with other players.

Be honest, there are times when everyone just wants to wing it by themselves.

Trouble is, with a game created with the first group, the young whippersnappers in mind, there will be no winging it solo…too hard to do.

Now for the problem we are seeing today.

Instead of making HoT content for both groups, The devs made HoT for the first group of players, the young whippersnappers, and nothing for the second group, the mixed bag of nuts.

So both groups come to the forums.

Group 2 is upset because there is nothing for them in this expansion, and feel like they should have been warned before buying the presell. They feel betrayed and feel like Anet does not value them.

The Young Whippersnappers, for whom this content was apparently made, are afraid the Devs might listen to group two and “dumb” down the content..thus taking their special snowflake expansion away from them.

They are calling group two crybabies, and a whole host of negative things to convince the Devs to keep their special snowflake content intact.

The Devs now have to decide what to do.

Problem with siding with the young whippersnappers is group two, the mixed bag of nuts, may very well may leave and find another MMO to play.

“Yay” says young whippersnappers. “May we have your stuff.”

Bad response from Group one.

I suspect the Young Whippersnappers do not spend much in Gem Store.
I suspect Group 2 does.

If folks do not spend real life money in Gem Store, Anet will soon be broke.

Sooooo, whether or not group one likes it or not, they need group two’s spending power.

Group two will not buy Gem Store goodies if they have left the game due to no content for them.

Group 1 needs to help group 2 find a way to play..but they won’t because they are special snowflakes who can handle this new hard expansion, and they want people to know they are special snowflakes who can handle this new hard expansion

Oh well, time will tell.

Lisa-going to grab a cup of coffee and head on to work.

Just a question… what happens with the rest of us that sit somewhere in the middle of your two groups, enjoy the expansion and like to hone our reflexes and mmo skills (this extends to social stuff, people, don’t be kittens to your fellow players) despite being technically in the second group (as far as rl status goes) and spend money on gems?

smekras.8203:

Just a question… what happens with the rest of us that sit somewhere in the middle of your two groups, enjoy the expansion and like to hone our reflexes and mmo skills (this extends to social stuff, people, don’t be kittens to your fellow players) despite being technically in the second group (as far as rl status goes) and spend money on gems?

You are in the third group I wrote about. It overlaps both groups, but because this third group like to do both, team and solo, I think if I had to assign it to one of the two groups I would put them in the second group. I do this because the first group wants content the harder the better, which means no soloing/duoing.

And thank you for reading

Lisa-Glad I checked my thread before leaving.

Julischka Bean.7491:

smekras.8203:

Just a question… what happens with the rest of us that sit somewhere in the middle of your two groups, enjoy the expansion and like to hone our reflexes and mmo skills (this extends to social stuff, people, don’t be kittens to your fellow players) despite being technically in the second group (as far as rl status goes) and spend money on gems?

You are in the third group I wrote about. It overlaps both groups, but because this third group like to do both, team and solo, I think if I had to assign it to one of the two groups I would put them in the second group. I do this because the first group wants content the harder the better, which means no soloing/duoing.

And thank you for reading

Lisa-Glad I checked my thread before leaving.

If I could +1 your original post 50 times, I would.

Also Lisa.. of [LISA] Guild

Cat Aggro..

you don’t need to stay with people for a life time its hardly a 10 in group after that split up and go in your own ways you dont need to marry any one just have to put a LFG and Link the WP.

all events you can solo and move along with the train, so the how do these people do dungeons and raids? if not wanting to group. but worse part your casuals want all the loot and shiny stuff who other players earned through hardwork but cant get self improved instead whine for nerfs.

Casuals dont like hard content then don’t do it, please stop asking for nerf and making the game good for nothing if you need something work for it or get a carry or git gud

why do mastery points anyways ? why do you need to rush ? cz you any way don’t have skill to beat high level bosses, get into groups for raids or do dungeons solo so why are you hurrying and still complain do it at your own pace.

Good Post. I am in the third group mixing WvW 80% PvE 20% solo and grouping as the timeframe allows.

I have seen games that focused on group 1. They droped 50% player base within a year.
This games have no long term survival but it might be valid if you know there is an end anyway soon.
Focusing on 1 also impacts/overstrains new players. And games die if they don´t please/integrate new players.
HOT is not so bad. Anet should just take a look to group 2. If they see elite is doable with their playsyle (one elite is the key, they usually focus on 1-2 chars) they become more relaxed instead of frustrated and start to enjoy the content. The hard content is for legendaries and grind for multiple elite. But good equipement(Ascendend) and the first elite should be for group 2 as well.

Good post. I feel similarly. Not sure whether I’m group 2 or 3, but I’m definitely no longer group 1…and while I’m getting used to the expansion and having some fun, I don’t anticipate sticking with the game unless changes are coming. I’m just not having as much fun as I used to have. Meanwhile, there are games that I KNOW would be more fun. Right now, the expansion is just new…and new doesn’t last. Fortunately, GW2 is free. When I do leave (probably when Fallout 4 comes out), it won’t be forever. I’ll come back eventually and just level a new character ‘til I’m bored again.

Very well written Julischka Bean! Good to have it pointed out and in the open. I agree with you and I was smiling when reading your post.

I am the causal player that wants to enjoy myself when playing. It is fantastic to enter a fantasy world and for a while let go let of the real life’s never ending dailies and time pressure at work. GW2 is a great game with lots of way to play, different choices of how and when to do it. When playing HoT I get the feeling of being mastered by the wicked stepmother in fairy tales.

For illustration purposes only I’ll share just how much of a “Nut” I am. Not looking for advice on how to change.

If I don’t like something.. I don’t care what I miss out on. I am severely dexterity handicapped, RA, kind of a right paw and left finger only. I hate JPs. I fail JPs. I fail Vistas. I carry around a stack of transporter rifles to do fairly simple ones. I hate platforming so much I have not been to Dry Top after failing it several times. I wouldn’t go into the new maps even if I bought HoT. I was so embarrassed about buying a mes for the three JP vistas for map completion I actually just quit and never finished it. Means nothing since I could not do it myself.

I don’t like the unpersonal personal story. It gates me from a lot of things, but as a lover of good stories these things grate like sand on glass. I would pay gems to to be able to kill the Biconics. So, I don’t do them anymore. I’m fine without the rewards.

I do fun. No carrot is shiney enough to make me do Not Fun.

I have 9 Rangers out of 13 characters.

I don’t group simply because I feel I’m a terrible player. Not grouping saves me from “advice”. Content that requires grouping just doesn’t get done, and I’m fine with that. Being a terrible player means I really really miss my WvW buffs. I could contribute more to WvW than just being the scout reporting the zerg Bus that just ran over her. I don’t run with the Zerg since I found out my death rallied some Monstrous TC Oppressors. I was mortified.

I do play for the persistent world. My son thinks I am insane because I have a year old New Vegas save I keep playing while refusing to do the final mission.

I spend too much on hairstyles. I do change armor I’ve used for 6 months because it suddenly makes my butt look huge. I hate Charr so much, because of GW, that I could never roll one and I look suspiciously at those that do, knowing it is irrational as heck. I’m so biased that I deleted a Norn who somehow went drinking with them. Never chose that option again.

I’m contrary and don’t inflict myself on guilds. I’ll help people in game while grudgingly wishing they weren’t in my yard sometimes.

I’m happy spending most of my time in Frostgorge or Timberline. I love them. I wander around doing whatever. Bears hate me cause sword ranger just looks so cool while stabbing them.

I don’t do game prompts or check off boxes. I have less than 8k ap and am fine with chronic underachieving. I do some dailies if I like them.

While I do have 500 level crafters, I look at the cost and think of how many hair kits I could buy instead of crafting ascended.. and so I don’t.

I have 13 Characters. Since I abandoned world completion, 11 of them have never set foot in Black Citadel or occupied Ascalon. Charr.. grrr.

My worst offense? I LIKE saving the Quaggan in frostgorge.

I could go on. But, I’m a nut, like that suspicious unidentified thing in a jar of Cashews. I spend just as much as Group 1, probably more on Gem cards. I’ll play my way, by my rules, as long as Anet doesn’t remove all of my options to. I absolutely do not care when a Player, or Anet, tells me I am not doing it right.