Guild Wars 2

In no particular order:

WvW – new map, new mechanics. New map honestly looks like it can create a lot of new types of battles.

GvG – guild hall set up streamlines GvG and no longer limits you to fighting guilds only in your WvW match-up, nor is your guild only limited to those on your server. If it’s instance like PvP you can swap gear without any grind or expense.

PvP – PvP leagues is exactly what PvP needed. New F2P will boost PvP through the roof. Stronghold is actually fairly fun when you get a little team work going. Legendary PvP backpieces! And the map completion-esque name star for league rank. Can’t wait to have a piece of wood by my name for wood-league.

PvE – Masteries! Guild halls. Raids. FotM100 and the legendary frac backpiece. Gliding.

Characters – I’m a mesmer main who is doing to play him and the Rev, what could I not love about HoT when I’m going to get Chrono and Herald? Reaper was amazing fun as well, I just don’t know if/when I’d run him.

Yeah, so, I listed like 90% of the content, but that’s because this expansion is going to be awesome and that’s the benefit of being a PvX player. You get to enjoy it all. GW2 is like 3 games in one… 4 if you like playing the TP.

For me it has to be masteries, the thought of forward progress without the levels and new gear tier stats makes it overall appealing. Something to work on in the dry spells providing anet does it right by making them take time.

And Fractals, being able to do one per level will make me complete them a lot more than I am now as one frac with bad pugs will be more bearable than the current four.

Although I pre-purchased HoT and am really excited about HoT, I feel obliged to note that the new WvW map and the WvW changes, the PvP leagues and stronghold map and the fractal changes are all non-HoT features.

What I’m personally looking forward to the most is the maps, new story and some of the elite specializations (Reaper and probably Druid and Forge).

I agree with your list for the most part. I – and most of my guild based on recent chat – are already very excited for HOT.

For me, a prioritized list – from most exciting down – would look like this:

• Guild Halls
• Revamped Guild Mission System (and hopefully a WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE WHOLE BUNCH of new ones)
• The Mastery Progression System
• New Open World Maps/Events
• New Personal Story
• New WvW Maps/Mechanics
• Fractal Overhaul (and hopefully some new ones)
• Raids
• New Specializations
• PvP Changes

The thing that excites me most is the obvious core design change behind all of these elements. A lot of basic mechanics are changing in ways that seem like they should be easier to add to through living story updates (but, of course, only time will tell on that one).

I think we’ve seen pretty much everything – I do wish, however, that they would clarify whether or not new guild missions and fractals will be shipping with HOT. Those two things seem like the biggest holes in the HOT picture right now.

Diovid.9506:

Although I pre-purchased HoT and am really excited about HoT, I feel obliged to note that the new WvW map and the WvW changes, the PvP leagues and stronghold map and the fractal changes are all non-HoT features.

What I’m personally looking forward to the most is the maps, new story and some of the elite specializations (Reaper and probably Druid and Forge).

I may be splitting hairs here, but they are HoT features. They’re being introduced with HoT. They’re simply being made available to everyone who plays the game.

Because if there wasn’t an expansion, those features may have never come. There’s simply no way to know.

Blaeys.3102:

For me, a prioritized list – from most exciting down – would look like this:

• Guild Halls

Really? Ok, takes all sorts! :p

For me it’s the new areas ripe for exploration. You can only see something for the first time once. An obvious statement, but it’s an easy thing to not take full advantage of. I’m really looking forward to seeing new places, and new interpretation of old GW1 maps.

Sarie.1630:

Blaeys.3102:

For me, a prioritized list – from most exciting down – would look like this:

• Guild Halls

Really? Ok, takes all sorts! :p

For me it’s the new areas ripe for exploration. You can only see something for the first time once. An obvious statement, but it’s an easy thing to not take full advantage of. I’m really looking forward to seeing new places, and new interpretation of old GW1 maps.

As great as the actual development of the game content is, the best part of GW2 for me is, and always will be, playing alongside my guildees. Anything that gives us more to do together (all of us at the same time) in the game will always top my list. It is why Im excited for things like raids, pvp maps and new fractals, but they will always rank lower than open world, missions, wvw, etc for me. They will be fun, but they aren’t really guild focused.

I see guild halls as the center of the guild experience and serving as a jumping off point for all kinds of new things to do in actual guild groups. Hard not to get excited about that.

And yes, the new zones are high on my list as well – can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Vayne.8563:

Diovid.9506:

Although I pre-purchased HoT and am really excited about HoT, I feel obliged to note that the new WvW map and the WvW changes, the PvP leagues and stronghold map and the fractal changes are all non-HoT features.

What I’m personally looking forward to the most is the maps, new story and some of the elite specializations (Reaper and probably Druid and Forge).

I may be splitting hairs here, but they are HoT features. They’re being introduced with HoT. They’re simply being made available to everyone who plays the game.

Because if there wasn’t an expansion, those features may have never come. There’s simply no way to know.

I guess it is a matter of definition. I consider a feature a HoT feature if it requires one to have HoT in order to play it, you consider a feature a HoT feature if it is released around the same time as HoT.

• New Open World Maps/Events
• Gliding (as part of the mastery progression system)
• Guild Halls
• Revamped Guild Mission System
• Raids

Diovid.9506:

Vayne.8563:

Diovid.9506:

Although I pre-purchased HoT and am really excited about HoT, I feel obliged to note that the new WvW map and the WvW changes, the PvP leagues and stronghold map and the fractal changes are all non-HoT features.

What I’m personally looking forward to the most is the maps, new story and some of the elite specializations (Reaper and probably Druid and Forge).

I may be splitting hairs here, but they are HoT features. They’re being introduced with HoT. They’re simply being made available to everyone who plays the game.

Because if there wasn’t an expansion, those features may have never come. There’s simply no way to know.

I guess it is a matter of definition. I consider a feature a HoT feature if it requires one to have HoT in order to play it, you consider a feature a HoT feature if it is released around the same time as HoT.

Not released “around the same time”. Released with HoT as part of the HoT package. Anet is saying this is coming with HoT not me.

Seeing new areas unfold, using gliding to access varios nooks and crannies.

I love the game, but ive long since missed that “ooh whats over there” feel from launch