Guild Wars 2

Seriously, are there just like a bajillion different tectonic plates or something? Are there even any geologists in Tyria?

Pretty much yes, probably a artifact from GW1 instancing.

It is, but I don’t think it’s any different from any other video game ever, really. How many video games use box canyons and groups of trees to thick to walk between as aesthetically pleasing alternatives to invisible walls? What I really like about GW2 (and coincidentally, Skyrim) is that sometimes you get on top of those mountains, instead of just shuffling between them.

it’s about as mountainous as WOW, so, no. MMO’s just use mountain ranges to constrain players to areas.

There’s also the Rising of Orr, which caused some massive shifts in the land.

that’s like complaining that Hyrule in Twilight Princess is surrounded by a canyon.

it’s just gameplay over realism. suspend your disbelief, and you won’t even notice the mountains.

Bishop.8432:

Pretty much yes, probably a artifact from GW1 instancing.

More of an artifact of zone mechanics.

Anet has to create boundaries between the zones – though I for one wouldn’t mind a lot more areas to go to and fro the multiple zones – and there’s only so many ways one can do this without some issue here or there. Furthermore, the view must be blocked so that it can end relatively sooner – if it’s just flat land, then you’ll have to continue the map as far as textures can be processed.

So with that in mind, there’s really only 3 possibilities, one of which completely ignored:
Mountains, Buildings, and omgwtf thick forest (e.g., so many trees or boulders right next to each other that you can’t possibly pass). The third is ignored, probably because of how much texture and, in turn, rendering would be required. Buildings are used solumly – most often seen via the Great Northern Wall or city edges. Thus leaving mountains.

And it makes the world map feel very boxy. But this isn’t a remnant of GW1 instance – if you compare the two maps, GW2 is a lot flatter. A lot fewer, but straighter and more noticeable, “mountain” ranges.

You pretty much have to gain a bit of suspension of disbelief when observing game maps for tutonic plats, and only focus on the larger ranges. And if there’s no mention or lore on the mountains, pretend they don’t exist.

Actually, if we’re going to look at what is seen in game rather than actual canon, Tyria is flat, and has nothing more than a few big rocks.

The geological evolution of Tyria appears to be dictated by magical titans, gods, and primordial dragons. I’m willing to give the plate tectonics a pass in the same way that I’m not skeptical of the physically-improbable number of magic-blighted apocalyptic landscapes.

In short: a wizard did it.

It could possibly be that Tyria is much younger geologically then say earth for example which has had A-lot of time to shift about and flatten out quite a bit. Just Imagine Pangaea, It was most likely much more mountainous then the earth is today, or it may just seem that way due to all the continental plates being crammed together. Basically Tyria is a Pangaea-esc world since all the major bits are all shoved up next to each other, aside from Cathan and few volcanicly created islands (the ring of fire).

Have you seen the world map that was found in the data files? doesn’t really look like a pangaea.

Yeah, the map we have of the world as a whole seems to show an area that has at least 2 major continents, and some other areas that may be just shallow continents covered in water, or merely large islands.

It´s a planet where islands size of brittain are frequently sunk or lifted, where titanic creatures dry up seas and level mountains…..Our mundane geological forces are propably just a side note on how tyria has formed.

BrunoBRS.5178:

that’s like complaining that Hyrule in Twilight Princess is surrounded by a canyon.

it’s just gameplay over realism. suspend your disbelief, and you won’t even notice the mountains.

Are you asking me to overlook the mountains?

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

Personally i wouldnt mind the mountains if they wernt so kitten perfect straight lines. All zones are literally boxes or rectangles with 1 or 2 exceptions.

Honestly the perfect rectangle/square zones is one of my biggest issues with a otherwise beautiful world. I’d be otherwise fine with all the mountains if the zones at least had varied shapes.

kitanas.3596:

it’s about as mountainous as WOW, so, no. MMO’s just use mountain ranges to constrain players to areas.

Eh to be fair WoW hasn’t used mountains that way since TBC and uses more ‘realistic’ (with exceptions for things such as Titan created areas) mountain ranges for areas such as Northrend and Pandaria.

Blackout.5384:

Personally i wouldnt mind the mountains if they wernt so kitten perfect straight lines. All zones are literally boxes or rectangles with 1 or 2 exceptions.

I think the situation would be fine if they just put a lot more trees and grass on the “mountains” (as small of mountains that they are). Must like the border between Metrica and Caledon Forest.