Guild Wars 2

Will the ruins of the Nightmare Tower and giant dead roots in Kessex Hills ever be cleaned up? The Toxic Alliance for the most part has been defeated, so wouldn’t the Sylvari, Order Members and Krytans be trying to clean up and rebuild by now? Also personally I miss the old loading screen art.

I was wondering what Kessex Hills looked like now, actually. Been spending all my time in Lornar’s and Bloodtide so I haven’t been back there. Is it essentially unchanged then? Is Thunder Hill Camp still there? Helper Dee? Do the Offshoots and the Toxic Boss events still spawn?

But as far as the loading screen art is concerned, I wouldn’t hold your breath. Sparkfly Fen is still using the Tequatl art despite the Tequatl Rising event being over for months now.

The remains of the tower and roots are still around. The air is cleaned up, and there is some more greenery where there was only black ground, but not much. There are individuals cutting at the roots and the tower pieces, so I would say they will probably eventually clean things up.

Regarding that loading screen: it would do a thousand times more good if they re-included it for a new zone where we actually get to see the Valley of Gods and Heroes – say a hidden vale in the southern slopes of the Blazeridge Mountains for example.

However, knowing the “glorious and inviolable” writing, it is unlikely such epic and new stuff would ever make it into the game. Unepic, boring, and nonsensical new stuff on the other hand…

The camp is still there, most of the NPCs (including Dee I believe) have moved. I noticed a bunch of crows as ambient creatures seem to be added to the area. I don’t believe they were there before. Everyone is trying to figure out Scarlet in this whole update, but I really want to know why there are crows all of a sudden. Can someone at least confirm that they existed in the area prior to this?

Regarding the topic, perhaps the locals can re-purpose the wood used in the tower (that was taken from the surrounding trees) to construct a monument on the shores of Viathan Lake to commemorate the victory. Showing the structure in various states of construction over the next few updates, while also including NPCs chopping at the remains of the fallen fortress and the incremental lessening of fragments littering the area, would really give the world that Living World feel.

Shiren.9532:

The camp is still there, most of the NPCs (including Dee I believe) have moved. I noticed a bunch of crows as ambient creatures seem to be added to the area. I don’t believe they were there before. Everyone is trying to figure out Scarlet in this whole update, but I really want to know why there are crows all of a sudden. Can someone at least confirm that they existed in the area prior to this?

lots of dead stuff around. why wouldn’t crows be there?

Yeah, it seems likely to me the inclusion of crows would just be an effect of the massive level of destruction and death seen by the toxic alliance. I mean, I know when I watched the cinematic, loads of Toxic Alliance outside of the tower were killed, but that doesn’t include the hundreds (if not thousands lorewise) found within the tower. I mean those guys were blown out of the tower and crushed by the debris. Crows will have plenty to gorge themselves on.

I don’t think we’ll really start to see a change until Scarlet’s dead for good and the Toxic Alliance is broken up – for good. The Toxic Alliance are still about, and even then we’ve been wanting permanent content so Anet could just explain away those offshoots as being protected by small fractions that remained allied even post-Scarlet.

Also, we still got the silly invasions running around and being mostly ignored by people (i at least heard no one call up to hunt the red witch of the flying saucer)

That’s odd, the update notes make it sound like Scarlet was calling back the invasions. Being out of town, and only having my laptop which is by far not a gaming laptop, it’s hard to be sure of the current state of the game.

I would imagine that if it changes again, it’ll just be the removal of Toxic Krait and the offshoot events. Perhaps the roots being more chopped up and the smaller tower pieces put down. Not a fully reverted zone.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

That’s odd, the update notes make it sound like Scarlet was calling back the invasions. Being out of town, and only having my laptop which is by far not a gaming laptop, it’s hard to be sure of the current state of the game.

yeah, i was under the same impression, until i saw the message pop up. the invasions are still in game, despite what the patch notes said.

We had the message as the marionette attacked. We joked about it happening there as the event was going on. Scarlet mocking us holographic and in person, dropping more and more enemies on us..
well we would have soem loot then

That reminds me of when the Claw came down as the invasion was going on in Frostgorge. Everyone but about 5-10 people ignored the Claw (back then, there was no timer on him) until the event was over.

Visited Kessex Hills again over the weekend. My observations:

1. Helper Dee is gone from Thunder Hill camp, as are most of the other NPCs.

2. The Toxic bosses are still there.

3. Offshoot events still spawn.

4. Toxic Seedlings are still available.

5. The Tri-Key Chest is gone.

Zaxares.5419:

5. The Tri-Key Chest is gone.

really? could’ve sworn they had said that it would stay there forever, with the key parts dropping from enemies in the area (so like the nightmare key)

The Lake was also full of sharks last time I went there- thought that was a nice touch

Tuskin.2548:

Will the ruins of the Nightmare Tower and giant dead roots in Kessex Hills ever be cleaned up? The Toxic Alliance for the most part has been defeated, so wouldn’t the Sylvari, Order Members and Krytans be trying to clean up and rebuild by now?

Keep in mind that there were players were repeatedly moaning about these two things repeatedly regarding the LS, repeatedly:

• “Scarlet’s plans always fail and have no consequences.” The mess that Kessex has become is consequences. I would like to see it cleaned up but certainly not rebuilt for a long time.
• “Our actions have no consequences.” Again, Kessex is a mess partially because we toppled the tower (instead of, er, dismantling it). I would expect the tower mess to be there for a while still.

This is ANet listening to us. It will go back to normal eventually but I am not expecting any time soon. It magically recovering in a few months is also incredibly unrealistic. What I would hope to see:

• Everything that was destroyed remains destroyed. The trees start growing (saplings) but don’t magically fully grow in one patch.
• Champs remain for a while. When they are removed they:
• Become special “throwback” mobs that remain as evidence. For example: “Suffering Spider Queen | Weak Attacks, Applies Confusion to Self, Applies Fear to Self” They could drop vendor trash that indicates they were part of the nightmare tower (drop of toxin?)
• A few NPCs in the area reminisce about the tower.

Now I’m entering suggestion territory so I will shut up.

Changing environments, even/especially the subtle changes are one of the good things to come about from the living world content. Love the little things. Now, how about that Orr place….

MatthewMedina.5419:

It was definitely part of the Nightmare Tower team’s plan that we would return to that map and show the progression of the cleanup efforts. I can’t say what the timetable is for that, as it’s mostly an environment art task, but I’ll try my best to keep it in the discussion when we’re talking about future content releases. :-)

That’s good to hear. Maybe something like showing the progress as some stuff gets rebuilt in the time between the living story season 1 and 2, where at the start of season 2 (or some time during it) the zone gets somewhat rebuilt. It could even happen over multiple phases, so first update will show that they’re starting to rebuild (could even be through some events where players help NPCs gather items or rebuild some stuff). Second phase could show some parts completed in a different patch and the NPCs moving to a new part to rebuild.

Xukavi.4320:

MatthewMedina.5419:

It was definitely part of the Nightmare Tower team’s plan that we would return to that map and show the progression of the cleanup efforts. I can’t say what the timetable is for that, as it’s mostly an environment art task, but I’ll try my best to keep it in the discussion when we’re talking about future content releases. :-)

That’s good to hear. Maybe something like showing the progress as some stuff gets rebuilt in the time between the living story season 1 and 2, where at the start of season 2 (or some time during it) the zone gets somewhat rebuilt. It could even happen over multiple phases, so first update will show that they’re starting to rebuild (could even be through some events where players help NPCs gather items or rebuild some stuff). Second phase could show some parts completed in a different patch and the NPCs moving to a new part to rebuild.

It would be cool to see Charr/Asura team up to produce a water purification system. And then there could be renown hearts or DEs that revolve around protecting/maintaining the system. I think there’s something similar to this in Ascalon.

The point is that we are trying to keep the water clean for the new huge Quaggan city! Anet please.

Given the geography of Tyria a water purification system shouldn’t really be necessary. Clean water is streaming down into the Viathan Lake from up north, and then I think the lake also empties south as well, yay for spreading pollution!

MatthewMedina.5419:

It was definitely part of the Nightmare Tower team’s plan that we would return to that map and show the progression of the cleanup efforts. I can’t say what the timetable is for that, as it’s mostly an environment art task, but I’ll try my best to keep it in the discussion when we’re talking about future content releases. :-)

This is interesting news, I do hope it’s not pert of the teams’ plans to revert it back completely to what it once was. It seems a wasted effort that a huge tower blows up without leaving some kind of permanent mark.

I would also like to see a small camp or outlet in a main bunker area hold a piece of the tower in some form with a plaque that talks about what has happened. Maybe even offer a chance to view the final sequence animation.

Morrigan.2809:

The Lake was also full of sharks last time I went there- thought that was a nice touch

That was like that before, though now there’s fewer krait I think – except in the cave itself.

MatthewMedina.5419:

It was definitely part of the Nightmare Tower team’s plan that we would return to that map and show the progression of the cleanup efforts. I can’t say what the timetable is for that, as it’s mostly an environment art task, but I’ll try my best to keep it in the discussion when we’re talking about future content releases. :-)

Just so that this is kept in mind as well: Aetherblades have a base in the open world, the jumping puzzle in Gendarran Fields. That should receive some “alterations” as time goes on and Scarlet’s alliances disband/get killed off.

And if the alliances are kept, I would love some non-story updates to the Ascalon/Shiverpeak areas where the Molten Alliance began. Just a case of “they’re used to working with each other and seeing the benefits of such, so even with Scarlet gone they decided to keep working together.” Or who knows, mahybe the MA will be the first of the alliances to fall – with in-game mention of such.

I know this isn’t the suggestion forum but still, would love to see Red Auld Warf rebuilt using the limber from the Tower of Nightmare’s roots and fallen debris. (I’m sad we heard nothing of the Old Man…). Perhaps with Webb Daukins returning to the Seraph in the town.

But I’m glad that you’ll work on progressing it. I hope there are plans to subtly progress other zones and effects too…

Psynch.4087:

It would be cool to see Charr/Asura team up to produce a water purification system. And then there could be renown hearts or DEs that revolve around protecting/maintaining the system. I think there’s something similar to this in Ascalon.

Charr have water purification systems already, no need for teaming up. And please, no hearts no that. It’d be just the same thing as the Diessa Plateau northern lake and the Fierheart Rise southeastern lake hearts… And events…

^ well that aetherblade base could be simply deprived of NPCs. it already feels kinda abandoned.

Im all for slowly rebuilding the place, while keeping that little piece of history that we were the part of, intact.

But with that happening, i cant shake the feeling that other forgotten parts of the game will feel even more stagnant in comparison. Like the miners east of Ebonhawke still talking about a sinkhole where the Collapse used to be. Or the entirety of Orr. Or that lonely little renown heart in Snowden drifts, with that one charr still repairing the same wagon since release!

lakdav.3694:

Im all for slowly rebuilding the place, while keeping that little piece of history that we were the part of, intact.

But with that happening, i cant shake the feeling that other forgotten parts of the game will feel even more stagnant in comparison. Like the miners east of Ebonhawke still talking about a sinkhole where the Collapse used to be. Or the entirety of Orr. Or that lonely little renown heart in Snowden drifts, with that one charr still repairing the same wagon since release!

The problem with making a world that shows the progress but isn’t instanced is the exact point that you talked about regarding Orr. Unless they make all of Orr instanced to those that completed the story, they can’t show progress of the land healing because it would spoil it for new players/characters.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

I don’t think we’ll really start to see a change until Scarlet’s dead for good and the Toxic Alliance is broken up – for good. The Toxic Alliance are still about, and even then we’ve been wanting permanent content so Anet could just explain away those offshoots as being protected by small fractions that remained allied even post-Scarlet.

I was hoping ANet would be doing this as well. Even after defeating the Molten Alliance there was no reason some of the portal events couldn’t remain (or even the dungeon, but I guess they included that into the fractals). Same for the Aetherblades, no reason some of them didn’t survive to create a couple of dynamic events here and there.