Guild Wars 2

Are these the same writers from season 1? GW2 story has been pretty bland so far in the past IMO. This update actually had me drawn in till i finished it. Well made multi layered map, NPC characters that actually feel like players that cast time warp on me, portal the party and do more than the standard 1 point damage.

I think they nailed it, this is what I’ve been wanting. I want to brag about the story but don’t want to ruin anything for anyone on this one. I love the more darker tone to it.

Afaik it is the same writing team. Which says a great deal about how they have taken on board feedback, because so far it has been vastly superior to season 1 and the personal story.

Agreed, kudos and well done Anet. Really enjoying season 2 so far, story, characters, everything. Can’t wait for more.

I’m logging in just to buy a little something from the gem store. I think they deserve a reward lol.

I hate destiny edge 2.0. Every single one of them. Every word comes from their mouth. Worst – they’re talking way too slow and i can’t skip anything and have to running circles

knbBlackTemplar.3059:

I hate destiny edge 2.0. Every single one of them. Every word comes from their mouth. Worst – they’re talking way too slow and i can’t skip anything and have to running circles

Meaning you’re upset because you can’t skip the talking like you can with the personal story?

RyuDragnier.9476:

knbBlackTemplar.3059:

I hate destiny edge 2.0. Every single one of them. Every word comes from their mouth. Worst – they’re talking way too slow and i can’t skip anything and have to running circles

Meaning you’re upset because you can’t skip the talking like you can with the personal story?

Yes. I like to read fast and move on. And plus – i hate personalities of members. Rox does nothing, braham stupid as boulder, kasmeer and jory flirting is endless and Tiami is arrogant little brat.

I really loved Destiny’s Edge 2.0 and the story in this release apart from some minor flaws The affection between Kasmeer and Jory was shown well (not over the top in your face, at the wrong moments), we spent the time fairly evenly with each member and Taimi was awsome again. I think the story is getting more and more intersting (something that I couldn’t tell about season 1) and that last cutscene fulfilled one of my wishes. One could argue that Belinda’s death happened too soon since we weren’t emotionally invested in her yet, but surprisingly I felt that scene very touching as opposed to several character deaths in the personal story. I also really like the new story journal format of the living story.

I loved the story before, but now it is really good!

is ree soesbee on board? i’m just wondering because before season 2 some fans were stoked ‘cuz they heard her name.. and we basically got a non-asnwer.. i understand if we can’t get what someone is working on.. but are they working there at all currently? if it is a sensitive issue for some odd reason, i’d appreciate at the very least an ‘i don’t know’ as apposed to the gloomy ‘we can’t talk about it.’

A wild Bobby appears. i hope he isn`t just here to get the praise and leave just before he can comment on the big questions… Mordremoth cough cough

Nah, they deserve the praise, i am only joking (maybe ).

The writing has improved and even if they are going pretty fast right now, there are slip ups here and there, which are understandable.
I like the implementation of the old lore, even though it is a bit much at the moment, hinting to too many things to feel comforatable (Two Kourna references in one go, i apllaud you sir. Also the many Cantha ones… diabolical)

Still… Bobby… we need answers… anything… The topic popped up several times in several parts of this forum… if not you who else? (well Angel and the rest of your staff naturally )

Argh I am going crazy.. let me just set this thing here up:

I think he’s referring to the knowledge of the name Mordremoth by the characters.

Was a quick PS thing I did, took the first pic i have found to get the attention.
To be honest, i am actually suprised it worked

Wanted it out as fast as possible, since you are still here working and not at the writing etc..

Well the thing with Mordremoths name popping up in the LS, without mentioned before anywhere in the game, aside from the Combat log in the Crucible of Eternity:

Here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/lore/lore/Naming-Mordremoth

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/s2/How-does-my-character-know-Mordremoth

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/s2/Huge-Gripe-2-Minutes-In

This is high on the list (as well as my personal gripe witht hem suddenly calling me Boss, without asking, electing or anything… i thought i was their friend… other topic, though Mordremoth is more important)

I must agree season 2 is a blast. Keep great job guys:-)

I completely agree. The quality of the writing and ESPECIALLY the presentation of the story have gone up tremendously. I’m actually super excited about the living story now, when before i saw it as a fun diversion but it didn’t really hold my attention. I’m so happy that they are bringing back normal cutscenes and really hope we get more in the future, and that one at the end was totally awesome.

I can’t believe how much they improved after just 1 season. I only wish the whole personal story could have been presented like this, the whole “stage” thing with two characters talking to each other was a bit bland and hard to feel invested in, so this is a major improvement for me

If they improved this much already, I can’t wait to see how it evolves in the future!

I think they’ve learned a lot from the mistakes they made in season 1. The ending to this chapter is the ultimate example of show don’t tell when it put it side-by-side with it’s S1 counterpart.

It’s essentially the same information as one of the short stories we got from Scarlet’s backstory only we’re shown what…. happens (I’ll try not to spoil it) which blew everyone’s mind this time even though everyone let a collective “meh” last time.

Two things. First, totally agree, this has been my favorite story from the game since some of the initial racial paths. Easily top 5 gw2 stories and has the potential to be one of the better stories in any mmorpg. Yall even got me to care about the Kasmeer/Jory/Belinda relationship which, I’ll just be honest, I didn’t think was possible. It’s only two chapters in and I can’t wait for more, it even felt like you incorporated some suggestions from the forum after the last story. Which, if you did, that’s amazing, if you didn’t, that’s just as great because it means you’re already heading in the direction that most of us are hoping for.

Second, totally agree, I need to know the justification you guys had for why everyone just knew it was Mordremoth and knew him by name instantly. It’s the only sour note and im betting it’s got an explanation.

I`ll have to give it some time before I form a proper opinion on Kasmeer, Marjory, Braham, Rox and Taimi as I was mostly absent during Season 1. Season 2 is for me the opportunity to really get to know these characters as well as the Living Story format.

I`ll start with the pro`s and that has to be the option to go into more detail with the characters on certain topics, which is something that has always been in the game even outside the PS or LS. My favorite example of this is when I was exploring Orr and I came across an NPC talking about the Risen farmers in the area. Up until then I as a player thought the placement of mobs was more or less random. However I found another scholar NPC in the area who told me that the region used to be an agricultural centre before Orr sunk beneath the waves. I love things like that. Keep it up!

From chapter 1 I liked how you could talk to Kasmeer for example on how the noble system in Kryta works, in brief, and how you can inherit a title or be granted one. Although not plot-essential it adds some background flavor.
Another nice touch was the nod you got from Taimi, I play as an Asura, concerning the research project you undertook as part of your Personal Story.

It would have been nice if you went there on behalf of your Order rather than being directed by the mysterious “E”, but I suppose there is a reason why this individual has taken an interest in the player character so I can let this slide. Its not a critique as much as a nitpick. The Pact, perhaps suspecting Dragon-activity, could also be the reason why you personally undertake the mission to go to Dry Top.

My main critique, as many have noted, is how everyone seems to know its Mordremoth who controls the vines and is behind the attack on Prosperity. From a metagame perspective its already common knowledge, but seeing as the existence of a sixth Elder Dragon was not exactly common knowledge it is a bit surprising. If that revelation came at the end of the chapter it would have made a lot more sense.

Kudos to the composer and the level design of Dry Top, I really hope we`ll get to explore a lot more of the Maguuma wastes in the future.

Anyone felt the that Death Scene touching ? Serious? I personally found it so ice cold, it was absolutel on the same low emotional level of inscenation, like seeing those many unimportant NPCs in your personal story dieing for you and the matter of beating Zhaitan, that the emotions are so totally unrepresent , as if just nothing has happened.

I would have expected alot more emotions from Marjory, far more anger, sadness, desperation, a kind of feel for revenge, yes have a deep rising of a real hatred towards the elder dragons, something, that changes the whole persona of her, because it just happened something, that changes her whole live, something, that can’t just be reverted in a blink of an eye through magic.
Her sister IS dead. Forever, and nothing is there, Marjory can do to change that, not even her death magic will change this very painful reality.

I woudl have expected Kasmeer especialyl also to be alot more SHOCKED and sad about this too, because she wanted especially to become good friends with Marjorys sister cause of them both being a lesbianm couple and I think it meant very alot for Kasmeer to have a good word from her sister towards that relationship, that still isn#t something really usual.
From the way how kasmeer acted towards Marjory, when her sister was in the near, you could instantly see, that it was important for Kasmer the most, how Belinda thinks about that relationship and that Kasmeer would have been very happy to hear from her sister, that she supports this relationship, when it makes Marjory happy or something like that.

Thats all kinds of empotional stuff, that can’t be played out now anymore, because ANet let Belinda die way too fast to get anyhow emotionally in touch with that NPC, it just feels only like one of many pointless unimportant deaths of a character, about which nobody will care anymore a few seconds later.

Yes, Anet has improved their story telling, and how they present their story telling to the players by making the story instances seem to be like mini gw1-missions again in regard of their design style, whats somethign alot of players missed the most from GW1 in GW2 that GW2 is lacking too much in the nostalgia factor and that Anet should make more use of things, that were good in GW1 and improve those things as best as possible for GW2 also.

The storytelling has been improved, but the writers still have alot to learn, if they want to reach ever with their writings the high emotional levels comparable to epic stories from existing stories of various kinds of series, be it books, real films or manga/anime style, especially tons of anime are very good about that to learn alot about good storytelling in regard of emotions, especially for emotions like sadness, because its one of the most strongest emotions for that we feel empathy when looking/reading something and share these emotions, because sadness is an emotion, that lets us self reflect upon us and how we would feel especially, if we would be in the same situation.

If a death doesn’t make you feel anyhow sad or sorry for letting it happen if you were basically responsible for the death (in the case of the PS), then you failed. So simple.

Theres so many emotional stuff out there from which anet could learn so much ..

Naruto, Clannad (+ After Story) and many many stuff. hey, even such thigns like Harry Potter’s Story is in many moments more emotional, than GW2’s story so far.

With all of that I don’t want to say that GW2’s story and that of the current LS is bad – not at all, but it just can get improved and has alot of potential for far mor emotions, because emotions are it, which make stories very interesting and unforgetable.

Sort of feel like the death of Belinda wasn’t meant to be an emotional high point so much as it was meant to be an emotional catalyst, which I thought they did in a nicely understated way. We haven’t heard the last of this conflict, and I feel certain that any real tragedy to come out of this storyline has yet to really hit. Unless I’m badly misreading, what they were trying to do was nudge us to be emotionally invested in the small rift growing between Jory and Kasmeer. At least for me, that was accomplished, which is impressive given that at the start of this story, I was barely even tuned in to the two of them.

Anime is cool and what not, but I have no interest in something that just beats you over the head with teh feels. I want a slow burn and I feel like that’s what I’m seeing. It’s been said before, but this is chapter 2. It would be a mistake to try and set up an emotional climax this early on.

Indeed, Living World Season 2 story so far has completely surpassed Season 1 in both quality and depth. Much kudos to the story team for taking in all the criticisms given. As you can already tell, we enjoyed it very much. As long as the quality of the story continues like this, you’ve got a winner.

Even if its intended to be just subtle, a slightly bit more of emotion wouldn’t have hurt at that death scene from marjory to make the whole thign more trustworthy.
Thats my opinion.

I also used now some truly dramatic examples naturally to show better, how much more emotion a story can have to the point, where it really can make you cry tears so much out of empathy for a simple character, just out of a normal mental state that it lets change your mood by just watching that scene.

Animes are just a good example for that, but there are also alot of fantasy novels and movies that are emotionally more touching, than GW2 so far when it comes to death scenes and other emotional topics, like love, hatred, revenge ect. pp.

We humans have so many different emotions and yet anet made not very much use of this very effective stylistic device to make the game’s overall story more interesting, exciting, impelling to the point, that players want to know always more about whats going to happen next (what happens, when a story becomes way too early foreseeable, especially when introduced characters get heavily disliked by many, like Scarlet was)

They could have killed just an other NPC than Belinda at that spot, and it would have made the exact same effect for the players – they don’t care – oh that character is dead? they die like flies here.. today Belinda, tomorrow Canach, in a few weeks Trahearne.. who cares..

woops, I revert my words, here, if Trahearne would get kille,d there would alot of people care fore and cry out loud for they HOOORAYS
He’s just the opposition of the natural dislike-NPC that was Scarlet, just with the difference, that he’s our ally, while Scarlet was not.
However in regard of poor character story writing, both could just be brother and sister, if just Sylvari who have that kind of relationships between each other, but they don’t.

Too the point also where I say anet hastoo much of a focus on the Sylvari. all the time.

Malyck > Trahearne > Canach > Scarlet > Aerin

How long should this go so further?
Lets guess the nixt major enemy we will see in the game will be again a Sylvari or just something, that will have to do with the Sylvari, like the Pale Tree becoming corrupted or such stuff by Mordremoth to change the next town of the game visually and making a warzone temporarely out of it …like Scarlet did with Lions Arch

I’d for once find it nic,e if anet could get finally away from that eternal Sylvari Rail and introduce somewhen into the future an enemy, that has maybe nothing to do at all with any of the playable races.
Let the Mursaat come back, which would be a big thread for everyone or let Abaddon get reincarnated and come back together with his Demon Hordes from the Realm of Torment, so that theres a reason for the other gods to become more active again.

Even if the other playable races have no connection to the human gods, anet also seems not to have problems with it to let us see ALL the Eternal Alchemy, which is, just in case that you all forgot it, the mots highest important faith of the Asura.
SO what should stop Anet now to give us a story reason, that brigns back finally also the human gods to Tyria somehow in a way, with that all kinds of playable racess interact with them in their own different way through the living story by having different dialogues from NPCs in regard of which race your character is.

We saw that already with simple npcs reacting differenty, if your character is a Sylvari or not, after the first LS season, that due to Scarlet many do look upon Sylvari now differently out of hatred/fear.
More of that, emotions and reactions over emotions are it what’s making stories very immersive.

[quote=4213512;Orpheal.8263:]

uhm, what did you want to quote from me?

I’ll admit. This story feels a lot more coherent than season 1. Good job to Anet, especially episode 2.

Jaken.6801:

suddenly calling me Boss, without asking, electing or anything…

As Commander of the Pact, a friend of Logan who put Jory on the case, a friend of Rytlock who put Rox on the case, a friend of Eir who is Braham’s mother and a friend of Zojja who is Taimi’s mentor, who else would be in charge?

Anyway, Braham started calling you “Boss,” and the others might have just gone along with it. Since computer tech is not the the point that they ckittene your name (and many names are nonsense or cannot be pronounced), the writers needed something to call you. “Boss” might refer to Pact Commander.

Orpheal.8263:

Too the point also where I say anet hastoo much of a focus on the Sylvari. all the time.

This is the Mordremoth storyline. The Sylvari will figure heavily into it*. The Norn will with Jormag, the Charr will with Kralk, the Asura will with Primordus, etc.

*For a long time, my assumption is that the Sylvari are “corrupted” Mordremoth minions which is why Zhaitan, Kralk, etc. cannot corrupt them.