Guild Wars 2

So I just got back from a rather lengthy hiatus following Christmas, after I was told about this Living Story content and I should check it out. So I log in and I can’t find anything to do with it. So I go and look up Flame and Frost and I see it only lasted until, as my luck would have it, today.

Does this mean all the related content, the quests, the NPC’s, all of it, is gone?

Now that would just bug the crap out of me and return me to my hiatus. I can understand Holiday content only being around for the Holiday time. I can understand the big one time events being around; like the release of Southsun Cove, because after the event to go there, the content of the island was still in game and could be explored. But a whole story of the game, with events and NPC’s and new, albeit small, areas just vanishing after a period of time, is just poor design.

I could be mistaken in this however and I can still take part in at least some of the content but it doesn’t seem that way. So as the topic says, can someone add a bit of clarity to this?

Now imagine you did all those quests, all the way up to the end, save one final chat with an NPC then logged for the day (too tired, had to go to work, wife came home, whatever). The next day when you log in to finish but to your dismay the NPC is no longer there. The event is over and you had no idea. You just got screwed!

See.. you could have been worse off

You have to think of the living world like events in the real world. You may not be present for many major events in the world, but you learn about it later from the news. It sucks that you missed it, but life goes on as with the living world. I would see this as a problem if we paid for the living story ahead of time and missed it or if they were to never release any more content. However, new events will keep coming and going like real life. Enjoy the ones that you can participate in.

Braxxis.7062:

But a whole story of the game, with events and NPC’s and new, albeit small, areas just vanishing after a period of time, is just poor design.

I could be mistaken in this however and I can still take part in at least some of the content but it doesn’t seem that way. So as the topic says, can someone add a bit of clarity to this?

The events have taken place – they are in the past. The Molten Alliance has been defeated (as of this week). However, there are permanent changes to the world. And some of the NPCs are still around.

Check out the village of Cragstead (Wayfarer Foothills, NE corner) and the devourer hatchery (Diessa Plateau, SW corner). There’s not too much going on there, but you can talk to some of the NPCs and they will recap the story for you.

There may also still be replayable conversation instances in Hoelbrak and the Black Citadel, but I didn’t check. If they’re still there, you would be seeing a yelloq swirl on the map.

So yes, you’ve missed some stuff (all of Flame & Frost including its limited time super fun dungeon, and April’s Super Adventure Box).

However: the living story has moved on to Southsun Cove, so that’s where all the action is now.

I have been scanning through a good amount of posts the past two weeks and I must say, my conclusion about the Live Content is all pretty much the same, It’s a love hate relationship because it’s fun if you’re there and in the moment, but dissapointed if you miss a piece or the entire content completely. The ultimate balance is having both, permament and live updates in the game. Doing one or the other does not seem to fit the style of both sides. Either one group is happy and the other is not.

Another downfault with constant live update patches is the content is rushed through development and testing; a grind for devs and testers which in return reduces the ultimate creativity put into the content. I am not doubting the skills inside ArenaNet because truly these guys have done a heck of a job reading the forum, providing updates (as best as they can) and still able to push these updates out in a timely manner. There is a point in time though when the developers and managers making the decisions at ArenaNet have to say to themselves there needs to be more permanent content because players will get tired of fast paced content.

“Example: If I am inactive for a year and come back and see that a good amount has happened since I last logged on but all the content (items, armor, consumable, the whole nine) is now inaccessable or highly expensive on the TP, then I would still be in the same state I was when I left a year ago. Same choices of content with the exception of possible new locations which are now left to the random players who happen to go there.” This is why I definitely see a fit for permanent content in any game. The idea of the living story and updates is fantastic, but not without a mixture of permanent choices for people such as the OP who would like to see some change in the game. He basically has not (with the exception of the new live story running now). Not a good visual for people who don’t play actively.

Honestly the dungeon from F&F should had stayed, just to give rememberance by. (therefore giving you both live and permanent solution).

Braxxis.7062:

So I just got back from a rather lengthy hiatus following Christmas, after I was told about this Living Story content and I should check it out. So I log in and I can’t find anything to do with it. So I go and look up Flame and Frost and I see it only lasted until, as my luck would have it, today.

Does this mean all the related content, the quests, the NPC’s, all of it, is gone?

Now that would just bug the crap out of me and return me to my hiatus. I can understand Holiday content only being around for the Holiday time. I can understand the big one time events being around; like the release of Southsun Cove, because after the event to go there, the content of the island was still in game and could be explored. But a whole story of the game, with events and NPC’s and new, albeit small, areas just vanishing after a period of time, is just poor design.

I could be mistaken in this however and I can still take part in at least some of the content but it doesn’t seem that way. So as the topic says, can someone add a bit of clarity to this?

They’ve talked about putting in fractals to relive some parts of the living story, but from what I understand it is a one time thing to help make the world seem more a live. So sadly yes, you will probably not be able to do it again.

Most of the time the living story stuff is pretty easy to do. Using a guide you can complete it in about 2-3 hours. Thats about the time it took me to get the rewards for the most recent chapter.

The maybe and someday aside, yes F&F is over and the content is gone save a few exceptions. That is the whole concept of the living story, the world of Tyria moving forward regardless of your presence and things will change over time.

Mind several games have had events like this in the past (TOR, WoW, probably many others), the new change GW2 is bringing to this concept is turning rare once-in-a-time happenings into the main focus of their ongoing development.

Anet has dedicated alot of effort and apparently several live teams to this concept so I dont expect it to go away. If you are very opposed to this kind of game elment then it’s probably best to look into other games.

My suggestion would be to give it a try though, once you are over the assumption that you can do everything, anytime, and catch up with every story bit, it gives a nice sense of direction or feeling of the world being just a little bit more alive.