Guild Wars 2

Forgive me for the confusion, but I thought that the F&F WAS what you guys call a “Living World” or “Living Story.” What’s the difference?

Also: First!

Living Story is the type of gameplay content. F&F is just the name of a living story.

F&F is the first chapter of the living story, or living world. As more chapters get added, this forum will serve as a general discussion for the living world at large, while the other forums will serve for chapter-specific discussion.

Flame and Frost is just a “chapter” – Living World the whole concept?

Second!

Edit: Fourth!

To build on what others have said, imagine “The Living Story” as a book series, with “Flame and Frost” being book 1.

Living story sounds a lot like they talked about in the manifesto to be honest. I’m excited!

ColinJohanson.2394:

The goal is to provide a unifying storyline to the world that ushers this new content into the game, changes the game, and makes the world feel truly alive.

Oh, this bit is interesting.

Could it be assumed that Flame and Frost (the entire thing) is just a prelude to a bigger thing which we’ll see after it finishes?

Kinda like the weekend Karka event to Southsun Shore, but over a longer period of time.

Another form of this is through special events, things like Halloween, Hunger Games, or Wintersday where content is available for a period of time, is removed from the game when that period is over, and could appear again in the future in some form to help provide unique and fun experiences in the game world.

Hunger Games… 0o! Hunger Royale!? Like BWE (Beta Weekend Event) did? woot! I wondered since then, what if any other maps might be good for Hunger Royale, for the Great Critter Hunt, or the Branded event. ( http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Beta )
Imagined what WvW map would feel like with a weekend long event of HungerRoyale in timed intervals. Que up to team with your server, last as long as you can vs 2 other server teams (unable to enter any building). When the game ends, scores tallied, rewards given. Que up for another match or move on. Always wondered what those BWE might end up doing (besides a stress test focusing large populations of players into one map).

ColinJohanson.2394:

We want to make this a much bigger part of where Gw2 goes in the future, to give a sense that the world truly can change constantly as you’re playing and every time you login.

- I’m not quite sure what you mean here. The process isn’t autonomous – your teams have to manually design and add the interactions that happen for players. This reminds me of the old metaphor of throwing a bucket of water into dried up well and then rejoicing that there is water in the well.

I played through the currently available flame and frost content. Helped refugees, collected mementos and killed the invaders that spawned. It felt very similar to dynamic events, although this content will be gone as the next phase is here. Bandaging wounded refugee will make him disappear into nothingness and cause new wounded refugee to spawn in his place after a while. I didn’t feel like I made difference in the world.

This living content thing is much better represented in WvW battles, where the living element are players themselves. Helping Hylek and having them join you in battle felt my actions had an actual effect on the world. Those neutral camps will stay loyal as long as I can defend them from enemies. It also represents a decision for the player: should I help the Hyleks or capture this supply camp? It’s very different from straight-forward gameplay of collecting 25 mementos because it gives you achievement.

WvW is peeking into direction of empowering players. I’d like to see you continue on this route, making players play the game through robust autonomous engine rather than providing small finite piece of entertainment every couple of months. Utilize the human resource and game will last years to come.

I’m very very excited. Thank a lot Colin!

One personal opinion though. I think when you guys tease anything, you don’t announce it. I think the tease leading up the Lost Shores (beached whales) was way more exciting then the announced tease leading up to F & F (Invaders are here, stop them!).

But aside from that, I am incredibly excited for this game’s future. Thanks again!

ColinJohanson.2394:

Living World is really a broader concept, it’s the idea that Guild Wars 2 is (and will become more so) a truly living game, where the world can change and constantly evolve going forward.

Onward to Asuran world domination!

So basically, Flame and Frost is part of the Living Story, but the Living Story is not exclusively limited to the Flame and Frost story. It’s sort of the same concept as:
all apples are fruit, but not all fruit are apples.

“Guild Wars 2 is your story. You affect things around you in a very permanent way.”

I loved those sentences when I watched the Manifesto, and to see that it’s actually becoming an important part of the game makes me really excited! I’m very much looking forward to this

Zapan.7460:

Another form of this is through special events, things like Halloween, Hunger Games, or Wintersday where content is available for a period of time, is removed from the game when that period is over, and could appear again in the future in some form to help provide unique and fun experiences in the game world.

Hunger Games… 0o! Hunger Royale!? Like BWE (Beta Weekend Event) did? woot! I wondered since then, what if any other maps might be good for Hunger Royale, for the Great Critter Hunt, or the Branded event. ( http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Beta )
Imagined what WvW map would feel like with a weekend long event of HungerRoyale in timed intervals. Que up to team with your server, last as long as you can vs 2 other server teams (unable to enter any building). When the game ends, scores tallied, rewards given. Que up for another match or move on. Always wondered what those BWE might end up doing (besides a stress test focusing large populations of players into one map).

I was thinking more like forcing Asura Progeny into an arena and seeing who the last one alive was.

I read HUNGER GAMES!! Omg, if only GW2 were based on that concept. Each guild sends their representatives and fight to the end!! Awesome!

I am not sure why replacing the word “patch” with “Living World” and everyone become excited… What is the difference between Living World and other update patches in other MMOs

Cue flash back music. Wavy fade efx… http://ageofreckoning.warhammeronline.com/event/WAR-Live-Event-Wild-Hunt-2009 gasp
This was more fun: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Hunger_Royale videos can be found online of the BetaWeekendEvents. Be sure to see the The Great Critter Hunt’s killer, ferocious beast of a boss that haz pointy teeth! Events (imho) sweet. With story too, sweet.

Remembering the new land reveal via Karka events… hope if another map gets revealed some lessons were learned.
Some gates I’ve been looking at longingly,… http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skull_Plaza
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Desert_Gate …in due time (when it’s done).

ColinJohanson.2394:

Another form of this is through special events, things like Halloween, Hunger Games, or Wintersday where content is available for a period of time, is removed from the game when that period is over, and could appear again in the future in some form to help provide unique and fun experiences in the game world.

Hunger Games? Did I miss an event?

Is this a typo, or could someone enlighten me?

Darx.9842:

ColinJohanson.2394:

Another form of this is through special events, things like Halloween, Hunger Games, or Wintersday where content is available for a period of time, is removed from the game when that period is over, and could appear again in the future in some form to help provide unique and fun experiences in the game world.

Hunger Games? Did I miss an event?

Is this a typo, or could someone enlighten me?

A similar type of event called Hunger Royale was in BWE before the game release. The game did not have this event after release.

Hunger Games, eh?

So are you guys going to get some GM’s to run events regularly and stuff? One of the MUDs I played back in the day had active GM’s and a real ‘living world’ type feel in that things could and did change on a regular basis. From what I know, that kind of thing isn’t actually profitable so it’s not usually done in MMOs, but I’d love to see it in GW2.

Zapan.7460:

Some gates I’ve been looking at longingly,… http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Skull_Plaza
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Desert_Gate …in due time (when it’s done).

Actually it’s possible to glitch past that desert gate On the other side the passage leads to the edge of a cliff that looks out over a vast ocean. Wasn’t possible to jump down though.

I do feel that this very idea of making the world feel more alive is only a positive change and only good things will come from it in the long run.

I do however worry about the idea “that the world is constantly changing” because even though I had a hand in changing it, I really don’t feel like I did. This is of course prevalent in dynamic events and getting those golden hearts. Even if I help a town clean up their infestation, they show no signs of caring aside from a guy selling me stuff.

I want to see more phasing changes in locations where players did things to make a difference is sort of what I am getting at and I hope we can expect something of the sort in the future.

OnlyFate.8549:

I am not sure why replacing the word “patch” with “Living World” and everyone become excited… What is the difference between Living World and other update patches in other MMOs

This is a good question. But I remember reading about a very good answer to this question somewhere. I forgot how it went exactly, but I’ll summarize it.

The post basically mentioned a fallen statue in WoW. How after all these years, the statue remained fallen and broken despite the conflict moving on.

The poster then marveled at how the Lion Statue in LA was rebuilt. It’s a pretty trivial example, but it’s a great indication of a world that’s actually changing and evolving. And that, to me, is exciting.

TheDaiBish.9735:

ColinJohanson.2394:

The goal is to provide a unifying storyline to the world that ushers this new content into the game, changes the game, and makes the world feel truly alive.

Oh, this bit is interesting.

Could it be assumed that Flame and Frost (the entire thing) is just a prelude to a bigger thing which we’ll see after it finishes?

Kinda like the weekend Karka event to Southsun Shore, but over a longer period of time.

If it’s anything like the goal of not having to grind for stuff, then we can probably expect more of the same in terms of events. They’ll happen, reset, and loop throughout the day.

I’m more worried about the reaction of the new player who comes in late and finds out about all the things they missed and content they’ll never get to see, myself.

I just don’t see the need to give flame and frost its separate forum if this one exists.

I wonder if the world still gets new events as the concept was at release. We were told to revisit an area a year later and find 200 more new events and older events on longer timers.

For me now it looks like this concept didn’t work out so we get no new events, instead the world gets changed by the living story.