If you understood the joke in the title, read this, otherwise skip past
For a number of years I have been familiar with the observation that the quality of MMO developers is a decreasing function of the density of temporary content in the games they produce. More recently I discovered why the use of temporary content has such disastrous effects, and I became convinced that temporary content should be abolished from all “higher level” MMORPG’s (i.e. everything except, perhaps, World of Warcraft). At that time I did not attach too much importance to this discovery; I now submit my considerations for publication because in very recent discussions in which the subject turned up, I have been urged to do so.
Real post starts here
Out-of-place computer science references aside, there is a serious concern being raised by many players over the value of the Living World content being produced with respect to the priority placed on it by the team over at ArenaNet. While a fantastic avenue for creative story-telling, the frequency of these Living World updates would seem to stretch thin the already limited resources that the development team is able to commit toward the game, leaving improvements to the quality of the existing game pages deep in the to-do list, and significant, permanent content in a faraway, dystopian future. Now, perhaps we who raise this concern are mistaken. After all, we have no inkling of ArenaNet’s true intentions. However, the lack of communication on these matters is troubling.
In years gone by, it was ArenaNet’s foremost endeavor to humbly seek the guidance of the Guild Wars player-base in their attempts to create the most satisfying sequel they could, and transparency in their intentions for the sake of the feedback, and general information, of the audience. But recent days have not brought the assurance of those times, that our voices would be heard and that considerations would be made. Surely the China release is a large part of this apparent silence: a huge effort that would no doubt require much attention. In any case, we the players are worried. Worried that the impermanence of the Living World will ultimately result in decreased value of sustained play.
I only bring this matter to such serious light because the number of players who share this concern with me is far beyond what I expected. Initially I imagined I was simply bored of the game by my own device, a victim of my own refusal to rely on strangers for support in the more difficult portions of the end-game content. But visiting these forums I can see that many others also find themselves at a loss for challenging or otherwise enticing objectives. Top-tier loot is obtainable only by sinking cash into the gem store or offering tribute to the RNG gods. Fractals offer little incentive for replay, and the main draw for dungeons is relatively high output of gold, but what purpose does the gold serve if there is nothing to do but get more of it? PvP has its own pro’s and con’s, but PvP should not be the answer to players tired of repetitive PvE gameplay.
How does all this tie together? The Living World appears to be eating away ArenaNet’s precious time, time that could be used on permanent content, large-scale content, content that pays for itself not with recycled cash shop merchandise, but because it costs money to access: I speak of course, of expansions. One year after Guild Wars Prophecies hit shelves, Factions sat next to it, daring players new and old to add it to their experiences. A mere 6 months later came Nightfall, offering its own additions to the rich lore of Tyria. As for Guild Wars 2, we have already passed that time frame, and what is there to show for it? All the content experienced through the Living World is long gone, showing only the scars it left on the face of Tyria and its inhabitants, never to be played again. How long can this continue before new players are lost, and all the existing players have exhausted the permanent content of the game, leaving them nothing but to check in every 2 weeks for a few hours of gameplay?
I, and many others like me, fear for the future of Guild Wars 2 if this pattern is to continue. Living World is certainly a great feature, telling a never-ending story that gives a notion of consequence to the happenings of Tyria, but that effect only lasts so long as a player continues to play without intermission, and is almost entirely lost on those who are just now beginning the game. Large-scale, permanent additions to gameplay seem the only appropriate course for ensuring that Guild Wars 2 stands the test of time, set forth by its predecessor.
TL;DR I wanted to make an awful, esoteric joke in the title/first paragraph but I realized I would need to follow with a relatively well-thought out post to justify it. Living World is cool but I’d sure like to see another campaign, too.
Thoughts?
(edited by Andred.1087)