Guild Wars 2

So Lion’s Arch has been rebuilt and the city got a brand new design. The new design in my opinion is mixed. Areas like the Commodore’s Quarters and the Western Ward work but other areas like the docks or the Lion’s Court don’t. Many parts of the city have very little detail and feel barren and empty. The Theo Ashford Memorial Bridge could use a whole lot more detail to make it feel less barren. Like adding doors to the buildings and market stalls. The Lion’s Court also feels empty without any npcs and the lion statue/fountain. The docks also feel empty since there are no ships in the harbor, almost no npcs on the docks and no pirate or sailor npcs in the city. Lion’s Arch is Tyria’s most important port both for sailors and pirates but it also has a navy large enough to fight off Zhaitan’s undead fleet.

Parts of the city feel barren and even unfinished in places. Its also disappointing that things like the sewers and the Order of Whispers hideout were removed. Each city is unique but Lion’s Arch feels to similar to Divinity’s Reach in places. I was personally hoping that the city would either look like the pre launch trailer or a more Venice like city with lots of canals and boats or what WoodenPotatoes on youtube suggested. Adding buildings from all the different race together.

Here is a few screenshots to show what I’m talking about.

I actually really love the new design, though I do agree some areas feel a bit sparse, but I think it’s done on purpose to accommodate the player populous & community (on blackgate, it makes it feel significantly more spacious which was desperately needed). Old LA was way too condensed and claustrophobic between the garbage everywhere, and the significantly smaller scale of the design with the original city which was designed to feel taller & stacked, rather than wider in many places. I feel like this could be adjusted by adding more wandering NPC’s, especially those that look like sailors (although, given the new direction of the city post-destruction, I think it is correct for it to move away from being a pirate haven, to being more organized and clean so the NPC’s should reflect that as well as maybe more civilians with their caravans full of stuff moving back into the city.)

I love the new design, and I hope that ANet will develop the city now (instead of razing it once more ^^) so it could become more living over time, with new little structures, etc.

Why does it feel like some kind of a water theme park? O_o

i thought lack of npcs and other thing was done due to people with older machines.

well..it’s just rebuild! wait for few month.so more npc and stuff will coming to lion arch.maybe many NPCs still traveling to lion arch!

I admire the new design; the big, stacked half-timber buildings and the more populous feeling of some areas. The port entrance is quite impressive. Though i miss the rickety “marine-themed” architecture of the former “pirate-nest”, i see the promising developments. Fort Marrineris lives up to its name now, a terraced bulwark bristling with walls and canons.
Not sure about the “modern” asuran-inspired parts like the crayfish-harbor with its cargo cranes and the fancy roofed structures around the craftsman area.
Fond of great details like the kraken-shaped candle holders in the Black Lion headquarters (nice piece of remaining “marine-theme”)
To sum up: a nice blend :-) Hats off to the design-team of ArenaNet! I´m really looking forward how they are going to develop the yet unfinished areas!

Kind regards to all players
Ben