Guild Wars 2

Thank you for this patch! I am serious. This is the first time since gw1 that I feel like I am extremely compelled and interested by the story!

Ok, so what happened. Sylvaris were Dragon Minions all along, as many theories already went. Nothing too new here. However, the huge part for me actually was when Caithe said something along the line “Sylvaris will lose control” because of Mordremoth.

Well, I thought, lets hope we will see some more Sylvaris running around doing some kitten stuff. Would be awesome if my Player char would have some kind of consequences. (as a Sylvari fan and player =D) Also Wynnes death was made done well and kind of tragic. I feel extremely sorry for her and I think if she’d be alive, my char would have a crush on her xD Though she wasn’t in the story long enough to be too sad about it.

Story finished, ok bla bla and then cutscene. And KITTEN that was freaking epic. This is better than any cinematic. The style is just so cool and it is a long one (actually 2). And just so refreshing in comparison to all the cinematic “best graphics” hunt. I love it.
However, what really got me was the content. You saw Sylvaris throwing explosives into the freaking pact airships machinery during their attack on Mordremoths Minions. Sylvaris with red eyes jumping furiously onto others. Seriously that was so awesome.
And then in the second cutscene. Rytlock: “You can’t trust Sylvaris anymore”, someone else “They are monsters”. I feel so awesome as a Sylvari and I wanna see consequences.

So yeah, thanks alot ArenaNet. This kind of darkish story and compelling storytelling with the absolute awesome artworks and also very good gameplay mechanics in the last fight. This was an experience and I am so looking forward to what is gonna happen. Even more than back in Guild Wars 1.

You have done a great job! Keep it up!

I am going to assume in 2 weeks we will receive more living story since anet hasnt said no more releases, but i believe the finale is coming with some big news!

We were told we would collect a new armor throughout season 2, done.

We have also now received 3 of the 4 stats we were told to be getting.

So it would be a safe bet to assume the next patch we will get the last stat combo and will be the finale which happens to be before a big holiday break for Anet.

I think the finale is going to end with us finding the golden city from the vision along with Glints egg, and the egg possibly hatching before the screen going black and announcing an expansion for GW2….finally.

I don’t see fighting Mordremoth as being something that can happen through the Living Story. The LS team has roughly 20 devs on it, and I don’t see them able to design an elder dragon and a dungeon for him to reside in, so it only makes sense that an expansion will introduce that. Also, why would only 20 devs be working on something as important as the next Elder dragon fight?

That stuff does seem big enough to maybe be the big plans Anet has been working on “behind the scenes” though.

Here’s to hoping!

EDIT:
After some more thinking, if they only have 20 devs on the LS team at one time.

After the games initial release, we had Season one for almost a year.

Then we had a feature pack #1 which was actually quite a bit of stuff.

Then we had 2 months of season 2.

Then we had feature pack #2 which was mostly a copy/paste of the China changes.

Now we have 2 months of season 2.

So besides Feature Pack 1, the non LS team has had a LOT of time to be working on something.

EDIT 2:

Confirmation of LS team only consisting of 20 people at any given time:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/lwd/Enough-of-your-GMPC-please/page/3#post4193277

Confirmation of there being over 300 employees at Arenanet, though not entirely sure how many are devs that make game content:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/bltc/What-to-buy-with-800-gems/first#post1218058

One thing i’ve learned is never put the “high hopes” tag close to anything GW2 related.

I kinda like to believe what your saying one thing that is crossing my mind is that the Season 2 finale will end with a big teaser trailer for an expansion.

IF an expansion is added i really hope they’ll add the rest of the maguuma jungle, add more places far north and even add a new professions with new (or existing for other profs) weapons.
that’s the least i expect from an expansion.

sorudo.9054:

IF an expansion is added i really hope they’ll add the rest of the maguuma jungle, add more places far north and even add a new professions with new (or existing for other profs) weapons.
that’s the least i expect from an expansion.

Nah if they’re going expansion they’ll probably give do Cantha or some other area from GW1. That’s what most players seem to asking for the most.

CureForLiving.5360:

sorudo.9054:

IF an expansion is added i really hope they’ll add the rest of the maguuma jungle, add more places far north and even add a new professions with new (or existing for other profs) weapons.
that’s the least i expect from an expansion.

Nah if they’re going expansion they’ll probably give do Cantha or some other area from GW1. That’s what most players seem to asking for the most.

They already said that they wanted to focus on expanding Tyria (the continent) first before heading outside it.

Keep dreaming Jordo.

Jordo.5913:

Here’s to hoping!

takes a drink

I do love to dream

I’m hopeful for this in an expansion:

- 4-7 new zones in the Maguuma Jungle(the actual jungle, not this wasteland stuff)
- 2 new dungeons, one of which containing the Mordremoth Elder Dragon fight
- entirely new weapons, and current classes getting access to current weapons
- new slot skills
- possible new race/class

I´m dreaming to ^^
Thumbs up for an expansion!!
New maps, races etc. would be just great!!!

If we’re getting a new stat spread, I hope it’s one with a Vitality primary. We have a lack of choices for those.

i like elona better than cantha…… would like to fight Palawa Joko and his minion….

As much as I would like for this game to have an expansion/major release/major update, it seems that me and a lot of people are just grasping at straws and connecting dots to form a pattern that just doesn’t exist. I remember a similar thing happened to Mass Effect 3 where people just could not accept that bioware could end the series in a certain way. They came up with crazy theories to try and justify their hopes that ultimately turned out to be in vain as bioware stated that the ending was final and canonical.

That being said, I really really do hope that Arenanet has some form of major content planned for release. Maybe some new skills or even giving more weapon sets to classes. Maybe maps that that are similar in size to the original maps such as queensdale or frostgorge sound. Maybe new dungeons/raids/group activities. Honestly the biggest thing I am hoping for is some new skills or weapon sets for all classes. That would breathe some much needed life into this game IMO.

I doubt Anet has an expansion in the works. More likely they are waiting until they conclude season 2 (if they ever conclude it…) before deciding if they want to keep doing more like season 2, or reevaluate the format before proceeding to season 3.

Season 2 finale will end with a 4 months break and a couple of WvW seasons thrown in as content fillers…

The next episode of the LS will be like this:

1. Go meet with Jory at the Priory library. You and her read some books about zephyrite markings or something to open the door. You find out you need something special to open it.
2. You go on a mission to retrieve the thing to open the door.
3. You go open the door and find the spot for the memory seed inside.
4. You use the seed to relive Caithes memory to find out why this cave is so special. At the end you find out Caithe took the egg to Divinities Reach or something completely random and stupid like that. The End.

Then you have to wait 4 months for the season to continue. Meanwhile no questions actually answered, Caithe is still at large with the egg, Rytlock is still missing, Mordremoths giant tentacles continue to spread across the Silverwastes. Nothing is revealed about the fact that all the lost badges were White Mantle. We don’t get to see whats in that room where all the tentacles are spreading from. Etc, Etc.

By the way, I’m calling it now: Whenever we do get back to Rytlock, it’s going to be just like the Caithe memories. We play as Rytlock doing things in the mists, and it’s going to take 19 episodes (each lasting 5 minutes with 2 week intervals) before it concludes.

I like your idea… but think it will go a little differently. The more I think about it, the more I think that it will come sort of in pieces, and most likely between seasons 3 and 4.

What will happen is that season 3 will focus on finally taking down Moredremoth, and after he’s done, we will move onto the next elder dragon. Durring the off time between the seasons, a feature pack will be released introducing a new race, with it’s own new starter zone and probably a level 15-25 zone. The race will probably be Tengu (because I think this process will be repeated later and at the same time introduce Largo, but they will probably be introduced to take on Bubbles, who I don’t think we are ready for story wise yet).

I would not be surprised if between seasons 2 and 3 we get some updates to the current professions (new skills and weapon combos), something with legendaries (whether it’s precursor collections or new legendaries), and a new dungeon (maybe in the silverwastes or dry top).

Call me optimistic, but it just feels like the right progression of things.

Yeah, but it’ll be a welcome relief playing man Ritlock…

… After the current living story which has focused on lesbians investigating the gossip of other lesbians.

Well, one can only hope but man that will be a hard fall if it doesn’t pan out that way. Personally I’ve found way too many chunks of coal in my stocking to believe in Santa Colin anymore myself.

nekretaal.6485:

… After the current living story which has focused on lesbians investigating the gossip of other lesbians.

Is that what you got out of this?

No wonder most game writers stick with “man with checkered past saves helpless female” tropes.

Dont forgot that this was said in the blogpost; “Season 2?s final episode will feature an unforgettable end for all of you who go on this journey with us. So make sure to jump in and join the ride starting on November 4.”!
Especially this part "For Tyrians, the awakening of each of the previous elder dragons led to catastrophic world events: earthquakes, tidal waves, and the raising of a long sunken continent are just some examples of the destruction left in their wake. These have seared their marks into the face of Tyria. "

Those are some mighty big claims so let’s hope it pans out into the ops theory.

Maybe 80-100 people are working on the second half of episodes of season 3 right now….

Belenwyn.8674:

Maybe 80-100 people are working on the second half of episodes of season 3 right now….

There are only 20 devs working on Living Story content at one time, Season 3 would count as Living Story content…

You’re setting yourself up for some major disappointment.

Mental Paradox.3845:

You’re setting yourself up for some major disappointment.

Actually in my mind it’s Anet that is setting themselves up for major disappointment. I do not feel that the LW, feature patches and holiday content will be enough to keep the game healthy over the next year. If they don’t add expansions along with the type of content that they have given over the last two years this I predict this game will plunge into obscurity for many players.

I know a lot of players who have only hung on through this year’s story to see if it was designed to lead for something larger and if that doesn’t happen they’ll disappear altogether rather than logging in every few weeks for the LW, I’m one of them.

edited the main post with

After some more thinking, if they only have 20 devs on the LS team at one time.

After the games initial release, we had Season one for almost a year.

Then we had a feature pack #1 which was actually quite a bit of stuff.

Then we had 2 months of season 2.

Then we had feature pack #2 which was mostly a copy/paste of the China changes.

Now we have 2 months of season 2.

So besides Feature Pack 1, the non LS team has had a LOT of time to be working on something.

It’s hard to know exactly how many people are working on what for how long, but my best guess is that about 20 people were pulled off LW to work on something else around February. That’s slightly before the current LW team would have started working on Season 2.

Meaning: if those folks have been working on content and at roughly the same place as the existing LW team, they should currently have a content drop the size of the entirety of Season 2 ready right now.

LOTS of assumptions in that, though, so get your hopes up at your own risk.

timmyf.1490:

It’s hard to know exactly how many people are working on what for how long, but my best guess is that about 20 people were pulled off LW to work on something else around February. That’s slightly before the current LW team would have started working on Season 2.

Meaning: if those folks have been working on content and at roughly the same place as the existing LW team, they should currently have a content drop the size of the entirety of Season 2 ready right now.

LOTS of assumptions in that, though, so get your hopes up at your own risk.

there are only 20 people on the LS team at any given time, so they couldn’t pull 20 people off the team to do something else

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/lwd/Enough-of-your-GMPC-please/page/3#post4193277

That’s the Living Story Season 2 team.

Living Story Season 1 was made up of 4 teams. I’d guess around 10 per team, that’s why I said 20 pulled off.

It’s entirely possible that LS1 was about 20 people in 4 teams, but that’d surprise me given how many roles there are. Perhaps there were four teams with 3-4 “core” members who only worked on that one release as well as 10-12 floating members (QA, audio, UI, programming). But I’d be very surprised if the LS1 team was only 20 people throughout that cycle.

As far as people pulling off, I know about it from tweets etc. :-)

Please don’t get your hopes up.

Just in case any of Anet’s marketing geniuses are listening: I would be willing to pay for 2-3 zones and a LS2’s worth of story missions. There’s nothing wrong with charging for your work.

Just in case any of Anet’s marketing geniuses are listening: a lot of folks would be willing to pay for an expansion.

Jordo.5913:

I do love to dream

I’m hopeful for this in an expansion:

- 4-7 new zones in the Maguuma Jungle(the actual jungle, not this wasteland stuff)
- 2 new dungeons, one of which containing the Mordremoth Elder Dragon fight
- entirely new weapons, and current classes getting access to current weapons
- new slot skills
- possible new race/class

I hope you’re kidding, it would be a ridiculous content for an expansion…

Jordo.5913:

- 4-7 new zones in the Maguuma Jungle(the actual jungle, not this wasteland stuff)

Lore-wise I don’t think there’s actually a Jungle left. It kinda dried up. Possibly due to Mordy, or maybe some other reasons.

azizul.8469:

i like elona better than cantha…… would like to fight Palawa Joko and his minion….

No more zombies! Although I guess we’ve been fairly zombie less for a while now. Still Orr was zombie overdose for me.

Piratoz.8627:

I remember a similar thing happened to Mass Effect 3 where people just could not accept that bioware could end the series in a certain way. They came up with crazy theories to try and justify their hopes that ultimately turned out to be in vain as bioware stated that the ending was final and canonical.

Actually I found the whole thing to be very entertaining. Some nice theories, some interesting videos. Of course I have a thing for over-analysis.

Xenon.4537:

I doubt Anet has an expansion in the works. More likely they are waiting until they conclude season 2 (if they ever conclude it…) before deciding if they want to keep doing more like season 2, or reevaluate the format before proceeding to season 3.

Seeing as how content is produced months ahead of time, they’ll most likely trying to implement as much season 2 feedback as possible into season 3. Season 2 however wasn’t that big of departure from season 1 but rather a refinement and improvement on what they were doing in season 1. So Season 3 will likely just be a further refinement on the format.

Xenon.4537:

Then you have to wait 4 months for the season to continue. Meanwhile no questions actually answered, Caithe is still at large with the egg, Rytlock is still missing, Mordremoths giant tentacles continue to spread across the Silverwastes. Nothing is revealed about the fact that all the lost badges were White Mantle. We don’t get to see whats in that room where all the tentacles are spreading from. Etc, Etc.

By the way, I’m calling it now: Whenever we do get back to Rytlock, it’s going to be just like the Caithe memories. We play as Rytlock doing things in the mists, and it’s going to take 19 episodes (each lasting 5 minutes with 2 week intervals) before it concludes.

Yeah, ANet loves creating mysteries, perhaps a bit too much. Pacing is also perhaps problematic. I guess you’re right (if somewhat hyperbolic) regarding how ANet loves dragging things out. Personally think Caithe’s story should rather have been in a single episode. Stretching it out brakes flow, and in my opinion somewhat ruins the ability to coherently and cohesively convey narrative.
Although I’m not sure if the flashback / memory style is all that bad. The only thing I don’t like about it is that it strips away my skills! If they could somehow allow me to play as myself, but also experience the flashback that would work a bit better (for me at least).

nekretaal.6485:

Yeah, but it’ll be a welcome relief playing man Ritlock…

… After the current living story which has focused on lesbians investigating the gossip of other lesbians.

Honestly lesbians never bothered me. Although maybe Anet can put in a straight couple next season? At least that would be an interesting experiment, see if a straight couple gets as many complaints.

Jordo.5913:

Belenwyn.8674:

Maybe 80-100 people are working on the second half of episodes of season 3 right now….

There are only 20 devs working on Living Story content at one time, Season 3 would count as Living Story content…

Which has led to so many conspiracy-theory-esque conversations. With a workforce of supposedly around 300 what are the rest of them up to? Oh sure a lot of them are support staff, PR or what not but surely there’s a fair number of developers beyond the 20 or so that do Living Story…

Yunielesca.2850:

I hope you’re kidding, it would be a ridiculous content for an expansion…

Expansion is such a loaded word…

Take a look at the amount of uncovered map area and think if they are going to “expand” to the two locations that everyone keeps crying for. Cantha and Elona are not in the mix. Any expansion will include area already on the existing map – which would not be a bad thing.

They’re doing dragons with the LS so Cantha is definitely not happening anytime soon unless Bubbles is somehow connected with it. Elona is a possibilty with Kralk but don’t expect anything until at least after the next season.

welp…today is the day if i see if my prediction was true or not

with that new trademark and logo though, I do not think I’m far off!

Jordo.5913:

welp…today is the day if i see if my prediction was true or not

with that new trademark and logo though, I do not think I’m far off!

Or you have to wait till they announce it at PAX.

however if the first season is any indication, we might see a: Continued in…
Which might be an expansion, or just Season 3.

My hopes are expansion, the cynical me says it`s just an announcement or season 3.

Ayrilana.1396:

They’re doing dragons with the LS so Cantha is definitely not happening anytime soon unless Bubbles is somehow connected with it. Elona is a possibilty with Kralk but don’t expect anything until at least after the next season.

Why only Bubbles you think?

aspirine.6852:

Ayrilana.1396:

They’re doing dragons with the LS so Cantha is definitely not happening anytime soon unless Bubbles is somehow connected with it. Elona is a possibilty with Kralk but don’t expect anything until at least after the next season.

Why only Bubbles you think?

I would also think only bubbles would effect Cantha.

My reasoning would be he is supposedly somewhere in the un-ending ocean and is blocking passage from it, the same way Kralkk is blocking passage to Elona, except for the secret way the Order of Whispers know about.

Jormag is north. Morde is “supposedly” west. Kralkk is SE. Primordius is in the Depths of Tyria. Bubbles in ocean. Zhaitan dead.

Bubbles is the only one who could potentially be right at the shore of Cantha without anyone knowing, unless one of the others decide to fly there.

It could also be any kind of plot that makes Mordremoth not in the maguuma jungle but is in the Echovald forest instead. Really there are plots enough to go to Cantha, not saying they are all great but writers can come up with anything. Or perhaps some other plots would lead us to Elona or some other part of the world.

the problem with that though, is the giant vines that are stretching across the silverwastes are confirmed to be from mordermoth himself….and the ley line that Scarlet cracked went to the magumma jungle and a dragon’s mouth opened to feed on it

Jaken.6801:

Jordo.5913:

welp…today is the day if i see if my prediction was true or not

with that new trademark and logo though, I do not think I’m far off!

Or you have to wait till they announce it at PAX.

however if the first season is any indication, we might see a: Continued in…
Which might be an expansion, or just Season 3.

My hopes are expansion, the cynical me says it`s just an announcement or season 3.

So we might only get official word in March… which sucks but you know that’s how big game companies tend to do business.

Jordo.5913:

the problem with that though, is the giant vines that are stretching across the silverwastes are confirmed to be from mordermoth himself….and the ley line that Scarlet cracked went to the magumma jungle and a dragon’s mouth opened to feed on it

Perhaps he made a diversion He got us chasing the wrong end of the world after some vines while he is trying to take echovald.

So I beat the living story and thought it would be a good idea to make a thread to keep a lot of the reaction contained to a single place.

First of all. EXCELLENT update. The only gripe I’ve seen had to do with the PAX advertisement at the end, but that was only by people that did not know what it probably entailed.

So. Thoughts? Opinions?

My only question storywise is what the hell was that ryltock teasing for?

kokiman.2364:

My only question storywise is what the hell was that ryltock teasing for?

to make me angry beyond good and evil that he didnt show up…

Didn’t think of anything, didn’t care for any off the characters.
If anything, I found fighting those monsters annoying, wave after wave, was painful.
And I don’t particularly care for the whole Dragon fight either or for that “plot” twist.
I would much rather have preferred mini expansion on Tengu, but screw that, plant people are more important.