Guild Wars 2

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/view/news/read/27887/Guild-Wars-2-Sky-Pirates-of-Tyria-Announced.html

ArenaNet has announced the next Guild Wars 2 content update. Called “Sky Pirates of Tyria”, the new content will bring more additions to the Living Story, a new dungeon, new quests, and the news that custom arenas and spectator mode will be entering the live game. Sky Pirates of Tyria is expected to go live on June 25th.

Details of the update include:

• New Story Dungeon: Aetherblade Retreat – Find the hidden entrance to the Aetherblade base and take the fight to the pirates. It’ll take skill, courage, and no small measure of agility to battle through to the Aetherblade Captain and First Mate.

• Sea of Sorrows Scavenger Hunt – In this new, permanent content, players search for clues to the locations of 12 plaques that have been set up to honor the history of the city and its founder, in the novel Sea of Sorrows by our very own Ree Soesbee, narrative designer, ArenaNet, hitting store shelves and Amazon on Tuesday, June 25.

• New Rewards – A variety of new rewards are available, including Aetherblade caches, a First Mate Horrik miniature companion, a stylish monocle and more.

• Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.

• Custom Arenas and Spectator Mode leaves Beta – Custom PvP arenas allow players to host private matches, and customize their map settings. This feature is leaving beta, which means that Custom Arena Starter Kits will be available for anyone to purchase in the Gem Store. Spectator Mode also is officially out of beta. Together, these two features allow for practice, competitive play and tournaments.

• Mortar Mastery Joins the Growing List of World vs. World Abilities – Players can increase their mortar effectiveness by training in Mortar Mastery. Improvements in this line include increasing mortar blast radius, beefing up on damage, reducing skill recharge, and even adding a new skill, Mortar Barrage.

I wish they would post the changes that are coming so we can prepare.

This

Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.

is terrifying.

Scavenger Hunt? precursor?

I hope “the largest balance patch ever” will not require me to obtain a new set of armor and runes (and transmutation stones for my cultural armor) in order to effectively compete in WvW. It already took a lot of time to gear up my toon.

Guns and Giblets.9308:

I hope “the largest balance patch ever” will not require me to obtain a new set of armor and runes (and transmutation stones for my cultural armor) in order to effectively compete in WvW. It already took a lot of time to gear up my toon.

They already said they would be adding new traits, combining traits to form new ones… which creates new builds, so yeah, you might have to regear to run one of the “new builds”.

WTB more specific patch notes, PST.

But I’m pretty excited for the balance patch. Can’t say anything else on that list sounds remotely interesting.

Dungeon – Solo/group? Temporary/permanent? Probably group temporary and lets hope it is good.

Merchandising opportunities – Buy more skins, buy the book.

PvP Arenas – Promising, lets see what can be done.

Skill balancing – Now that might be good. It’ll keep people on their toes for a while.

I’m calling it now:
Those wonderful new weapons will be locked in RNG boxes, the Aetherblade Caches.

Mungrul.9358:

I’m calling it now:
Those wonderful new weapons will be locked in RNG boxes, the Aetherblade Caches.

Of course, god forbid we get what we pay for with the game.

Mortar mastery… Oh, daddy likes this.

Looks interesting. I look forward to the new story arc, and the fact that it overlaps with DB for a couple of weeks is also an interesting tweak. (DB lasts until July 9th according to the information for it)

The balance update…even in GW1 they always made me shrug. Whatever they throw at me, I’ll work with it. I’m not ‘terrified’ or ‘scared’ of it as (really, Anet you need a smarter filter) [so] many seem to be. Just another day imo.

Aeonblade.8709:

Of course, god forbid we get what we pay for with the game.

It’s really hacking me off now, as I’d actually give them guaranteed cash for that rapier skin alone, but by locking it in those boxes I won’t get one as I refuse to buy them. Therefore, they’ll get less of my cash.
They’ll get some of my cash, but that’s because they’ll probably introduce the final permanent harvesting tool.

Well I started one also in the Living Story forum. Can be found here.
I’m sure one of these will get locked/merged. I went from the Massively article, though. Will have to check out the MMORPG article.

Hopefully the dungeon will be a permanent addition (even if it winds up sucking).

Hmm, just noticed the “this new, permanent content” in the Sea of Sorrows line, which is lacking in the dungeon, so I guess that means the dungeon is going to be permanent as well >: (

Mungrul.9358:

I’m calling it now:
Those wonderful new weapons will be locked in RNG boxes, the Aetherblade Caches.

I ll bet you a 5 gold it will be called Sky Pirates Booty Chests.

Camaro Charr.2805:

Mungrul.9358:

I’m calling it now:
Those wonderful new weapons will be locked in RNG boxes, the Aetherblade Caches.

I ll bet you a 5 gold it will be called Sky Pirates Booty Chests.

whit a very rare change to drop the skin.

I’m excited about the balance changes, maybe, a BIG maybe, I will change my signature

o.O monocle you say? ….

Guns and Giblets.9308:

I hope “the largest balance patch ever” will not require me to obtain a new set of armor and runes (and transmutation stones for my cultural armor) in order to effectively compete in WvW. It already took a lot of time to gear up my toon.

Scared of that myself honestly. Every patch for engineers cept the last two this year had some kind of crazy insane change that wasn’t necessary (kit refinement anyone?) so only the six can tell what’s next.

Good, this will complement the book I preordered nicely.
I do enjoy pirates of the sky. If I ever get any Aetherblade stuff I’ll made a character based on Don Carnage.

I am going to rage so hard if Aetherblade Caches are what I think they are. Come on, Anet.

So another dungeon we don’t even get for 2 weeks.

I wonder if they’re double/triple checking the release page so future stuff doesn’t get added again. All the new sites have the info out first, and say to check the release/main page, yet its not released yet.

Weapons will probably be in coxboxes, but I expect those sweet Aetherblade armor skins to be for sale directly.

I wonder if this massive trait rework will come with a free reset since it sounds so significant. Every trait line reworked has got to affect most builds in some way.

Oh, and I still find it odd that ANet likes to release info to fansites/gaming media before putting anything on the official forum.

TooBz.3065:

I wish they would post the changes that are coming so we can prepare.

This

Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.

is terrifying.

As an Engineer, I could not agree more.

Basically I read “The largest balance patch ever” as “Engineers will be removed from the game”. :-P

Gibson.4036:

Oh, and I still find it odd that ANet likes to release info to fansites/gaming media before putting anything on the official forum.

It’s not odd at all – it’s actually a common practice across all businesses (not just video games). It’s about maintaining strong relationships with those media. Give them the chance to get the news out ahead of time (which is their primary function/value to their readers, advertisers, etc) and they are more likely to pick up the phone when you call.

Also – a forum really shouldn’t be a news feed. It is a place for more in depth discussion. That is usually best done after the news has been disseminated.

So release page is up, yet no news of the armor skins or weapons people found. And it appears dungeon is temporary due to the lack of the word permanent like it says with the jumping puzzle and scavenger hunt. Not even released and I’m already disappointed.

TooBz.3065:

I wish they would post the changes that are coming so we can prepare.

This

Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.

is terrifying.

Agreed.

After their perfomances in matter of balancing during this 10 months, everytime there’s in a patch a generic “balancing” point i just think “ok, let’s see what they’ll mess up this time…”

Ah, and hope that dungeon and rewards will be handled a bit better than other ones so far. I’m fine with it being temporary (still thinking it’s a waste of time and resources, but w/e), but i really really want some of the datamined skins. Just hope it’s not again usual “opne the chest and cross your fingers” RGN (even worse, Cash Shop Boxes RGN).

Oh, actually.. https://www.guildwars2.com/en/news/upcoming-skill-and-trait-changes/

Oh ffs, timed content again.

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/june-25-2013/

Hmm skill points reward from the scavenger hunt? Why would anyone need skill points? I’m sitting on almost 400 of those with no use

Good with some permanent content atleast.

Sciva.4865:

Oh ffs, timed content again.

Thats about all we’ll ever get it seems. Only permanent content they add is really little things.

RNG to get armor pieces now in addition to weapons. Limited content. Reward of 5 skill points?

Anet, I thought you said you listened to your playerbase… this is basically the opposite of what everyone has asked for….

The the event name just makes me want to listen to the following

Anyway

Really looking forward to getting that light skin

Dear ArenaNet.

More steam-punk is good.

I love you.

Volkon

stop make temporary content, PLEASE

Tolmos.8395:

TooBz.3065:

I wish they would post the changes that are coming so we can prepare.

This

Skill and Trait Balance Update – The largest balance patch ever is being introduced in this build, which includes significant updates to traits and skills to introduce more viable build diversity. Every profession trait line is seeing changes. Updates also have been made to some less popular skills to improve their effectiveness.

is terrifying.

As an Engineer, I could not agree more.

Basically I read “The largest balance patch ever” as “Engineers will be removed from the game”. :-P

(jokingly) We’ll have a new skill called “Kittened O’le Bomb” when we use it it will immediately cause a self CC and delete our toon and account! hehe /sigh.

Aluano.1826:

https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/june-25-2013/

Hmm skill points reward from the scavenger hunt? Why would anyone need skill points? I’m sitting on almost 400 of those with no use

Good with some permanent content atleast.

One could hope that we can spend skill points on stuff we need since everything seems to give a + to xp acquisition while the rest of the currencies are lagging behind.

I don’t think there will be RNG, and yes there will be more permanent content. A new jumping puzzle that gives an exo rewards. Plus the scavenger hunt is permanent. They never mentioned RNG boxes, or at least ones youd have to buy in the gem store. They did however mention rewards that can be received by tracking down aetherblade cache’s, which I believe! have a photo on the update page. You receive rewards from them. So its like treasure hunting. Plus it talks about salvageable items from the dungeon for rewards and a new infinite tonic. I have a feeling this dungeon will be on the same level as F&F which would be awesome!!!! Its sad to see its not permanent though.

I’m extremely excited about this, like ya’ll have no idea. EEEE!!!

Overall, I’m quite pleased with what Sky Pirates is bringing. A new permanent JP? Yes please! New permanent scavenger hunt in LA? Oh yes!

That said, I fully expect the Exo shoulderpads from “Not so Secret” to be once per account. Not sure about the scavenger hunt, but I’d definitely love a free 5 skill points on all my characters.

I suspect the new weapon skins will only drop from the dungeon, although there may be a chance for them to drop from the Aetherblade caches too. (And if the leaked achievements from the ((DELETE ME)) category are correct, all of the caches are found in jumping puzzles.) Aside from the monocle (which was specifically stated as being tradable), I suspect the other weapon skins will either be a ticket or account bound. Disappointing, but the only weapon I really like is the Rapier, and even then, I don’t absolutely NEED it for my Mesmer (since she uses Scepter/Pistol most of the time).

sky pirates you said? Now give us our own airship, please

Garuna we technically have one, except we keep it parked at Fort Trinity. x_x

is this kitten dungeon temporary or permanent? “Requires” agility sounds like the direction of Molten Facility. It’d be a real shame if it goes dodo agian.

Sky pirates. What’s next, quaggan bounty hunter chronicles?