Guild Wars 2

I did my Personal Story up to level 10. I chose to level through map completion for a while, but after I hit 18, I wanted to pick up my Personal Story to get to level 20. But… now it’s locked until level 20, for some reason? May I ask WHY? This makes zero sense; the PS is already level-locked. I just… this change makes absolutely no sense. Please change it back.

The personal story wasn’t level locked at all before, it just had recommended levels. They changed it in the last feature patch because a lot of new players seemed confused that they couldn’t play straight through the episode arc in one go. Now they can. Like it or lump it, but I don’t think that’s changing back any time soon.

I disagree with a lot of the changes but I have to say this is one I do understand.

It was quite common to see topics in Players Helping Players from people who had bought the game, created a character, followed the green star through the introduction and then either noticed the level requirement and got confused that they couldn’t keep doing the story, or kept doing it anyway and ended up massively under levelled and frustrated. This way is simpler.

It also removes the somewhat unrealistic breaks where you finish one instance with a sense of urgency about what you need to do next (for example you’ve found out where a group of prisoners are being held and agreed to meet your allies there to free them), then instead you go off and spend several hours helping farmers feed their cows and clearing spider webs from tunnels to level up. All the breaks now happen at sensible points where one part of the story has ended and you’re waiting to be contacted about something else.

I’m still not entirely sure I agree with the change, but I understand why they did it.

If it means not having another “can’t beat Doc Howler” call for help . . .

(Note: this is perhaps the best introduction to “you can’t tank all condis all the time” . . . )

as a player who never had any problem with completing ps it now realy feals like a big rock in the way. before it felt more comon. the whole game was following a story line and you could do a lot of side quests. now you need to do side quests to be able to continue with the story -WTF???? also doing story helped leveling a lot, so for me its somethink i cant understand logical wise (if its to stop ppl farming keys, they’d just get the key as lvl 20 reward…)

Danikat.8537:

I’m still not entirely sure I agree with the change, but I understand why they did it.

Basically, this. I feel like it didn’t so much eliminate pacing problems as it did move them around. I can’t say if the new way is better or worse.

All it did is make every story quest easy and forces you to play them when they’re easy and digestable. Why do we all have to be punished because some are confused and used to having their hand held in mmos? How about A-net level locks story quests by default but have an ‘advanced’ option to unlock them so the rest of us who actually enjoy the challenge in mmos can still enjoy games like this and not expect this to be a sign of a downward spiral into mainstream dumbing down and copping out.

Redenaz.8631:

Danikat.8537:

I’m still not entirely sure I agree with the change, but I understand why they did it.

Basically, this. I feel like it didn’t so much eliminate pacing problems as it did move them around. I can’t say if the new way is better or worse.

That’s what happens when you make ideas based on the best ‘projected profits’. Of course you’re going to see profits in things that already exist. People have to adopt new ideas before they are widely accepted. A money-obsessed economy is kittening stupid and oppressively short-sighted.

Delmorii.6170:

I did my Personal Story up to level 10. I chose to level through map completion for a while, but after I hit 18, I wanted to pick up my Personal Story to get to level 20. But… now it’s locked until level 20, for some reason? May I ask WHY? This makes zero sense; the PS is already level-locked. I just… this change makes absolutely no sense. Please change it back.

Because a tool of money thought this would boost sales from accessibility.

What I don’t get is how people can be confused with “kitten , I failed that mission, maybe if I gained one or two levels I would be able to pass it…”

Now they have to be told “Nah, you’re too weak and unskilled to be able to continue. Gain 10 levels and you’ll be able to continue”…

VergilDeZaniah.3295:

What I don’t get is how people can be confused with “kitten , I failed that mission, maybe if I gained one or two levels I would be able to pass it…”

Now they have to be told “Nah, you’re too weak and unskilled to be able to continue. Gain 10 levels and you’ll be able to continue”…

Still better than Factions’ very strict story progression, and inability to skip any steps along the way. Even if it’s to get the outposts for missions opened so you don’t have to slog there again.

. . . Six Gods how I hate Cantha.

The biggest problem for me in regards to the PS change was simply the lack of proper in-game communication regarding that it’s now locked. Otherwise it’s not really what I’d call a massive game breaking change.

VergilDeZaniah.3295:

What I don’t get is how people can be confused with “kitten , I failed that mission, maybe if I gained one or two levels I would be able to pass it…”

Now they have to be told “Nah, you’re too weak and unskilled to be able to continue. Gain 10 levels and you’ll be able to continue”…

Actually I think the change more had to do with creating a single cohesive narrative chapter that could be played right through where previously the story would be broken up by you having to firstly gain another level or two.

CureForLiving.5360:

Actually I think the change more had to do with creating a single cohesive narrative chapter that could be played right through where previously the story would be broken up by you having to firstly gain another level or two.

Well… End of Arc 2 as a human, we get a mail from Anise who says “Make all haste to (Jennah’s) throne room in Divinity’s Reach”, but the trick is I have to level up around 6 or 7 levels before attending. While I would only have to level 1 or 2 levels before NPE. I imagine my character writing “Nah, too weak, gimme some time in EotM and I’ll be right there”…