Your List of S2 LW Feature Updates
I agree with a lot of the things above. in addition
Playable Tengu / open dominion of winds.
New maps,maybe Maguma wastes, or the ruins of Deldrimore (would make a great spot for a new dungeon)
Some progress on getting ready for the next Elder dragon campagn. It’s been over a year since my main character defeated Zhaitan and he’s starting to wonder when the pact is going to get back to work!
Maybe involve guild halls in the rebuilding of Lion’s Arch? the guild missions to unlock it could involve helping with reconstruction.
More logical progression in Living world, a lot of season 1 felt rather disjointed as if it was only tied together retrospectively. I’d also be happy to have less frequent living world updates, but better implemented. More to do than simply zerging around killing this week’s flavour of guest mobs.
I second a lot of this, I believe that they should really bring in new weapons (Great Axe, Scythe, Spear (on land), etc) and I also believe that each profession should be able to use more weapons (I want my Ranger to be able to use a rifle.
I agree with new maps. I, being an old GW player, really want Cantha back but realistically there is still so much for them to doing on Tyria. Bring in Maguuma, show me the Isles of Janthir, let me go into the old realm of the Kodan, or even the Crystal Desert.
Playable races: Tengu, Kodan, Largos, really anything. I would love to see some more options coming into play and those would be great when introducing new playable areas. And with that new professions.
Guild Halls: I would love guild halls. I actually posted a little thing (not so little, more tl;dr) about how even if they did guild halls for sale in the gem store I would buy them. I also talk a lot about random other stuff too “here”.
Personally, I would like to see a variant of GW1 “Hard Mode” to return. Instead of leveling up enemies, maybe it could level down players. You activate HM before going into combat and it levels you down even more than it already does for a zone. This gives you better percentage of loot drop.
As for living story, I know the dragon is going to be a big thing, but I would like to see some other things worked with. I am a huge story buff, I play video games for a good story and this was why I really enjoyed the first Guild Wars (Especially Factions and EotN). GW2 was lacking slightly in the main story line but living story in my opinion picked it up towards the end with the introduction of scarlet. I wouldn’t mind seeing LWS2 be more about the chaos of a dragon, more cities under attack, more areas permanently changed, etc.
I would like to have a way to look into my bank from anywhere in the land. Not take anything out but just to look. I don’t know how many times I had a guild mate ask for something and I thought I had it. Map travel to town find out that I don’t and then have to map back. If I had a way to look without mapping would be great.
With the Asura being as they are, it would be easy lore wise to make and add it.
With Taimi trying to find her own way and be recognized by the Counsel as a genius she could approach them with her Golem.
Taimi: (introduction of herself and Braham)
Councilor Zudo: “What is the invention that you brought before us to prove your Genius statues?”
Taimi: “I present you my Golem. Scruffy”
High Councilor Flax: “Another Progeny displaying another golem how….. Original.”
Councilor Ludo: “Flax let her speak”
Taimi: "Thank you Councilor Ludo. Scruffy is not like other golem you have seen before. Studying under Zoja I was able to improve her design and create smaller parts crating a cavity. Because of the interior cavity it allows the user to enter combat and mount for transportation. "
High Councilor Flax: “A mount? Why would anyone need a mount? We have gates to travel the Cities and transport goods for trade. We have personal travel points all around the land. If one wishes they can simply return to any point in their travels around the land at a small fee. Mounts… How absurd."
Braham: “Leave her alone! Without Taimi and Scruffy we could not have defeated Scarlet Briar.”
High Councilor Flax: “Perhaps if Taimi would have put the same energy and effort into her own design and invent something of her own. Instead of traveling all over Tyria like some Bookah on a Great Hunt. She would be presenting something of some value to us. “
Braham: “Bookah?!?! Great Hunt?!?! Why you little….”
Taimi: “Braham lets go”
(Taimi and Braham standing in the Creator’s Commons)
Braham: “Sorry that didn’t go well.”
Taimi: “Take me to the Durmand Priory.”
Braham: “Ok… But I don’t think a few monks are going to help.”
Taimi: “I’m not going to see them I am going to Scarlet’s Lair.”
Braham: “What?!?! Why?”
Taimi: “Her knowledge in the Eternal Alchemy. Her knowledge of the Aether Blades, the Molten Alliance, and Krait are in those notes she had. Once I cypher the way her mind worked I can read her notes. “
Braham: “ Ok but she was crazy I don’t think you will find anything.”
Taimi: “Braham, her mind was crazy but her research was real.”
(Player, Taimi and Braham in the Scarlet’s Lair)
Braham: “Where do we start?”
Taimi: “Let’s open the chests and see what we can find first.”
Player: “I did that while trying to figure out Scarlet’s next move before she attacked Lions Arch. Nothing but Clockworks, Dragonite, and code fragments. “
Taimi: “Ok what else is there… wish I had a torch it’s hard to see. Anyone have a torch handy.”
Player: “Nope.”
Braham: “I think I have one in my bank in Hoelbrak.”
Taimi: “you think? Norn’s… good for the fight kitten the memory. Didn’t you say you found Clockworks and Dragonite?”
Player: “Yes in the chests.”
Taimi: “Bring them to me and those power cores over there. If I can just recalibrate the (insert science stuff) and triangulate the (insert science stuff) there we go. Braham hold this and look into it.”
Player: “What is it?”
Taimi: “Well if it works it should be able to allow Braham to look into his Bank holdings.”
Braham" BY THE SPIRITS. It works… I do have a torch. Let me get it.”
Taimi: “NO BRAHAM DON’T STICK YOU HAND IN. Unless you want to lose it.”
Player: “What?!? Why?”
Taimi: “Because I only had Power cores available. I was not able to attune the crystals like a typical Asuran gate. Matter cannot be put into or pulled out of the portal without destroying it. “
Braham: “Well then I guess I will just walk then. What you want to do with this?”
Taimi: “ I don’t need it I can remember the things I have. “
Braham:”Here you can have it (player name). I don’t want to be tempted to put the Arcane Council into it if they talk to Taimi like that again.”
Player: “Thanks I am sure it will come in handy.”
Examples are in brackets.
Reasonable Expectations:
- New Skills, especially utility/elite skills
- New Traits
- “Unique Skins” in region reward tracks replaced with a random exotic of the appropriate type (completing Kryta line includes a random Ceremonial weapon in the box)
- Gem Store services (bank express, TP express, merchants) converted to charges similar to Transmute charges
- Trait/Skill Unlocks account-wide for sPvP (if you earn or buy Path of Corruption, all of your necros ever will have Path of Corruption unlocked for sPvP)
- Certain karma/Badge of Honor items salvageable (temple gear, Invader’s gear)
- New sPvP maps
- Better WvW Tournament information in-game (a panel in the WvW screen which shows Tournament information)
Hopeful Expectations:
- Guild Alliances
- New WvW maps
- WvW objective upgrade revamp
- Black Lion Key/Chest retuning
- Added Weapon/Class combos (Necro Greatsword)
- Guild Mission revamp
- Dynamic Event scaling improved (Events will trade out regular mobs for Veterans/Elites/Champions in lower zones more quickly)
Unrealistically Optimistic Expectations:
- Personal Story Gambits (Ironman Mode: the player dying fails the mission) (Rurik Mode: essential NPCs dying fails the mission)
- Asymmetrical WvW maps (objectives other than direct PPT; eg. one server has to protect an orb, the other two servers have to take it and bring it to their spawn, a bit like Spirit Watch)
- WvW Guild Halls+GvG oriented features
- WvW weekly modifiers (Reactor Mode: All Supply Camps replaced with Reactors which supply their objectives) (Blood and Glory: PPT from objectives reduced, all kills grant score, player kills grant A LOT of score)
- PvE Guild Halls
- World Zone Gambit Mode (Dock your levels further than regular scaling for extra XP/MF)
- Dungeon Improvements + Gambits
Bonus Expectations Which Will Never Ever Happen But Would Make Me Really Happy:
- Living Story ‘story’ content merged with Personal Story (and thereby made a permanent addition to the game)
- Living Story emphasis moved from temporary events to permanent content (New ‘full’ zones which include heart quests)
- Elementalists getting a weapon that shoots lava
- i mean everywhere. it shoots lava everywhere
Nalhadia – Kaineng
New areas! Open up these borders! I’ve done the 100% map completion and have another 4 characters sitting on about 80-90%. I need to see something new.
I agree with new areas for sure. I think for every other or possibly every third release they give us a new area. This should give them enough time to build a new explore able zone, doesn’t have to be huge, just somewhere else to go. It amazes me how much of the world map hasn’t even been touched yet, they have so much room to expand, and after being around for a couple of years, all they added was solsthsun cove?
I also wouldn’t mind some lower level dungeons in the 20-40 area, possibly even lower. I understand the rewards would not be as significant due to you leveling past them quickly, however why not reward some new skins, or black lion tickets to purchase the ones we missed?
However the one thing I miss the absolute most about GW1 is the flexibility in skills, why they changed it over to what they do now is beyond me, as I think they had a totally unique system. I feel the system now is a bit limiting, with most classes focusing around the few popular builds. More utility skills, or new weapon options for some classes would be fantastic, although a rather large project to implement.
Since a couple of people mentioned Cantha, I should point out that it’s likely that Cantha will not make a reappearance in GW2 due to East Asian sensitivities regarding the kind of cultural mishmash that Cantha was in GW1. This led to a de factor axing of Cantha in GW2 by ANet’s owner, NCSoft (Korean company). Including consequnces for Divinity’s Reach (Canthan quarter being literally cratered.) Google for more info; but e.g.,
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Merged-The-Cantha-Thread
Personally, Cantha was my favourite part of GW1 bar none. It’s too bad that politics has to come into a fantasy game, and I don’t see Western audiences complaining about the vague cultural mishmash that the Krytan side of Tyria represents, but reality bites.
(edited by alccode.1297)
How about some expansion into the jungle, or north to the isles of Janthir, hell even the desert or northern part of Elona. So many opportunities for some great areas to expand on.
For someone who left the game for a while (me) I came back to pretty much the same game with a few zone changes, but missed all of the content. I understand they wanted to reward the loyal players, but I don’t think the people who wanted to take a break should miss out on EVERYTHING. I came back to Lions Arch destroyed and a tower busted up in Kessex Hills….fantastic. I still enjoy playing the game, I recently found a resurgence in interest, but I feel they really detracted from “adding” to the game. Temporary content patches are a nice occasional thing, but why not tie those into a new area? just doesn’t make sense to me.
For someone who left the game for a while (me) I came back to pretty much the same game with a few zone changes, but missed all of the content. I understand they wanted to reward the loyal players, but I don’t think the people who wanted to take a break should miss out on EVERYTHING. I came back to Lions Arch destroyed and a tower busted up in Kessex Hills….fantastic. I still enjoy playing the game, I recently found a resurgence in interest, but I feel they really detracted from “adding” to the game. Temporary content patches are a nice occasional thing, but why not tie those into a new area? just doesn’t make sense to me.
Same experience here (leaving and coming back, to largely unchanged world). It’s striking how much of a difference the current game’s structure is compared to the hyped-up things we heard during development and release, how the game constantly changes and our decisions matter, etc. I know it was describing largely the events system, but the wording used was evocative of the sorts of long-term, large-scale changes that a real “Living World” would embody.
On the one hand, large changes to the core game areas probably cannot be accommodated since the constancy of new player experiences need to be maintained (same story, etc.), but perhaps the notion of a fixed storyline needs to be revisited. Why not have new level 1 characters not even fight Zhaitan anymore, but rather the next Elder Dragon? It would admittedly require an entirely new storyline for each race/profession/etc. (for the most part), but this is just an extreme example of a general category of changes that I think a lot of players are craving and not getting. It’s especially glaring since the world – once touted as living, dynamic, and “breathing” (exact phrases used) – seems so fixed and stale now.
So, we have a fair idea of where the story is going, we’ve discussed and criticized what went wrong with it, we’ve debated as to what we want for the plot of the setting.
Now then, what do you say is priority for LS Season 2 to “add” to the game, features wise, game play wise, additions wise.
My List for this would be:
- New weapon types (possibly, crossbow might be nice, and great axe)
- More weapon options for current classes, e.g. Engineers with Maces/Hammers, Necro’s with Longbows!
- New WvW Siege Weapons, Siege Methods and a balancing system for future 2v1 situations.
- More, PvP, Game, Types.
- Possible feature, Raid Zones, designed for Zergs of players against the most powerful Foes Tyria has to face with great loot drop rewards (Think Southsun, only better implemented).
Those are content, not features.
I agree with a lot of the things above. in addition
Playable Tengu / open dominion of winds.
New maps,maybe Maguma wastes, or the ruins of Deldrimore (would make a great spot for a new dungeon)
Some progress on getting ready for the next Elder dragon campagn. It’s been over a year since my main character defeated Zhaitan and he’s starting to wonder when the pact is going to get back to work!
Maybe involve guild halls in the rebuilding of Lion’s Arch? the guild missions to unlock it could involve helping with reconstruction.
More content, and not features.
I second a lot of this, I believe that they should really bring in new weapons (Great Axe, Scythe, Spear (on land), etc) and I also believe that each profession should be able to use more weapons (I want my Ranger to be able to use a rifle.
I agree with new maps. I, being an old GW player, really want Cantha back but realistically there is still so much for them to doing on Tyria. Bring in Maguuma, show me the Isles of Janthir, let me go into the old realm of the Kodan, or even the Crystal Desert.
Playable races: Tengu, Kodan, Largos, really anything. I would love to see some more options coming into play and those would be great when introducing new playable areas. And with that new professions.
Guild Halls: I would love guild halls. I actually posted a little thing (not so little, more tl;dr) about how even if they did guild halls for sale in the gem store I would buy them. I also talk a lot about random other stuff too “here”.
Oh look more people confusing content with features.
I’d go on, but almost everybody says the same stuff. Content are not features, and features are not content. Content adds to a game, while features improves the current gameplay. Southsun Cove was content, while the new achievement system was a feature. Learn the difference.
The OP may have been able to pick a better title, but that’s hardly a crime against humanity…?
Just a random PuGgle.
Stormbluff Isle ( http://www.stormbluffisle.com )
Stormbluff Isle ( http://www.stormbluffisle.com )
I would love to see more content that is intellectually challenging and goes beyond the nature of spoon fed story line progression. The clues would need to be obvious at first to capture the interest of the player base, but as a character progresses the challenges and puzzles become more complex and difficult solve. While not a perfect example the fools errant (from the 80’s) comes to mind. http://www.fools-errand.com/01-the-fools-errand/
Incorporating something that ties to the GW2 world and incorporates a similar chain puzzle/challenge mechanism would be a huge hit.
Good encounter design.