Guild Wars 2

Hello,

A little about myself. I played GW 1 quite a bit and loved both the PvE and PvP elements. I just got GW 2 and played last night for about 3 hours prior to sleep on blackgate.

I noticed a lot of little things that are different such as controlling camera angle and switching types of spells via F1-F4. [Playing elemental] I did some research for the game, granted doing research past 48 hrs both with forums and without was a little difficult as most information is 6 + months old.

My questions, has a lot changed in the 6 months that people used to post a lot of info about GW 2? I noticed that there is no trade players anymore, but there is mailing? In GW 1 you could have a chest to store things. Is that the same in GW 2, and im just being a dummy and can’t find it?

Event questions; i notice when i was running around to various hearts on mini map to preform tasks that people would be chatting in local, about timers and stating things like "DON"T DO BOAR YET, IDIOT DID OAK" etc. I thought i read that it does not matter if you finish something yourself or if you come late or leave early, everyone benefits from events. Did i read that wrong, and by soloing one of these events i am hurting others?

GW2 differences to GW1 question
Are there more i a missing that are huge?

Camera question
Is there a way to make the camera rotate by just using my mouse, without holding left or right click. I notice i can custom to make another button like holding shift. However, i rather want to just be able to rotate via angle move mouse, is this possible?

I apologize if the formatting of this post is rather awkward. Its my 1st one, so experimenting with format.

Has a lot changed in the 6 months that people used to post a lot of info about GW 2?
Yes. They do an update every 2 weeks, mostly of temporary content but there’s enough permanent stuff to add up to a lot of changes in 6 months. The wiki has full patch notes for every update and the releases page provides a summary:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Release/Features

The wiki is also a good source for information generally as it’s updated fairly quickly so it’s more accurate than a lot of sites, especially articles which may be months old.

I noticed that there is no trade players anymore, but there is mailing?
They got rid of direct trading, apparently because it was too easy to scam people. You can mail items to other players but that’s only really a good choice if you’re giving them something as a gift.

Almost all trade is done through the Trading Post (lion icon at the top of the screen, then the scales and coins symbols down the side) because it’s both secure and automated – you list an item you want to sell and the price you want to sell it for and then you can forget about it, it will sell automatically when someone wants to buy it. No more standing in town spamming chat to sell things.

(They also got rid of the cap on how much money you can carry or spend so there’s no need to mess around with alternative currencies like ecto and Z-keys.)

In GW 1 you could have a chest to store things. Is that the same in GW 2, and im just being a dummy and can’t find it?
Same mechanic, different presentation. Look for a gold circle symbol with a black bag in the middle in cities, that’s the bank. Speak to an NPC with [bank] after their name and you get access to your storage. Other than that it works just like the chests in GW1 – anything you put in can be withdrawn at any banker anywhere in the world, by any of your characters. (As long as it’s not soulbound, which works the same way as customisation in GW1 – only the original owner can withdraw and use soulbound items.)

There are also a couple of Xunlai Chests hidden around the world, but you can’t use them.

I notice when i was running around to various hearts on mini map to preform tasks that people would be chatting in local, about timers and stating things like "DON"T DO BOAR YET, IDIOT DID OAK" etc. I thought i read that it does not matter if you finish something yourself or if you come late or leave early, everyone benefits from events. Did i read that wrong, and by soloing one of these events i am hurting others?
This one has pretty much been answered but it depends on the event. What you read was mostly comparing this game to other MMOs where either the first person to attack an enemy or the one to strike the killing blow “tags” them and gets all the experience and loot. Avoiding that was part of the reason all explorable areas were instanced in GW1. In this game their new idea is to make it so everyone who participates gets credit.

But you have to participate to get it, which means you have to be in the area the event is happening. For most things this is no big deal, but some people farm the champion enemies, particularly in Queensdale. These champions appear on a timer and they’ve usually got a system set-up where they all go around in a group doing the events together in a specific order (a train). If someone kills one of them before they get there they have to wait for the event to re-start which wastes their time.

(Imagine if explorable zones were shared in GW1, you were in a UWSC group and found someone else had completed one of the quest chains so your party couldn’t do it that time. It’s a bit like that. Not the end of the world but some people talk as if it is.)

Is there a way to make the camera rotate by just using my mouse, without holding left or right click. I notice i can custom to make another button like holding shift. However, i rather want to just be able to rotate via angle move mouse, is this possible?
Is this possible in GW1? I never figured out a way to do it.

There’s no way to do it in the game but some mice let you do it. I’ve got a script that turns one of the spare buttons on my Logitech mouse into a right mouse button toggle – I press it and it’s like I’m holding the right mouse button down until I press it again.

Thing I can touch on. You are in Queensdale on one of the largest servers. There is a Queensdale champion train that farms the champions on most large population servers. These people get mad when their train gets screwed up due to a person killing a champion “too early” so that’s what that is about. I recommend leveling in another starting area. Metrica Province and Wayfarer Foothills are both gorgeous areas that do not have this issue.

Things have changed over the past few months, mainly more areas are being populated due to champion loot buffs and farming materials is great $$$. Also the living story changes other areas.

Lilith Ajit.6173:

Thing I can touch on. You are in Queensdale on one of the largest servers. There is a Queensdale champion train that farms the champions on most large population servers. These people get mad when their train gets screwed up due to a person killing a champion “too early” so that’s what that is about. I recommend leveling in another starting area. Metrica Province and Wayfarer Foothills are both gorgeous areas that do not have this issue.

Things have changed over the past few months, mainly more areas are being populated due to champion loot buffs and farming materials is great $$$. Also the living story changes other areas.

I assume train means they have them set so they are always leveling based on the circle they are running? Is train one person or a group? Is that the most efficient way to level? I ask, since its my 1st char i am not in a rush, but perhaps when i start a new one i would want to go that way. Also, from what i read the fastest way is to up skill and PvP.

Thanks, this information does help. Since really new, i was like hmmmmm people were only ever this mad in GW 1 pre when you opened the gate and did not leave or killed their death farm minions.

Howler.7103:

Lilith Ajit.6173:

Thing I can touch on. You are in Queensdale on one of the largest servers. There is a Queensdale champion train that farms the champions on most large population servers. These people get mad when their train gets screwed up due to a person killing a champion “too early” so that’s what that is about. I recommend leveling in another starting area. Metrica Province and Wayfarer Foothills are both gorgeous areas that do not have this issue.

Things have changed over the past few months, mainly more areas are being populated due to champion loot buffs and farming materials is great $$$. Also the living story changes other areas.

I assume train means they have them set so they are always leveling based on the circle they are running? Is train one person or a group? Is that the most efficient way to level? I ask, since its my 1st char i am not in a rush, but perhaps when i start a new one i would want to go that way. Also, from what i read the fastest way is to up skill and PvP.

Thanks, this information does help. Since really new, i was like hmmmmm people were only ever this mad in GW 1 pre when you opened the gate and did not leave or killed their death farm minions.

It’s a group, yes, we call them zergs. There are a couple in various areas. It’s decent for leveling, but it can be mind numbingly boring.

Pvp you are automatically lvl 80, so that’s a bit of a different system which I don’t know much about.

I think the most fun way to level is either running around in a wvw Zerg or mapping new areas. When you’re brand new to the game, new areas can really astound you. Queensdale is just… Packed full of people who take their champ farming very seriously, so don’t feel like the community is all work and no play. Heh.

Howler.7103:

I assume train means they have them set so they are always leveling based on the circle they are running? Is train one person or a group? Is that the most efficient way to level? I ask, since its my 1st char i am not in a rush, but perhaps when i start a new one i would want to go that way. Also, from what i read the fastest way is to up skill and PvP.

Thanks, this information does help. Since really new, i was like hmmmmm people were only ever this mad in GW 1 pre when you opened the gate and did not leave or killed their death farm minions.

In structured PvP, you are automatically level 80 and don’t gain experience. However, you can now buy a consumable there that will give you an instant level when used in PvE. It’s somewhat expensive so I don’t think that’s the fastest way to level—you could probably gain something like one level an hour from PvP alone, assuming you play pretty well and win most of your matches.

The leveling consumable is not character bound, so you can save them up to level a second character (for example, if you decide you don’t want to go through the entire “normal” leveling process again).

Since you are new to the game, grinding champs in Queensdale would be a terrible way to level up. Work on your combat skills, like movement, dodging, attunment switching, and setting up combos.

When you finish QD you can use the asura gate in Divinity reach to go to lions arch. From there you can gate travel to all the starter areas.

I had to go back to that area to level some, due to issues with camera and generally being new. I could not solo centaurs that were several levels above me. However, at level 5 when im off work ill try again. Assuming a 3 level difference will help.

Danikat.8537:

Has a lot changed in the 6 months that people used to post a lot of info about GW 2?
Yes. They do an update every 2 weeks, mostly of temporary content but there’s enough permanent stuff to add up to a lot of changes in 6 months. The wiki has full patch notes for every update and the releases page provides a summary:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Release/Features

I noticed that there is no trade players anymore, but there is mailing?
They got rid of direct trading, apparently because it was too easy to scam people. You can mail items to other players but that’s only really a good choice if you’re giving them something as a gift.

Almost all trade is done through the Trading Post (lion icon at the top of the screen, then the scales and coins symbols down the side) because it’s both secure and automated – you list an item you want to sell and the price you want to sell it for and then you can forget about it, it will sell automatically when someone wants to buy it. No more standing in town spamming chat to sell things.

(They also got rid of the cap on how much money you can carry or spend so there’s no need to mess around with alternative currencies like ecto and Z-keys.)

Is there a way to make the camera rotate by just using my mouse, without holding left or right click. I notice i can custom to make another button like holding shift. However, i rather want to just be able to rotate via angle move mouse, is this possible?
Is this possible in GW1? I never figured out a way to do it.

There’s no way to do it in the game but some mice let you do it. I’ve got a script that turns one of the spare buttons on my Logitech mouse into a right mouse button toggle – I press it and it’s like I’m holding the right mouse button down until I press it again.

TY for this. Darn about the camera. I suppose ill do what you did. In GW 1 you could. Grant it its been since 2004/5 so really hazy.

The trade is too bad, because of easy scam. It should be easy not to be scammed. Aka read what the trade states. [Coming from a GW 1/Eve player]

Happy, that in an hour get to go home and play.

Last question for now
I have not looked at patch notes. However, is there a streamer or youtuber that does current videos? Currently been looking at what the devs released a while back,[6 months] and a player using the youtube name wooden potato.

Tys again everyone for all your help.

WP usually says something about the new patches.

By WP I would guess that’s Wooden Potatoes

http://www.youtube.com/user/WoodenPotatoes?feature=watch

Most people have already answered your questions, but I might be able to help with this one:

Howler.7103:

Camera question
Is there a way to make the camera rotate by just using my mouse, without holding left or right click. I notice i can custom to make another button like holding shift. However, i rather want to just be able to rotate via angle move mouse, is this possible?

Check out http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/10amev/combat_mode_10_released_arenanet_repond/