New Player Outreach- Resources/Events/FAQs

New Player Outreach- Resources/Events/FAQs

in Players Helping Players

Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

With the sale on GW2, the holiday season, and the Great MMO Migration contest, there’s been an influx of new players recently. As not all of them will be bold enough to post their questions here, and as there are a lot of good resources around (but scattered), I’ve decided to make this thread to help people get their footing.

Contents
Resources and links for new players
Newcomer FAQs
List of players willing to lend in-game help


Resources:
-Stickied thread for new player tips – Slightly outdated, but a good read nonetheless.
-DreamyAbaddon’s GW2 Combat 101 – Highly, highly recommend, especially if you are coming from WoW or other traditional MMOs.
-DreamyAbaddon’s Ultimate Newb Guide
-List of GW2 abbreviations/acronyms, as well as general MMO abbreviations for those new to the genre
-Lists of emotes and chat commands
-Looking For Guild and Guild Recruitment boards, and GW2’s Guild Recruitment subreddit
-The Guild Wars 2 Roleplay Hub
-Playing GW2 with a controller/gamepad: Link 1 and Link 2
-Dulfy.net – weapon galleries, update news, achievement guides.
-For those who like to get a jump on theorycrafting: gw2skills.net
-Excellent crafting guide for those who want to level crafting quickly/efficiently
-Very helpful reddit thread with even more resources
-List of server-specific forums. Important note: Tarnished Coast’s server forums have moved to forthetoast.com.

*If you are hosting any outreach-related events (dungeon training, lowbie map completion, etc), please let me know and I will post it here!

And the most important link here: Required reading for every anxious or discouraged new player.

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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New Player Outreach- Resources/Events/FAQs

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

Frequently asked newbie questions:
What server should I play on?
Depends on what you’re looking for. Unofficial roleplay servers are Tarnished Coast for NA and Piken Square for EU. The unofficial Oceanic NA server is Sea of Sorrows. Highest-population NA servers are Blackgate, Sanctum of Rall, Jade Quarry, and Tarnished Coast. Tier 1 NA WvW servers are Blackgate, Sanctum of Rall, and Jade Quarry- these servers are the highest ranked and populated WvW servers, but suffer from extremely long queues for WvW maps.

Can I play on another server without transferring, or transfer for free?
You can play PvE content on other servers via guesting. To guest on a server, go to character select, and then open the server list in the bottom-left corner of the screen. Select the server you want, then hit “Guest.”

Guesting has the following limitations:

  • You cannot do WvW for any server other than your own.
  • You may only guest to servers in the same region as your home server- NA cannot guest to EU or vice versa.
  • You may only guest on two servers every 24 hours.
  • Every time you access the character select screen, you must reguest.
  • Guild upgrades are unlocked on a per-server basis. You will not be able to access guild upgrades that have been unlocked on a different server than your own. However, you will be able to do (and get full credit for) guild missions by guesting.
    In addition, you can talk and party with people from any server (even ones in a different region). You can also do dungeons and sPvP cross-server without guesting, though the region-specific restrictions do apply.

You can transfer for free the following ways:

  • Save up enough in-game gold to convert to gems (cash shop currency, needed for transfers).
  • Delete all of your characters and you will be able to do a free transfer. Be sure to put all of your non-soulbound items into your bank so you can take them out on your new character.
    Note that with both paid and free transfers, you will only be able to transfer once every seven days.

What class (aka profession) and race should I play?
Race in GW2 is primarily cosmetic. All races have the same stats, hitboxes, and class traits. There are race-specific skills, but they are deliberately weak next to class skills.

There still are a few things to consider when picking a race in GW2:

  • Armor. Every race has different cultural armor, and the same armor may look different on different races. Some people can’t stand light armor on charr, don’t like how small asura are, or how cloth and metal look on sylvari.
  • Speed. All races move at the same speed, but their sizes create the illusion of slowness or quickness. This means the small asura seem extra speedy, and norn and charr may feel big and slow.
  • Jumping. Some find doing jumping puzzles difficult on charr or norn due to their size or running animations.
    As for class: The only person who can answer that question is you. Every class has its strong and weak points, and its own “feel.” The best way to know what class is best for you is to try them all out- you can level several classes, and also enter the sPvP lobby, where all of your skills and traits are unlocked and you are leveled to 80. There, you can take a look at everything and spar against some practice NPCs.

If you want to ask for help regarding class choice, please include the following in your post if possible:

  • Your preferred playstyle and fighting personality. Do you like to be in the enemy’s face, beating them down with pure power? Or do you prefer cunning and trickery, leaving your opponents on edge and unsure of how to act? Do you like physical prowess or magical finesse? Flash or subtlety? Agility or resilience?
  • Your gaming experience or comfort level. Are you a beginner to gaming or a veteran? How comfortable would you be with varying levels of difficulty?
  • What are you looking for in a class? High damage, strong group support, head-spinning speed? What is most important to you?
  • What content are you planning to do? PvE or PvP? What roles do you like to take in them? Are you a roamer in PvP or a group fighter?

Answering those questions (and providing what other information you may want) will help us pinpoint classes that most closely match what you’re looking for. But don’t be afraid to try new, unsuggested things- you may fall in love with something you never would have considered. I had a devout healer friend fall in love with thief; I personally played ranged classes throughout my MMO history, but found that I loved melee in GW2. Experiment away!

(continued)

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
New Player Outreach Thread

(edited by Falunel.7645)

New Player Outreach- Resources/Events/FAQs

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

How do I find a guild to join?
Outside of the game:

*When posting on the Looking For Guild subforum, please include your server in the title of your thread. In addition, in your post itself, it helps to list when you usually play, whether you’re willing to transfer, and what kind of guild you’re looking for (Hardcore/Semi-Hardcore/Casual, PvE/PvP/PvX/Social). Any info you wish to include about yourself is also welcome!

In-game:
Guilds like to recruit in map chat. Keep an eye on it.
Ask around in the following areas: Queensdale, Divinity’s Reach, Lion’s Arch. Specify what kind of guild you’re looking for.

How do I level?
Do everything. Almost everything in GW2 gives exp. Buy gathering tools early on (you do not need to learn anything to gather) and gather every node you come across for exp and materials you can use or sell. Kill yellow-named monsters- the longer a monster’s been alive, the more bonus exp it gives. Do every event you come across and unlock Points of Interest and Vistas. Do your personal story. Do everything.

At later levels, you will also have the option of doing dungeons to level. You may also level in maps below your level- your level and stats are scaled down to match the level of the zone, while rewards are scaled up to match your level. There is also WvW, though it can be hit-or-miss and overwhelming the first time you go in. If you are below 80, stick with groups in WvW.

An important thing to note about GW2 is that the leveling curve is flat. It takes the same amount of time to go from level 79 to 80 as it does 20 to 21, or even less due to there being more options open. While leveling may seem slow at first, it is fairly fast overall.

Is there kill stealing or node stealing in GW2?
There is no kill stealing or node stealing. Everyone who helps kill a monster gets full credit, full exp, and their own set of loot. There is also no node stealing- everyone has their own copy of a resource node to harvest.

Can I go to other starter zones?
Absolutely. You are free to explore any zone as long as it is at or below your level (you can also explore zones above your level, of course, but you may have a tougher time surviving). Head to your home city and locate a purple swirling circle icon on your map. That marks an Asura Gate, which will take you to the main city, Lion’s Arch. You’ll be at a plaza with other Asura Gates, guarded by the peacekeeping forces of each race- head through the gate guarded by the race you’re looking for to be taken to their home city. From there, you can head out to their starting zone.

Important note- in the human city, there are two Asura Gates. Take the one in the center of the city- the one in Rurikton leads to Ebonhawke, a level 40+ area. In the asura city, there are multiple Asura Gates leading to multiple locations within the city- each gate, however, should have text explaining where they lead.

How do I craft?
Talk to a crafting master in the main cities or at a crafting center in the starter zones to get started on learning a craft. You are able to learn all eight crafts, but you may only have two active at a time- in order to change active crafts, you must pay a fee. However, you do not lose progress on inactive crafts.

Crafting in GW2 is based around “discovery.” In the crafting window, there is a tab where you can combine various components to discover new crafted items. After you discover an item once, it is added to your main production panel as a recipe and you cannot rediscover it. Discovery tends to give much more exp per craft than bulk production of a known recipe.

(continued)

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
New Player Outreach Thread

(edited by Falunel.7645)

New Player Outreach- Resources/Events/FAQs

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

When can I start doing dungeons?
At level 30, Ascalonian Catacombs Story Mode (aka AC SM) is available. It is located in the Plains of Ashford, the Charr starting area.

You can find a group by using the LFG tool in your contacts window (second tab down). However, here are a few things of note regarding LFGs:

  • The LFG tool does not automatch you with players and port you into the dungeon. It is simply a place for people to post that they are looking for a group or additional members. In order to enter the dungeon, you must be in the same map as the dungeon. When another party member enters the dungeon, you will get the option to enter as well.
  • Many people will speedrun dungeons at level 80 for profit. It is highly recommended that you make your own LFG listing with a description like the following: “New player LFM to teach AC Story Mode. Casual run/no rushing, watching cutscenes.” That will filter out the impatient players and attract ones who will be glad to teach.
  • If at all possible, go with friends or guildmates over PUGs (pick-up groups, i.e. random people). Runs are smoother and more enjoyable with people you know.

Here are a few things to know about dungeons:

  • Monsters in dungeons are a drastic step up from monsters in the open world. They have much more health and hit harder. You WILL be required to dodge, stay moving, and avoid red circles in order to avoid going down. While AC SM is fairly easy, both it and other, harder dungeons can be a brutal wake-up call if you developed bad habits while leveling. Learn how to survive by dodging/blocking/interrupting/strafing/etc sooner than later, rather than just eating damage.
  • Remember, there are no dedicated tanks or healers in GW2. In a dungeon, you will not have a tank, a healer, and DPS- instead, everyone will be trading off aggro and avoiding damage, while using support skills on each other to make avoiding damage easier and fighting more effective. They will use control skills to interrupt powerful attacks and weaken the enemy. The rest of the time, they will all be contributing to DPS, no matter what build or class they are.
  • It is highly recommended that your gear is up to date- wear at least blue quality on-level gear, greens if possible. Play with whatever stats you’re comfortable with while learning- you do no DPS while downed or dead.
  • Change your utilities to match the situation. For example, if you are a guardian and your group is about to face a strong ranged boss, swap out a utility for Wall of Reflection or Shield of the Avenger. Both can completely nullify projectile attacks and will save your group a lot of headaches.
  • Do not be discouraged if you struggle in dungeons at first. They are a step up from open-world PvE and take time to learn. With experience, they are much easier.

What about PvP?
See this post.

I have a friend who wants to try GW2/I am not a current player but thinking of trying GW2. Is there a free trial?
GW2 periodically holds free trial weeks and weekends. Keep an eye on the site in case they announce one.

A few other FAQ posts I’ve made:
Server choice, class choice/demand
Player/server population, questing and endgame in GW2, leveling
Server transferring, cross-server guild membership, character creation
An editorial on “the best class.”

Excellent posts other players have made:
Types of “quests” in GW2 by Danikat.8537
The purpose of dynamic scaling by Behellagh.1468


Helpful hint: Confused about something in-game? Type /wiki in chat to open the wiki, or if you want to look up a certain term, type /wiki [term] without the brackets to be brought to that term’s page.

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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(edited by Falunel.7645)

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

In-game help list
If you are in need of assistance or have questions, feel free to PM or mail the following people.

Account Name: Falunel.7645 (NOTE: Currently on leave. See this post.)
About myself:
Hello! I’m Falunel: writer, GW2 player since launch, minor theorycrafter, and devout elementalist. I am primarily a PvEer, though I do my share of WvW and occasionally pop into sPvP to duel with my friends. I enjoy dungeoning, exploration, and building siege, but my favorite activity, both in GW2 and my old MMOs, is helping other players. I can often be found hanging around starter zones, keeping an eye on /map for newcomers and their questions.

I have four level 80 characters- two elementalists (Falkra and Falunel), a mesmer (Falche Graysong), and a guardian (Asha Lzurei), with two lowbie eles and an assortment of other classes. I know something about each class, having run with skilled players and played them all at some point; however, my primary specialty is elementalist. I will not outright tell you what class to play or what class or build is the “best”- I am a strong believer in the idea that the best class is the class you play -and- enjoy best, and only you can decide what class that is. However, I can give you pointers on what each class excels at, which may give you a starting point. Likewise for elementalist- I can help you find a build that is tanky, that supports well, or that does high damage, but I won’t be able to answer you if you ask, “What build/weapon is the best for elementalist?” That ultimately is something you must find for yourself.

In any case, if you ever need a hand, have questions, or just want company while playing, you are free to hit me up anytime. Either send me a PM in-game (type /tell Falunel in chat) or mail me in-game or on the forums. You may also email me at paxcaiant@gmail.com- this goes for prospective GW2 players as well. As long as I’m not afk, battling in WvW/sPvP, or running a dungeon, I will answer- if I am otherwise too busy to answer, I will let you know and get back with you as soon as I can. If I don’t answer, by all means feel free to PM/mail me again. I play on the Tarnished Coast server and will gladly run with you if you’re on the same server, provided I’m not busy helping someone else. If you are not on Tarnished Coast, there is no guarantee I can play with you, given that I can only guest to two servers per day- however, you are free to guest to TC yourself. Regardless of your server, I will answer any questions you have about the game to the best of my ability.

Account Name: Equinox.4968
About myself:
I’ve been playing GW since 2005 and GW2 since the betas, over 11000 AP, and I’m good at explaining things. Add me under Edge Equinox (that’s my main character). I also run a guild that specializes in training new players, if anyone is interested in joining.

Account Name: shaquinna.2869
Main character name: Evanny
About myself:
Hi there! My name is Evanny and i’ve been playing GW2 since launch. I play on the EU server Piken Square and i’m from the Netherlands

I’ve always enjoyed helping other players to get around in the game. I’m most experienced in PvE, but I know a little about WvW. (I’m not really good at PvP though :P ). I like showing others where to get a Vista, help them get a SkillPoint and show them Jumping Puzzles.

Everyone has to learn the way a game works and the only way to learn is to actually do it. If people are kind to me I am kind to them and I can be very patience in helping someone _ I don’t mind answering a lot of questions, or if someone needs more time to finish a Jumping Puzzle for example.

You will find me online in the weekend and some evenings during the week. Send me an ingame mail if you need any help or better yet: send me a whisper when i’m online. If I cannot help you at a time because i’m busy I’ll get back to you for sure!
(I hope this is enough information, if you need any more feel free to ask)

If you would like to be added to the list, simply post or PM me with whatever info you want to include about yourself.

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

(reserving this post)

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

(because character limits suck)

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: Tayte.2396

Tayte.2396

I have had the pleasure of doing many aspects of GW2 with Falunel, and she is a wonderful resource of just about all things GW2, and a truly phenomenal person too!

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Posted by: Dean Calaway.9718

Dean Calaway.9718

As for class: The only person who can answer that question is you. Every class has its strong and weak points, and its own “feel.” The best way to know what class is best for you is to try them all out.

You should mention you can jump in PvP and experience a class at level 80 with all skills and traits unlocked vs NPCs.

Victoria Cross [VC] – Desolation [EU]

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

Heh, thanks Tayte. (I should say the same about you!)

As for class: The only person who can answer that question is you. Every class has its strong and weak points, and its own “feel.” The best way to know what class is best for you is to try them all out.

You should mention you can jump in PvP and experience a class at level 80 with all skills and traits unlocked vs NPCs.

Added, thanks!

Also updated the resource list.

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: Donari.5237

Donari.5237

That’s a wonderful and clear post.

One teeeeeeny li’l addition/correction — you say one can play in any zone at or below one’s level, which could imply you can’t go to higher zones. You can in fact go to higher zones, you are just likely to die without friends (or even with them if it’s too big a gap). So if you like to go into dangerous territory to see what’s there and unlock waypoints, it can be done, albeit with difficulty.

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Posted by: Drakenvold.9761

Drakenvold.9761

awesome post there,keep up the good work mate

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Posted by: Tayte.2396

Tayte.2396

Some of my favorite times in GW2 are running lower-level characters through higher-level zones. Last night took a level 40 to do the Skipping Stones jumping puzzle! Can’t wait until we start doing dungeons and puzzles and things Falunel!

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

That’s a wonderful and clear post.

One teeeeeeny li’l addition/correction — you say one can play in any zone at or below one’s level, which could imply you can’t go to higher zones. You can in fact go to higher zones, you are just likely to die without friends (or even with them if it’s too big a gap). So if you like to go into dangerous territory to see what’s there and unlock waypoints, it can be done, albeit with difficulty.

Thanks, and added!

Thanks again everyone for all the support.

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

Added Equinox to the list- thank you for volunteering!

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
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Posted by: uanaka.3072

uanaka.3072

I think this is a great resource. So imma bump this!

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Posted by: Equinox.4968

Equinox.4968

First, thanks to Falunel for adding me to the list. I’ve always enjoyed helping people, so if you have questions, ask away.

Second, some advice for anyone who’s new to GW2: I strongly suggest that you make every effort to lay any previous MMO experiences at the door and let the game be what it is. Time and again, I’ve seen people get frustrated, intimidated, or bored with the game because they’ve played other games and have expectations based on their time with those games. Beyond anything else, take your time, don’t rush, and stop to smell the roses. This game isn’t a race, it’s a journey. There’s no need to rush through content just to get more content. Enjoy the world, listen to silly and/or deep and/or tear-jerker NPC conversations, talk to NPCs to learn about Tyria, step back and look at the amazing environments and architecture. Players who rush to level 80 often find themselves lost, confused, and bored because they expected that leveling was just a time-wasting, filler kind of process. In GW2, leveling isn’t a means to an end, it’s something to be savored and enjoyed while it lasts. Don’t be afraid to slow down, experiment, explore, and ask questions. Approach this game with a fresh mind, open to observing and learning new things, and you won’t be disappointed. Remember, there’s only one first time for everything, and this is one you don’t want to miss.

Welcome to Tyria

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Posted by: RagingDragon.9475

RagingDragon.9475

Nice thread mate. You can also add this thread to your Dungeon Section!

New to Dungeons and Want to Learn?

Commander Kane Ragingdragon
Knights of Ares [ARES] - Apply Now
Website: http://knights-of-ares.enjin.com/

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Posted by: Falunel.7645

Falunel.7645

Update: I am currently on indefinite leave from the game in order to improve myself as an artist and writer. I do log on every so often to check out updates, but I’m nowhere as active as I used to be. Nonetheless, you are still free to contact me—I’ll try to keep checking my PMs here and keep this thread up-to-date, and in lieu of PMs, you are free to email me (falunel at gmail).

Falunel – Sylvari Elementalist | Falche Graysong – Human Mesmer | Tarnished Coast
Ember Solace [SOL] – A guild welcoming of newbies and those at the margins.
New Player Outreach Thread