Guild Wars 2

They say in the promotional videos, that they made the game easy for new players to jump in, and learn. The developers must consider learning to be hacking at centaurs with no idea wtf is going on, what they’re doing, or how to play. It’s delusional to think that this is easy. It’s probably the least intuitive game I ever played.

There’s no instructions or tutorial for anything. They start you off with such a sense of urgency to fight that the player just ends up running in, and fighting hoards of level 1 centaurs. Which happens to be one of the intelligent npc races. Centaurs at level 1? What level are the rats?

I noticed as a thief, I had a default skill in my #1 slot for my default weapon which was the dagger. It’s called Double Strike. But when I hovered over it, I found out there were more skills attached to it. But nothing in the menu about Double Strike being a chain of 3 skills plus Backstab which is used in conjunction with another skill. No directions at all for any of it.

When I first started, skills suddenly appeared on my skill bar out of nowhere. I couldn’t figure out what was going on at first. I had to actually shut the game down to do a ton of offline research to figure out how this game works. Something that developers made it seem like players wouldn’t have to do because they can learn everything so easily in game.

I haven’t yet found out much in terms of back story or anything regarding the setting or story. So I had to go offline to research that.

After grinding away in the field to help the town people, I didn’t know where to store my junk. There was no directions for personal storage. I only found out about the bank after asking player where I can store my junk.

I’m not even going to get started on how confused I was the first time I died, and all these options appeared. I still haven’t even researched that.

I enjoy the game. It’s fun despite the initial help quests being a bunch of grind. And alot of the multiplayer interactions being a bunch of players fighting scatterbrained during random events.

But because of the serious lack tutorials and learning, players are probably going to be spending a good bit of time researching out or asking alot of questions in the forums.

I still haven’t totally figured out how the chain skills work. Or where can go in game to really learn about how my skills work. If any such place even exists. This game needs more tutorials and directions.

This is probably the easiest MMO I’ve ever played.

I got a hang of the game after the first minute, this game will not hold you hand and give you stuff for free.
Beside there are tons of tooltips, a tips section ingame, a starting guide, a wiki, a walthrough(if you want to spend money) & pvp tutorials…
You sir need to look around and start using that nut in your head^^

I’m completely new to Guild Wars and I didn’t find anything overly complicated.

I seem to recall a cacophony of irritating little hints and tips windows popping up for the first like 2 days of playing the game whenever a new element was introduced. So I’m not sure where you’re getting the “no tutorials” thing from?

There is also a relatively well maintained wiki link on the main website. Last but not least, there’s a player base who you can ask questions of.

Red.1834:

This is probably the easiest MMO I’ve ever played.

It is easy, but starting out the game IS confusing. Coming from an EVE (and other MMO) player. The EVE tutorials now feel like hand holding in comparison. It’s not that controls are difficult, or that the missions aren’t understandable, it’s more little things like how to access the bank, store commodities, trade with players, etc. These things aren’t really explained and they help to know.

Any sort of in game direction would help.

I think you are either seriously over-thinking what this game is, or you are just really open-minded. If you do have trouble, just look at the help options, ask other players or use the in game wiki.

P.S. When I started out, I had no troubles at all.

It’s not that easy as far as figuring out all the nuances. I’ve died more times in this mmo than any other i’ve ever played- But I LOVE that. I dont want easy. I want to have to think about my next move and whether its a good idea.

Definately needs a better tutorial system for newbies. I’m still lost about certain aspects. The wiki is good, but something with more detail step-by-step is needed.

I thought this game was pretty easy to pick up and play. I have played almost every AAA mmo and many free mmo’s since EQ1 in ’99. This one shines in terms of both the launch and the ease of play early on.

I do, however, also feel that this game gets more difficult the further on you go. I’m level 32 atm and the game is much harder now than it was at level 1. Finding and getting to all the vistas and points of interest is driving me nutz, as is getting mats for crafting.

There are hours upon hours of video content from the game’s beta posted on youtube. Tons of players have been showing off this game since closed beta well over a year ago. Quest hearts are meant to be done in order. Its easy to tell where you should be by mousing over quest hearts in the map (red is higher level than you, white is your level) Everything else falls into place after that. The whole point of the game is discovery and experimentation.

learning is just that, learning.

I think this game does a great job at allowing new players to learn because it doesnt hold any expectations of you and it allows you to explore most of your options rather early on without any fear of “messing it up.”

Now if you’re looking to be taught by the game then yes its a little lacking because this game does not hold a players hand for very long (read: at all). But thats why this game is a massively multiplayer online game; you’re supposed to be social, you’re supposed to talk to the other players. This game leaves absolutely no reason not to help your fellow players (unless you’re in a pvp battle =D). And while that may not be what you want to do to get the teaching your looking for, thats what you need to do to get it.

But in the end you really can not do it wrong in this game.

(p.s. chain skills are just that, skills that work as a chain. you do the first, then you follow it with the next, and follow that with the next)

You do know there is an online manual right? It’s right there on the launcher after logging in. Have you looked at it?

I can see why it may be a bit confusing for the brand-new player. Being thrust into conflict right away may come to a shock to some. But in actuality, it’s a tutorial. I think it’s there way to show you how combat basically works right off. It is after all, what you’re going to be doing a lot of the time.

The game certainly doesn’t hold your hand, which makes you try things for yourself. I find it intuitive personally. They want you to figure some things out for yourself, and if you really do get stuck, there are means to find an answer both in-game and out.

I’ve played since BW1 and had the game pretty well figured out (the big picture stuff) in an afternoon.

I’m no going to respond to some of the posts that didn’t read the OP.

Rhianimal.2183:

Red.1834:

This is probably the easiest MMO I’ve ever played.

It is easy, but starting out the game IS confusing. Coming from an EVE (and other MMO) player. The EVE tutorials now feel like hand holding in comparison. It’s not that controls are difficult, or that the missions aren’t understandable, it’s more little things like how to access the bank, store commodities, trade with players, etc. These things aren’t really explained and they help to know.

Any sort of in game direction would help.

Yes it is confusing. I’ve played lots of other mmos, and this one has to be the most difficult to figure out from start.

shizniticus.7864:

It’s not that easy as far as figuring out all the nuances. I’ve died more times in this mmo than any other i’ve ever played- But I LOVE that. I dont want easy. I want to have to think about my next move and whether its a good idea.

Definately needs a better tutorial system for newbies. I’m still lost about certain aspects.

Yup. Same here.

Yes the social aspect is great. But having to rely on players for directions on how to play means that much is lacking from the game itself in terms of making it easy for players to learn and understand.

It’s not like they give you a wooden sword, some cheap clothes, and send you off on missions that show you how things work as you go and gain gear and abilities. They start you off with decent armor and a weapon. And you have some skills according to your class from the start.

Unpredictability.4086:

You do know there is an online manual right? It’s right there on the launcher after logging in. Have you looked at it?

Yes. I went through it before starting the game.

From what I’ve seen so far. The game is really designed for you to jump into the action and learn as you go along. The learning curve in the game is short and after doing a few events in the dynamic world you should quickly grasp the general direction of how the game works and how you should play.

It’s part of the games immersion to just throw you in the midst of the story and have you realize what’s happening in each area. That is, you jump in, do a few Tasks/hearts and realize the bigger picture, “Oh! I see, so this place is having trouble with Centaurs who want this land.”

The game is, in reality, a very easy game to learn. It seems to me that you want to make it more complicated than it is really is. Right off the bat, what you and many newcomers should do is start exploring, talking to NPCs, people and cities. I’m sure that will pretty much eliminate the need for you to do offline research.

The players helping players subforum is not meant for general discussion. Please keep this forum clean for people asking for help, providing help or writing game tips. If you would like to request help with something, please open a new thread. Thank you.