Guild Wars 2

1) Why is it so long in the first place? Most other games have a ranked downtime between nothing and 1 week, yet were’re stuck with a month, sometimes more.

2) Recently we aren’t even told when the next season begins! It’s just unacceptable. Those with a main interest in PvP might just go off to play other games for this rather long period of time, and with no set date to look forward to, people will care less and less about checking for a date when it’s finally set (especially if they like that game).

You’re making your customers play other games and can’t even tell when they should check back, and why exactly? There aren’t any major reworks happening as far as I know, so why can’t we just have a fixed amount of time for all off-seasons?

This whole situation is just incredibly unprofessional not to mention damaging to your remaining community.

Been like this for 5 years. The locals here are basically accustomed to it.

They could get a set schedule together, unless there is something preventing them from being able to adhere to such a schedule. As for the breaks though, 1 month works great for some of us. During the season I focus on nothing but PvP. During the off-season I can relax and enjoy other parts of the game and just some casual PvP. I would lose interest in the seasons if it was just constantly going with tiny breaks in between.

I can see how players that are purely dedicated to PvP get bored during the off-season, though I can’t believe anyone really plays this game just for the PvP. It would be nice to see automated tournaments in between seasons, that could help keep the tiny group of pure PvP players entertained.

Also, what happened to the more angry version of this thread? Second one I’ve seen from you.

I actually tell people who are interested in what gw2 pvp feels like to stay away from gw2. It’s awful.

Chasind.3128:

I actually tell people who are interested in what gw2 pvp feels like to stay away from gw2. It’s awful.

I would rather let them get their own opinion while playing the game. I am not that dissapointed with the current state of the game. However, it still lacks a lot and has a lot of flaws.
If you scare people off, the developers will have less “material” to work with. Why do you think there are so many games that are mostly utter slaughter on one end? It’s because MMR doesn’t have enough players to make good and balanced games (still, I am amazed that the same system forces team comps where one consists of 1 or 2 good players and the rest are newbies and the other one is made out of decent players – guess which one wins).
In the end, if there is a shortage of players, PvP developers will have it even harder to get quality feedback. Now we basically have a a salty sea of ignorance which waves crush upon this forum every few minutes.

P.S.
Nevertheless I am curious on what foundation they perfom balance changes. Is it data and what they read, or do they really play the game to check things out on their own?

Rodzynald.5897:

Chasind.3128:

I actually tell people who are interested in what gw2 pvp feels like to stay away from gw2. It’s awful.

I would rather let them get their own opinion while playing the game. I am not that dissapointed with the current state of the game. However, it still lacks a lot and has a lot of flaws.
If you scare people off, the developers will have less “material” to work with. Why do you think there are so many games that are mostly utter slaughter on one end? It’s because MMR doesn’t have enough players to make good and balanced games (still, I am amazed that the same system forces team comps where one consists of 1 or 2 good players and the rest are newbies and the other one is made out of decent players – guess which one wins).
In the end, if there is a shortage of players, PvP developers will have it even harder to get quality feedback. Now we basically have a a salty sea of ignorance which waves crush upon this forum every few minutes.

P.S.
Nevertheless I am curious on what foundation they perfom balance changes. Is it data and what they read, or do they really play the game to check things out on their own?

GW2 has had years to get their act together with PvP. They have failed every time. I think it is perfectly reasonable at this point for someone to tell their friend looking for a PvP game to stay away from GW2. Anet brought this low population on themselves.

Though I still enjoy the game from time to time, it isn’t something I would ever recommend to someone looking to play a game just for the PvP.

NotASmurf.1725:

1) Why is it so long in the first place? Most other games have a ranked downtime between nothing and 1 week, yet were’re stuck with a month, sometimes more.

I imagine the month-long breaks are to encourage PvP players to explore other areas of the game. I don’t think it’s odd that the last season ended around the same time the latest Living Story episode dropped. Whether or not this is a particularly good idea on ArenaNet’s part is another discussion entirely, but I imagine this is one of the primary reasons why they do this.

Another reason is likely due to the cadence of balance patches and giving players time to adjust their builds prior to the next season.

NotASmurf.1725:

2) Recently we aren’t even told when the next season begins! It’s just unacceptable. Those with a main interest in PvP might just go off to play other games for this rather long period of time, and with no set date to look forward to, people will care less and less about checking for a date when it’s finally set (especially if they like that game).

It is completely normal and healthy to take breaks from Guild Wars 2, whether that’s skipping entire seasons or just the off-season. I don’t think Guild Wars 2 is going to die out just because one season is slower than another, and I don’t think ArenaNet even depends on PvP players to maintain their overhead.

Just acknowledge the game for what it is and enjoy it. And if you’re not, just play something else. It’s just a game, man.

From my understanding, the length of the break was meant for a couple of things:

First, to prevent season burn out. Some people would get burnt out going from season to season to season non-stop. That’s just how it is. Others, would simply stop playing because they have other things they “also” do in the game. So having breaks gives these players a downtime to do those other things and not end up overwhelmed. (The season overlap with wintersday, for example, was a sore spot for some. Not many, I’d guess, but you get the idea)

Second, it was supposed to be a period where they could do their “balance” update, and the dust could settle before people jumped back in “competitively.” This way people could test new builds, work out kinks in old builds, etc and so on, prior to season participation. Cause we all just love when people decide to “test a new build” in ranked, don’t we? Not that this stops anyone from doing just that, but we might see a lot more people doing it if we didn’t have that down time after a balance update.

Like every pvp community, there are bunch of sissies that know nothing but being sensitive to some OP stuff going on in PvP.
I may not be amused with how balance patches are in practice, but I am sure that I will play PvP in this game for the sole purpose of not being a whiny lil’ (you know what). I left WoW pvp for GW2 and I still don’t regret it. It’s either man up and play what we got or don’t play at all.

But that doesn’t mean that PvP balance team should sit around and do damage/cooldown increase/decrease “balances”. They should go out more into random pvp and feel it on themselves how it is.

Shaogin.2679:

GW2 has had years to get their act together with PvP. They have failed every time. I think it is perfectly reasonable at this point for someone to tell their friend looking for a PvP game to stay away from GW2. Anet brought this low population on themselves.

Though I still enjoy the game from time to time, it isn’t something I would ever recommend to someone looking to play a game just for the PvP.

I play solely for sPvP & WvW. So, yeah, I would say the polar opposite recommendation exists as well.

Permafrost.2695:

Shaogin.2679:

GW2 has had years to get their act together with PvP. They have failed every time. I think it is perfectly reasonable at this point for someone to tell their friend looking for a PvP game to stay away from GW2. Anet brought this low population on themselves.

Though I still enjoy the game from time to time, it isn’t something I would ever recommend to someone looking to play a game just for the PvP.

I play solely for sPvP & WvW. So, yeah, I would say the polar opposite recommendation exists as well.

That’s great I guess? Not sure what that has to do with my comment you quoted. Point still remains if my friend told me he is looking for a game just to do PvP in, GW2 would not be my recommendation. As an overall game, sure. Just for the PvP though, no.

Sure I get that there are people in this game that are here just for the PvP, but you guys must surely realize by now that you are a minority in the game with a dwindling population. Not really a strong argument for suggesting others to try it out.

Let me make see if I can be more specific so it’s easy for you to see the context.

it isn’t something I would ever recommend to someone looking to play a game just for the PvP.

I highlight that and in turn say I play GW2 for sPvP/WvW because GW2 would absolutely be a game I recommend for PvP—in fact it’s probably the ONLY themepark MMO I would recommend at this time. Maybe WoW if you’re willing to do the PvE it requires. Other than that, you get into sandbox territory and my soon to be uber crush in Albion.

it’s not much different in Diablo, seasons go on and off, and no one really knows what’s the point of the dead time between seasons….

Permafrost.2695:

Let me make see if I can be more specific so it’s easy for you to see the context.

it isn’t something I would ever recommend to someone looking to play a game just for the PvP.

I highlight that and in turn say I play GW2 for sPvP/WvW because GW2 would absolutely be a game I recommend for PvP—in fact it’s probably the ONLY themepark MMO I would recommend at this time. Maybe WoW if you’re willing to do the PvE it requires. Other than that, you get into sandbox territory and my soon to be uber crush in Albion.

How nice of you. Allow me to point out my response that I already made to your possible response.

Shaogin.2679:

Sure I get that there are people in this game that are here just for the PvP, but you guys must surely realize by now that you are a minority in the game with a dwindling population. Not really a strong argument for suggesting others to try it out.

You could love it all you want, doesn’t mean that me and many others would suggest this game to a PvP player based off the opinions of a tiny minority of GW2 players.

Which all just goes back to my original statement that you liking PvP doesn’t really have anything to do with me and the guy above me being not willing to recommend this game to our friends who are looking for a PvP game. Hope that clears up your confusion there buddy. :-)

No need to apologize at all! You were the one who was confused and I was happy to clear it up for you.

Not sure what that has to do with my comment you quoted.

I have followed the discussion without pause. Just because you made a statement with which I disagreed doesn’t mean you need to restate it.

Permafrost.2695:

No need to apologize at all! You were the one who was confused and I was happy to clear it up for you.

Not sure what that has to do with my comment you quoted.

I have followed the discussion without pause. Just because you made a statement with which I disagreed doesn’t mean you need to restate it.

Well now this is just sad. I can’t really spell it out any clearer, this conversation has gone over your head at this point and now you’re just going to keep posting nonsense in an attempt to win an argument you don’t comprehend.

I’ll leave you be then, sorry for confusing ya buddy. ;-)

The headline here is lack of communication.

I think pve players underestimate the amount of people that would have played pvp constantly if it was supported. As bad as the support was, many pure pvp players (myself included) stayed and played pvp exclusively for a long time.

The problem is the competitive scene dies when there is no communication, set tournaments, or season date to look forward to. It really sends the message that they don’t want us here, since they won’t take the easiest and most basic steps to keeping pvp players.

The upcoming automated tournaments are a great idea, and I guess we’ll see if they’re too late. It’s just incredible to me that they won’t commit to a schedule, when it is so easy and would allow us pvp players to at least know what we’re getting.

Drakhar.1389:

I think pve players underestimate the amount of people that would have played pvp constantly if it was supported. As bad as the support was, many pure pvp players (myself included) stayed and played pvp exclusively for a long time.

As someone that is a member of a very old and large PvE guild, and as someone that previously managed said guild for years trying to get the general guild population interested in PvP and WvW, I can tell you that, without a doubt, most PvE players have absolutely zero interest in PvP not because of how it is “supported” but entirely because (1) it’s a competitive game mode and they’re not interested in that and (2) they have developed unhealthy playing habits and motivations that don’t align with good game design in the first place.

Season five was a very nice uptick in activity, but it really wasn’t sustainable because they weren’t in it for the PvP: they were in it purely for the ascended gear. And the second they obtained that ascended gear, they were gone.

Every day I’d log into Teamspeak during season five, I’d always reach out to someone in the guild and ask how they were enjoying PvP, and if they’d likely stick with it. Pretty much every time I’d ask they’d answer, “I’m doing this until I get my legendary backpack done.” These aren’t people that actually enjoy PvP in any capacity; they’re there only because the carrot on the stick is enticing enough to stick around—they have absolutely zero interest in the game mode itself. And the second they catch the carrot, or the second they realize the carrot is just a little too out of reach for them or the stick is just too long (as it was in season six), they flee back to the Royal Terrace in Divinity’s Reach and crash each others’ FPS through stacking as many auras as humanly possible as a form of entertainment.

And more to my second point, Ethereal Guardians and other PvE guilds are full of people who are literally willing to grind Molten Duo for hours on end, literally the most boring thing to do in this game, just because it’s the most profitable thing to do in this game. These are people who would literally watch paint dry if it made them 20 gold an hour. These are people who ALREADY stand in one place and auto-attack dragon elbows just because it gives them a chance for ascended gear.

These are not the people ArenaNet needs to be marketing PvP to, because these people aren’t all that invested in the PvE side of things too much either. The community kicks and screams just at the implication that people can inspect whatever gear they’re wearing when clearing a raid wing or a T4 fractal. They don’t take even PvE seriously, so what makes you think they will ever take WvW or PvP seriously?

I literally have to bribe my guild members with gold and rewards just to show up to an in-house.

I Agree fully that the offseason is awful there is absolutly no reason to spvp during it…. can you imagine if they disabled core WvW functions for a month or diasbled Raids for a month imagine that’d go over swell

Phineas Poe.3018:

Drakhar.1389:

I think pve players underestimate the amount of people that would have played pvp constantly if it was supported. As bad as the support was, many pure pvp players (myself included) stayed and played pvp exclusively for a long time.

As someone that is a member of a very old and large PvE guild, and as someone that previously managed said guild for years trying to get the general guild population interested in PvP and WvW, I can tell you that, without a doubt, most PvE players have absolutely zero interest in PvP not because of how it is “supported” but entirely because (1) it’s a competitive game mode and they’re not interested in that and (2) they have developed unhealthy playing habits and motivations that don’t align with good game design in the first place.

Season five was a very nice uptick in activity, but it really wasn’t sustainable because they weren’t in it for the PvP: they were in it purely for the ascended gear. And the second they obtained that ascended gear, they were gone.

Every day I’d log into Teamspeak during season five, I’d always reach out to someone in the guild and ask how they were enjoying PvP, and if they’d likely stick with it. Pretty much every time I’d ask they’d answer, “I’m doing this until I get my legendary backpack done.” These aren’t people that actually enjoy PvP in any capacity; they’re there only because the carrot on the stick is enticing enough to stick around—they have absolutely zero interest in the game mode itself. And the second they catch the carrot, or the second they realize the carrot is just a little too out of reach for them or the stick is just too long (as it was in season six), they flee back to the Royal Terrace in Divinity’s Reach and crash each others’ FPS through stacking as many auras as humanly possible as a form of entertainment.

And more to my second point, Ethereal Guardians and other PvE guilds are full of people who are literally willing to grind Molten Duo for hours on end, literally the most boring thing to do in this game, just because it’s the most profitable thing to do in this game. These are people who would literally watch paint dry if it made them 20 gold an hour. These are people who ALREADY stand in one place and auto-attack dragon elbows just because it gives them a chance for ascended gear.

These are not the people ArenaNet needs to be marketing PvP to, because these people aren’t all that invested in the PvE side of things too much either. The community kicks and screams just at the implication that people can inspect whatever gear they’re wearing when clearing a raid wing or a T4 fractal. They don’t take even PvE seriously, so what makes you think they will ever take WvW or PvP seriously?

I literally have to bribe my guild members with gold and rewards just to show up to an in-house.

Honestly, thanks for this perspective. A lot of PvPers don’t understand this at all. Even some people who are good at PvP are like this too tbh.

Seconded. Off-season is incredibly boring, nothing to do but grind reward tracks and the rewards effing suck.

While in WvW people get ascended gear from random rewards, we have to spend like 500g in crafting marks to get pieces of ascended armour. The grind is kittening ridiculous.
I remember when PvP was actually one of the best ways to get ascended armour if you were a skilled PvPer, now it’s actually more expensive to get ascended gear trough PvP than to just craft it and change stats.