Guild Wars 2

We have reached a new age, an age where ArenaNet listens to its playerbase, listens to feedback, and finally a time where we can feel like we can be heard.

…But I still see we have this not-so-great PvP tutorial, practically non-existent WvW tutorial (basically a PvE Scout), and pre-set pvp builds that players don’t even know they have loaded, because the game doesn’t really tell them how anything works in the sPvP lobby (besides a few “hints”)

Players are never directed to the training grounds either, or taught about some of the basics of sPvP…SO how about:

All PvP reward tracks are locked until you complete a basic “Training Track” that would involve mechanics in the training area and progress something similar to: (excluding cannons…because no current maps use them)

Each of these will have a popup window (like hints) that would describe actions and rewards for these mechanics. (the hints/popup descriptions will be in bold, and bulletpoints will be objectives.)

Players would progress through these similar to a collection, achievement, or reward track. Starting with:

• Visit the Training Grounds area.
  (Here, we will learn about the basic mechanics of the various PvP Environments.)

• Open your PvP Build window.
  (This screen will help you build your character to fight alongside teammates in PvP matches. The Traits, Sigils and Amulet are all you need to get started in PvP. These will change as you swap between PvP and PvE areas, so be sure to open this window when you enter any PvP zone to double-check your setup.)

• Rally an ally in the Training Grounds.
  (Keeping your allies alive is important in all game-types, but even more so in a PvP environment, so be sure to revive fallen allies to keep your team strong.)

• Stomp an Enemy in the Training Grounds.
  (Just as important as reviving allies, defeating an enemy is also a great way to strengthen your team, and make your enemies rethink their strategy and positioning.)

• Use a Trebuchet in the Training Grounds.
  (This secondary objective is located on the Battle of Khylo PvP map and allows you to bombard an area with heavy hitting Trebuchet shots to give your allies the edge in battle.)

• Destroy a Trebuchet in the Training Grounds.
  (Both teams in Battle of Khylo start the match with a trebuchet ready for them, so destroying the enemies is a great way to reduce any advantage they can gain from it.)

• Repair the broken Trebuchet in the Training Grounds.
  (Even if your Trebuchet is destroyed, or you destroy the enemy team’s Trebuchet, the Repair Kit is a tool that can make it usable again during a match.)

• Gain a temporary buff by defeating The Chieftain or Svanir in the Training Grounds.
  (By defeating these neutral monsters on the Forest of Niflhel, you will grant your team an instant 25 points as well as a helpful buff to boost your team’s power and stats.)

• Kill the enemy Guild Lord.
  (On the Legacy of the Foefire map, there is a powerful NPC heavily guarded in each team’s base. By defeating this NPC you will grant your team an instant 150 points.)

• Channel and capture a neutral node in the Training Grounds.
  (Many maps in PvP require you to channel for a brief moment in order to capture an objective or buff. Such as the Orb of Ascension on Spirit Watch and various buffs on Temple of the Silent Storm.)

>>This is where the Training Area stops, and the real training begins!<<

• Capture a neutral capture point in any PvP match.
  (Only one player is required to capture a capture point in the Conquest mode for sPvP, and will not progress faster with more than one player on the point.)

• Capture an enemy controlled Capture Point in any PvP match.
  (Once you or a teammate stands on an enemy controlled capture point, it will first become neutral before starting to be captured for your team.)

• Defend a capture point your team controls for 10 seconds in any PvP match.
  (When defending a capture point in sPvP, it is a good idea to type in Team Chat to let your teammates know if you see enemies nearby or need assistance.)

• Rally an ally in any PvP match.
  (Be careful when resurrecting an ally with enemies nearby, you will not be able to defend yourself when resurrecting.)

• Stomp an Enemy in any PvP match.
  (Finishing an enemy in sPvP not only grants your team points, it can resurrect nearby downed allies if they also attacked the enemy you finished!)

• Complete 1 match of sPvP
  (You now know the basics of sPvP, now get out there and fight for Glory!)

-Done-

While these are basic mechanics in PvP, the things people need to learn about are things like-

• Know your role
• Fight on point (or dont fight off point)
• Rotate properly
• Know when to disengage

Pretty much a brief vid or series of vignettes explaining the basic things to keep in mind that lead to a competitive game of conquest.

A basic introductory strategy guide “Take home and mid, defend, rotate when necessary” is all that’s needed to go a looooooong way to putting PvP’rs on the right track.

Ross Biddle.2367:

While these are basic mechanics in PvP, the things people need to learn about are things like-

• Know your role
• Fight on point (or dont fight off point)
• Rotate properly
• Know when to disengage

You can’t really incorporate these things into an in-game tutorial because all of these concepts are a product of an established meta game.

GinghamLion.3614:

Ross Biddle.2367:

While these are basic mechanics in PvP, the things people need to learn about are things like-

• Know your role
• Fight on point (or dont fight off point)
• Rotate properly
• Know when to disengage

You can’t really incorporate these things into an in-game tutorial because all of these concepts are a product of an established meta game.

And yet without these things…

A sound video editor with a grounded knowledge of how the game plays could easily create a short in game vid to quickly explain basic concepts.

Ross Biddle.2367:

GinghamLion.3614:

Ross Biddle.2367:

While these are basic mechanics in PvP, the things people need to learn about are things like-

• Know your role
• Fight on point (or dont fight off point)
• Rotate properly
• Know when to disengage

You can’t really incorporate these things into an in-game tutorial because all of these concepts are a product of an established meta game.

And yet without these things…

A sound video editor with a grounded knowledge of how the game plays could easily create a short in game vid to quickly explain basic concepts.

They already use a browser base for their Trading Post, so this could be feasible, I just don’t know if it would be something they would ever end up doing. It would need to be a long term investment to create such a system, so they would want to use it across all game modes (which would work).

These would have to be outside of a match though….imagine someone coming into a game and getting a tutorial video in the same style as the Lion’s Arch cinematic, the problem is they would be afk in spawn watching it :/

I’m not saying it can’t be done in a video, but meta games are subject to change. I know guild wars doesn’t have a particularly volatile meta strategy, but that doesn’t change the fact that it isn’t something that’s set in stone. Making a tutorial video IN GAME based on a current meta strategy would be a waste of development energy.

Now. Do you want people to understand the basics of what in the world is happening on these maps? Sure. But remember- they do give you instruction. Right at the beginning of each and every game. “HOLD ON TO YOUR POINTS. SEIZE THEIRS.”

Anet finally listens to its playerbase? No they don’t.
Revenant still has OP dps and mesmer is still OP faceroll sleepmode.

Lol.

I want to see this changed before S3 begins..

locking reward track – no. new players probably dont even know what they are. force the new player into a tutorial cutscene, use the other unused part of hotm (to the south). obviously add an option to skip all of this for people who create new accounts. or maybe not to discourage that. idk.

an advanced tutorial would be a great addition, building on the previous stuff but with a simple rotation plan, what to fight on certain builds, and that sort of stuff. so basically the first tutorial has the what, now we need the why when and how.

Terrorsquad.4802:

Anet finally listens to its playerbase? No they don’t.
Revenant still has OP dps and mesmer is still OP faceroll sleepmode.

Lol.

I want to see this changed before S3 begins..

I can see you are salty, but they are listening, the pace is still a bit too slow, but it is happening….but also you are way off topic.