Guild Wars 2

Hello everyone.

With this topic I would like to make a number of suggestions that are somewhat intertwined with one another. They are not perfect, and there are a number of gaps that require filling. This is a lengthy post, but I will try my best to keep it short and to the point.

I apologize in advance for the creation of two topics. But I felt the two subjects required to be dealt with separately, despite being (potentially) linked with one another on certain aspects.

Before I start, I wish to clarify that I am aware that a number of points have been suggested before by other players. It is not my intention to steal your credit, but merely to improve the game we all love, providing a culmination of suggestions. I am also aware that some suggestions have already been reported to be implemented in the near future (or plans exist to do so), they are merely present in this topic for completions sake.

ACT I – Personal Customizations
ACT II – World Events

Read on into the next post.

Personal Customizations (ACT I)

I believe this is a large portion of the so called end-game in Guild Wars, one I personally love. And judging from much of the posts in forums and the conversations I’ve witnessed in-game, many others do as well.
Numerous possibilities are already present in the game. This part will cover the entire personal customizations, not only the ones found during character creation. The goal of this topic is to provide suggestions for extensive ways to personalize your Guild Wars 2 Character.

Character Creation
The options upon creation are broad, but over time a number of shortcomings have come to light, one example of this is the somewhat ‘perfect’ look of most characters.

Add the following slides to character creation.
1. Age

• Assuming we won’t be able to make, bluntly speaking, ‘Child Soldiers’, the minimum age should be around 21 or so to speak. Provided you make your character the age of 21, you’d have that ‘perfect’ or ‘pure’ look most our characters currently have.
• Increasing your age will, taking humans as an example, increase the wrinkling of your skin, the skin becoming less ‘flawless’ and more stern. In turn, for other races similar effects might occur. The Norn would have something similar to humans, the Sylvari will become more withered plants, the Charr would have their fur turn greyish and less shiny, whereas the Asura would get more (white/grey) hair pointing out of their ears and/or have somewhat damaged/withered ears or skin.
• Taking into account that not all races account to ages as in ‘human years’, one could also indicate for example for Sylvari from what generation they were born.

2. Ancestry

• In general this mostly applies to humans. Providing them the opportunity to choose what ancestry they have (e.g. Elona, Cantha, Kryta, Ascalon Refugee, heck one might even include Orr)
• Numerous possibilities are also possible for the other races, despite Charr having a somewhat ‘ancestry’ present as to what type of Legion they are born in.
• This should however, not limit players from choosing particular looks in character creation. I am currently not able to think of something this would change in the creation. At the moment it is just something for the ‘lore’ enthusiasts and character background.

3. Birth place

• Provides players to choose the town/region they were actually born.
• Simple background, options can be limited by race but could also be limitless. (tho a Charr being born in Divinity’s Reach would be kind okittenward eh)

4. Scars & other marks

• Option to add scars, tattoos, whatever you can think of, but not pre-scripted to a static location.
• Adding a specific mark will give you the ability to select any part of the body where you wish to place it (and after placement alter the orientation, size etc.)

5. Hair

• Toggle to increase/decrease hair length
• Option present for both hair on your head as well as facial hair

Armor / Weaponry
The current options in terms of dyes and transmutation are great, but also pave the way for even more customization.

6. Dyeing weapons

7. Dyeing back pieces

8. Dyeing underwear / get new underwear

9. Naming weapons (or only Legendaries)

10. Ability to hide all armor parts (e.g. race based, Norns tend to walk without a breastplate)

• However, provide the possibility for players to toggle in options whether they wish to see players choice of hiding certain body parts (for the younger audiences etc.)

11. Displayable jewelry

• Including an option to hide/unhide.
• Naturally, when wearing large and covering armor, most jewelry would be not visible.

12. Toggles for weapon effects

• Toggles to choose what weapon effects (legendary) are shown

13. Weapon customizer

• Perhaps a way to customize your weapon (legendary) adding/removing certain effects

Personal development
This category includes changes/choices made by players to give their characters a more personal development.

14. Marriage

• Ability to marry and get divorced

15. Houses

• A place to truly call home.
• This can be character specific but also made account specific. Meaning if you choose account specific you can actually make it a home for multiple characters, thus upon entering with your currently active character, the other characters on your account are present in your house.
• Ability to share a house with other players (wife/husband, heck you can even play orphanage and adopt new players!)
• Potential benefits/options for players with houses is endless
• Collect pets/trophies, somewhat as the Menagerie and the HoM in GW1

16. Family

• Ability to set personal relation to other players.
• Currently have no specific benefit/idea what this should do, apart from role playing, but perhaps others can think of something!

17. Emotes

• Additional emotes for more player interaction, such as /kiss, /hug, /slap, /wedgy, /tickle, /push-over, /kick-their-kitten -red-forman-style kind of stuff. Endless possibilities.

18. Aging

• Yes I know, don’t think it will ever happen (and adding this would also mean, in the end, death?) But perhaps a gradual change over time in the sorts of hair growth or something similar, so you need a haircut!

Benefits

• Creation of a more diverse world and a larger diversity among races and players alike;
• The option to fit your character within the lore of Guild Wars becomes more present;
• Players are able to be as unique as they’d like;
• Possibilities to provide more personal linkage between your GW1 character and your GW2 character;
• More ‘facts’ to play with for people who are really into the role-playing part of GW2.
• Certain implementations could be done through the use of the Gem Store (e.g. the Weapon customizer for legendaries)

Possible conflicts

• A number of suggestions might not coincide with the current storyline (cinematics).

Please also take a look at ACT II, found here.

On a final note, I’d like to say that I have no coding background, so I am unable to properly judge as to what is possible or difficult to accomplish. But to this I will quote;
“Some men see things as they are and say why.
I dream things that never were and say why not.”

;-)