Guild Wars 2

+1 to that! This would be incredibly useful. Please add this to the game!

All hail PixelPumpkin! Bringer of common sense!

Seriously why isn’t this done already?

Excellent suggesstion Pixel.

Thank you.

PS: I’m flattered.

Yes, +1 to this. With LS metas overlapping their designated 2-week allotment and some not, this would clear up questions as to how much I need to grind now vs. later to get the meta completed.

+1
As you say, we all know when the day/month ends, but it’s often not clear whether the LS will be a two-week only affair or a month-long one – a timer would clear that up straight away.

Right now in game is the perfect example for why this is needed.

The next update is 5 days away and people are constantly asking when and what will go away on tuesday. If the achievement page had a timer one could make the leap that if the achievement was still available to earn then the content must still be there to play.

Simple quality of life fix, one of the so very many we need.

I disagree with having a LS achievement timer. As long as they include the date range in the patch notes then there shouldn’t be a problem. The timer would only benefit the procrastinators who, for whatever reason, choose to wait until the last possible minute to do achievements.

Ayrilana.1396:

I disagree with having a LS achievement timer. As long as they include the date range in the patch notes then there shouldn’t be a problem. The timer would only benefit the procrastinators who, for whatever reason, choose to wait until the last possible minute to do achievements.

So you disagree with having a tool in game that already exists applied to content in the game.

Yes the dates should be in that patch notes.

And no it’s not just “procrastinators who, for whatever reason, choose to wait until the last possible minute to do achievements”. There are several actual life related reasons to why one doesn’t log in the second the patch is up and zerg the achievements.

Putting a timer on the LS story achievement page in no way whatsoever impairs or impedes your gameplay.

You’re right, this is a better place to discuss this, so here’s my reply from the other thread:

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Ayrilana.1396:

A better request would be for them to include the date range in the update notes. People should be checking that regularly after each update/patch anyway.

As an avid forum user, this would appear to me, but the vast majority of players really only logs into the game itself, and there is nothing wrong with that. Many people wouldn’t even think to look for this information outside of the game. I don’t think it is fair to expect them to.

All information relevant to the gameplay (after installation) should be available through the UI. That’s why there are tutorials and hints in game, rather than a manual on the website.

Secondly, I know several players who actively avoid reading LS patch notes because of spoilers.

I would absolutely love this addition.

I read the release pages / patch notes pretty thoroughly, and even then I never seem to know for certain what day an event will end until a dev posts about it on the forum, if they post about it, and over the entire lifetime of the event we still get a bunch of threads asking “When does it end?” It would be nice to be able to point them to an in-game clock and answer that question once and for all.

Even if the clock can’t be accurate to the hour (if the change happens whenever the next patch goes up,) something as basic as an end date would be tremendously helpful.

Xar.6185:

Ayrilana.1396:

I disagree with having a LS achievement timer. As long as they include the date range in the patch notes then there shouldn’t be a problem. The timer would only benefit the procrastinators who, for whatever reason, choose to wait until the last possible minute to do achievements.

And no it’s not just “procrastinators who, for whatever reason, choose to wait until the last possible minute to do achievements”. There are several actual life related reasons to why one doesn’t log in the second the patch is up and zerg the achievements.

Putting a timer on the LS story achievement page in no way whatsoever impairs or impedes your gameplay.

The argument about real life events is irrelevant to the timer argument. You’d still miss the content whether there was a timer or not. If you have the feeling you may miss content then do everything when it’s released as a precaution. Whether it impairs my gameplay or not, doesn’t matter.

In a previous thread, I stated that having the date range in the UI would be a good compromise between a timer and nothing at all.

Ayrilana.1396:

The argument about real life events is irrelevant to the timer argument. You’d still miss the content whether there was a timer or not. If you have the feeling you may miss content then do everything when it’s released as a precaution.

The argument was against your ‘timers only benefit procastinators’ comment. That is flat out untrue. If for whatever reason I am unable to log in immediately following the patch, I shouldn’t have to spam mapchat, scour the forums, search reddit or hope google turns up a dev interview with the dates just to see how much time I have left for certain content to be playable.

Ayrilana.1396:

Whether it impairs my gameplay or not, doesn’t matter.

This matters as well. If something in no way affects you, but would help others, you are arguing from a position of spite. Just because you are able to log in early and complete the achievements quickly means that no one should have a timer? This comes off as an ‘I can finish thats all that matters’ type of attitude.

Ayrilana.1396:

In a previous thread, I stated that having the date range in the UI would be a good compromise between a timer and nothing at all.

The date would help.

Even if the date or timer just counted down to the midnight before the patch (12:00 am patch day morning ) and then any time left to complete them is considered bonus time, it would solve a lot of this.

The main idea is there are several threads every single update about what is available for how long. Sometimes things are available for 2 weeks sometimes 4 weeks. The information needs to be available for the players to see in game. Not just on a timeline in the Anet offices somewhere.

Xar.6185:

Ayrilana.1396:

The argument about real life events is irrelevant to the timer argument. You’d still miss the content whether there was a timer or not. If you have the feeling you may miss content then do everything when it’s released as a precaution.

The argument was against your ‘timers only benefit procastinators’ comment. That is flat out untrue. If for whatever reason I am unable to log in immediately following the patch, I shouldn’t have to spam mapchat, scour the forums, search reddit or hope google turns up a dev interview with the dates just to see how much time I have left for certain content to be playable.

Ayrilana.1396:

Whether it impairs my gameplay or not, doesn’t matter.

This matters as well. If something in no way affects you, but would help others, you are arguing from a position of spite. Just because you are able to log in early and complete the achievements quickly means that no one should have a timer? This comes off as an ‘I can finish thats all that matters’ type of attitude.

Ayrilana.1396:

In a previous thread, I stated that having the date range in the UI would be a good compromise between a timer and nothing at all.

The date would help.

Even if the date or timer just counted down to the midnight before the patch (12:00 am patch day morning ) and then any time left to complete them is considered bonus time, it would solve a lot of this.

The main idea is there are several threads every single update about what is available for how long. Sometimes things are available for 2 weeks sometimes 4 weeks. The information needs to be available for the players to see in game. Not just on a timeline in the Anet offices somewhere.

I apologize if this isn’t as organized. It’s a hassle to split up argument points from a single post using a phone.

Timers do benefit procrastinators as it allows them to further push out from doing the achievement until the last minute. Another point that I was getting at was that whether there was a timer or not, you’d still miss the content. If you come back and see the achievements still available, do them right away. Most of the time, the dates are listed in the patch notes. We can always ask for Anet to always include them including for living stories that will have a second part.

Everyone is allowed to voice their opinion against something whether or not it affects them. Nobody but Anet has the ability, or right (it’s their forums), to take that away. The date range is often given in the patch notes and most living story updates last for about two weeks. If there’s a second part, the achievements for the first part are extended for that duration.

This is 2013. Games no longer operate in a vacuum. Most players rely on guides and builds which are outside of the game. There’s even the /wiki command that brings you to the game’s wiki.

Ayrilana.1396:

This is 2013. Games no longer operate in a vacuum. Most players rely on guides and builds which are outside of the game. There’s even the /wiki command that brings you to the game’s wiki.

One could look at this the other way as well. It’s 2013. Why do I have to hunt and search and use external sources to play a game?

Things today, do more, not less. For example you are posting to an internet forum from your phone, not just making calls. Your phone does more. Nearly everything does more nowadays. Cars have navigation, auto parking, auto braking, internet hotspots just to name some new features. There are refrigerators that dispense hot & cold water and even store recipes. Its 2013. If things I use every day are doing more why accept less from a video game?

I still don’t get the benefit that procrastinators are getting. How is it a disadvantage for anyone else if the timers are shown? If the procrastinators are getting a benefit it must be advantageous to procrastinate. Even if there is a benefit to procrastinators, no one else should be granted the convience of an in game date / timer for the content in the game?

I also don’t understand where you are coming from with the whole ‘right to voice thier opinion’ spiel. I never said that you have no right to an opinion, I merely said that I don’t understand why you would argue against something that affects you in no way whatsoever if spite wasn’t the motivator.

The thing is they don’t always put the dates in the patch notes. Actually they usually only put dates for very specific things like the mad king says and the comunal bonfire thinghy they did at the end of flame and frost. Some things last 2 weeks, some things 4 weeks and the way they provide the dates is virtually non existent.

I am not really sure how ‘hey can we get an in game timer for the in game content please’ turned into playtime vs procratinators vs right to speak on a forum.

I just don’t see any down side to providing in game information relevant to the game I’m currently logged into.

Just because some people don’t rush to do the ls achievements does not make them procrastinators. Personally I don’t find rushing/grinding the very first day to get all the achievements done very fun. I like knowing when the achievements go away and plan out how much I should do each day, that way I don’t feel like I rushed the new content and enjoyed it more since I didn’t bother grinding for the achievements I earned them more naturally.

Adding a timer or event ends date in the UI would be helpful to many people. Yes you can find the dates in the patch notes, but not everyone reads the patch notes. There will always be people who don’t read the patch notes and spam lions arch or forums or guides online about when the content is leaving. Having the date be in game at your fingers tips will drop the amount of people asking in the long run. Sure they will probably still ask for the next couple ls content, but after reading everyone say “ends xx its in the achievement panel” they will get the idea it’s always going to be there. Then we just have the brain deads and the newbies who will ask.

Overall there is no reason why there shouldn’t be a feature like a timer or day ending countdown for the living story. If they are going to continue to put out living story content then it seems like it is a must have quality of life improvement.

Shades.4572:

Yes you can find the dates in the patch notes

Well… or not even that.

Shades.4572:

Overall there is no reason why there shouldn’t be a feature like a timer or day ending countdown for the living story. If they are going to continue to put out living story content then it seems like it is a must have quality of life improvement.

This!

magic