Guild Wars 2

First off before I stir up a kitten storm, VETS SHOULD BE REWARDED MORE THAN NEW PLAYERS!

However, if I understand the new claim ticket reward system correctly, mistforged exotic weapons seem like it will take forever if you are low rank and low server. Like outrageously longer. Do I understand this correctly?

What would someone consider a reasonable time for a bronze rank to complete a mistforged exotic weapon set? 2 months, 4 months? Well, being rank 489 on a bottom server I received 10 claim tickets before reset. I played about 8 hours of WvW since the feature pack was released and that hoping I’ll get more this next week.

However, at this rate it would take me 35 weeks for 1 weapon. I’ll have a better idea after another week of play, hopefully I can more tickets, but I thought 8 hours of active play was a pretty substantial time investment and 10 tickets not very rewarding.

I know I am limited by rank and I’m glad they reward peeps with greater rank. It’s great Anet is finally starting to recognize it’s vets. I just don’t see how with this system it will entice newer people into staying if that reward seems out of reach. Ranking seems much slower than I remember, and you can’t buy liquid WXP either anymore. Also, I’m not open to shelling out $ to switch servers. I’ve done that before and learned. I remember when SoR and TC were top tiers, now not so much.

I like WvW. I’d be willing to change game modes and play WvW for awhile, but it seems that it be a looonng time before I’d be able to get a reward from claim tickets (just a single skin). Which in the end makes it not worth sticking around.

So if anyone has some tips on how to rank up faster and make claim ticket acquisition a bit (just a bit) quicker, please tell me.

You’re already at a higher rank than I am and I’ve been playing only WvW since pretty much launch.

You don’t NEED the new items. They’re “nice to haves” …

If you WANT the new items, put in the time, or go without.

I hear you. I’m a Gold player myself, and I average about 5 – 6 pips per tick. Even then, it would take me an average of 21 – 24 hours of WvW each week to earn 175 tickets. Repeat that for 2.5 weeks to earn enough to buy ONE Exotic armor/weapon. It’s totally unreasonable, in my opinion. That’s like spending half your work week in WvW! I can’t even begin to imagine how a complete WvW newbie who’s only earning 1 – 2 pips must feel looking at these goal posts.

The acquisition rate for tickets really needs to be increased OR the costs for the items reduced. It’s no wonder that we’re getting Outnumbered farmers who try all kinds of sneaky methods to gain that extra +5 pips, like falsely calling out in Team chat that so-and-so map has Outnumbered, hoping that enough people will hop over so that THEIR map becomes outnumbered. I’m 100% certain that this is not how ANet intended the buff to be used.

I think the baseline pip rate should be something around 9 – 10 for it to feel more reasonable to players, and I think I know how it could be achieved. For starters, change it so you get 1 pip for each tier of participation. (That brings you up to potentially +6.) Next, you get +1/2/3 for your server’s current position in the Skirmish (potentially +9). Then, you get your rank bonus (another +1 to +7). Then, in 3 weeks, we’ll all get our loyalty bonus (which should be bumped up to +2), which for a total WvW newbie who’s just been obediently following his tag around would bring him up to +10. For veteran players, you could potentially be earning +18 pips every tick (19 if you’re a Commander), although most will be lower than that. Finally, the Outnumbered boost is reduced to +2; enough to make it appealing to stay in such a map, but not such a HUGE difference that people are compelled to swap maps purely to make use of it.

Liquid WXP should also be brought back, purchasable for Badges of Honor and/or Proofs of Heroics. They should also be added as an option from the Skirmish chests we get from each tier.

It’s LEGEND-Freakin-DARY armor. Higher ranks get pips at a faster pace already. Like Jayne said, it’s nice to have, not need to have. You’ll get it if you want it.

Jayne.9251:

You’re already at a higher rank than I am and I’ve been playing only WvW since pretty much launch.

You don’t NEED the new items. They’re “nice to haves” …

If you WANT the new items, put in the time, or go without.

Yeah, I got that, That’s obvious.

My point is that the new feature pack should also bring more people into WvW.

I don’t need the new items, but then again, if there is little reward to grind. I’d get more reward grinding another mode of the game. So if one of the goals is to increase WvW participation, then this seems counter intuitive.

I’d gladly put in the time to get things I don’t need, and in all honesty I’d never use, it just seems that amount of time to reward ratio is not at all proportional to other game modes. So, when others try WvW and realize the same thing, I bet you most people who want to be rewarded for their time, will realize the same thing and go play another game mode with a better time to reward ratio.

Thereby not increasing the WvW participation long term.

Strider Pj.2193:

It’s LEGEND-Freakin-DARY armor. Higher ranks get pips at a faster pace already. Like Jayne said, it’s nice to have, not need to have. You’ll get it if you want it.

Again, I’m not talking about getting legendary armor. I’m talking about more basic mediocre rewards.

BTW I thought it was a LEGEND-Freakin-DARY backpack. Which is not armor.

Kythan Myr.4719:

BTW I thought it was a LEGEND-Freakin-DARY backpack. Which is not armor.

OO. You are correct!! ????

Kythan Myr.4719:

Jayne.9251:

You’re already at a higher rank than I am and I’ve been playing only WvW since pretty much launch.

You don’t NEED the new items. They’re “nice to haves” …

If you WANT the new items, put in the time, or go without.

Yeah, I got that, That’s obvious.

My point is that the new feature pack should also bring more people into WvW.

I don’t need the new items, but then again, if there is little reward to grind. I’d get more reward grinding another mode of the game. So if one of the goals is to increase WvW participation, then this seems counter intuitive.

I’d gladly put in the time to get things I don’t need, and in all honesty I’d never use, it just seems that amount of time to reward ratio is not at all proportional to other game modes. So, when others try WvW and realize the same thing, I bet you most people who want to be rewarded for their time, will realize the same thing and go play another game mode with a better time to reward ratio.

Thereby not increasing the WvW participation long term.

Well then you have many choices. And I encourage you to pursue the one that most gratifies you.

But if you come here and complain about how hard it is to get something you don’t really need to play, then be prepared for some pushback.

I think Anet is on the right path making this difficult to obtain. It means you actually have to invest time in WvW and learn what makes it a fantastic game mode; which is impossible to appreciate in a week. It also becomes a cachet for those invested in this game mode; they finally get something unique that rewards their dedication … much like pve has its own unique shinies.

Jayne.9251:

Kythan Myr.4719:

Jayne.9251:

You’re already at a higher rank than I am and I’ve been playing only WvW since pretty much launch.

You don’t NEED the new items. They’re “nice to haves” …

If you WANT the new items, put in the time, or go without.

Yeah, I got that, That’s obvious.

My point is that the new feature pack should also bring more people into WvW.

I don’t need the new items, but then again, if there is little reward to grind. I’d get more reward grinding another mode of the game. So if one of the goals is to increase WvW participation, then this seems counter intuitive.

I’d gladly put in the time to get things I don’t need, and in all honesty I’d never use, it just seems that amount of time to reward ratio is not at all proportional to other game modes. So, when others try WvW and realize the same thing, I bet you most people who want to be rewarded for their time, will realize the same thing and go play another game mode with a better time to reward ratio.

Thereby not increasing the WvW participation long term.

Well then you have many choices. And I encourage you to pursue the one that most gratifies you.

But if you come here and complain about how hard it is to get something you don’t really need to play, then be prepared for some pushback.

I think Anet is on the right path making this difficult to obtain. It means you actually have to invest time in WvW and learn what makes it a fantastic game mode; which is impossible to appreciate in a week. It also becomes a cachet for those invested in this game mode; they finally get something unique that rewards their dedication … much like pve has its own unique shinies.

You still don’t get it.

My point is Anet release a feature pack that also helps to increase player population. I will play WvW for my own reasons, but I don’t see how the rewards will increase participation.

For example, at the 175 claim ticket weekly cap, it will take 3/4 of the year for a player (not talking about me) to acquire the complete set of exotic weapons. Unless I understand something incorrectly. This applies to BOTH vets and new players because it’s a CAP. By the same token, you can acquire a complete set of prestigious exotic weapons in a lot less time. Grinding a dungeon reward track might only take less than two months. It’s hard to calculate the time for that.

My point is about the reward to time ratio. Most players (again not me) will go off do something more rewarding for their time. If the devs wanted to boost WvW populations, then I’m predicting it will quickly decline as more people find even the most basic rewards too time-consuming.

And as I said in my original post: I’m all for veteran WvW players finally get the reward they deserve. There rank only affects the rate at which they gain tickets not the weekly amount due to the cap. Unless I’m not understanding the system.

ThomasC.1056:

I understand the reward must be shining to be worth it. But I also understand that playing 35 weeks for one single ascended weapon is ridiculous. Face it : it’s almost as long as bearing a baby !

Now, some food for thought :

• What was the probability to drop an ascended weapon box in 35 weeks of dedicated gameplay ?
• It doesn’t take 35 weeks of PvE farm to be able to craft an ascended weapon.
• What proportion of PvE newcomers already are able or willing to farm PvE to make their own ascended weapons the old way ?

So, what’s the point of rewarding skirmishes : the looks of course, and it matters a lot. And it’s more predictable than playing WvW 35 weeks hoping that a pink chest drops.

I’m glad new players are coming. I truly am (even if queues bother me). I hope some will find fun, and will stay even for “not the rewards”. But if the rewards seem as elusive as a mirage, players will just be : “it’s not worth it”, and the population will decline again.

So I think there should be some tweaking needed. For an average player that’d play, say 2 hours a day (more in weekends, but whatever), it shouldn’t take more than 2 months to be able to get an ascended weapon, and more than 3 to get an ascended armor piece.

It’s too fast ? Don’t forget the pace new things are released in PvE, and an X-Pac is on the way with probable new stats and new skins. If you want people to think it’s worth it, make it worth it, and not like new hype will come 4 times by the day they’ll be able to get one single mistforged hero weapon.

Now you understand what I’m trying to say. Thanks!

I don’t get it, did he delete his post. I read it quoted it and now it’s gone!!??

I did the maths on the following basis :

• I’m aiming for a mistforged weapon, so 350 tickets. It’s one of the most expensive thing there is.
• I’m considering a bronze player, in the last-of-the-skirmish server
• Playtime is 2 hours a day.
• I’m not counting the time required to get the tier 3 participation.

I’m therefore counting the slower pace : 2 pips/skirmish.

At this pace :

• 25 tickets are earned a week.
• It can go to 45 if the player manages to reach the silver chest (doable, it’s only 3 hours more than my calculations).
• It therefore takes between 8 and 14 weeks to get an ascended weapon.

Now, I’m calculating the fastest pace for the same player : I’m therefore adding loyalty bonus and outnumbered bonus. It makes 8 pips/skirmish.

At that pace, that player can finish diamond rank in the week, therefore winning 175 tickets. It’d take 2 weeks of luck to be able to buy one weapon.

All in all : it looks like a bronze player in the ever-losing server, dedicated enough to give 2 hours a day to WvW would be able to get enough tickets for a weapon in roughly 2 months.

Calculations put aside,

• What is the chance to drop an ascended weapon box in roughly 2 months ?
• Is it possible to craft an ascended weapon with 2 hours a day PvE farm for 2 months ?
• What proportion of PvE newcomers already are able or willing to farm to craft their weapons the old way ?

Don’t get me wrong : I’m glad new players are coming. I truly am, even if queues bother me. I hope some newcomers will find WvW fun, and will stay [strike]in spite of[/strike] not only for the rewards. All that ruckus from tuesday was a nice bait, and now that fresh blood is here, I wish it to stay.

The issue is : if the ascended things seem as elusive as a mirage, players coming for them will just go “it’s not worth it”, and the population will decline again. The pace will need to be high, because new things come in PvE every 2-3 months. And an X-Pac is on its way, with probable new skins and new stats. Playing WvW for ascended gear acquisition will need to be competitive with new PvE content, and that’s why it has to come as a reasonably enjoyable and fast way to get some.

That said, 1 to 2 months for an essentially beginning player seems fine to me.