Guild Wars 2

With the leaked announcement today from IGN about Guild Wars 2 basic game being free to play in the future, my two questions are:

1.) What is Anet planning on doing from keeping these free accounts from participating in matchup manipulation and server trolling?

2.) Are server transfers going to be free?

The first might sound like an overboard question at first glance but given what we’ve seen in T1 and most recently T2, I have serious concerns about some servers and guilds making entire sets of secondary free accounts to try to swing matchups a certain way. Not necessarily always on the “lets play poorly and make sure our server wins” but also in the sense of trying to bump up a server from a lower tier into a higher tier just to keep matchups fresh.

I really think this announcement means that Anet needs to step up their system for matchups so things aren’t manipulated.

The second question is mainly logistical. With an influx of new players, presumably, it will be harder for guilds to transfer provided that the free accounts are allowed to do WvW (which for the record I believe they should be as it is a part of the game). If a free account can be made and placed on a server, provided open status, then I believe it’s time for transfers to different servers to be free. If half of my guild is able to transfer and the other half can’t because of the rise in overall population, why should those that successfully transferred have to pay twice to keep the guild together?

Server transfer fees, at this point, are unfair discrimination to the WvW community – seeing as it is not necessary for any other part of the game anymore. This needs to be addressed.

I am pondering about this myself assuming f2p is true. I am hoping at the very least ANET considers putting an entry level into WvW. 20 would be to low if daily rewards get to stay.

I think this will actually help WvW.

Server trolling won’t happen so drastically once HoT is out with the new mechanics.

As it stands now it’s a game of how many active accounts are stacked together. Once people can have an account anywhere it will be more about which server can perform the best.

Oh I completely agree the population will definitely help WvW, my concerns were the two named. :P

I’m skeptical. Having witnessed some pretty bizarre behaviour by players to game the system for (trolling, personal gain, pride, just being an @ sshat), I suspect this will cause a lot of issues.

Making a base level to enter WvW will at least deter some of the lazier players. It won’t stop it, but it will provide a bit of a speed bump.

If ANET is going to be making server population based on WvW, this could open up a door for some major trolling.

Free accounts can only access Eotm would probably be the best in my opinion.

Turamarth.3248:

Free accounts can only access Eotm would probably be the best in my opinion.

Actually that’s a great idea. In order to play WvW, you have to buy. Great incentive.

Based on what was posted, I took it as the game completely is going f2p. Doesn’t matter if you bought it in the past. Guess we will see soon.

These “free” accounts in WvW would kill it. Yes, in EoTM too. The amount of griefing being done by people with multiple accounts would be a thousand times worse than now. I seriously hope this isnt supposed to be their “solution” to population issues.

I’d rather see HoT-less GW2 up for $10 on Steam. It’d sell like hotcakes.

They’d be crazy to make the base game no-holds barred free. As the PvE people have already brought up, daily login rewards will be ridiculously OP when everyone has 10 accounts. WvW will be troll heaven — especially since there’s zero troll enforcement.

My guess: it’ll be either severely restricted (so much so it’ll be like a worthless trial account) or restricted to PvP (very likely, as PvP is dying).

They should keep free accounts out of WvW otherwise players of free accounts may never purchase.

Chaba.5410:

They should keep free accounts out of WvW otherwise players of free accounts may never purchase.

And have no use for the gem store as that is mostly pve things…..

Angel.6085:

Oh I completely agree the population will definitely help WvW, my concerns were the two named. :P

1) As stated the mechanics that can be trolled are changing with HoT. Turning trebs and using supply not that big an issue really. If people want to try to prop servers up to manipulate have at it. With more people that won’t be so easy.

2) Who cares about transfer costs, log into your other account if you can’t see thru the tears.

You might not care if you don’t transfer, who has time for an alt. I’ve gladly paid for transfers many time, as you can see. But seeing as this literally is the only part of the game it applies to anymore, I think it’s unjust.

Turamarth.3248:

Free accounts can only access Eotm would probably be the best in my opinion.

Yeah that is a great idea, I would be behind that for sure. However, as people have said, we don’t even know what they mean for it to be free. I would hold off on the feedback concerns until they have given concrete details about it. I find it hard to believe that they would make it totally free.

Rarity.8510:

I am pondering about this myself assuming f2p is true. I am hoping at the very least ANET considers putting an entry level into WvW. 20 would be to low if daily rewards get to stay.

There is already an entry level for new accounts, its 15 IIRC.

morrolan.9608:

Rarity.8510:

I am pondering about this myself assuming f2p is true. I am hoping at the very least ANET considers putting an entry level into WvW. 20 would be to low if daily rewards get to stay.

There is already an entry level for new accounts, its 15 IIRC.

That’s right. I forgot that they did that. Still doesn’t take long to get past 15 though. I guess we will see what Saturday’s details bring.

Rarity.8510:

morrolan.9608:

Rarity.8510:

I am pondering about this myself assuming f2p is true. I am hoping at the very least ANET considers putting an entry level into WvW. 20 would be to low if daily rewards get to stay.

There is already an entry level for new accounts, its 15 IIRC.

That’s right. I forgot that they did that. Still doesn’t take long to get past 15 though. I guess we will see what Saturday’s details bring.

You can go through the portal in LA at any level unless they fixed it within the last month.

Wow… thats horrible. New Matchup? Well make an new Account on the Enemys Server and you have the perfekt Scout. Simple Way to know what your Enemy do and there they going. Sneaky Aktion? Well with an Spy in your Zerg it will be fun…. not

No pls Anet! Keep WvW close for that F2P accounts. Pls make only trialversions or so. Like with an MaxLvL Cap and something like that

(Sry for bad english)

Can we get a link to this leaked story?

It wasn’t really a hush hush leak, sorry assumed most of you heard about it.

Heres the dulfy for it. http://dulfy.net/2015/08/27/gw2-getting-raids-with-core-game-being-free/

Angel.6085:

It wasn’t really a hush hush leak, sorry assumed most of you heard about it.

Heres the dulfy for it. http://dulfy.net/2015/08/27/gw2-getting-raids-with-core-game-being-free/

Hadn’t occurred to me to look on dulfy. But yeah, I hadn’t heard anything about it yet. Thanks for the link.

Well it specifically states the limitations.

No access to WvW. I do not see any issues here. It all seems very limiting and able to prevent most, if not all issues. Just enough to give folks who are interested, a taste of the professions and their game play, to see if they like the game. I do not see much of a problem.

The free accounts is a terrible idea. This means that they will effectively remove what has so far largely culled the amount of gold sellers from the game. If anet does not disable free accounts their ability to send mail, talk on map chat and whisper chat the game will instantly and relentlessly be flooded with gold sellers because they suffer no loss when their accounts are banned. Anyone who played archeage on release will know how out of hand this can get.

You can still enter WvW via the LA ports at any level, which is a god sent for some of us who can’t be bothered with PvEwww. If I buy (or get a free) account I don’t want to spend a single second longer then I need to in PvE.

Random.4691:

You can still enter WvW via the LA ports at any level, which is a god sent for some of us who can’t be bothered with PvEwww. If I buy (or get a free) account I don’t want to spend a single second longer then I need to in PvE.

See I thought so but I haven’t had a chance to log in and double check. I did remember some changes for leveling, I just couldn’t remember what stayed.

From what I read on dulfy, it just seems like demo/trial stuff to try the game, with tons of limitations that should prevent any wvw griefing or gold spamming. They have done this periodically with free trial weekends, I guess they want to offer this all the time now if this is true. This is normal with many games isnt it? WoW offers trials doesnt it, thats how I learned I hated it after trying it for 5mins. But yea I dont see much of an issue here tbh with all the limitations listed it shouldnt be a problem.

X T D.6458:

From what I read on dulfy, it just seems like demo/trial stuff to try the game, with tons of limitations that should prevent any wvw griefing or gold spamming. They have done this periodically with free trial weekends, I guess they want to offer this all the time now if this is true. This is normal with many games isnt it? WoW offers trials doesnt it, thats how I learned I hated it after trying it for 5mins. But yea I dont see much of an issue here tbh with all the limitations listed it shouldnt be a problem.

I hated wow in the first 4 minutes …. I win.

X T D.6458:

From what I read on dulfy, it just seems like demo/trial stuff to try the game, with tons of limitations that should prevent any wvw griefing or gold spamming. They have done this periodically with free trial weekends, I guess they want to offer this all the time now if this is true. This is normal with many games isnt it? WoW offers trials doesnt it, thats how I learned I hated it after trying it for 5mins. But yea I dont see much of an issue here tbh with all the limitations listed it shouldnt be a problem.

The part that was mentioned on Dulfy was actually discussed in a general thread as being old and apart of when GW2 had their free trial a while back. Could they re-use it? Maybe. The part that bothers me is that WvW is shown in the video that IGN let out that says free to play and has WvW mentioned in it.

Link for reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3qU4zDPFhU

There has to be a catch somewhere. If u were able to make multiple free accounts that means free 55 laurels monthly into t6 bags which is alot of gold. Somehow theyd have to exclude some content from the free version, though wvw could very well be open to free play so they can explore what the game has to offer.

If that article is real it goes on to say possible limitations are..

•Only one or two character slots
•Limit of level 15
•Seems like a limit on how high a “rank” you can get (specific to trial or possibly PvP related)
•Only able to send mail to friends.
•Can’t send items or gold through mail
•Can’t speak in map chat
•Can’t access Team Arenas
•Can’t access main WvW maps (EB and Borderlands)
•Can’t sell items on TP.

displayname.8315:

If that article is real it goes on to say possible limitations are..

•Only one or two character slots
•Limit of level 15
•Seems like a limit on how high a “rank” you can get (specific to trial or possibly PvP related)
•Only able to send mail to friends.
•Can’t send items or gold through mail
•Can’t speak in map chat
•Can’t access Team Arenas
•Can’t access main WvW maps (EB and Borderlands)
•Can’t sell items on TP.

That sounds great, those are the limitations we would be expecting them to implement.

Limit of no map chat better include whisper – or everyone will be turning that off after the 18 millionth gold seller whisper that can friend you so they can mail…….

Just allow people with commander tags to salvage siege placed by their side. It wont solve the supply drain but it will prevent siege capping. They could add something that allows Commanders to deposit salvaged siege supplies back into tower/keep cache’s.

Don’t allow sub 25’s to use map chat this takes care of gold sellers for the most part, or whatever level they deem suitable.

Random.4691:

Just allow people with commander tags to salvage siege placed by their side. It wont solve the supply drain but it will prevent siege capping. They could add something that allows Commanders to deposit salvaged siege supplies back into tower/keep cache’s.

Don’t allow sub 25’s to use map chat this takes care of gold sellers for the most part, or whatever level they deem suitable.

A LOT of people have commander tags though.

Ya they do but it’s not typically on an alt account used for trolling. Do you have a better suggestion ? Limiting free accounts once you have announce it’s free is a game killer. Look at SWtOR free to play my @ ss, it’s hidden fees which kittened off a lot of their remaining customer base.

Wait, gw2 free? Inc blob of bots sellign gold!

Every free mmo suffers from this plague.

Send all f2p players to deso. I heard that they need players.

The amount of people that didnt read the entire thing just so they can freak out and/or complain is staggering.

Actually, nevermind, im not supprised one bit.

displayname.8315:

If that article is real it goes on to say possible limitations are..

•Only one or two character slots
•Limit of level 15
•Seems like a limit on how high a “rank” you can get (specific to trial or possibly PvP related)
•Only able to send mail to friends.
•Can’t send items or gold through mail
•Can’t speak in map chat
•Can’t access Team Arenas
•Can’t access main WvW maps (EB and Borderlands)
•Can’t sell items on TP.

They need to disable whispering too. There’s already enough gold sellers spamming everyone in the mists.

Rarity.8510:

I am pondering about this myself assuming f2p is true. I am hoping at the very least ANET considers putting an entry level into WvW. 20 would be to low if daily rewards get to stay.

I agree, if you up the WvW participation level to say 40 then the multiple alt players will have a decision to make. It will stem some of the tide.

Random.4691:

Ya they do but it’s not typically on an alt account used for trolling. Do you have a better suggestion ? Limiting free accounts once you have announce it’s free is a game killer. Look at SWtOR free to play my @ ss, it’s hidden fees which kittened off a lot of their remaining customer base.

This. With the limits they’re going to have to put on the F2P version, the game is going to look Pay to Win to people who play this version. Not a good thing.

I will mass move my following base to SoS and flood them with up lvl maguumies :^)

Well, no limitations on WvW.

Expect upper tier spying/sabotage to become 100x worse.

Just… ugh…

Dawdler.8521:

Well, no limitations on WvW.

Expect upper tier spying/sabotage to become 100x worse.

Just… ugh…

How is required to level to 60 no limitations? Not to mention the fact that they can’t use map-chat, nor whisper more often than once every 30 seconds?

level 60 before WvW is somewhat of a limitation. Hopefully they will change how the daily log in rewards work so leveling scrolls aren’t just wait three months before that spare free account can be used for naughty business in WvW.

PariahX.6970:

level 60 before WvW is somewhat of a limitation. Hopefully they will change how the daily log in rewards work so leveling scrolls aren’t just wait three months before that spare free account can be used for naughty business in WvW.

Free acounts have no login rewards.

PariahX.6970:

level 60 before WvW is somewhat of a limitation. Hopefully they will change how the daily log in rewards work so leveling scrolls aren’t just wait three months before that spare free account can be used for naughty business in WvW.

Free accounts don’t get Daily login rewards.

Dawdler.8521:

Well, no limitations on WvW.

Expect upper tier spying/sabotage to become 100x worse.

Just… ugh…

Hacking, spying, and sabotaging have been problems for a long time. This is compounded by the fact that anet does very little about the hacking and sabotaging at the moment. It takes a GM forever to actually confront the people and there doesn’t seem to be a systematic process for dealing with these people. I can only imagine how difficult it will be for anet to keep up with the potential threat. Hopefully the full servers stay full to keep the undesirables out.

I like the idea that eb and the borderlands should be locked and eotm should be the only WvW map available for f2p accounts. This would provide more incentive to actually buy the game.

lordkrall.7241:

Dawdler.8521:

Well, no limitations on WvW.

Expect upper tier spying/sabotage to become 100x worse.

Just… ugh…

How is required to level to 60 no limitations? Not to mention the fact that they can’t use map-chat, nor whisper more often than once every 30 seconds?

That’s not a limitation, lol. It’ll just take them a week or two of lazy playing before they enter WvW.

Real limitations would be:
- Unable to take supply
- Cant order upgrades
- Cant build siege
- No visible commander tags

At least that would stop the most trolling and AFK spying by f2p accounts. They could still flood a border and prevent gameplay, but I suppose that type of behaviour is impossible to stop unless you simply dont allow f2p accounts in WvW.