Guild Wars 2

Nope, it does not increase your viewing figures.
Nope, it does not add a reason for new players to buy these episodes.
Nope, no one enjoys being cut off in the middle of a chapter.

This is a game, that tries to tell a story in chapters, so stop resolving your last cliff-hanger, only to open up a new one.
It serves no other purpose than to annoy your user base.
And in this patch you’ve not even solved your previous cliff-hanger, have not developed your story further since the last patch, and just added another cliff-hanger on top of the already existing one.

This is plain and simple bad story-telling.
I don’t question this stories’ content.
I question its method of presentation.

Thumps up on the new jumping puzzle tho, it was truly epic.
I wish you’d have put equal effort into pushing the story to another climax.

This +50.

Except the jumping puzzle bit, cause I don’t care about those. Pretty to look at, not fun to do. Especially when fatal heights are involved.

I hate cliff hangers. This is why I prefer expansions over living story. No cliff hangers except maybe for a future main story.

+1

adding another cliff hanger over a pre-existing cliff hanger is just bad story telling.

Previous cliffhanger NOT resolved and then suddenly its still there.

I will agree completely, whomever spaced and authorized the spacing is kitten bad at storytelling.

The last story portion basically told us nothing pertaining to the story, it only gave us background, background with very little relevance in the current events (where is Caithe is the only reason we did this whole thing, 2 weeks and that? just no…)

So yeah, Leah PLEASE FIX THIS for upcoming LS, we know you can!

We had no real cliffhanger, the story just stopped abruptly as if someone turned off my TV in the middle of a show.

It did not leave me on the edge of my seat but rather thinking `was that it?´

Aedelric.1287:

We had no real cliffhanger, the story just stopped abruptly as if someone turned off my TV in the middle of a show.

It did not leave me on the edge of my seat but rather thinking `was that it?´

That seems more accurate…

And the best thing is we don’t even know if we get the finale this year. Maybe they will take another break (and use wintersday as an excuse) after that break we will play EP 8 which is followed by another break until we get a feature patch which is then again followed by a break until S3 starts, that will almost certainly have a mid season break aswell.

Malediktus.9250:

I hate cliff hangers. This is why I prefer expansions over living story. No cliff hangers except maybe for a future main story.

So instead of having a cliffhanger that will be attended to in two weeks you prefer to have cliffhangers that till be attended to in two years?

You’re not making a TV show ANet.

You don’t need cliffhangers to get us to come back. Good content and gameplay with replayability ( new dungeons/fractals, multiple new zones [Elona], new classes ) will do that for you. These obviously stretched out stories, with short episodes and strange places to stop to create a cliffhanger and also making us grind the same zone and events for the third patch in the row isn’t helping.

Same here.
I told this in an other thread.
To much cliffhangers let the story stuttering.
But this is not a real cliffhanger.
Like Aedelric.1287 said.

I like the game very much, the detail, the ideas, all… i like the point of the story behind this idea and the potential.
But yet, the storytelling is on a way… i think its not the best way for such a big story/game.
I dont know why… to try this method of storytelling?
Testing it? I dont know… : /
Im sorry that im thinking so in the moment…
And i dont like it.
The parts feel shorter and shorter.
Pleas go back to the good old storytelling, like glints lair… not this pseudo cliffhanger shortcut thing. ;;
Its to much. v_v

Guild Wars dont need such methods for such a story. ;__;

The cave is sealed. We cannot enter and Jory went to the Priory to do some research. Did you wanted an instance with her reading books, talking to random npcs until finally she find the right solution? An instance that last two weeks?

Well, ok.
You are right that this is maybe the only position in the story to put in a “cliffhanger” for a logical reason.
Majory has to read Books, do researches, yes.
Caithe must be found, but first, we have to find her. And for this, we have to do researches.

And yes… it shows that Anet dont brake with their own “rules” of their story.
It shows that Anet work more on an accurate story.
They go the way, that is meant to be the right way for the story.
And when this means… there must be a cliffhanger… well.
They dont change the story to get this away, and this is good.
With a story told in episodes… maybe such a episode is in this moment the only way.

Hrm… kitten you Anet… even in such a situation… there is a good part in it. x_x

Meh!

Thanks for this toughts.
I can see this episode more clear.

But… I still hate cliffhangers… >__<

And all the poor sylvaris in the asuran lab. T_T
I was so sad… : /
But they were only hurt… not dead… not dead… yes… thats ok.
They were not dead… only hurt… <whispers> ._.

lordkrall.7241:

Malediktus.9250:

I hate cliff hangers. This is why I prefer expansions over living story. No cliff hangers except maybe for a future main story.

So instead of having a cliffhanger that will be attended to in two weeks you prefer to have cliffhangers that till be attended to in two years?

The thing is they aren`t attended to.
There are several subplots which are just put aside. So far we got introduced to several cliffhanger plots, but resulutions to any of them are far and few between.

That is the main problem. We don`t have enough if any conclusions this season.
We aren`t even finished with the Master of Peace, even though he is dead.

There are just too many loose ends and questions and we just get new ones, instead of finishing them.

But do we really want a story that just goes from one issues to solution and the repeats for the next thing?
That is seldom how stuff works in the real world after all, usually there are multiple things that happens and needs attending at once.

I also think it is a bit early to claim that plots were put aside. At least until we have reached the season finale, since I have a feeling that most if not all of them will be addressed or at least advanced there.

lordkrall.7241:

But do we really want a story that just goes from one issues to solution and the repeats for the next thing?
That is seldom how stuff works in the real world after all, usually there are multiple things that happens and needs attending at once.

I also think it is a bit early to claim that plots were put aside. At least until we have reached the season finale, since I have a feeling that most if not all of them will be addressed or at least advanced there.

I never said that.
however there has to be a balance. So far unfinished stories are in the upper hand, than finished plot threads.

Furthermore, we got no real direction, aside from the egg and now Caithe.

The thing is, there have to be advancements and some condlusion along the road. It is completly fine to have overarching questions and subplots running. It is however a problem if they are more prominent than the supposed main story.
At this point we got more questions, than answers.

i dare to say that Season 1 did it better. There was a problem, we solved it, but there was still something in the background, which was the main story.

Season 2 is focusing much heavier on substories so far, that the actual main plot is hard to make out. I mean, can you tell me what the goal of this season is?

Is it the egg? Is it Caithe? Is it Mordremoth? Is it the Pact attack? The illusive pale tree? The white mantle? The inquest? Kasmeer? Majorys revenge? etc…

There are some candidates, but with the ending near I do not know where we are heading. I mean the whole Mordremoth thing for example is just background noise so far.

I personally find it rather clear that while the Living World heads toward the direct attack on Mordremoth the Living Story heads towards the egg and its potential uses against the Dragons.

All in all the ultimate goal is the assault on Mordemoth.

lordkrall.7241:

But do we really want a story that just goes from one issues to solution and the repeats for the next thing?

If you ask me personally, yes.
If I get a LS “episode” I expect to play a compelling mini-story, that starts at a given issue, struggles to solve it throughout it and accomplishes it eventually in a epic (or at least satisfying), compelling manner that also pushes the main-plot further.
July 15 release was a prime-example for a good story.
We start out with Mordremoths’ veins spreading so we have to head out and protect a few spots, have problems with dealing with Mordrem throughout it, and get presented a seemingly solution by taimy that actually leads to a vision that pushes the main-plot.

You know how I’d would have told the story?
(Disclaimer, this is just about my personal refrences, and I expect no-one to like it. I just give this out as a example for a alternative, satisfying concept)
Mission one:
We report to the pale tree, but instead if been given magical seeds, we get a message from a pact-soldier to meet with trahearne.
Mission two:
trahearne tells us about strange reports from the front where a horde of mordrem seems to pile up and prepare for a big ambush on camp resolve from the northern ruins.
We head out to scout them, only to find out that the mordrem are already on the move, but attack the hidden skritt-village instead.
We support the skritt on their defense-efforts against the mordrem and after their horde is sled, we find out in a chatter with their local leader that these “plant thingies” try to break into skritt-tunnels ever since a mysterious plant-woman passed them.
Mission three:
We report back to trahearne what happened and that the skritt will need the help of the pact to defend them in the future, in return for scouting services via their tunnels.
trahearne agrees and we head out, together with taimy, this charr-engineer and a bunch of pact-pioneers to fortify the skritt-village that is already under attack again.
Mission four:
After establishing enough defense to cover our journey, we follow the lead to caithe through the skritt-tunnels only to find her encircled by mordrem (that must have found a alternative way to this spot) and on the run.
Caithe manages it to reach the ruins and closes them behind her, while we deal with the left-over mordrem and maybe even a compelling boss-battle.
After the fight, mayory recognizes the symbols from her previous studies, opens the ruins for us, and we get presented all the unimprtant back-lore in a dialogue or cutscene from caithe.
We had a interesting chase, filled with humourus one-liners from taimy and her furry friend, some hilarious skritt-one-liners, and a whole bunch of sled mordrem, leading to a plot-pushing solution
The end, for now.

kokiman.2364:

And the best thing is we don’t even know if we get the finale this year. Maybe they will take another break (and use wintersday as an excuse) after that break we will play EP 8 which is followed by another break until we get a feature patch which is then again followed by a break until S3 starts, that will almost certainly have a mid season break aswell.

Don’t forget the break due to spring WvW season!

Well like all good things cliff hangers need to be used sparingly. Ending a episode on a cliffhanger can potential get people talking, help drum up some excitement for the next episode. However using it every episode does water it down a bit.

I feel if they want to do cliff hangers, they should really look at Dragon Age Inquisition’s post-credit scene. THAT is a kitten fine cliff hanger.