Guild Wars 2

Here’s what I feel needs to improve for the GW2 story development:

1. Dialog with NPCs should be realistic, in a sense. The first thing to be done is to give special dialog based on character personalities. I also firmly believe that whenever we get options to choose from, those options should be a one-time deal. So once we’ve clicked through the dialog and picked options (which altered the dialog), re-talking with the NPC will have that convo-ending small talk dialog and everything you just discussed previously will be longer be repeatable.

Not allowing us to repeat certain dialog is imperative to realistic dialog. It will also make our personality choices feel like they matter.

2. Why not create some more UI that allows us to catalog all of the minor events we’ve been through? Seems like a thing for your character’s personal story tab, right? The difference is this will keep log of all of the minor events you go through. It could be a personal journal that our character notes down their experiences with the NPCs around Tyria and the options they chose. That way, if people missed some dialog because they scammed through it, they can pop up their journal and take note.

If done correctly, it could also be a neat way for people to create their own personal scavenger hunts. Assuming there are NPCs around Tyria that give hints to secret areas etc. Build on those dialogs, again, no options are repeatable, thus this journal becomes very handy.

3. Books? We have cool UI dungeon books in GW1. I was so expecting GW2 to have an amped up version of that. Instead, when we click a book, we get a few sentences and no new UI to go with it. What a bummer. There should be libraries in places like Divinity’s Reach that have lots of books with cool looking UI and a couple of chapters worth of information to read through.

ASaturnus.4980:

Elbegast.6970:

The story doesn’t talk about Canach. The only mention of him is on a tooltip on a back slot item.

I get it now, you’re just trolling.
I now that you’re late to the show, but that doesn’t mean the story of Lost Shores didn’t happen. It happened in the open world, so it can’t be conserved just for you. Except that it’s all on GuildWiki for you to read. But you don’t read it because you don’t care about the story. You just come here for trolling those who do.

But I’m not trolling. I’m dyslexic. I can’t read huge walls of text, on websites, and make sense of them. I need audio and video. Heck, it takes me 30 minutes just to type a simple reply like this one. I have to go over it again and again to remove mistakes.

I do care about the story but I haven’t seen one in-game. I’ve seen some random dialogue that meant nothing to me as I have no point of reference for these characters. Just a bunch of seemingly random chat bubbles that make no sense and aren’t even directed towards me.

HiddenNick.7206:

BobbyStein.2315:

Ideally, the in-game story should tell you everything you need to know about the current Living World plot, context, and character motivation through a combination of scenes, clues, and gameplay. Blog posts, interviews, novels, etc. are supplementary.

One of the challenges of weaving a story into open world content is ensuring that players see the right details in the proper order. By nature, dynamic events are designed to be played as you encounter them, which makes story delivery especially challenging in that content type due to its non-linear placement. We’ve been experimenting on different ways to weave the story into the action with each Living World release, sometimes with mixed results.

We used a combination of letters, instanced cinematics, and achievements to tell the Flame & Frost story. While spreading details out among all those different UI elements was not ideal, it was the most effective means of directing people through content with our current tech. We are exploring some options that would streamline this experience, but we’re not ready to discuss the details right now.

There are various bits of story spread throughout the Southsun Cove content. Some are in idle scenes, whereas others are nestled in journals, conversations, or achievement lists (which, due to a bug, did not obscure later events and revealed some spoilers ahead of time). Having a few story cinematics at key moments would have certainly helped players piece together the plot, so in the future we will likely use them in ways similar to the F&F releases.

As always, thanks for the honest feedback. The Living World of GW2 is a new thing for us, so we appreciate your patience, understanding, and suggestions.

I think that your main problem is that you refuse to implement quest in a bit more standard way. Some form of quests would resolve all your problems with story telling. And what is so wrong with that approach?

And if anyone has not yet realized we already have quests in the game. They are called achievements. The only difference is that quests have some story description – this is the thing that the current achievement system is lacking.

This could be done by adding personal story type quests to the living story. They can’t be to hard to do solo, as they would be more for story telling purposes.

Elbegast.6970:

But I’m not trolling. I’m dyslexic. I can’t read huge walls of text, on websites, and make sense of them. I need audio and video. Heck, it takes me 30 minutes just to type a simple reply like this one. I have to go over it again and again to remove mistakes.

I understand. But you need to understand that there is a story, just not in a form that is easily accessible for you. We DID meet Canach and Noll before and they HAVE a story. I can see that it is frustrating for you, not to be able to follow it, but it’s called LIVING story. It happens in the open world ingame, and those parts of it that are over, are over.
The best example for this is the Ancient Karka. For you and others that came later to the game, the Ancient Karka is just a corpse lying there in the hive. But for us, those that were there in november to fight it, it was the most epic adversary that attacked Lion’s Arch and which we fought for hours, all over Southsun Cove. Naturally, it can’t have the same meaning for you as it has for us, but it has a story.

That said, more cutscenes would certainly be a way to improve the storytelling.

Outlaw.3421:

I would like to see the posts from the GW2 website fed into the “My Story” tab. It can show a red " ! " when there is a new story entry like when you level and have a new trait point to use.

Each update that has story posts can have the content thrown into the “My Story” tab. We click on each event as a form of a drop down. I guess it works a lot like the wiki, but this is just another alternative of displaying information.

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

You can probably add those images as event tabs in achievements too to create some visuals.

That exactly what I was thinking on a earlier post. I would also like to see a collection of notes found for each stage of the event. Things like npc conversations notes, book pages read.

Outlaw.3421:

I would like to see the posts from the GW2 website fed into the “My Story” tab. It can show a red " ! " when there is a new story entry like when you level and have a new trait point to use.

Each update that has story posts can have the content thrown into the “My Story” tab. We click on each event as a form of a drop down. I guess it works a lot like the wiki, but this is just another alternative of displaying information.

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

You can probably add those images as event tabs in achievements too to create some visuals.

That would be REALLY cool! I want to have this!
Maybe you could post this to the suggestion-forum here…

Outlaw.3421:

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

yeah this is great. I really wonder why Anet can’t implement such thing when a fan can create this in a short time. There must be reasons other than the mechanical stuff —> They don’t want it, I guess. The reply in this thread looked like they are quite happy with the current situation and only want to change small things (re-implement cutscenes instead of refining the system). Users who agree with the current situation are basically against refinement and enhancing so that it can become something truly good. As someone stated above GW1 had a more in-depth system and this looks like a step back. (seriously http://wiki.guildwars.com/images/thumb/0/0c/Storybook.jpg/375px-Storybook.jpg )

BobbyStein.2315:

Mia Lunarfang.5826:

Okay, so I understand if you cant or have no desire to implement my suggestions, but I would appreciate a response if possible.

…

I posted this elsewhere, but… whatever.

We don’t have the time to directly respond to every bit of feedback. It’s nothing personal, by the way. We just don’t have the time/bandwidth/free cycles/etc. We read as much as we can in the forums (and at other sources) and reply when we’re able.

We do value all thoughtful suggestions, so thanks to you and everyone else who has been posting here with ideas, concerns, and constructive criticism. We’ll take it into account as we work on future Living World releases.

Thank you Bobby, you’ve made my day. I admit I was being somewhat childish in the act of re-posting and begging for a reply, but I simply wished to ascertain whether what we were writing -or more to the point, if what I was writing- was actually being considered… or read for that matter. Regardless of your future decisions, its nice to know we’re being heard… which means I need no longer spend hours ranting on this forum in hopes that you might catch a glimpses of my estranged ideas. I grant you, and this community, a brief respite from my antics. …until the fourth then. ;P

I love this game, but Anet should really think about forming a class called “How Not to Use Exposition In a Narrative 101”.

Outlaw.3421:

I would like to see the posts from the GW2 website fed into the “My Story” tab. It can show a red " ! " when there is a new story entry like when you level and have a new trait point to use.

Each update that has story posts can have the content thrown into the “My Story” tab. We click on each event as a form of a drop down. I guess it works a lot like the wiki, but this is just another alternative of displaying information.

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

You can probably add those images as event tabs in achievements too to create some visuals.

That would be great for back-story scenes!

I think Outlaws idea is a very good one. This way they could also add short summaries of what happened during those events as well. I personally think, a story should take place in the game and not rely on outside sources like wiki or their website.

The same goes for people who did not attend previous events. Ofc the event and the experience can’t be repeated but if a story depends on previous events people should be able to get the backgroundstory in game. Often that could be done with only a few lines of text spoken from an NPC who gives a few hints.

+1 for an Extended Story Tab, like Outlaw and others suggested.

Otherwise once you´re finished with your personal story that part of the UI becomes completely useless.

Also a division into “Archive” and current, like on the fora here should be added.
Else it would become cluttered pretty soonish with the constant fixation on new temporary content you guys seem to be locked on.

Outlaw.3421:

I would like to see the posts from the GW2 website fed into the “My Story” tab. It can show a red " ! " when there is a new story entry like when you level and have a new trait point to use.

Each update that has story posts can have the content thrown into the “My Story” tab. We click on each event as a form of a drop down. I guess it works a lot like the wiki, but this is just another alternative of displaying information.

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

You can probably add those images as event tabs in achievements too to create some visuals.

It doesn’t work.

The ‘My Story’ tab is supposed to be strictly for your character’s development. It’s the collection of events that lead your character into who’ve they’ve become to date; character development. So having some random info of an interview with Canach is completely out of place.

Why not have a group of Asura design a new piece of tech that’s given out to all of the people of Tyria, or at least to those who choose to use it or can actually obtain it. For us, it’ll be a new user interface and right at the front of it is all of the news around Tyria (interviews with Canach etc.). There could be a second tab which (as I suggested above) catalogs dialog interactions. Then there could be a third tab which cites all of the events you’ve currently been through, such as battling the Claw of Jormag or helping Farmer Diah in the Shaemoor Fields. It could list times etc.

Blackmoon.6837:

It doesn’t work.

The ‘My Story’ tab is supposed to be strictly for your character’s development. It’s the collection of events that lead your character into who’ve they’ve become to date; character development. So having some random info of an interview with Canach is completely out of place.

The tab name would be changed to something relevant with the living story. The “My Story” will still exist, but living story content can be provided. All of the “My Story” content can be seen via a drop down by clicking on “My Story” in my example.

So it’s adding extra functionality to the tab without compromising character development. Future expansions and personal stories can still be thrown into the “My Story” mix.

Blackmoon.6837:

Then there could be a third tab which cites all of the events you’ve currently been through, such as battling the Claw of Jormag or helping Farmer Diah in the Shaemoor Fields. It could list times etc.

I think that would be a cool tab to add to the Hero Panel for sure.

Outlaw.3421:

I would like to see the posts from the GW2 website fed into the “My Story” tab. It can show a red " ! " when there is a new story entry like when you level and have a new trait point to use.

Each update that has story posts can have the content thrown into the “My Story” tab. We click on each event as a form of a drop down. I guess it works a lot like the wiki, but this is just another alternative of displaying information.

Attached an example I created real quick in Photoshop.

You can probably add those images as event tabs in achievements too to create some visuals.

I cannot +1 this enough.

Anyone else notice his hands are glowing in a similar manor as a certain old GW1 Faction Luxon Elite Dungeon boss?

he wears the Molten Factory gloves because he raided a Molten Factory. Something Anet told us in the Forums and what counts as “supplementary” and not worth to be in the actual game.

IMO: The most of the story in this game was uninteresting, childish and even boring some times. Why?

• The way of conversations played are breaking the dinamic of the story.
• Always standing, boring backgrounds, always the same viewpoint… Why would it be hard to make the chars sit down in a bar for a conversation? Or else…
• Oh yeah, and there was no epicness at all

Marcus Greythorne.6843:

he wears the Molten Factory gloves because he raided a Molten Factory. Something Anet told us in the Forums and what counts as “supplementary” and not worth to be in the actual game.

Out of all the things that bug me about the Living Story content so far, this is at the top of the list.

@ANet: Assuming you created this content concurrently, why would you not add Canach as an NPC in the Molten Facility? He wouldn’t even need to be part of the story. He could make a quick cameo, run off, and leave your character and the NPCs wondering “Who?” or “Why?”. Perhaps there’s a little investigation to find out who this was, and the NPCs in LA can peg a few characters: Canach, and a couple others (who then become part of the following Living Story updates). Etc, etc.

The main point being: It would be extra nice if some of this story was hinted at or alluded to during previous Living Story chapters. It’s mentioned on the web that Canach has raided a Molten Facility, so these two events are loosely tied together. He could have easily made a shadowy cameo in the dungeon that would leave players trying to figure out things.

This does two things:

1. It ties the Living Story chapters together a bit more
2. It gives the players a puzzle or riddle to speculate upon while between content releases

I understand this is all new and you’re working through the kinks, but I hope that more thought will be given to tying these stories together with more in-game clues and events.

Obviously, if these stories are being written as content is released, this entire reply is moot.

BobbyStein.2315:

Mia Lunarfang.5826:

Okay, so I understand if you cant or have no desire to implement my suggestions, but I would appreciate a response if possible.

…

I posted this elsewhere, but… whatever.

We don’t have the time to directly respond to every bit of feedback. It’s nothing personal, by the way. We just don’t have the time/bandwidth/free cycles/etc. We read as much as we can in the forums (and at other sources) and reply when we’re able.

We do value all thoughtful suggestions, so thanks to you and everyone else who has been posting here with ideas, concerns, and constructive criticism. We’ll take it into account as we work on future Living World releases.

Not to mention, there are occasionally liability issues involved with intellectual property sourcing in professional circles. This tends to show up more in other media (movies and books), but I’m reminded strongly of the old Babylon 5 USENET forum back when the show was first aired (‘93-’97ish?). JMS was the producer, writer, and all-around genesis of almost all ideas B5 related. He graciously acquiesced into participating on the newsgroup, however there were some strict rules against excessive speculation and fan-created story content. Basically, even if completely accidental, if someone started writing content that became what happened on the show, there is then liability for the one crazy person who sues becaue “JMS STOLE MY IDEA”.

That being said, I’m pretty sure we probably signed away our firstborn in whatever user agreement was needed to sign up for the forum so they could probably use anything written here without notice or consent, but writers still need to be gently careful about idea sources.