The living story started with flame and frost, which were the Fire Legion and the mole people teaming up. Then we have the aetherblade pirate which seem to be inquest and pirates(?)(I assume seperatists) joining forces. Next, we have the watchnights (reprogramming jenna’s bots) and controlling the steam creatures. Next, something has gotten into teq making him smarter and deadlier.
Which brings us up to the next patch, the twilight council. So, either they’ve teamed up with someone else (sons of svanir?) or are going it alone.
And anet has said that Scarlet has her motives, which I assume someone is giving her commands.
So, all the big bad factions are being brought together by Scarlet, who is being commanded by someone else. I predict that finally(!) we are either getting another dragon appearing, or crystal desert is opening up.
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Of course this community is also tin hat heavy, excellent at empty hyperbole and finding stuff that isn’t there 95% of the time.
Good catch on the ecto thing tho. 5% for gryffindor.
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Because Arena.net is flawless, and one tiny slip means they’re doomed. Doomed I tell ya.
Or maybe we should presume they’re humans with the same flaws and drives as you and me. You have flaws too, no? Imagine 300 people like you working together … a slip is inevitable.
Dunno. At this point, fitting the story to the mechanics is more important than fitting the mechanics to the story. Building a nice world is the primary objective, good storytelling will come with the second dragon.
If I can’t play Guild Wars 2 at work, I won’t work in Guild Wars 2 either.
Delayed content is eventually good. Rushed content is eternally bad. ~ Shigeru Miyamoto
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Because Arena.net is flawless, and one tiny slip means they’re doomed. Doomed I tell ya.
Or maybe we should presume they’re humans with the same flaws and drives as you and me. You have flaws too, no? Imagine 300 people like you working together … a slip is inevitable.
Dunno. At this point, fitting the story to the mechanics is more important than fitting the mechanics to the story. Building a nice world is the primary objective, good storytelling will come with the second dragon.
You missed my point. You’re assuming ANet has pre-written all this stuff way back when Flame & Frost started. I’m saying they are making it up bit by bit as they go forward and just making it look like it was all tied together from the beginning.
The “slip” here means they will introduce a tie, which someone will then prove it was conjured up later on because it contradicts something so clearly.
EDIT: And to clarify, I’m basing my assumption that they’re just making it up to the fact that no one, anywhere, had any clues in-game about Scarlet’s identity before she was introduced. Nothing. Yes, it could be a case of just lazy writing, but ANY good suspense story needs to have those hooks and hints in there BEFORE they make the big reveal. The hooks and hints can (and should) be so obscure that their meaning will only be apparent once the reveal has been made, making the reader go “OMG it was right there under my nose all along and I didn’t figure it out!”
We have got NOTHING like that regarding Scarlet. So, either they are indeed making this stuff up as they go ahead, OR they are lazy and/or incompetent in creating a good suspense story. Either way, they should fire their writers and hire better ones.
I’m with you Tom, I think they are making the lore as they go. It sometime seemed that they did that in GW1, but it’s more obvious in GW2…thus why I barely think about lore in this game.
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Because Arena.net is flawless, and one tiny slip means they’re doomed. Doomed I tell ya.
Or maybe we should presume they’re humans with the same flaws and drives as you and me. You have flaws too, no? Imagine 300 people like you working together … a slip is inevitable.
Dunno. At this point, fitting the story to the mechanics is more important than fitting the mechanics to the story. Building a nice world is the primary objective, good storytelling will come with the second dragon.
You missed my point. You’re assuming ANet has pre-written all this stuff way back when Flame & Frost started. I’m saying they are making it up bit by bit as they go forward and just making it look like it was all tied together from the beginning.
Does it matter one way or another?
The “slip” here means they will introduce a tie, which someone will then prove it was conjured up later on because it contradicts something so clearly.
So a slip could reveal the thing everyone knows already. Boohoo. You’re making this slip into something that has any influence whatsoever. It is unimportant.
EDIT: And to clarify, I’m basing my assumption that they’re just making it up to the fact that no one, anywhere, had any clues in-game about Scarlet’s identity before she was introduced. Nothing. Yes, it could be a case of just lazy writing, but ANY good suspense story needs to have those hooks and hints in there BEFORE they make the big reveal. The hooks and hints can (and should) be so obscure that their meaning will only be apparent once the reveal has been made, making the reader go “OMG it was right there under my nose all along and I didn’t figure it out!”
We have got NOTHING like that regarding Scarlet. So, either they are indeed making this stuff up as they go ahead, OR they are lazy and/or incompetent in creating a good suspense story. Either way, they should fire their writers and hire better ones.
The story isn’t that bad either. It just lacks some overall depth and is obviously made up on the spot. But there’s plenty of top serialized novels like that. Anna Karenina and Moby kitten come to mind immediately. The writers will need experience with that, and remembering F&F, we should agree they’ve come a long way. Doesn’t mean they’re there yet. Firing people won’t solve anything, especially since no one has done this before. Hiring better people is impossible, you have to make them as a company. Experience will do the trick.
I like Scarlet, you don’t. That’s another discussion enitrely.
If I can’t play Guild Wars 2 at work, I won’t work in Guild Wars 2 either.
Delayed content is eventually good. Rushed content is eternally bad. ~ Shigeru Miyamoto
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
Because Arena.net is flawless, and one tiny slip means they’re doomed. Doomed I tell ya.
Or maybe we should presume they’re humans with the same flaws and drives as you and me. You have flaws too, no? Imagine 300 people like you working together … a slip is inevitable.
Dunno. At this point, fitting the story to the mechanics is more important than fitting the mechanics to the story. Building a nice world is the primary objective, good storytelling will come with the second dragon.
You missed my point. You’re assuming ANet has pre-written all this stuff way back when Flame & Frost started. I’m saying they are making it up bit by bit as they go forward and just making it look like it was all tied together from the beginning.
Does it matter one way or another?
The “slip” here means they will introduce a tie, which someone will then prove it was conjured up later on because it contradicts something so clearly.
So a slip could reveal the thing everyone knows already. Boohoo. You’re making this slip into something that has any influence whatsoever. It is unimportant.
EDIT: And to clarify, I’m basing my assumption that they’re just making it up to the fact that no one, anywhere, had any clues in-game about Scarlet’s identity before she was introduced. Nothing. Yes, it could be a case of just lazy writing, but ANY good suspense story needs to have those hooks and hints in there BEFORE they make the big reveal. The hooks and hints can (and should) be so obscure that their meaning will only be apparent once the reveal has been made, making the reader go “OMG it was right there under my nose all along and I didn’t figure it out!”
We have got NOTHING like that regarding Scarlet. So, either they are indeed making this stuff up as they go ahead, OR they are lazy and/or incompetent in creating a good suspense story. Either way, they should fire their writers and hire better ones.
The story isn’t that bad either. It just lacks some overall depth and is obviously made up on the spot. But there’s plenty of top serialized novels like that. Anna Karenina and Moby kitten come to mind immediately. The writers will need experience with that, and remembering F&F, we should agree they’ve come a long way. Doesn’t mean they’re there yet. Firing people won’t solve anything, especially since no one has done this before. Hiring better people is impossible, you have to make them as a company. Experience will do the trick.
I like Scarlet, you don’t. That’s another discussion enitrely.
The story is bad, because it breaks the suspension of disbelief. I hope you are aware of that term. That’s why I don’t like it. Yes, Scarlet is also a horrible Villain Sue, but I could have forgiven it if we would have had a chance to learn about her before her reveal in-game.
Alas, we couldn’t, because she appeared from thin air. There is absolutely no record of her in-game before the reveal. Nothing, zip. Which wouldn’t be so bad if Scarlet wasn’t special enough for people to talk about her. But she is.
I know there are a lot of stories made up on the spot in popular culture. That doesn’t mean it’s a good way to tell a story. The best stories are always written beforehand and hints of future events are then sprinkled all over the story. I take Babylon 5 as a good example of a story that was written from beginning to end before the story started (not including the messups with the 5th season canceling and un-canceling). Many of the hints you don’t even spot on the first watchthrough, but they make you go “holy sh**” when you realize them.
This is what I would like ANet to do. Make me go “holy sh**” when the Big Plot is revealed and we realize they’ve played us all along.
gotta go with Tom on this one,
story wise its al bit thrown together, no real connection between em & depth wise its real poor
to quote the OP “And anet has said that Scarlet has her motives, which I assume someone is giving her commands.”
sayin that she has motives =/= someone gives her commands,
it could just have been that Scarlet lost the Little Miss Divinitys Reach competition to Jenna when they were young & Scarlet has a grudge against her ever since
so far I find the living story updates vague & a mash up of various unrelated things, I hope they get back on track & start leading to a new dragon with new maps, creatures & adventures because that has been pretty weak
Shiva /Haze/Glau/Mashira
Seaferer’s Rest berserker of the Mists – VOLT -
I hate to say this, but the living story is really not much of a story at all. The plot is a twisted patchwork mess. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with no discernible life, depth or dimension. Honestly, I can’t even recall what has happened so far because it really is not interesting enough to even register in my brain. I mean hell, we had a freaking election and it takes a second to even recall Elen’s name. This is such a beautiful game with such a vast well of existing history and lore but it’s just not being utilized. I feel bad saying this because i know that ANET works really hard to bring us consistent and fun content. And so far they definitely have. Updates have brought some cool features but the “story” is really non-existent and extremely disappointing.
That being said, Mad King is coming and im super excited about that! Best lore and Villian in the game if you ask me. Can’t wait to see what tricks he has up his sleeve this year.
I hate to say this, but the living story is really not much of a story at all. The plot is a twisted patchwork mess. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with no discernible life, depth or dimension. Honestly, I can’t even recall what has happened so far because it really is not interesting enough to even register in my brain. I mean hell, we had a freaking election and it takes a second to even recall Elen’s name. This is such a beautiful game with such a vast well of existing history and lore but it’s just not being utilized. I feel bad saying this because i know that ANET works really hard to bring us consistent and fun content. And so far they definitely have. Updates have brought some cool features but the “story” is really non-existent and extremely disappointing.
That being said, Mad King is coming and im super excited about that! Best lore and Villian in the game if you ask me. Can’t wait to see what tricks he has up his sleeve this year.
Gotta agree with you here, for all it’s worth very little memorable plot has been produced with LS. If i happen to sit out for a couple of weeks on GW to go pursue a different game/hobby then come back to it what ever I missed in that two week period is lost and has left little to no impact on the game that would make me feel like I need to go back and read up on what I missed. I am strictly talking story not content left after the story like Teq and this new permanent dungeon path. These two examples however are very recent before that there’s not a lot in the way of leave behinds.
It’s the same formula over and over, new back item, new weapon skins, and something happened for two weeks to a month that will all disappear with the next patch. I can appreciate the skins and back items because they may actually produce one that I’ll want to pick up.
So what ever they are up to seems very patchy and bland, and very frequent. Here’s hoping they pull it all together but I hope it’s not a defeatable cookie cutter laughy villain at the center of it all.
I hate to say this, but the living story is really not much of a story at all. The plot is a twisted patchwork mess. The characters are cardboard cut-outs with no discernible life, depth or dimension. Honestly, I can’t even recall what has happened so far because it really is not interesting enough to even register in my brain. I mean hell, we had a freaking election and it takes a second to even recall Elen’s name. This is such a beautiful game with such a vast well of existing history and lore but it’s just not being utilized. I feel bad saying this because i know that ANET works really hard to bring us consistent and fun content. And so far they definitely have. Updates have brought some cool features but the “story” is really non-existent and extremely disappointing.
That being said, Mad King is coming and im super excited about that! Best lore and Villian in the game if you ask me. Can’t wait to see what tricks he has up his sleeve this year.
Have to agree here!
GW2 has a lot of potential and so does living story. But instead of giving us a story with big happenings and decisions that leads to the next dragon (which obviously is what everyone wants), we are given something that seems like a big mess.
I actually like Scarlet, or rather her potential as a character. But who is she really? And what are her plans? We know barely anything about her and haven’t even heard rumors in towns.
I still have no idea what the election was for and I’m starting to have a feeling it won’t matter. Elen should’ve just been elected before the game began. The event was horrible anyways. Just that voting system said it all.
Actually…
Ever since release I’ve been stuck in a confusion-mode of where this game is headed. The general story is great, but nothing after the main story “ended” has been interesting enough to mention or even remember.
It might be the lack of cutscenes, but I honestly can’t remember most characters we’ve seen with living story.
If anything I hope that Scarlet is secretly a member of an evil organization. They have hidden within each faction and city to eventually set “bombs” into action to weaken the alliance between the races and guilds. This will lead into another Guild Wars. But in fact one of the dragons is actually controlling this evil organization and when this is found out (when the members are dead), the alliance of Tyria go together once again to defeat this foul dragon.
Anet is not always the best at presenting their story, and admittedly there are flaws and plot holes. Things that get posted on the website that should be in the game as backstory and such.
Still, this general plot line holds potential. (Grab the tinfoil hats now, it’s a whopper) Following the original OPs theory of a dragon, this would be a way to introduce the mythical ‘jungle dragon’. If the theory is correct that the Sylvari were indeed supposed to be its original minions, being ‘corrupted’ to the good side has him a few thralls short. Scarlet could potentially be his puppet, gathering unsuspecting minions to his legions. Based on Scarlet’s back story, the ‘vine’ trying to choke the pale tree in the vision could easily be a representation of her dragon master trying to exert control over her.
Would be an interesting twist, no?
Don’t look at me like that. Whatever you’ve heard, it’s probably not true.
tbh i think they should make playable “evil faction”….<_<
i would love to be an evil guy (my sylvari is already creeping the hell out of people >:) )
We tried this in City of Heroes…. One faction always constantly feels Kittened on while the other one always seems to get a better economy and larger teams.
In WoW, Alliance was notorious for just have like 2x as many players — even if Horde claimed to have the most “competent ones” …. which when it comes to a click-fest like that, isn’t actually saying much. That’s like pitting AngryBirds players against Bejeweled players while a few Meatboy/Darksouls players watch from the sidelines.
And sometimes it’s not even the good guys who have the population/gear advantage…. look at Counterstrike & ABP reloaded. … Or Planetside too if you consider the New Congolmorate to be the “good Ol’ America boys” and the other 2 to be weird Moonspeakin’ communist scientologists…
1 thing that was mentioned in the first post that bugs me, the Sons of Svanir are horribly misogynistic so Scarlet would not be able to pull them in herself, and Aetherblades are bandits, not necessarily seperatists(as those are strictly human).
@nexxe, if you’d pay attention, Trehearne is a sylvari, which means he’s immune to all dragon corruption.
I don’t think this story line is very good, and while I don’t mind Scarlet, she’s just kind of there to me, I’m guessing they’re planning on wrapping it up either this month or maybe next. I don’t think we’ll see anything to do with Sons of Svanir until we go face Jormag, as they are the most exclusionary and jerkish. Rumors on my server are that the first new area we’ll be getting is in Maguuma, so that could lend support to something with Mordremoth if true, or anything else really, it’s Maguuma.
Tom has some great points. I’ve moved on from putting a lot of care or anticipation into their lore and stories, and I think they’ve moved towards trying to make as much money as they can before everything implodes.
“We just don’t want players to grind in Guild Wars 2.” -Colin Johanson
Don’t support the Gem Shop, it’s that easy.
I just hope that this is in some way related to releasing the jungle dragon, otherwise I see this story going right off the train tracks into the ravine. I also will be disappointed if there isn’t some sort of conversation about the end of the personal story-line because IMO this is probably the best shot at a smooth transition to the next dragon and we all know it won’t be the most powerful one if it is.
I just hope that this is in some way related to releasing the jungle dragon, otherwise I see this story going right off the train tracks into the ravine. I also will be disappointed if there isn’t some sort of conversation about the end of the personal story-line because IMO this is probably the best shot at a smooth transition to the next dragon and we all know it won’t be the most powerful one if it is.
We can always hope, but given that no one has discovered even a sliver of hint going that way, it’s quite unlikely.
I think A-net should have Traehearne corrupted, so we can kill him off.
While that would be pretty fulfilling for a lot of people, didn’t he just fall into obscurity once the whole Zhaitan business was taken care of? He completed his Wyld Hunt after all, so he prob just retired or something.
I came to the sudden realization today that the living story is just a rehash of the personal story.
A sylvary having influence over different factions? Check.
Uniting the factions and leading them? Check.
We all hate the sylvari for various reasons? Check.
Only difference will be one faction works for a dragon, the other doesnt.
Or that ANet is desperately trying to wrap completely random ideas together with a poorly written supervillain.
The fact is, if they just read what they’ve done themselves carefully, they can do the “this was our plan all along” thing as long as they want to, without us ever knowing about it.
But rest assured, if they slip, someone will see it and they will be caught red-handed.
The storytelling in MMOs is often quite improvised, and often imperfect.
I mean, if you look at for example, RuneScape’s lore. Despite being probably my favorite lore in a game in 12 years of gaming, its inconsistent in a ton of places, they’ve changed even core elements of it so many times, and a lot of it is literally made up on the spot by devs and writers from things like meet-the-dev sessions.
tbh i think they should make playable “evil faction”….<_<
i would love to be an evil guy (my sylvari is already creeping the hell out of people >:) )
We tried this in City of Heroes…. One faction always constantly feels Kittened on while the other one always seems to get a better economy and larger teams.
In WoW, Alliance was notorious for just have like 2x as many players — even if Horde claimed to have the most “competent ones” …. which when it comes to a click-fest like that, isn’t actually saying much. That’s like pitting AngryBirds players against Bejeweled players while a few Meatboy/Darksouls players watch from the sidelines.
And sometimes it’s not even the good guys who have the population/gear advantage…. look at Counterstrike & ABP reloaded. … Or Planetside too if you consider the New Congolmorate to be the “good Ol’ America boys” and the other 2 to be weird Moonspeakin’ communist scientologists…
