Guild Wars 2

I just happen to browse the Dev Tracker forum and I noticed that other than Josh Davis, the other Dev in the balance team are in complete radio silence.

The last post that I can find, unless I missed someone, is from Karl which is 24 days ago.

I want to believe that this is a good sign, that they are working hard for a balance in making all professions viable and not sitting around under a blanket with hot cocoa in hand.

Dunno, did you check Reddit? Maybe they’re all having a party over there….

But seriously, I’ve been bitten (read: ‘severely mauled’) by so many MMOs now that I try to avoid hope. Yet, the slagging of Thief’s utility and effectiveness by the players in general (raids etc), including some bullying, gives me a little hope, as I’ve mentioned elsewhere.

Also, and credit where credit’s due, ‘our’ illusive Dev did pop into the forum the last time that we actually did get a real buff (to VS and Unload damage, which being a gunslinger I found awesome), and told us that they’re aware that Thief isn’t where it should be currently, and that they’re working on it.

Again, we’ll see….

Late january is the earliest we can expect any changes.

I do hope they learn from this though. Never add new classes when balance has not been achieved in the ones already existing. If a new classe introduced please refrain from the tendency to give it abilities that are supposed to be the strengths of an existing class.

I think there was a whole lot of “we can make this new class bigger better and badder from all that we have learned in the past 2 years” without understanding how it affects game balance.

I think they mentioned before that they have to jump through some serious hoops to post here. Early on a few devs that were not the best at communicating went all molyneux on them and ruined it for everyone.

Kadin.2356:

I think they mentioned before that they have to jump through some serious hoops to post here. Early on a few devs that were not the best at communicating went all molyneux on them and ruined it for everyone.

If that is the case, I would really like if they put a sticky post up saying “We have internal procedures for this and we’re busy trying to fix things, so not hearing from us doesn’t mean we aren’t listening.”

Just… just one confirmation that they’re still paying attention, and that we aren’t a class left to rot.

Slowmelt.8547:

Kadin.2356:

I think they mentioned before that they have to jump through some serious hoops to post here. Early on a few devs that were not the best at communicating went all molyneux on them and ruined it for everyone.

If that is the case, I would really like if they put a sticky post up saying “We have internal procedures for this and we’re busy trying to fix things, so not hearing from us doesn’t mean we aren’t listening.”

Just… just one confirmation that they’re still paying attention, and that we aren’t a class left to rot.

Well to be fair i you look through the boards of other professions many have the same complaints indicating they not getting any attention from the devs.

babazhook.6805:

Slowmelt.8547:

Kadin.2356:

I think they mentioned before that they have to jump through some serious hoops to post here. Early on a few devs that were not the best at communicating went all molyneux on them and ruined it for everyone.

If that is the case, I would really like if they put a sticky post up saying “We have internal procedures for this and we’re busy trying to fix things, so not hearing from us doesn’t mean we aren’t listening.”

Just… just one confirmation that they’re still paying attention, and that we aren’t a class left to rot.

Well to be fair i you look through the boards of other professions many have the same complaints indicating they not getting any attention from the devs.

That’s what I noticed. No Dev from the balance team had posted anywhere in these forums since that last one from Karl. I highly doubt that they’ll post more on Reddit than their official forum and even then, it’s rather strange that they would do that.

They dont give a kitten. They got final payment from HoT and now they gonna disband leaving the game to die in slow agony ..

I’d like to know if it’s because they’re completely inept at their job or if it’s because they are restricted from posting by their management (meaning their management is inept at their jobs).

Einlanzer.1627:

I’d like to know if it’s because they’re completely inept at their job or if it’s because they are restricted from posting by their management (meaning their management is inept at their jobs).

That’s part of it why it is really strange since they we’re very active in the forum prior to HoT’s release.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Einlanzer.1627:

I’d like to know if it’s because they’re completely inept at their job or if it’s because they are restricted from posting by their management (meaning their management is inept at their jobs).

That’s part of it why it is really strange since they we’re very active in the forum prior to HoT’s release.

Its usually normal for devs to go on CD after a large release. unwinding from stress, pinch patches and the like.

Probably more than a few of them were just stressed the kitten out for this expansion that they never even planned on doing at first. I assume multiple vacations after such a burst of content.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Einlanzer.1627:

I’d like to know if it’s because they’re completely inept at their job or if it’s because they are restricted from posting by their management (meaning their management is inept at their jobs).

That’s part of it why it is really strange since they we’re very active in the forum prior to HoT’s release.

Probably trying to get as much feedback as possible so they could give the image of success for their expansion. I mean think about it, people had beta access which meant they could share their experiences through streaming/posting which gives the average consumer (those who did not pre-order) an idea of whether its worth buying or not.

By showing extra attention and addressing even a few issues makes it seem worthwhile except for those who have been with this game since launch know better than to fall victim to wishful thinking. I sat back, let the beta’s roll through and read posts and pretty much on launch day I quit as there was no enjoying the game without the expansion and that alone was IMHO the worst mistake anet has done. Greed obviously had the upper hand here because loyal customers meant nothing anymore, you made an expansion cost $60 even if you had the original GW2 and locked just about everything new and exciting to HoT.

Where was the “thank you for sticking around”? Still remember when daredevil was announced and almost everyone was ecstatic for it not realizing until weeks later it was acrobatics 2.0 and the entire reason why acrobatics got gutted and reworked so poorly.

Email me when HoT goes to <$20, maybe I’ll consider it then.

I’m not going to say who, but a popular streamer said that we might get a holiday gift in the forum of a balance patch soon…

And that balance patch is today.

check PVP forum.

Azure The Heartless.3261:

And that balance patch is today.

check PVP forum.

I guess it’s better than nothing but the problem it not really addressed. For instance, the Mesmer block needed both duration and CD nerf, so nerfing the duration only partially solve the problem. The main problem with Mermer is their access to Alacrity, thus nerfing the duration of the block means very little when they should be nerfing the CD as well to balance the advantage of Alacrity.

Still, no words from other Devs other than Josh, though.

The funny part of this announcement is what Gaile posted;

Balance itself is an iterative process and our work will be ongoing. We’re taking a hard look at the ways players are experiencing content across the game (raids, fractals, open world, PvP, and WvW) and we’ll be making adjustments accordingly.

Nerfing both Mesmer and Revenant will leave a bad taste in PvE’s mouth. At the same time, by insisting that skills changes should be across the board, they’re making it hard to themselves to issue a balance update since they have to consider the changes in different part of the game rather than making changes where it needs to be. They really should have kept the skills separated for PvP and PvE since this “balance” update has nothing to do with non-PvP contents.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

I guess it’s better than nothing but the problem it not really addressed.

-various snips-

They really should have kept the skills separated for PvP and PvE since this “balance” update has nothing to do with non-PvP contents.

Agree with most of this, addressing what’s left.

Better than nothing, indeed, still hasnt fixed the problem as you said. I’m willing to hold my tongue since at least someone has said something, until it becomes clear that ‘iterative balancing’ is not the game plan for this.

I’d be fine with separating pvp/pve, but it seems that they are averse to anything that prevents people from crossing game thresholds with any degree of difficulty that is above ‘seamless’.

Apart from what they did to thief reveal

I don’t see it happening, but it would make their jobs a lot easier if they did. Then they could worry about not breaking the entire game and focus on how the classes interact with one another in a nice little pvp bubble. Even though feeding cows the transition may be a bit tumultuous for the players, I still say the burden is better suited on them to learn a -slightly different- game if they want to pvp, if it preserves everyone’s sanity in the end.

Azure The Heartless.3261:

Sir Vincent III.1286:

I guess it’s better than nothing but the problem it not really addressed.

-various snips-

They really should have kept the skills separated for PvP and PvE since this “balance” update has nothing to do with non-PvP contents.

Agree with most of this, addressing what’s left.

Better than nothing, indeed, still hasnt fixed the problem as you said. I’m willing to hold my tongue since at least someone has said something, until it becomes clear that ‘iterative balancing’ is not the game plan for this.

I’d be fine with separating pvp/pve, but it seems that they are averse to anything that prevents people from crossing game thresholds with any degree of difficulty that is above ‘seamless’.

Apart from what they did to thief reveal

I don’t see it happening, but it would make their jobs a lot easier if they did. Then they could worry about not breaking the entire game and focus on how the classes interact with one another in a nice little pvp bubble. Even though feeding cows the transition may be a bit tumultuous for the players, I still say the burden is better suited on them to learn a -slightly different- game if they want to pvp, if it preserves everyone’s sanity in the end.

For each skill they change, they want us to believe that they have an iteration process that covers raids, fractals, open world, PvP, and WvW — roflmao.

I’m really sorry because I simply don’t believe that bologna otherwise they won’t even break D/D, S/D, Blackpowder, and all skills and traits that made P/P somewhat usable (i.e Ricochet.) and more. There’s no such iteration, if there is, then it’s new.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

There’s no such iteration, if there is, then it’s new.

this is apparently the case because it sure as heck has been nonexistent.

The next real balance patch is in late January, so I won’t be touching the game until then… barely been playing the last month or so as it is. Blade & Soul is already drawing me away with its better action-based combat and a Rogue class that actually feels flavorful and effective, unlike Thief.

ArenaNet would be wise to make that January balance patch a good one, and not just for Thieves. They’re getting very close to causing a mass exodus of players with how the expansion has been handled. If they leave, many of those players will never come back.