Guild Wars 2

Anectodal evidence here. It feels the same or worse than pre armor pieces adjustment. It definitely does not feel better.

FenrirSlakt.3692:

I just wish they would let us salvage them.
Perhaps we gotta wait until they give us Ascended Jewelcrafting? One can hope.

This is precisely what I am counting on. However, I have no idea when that might be. It is certainly long due.

They did mention they had a plan for them back in Fractured. Since then, I have been piling them sky high (I want a fractal sword, fractals wont cooperate). Any word from the developer on when we can do something with these rings?

Now they just need to add an ascended armor gear exchanger (for a fee of course): Turn in an ascended trinket, get a credit a trinket of your choice. This would help people with many copies of the same item. For example: If you have 10 copies of the same zerker amulet, turn it for an exchange for a different stat set.

I think this would help build experimentation. I certain would love to have a full ascended set of each type.

They should give us a way to make a custom filter.
That way I can block any whisper what contain whatever custom filter I make.

30 for Adept seems excessive. Somehow, if you are making a new character, you are going to need a lot of help.

tota.4893:

When the group event starts, you’re just another faceless zerker in the blob and the only obvious thing to do — deal damage and not die to the chaos — is all you can do.

I feel exactly the same way. There is no skill requirement that does not involve some self imposed handicap. The living story turned what was the opportunity for me to make a difference into something completely vapid.

I do not think this is a problem with the living story per se as much as it is a problem with its implementation.

I will be brutally honest, but the Anet that I loved from GW1 is long, long gone. I have lost all hope that this game will capture that charm.

Now in all seriousness, I have nothing against the new troll. But a harder boss should come with better rewards. I am afraid that is not the style in dungeons, where changes reduce efficiency or force a certain meta, without an accompanying reward change.

Well, in all honestly it is all your fault. You were having fun in HotW P1, thus it must end. As they tried in CoF P1, as they will do anywhere where fun is obtained.

You better learn your lesson, or you might end up with a record like the thief: nerfed every single patch like it was a religion dictate. Yet, there are players out there STILL having fun on their thieves… they never learn!

Their sarcasm was totally lost on you. In fact you missed their point, this is probably their way of saying well done.

Now that the entirety of the living story has been told (for season 1), I can confidently say: What a disappointment!

I think the scope and intent of the living story were noble. I think the implementation did not produce the quality of content I personally wanted.

The story, to me, happened at too fast a pace. The pace lead to events being devoured in a couple of hours after release and promptly falling by the way side. Things like getting “6 minutes to Knightfall” became increasingly harder, as the people who obtained the achievement got themselves out of the attempt loop. Things like the tower of nightmare, the pavilion, etc…. Mostly deserted after the initial “good times”. The fact that it as a “living” story, kind of necessitated that they disappeared from the the immediate world. Thus creating a vacuum of content.

Over all, the thing I find most impressive and puzzling, is the incredible amount of solid hard work that went into the living story and now is nowhere to be found. It is gone.

It is hard for me to accept that the living story did not happen at the expense of permanent content. I feel like it most definitely did. We got a living story where normally we would have gotten an expansion. We got chapters instead of dungeons, Marionettes instead of more fractals, changes to the world instead of big changes to World vs. World. I know its been said that the living story and permanent expansion type content are not mutually exclusive, but to me , it certainly felt that way.

Perhaps there is a plethora of permanent content in the horizon, but like the living story, which would “rock Tyria to its core”, I certainly have no hope or faith, that said content is going to deliver. My faith in this game has been shatter.

A year has gone by, we are nearing the two year anniversary, and I feel that “the more things change, the more they stay the same”. Guildwars 2 is a game ripe with potential. I feel that the living story took it further and further away from the greatness it could have been.

What about you guys?

Is just 10 days. Time to go back and do what you enjoy in game. ESO comes out on the 30th, by then, we will have the WvW season starting to get everyone back in the flow.

That said, the whole 15/mo as an excuse NOT to play that game seems ridiculous. Every single hardcore fan of GW2 I know, have spent well in excess of that amount for gems (extra bags, collection expanders, etc.). I certainly have spent well, well over the 15/mo in gems. Well over that…

In fact, if anything, the gem shop opened my mind to the incredible savings that 15/mo will bring to my wallet.

Dietere.3476:

TL;DR

Make ascended armor salvageable so we can make worthless rewards useful/profitable.

This was a common suggestion/recommendation on the CDI. Let’s hope something along those lines happens.

kmaeropa.3986:

I’m extremely happy they changed how ascended items are rewarded. I remember on reddit there was a recent post about a guild tracking their lvl 50 droprates and there was a general agreement/similarities in the responses. I’ll definitely have to start running the lower tiers again to see the new difference.
Now what to do with all the boxes of ascended chests with crappy stats…

Are you in game? I am at work and cannot check. I am foolishly hoping the change is retroactive. I know, I know… but what can I say, I am a fool.

Dietere.3476:

Asia Skyly.7198:

Any chance that they are retroactive to unopened boxes?

You have the self control to leave boxes unopened!?! Very impressive!

Probably not retroactive though, unfortunately.

When the boxes have crap stats, yes. Honestly there is only one type of box I care for: Zojjas’s. Every other box is crap. I believe my guard has a Valkyrie scepter, which is close enough.

What are you supposed to do with Magi, Settler, Dire, etc. Boxes?

Dietere.3476:

Is there a database somewhere for players to input their reward chest drops? It would be nice to get some numbers about drop rates. Just wishful thinking I guess, I’m not tech-savvy enough to set something like this up.

Also, do these improved drop rates only apply to the final reward chest (the bouncy one)? Can ascended weapons and armor drop for the other chests, or from mobs?

I know LOD had a spreadsheet they kept for themselves. There are other guilds who do the same. The drop rates were worse after fractured.

Previously, the ascended rewards are only from the final chest for the daily tier. Not sure if that changed in this patch, but I seriously doubt it.

Any chance that they are retroactive to unopened boxes?

Chris Whiteside.6102:

I am going to be afk for a few days from tomorrow morning as I will be in hospital but as soon as I start feeling better and more awake I will catch up again on the thread.

Chris

Get well soon!

About Lore

Sometimes, the best bits of a good book is what it does not say. You should do the same in fractal. Take a moment from Guild Wars lore history and build a fractal about it. When you do, you do NOT have to fill it with a ton of direct lore commentary and cut-scenes. You can add key dialog to NPCs in the fractal and leave the rest to the users to find and figure out on their own. I think you can have compelling story telling, without the need to spoon feed the fractal user. You do this well in Ascalon, and not so well in others (Cliffside).

Perhaps Cliffside needs an explanation of how the Colosus got there? This of course, should be done with a companion fractal.

These are complex questions, cause whether or not is stated, it is directly tied to effort vs. rewards.

Instability

The idea was well intended, but the execution flawed. I think had the organization of the instabilities been better, it would have been more impactful.
Take instabilities such as exploding corpses, bloodlust, or reduced critical damage. Had bloodlust been at 49, it would have seemed more reasonable, As you have the hardest instability at the currently highest level. If the reward bracket was significantly greater on 49, than say 48, then you would have some motivation to do 49 and revisit the instability.

The only thing I can think would promote replay would be specific rewards associated with completing specific instabilities. They would have to be some sort of collectible reward, otherwise people will never redo them. They will do it once, collect the reward and never again visit it.

Adding more instabilities as they currently stand will lose the novelty almost instantaneously.

Random Fractals

I personally love this about fractals, and I hope it does not change. As much as I dread getting Dredge as the last fractal, I love the fact that it is one of the possibilities.

On this issue I would advice that you revisit your fractal tiers. Water is a fun fractal and is sad it does not get any replay. At a minimum it should be added to the second tier.

This is not broken, do not change it!

Difficulty Scaling

I have a question for you, is it true that at some point in beta the monsters dodged? If true, this is the kind of mechanic we need to see in fractals. I would love to see a better AI the higher you go. For example, add healers to the mobs at 51-60. Add dodge to the mobs 61-70, add blocking (in addition to the previous ones) at 71-80, etc.

Wethospu.6437:

No need to get offended if I haven’t read / can’t remember over 600 posts. You aren’t that special.

I was not offended at all.
Is unfortunate that I cannot convey feelings in short text. But no disrespect was taken.

I reposted it for exactly the same reasons you list. The thread is up to 13 pages and it is hard to keep up with all the suggestions. It would be absurd to ask someone to be up to date with all 13 pages, well anyone but Chris. His plate is loaded!

Asia Skyly.7198:

Title: Reward for not rolling for Fractals

Goal: Encourage the player-base to experience all of the fractals.

Proposal: Add a Magic find, money, or karma reward bonus if all players start a fractal stage at once.

Proposal detail:
Currently, the Underwater Fractal is seldomly done. Swamp is the preferred tier one fractal of the fractal community. To encourage exploration of all that Fractals have to offer, I propose a bonus when the entire party selects a stage together, and completes that stage together.

If the team leaves the fractal stage by going back to the Fractal home base, The bonus is permanently lost and a timed penalty of 30 minutes is implemented. The penalty will prevent people for getting the bonus again for a minimum of 30 minutes.

The bonus can be something simple like a Magic Find Bonus, Karma Bonus at the end, or Money Bonus at the end of the fractal run. The bonus should be good enough to encourage people to stay with their first fractal.

To complete this proposal the tier system needs to be revisited.

Associated Risks:
Player community might dislike the penalty for rolling for a specific fractal.

This was my proposed solution, which was not in the list of “solutions” even when I posted it days and days ago.

In regards to Fractals as a tool for delivering lore

You only need to use the theme for a fractal. You can structure the conversations of various NPCs around the specific issues that brought about the instance.

Alternatively you can even get a more detailed summary from Dessa about what happened upon entering the fractal. I think this seed of lore is a good enough start. Players can then, on their own, research what the subject matter is related to a fractal.

I actually think you guys did a good job with Molten Alliance and Thoumanouva Reactor. I would make Molten a little more involved, but it serves its purpose well. So take that concept and run with it. I already mentioned some of the LS episodes I would love to experience in fractal form.

For example, I would love a combat oriented Bazzaar of the Four winds, where you have to vote for Evon or Kiel, with the added complexity that your regular skills are replaced by the Air, Sun and Water skills we had, modified for combat.

Title: Reward for not rolling for Fractals

Goal: Encourage the player-base to experience all of the fractals.

Proposal: Add a Magic find, money, or karma reward bonus if all players start a fractal stage at once.

Proposal detail:
Currently, the Underwater Fractal is seldomly done. Swamp is the preferred tier one fractal of the fractal community. To encourage exploration of all that Fractals have to offer, I propose a bonus when the entire party selects a stage together, and completes that stage together.

If the team leaves the fractal stage by going back to the Fractal home base, The bonus is permanently lost and a timed penalty of 30 minutes is implemented. The penalty will prevent people for getting the bonus again for a minimum of 30 minutes.

The bonus can be something simple like a Magic Find Bonus, Karma Bonus at the end, or Money Bonus at the end of the fractal run. The bonus should be good enough to encourage people to stay with their first fractal.

To complete this proposal the tier system needs to be revisited.

Associated Risks:
Player community might dislike the penalty for rolling for a specific fractal.

Title: New Fractal Achievements

Goal: Bring some of our rabid achievement hunters into the fractals of the mists.

Proposal: Add new achievements to Fractals of the mists, including associated new titles.

Proposal Details: Since fractured, there have been no new achievements added to fractals of the mists. In addition, due to the Randomness of the fractal stages some people missed some of the Fractured achievements. We can resolve both of these issues by bringing a new set of achievements to fractals of the mists. The following is a small sample of possible achievements and titles that can be added:

• 1000, 2000, 10000, etc. fractal runs.
• Achievements based on instabilities. For example never get downed while under Bloodlust or do not get hit by the randomly spawning Mossman.
• Fractal Collector: Collected all Fractal weapon skins.
• Fractal hoarder: Collected 10000, 20000, 30000, etc. rel
• Title: Fractal Master of the Mists (FOTM 50)
• Title: I haz Skillz (FOTM 70)
• Title: I did Fractals and all I got was this lousy title (FOTM 100)

Associated Risks
Some of the more hardcore achievement hunters will probably cringe at the idea of having to revisit fractals of the mists for any achievement related tasks. Some of these would complain loudly about the new achievements.

Some of the current achievements appeared bugged, and need to be resolved and or explained. Adding new ones to the mix, would only complicate the tasks for the developers.

Nike.2631:

Fail to kill a Warden in time, letting enough enemies slip by to charge the Marionette, or any party wipe at any point resets everything. Basically 12-15 minutes of kicking butt .

A new dredge is born!! I can already taste the tears of Filthy Casuals everywhere

Topic Title: Randomize Instabilities per tiered stage at 70+

Goal: Make higher level fractals truly daunting.

Proposal Overview:
At 70+ FOTM, the instability, per fractal tier, is completely randomized.

Proposal Details:
Instabilities were a great and fun addition to fractals. Unfortunately, their implementation in game has been poor. Since they were originally implemented, only a handful of players experienced the joy of doing FOTM 43 and savor its instability: Bloodlust. Currently no player I know of does FOTM 43 for fun, or even need. They simply find someone who has a higher instability unlocked and do that instead. Currently 38 and 49 are common levels to do in their tier, due to their instability minimal impact on the team.

To add some flavor into fractals, the instabilities should be completely randomized at levels higher than 50. In the past, ANET listed that they already had about 20 other instabilities ready for players in levels 50+. At some point, perhaps 70+ which instability you get should be completely randomized, not per run, but per tiered fractal stage.

In this scenario a Fractal level 78 might have a different instability in swamp, a new one in Cliffside, and a completely new one in dredge.

The pool of instabilities that are applicable can also be tiered, saving some of the most difficult instabilities for FOTM 80+.

Associated Risks
Random instabilities would create havoc in the competitive arena, as two similar teams, even if they get the exact same tiered stages, could face completely different instabilities.

Romo.3709:

Asia Skyly.7198:

• The Marionette.

How would you possibly make a world boss encounter that required an entire map to complete into a 5 men battle? I see other ones you listed as potentially fun levels, but Marionette? Not so much.

It would be adjusted. The bosses health lowered, and 1 party member per platform.
I am sure that the developers could come up with a solution. For example, perhaps if you get the marionette, you simply have to defend one lane, randomly, and then when the timer expires, your entire team is sent to destroy a single chain. Again, this can all be adjusted by the developers.

Finally, this is a request/proposal. Not a demand for implementation.

I simply feel that fractals are the perfect place to relive the greatest moments in Tyria’s History.

Topic Title: Updates to Fractal Currency and items

Goal: Make fractal currency viable again.

Proposal Overview: Allow fractal tokens to be used for a variety of ascended related items.

Proposal Details: Since launch, there have been no significant changes to what can be obtained from Buy-4373. At the same time, Ascended gear, arguably, has its main use in Fractals of the mists. Currently many of our hardcore fractal players are sitting on tens of thousands of relics and hundreds of rings. Thus, we should add support for the fractal currency to acquire new items from Buy-4373. In addition we should add a new vendor which would allow us to exchange items. The amounts listed below are for demonstration purposes:

Add New Items to the Fractal Vendor

• Amulets – 2000 fractal Relics
• Earrings/trinkets – 1900 Fractal Relics
• Dragonite ore – 5 Fractal Relics
• Bloodstone Dust – 5 Fractal Relics
• Empyreal Fragments – 5 Fractal Relics
• Add a simple white 20 slot bag to the vendor – 100 Fractal Relics
• Add Fractal Weapon Boxes to the vendor. – 5000 Fractal Relics
• Add the Fractal Tonic to the Vendor – 15000 Fractal Relics
• Add Fine infusions to the Vendor. – 3500 Fractal Relics

Add a Currency Exchange Vendor to Fractals.

• Fractal tokens for laurels. 100 Fractal Relics for 1 Laurel
• Fractal tokens for Karma jugs. 1 Fractal Relics per 10 Karma Point. A Jug of 6000 Karma = 600 relics.
• Fractal tokens for Guild Influence. 1 Fractal Relic per 10 Influence pts.
• Ring Exchange: 3 Rings for 1.
• Ring Exchange: 1 Ring for 5 Pristine Fractal Relics.

Goal of the Proposal:
While other parts of the game have been updated, the fractal currency has fallen behind. Currently, and without much sense, you cannot acquire ascended related materials in the place where it matters most: Fractals of the Mists. We are in need of a change that will add support to our existing currency by expanding its base, while at the same time introducing a mechanism to exchange fractal currency into other types of in game currency.

Topic Title: Add New Fractals to Fractals of the Mists.

Goal: Increase variety in fractals. Stay true to the original vision of fractals of the mists. Allow new users to experience past Living Stories events.

Proposal Overview: The living story has provided a lot of temporary content of high quality. We should relive these moments using the Fractal Technology. Adapt past living stories events into a fractal format, focusing the content to 5 players as it is currently design. Innovate game mechanics by adding a slightly different form of Fractals (see Bazaar of the Four Winds as an example).

• Escape from LA.
• The Tower of Nightmares.
• The Marionette.
• Bazaar of he Four Winds

Goal of Proposal: Increase diversity of fractals. Provide new users a way to revisit past living story contents. Incorporate new mechanics to increase player fun.

Thank you for the heads up.

I am passionate about fractals. I wanted to thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment and provide our suggestions. I will try to be as constructive as possible. I look forward to this discussion.

I was just thinking, this section of the Living Story would make for a great fractal! One where your team has to escape LA and or you have to go in and rescue someone in LA!

For the first time, ever, I am pretty exited about what the living story will bring about. I am hoping the content is good enough, challenging enough, traumatic enough that it can join the lore of GW2 story telling in the Fractals of the Mists.

I am not sure how to bridge the gap between the community and the developers. To me, it seems vast. For example, you are talking about a CDI on the BLT, but the BLT, while it needs improvements, it is far from the most concerning issue to the average player.

To the dungeon players, the dungeon forums are completely abandoned. You do not see a developer there ever, unless it is to move threads with serious concerns from the main discussion section to the dungeon graveyard.

We have issues with:
1. Conditions caps.
2. Dungeon and Fractals and the lack of new instanced content.
3. The many in game currencies and how cannot exchange between them.
4. The creature AI. The AI on enemies has not improved, the population has, this makes the game too easy.
5. Why some classes have it all (Warrior) while others seems forgotten (Necro).
6. The state of Ascended gearing.
7. Alt friendliness: Soul bound vs. Account bound
8. PvP modes: Death Match, Duels, King of the Hill, etc.
9. UnderFlows: The state of the lonely servers.
10. What to do with ascended rings, fractal relics, pristine fractal relics, etc.

I think you should have a list of topics and people should pick the top 5 by voting. Those 5 will be the base for one combined or several smaller CDIs.

The silence is what is most infuriating. How long do we have to wait until someone answers?

I have 5 torches. Needless to say only three classes in the game can use a torch. What do you do with the rest?

Yeah but it would mean so much to the Fractal community! It would be seen as good will as we know that undoubtedly, they will come to the realization that this fractal level is not up to par with the rest. It is clearly an outlier.

Nothing but good would come from this experiment. Do it! Nao!

I always thought a fair reward would have been 10 silver/level.

1.7g at level 17, 4.9g at 49.

Nice find! I am going to try that next! (leaving the spawning gate veteran alive).

Thanks for the notes, I will do some more testing as soon as the opportunity arises.

I will be honest I was hoping there was more to it, that just kill the left side.

Ayrilana.1396:

Try it and you’ll see that it’s still doable.

You probably added this comment before my edit. I have no problems doing 49. I do not understand the mechanics of respawn inside it.

I am a big fan of DnT’s and Obal’s videos and I am not trying to discredit your contribution, however…

The dredge hit considerably harder since that video came out (pre-Fractured). Second, you can no longer die on the switch (watch the ele’s health and the two other members somewhere towards the middle of the video). I think these changes change that approach.

Lastly and something often overlooked, dredge fractal used to have variants. There were several that did not have the veteran from hell inside the cage. Now we are stuck with the worst variant of dredge, the one with patrols all over the map and a veteran inside the cage with an unusually high health pool. I am not sure which flavor they got, but I think they got a different one from what is currently there.

Final comment: I am really curious if anyone knows the mechanics of respawn inside the cage. I do not have a problem doing FOTM49. I want to understand the mechanics behind it.

Anyone knows the mechanic that controls respawns inside the cage?

We did some testing last night at FOTM49. In one instance, killing one of the trash dredge in the cage, spawned a new wave of trash dredge in the cage. This would suggest a strategy where you do not kill all of the trash. However, which ones you need to leave alive?

I also have heard theories like stepping on the switches activates the next wave of spawns, which would suggest a strategy where you can clear the cage BEFORE you step into the buttons.

Does anyone knows exactly what the cage mechanic is?

Thanks!

Get rid of soul-bound items in favor of account bound items. Of course, you would still respect class distinctions. An account bound heavy armor cannot be worn by a mesmer for example.

This would free, rings, trinkets, weapons, etc. which you no longer want to use in a specific character to be used in an alternate character.

Why is this needed? Because the implementation of soul bound items goes against the spirit of the game and it hinders the game.

Take fractals for example, it is great that the fractal level is account bound. However, that does you no good if your agony resistance gear is still soul bound.

Lastly, make everything account bound: Dungeons for example, once you complete the story in the account, that should apply to every character in your account.

Thanks for keeping attention on this issue. I am in the minority that felt invigorated by the fractured update. I loved it. That said, I am disappointed that the rest of the fractal issues are an afterthought.

We need a resolution to dredge. Someone needs to at least explain the mechanics in the cage. What controls the spawns? Are the respawns infinite? Is there a timer? We spent a good amount of time yesterday just testing various approaches to the cave on Fractal level 49 and researching various aspect of the dredge mechanics. It really needs attention.

We also need a resolution to:
1. Fractal Tokens/Pristine Tokens.
2. Why can’t I buy other ascended items besides rings with my tokens?
3. Why can’t I buy ascended materials, recipes, etc. with my tokens?
4. What do we do with the 100’s of rings?
5. What do you do when you have 6 fractal torches and only 3 classes use them?
6. What happened to the additional levels past 50?
7. Where are the fractal boxes

For the love of all holy: Can we get an answer? Over and over, they simply ignore these questions.

Afya.5842:

Do you have the link still? I wanna have a look.

I take no credit of this, as I was not part of it. This is all LOD research:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Av4NvDVKEaOzdG9wajFBRmN4dzctbVhYR0VNVG5IRmc&usp=drive_web#gid=0

I do not mind battling a battalion of the dredge army. I would not care about the numbers at all if it was not for the kitten INFINITE RE-SPAWNS!!!

Why? Why is that even necessary?

CntrlAltDefeat.1465:

Wow. Nicely done. Super impressed you managed to push portal that far. Nice use of ele elite to get the mesmer there quickly before it expired.

I agree that was:

1. Incredibly skillfull on the mesmer’s part.
2. Very clever (team strategy wise).
3. Shows great teamwork (The trust to know that he would make it there, the trust to know they could 4 man the crusher in time).

That was really impressive.

PS. Loved the music.

The good guys in the LOD guild did a small sample (> 100 runs) over various levels. Clearly the drop rates improve as you get into higher level fractals. What was interesting to me from that chart was the number of weapons is actually LOWER than before the Fractured patch!

Anyway, keep doing your 38/40 and 49/50s, those are you best chances. I have seen 2 people get the tonic, it is worth it for the tonic alone.

I hope this thread does not suffer the same fate as others before it (get moved to the dungeon forum, where absolutely no developer ever answers).

I agree. The rewards are not in par with other content in the game, specially if you consider the financial investment that it takes to get to enough AR to do 49+.

I also second your take on dredge. It has become a terrible, terrible chore. Almost always have to bring a thief, as it is incredibly annoying otherwise. The loot might be interesting, but it does not make for the amount of time it takes. I have been in runs where dredge took longer than it took us to complete the first 2 fractals!

Not only that, with every patch to fractals dredge has become worse! Whose idea was to add more infinite respawns as a way to balance this fractal? I would not mind the numbers if the respawns were limited. It is ridiculous.

Lastly, the whole currency in fractals needs to be redone. I am swimming in fractal relics (pristine and otherwise), with no practical use for them. I like your suggestion of turning pristines into weapon skins. I have now done well over 1000 fractal runs, still no fractal sword.

For the love of Balthazar, can someone from Anet respond to this?