Guild Wars 2

IndigoSundown.5419:

One group wants the content gated to limit who can get it, the other wants it available via more means, so that it can be obtained by doing what they find fun. GW2 was supposed to cater to the latter group.

This comports with my understanding of the dichotomy that necessarily exists in every MMO. Every MMO has something fun about it. Whether it be interesting boss fights, or getting to play dress up with your avatar. To make sure you’re forced to sit and work to earn your fun, they’ve come up with some rules. So the way I see it, all MMOs have fun content on one end and rules on the other. Problem is finding the proper balance.

The ascended gear seems like new content with access mitigated by new rules. I think they mean for the new content to exist parallel to the game’s existing ecosystem. As I understand it, There’s a new stat only relevant to the new content, and that new stat is the only way in which the new gear is better. (that could be a misstatement, I haven’t kept up to speed on it.)

So there is new content, but the new rules that come with it are limited to that new content as I understand it. Comparing it to other exotics seems like apples and oranges. But I take the point that at least for now, until there are other paralel systems that dole out like-content elsewhere in the game, it does seem like a subset of players are getting what they wanted, and that it wasn’t what the bulk of players wanted.

But I think they’ve done enough to separate the two paralel content mechanisms in such a way that it gives on group what they want without hurting other groups. Seems like the typical maximin you go for in such balancing situations.

Anet seems smart enough to do this right, even if their first pass attempt falls short. So I think all the fuss is a little premature.

Here’s my two cents. No, I don’t think my story differs substantially from others, but I want to write it all down for venting purposes.

Ok, first off, I have been busy with law school recently and with Halo 4 out, I left guild wars 2 for a little over a week. I had no idea what was going on when I logged in on friday.
I got a little caught up on what had been happening, and what was planned, but I didn’t make any special plans. I didn’t even look up when the one-time event was going to take place. I figured whatever the time was going to be, I’d probably have some opportunity to participate.
So I get home and turn on my computer for the first time that day and my razer naga decides it doesn’t want to click anymore. Like for real, doesn’t click. That upsets me, and for a while I try and fix the kitten thing. I eventually give up, and use my old mouse.
By that time, my server has already killed the boss. I don’t really care. Then I find out about the loot. Now I care.
So I get in a group with a guildie. He’s in an overflow where the event is stil running. I try and join his server but don’t get there until its over
I have to sit through all the guild chat spam of their loot. Frustrating.
Then another guildie has a second working overflow. I actually get in on that one, but its slow going. My computer is nice, my fps never drops, and I don’t detect any real lag. This, I figure is the experience as was intended. I’m excited to get my loot, even if it does take hours.
Then my guildie’s client crashes. Uh oh. Well my rig won’t do that to me, right? It doesn’t for a time. Then it does.
Somehow I manage to get back in that same overflow. I figure my troubles are through. I’ve crashed but I’ve made it back on. Times are good.
Then the clock strikes 10pm and my client crashes. Not to worry, if I get back on fast, it’ll be no worse than last time right? False. Everyone crashed, overflow access is gone to me and my party.
At that point I’m tired of this noise, so I try and find a grp for fractals, level one. (after all, I haven’t had much time to play) And cannot find a grp for level one, everyone is on some higher level. Ok. That’s lame.
Then I find out that there are still overflows running the event, so I try and get on one of them. It takes me forever, but I do get on one. They’re not far from where I was before at 10pm when everyone crashed. This, I figure, is my reward for having faith. Nope.
We’re told the servers are coming down for maintenance. We were at the time aware that the maintenance was an issue, but thought we had more time. So that’s lame too.
TL;DR:
I don’t know if I liked this whole event. The fractals are cool. Still love the game. No, I’m not really complaining about the quality of the one-time world event, because I don’t believe there’s such a thing as a good one. I just feel I’m entitled to loot.