Guild Wars 2

Jedbacca.6297:

a lot of us have been in that dire straights situation, to where your funometer is running low due to lack of people to game with. It’s a different gaming experience on a populated server that is WvW focused than one that is not.

When I chose JQ as my home server during the beta weekends I did so because there was already a thriving community (comprised of many ex-DAoCers) of mature people. I have not yet been disappointed in my choice. The JQ core is a group of talented and mature people who play day in and day out because they enjoy WvW, win or lose.

Over the last six months many people have transferred in for various reasons. Some of these transfers plugged in to the existing community and have found a home. They fit in quite nicely. SF is one of these – I don’t think you guys will have to worry about being the last bastion of WvW oriented players ever, even if JQ loses the fairweather momentum and begins a plunge in the ratings.

Thor.1756:

You happen to have chosen JQ, which hasn’t really had much inner turmoil or conflict, and the leadership of major guilds aren’t kittens. So it makes sense for you or me to want to stick around JQ, it’s a pretty cool server. Other people haven’t had that luxury.

Not taking any sides in this conversation, but I figured I should mention that JQ weathered a LOT of inner turmoil and conflict, and not everyone stuck around. The TW/FATE/IRNY guys left for SoR during the worst of the kittenstorm, and nobody blamed them. We’ve had a couple major guild leaders who ended up being major liabilities (who both ended up being banned from both the JQ community site and the community TS).

The JQ core who’ve been around from the beginning have stuck through as much drama crap as any other server. The only “trial” JQ hasn’t faced yet is a downward plunge in the tiers – and that is in large part due to those of us who put in massive hours to hang on to tier one during SoS’s period of dominance.

All that said I do agree JQ is a pretty cool server. :-)

The more I think about it the more I see the parallels between WvW and Family Fued… make it stop!!!

The Glicko system (as a modification of ELO) isn’t really designed to be used for a limited bracketing system; it’s actually set up so that any rating can play any other without too much risk of rapid score fluctuation. Using it for a three team ladder was an interesting experiment, but I think we’ve all seen the issues by now; “coverage” battles for the top tiers, and an almost inescapable score gap in tier 8.

If Anet really wants more balanced servers they would have to institute some sort of “random match up” system, preferably including European servers in that pool. The top ranked servers might still get some bandwagoners, but there would no longer be any “tier one” for people to strive for, just getting their server’s rank as high as possible. The way glicko works when against the current tier 1 ranks a lower ranked server would actually gain ranking by closing the gap – losing by 30k when the rankings predicted a 50k loss. This would make sticking to your server WORTH it, climbing up the ranks by actually slugging it out with a variety of other servers.

I vote Wotah. Rain, sun, or shine he’s out there wreaking as much havoc as possible.

bhagwad.4281:

Killing NPCs in a PvE zone gives you loot. You directly benefit from it. Fighting each other in WvW brings no benefit.

Absolutely incorrect. It’s obvious you’ve never actually fought anyone in WvW (or are just spouting BS, but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt).

If you really want badges I get more from farming the jumping puzzles than I do from actually completing them. There is a lot of benefit, even if the only reason one is in WvW is to grind the Gift of Battle.

The only way it is “rational” to not fight in the jumping puzzle (from a reward standpoint) is if you are really unskilled and melt before the enemy. I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt again and assume you’re just mis-defining “rational” and are actually pretty decent at the game.

I would just like to point out (if it hasn’t been said already) that it is called the “Gift of Battle.” BATTLE, not “jumping,” or “peaceful relations,” or “appropriately placed mesmer portals;” it’s BATTLE.

Anybody who wants to grind the puzzle for badges without actually engaging in any battle anywhere is not playing the game as intended. This wouldn’t normally bother me (unless so many people are there that the rest of the map’s population is lessened) but to actually COMPLAIN that there are some of us who like to deny the enemy servers free siege is insulting.

WvW is not PvE; to quote Anet it is “PvP combat on an epic scale.” There is no reason the enemy should allowed to obtain an advantage (siege etc.) for any reason. Period. If you want cooperation the event chains in Orr (or elsewhere) are great for that.

This response also applies to those who complain about getting duels interrupted; that’s what sPvP is for. :-)

I was completing the “Help Paenula train the troops” heart in the Plains of Ashford when I ran across a bug that dropped me through the ground and into the water underneath (screenshots attached). I managed to repeat the bug twice, and a friend was able to do it as well; so it is definately repeatable.

I started out speaking to Paenula, the proceded up the ramp towards the pit fight. When I entered the pit a box promted me to choose which creatures I wanted to fight. I selected “Minotaur,” then the box dissapeared. Not really realizing what was going on I crossed the pit and started to leave out the other side, but then the gate dropped on my head and the minotaurs entered the pit. I wasn’t able to move forward or backward, and when I used “Ride The Lightning” I fell through the world.

I was able to waypoint out, and I tried it again, this time intentionally standing underneath the gate. The exact same thing happened. When I had a friend come verify that it wasn’t just me he fell on his second try (the first try he was in the “falling” state, but stuck inside the gate as I killed the Minotaurs).

I figured you all would like to know about this.

I think the biggest problem with this whole fracas is the fact that A-Net isn’t saying anything about it. It’s really not that hard to see an issue (real or perceived) brought up on the forums and then reply with applicable data. Even something as simple as “we’ve heard your reports of messed up queues and will be looking into it, we’ll update you on what we find next week” is better than this insulting silence we’ve had so far. The very fact that they haven’t addressed most of these concerns is what has convinced many that there is a real problem.

I honestly don’t really care if it’s a bug, an intentional pop-cap nerf, or a few random problems stirring up a whole lot of drama. I just want A-Net to stop treating us like we’re children and TALK TO US. We’re adults (for the most part). We can handle it.

I would ask that anyone reading this thread not take the supposed “JQ” people as representative of our community as a whole. Anyone who gets on here and gripes about 2v1 is NOT representing the common opinion of our WvW population; they are merely venting for personal reasons, and making JQ look bad in the process. Generally JQers respect SoS for their strategic target selection; it’s straight out smart playing.

For the most part our WvW population is relaxed, respectful, and out to have fun – forum warfare has no part in that. I can tell you for a fact we’re not reveling in any sort of supposed “victory;” we’re hunkering down and preparing for what will likely be a hard week of WvW.

Gondram
-Jade Quarry Elementalist
-Proud Member of Opposition

Adaneshade.2409:

This would only further reinforce zerging, running the risk of alienating the few actual PvPers remaining in WvW. The more people you take an objective with, the less each person should be “paid”.

I completely agree here. Larger objectives would give more points so the zerg’s rewards wouldn’t be too diluted for taking a garrison, but points given for a zerg taking a camp would be diluted to homeopathic levels.

I’m pretty sure the rank system will be based on WvW “events” completed (flipping camps, towers, keeps, etc.). If they have the capability I would hope that the actual value of completing the event would be based on how long your side holds it after flipping. This would do the best job of impartially distributing whatever sort of “points” are given.

I use a combination of the Winged Hood, Acolyte Shoulders, and HotW for the rest. It makes a pretty good “battlemage” look that seems to fit well with the D/D playstyle.

Keeping track of the attunements is fairly easy once you get the hang of it. Different situations require different attunements, you’re not so worried about swapping to access any specific skill.

For example, with my D/D Ele I use Air for travelling/initiating combat, Earth for the toughness buff and CC, Water for healing/chill/elemental, and Fire for spike damage. If I’m in combat and I need to heal up a bit I switch to water and use any applicable skills. If it’s time to spike I switch to fire. So on and so forth.

A new weapon with an ability that changes based on the last attunement the Ele was in. For example if I switch from fire to earth the ability would be akin to “lava ball,” whereas water to earth would be “mudslide.”

One thing we have to remember… we’ve already bought the game. Any more profit Anet can expect to make off of us is from the gem store… and us WvWers tend not to care about that sort of stuff as much. If Anet is concerned at all about profit they’ll spend most of their energy on the PvE “collector” type players… It’s plain business sense, disappointing though it may be.

Arheundel.6451:

Amins.3710:

You’re absolutely right: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfq5nsj4lfs&list=UUx93rwoTp7k4ZKrW_FKYjYQ&index=1

This is SPVP FORUM no the WvWvW forum…learn to differentiate between the tags of the forums

This is the “Elementalist” forum… not sPvP OR WvWvW…

In a D/D build I can often handle a backstab thief as long as I don’t slip up (which doesn’t always happen). I run a 0/10/10/20/30 build with cantrips/auras/EA. I focus on PTV statwise, and usually survive the initial attack. Here are how my fights tend to break down.

I usually roam in Air Attunement; when I’m up against a thief I’ll try to pop Shocking Aura right before I expect the initial burst. If that succeeds it’s a fairly easy mop up with RtL to hit the thief, Updraft to knock them down, Burning Speed to close the gap and set them on fire, Firegrab to spike, etc.

If I am NOT able to predict when they’ll attack (which is 3/4 of the time) I respond with updraft to knock them down, maybe RtL for some extra damage, then I’ll pop mist form. In mist form I’ll heal most of the way up (I use Ether Renewal) and sometimes drop into Water Attunement and summon an Elite Elemental. Once in water aspect I’ll pop Frost Aura and Frozen Burst (and cleansing wave if I need to) then shift to Earth Attunement for Earthquake’s knockdown then Churning Earth. If I don’t summon an Elemental I’ll often reverse the order of those attunement, earth then water.

At this point the thief usually stealths to heal up (if they don’t a quick trip into Fire Attunement can usually finish them off). I take that opportunity to either run away (if the thief is likely going to get reinforcements) or drop back into air attunement and ready my Shocking Aura for round two.

Sometimes if the thief is really good after about a minute and a half I have too much on cooldown and they get me, but usually they’ll either slip up or run away.

I’ve recently been experimenting with a 30 fire build using the flame axe ability 1 to quickly charge might stacks (with Fire XII). Frost Bow can also quickly stack might, and as long as you are in fire attunement the 10% damage buff (Fire VI) applies to the conjured weapons.

Lightning Hammer and Fiery Greatsword don’t do as good a job building might, and they tend to keep you in melee range. The DO really pack a punch though; this might be good for a D/D style build.

Flame Axe has a leap finisher, Frost Bow has a projectile finisher, and Lightning Hammer has both a Blast Finisher and Leap Finisher (Fiery Greatsword has a whirl finisher, but the cooldown is too long to be super useful). Any combination of these can combine well with Staff’s combo fields – another potential build style.

I’m not finished with my experimentation, this is just what I’ve seen so far.

Lofty ideals of forgiveness and peace
pale when viewed next to humanities tears.
Past genocide has not deigned to release
my mind from it’s Charr-wrought searing borne fears.
Ascalon forgotten by all but ghosts;
summarily banished while screaming their rage.
Young Charr and others with taunting and boasts,
not even attempting grief to assuage.
Once pristine farmlands, pastoral, serene,
marred by metal and charred charr encampments.
Once crystal lakes now steeped with oily sheen,
tar oozes breeding, eeking foul damp scents.
Alliance ignored, their crime all I see,
Dwayna, the Charr scare the kitten out of me!

Every time I think I’ve finally gotten over being pissed at the char for The Searing I play in their zones and get pissed all over again. You gotta love games that do that to you. :-D

-Gondram
Opposition’s Resident Elementalist
Jade Quarry