Summary: Guild hall decorating is a new type of gameplay introduced with Heart of Thorns that is gated behind large sums of gold. This makes it different than other types of gameplay, including fashion, which are available to all. I recommend giving everyone access to a good supply of basic decorations, which will let everyone play.
Guild Wars 2 has always had a core philosophy towards how content is gated. The core gameplay is available to all. Everyone gets a competitive character in sPvP. Raids proudly have no attunement process. Specific content within this gameplay can be reasonably gated (masteries block parts of the jungle, a large time investment is required for legendary weapons), but everyone can play.
Let’s look at the current types of gameplay in Guild Wars 2 and see how they’re gated.
- 5 man instances (dungeons, fractals) – Requires only appropriate level and good leveling gear to participate.
- 10 man instances (raids) – Requires standard level 80 gear gear (exotic) and some very reasonable masteries to participate
- Open world (events, map completion, etc.) – Requires only appropriate level and masteries in the maguuma jungle (which, let’s not forget, are earned just like levels) to participate.
- WvW – Requires only appropriate level and good leveling gear to participate.
- sPvP – Requires only appropriate level to participate.
- Fashion – Anyone can participate. Players naturally acquire skins and dyes during gameplay. A level 80 character will have plenty to work with, and plenty more within reach.
- Guild hall decorating – Only guilds with a large amount of gold can participate.
I may have lost you with the last two, but I sincerely believe that both fashion and decorating are genuine types of gameplay. Some players spend hours customizing their appearance, and it’s just as fun as combat for them. Many people would do the same with decorating their guild hall.
There’s a precedent for entire games being built around building and decorating, after all.
This leaves guild hall decorating as the only type of gameplay in Guild Wars 2 that is gated behind gold. My small guild has poured hundreds into upgrading, and we have a few wooden tables, chairs, and shelves to our name. That’s like buying a lego set with 15 pieces. It’s barely even worth using.
I’m fine with really cool decorations being gated behind large sums of gold. But I don’t think it’s right that the entire gameplay type of decorating is gated behind gold.
To rectify this situation, I suggest that we make the decorations merchant trivial to obtain, and give all guilds plenty of basic decorations to get started with. Give us that set of 200 legos so we can make our primary colored castle. Give us enough to get started with, and we’ll have a foundation on which goals can grow.
Thanks for reading. I’m looking forward to hearing everyone’s opinions.