Guild Wars 2

I’ve not read this thread, nor will I; I have seen enough of how this community’s players interact with each other over the past few weeks. I make this message for ArenaNet to read.

Since about one month after release I have been very critical of this game, and of ArenaNet. I do not feel the need to apologize for anything I have said, and I stand by all previous comments.

However, I would like to thank Chris Whiteside for his remarkable effort on the AMA yesterday. I had VERY low expectations of that event. I thought he would come in for an hour or so and cherry pick a few of the most butt-kissing soft-ball questions asked, thank everyone, and go back to work. I was delighted to be so very wrong. He stood tall and faced some of the most pointed, angry, and difficult questions asked. No, he didn’t have time to answer everything, and he didn’t answer hardly anything about PvP. I can forgive him for that. He did say that he wanted to schedule more of these AMAs soon to discuss PvP in more detail since he didn’t get a chance to discuss it much. I am willing to wait for that contentedly.

I did not care for all of his answers, but I am now more willing to wait and see how things change as time goes on with this game than I was yesterday morning. And I am more willing to ease back a bit on my criticism of ArenaNet for the time being, adjusting as necessary based on the direction the game takes in the near future.

In short, thank you, Chris, for your communication yesterday. Your company has not yet won this fan back, the future will determine that, but you, personally, have gained a big one. I think 8 hours of facing tough questions (half of that time was put in after hours from his home), while being under the weather, is an heroic effort that this community IN ITS ENTIRETY should stand up and applaud.

Yes, I check the forums more and play the game less. No, I won’t spend any money in the PTWF (pay to win faster) shop. At launch I was trying to talk friends into buying the game. Upon reaching 80 (about a month after launch) I realized that the gear grind would take several months to end for me. I bought the game because the company president said this game wouldn’t be a grind.

He lied.

The dynamic events are not dynamic, they are just on a very slower timer of repetition. Many now must be done solo because there are very few people out in the zones, which is understandable, because the rewards from playing in Tyria do not cover the costs of taking waypoints. I understand why this is; to prop up the PTWF shop and continue encouraging in-house RMT there.

And now ArenaNet has bowed at the alter of progression, sacrificing their integrity and breaking their trust with many of their biggest fans and die-hard supporters.

Add in the bugs, the imbalance, the horrid communication methods…

This game was supposed to be different, to break all the rules. Instead it is just another failed version of the same old crap found in all the other MMO’s. There is nothing innovative or different in GW2. I don’t talk about the game anymore to anyone outside of it, unless it is to tell them not to waste their money on it.

I certainly feel like I fell for a bait and switch scam.

Maybe the AMA on Monday will help a bit, but I’m not holding my breath.

As a lvl 80 Mesmer in full exotics I’ve been dropped out of the blue by a stealthed thief in WvWvW and died before I could respond (less than 2 seconds). And no, I don’t run with a glass cannon build.

I don’t cry about profession balance, ever. But this seems like an exploit to me. These are the sorts of incidents that drive people away from a game.

ArenaNet, my wallet is now closed to you. It is not because of the patch or the gear, but because of your lack of communication with your community over the past day and a half.

I have read hundreds of the posts in this thread and have seen the questions asked. I have also read the Dev tracker and seen the pathetic and redundant stream of corporate speak coming from your community management staff: “We appreciate your input.” and “This post will now be closed.”

You have become like Blizzard.

This is my first experience with your company, and I had much higher hopes than this from you based upon the information you have given out over the past year or more regarding this game. I purchased the game, and I have enjoyed aspects of it. I have despised aspects of it as well. I felt like it was oversold and under delivered. Promises were made and not kept. Polish was lacking in many regards and still is. I will not ask for a refund, but you have lost my trust completely.

When the time comes that you require more money of your players to continue keeping the servers live, count me out.

This game is already grindy enough to make me consider quitting it. As a busy adult with diverse interests and a small pocketbook I just don’t have the option of investing copious amounts of time and/or additional money into a video game. I have already stopped discussing this game with friends, and I will not be participating in the invite a friend feature this weekend. I will monitor the results of this new content and how it affects the game, and I’ll react as I feel appropriate once all the details are known.

If the game becomes a gear treadmill, I will agree with many posters here and will stop playing. I will be grateful that I have as yet not wasted any additional money beyond the initial purchase price of the game, and I will make sure to discourage anyone I know from giving their money to ArenaNet as I currently do for Blizzard.

I hope it doesn’t come to that.

Mif.3471:

We have a word for people like you: Bookah

;)
/hug

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Mine from last night with the new Midnight Fire dye that dropped.

For the record, anyone who joins make sure to ask Jayshua about his Hoelbrak adventures. Word is with enough peer pressure he’ll start talkin’. Don’t let him give you that “What happens in Hoelbrak…” line.

I put in an app on your website. I look forward to hearing from you some evening when I log on.

Me and a friend of mine getting ready to massacre stuff outside Hoelbrak. Looks like I’m his mini pet. Cracks me up.

Also a cap from my opening screen when I was much lower level.

I frequently finish mobs with mind wrack, and it works well. I don’t know what the problem is…