Howdy!
I love this game, and am planning on a continued residence in it for many years to come. However, like everything in existence it is not perfect. Just for fun, I would like to lay out my two largest thoughts on a crucial part of the game (and spark discussion i hope): servers.
One: the megaservers.
I loved this update. What better way to populate dead maps and broaden the community? Well, now this update has come to be in my honest opinion the worst change to this game. Here are my reasons:
Before this update, many of us would AFK in Lions Arch and just watch the world go by. OUR world. We would see friends and political enemies wander by; the same friends and political enemies we’d see every day. I felt bound to my community and the way that I recognised most players almost instantly. The gossip and guild drama helped that, as it felt more immersive. Overall, it felt like an actual community. Come the megaserver update, and who do I see? I can’t answer that any better than you can. I may have some banter with someone in LA /m chat, but 10 minutes later and I forget they existed. The communities seem constantly shifting and ultimately faceless, with thousands of players wander through crowds of thousands of players with whom they are unlikely to ever party with. Not only this but it made these fantastical guild alliances and relations meaningless, as the only place they mean anything now is in WvW. Overall, I believe this update was the nail in the in-game community’s coffin.
Two: PvP servers:
This is not a serious thought but one that I value highly regardless. I long for a time when I can roam through the Plains of Ashford, completing heart quests and then run into a player. However, rather than maybe saying ‘Hey!’ in /s, instead there is a moment of panic as I think to myself: ‘…friend or foe?’ I dunno, open PvP servers seem like a no-brainer to me as there are those who long for PvP with consequences. This would essentially be a ‘hardcore’ version of the game for willing players, and would only further support this title if waypoints were reduced and with greater prices. Not only this, but guilds and cross-guild relationships would actually mean something like the relationships of guilds in other games eg. Archeage.
I would like to hear your thoughts on these topics! Although there are far more important things on ANet’s mind, it’s an interesting topic nonetheless!
PS. I must stress that I LOVE this game and am unlikely to leave it! So please bare that in mind as this is not purely criticism, but just the general thoughts of a veteran.
