Guild Wars 2

Entering the raffle! Number 132, character name Seshat Truthspeaker.

Yes, please swap out the chestplate for the male variant one.

Part of the reason I decided to play Charr in the first place is that they were a nonhuman race with women who weren’t just sexy humanoids, but like, with fur or something.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Example 2: Why are they all having free will? Only method to give dragon minions/champions free will is via a ritual like seen in Arah explorable – the Altar of Glaust ritual – however, Angel McCoy once stated that such rituals are geographically limited and resource consuming so it isn’t something that could be easily used. So why is the Pale Tree, Malyck, and the Pale Tree’s “children” of free will?

I can answer this.

There’s basically two things going on: one, it’s established in Heart of Thorns that when Mordrem get far enough away from Moredremoth, his control over them can loosen. This is shown in part of an achievement in Act III, “An Ignoble End” https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Buried_Insight . You find a Mordrem Guard separated from Moredremoth deep below Rata Novus where Moredremoth hasn’t been able to extend tendrils. He has regained some of his free will.

Iirc, the only place we see Dragon Minions pulled far enough away from their dragon to regain some semblance of free will is Jormang minions in the Crucible of Eternity… and those guys are probably so angry / insane from the Inquest experiments that it wouldn’t matter anyway.

I think proximity to dragon corruption counts as proximity to the dragon — Moredremoth’s minions can invade Kryta because he’s extended his tendrils across there, attacking the waypoints, Branded can walk up and down the Brand & nearby it… possibly, ley-line connections work too. The point is, however, that the Sylvari can’t even hear Moredremoth outside the Heart of Maguuma unless they’re actively listening for him (as Ceara / Scarlett did).

Combined with that, Ventari had some super powerful magic of his own. The most likely explanation is that the Henge of Denravi is one of those "places of power. So, the bloodstones are nearby, and those are SUPER powerful. In fact, they literally cut things off from magic! that’s what bloodstones DO!

I obviously don’t have confirmation of this, but I think Ventari’s Tablet is likely a magical artifact, infused somewhere in the Maguuma Jungle (one of those magic springs, maybe? or the ley-line hub?) which assists the Pale Tree in maintaining her independence from Moredremoth. It, in itself, might be something that can be used to sever dragon corruption. Perhaps captured Moredrem can be “cured”?

Example 3: Hive mentality. All dragon minions show signs of this, but not sylvari. Why?

… Except Sylvari DO have a hive mind.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Dream_of_Dreams

ALL Sylvari are connected in a communal dream before they’re born. After they’re born, they STILL share a race-wide empathic link (they can feel each other’s emotions to a limited degree), they STILL have a telepathic & empathic link to the Pale Tree (the Tree LITERALLY calls out to Ceara to try to turn her away from Moredremoth), the Soundless explicitly CUT THEMSELVES OFF from the Sylvari hive-mind (the Dream) for all kinds of reasons. While Sylvari don’t have conscious access to the Dream, they still experience it to a lesser degree when they sleep (duh), and their memories are essentially “uploaded” to the Dream constantly for unborn Sylvari to experience. The ENTIRE POINT of Nightmare is to introduce cynicism, hate, and doubt into the Dream by inflicting pain and suffering on other Sylvari — basically trying to wake them up to the “real world” as the Nightmare Court sees it. And it WORKS, because otherwise the Court would “just” be creepy insane cultists and terrorists. Instead, they’re a LOT more than that.

So uh… yeah, that’s a hive mind, dude. A hive mind doesn’t preclude individuals from existing within it (real life example: individual bees can and do have individual quirks and “personality” traits, and in fact the Queen has almost no control over the day to day functions of the hive — she exists to have babies, basically. Much like the Pale Tree! Same with naked mole rats, the only hive mammal).

Speaking of Sylvari, I have my own question: since the Nightmare Court storyline was cut from Heart of Thorns, can you shed some more light on what was up with that? Why did the Court essentially rebel against Moredremoth instead of joining him, since it seemed initially that the Court, in trying to find the “true” nature of the Sylvari, were seeking him? Why does the one Nightmare Courtier join the fight in Dragon’s Stand? (She’s super cool btw, I love her)

Gnomex.2749:

• Hammer skills as an engineer – how much magic and how much technology is in these skills? (like 10% magic and 90% technology to reflect skills or 100% technology)

I am not a dev, but given the previous answer about magic & tech… you’re coming at this from the wrong angle. The thing is, in Tyria, magic is technology. Almost all technology, with a few exceptions*, uses magic in some way in Tyria. It’d be like saying, “How much of a computer is technology, and how much is electricity?” Magic isn’t separate from technology — it’s a power source used by technology.

Just look at the Asura — everything they create is powered by magic. But we freely accept that the Asura are the most technologically advanced race in Tyria. They have robots (golems) and computers! It’s just that those computers and golems are powered by magic, not electricity.

Basically, in Tyria, magic replaces the real-life forces of electricity and nuclear power. It serves the same practical and narrative functions, and we even have this environmental narrative question. We’ve been using all this magic (technology, fossil fuels, natural resources basically) and it’s built up over time… and now the planet is out of balance and effectively “reacting” to that imbalance in the form of Elder Dragons (in real life, we get climate change which in turn creates unnatural drought and superstorms… where I live in the US, oil fracking has also been causing earthquakes, poisoning the water, and ground instability.

SO…

if you assume that, in Tyria, Magic = Technology, then the answer to your question is just “yes.”

.* The exceptions to Magic = Technology are, I think, a few Charr creations that use steam power alone. HOWEVER, many Charr inventions couldn’t work without things like electricity, an internal combustion engine that uses gasoline, or jet engines… and I’m pretty sure that the Charr don’t have an internal combustion engine yet, because I think one NPC mentions that she’s experimenting with oil & gasoline to try to power an engine instead of steam, but it’s not going well! So, while the Charr may have few spellcasters due to prejudice against the Flame Legion, it’s reasonable to assume that they utilize objects infused with magic and some ambient magic to power many of their inventions and devices… again, basically taking the place of electricity and gasoline as power sources. Even their steam powered devices are likely magical in some way, probably using a magical heat source (heat stones? ) to heat the water to create steam. Heck, they might use combinations of magical water sources (like the D&D Decanter of Endless Water) with heat stones for unlimited water and heat! Well, limited probably by availability of ambient magical energy, anyway.

This would explain why the air around Ascalon & the Black Citadel is unusually clear for such an industrial race — magic doesn’t seem to create soot or smoke the same way coal would!

ANYWAY

The point, again, is to not think of magic and technology as separate as they are in other fantasy settings — in Tyria, they’re one and the same.

katubug.6378:

Oooh ooh ooh okay okay:

Sylvari seem to have teeth: are they made of bone? If so, do sylvari have a skeletal structure of some kind?

How long does it take cultural armor to grow? When it’s removed, can they put it back on or do they have to regrow it?

edit:

How do ghosts work? We know how Ascalonian ghosts came to be. We know there are ghosts in Cursed Shore (of norn). There are also additional human ghosts in that one fort in Straits (pirates – who also have ghostly treasure?? did the treasure die?? lol). Are there asuran or charr ghosts? Sylvari ghosts?

I can’t answer how ghosts work (though I imagine it has something to do with the Mists, and might be spoilery for the next Raid wing…), but there ARE Charr ghosts… sorta.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fight_life-stealing_minions_in_Hellion_Forest

Basically, some of the Charr here get displaced from their bodies, and wander around as ghostly spirits. However, they aren’t dead, and you can return them to their bodies, so I’m not sure that counts.

I’ve never seen a Sylvari ghost.

edit there are ABSOLUTELY Asura ghosts. Oola’s ghost is the most prominent; it appears in her lab, bound to her golem.

The stuff about magic really reminds me of the Eberron Campaign Setting from Dungeons and Dragons, which was described by Keith Baker as “wide magic” as opposed to “high magic.” It operates under the following principles:

• Magic is a science. As sufficiently advanced science is indistinguishable from magic, so too is sufficiently analyzed magic indistinguishable from science. See: the Asuran approach to magic. In a similar way, when Charr use magic (they seem to try to use as little as possible), they use it in an applied, analyzed, and scientific magic. Except Flame Legion but kitten those guys.

• Low magic is common. Things like keeping your food from spoiling, summoning magic winds to clean your floors, magically powered lights, etc — this is stuff basically every citizen has. Again, electricity.

• the AVERAGE citizen doesn’t call down fireballs or create Mesmer portals — this would be like in real life how most people don’t smash atoms together at CERN or do gene splicing. However, all of us use and benefit from technology and science in some way. While I might not do gene splicing, I can breed my tomatoes together at home because of some of what we understand about DNA. Similarly, a Tyrian might not be able to raise the dead, but they can soothe a child’s knee scrapes and ease the symptoms of the common cold.

This has all made perfect sense to me the whole time, and even though I was already sold on Tyria’s universe from GW1, this aspect of “wide magic” is what really sold me on GW2. I hate it when in stories magic is treated as totally opposed to science and some sort of ~unknowable mystical thing~ instead of just another law of the universe / force of nature (Harry Potter is ESPECIALLY guilty of this, one reason I got disillusioned with that franchise), so the fact that Tyrian magic is used by the general populace (much like so many scientific discoveries eventually bear fruit of practical applications — like the computer I’m using to send this to you!) and can be analyzed scientifically is wonderful to me.

Anyway, in short, Engineers to me work exactly like the Artificers of Eberron — they aren’t inherently magical like sorcerers or warlocks, they don’t become inherently magical like wizards. Instead, they study and manipulate the ambient magic around them by using tools.

I see the Guild Wars 2 Warrior in a similar way — they mostly use their own physical prowess, but they use the common magical tools available to people in creative ways to enhance their combat abilities. To be honest, it might be like a modern soldier using a GPS, or a rifle with assisted aim, or any number of other technological tools to assist her.

Thanks to everyone for coming! It was a pleasure to meet you; hope to see you around in game some other time too I hope you all had a great time!

A reminder — this is happening tomorrow at reset!

SHORT VERSION

What: A birthday party bash, to which I am inviting everyone. No need to bring gifts — this is just a big huge get together. I like parties, and people.
When: Friday, February 5, at reset (7:00 PM EST) until we get bored.
Where: [The Last Whiskey Bar](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Last_Whiskey_Bar) in Blazeridge Steppes. /squadjoin Seshat Truthspeaker (me!) to get in. Waypoint: [&BPkBAAA=]

THE LONG VERSION & THE STORY

Back in early 2013, I had just graduated from grad school and was very, very far from home on an internship. I love hosting large, ridiculous birthday parties, but I was unable to do so that year due to being very far from home and living in a tiny apartment because intern with no money. I was lonely, and sad; it was winter and I was far from home. My guildmates suggested we have a birthday party, and that we hold it at the Last Whiskey Bar because my main is a Charr engineer and I love whiskey.
The event was awesome, and just the pick-me-up I needed. We dropped a lot of Boxes O Fun, music was played, we did the event at the Whiskey Bar over and over, often with 25 stacks of drunk. Random bystanders showed up to hang out, it was awesome.

I’ve held a party every year since then, even when I have been able to have real-life parties. In truth, it’s less about me and more about… I don’t know. I love parties! I like seeing people hang out and have fun! It’s fun to do random stuff in the game!

This year, I decided I wanted to extend the invitation out to Reddit & the forums, and see just how many people I could pack into Blazeridge. Given that the Shatterer is getting a revamp, we could also see about stabbing him, if the event is up while my party is going on.

I am NA on the Fort Aspenwood server, with What a Nice Guild [NICE]. My main character is Seshat Truthspeaker, you can /squadjoin on me to get into the instance. If you are too low-level to get to The Last Whiskey Bar, message me in-game and I’ll set up an escort.

Do not feel obligated to bring anything other than your own self! This is more about socializing & fun than anything else.

Problems I have had with The Predator 1, reposted from the HoT bug thread for visibility and to see if others have these same issues:

1. In Quandary Scratch in Mount Maelstrom, you cannot interact with the Experimental Rifles if you have completed the Renown Heart “Assist the skritt with their fortifications,” preventing you from obtaining the item collection piece.

Note: if you are having this problem and have an alt who has not done this Renown Heart, you CAN get this item. That said, this blocks people who do not have alts, or who have map completion on all their alts.

2. In Scarlet’s Secret Lair in Lornar’s Pass, you cannot interact with the item for the collection, blocking progress.

3. Professor Portmatt’s Lab in Bloodtide Coast: when you have solved the puzzle, choosing to decrypt the research data does nothing and does not give you the item for the collection, blocking progress.

4. Bauxite Alchemicals often bugs out, preventing access to the event chain.

The Predator I: The Experimental Rifle: Numerous progress-blocking bugs. Will update as I encounter them. Thus far:

1. In Quandary Scratch in Mount Maelstrom, you cannot interact with the Experimental Rifles if you have completed the Renown Heart “Assist the skritt with their fortifications,” preventing you from obtaining the item collection piece.

2. In Scarlet’s Secret Lair in Lornar’s Pass, you cannot interact with the item for the collection, blocking progress.

3. Professor Portmatt’s Lab in Bloodtide Coast: when you have solved the puzzle, choosing to decrypt the research data does nothing and does not give you the item for the collection, blocking progress.

4. The event chain in Bauxite Alchemicals in Malchor’s Leap often stalls due to a large number of issues with this chain. Personally, the last time I was there, the NPC team was defeated inside the facility, but the exterior shields were up with no interior access, preventing players from resurrecting them and continuing the chain. This event may need a complete overhaul. Two pieces of this collection are tied to this chain, and I believe several other Legendary Collections are as well.

Can we just give Chris access to Dhuum already?

Because I’m pretty sure he IS Dhuum.

(for those unaware, this is how people got banned in GW1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUMfE2FCj-4 )

What IS server time, then?

Zaklex.6308:

If you listen it sounded more like he said it was on the boat that the stand up meeting takes place, so I’d just check out the top of the boat around 10:30 a.m. PST.

Unfortunately, I tried that, and got nothing

Thus far I’ve tried the top of the boat, the room inside with the pigs and chickens, and the board all at 10:30 AM PST, no dice.

In the most recent Points of Interest, Josh Foreman mentioned that there was a secret Skritt stand-up meeting somewhere near the boat in the Drydock Scratch jumping puzzle. Specifically…

Josh: I enjoy humor, especially self-deprecating humor. Poking fun at our production method (Agile). If you google Agile production terms you will see all the metaphors and visual puns we designed. If you go to a particular spot near the ship at 10:30 AM you will see a secret skritt stand up meeting and other Easter eggs.

I’ve worked for 3 companies that use Agile so I REALLY want to see this. I’ve loved the other Easter Eggs so far (“Waterfall backlogged!”) but this one just seems to be the icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, I can’t find it! Neither can a lot of other people, it seems.

I suppose the first question is: Is this 10:30 AM PST, EST, GMT, or some other unknown time-zone? 10:30 AM by itself doesn’t mean much.

Second, the ship is HUGE! And so is the area around it… is it on the ship, or not on the ship? Can we get a more general idea of where it might be?

If anyone has found this, please let me know!