I’ve enjoyed playing Guild Wars 2 since the early betas and am still enjoy it, but there are some things I would like ArenaNet to look at or revisit with some of the game mechanics. (I’ve waited until now to speak up because I thought that it might have been something that they were working on in the background and then add it into the game via an update.)
I am aware that some of what I am going to say may have been said in other posts.
One of which is the Charr’s “cow launcher”. In game we watch a cow get launched into the air by a cannon and get really excited as a player when we are asked to jump in – then get disappointed because we get a loading screen to our destination instead of seeing our character fly through the air…
Now, I understand how and why it works this way and I don’t like it… I don’t understand why ArenaNet is wasting the resources that they have placed in the game.
There are animations for characters to be launched into the air. Class skills like the Engineer’s Jump Shot and Rocket Boots, or the Warrior’s Stomp and the Guardian’s Mighty Blow.
The same goes for siege weapons – why can’t we launch our characters or someone else’s over a wall? By all means add damage to the landing. Have it so that when you land you take 90% fall damage from it and are left dazed or stunned for a short time from the landing so that it is not something players are going to be doing all the time. It give another element of surprise to portal bombing in WvW.
Again with siege weapons – instead of having to destroy enemy siege, why not steal it from them? It will save on resources, both in game and server-wise.
eg: The enemy has built rams at a keep that they have just claimed and have left to take over some other nodes, while a small group of 2 finds the enemy gate doors closed and guards in place (because of the recent takeover) but the rams sitting nicely beside the gate. The small group can take out the guards with a bit of challenge and now they have the rams for their own use ready to use.
The same goes for enemy catapults that you find next to walls unattended, they could be stolen and the keep flipped just as quickly – maybe not flipped so quickly with a small group of 2, but you get the idea.
There is also the issue with siege that are designed with wheels… they have no function apart from knocking down gates or wall. If siege have wheels or floats it should move – slowly. Have it work so that they can be pushed or pulled by full party. eg: A full party of 5 would be able to go faster than a group of 3.
Another thing I want to add is teleport skills. I love the idea of them, but they don’t do what are meant to do when it comes to terrain, like teleporting to a hard to get to place. Portals are able to do it, because you lay the start and finish down working as a doorway. And target leap and normal leap skills are able to, but teleport has been restricted. (Probably because ArenaNet doesn’t want players running around in places they’re not meant to get to, but that’s why they have bounding boxes
)
Grinding is something that ArenaNet is trying to get rid of but it is still a big part of the game. A lot of players do it to achieve their goals, be it gear, loot or gems. And part of the problem is because of the way that ArenaNet has set up there Living Story achievements. I am interested to see what they are planning for the new Living Story after Scarlet’s has finished.
I fear that grinding is always going to be a big part of MMO’s because people want to have all the shinnies.
I take my hat off to ArenaNet because they are trying there best to stop grinding by giving people other avenues of obtaining the items they are after.
There are other things I would like to add, (like adding some more Guild Wars 1 nostalgia. It gives us a reason to continue playing the original) but these are the big ones I want to share at the moment.
I want to encourage ArenaNet with what they are doing. I really enjoy the game
Don’t restrict yourselves. Take on board what the fans are asking and I’m aware ArenaNet already does this, but keep doing it.
Don’t take the easy way out, like you have with the Flame armour skins. That was disappointing when you released those…
And don’t fall into the same trap that other companies have by chasing the money. I respect you for keeping this promise.
This game has a lot of potential – keep it up. Let your imaginations run wild. You’ve shown us what you can do by making this game. You tell us that your fans are amazing, you guys and gals at ArenaNet are amazing as well – so continue to let it show