Guild Wars 2

Again, I can’t say enough about how helpful you all are. Tomorrow is the first day back to school, so we gave her the story today to get started with. She got the Prologue and her first character card as an example. She was pretty excited and read the Prologue and asked my wife to read it to her right after. Then she was asking questions like “what card is next?” “what is Chapter 1 about?” etc. She also picked the Prologue as the story for us to read to her before bed and she wants to read it to her class tomorrow. My wife and I were pretty excited she was so happy.

Here is a picture of the outside of the books and the inside as well. Isla’s Journal is for my other daughter.

RoseofGilead.8907:

This is one of the sweetest things I have ever seen. Your children are clearly very loved. You rock, awesome parents!

Thanks! That is very kind of you to say. We just finished the “Reward Track” book tonight which has her “Daily Quest Log” and the placeholder for the earned trading cards. Making progress!

Wow, thank you all so much. These are some great ideas. I will do some scouting through the suggested areas.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

1) one cool screenshot I can think of is the face in the mountain in Timberline Falls.

That is a great idea, I will make sure to find a way to fit this in.

Just a flesh wound.3589:

Look through the outfits. There are a bunch with unusual or fancy looks you can’t get anywhere else in game.

I glanced through the outfits previously, but I think I missed some of these. They look really cool. Not sure I can justify the cost though (speech therapy takes priority).

Randulf.7614:

Bitterfrost has some awesome locations. Including the huge tundra trees and the ice lake, which really has a great feel to it especially when you swim under the icebergs etc.

Snowden should have some especially cold, yet natural scenery (ie not icebrood structures). It also has some snow weather effects iirc. My favourite section is the west shore of the southern lake.

These sound like exactly what I am interested in. Thank you very much! I was planning the end of book one to be on an ice lake, so I will definitely check these out.

Oenanthe.6549:

When you mentioned unicorns, my first thought was the Dreamer, I don’t know if you could write it into the story you plan, but making it a quest for the heroine to find a bow associated with unicorns that could be used to take out the final enemy might also give you time to get some screen shots of it ready.

I was thinking the same thing with the Dreamer. There are two main characters, one that uses a bow and one with a sword. I am using the fiery dragon sword and I was thinking the Dreamer. I can hold off on having the character get it to buy some time to get it in game but if I don’t get it in time, then I will go with an alternative.

I will also check out wayfarer, that sounds like something that would be full of potential.

I was originally planning on having the characters in the same shot with the enemies, but you are right, it might be easier to use characters and then photoshopping them together into a scene as needed.

DreamyAbaddon.3265:

Your love and effort for your daughter as a parent makes me want to hug you!
You’re such a good parent <3

Hugs are always welcome! It is probably cliche, but my kids have made me a better person, so I want to give them whatever I can so they can succeed. Having two daughters with Autism (the second isn’t into the same things) is definitely challenging, but I wouldn’t change a thing.

Again, thank you all for the ideas and support. It really does mean a lot to us!

My wife and I are creating a story and trading cards as a reward system for our daughter that has Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is 8 has difficulties with staying on task in school. We have tried various reward systems in the past with mixed success. This attempt is specifically designed around her interests (reading fantasy stories and collecting things).

The idea is to write a story and create trading cards of the characters, locations, items (fiery dragon sword!) from the story. Each day she will receive a reward if she earns enough stickers from her teacher. The reward will either be another chapter of the story (about 1-2 pages per chapter) or another card from the most recent chapter.

I played GW2 from release for awhile then didn’t play for a few years. I have been getting back into it. We are both somewhere between atrocious and abominable artists so we are using GW2 characters and screen captures as the artwork and trading cards.

I am looking for some help on a couple of items.

1. The story is set in a world stuck in eternal winter. What are some cool locations that I could take some screen grabs from in the Shiverpeaks for the trading cards and/or can help give some inspiration for story points? I did world completion years ago and I don’t really remember most of the locations.

2. My daughter loves fairies and horses/unicorns. I don’t think those exist at all anywhere. Am I mistaken? It would be nice to do some screen grabs of some fairies or something similar. If only she loved dolyaks…

3. I was thinking of using the Claw of Jormag as the main adversary in the book (Dragon+Winter). I was also thinking of using an Icebrood Seer as one of the major adversaries. I wasn’t able to find a female looking icebrood that could work for another major adversary. Does anyone have any recommendations for enemies or character models of unique or interesting looking ice characters? I was considering a female Elementalist using Frost Aura or something as well.

4. As I mentioned, my daughter loves unicorns and I just recently realized that The Dreamer exists. I am now going to try to work on getting The Dreamer to have as part of the story and as a trading card. What is the best path to follow to work on a legendary? I don’t have much gold so I am probably going to save what I have to buy The Lover. I assume just farming high level areas for the T6 mats?

Thank you for any guidance anyone can provide. I really appreciate it!

Corran.4957:

Fine. If you want ideas that would make it acceptable to me. Fine.

1) It is a short time thing. 1-3hr max
2) Large gold cost (10g + as it affects so many people it would be a server combined effort. Value has scope to be increased as more money enter system)
3) 100 Badge of honour cost – means you wont have pve people going “but i need that vista/poi” etc .. they would need to be involved in wvw to be able to initialise
4) This merely stops you attacking their keeps, Players still can be killed if deemed a threat (Hello im spying on your situation whilst you cant attack me, and i bring a force to your weak point when it drops0

that will do for now, though sure more will come to mind

1. I agree with a short time limit. It should not last more than 3-4 hours tops. That is also why I think it should be based on map control per map. Not total score.
2. Again, I agree with a large gold investment.
3. I don’t know if I agree with a badge cost if there is a large gold investment. If you are being dominated, then badges are harder to come by.
4. I am not sure I agree with this. If two severs want to join up to take stonemist, as an example, then I don’t want my AoE to be hurting my allies. I do see the issues you raise of planning on deceit as soon as the treaty would be up. However, doesn’t that add another dynamic to the game?

Sully.9453:

If the two teams with the treaty take a keep etc while working together, who gets the keep when the treaty runs out?

Whichever team I am on. Just kidding. I think it would make most sense that the team with more people in the capture circle would get the structure I guess. Good question.

That is definitely a mechanic that would have to be figured out. Do you have any suggestions on what would be best?

Setch.2398:

I don’t know how feasible it sounds, but it does sound fun!

That is what I think too. I doubt its feasability, but it would add a unique dynamic that would be fun. It could be a great decoy too.

Mike Ferguson stated in a GW2 preview blog post how to solve the problems that many servers are facing in WvW…one server growing too powerful.

‘Including three forces in world vs. world acts as an excellent balancing factor, preventing one team from growing too powerful and ruining the competitive balance of the game. Two teams can gang up to counter a more dominant third team, a dynamic that simply isn’t possible with only two opposing factions.’
http://www.arena.net/blog/mike-ferguson-on-guild-wars-2-world-vs-world#more-7140

The problem is that the two servers that are being dominated have no efficient way to communicate with each other.

I propose to the WvW community…Server Peace Treaties! This is not an unofficial agreement between two servers to gang up on the other one. This is an in-game event.
Let’s say that Server A is dominating the matchup. This can be determined by point total, current population, or (my preference) current map control.

Server B and Server C now have an upgrade option in their home base to initiate a treaty. Server B buys this upgrade. It spawns an NPC Diplomat that will follow the purchaser of the upgrade. The purchaser also gets the option to pick where the “Negotiations” take place.

It also does a map-wide message to all three teams that a treaty has been initiated by Server B. Server C also receives a message that they need to purchase a Diplomat upgrade from their home base as well as where the Negotiation site is.

Server B and Server C escort their Diplomats to the site where they must be defended (for about the length of securing a structure – both Diplomats need to be in the circle). Server A can start scouting for the Negotiation site to try and assassinate the Diplomats.

If the Negotiations are successful, Server B and Server C now have a peace treaty. They cannot take each other’s structures or attack each other’s (I have no idea how to code this, I know nothing about coding). The Treaty can only last for a set period. Maybe until may control equalizes (plus bonus time for getting upgraded defenses started).

I think this would be cool as an event in WvW and would help to balance the matches more consistently. I do not know what the best thresholds would be for when it is active, cost of the Diplomats, recharge time for the event if they are assassinated, etc. What do you think?

All pets: I Lost A Bet

-Query for you…Assuming you wanted balance, and you were losing by a lot, it would help to have a little boost to help you even the odds. Which would you prefer in this scenario, more xp/karma (for when you kill the things you can’t kill because you are being dominated), or more health/stat boost to even the odds a little (because you, above all else, want competition and a fair fight). Let’s flip the scenario. You are awesome (I can only assume what this is like :P ), and are dominant, you want a reward for doing something awesome! Would you rather have more xp/karma (permanent personal reward, or more health/stats (temporary reward) even though you are already SUPERHUMAN (or supercharr, superasura, etc)?

From a balance perspective, I think both sides should be rewarded. If you are dominant, good for you! Have extra xp (that won’t snowball). If you are fighting uphill, keep your chin up, Little Trooper! Have some Popeye Spinach! If you have an orb, well maybe that should just give a boost to the keep it is in. Maybe an extra upgrade option, so it is not a potential snowball mechanic directly?

-There is no DIRECT incentive to defend a structure if it is not under attack (this is similar to my yak argument). From an individual perspective (we are all selfish, admit it). There is more incentive to not defend, then flip the structure later and get the sweet rewards from that. Owning a structure only gets your team points and massages that glorious ego. However, when almost all battles at this point are so lop-sided, two teams gave up on their ego long ago.

I think there should be more incentive (xp/karma/gold/something) to defending a keep even when it is not under attack. This would reduce unmanned structures that litter the maps. I have had many times I have just been running supplies with a party from a supply camp to build up siege equipment on our structure even though it is not under attack. This is good. Then if you stay, you can hop in it and use it instead of it being destroyed because no one was in the camp when the initial wave of attackers came.

Maybe extra (small) rewards if you start a siege item, or help build it besides the xp you get from the build action. This would be bonus xp for contributing to keep defense. Maybe it would help if there was a counter on the map for the structure that shows the amount of completed and uncompleted siege equipment.

As it is now, sometimes it is better to take something then just move on to the next, you get better rewards that way personally. The match is already over, so who cares about points?

-Last one! It annoys me that when I used a ranged weapon as a defender or attacker I get constant obstruction misses because of the little lip on the structure walls. I personally feel as though it would make for more exciting combat in this instances if that was not the case. Why do I have to jump on the lip of the structure in order to shoot someone that I have line of sight on? Same with shooting up.

This just gives more options to hit people, hence more combat, than hitting 50% of the time and then everyone escapes back and heals. If you are an elementalist for example, you have an advantage of not needing line of sight for most of your damage. I think this would help make castle sieges more epic on each side. Might just be me though.

Thanks for reading; you are a trooper! I hope you like some of the ideas and take it easy on your enemies in WvW. One might be me, and I don’t want to die!

Cott Battlewind [ANV]
Anvil Rock

-Upgrades are awesome. However, they can be pricey. I have noticed many people (on my server that has a hard time holding keeps/towers) do not want to waste money/karma on upgrades when they may not be done before we lost the keep/tower. Upgrades are essential for holding structures. A losing team (again to balance) has very little chance of getting back into the fight without upgrades on what they own.

My suggestion (others have said this) is to make the upgrade a “pool” that your team can contribute to, so it isn’t up to one person to front the whole bill. Building siege equipment is a group effort, why aren’t upgrades? Also, if it is something like an arrow cart, where you contribute 33% of cost, you should be refunded if no one else contributes enough to purchase the upgrade. If I put in 33% and my friend puts in 33% and no one else does. Then we lose our tower before it is purchased, I should be refunded my 33% and so should my friend.

Additionally, (yes, I like that word) I think a small incentive to purchase an upgrade would help. Maybe a little bit of xp for chipping into the pool. Not a lot, but some. I learn (if you consider xp “experience” aka learning) from chopping a tree, but not from making a decision to fortify a structure in war? I am delegating workers here!

-I agree with the reasoning behind taking away xp for escorting yaks. It was abused and needed a fix. However, now many people ignore it completely. Yaks are integral in your war effort, then need to be defended. I suggest you get xp for escorting yaks – only if they make it to the destination AND you had to fight enemies (players, guards or quaggan types – not pulling wolves to your yak range). If someone wants to follow a yak for hours and never fight, they get no xp. If they do have to fight, then they deserve something for making sure that we are getting the supply we need.

-You know how when you flip a supply camp, but cannot take it because the buff is there and you have to wait for it to wear off? Mildly annoying, right? Oh, you are getting dominated and it will be your only supply camp and you will lose it again in a matter of minutes because you are outnumber 3-1? Super sucks, right?

What if the Invulnerability buff scaled based on % of the map you own. If you own the whole map, you cannot retake it for 4 minutes (or whatever it is). If you own nothing, it only lasts 30 seconds or something. This will help the losing teams get back into it. It is not going to change, the world, but every little bit helps.

Additionally, what about the same thing for structure walls/gates? Last night, we took our keep back because the zerg happened to leave it alone. However, they saw us taking it back, sent the mob and as soon as we took it, we had to defend it. They actually already had siege up to start taking the gate down as soon as we capped the keep. It would be nice (to help balance) to have a buff on the gates that they take no damage for xx amount of time based on how much of the map you own after you cap the structure. It is hard enough to take a structure when you are outnumbered, let alone defend it.

Happy Friday Eve (or Friday depending on time zone) Guild Warriors!

I wanted to share some thoughts I had about some small(ish) changes to WvW that could help to improve the game mode.

Disclaimers:
-This is long.
-If you are reading this, you have most likely played more WvW than I have.
-You are also probably better than I am. No, seriously, you probably are.
-I do not have a level 80 character (just hit 60 on my highest).
-I have no knowledge of coding/developing. Some things I suggest may be impossible.
-However, I have a brain (unconfirmed). I think (hope?) that is all I need to make suggestions.

Perspective: I am on Anvil Rock in the Anvil Defenders (ANV) Guild. We have spent the last cycle getting facial reconstruction surgery at the Yak’s Bend Clinic. We have had some runs of success (we aren’t spawn camped 24/7 like some other servers seem to be experiencing), but are getting dominated overall.

One more note: These are just some ideas. I believe in collaboration and brainstorming. I am sure that the GW2 community can come up with better ideas, point out my lunacy or make any of these better, so please, do improve on them. Some of these ideas I have heard elsewhere (I am not trying to steal ideas) and some are my own. I am not a super forum reader, so someone may have said this, but I do not know about it. On to the ideas…

-Point Scaling – I am just echoing what others have said. I agree that points should be scaled. I do not have any ground-breaking algorithm. That will have to come from someone smarter than me. Could there be a scoring buff/debuff? If you will be scoring over xx% of the total possible points at the next count, your score will be reduced by xx% (scales). Alternatively, if you will be scoring less than xx% of the total possible points at the next count, your score will be increased by xx% (scales).

The downside is that if you are making a comeback, you would be penalized, but also, you shouldn’t be behind by as many points because the top team has had scaled back points up until then. Maybe there buff does not apply if you are behind by xx% of total points in the matchup?

-Treaties – To help with server balancing while matches are going on, I think treaties between two servers could be beneficial. Now hear me out before you jump to conclusions. I remember reading in one of the pre-release articles about WvW (too lazy to look for link), it mentioned that if one server was winning, the other two could gang up on them. This is logical in any three way confrontation.

However, WvW does not have any functionality (that I know of) to do this. I have no way to communicate with other servers or even know who a single person on their team is to whisper them and talk to them. So…

If after xx amount of time in the matchup (2 days?), one team has more than xx% of the total points scored, an option appears for the two other servers to make a treaty. Now, this should require something (gold cost? Supply cost?) so it isn’t a “get out of jail free card.” What about defending an NPC “messenger” to a neutral site by both sides and then defend them (like taking a supply camp). This still gives the dominant team the ability to stop it.

I think this opens tactical options. Does the dominant team send the zerg to stop the treaty (if the spot it happening)? Can you just use this as a diversion to take back a keep?

Once a treaty is formed, ideally (I know nothing about coding), anyone on either treaty side would be untargetable for attacks. This may not be possible. However, this would be (in my opinion) an awesome idea to give the teams losing a chance to rally against the dominant force. I think the treaty would have to be per map, and if the scores even out some more, then it would have to stop and not last forever.