Guild Wars 2

clay.7849:

I don’t think it means unskilled or idiot. I think it means not dedicated or devoted. In fact, that is what it means. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/casual

Casual players won’t show the kind of dedication or devotion to a game by the nature of the definition of casual. That has nothing to do with unskilled or idiot.

Please tell me again how my contrived definition of casual is not like the actual definition of casual?

Which player is more inclined to drop 50$ in the cash shop for an armor skin and some gold? The hardcore Orr farmer? Yeah, not really. If this game was funded on monthly sub fees and used gear treadmills and competition to keep people paying, then you’d have the potential of being correct.

From my perspective the game is designed to remove competition (no mob tagging, node sharing, etc) and offer better game-play instead. I don’t believe GW2 is meant to be the only game you play. Seriously, you can go play bioshock infinite for a few weeks and come back. You won’t loose you raid spot, you wont be behind the curve on the treadmills. You shouldn’t feel forced to play. Login when you want to login. Its.. liberating.

I’ve done the hardcore BS before in other games. You can have a server first, the gear and achievements.. but in life it means nothing. Also in game, three months later its meaningless. That kind of gaming is a disease.

Calae.1738:

Teenagers want economics and politics? Adults want teddy bear backpacks and ginger bread swords?

Anyone can like or dislike anything; maturity isn’t tied to age like armor level requirements.

Regardless, no one wants economics. I’ll give you politics since intrigue and cold wars between factions are ripe for serious MMO story content, but no one wants to hear about the way the Krytan Federal Reserve has been lowering rates lately or the plummeting real estate values in Beetletun. -_-

Firstly, based on anecdotal evidence, the game seems stronger than ever. People are still playing in large numbers – as far as I can see.

Regarding the “maturity” comments, the concept is subjective and multifaceted. Im in my 40s and enjoy content like SAB or Kegbrawl (or the Christmas content) as much as I do beating up stuff in fractals/dungeons/WvW. The idea that any time something outside the conventional Tolkien-esque framework is considered, it is suddenly gamebreaking or not mature seems arbitrary to me. Mature players realize the goal is fun before form.

As to the potential threat from other games, I think it will only serve to strengthen the GW2 experience. Intense competition breeds greater innovation and a need to stay entertaining. GW2 has a few things going for it – established communities, strong development team/budget, innovative concepts, solid framework on which to launch new content, etc.

While other games will bring those same things to the market, I dont expect GW2 to go anywhere. It takes alot to kill an MMO (just look at SWTOR). And, since ongoing profitability at ANet is directly tied to “what have you done for me lately” rather than the hamster wheel sub fee inspired grind other games use, competition should cause us to see stronger GW2 game additions – rather than the compromise to business models (SWTOR, SW, etc) or gameplay mechanics – that occur when other games are faced with strong market competition.

Calae.1738:

VOLKON.1290:

Calae.1738:

I’m not sure how long they will be able to sustain this though. Their Achilles heel is a AAA MMO targeted to a mature audience. The Disney stuff might be tolerable for awhile but; it’ll get dumped really fast. Your average MMO gamers is over 30 and is demanding mature fun content.

Fixed that for you. I’m an average MMO gamer over 30, therefore I’m as entitled to generalize about the entire demographic as you are.

I’m not generalizing. Its a fact. MMO’s are not appealing to younger audiences. They might buy the game; play it till level 10 or 20 then quit.

It probably has something to do with how the younger generations seek something for nothing and are too impatient to work towards something. The entitled generation. The ones that grew up with credit cards, smart phones and google.

You stated as “fact” that we’re looking for what you call “mature” content. I’ve seen what Scarlet Blade is offering and how they’re selling themselves… I disagree. You’re statement is opinion, not fact. Give me fun, pleasing content. Give me something I enjoy, even if it’s a nostalgic romp down an 8-bit memory lane. Or maybe it’s a differing opinion on what “mature” is? To me, “mature” content includes that where I can sit down with my two kids and play together knowing it’ll be a rewarding and “safe” experience for us all.

(Note: Scarlet Blade is used as an example simply because they’re selling themselves as a “mature MMO”. The fact that nudity can be purchased in their cash shop, however, in my opinion pushes them to an immature level not seen in recent MMO history. There was no implication that you prefer a SB type of game in any way, shape or form.)

Calae.1738:

I’m not sure how long they will be able to sustain this though. Their Achilles heel is a AAA MMO targeted to a mature audience. The Disney stuff might be tolerable for awhile but; it’ll get dumped really fast. Your average MMO gamers is over 30 and is demanding mature fun content.

Fixed that for you. I’m an average MMO gamer over 30, therefore I’m as entitled to generalize about the entire demographic as you are.

The WvW queue and PvE culling tell me the game is going strong. I doubt the game can “die”. Without sub fees people will come and go. That gem store is profitable for sure.

Personally I’ll take a little break for bioshock infinite. I know everything will still be here when I get back and unlike in other games, I won’t loose a raid spot or be behind the gear treadmill hehe

limited lives need to be added to normal dungeons too, haha! That’d be a fun mode to add

Well, Volkon – I did start out with a fairly unbiased view as to what I might find; and thus I guess pretty open to also viewing the positives. I can’t say I am fully conclusive as to what ‘it can lead to’ but I am conclusive in it not being the deeper cause for any violence it may or may not inspire. A person who would feel inspired to violence by a game, would also have found another means of getting that inspiration, if the game wasn’t there. It’s as it is with a gun; you don’t have to use it just ‘cause it’s there.

Are there disturbed people playing games? I would answer with another question; are there disturbed people in the world? So yes; the answer would be yes – as it would be in any other endeavor in this life. Are there ‘normal’ people playing games? I would say there are far more creative people playing games; people who are in touch with other than mundane living. Which I see as a positive.

Calae.1738:

The target demographic is anyone above 13 and below 16. If there are adults who like that kind of stuff then they’re Disney adults. You know who they are. The ones that watch Disney movies.

This guy doesn’t understand what being an adult means.

Being an adult means it’s our turn to decide what that means. If that means watching Disney movies and filling my appartment with playpen balls … so be it. If that means having half a dozen plushies in my bed, so be it.

I’m pretty much sure you’re about 17-20 and desperately trying to be mature, knowing full well you’d much rather play with Legos. You’ll grow up, no problemo. Once you buy your first toy car again, you’ll know you’re an adult.

Has anyone else ever gotten a strange feeling from Guild Wars 2 that they didn’t get from any other online RPG? One that they couldn’t quite put their finger on?

I’d temporarily played a few other MMOs recently at the behest of some other friends, but they were all missing a very specific “feeling” that I couldn’t put my finger on.

After coming back to GW2 (Which I continually do; this time just in time for the Adventure Box), I realized what it is.

It’s immediacy.

There are tons of challenges in the game to be had and random things to do, and the feature I could not put my finger on while playing the other MMOs was IMMEDIACY.

I can do anything with the push of a button, immediately.

SPVP? Hit a button.
WVW? Button, done
Trading post? Button.
Travel the entire map to get to the adventure box? Button for that too.

I know a lot of other games have similar features (dungeon finders, etc.) but to me that travel time was really important as far as “what should I be doing right now?”

In GW2, I am free to literally stop what I am doing, and flip track completely in a manner of seconds.

(Also, one of the other things I noticed was the model animation, and the feeling of actual control you have in this game. Standing in a different fashion on slopes, character models actually turning and slowing down to stop, etc.)

Anyway, just something I noticed. Anyone else find anything in this game that they find unacceptable as not being present in others when they play?

Hey.
Was playing around with buildcraft and noticed that Dervish class has appeared there.
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/dervish/

What’s this?

Edit: Aprils Fool maybe?

Kakeru.2873:

Well age clearly is a factor here. As the the superbox commercial and 8bit in general is homage to some gamers childhood and growing up. Sometime I didn’t grow up with and do not understand or enjoy in any particular way. I do not relate to it in anyway 1 because of my age and 2 because of my interests. So age kinda is a factor.

Essentially, following your logic, you’re saying I need to be over three hundred years old to appreciate Shakespeare?

GW2 was never marketed as a hardcore MMO, or a dark game full of tragedy for that matter. They talked about horizontal progression and removing competition more than anything else. Review all the pre-launch videos, trailers and interviews.. They are still there for all to see.

I like this event, its amusing. Its funny. It’s also easy content they can add while fixing WvW and working on sPvP being viable. Arenanet isn’t a one employee company, they can (and should) work on more than one thing at a time.

I don’t understand today’s “gamers”. This is a game, a diversion; its not a career. Playing isn’t your job, nor does it define you in any way. They are designing this game, its their project, their vision, not ours. How entitled the gaming community got is unbelievable. (Not all my rant is about this sole thread, but this forum in general).

Kakeru.2873:

I’ve finally realised why I can’t enjoy or begin to enjoy this game even though it’s amazing and is in my favorite genre.

I’m not the demographic at which they are aiming for.

With the “Super Box Adventure” commercial I realised GW2 is made for the 35 year old gamers, or gamers generally older than me in their late 20s to 30s, who love this nostalgic feeling of 8bit games and bad american commercials. I didn’t grow up with this so to me it’s just not something I can relate to on any level.

With no time constrains and content available to anyone at any skill level, they are aiming this game at ppl who have a wife and possibly kids, gamers who don’t have that much time in the day to actually play games in general, in another term casual players who don’t have all the hours in the day to play. That isn’t me i’m not a casual gamer, I have hours for college work (not uni), and games. I’m not constrain by casual hours.

I’m not looking for an arcade game or an adventure game to play, a 8 bit platformer or a platformer in general. I’m looking to play an mmorpg. Mini games are fun but when the bulk of my fun from the game is coming from mini games, i might aswell be playing a real adventure, platformer or arcade game than a water downed version of such in an MMORPG.

Id like to report a bug, there is no dislike button anywhere!!!

Somebody else remembers using papertape!

(Nightmare memories of using a rack of punchcards to load operating system… and.. watching someone ….drop…. the entire thing).

Husband and I are both 55, going on 56 and we know gamers that are 10-30 years older than us.

Neither of us are in any way shape or form nostalgic for arcade games. Btw, we both hate jump puzzles. We understand many players think jump puzzles are fun and we wish them joy! We would not want them removed just because that particular portion of the game “does not cater to us”. Nor do we base our experience of the entire game around one particular aspect.

That’s because we do not have the “entitled” expectations of a great many of the current generation of gamers. (Mature gamers of any age excepted.)

If you are planning to talk “demographics”, we can have a very long discussion in another thread about the multiple ways to segment the constituencies within the MMO market and within GW2 specifically.

-“hardcore” player

PS: I think ANet was trying to put a bit of “silly” into April, as well as “paying homage” to some of the video games that have come before. Was a nice gesture.

TO: Vayne.8563 “I’m 51. When I was growing up, a computer game was a book. Well, not quite that bad, but you get the idea.”

Your still a young whipper snapper . Come back when your old enough to shave. (ie. had to load the computer with switches and paper tape if your lucky). The game sure was not designed for my demographics or you wouldn’t have to dodge and kiting is something you do on windy days.

At least 300x better than karka krap, 100x better than wintersday and an infinitesimal margin more fun than the Living Story. The team responsible for this need a bonus.

Well done Arena net im honestly blown away, definitely wasn’t expecting something as in depth and fun as this. Not to mention its full of nostaligia!

If it disappears after April, I say increase the team’s budget and have them do something like this bi-monthly.

Pure skins, purely optional, purely fun. People love it.

(Make it fit with the lore of Tyria for bonus points)

I second that, I would like to buy it!

Curious why the max bubbles is 250 and not 255? #FF ftl?

How about because it’s one of the best kitten updates to a game in the past 30 years ?
How about because it’s entertaining to the vast majority of players ?
How about if you don’t like it, don’t play the optional content.

Herr der Friedhoefe.2490:

So why are we getting handed Super Mario Bros?

The magic word is “fun”

Because it’s fun, and that’s what games are about. Except for a few that like to get immersed in the world and can’t handle ANYTHING that’s not related to lore. If they want to immerse themselves in a world, they should get a life.

If anything the 35+ demographic is the least catered to. My first game was pong. Glad they didn’t go that far back. :P

OP it’s great you have a few years with all that extra time but RL will creep up. If you don’t have a job already, you will. Then comes a more demanding job and so on. Not even going to mention a partner or a family since that is down the road. At some point you’ll realize that the next time you’ll have that kind of free time is when you retire. Which can still be a long way away for some.
You won’t always have the kind of time you do now, so enjoy it. And don’t waste all of it on video games. It’s nice to have a game made for people that have lives outside of Tyria. I still feel behind most of the time but at least it’s not impossible to catch back up.
And VOLKON said it best below me. It’s a focus that is spread across demographics giving something for everyone.

This might help a bit:
http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Custom_music