Phoenix Ascendant [ASH] – Gate of Madness
“This space intentionally left blank.” ~ Zork
Phoenix Ascendant [ASH] – Gate of Madness
“This space intentionally left blank.” ~ Zork
Disclaimer: What follows is entirely my opinion. So please, mods, do not bother changing the title. Everyone here knows that I’m only giving my own opinion. No one is going to be “confused”.
Now then….
I was asked recently by an avid defender of this game’s new policies a very simple question: what exactly in this new patch made me so angry? Naturally, I had a nice big list of things prepared and I could have riddled them all off, but as I thought about it some more, I realized that my problem with this patch, and indeed with most of the patches, all really boil down to one thing, one core flaw that defines all of the problems I’ve experienced with this game….trust.
Namely, the fact that I can no longer trust that the developers of GW2 have our best interests at heart. And as a loyal fan of the franchise since GW1, that actually hurts an awful lot to admit, because up until recently, ArenaNet was probably one of the only developers out there that I felt I could trust completely.
But I’ve felt this way ever since the game’s beta, when I saw major issues plaguing the game and the devs completely ignoring those reports, pushing forward with a release of a game that we all knew wasn’t ready yet. And it’s only gotten worse from there. You’ve no doubt seen a thousand rants about November, and other such things, so I’ll try to spare you as much of that as possible. Really, it’s not specific events for me….it’s the general trend of it all. GW2 is still a great game, one that I spend much of my free time playing. But my play habits have changed considerably, and not (in my opinion) for the better.
This game no longer feels like a game that “takes everything I love about GW1”, nor a game that encourages me to “play the way I want to”.
I’ll try to explain my stance, using more recent updates as examples.
1) A lot of people have praised the new dailies as “easier to complete”, but not only is this grossly untrue in many cases, it’s missing the point to begin with. The original dailies were the best model not because they were “easy” or “hard”, but because they were built entirely around the mantra of “play the way you want to”. Kills, kill variety, gathering, events. Things you could do nearly anywhere in the game. You could do them on your Lvl 1 or your Lvl 80, in any map zone you wanted. That provided a massive amount of variety that the new options are utterly devoid of. Kills in specific regions? Dungeon runs? Keg Brawl? These aren’t options that let you “play the way you want to”, they’re options that imply that maybe you’re not playing the game the way the devs want you to.
2) One of my favorite features of GW1 was the concept of horizontal progression. I had come from a lot of MMOs that focused around getting the biggest numbers, then chasing the next set of big numbers, and eventually that grind became too much for me, leading to me falling behind and quitting. GW2, I fear, is on its way towards that same fate. The devs have admitted that they like vertical progression and will continue with it moving forward….which, for someone like me who was disillusioned with other MMOs, that’s a deathblow to the game that “takes everything I love about GW2”, because it’s not taking one of my favorite elements from GW1: the fact that I never felt obligated to gear grind. I could leave, come back, and still be a competitor. Skill always felt more important than stats. Whether you consider Ascended to be a grind or not is personal preference, but the fact remains that it won’t be the end of their progression plans. They’ve said as much. And that bothers me, knowing that I could leave now, come back in two years, and be significantly behind other players in terms of performance, even if I was the better player.
3) The devs have a tendency of giving out no information, or worse, wrong and conflicting information. We’ve been told that the precursor system was actively being worked on, and then Colin comes along to tell us that it’s not even likely to happen until April (at the earliest). Colin comes along and talks about how they’re working on new rewards systems that could yield precursors (getting people’s hopes up that the laurel system would have some manner of obtaining them) and then backtracks on it within days. We’re told that the devs are working on condition damage, and yet not working on it. That culling will be fixed, and then a patch comes out and makes it worse. That AoE will be nerfed across the board, and yet on a case-by-case basis. I don’t feel as though I can trust the developers themselves any more, because they don’t say the same things, and some of the claims they do make are later revealed to be outright false or misleading.
Remember when our developers talked about “strengthening the core game”?
How’d that work out for us so far?
Now let’s try some ideas that will really work.
How’d that work out for us so far?
Now let’s try some ideas that will really work.
Please don’t get me wrong, I love this game and I want to keep loving it and keep playing it. But I’m starting to feel like a jilted lover, here, and I can’t be the only one. There’s no trust in this relationship any more. I can’t count on the devs to say “we’re working on it” and to actually see positive results to that effect. I can’t count on each new patch to provide exciting new content that isn’t horrendously bugged, forcing multiple server restarts and re-patching. I just can’t trust this game, its devs, or the company that owns it any more. And that kills me because I love the game and I would much rather continue to enjoy and play it for years to come. But I don’t know if I can convince myself to stick around in this situation.
So I want to ask people, and I want you to be honest with yourselves as you answer: Do you feel that you can trust every word the developers say? Or do you approach their announcements as I do with quite a bit of caution and skepticism these days?
And I want to ask the devs an honest question, too: Do you feel that I’m being unreasonable, here? Or do you maybe see where I’m coming from? Because, really, I want this to work. I do. But you’ve got to give me reason to trust you again.
(….now I’m even sounding like a jilted lover….)
Remember when our developers talked about “strengthening the core game”?
How’d that work out for us so far?
Now let’s try some ideas that will really work.
How’d that work out for us so far?
Now let’s try some ideas that will really work.
Wow, some arguments are just too mindnumbing to endure. For the record, I do WvW every single night and have done so for months and I’m against retroactive credit for titles/abilities. I think the idea is simply ludicrous and overtly greedy.
I think it’s about fairness.
You know how to recognize a dedicated WvW player?
He has no legendary weapon and no ascended gear. And his exotics are probably from the karma vendors in Orr.
I have tons of achievement credit for things like supply used, dolyaks escorted, etc, but while PvE players have reaped rewards, I’ve got nothing.
Seems unfair that now, after PvE players have gotten everything they wanted, they can join WvW and start on equal footing with me and my 2000 dolyak escorts and 15,000 supply used which will count for nothing.
I certainly can’t switch to PvE and suddenly be on equal footing with them.
Camelot Unchained – from the makers of DAOC
A game that’s 100% WvW
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13861848/camelot-unchained
A game that’s 100% WvW
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13861848/camelot-unchained
When the game launched, there were 5 major currencies:
- Gold
- Gems
- Karma
- Dungeon Tokens
- Badges of Honor
As of now, the amount of currencies has nearly doubled with the addition of:
- Laurels
- Commendations
- Fractal Relics
- Pristine Fractal Relics
I did not include Influence and Merits in this because those are earned on a per guild rather than per person basis. I also did not include sPvP currencies.
At launch, players could effectively earn the majority of the currencies with a playstyle that included 1 or 2 of the major game systems (open world PvE, WvW, Dungeons).
The consequence of all these currencies is that they all now have exclusive rewards.
- I can not earn ascended amulets or other laurel vendor gear with by playing though dungeons, WvW, or fractals. I must do dailies to gain awards that are exclusive to dailies; therefore, I must add dailies to my playstyle.
- I can not earn ascended earrings(accessories) by doing WvW, fractals, dungeons, or PvE. I now must add Guild Missions to my playstyle OR sacrifice a month worth of dailies + monthly + 50ecto to afford one earring.
- I can not earn ascended rings by playing dungeons, WvW, or open world PvE. I must either add fractals and dailies to my playstyle .
- I can not earn ascended back pieces by playing dungeons, WvW, Guild Missions, Dailies, or open world PvE. I must add fractals to my playstyle.
So, as of right now, I must do the following to gear 1 character:
- Guild Missions
- Fractals
- Dailies/Monthlies
- Dungeons/Crafting for exotic armor
God help you if you prefer playing WvW…
Oh, and by the way, I have 8 characters…
I humbly submit that you do not add any more currencies. You are not extending the goal post anymore; you are adding multiple goal posts in every kitten direction. As soon as I run one way, there’s a goal post in a COMPLETELY different direction. I consider myself “hardcore”, but this is getting extremely tiring.
To be clear, I am NOT saying that you should not add more content.
What I’d like is for rewards for new content to be tied to existing currencies.
I suggest that you:
Add all ascended gear types to
- Guild Merits
- Dungeons (i.e. require 3-4 gifts to make an accessory)
- WvW
- Fractals (edit)
- Karma (edit)
- CRAFTING
And for the sake of Lyssa, use NEW SKINS AS INCENTIVES INSTEAD OF STATISTICAL INCREASES. I can tell you right now those using medium armor classes really could use some options.
Skins and titles are what kept people playing in GW1; new long term goal posts every month are what’s driving wedges in the game now.
Here’s what people thought of GW1 when it first came out: http://tinyurl.com/bntcvyc
“A release is 7 days or less away or has just happened within the last 7 days…
These are the only two states you’ll find the world of Tyria.”
“A release is 7 days or less away or has just happened within the last 7 days…
These are the only two states you’ll find the world of Tyria.”
(edited by Vorch.2985)
Colin just confirmed the “loot bug” and guess what, DR has nothing to do with it.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Update-on-Loot-Drops-Investigation/first#post1462956
It took months, but we finally have vindication. Good job Anet, can’t wait for the next patch.
Focus discussion/feedback/tears of joy here.
“I didn’t buy into GW2 being the second coming of christ.
I just wanted a AAA MMO with no sub made by ArenaNet. And it’s awesome.”
I just wanted a AAA MMO with no sub made by ArenaNet. And it’s awesome.”
If karma-training around WvW is all you want to do, then that’s too bad for you.
On the contrary, this new patch makes karma-training much easier.
In fact, the entire point of it is to allow smaller karma trains to flip more things with less opposition.
I appreciate that you were trying to troll but you are dead wrong in your assessment. If you want to discourage karma-trains, you need to enable defense. This patch made defense require more effort, even though it was already the least rewarding, most boring job in the game.
Camelot Unchained – from the makers of DAOC
A game that’s 100% WvW
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13861848/camelot-unchained
A game that’s 100% WvW
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/13861848/camelot-unchained
They grant engis one wish per year and now u used it!
LOL we WvWers are such self loathers. “Wow I’m getting good rewards from WvW it must be broken!” I guess we’ve been overly programmed to not expect anything good.
Zend(ario/imas/iana/ango) – Engi/Ele/Necro/Guardian
[KnT] – Blackgate
[KnT] – Blackgate
1) Quaggan
2) Quaggan
3) Quaggan
Who doesn’t want to be a quaggan mesmer, or even a quaggan with a greatsword. <3
My favorite is probably Zojja. Sieran definitely is close, though. I like the spunky types.
My least favorite is… well, Trahearne, naturally. I hate reluctant-hero characters.
On the story-stealing bit— I guess it’s not so much that he steals your personal story, but that he makes you realize the personal story was never about you. When he shows up, that’s when you start to realize the story isn’t building up to your big moment. Your big moment was at the very beginning of the game, in the tutorial. From there on out you’re playing tagalong with the canon heroes— specifically Trahearne, who you’ve JUST met (except sylvari) and are shown the future where he will achieve great and glorious things. That’s where the thunder-stealing resentment comes in. I think Oglaf hit the nail on the head with his reasons, especially #4.
Eh. Moving on… this thread shouldn’t turn into yet another Trahearne-hating thread.
I want to include Tybalt as my least favorite as well, since everybody else loves him. I join a secretive, elite organization of spies and assassins, and my primary contact is a bumbling, happy-go-lucky, apple-brained charr? No, no thanks. I’ll only be doing the Order of Whispers on one character, I think.
The reason why people hate Trahearne:
1) He is a poorly written character who’s only purpose is to pull deus ex machinas out of his butt to miraculously advance the plot.
2) He is a poorly acted character who’s dialogue sounds like someone used one of those speech programs.
3) He steals your personal story and reduces your character to a sidekick. My Norn would’ve strangled the talking carrot for stealing his thunder.
4) He replaces the most beloved characters; the Pact Mentors. All three are among the better characters in the game.
I can do thirty Five-Dolyak Arm Curls.
Do you even lift, bro?
Do you even lift, bro?
I have long said that WvW JPs (along with all SPs and POIs) need a qualified PPT objective worthy of their capture and defense. If there is no PPT objective associated with a geographic location, then it is broadly considered fluff.
As to the specifics of the original post…
OMG, get over it. You are no longer in T6-T8.
The roflstomping honeymoon is over. The era of going six days a week owning all the maps is over. It’s time you hardened up…and way past time that you realized that there are players in the game called “the enemy”… and they want and should be trying to pound you right out of WvW.
Aside from the silliness of carebear sentimentality… it’s just plain stupid. WHY?!? Why give your enemy free siege, free badges, free anything? Did I say stupid? Tactically stupid. Strategically stupid. Are you getting the message?
In the strongest terms, I encourage your enemies to take advantage of your generosity… and after garland dancing and singing campfire songs… to facemelt all the fluffies into a demoralized pile of quivering goo.
Nash Equilibrium is working against you. Non-cooperative theory is working against you. N-person game theory and imperfect information also work against you.
You can continue and take the blue pill… or, take the red pill and join the rest of us.
A zerg of 24 picks up a roaming strider… “No, no… go away!”
“Ok, we’re here. Before we attack let’s do a headcount…”
/M Zerging Bay… DO NOT APPROACH!
How ridiculous.
The number should be set to 2+, 5+, 10+, 25+ with different symbols identifying the size. Give more info, rather than give it while hiding it. And refresh those sword positions every second, not every 10 secs.
We’re about to hit page 4. I think that’s a first for this match-up!
Here’s the tl;dr edition for those just tuning in:
Prosecute is mad because he got killed in a pvp area and decides to form a mini-alliance with some HoD guilds to make GoM mad in return. Succeeds in creating dissension on both his own server and HoD while GoM collectively shrugs and goes about business as usual. HoD hosts a hugfest so everyone can go back to being bff’s. Meanwhile, Acium makes a play at forming an alliance with the forum moderators.
In a shocking M. Night Shymaleen twist, it’s revealed that Prosecute is a former Kaineng player. Credits roll.
I bet this poll will have no sampling bias
Tsarazi – 80 Asuran Mesmer [DERP]
Maguuma
Maguuma
Like I said above if you can’t handle words get off the internet.
The internet is privately-hosted public space. You’re free to fling your poo at everything in your own living room to your heart’s content, but you can’t fling poo in a shopping mall. See the difference?
I fling poo in the shopping mall, I do not understand what point you are trying to make. From your tone, it sounds like you would be the type of person that would want SOPA/PIPA/CISPA to pass.
Even by the low standards of anonymous forums, that is a feeble attempt to build a straw man. Why not just jump straight to calling me “Hitler” if you’re going to be so lazy with your arguments?
Unless you are trolling, in which case several seconds of slow-clapping to you.
Borlis Pass Pride!
If our trait lines are any indication, only players meant to invest on arcana should attunement swap like crazy, while players investing on fire/ air/ earth/ water should want to stick with them for the best results, only changing to other attunements when in need, changing right back to their specced elements to yield more results than changing to the remaining others.
I personally prefer that playstyle. I like that we have the option to pick our favourite or our two favourite attunements, while attunement swapping being relevant but secondary, unless we specc for us to be crazily dependent on our main mechanic. Unfortunately, that option sucks due to bad traits.
You know, all/ most other professions work like that. Shatters will always be useful to a Mesmer, but they can be a secondary skillset while mesmers focus on keeping phantasms, creating clones, etc, depending on their build. Animal companions will always be there for the Ranger, but they can be secondary or drive the whole build. Virtues will always define the Guardian, but they’ll either be passive effects to several guardian’s builds most of the time, or really strong activated abilities to other Guardian’s builds.
Why must we, elementalists, depends on our main mechanic more than any other profession? Why must we not have the option to make half of the elements we like best inherently stronger than the remaining half of the elements we like the least?
Why can’t I be a mobile fire/ air burst-focused elementalist, or go fire/ earth for a more defensive condition-damaging elementalist? All other attunements would still be secondary options, but they could be, or not, relevant depending on my need. This would give more personality to the elementalists builds. It would make elementalists more unique compared to each other.
And for those that absolutely love dancing through all attunements equally? You’d still have the arcana traitline for that purpose.
(edited by DiogoSilva.7089)