Showing Posts For AcidicVision.5498:

Has Server Population Increased?

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I have sources just like others and also see/play the game + what people in the industry are saying.

You have no sources. There will be no sources until their earnings report. So a.) you are just pulling number out of your kitten or b.) your “sources” are feeding you a line of BS that you are fully buying in to.

Fact is, most of the people in the game that dont use forums could care less about the ascended change. And most of the people that said they were leaving over the change and never coming back have been playing regularly. That’s not a matter of opinion. Scan through the Ascended threads and add the “quitters” to your friends list. They are still quite active.

What the industry is saying: Game of the year from multiple outlets, MMO of the year, Best art Direction, and nominations for Best Multiplayer Game.

My own anecdotal experience: The weekend before Xmas, two Best-Buys, two Wal-Marts, and a target were sold entirely out of the game, while the other heavy hitters display’s barely had a dent.

So to answer the OP, yes server sizes have increased to accommodate the influx of players rather than make them sit up till 3am to pick a home server. And the game is perfectly healthy. People trying to sell you otherwise are just blowing smoke.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

GW2 Theorem Game

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

The Winner has been chosen

Congratulations Toobz. You win 1,200 gems. The code will be PMd to you.
Honorable mention to Mr.Nobody who had the most names in the hat with 13 slips.

Happy Holidays

Here were the Theorem solutions and clues:

1: Duke Gaban may Dwayna preserve you
Seize her phonetically sounds like Caesar, which is the type of cipher used. The writer mentions her age being “the key” to his story. She was 17. The solution was found with a Caesar cipher with a key of 17._

2: Beware Tixx
In the phrase “in this Pig Pen somewhere” is mis-capitalized to give a hint that the type of cipher is a pig-pen. The names Rosicrucian and Mason are also names of secret societies known to have used pig-pen ciphers. The name Wick is meant to point readers towards wikipedia for the cipher key. The phrase “in absence of all others, our Colors endure” again has colors mis-capitalized as a clue. The message is revealed by removing all but the order of whispers colors from each square in the image, and then decrypting with the key from wikipedia.

3: Fools and their gold are soon parted
The names used J, Robert and the mention of King in a title make up the name of the author of the GW2 book Edge of Destiny. The word bookie is used and refers to the type of cipher. Destiny’s Edge is also mentioned as another clue. The message is found by taking each set of numbers and finding the word in the book that corresponds with the page, paragraph and position. For those that didn’t have the book, all words could be found in the amazon.com “look inside” preview.

4: I miss Elona
Virtually the entire passage uses segments of the gw wiki entries for Djinn and Zomorros. The ward that delivered him refers to Milani, the phrase “aid the brave or curse the unworthy” speaks to the randomness of mystic forging. The phrase “Pay this new found alliance tribute and receive my gifts to aid you” again hints at the mystic forge. The phrase “I may not always playfair” has a mistake with the space missing between play and fair. This is a hint at the type of cipher which is the play-fair. The message is solved by using a play-fair cipher with Zommoros as the key.

5: The Minstrel strikes again
The first clue is the off use of zigzag, which is another name for the type of cipher used. The words rails and fence are also used several times to show importance. It’s mentioned that the criminal strikes every fours days. The type of cipher used is the zigzag variation of the rail-fence cipher and the message is decrypted by using a key of 4.

The minstrel was a joke profession that was on the GW2 website, hiding the real reveal of the mesmer.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

This Sale is Blasphemy...

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I wish there was more to the collectors edition… no in game items or titles or anything fun (Soundtrack “Sampler” lol, book was kind of meh, digital items are all in the same in the deluxe lol).

Oh, well… that Rytlock figure has grown on me a bit though

Sales come and go on things… At least they haven’t pulled a ToR-tanic lol.

The Rytlock statue is really nice. Im also really fond of the art prints and frame. You wouldn’t think some printed concept art would be that great, but it looks amazing.

I also liked the book and ended up taking it to a launch event to get signed by some designers and content guys.

In game stuff was the same as the DDE and pretty meh I think. If the CE were to go on sale I would probably buy another one just to keep boxed up. But there don’t seem to be many out there in the wild still, so I don’t see the price going down, for an unopened one, before it goes up.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Servers are filling again.

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

That link is so bogus. There is only 26,000 people playing WoW?

It can only take metrics from the people actually using it. And comparative to the games population as a whole…Xfire users only make up a small percentage.

Not everyone uses Xfire, and it appeals to a specific demographic. So those numbers are an indication of the activity in the game of a subset of a subset of players.

Sort of how forum users make up a minority of players of a certain type. But Xfire users are a bit more mercurial in their gaming habits. Hence using it to begin with so you can chat cross games and see what friends are playing.

26k players playing WoW with Xfire active is believable.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Servers are filling again.

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Being a drooling zealot doesn’t say much about this game if such fallacious logic is all you can fall back on to defend it.

What is fallacious about a conclusion drawn from being able to physically see US servers go from Full to High in the early hours of the morning when most of Central and Eastern American players are asleep? This pop change also coincides with night-capping in WvW, which is only possible because no one is on to defend their borderlands.

Thats not a theory. That’s not an opinion. There is no logical fallacy in the correlation. It is a fact that is observable by anyone.

I hope you get your refund so the general player base doesn’t have to witness any more of your non-sense.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Servers are filling again.

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

One of the community managers admitted to it being based on number of accounts. Denying the truth won’t change it. It’s probably all Arenanet can do to prevent NCsoft from shutting the game down after it failed.

Yeah, well you are either making that up, the CM was mistaken, or that information has changed.

If the servers were tied to accounts linked to it as home then full servers would nearly always be full.

You can see for yourself that half a dozen (at least) “full” servers change to high population and allow transfers in the early hours of the morning. Dragonbrand for example, the last time I looked at the list, changes from full to high between 4:00-6:00am EST.

You think those accounts are all just magically disappearing in the wee hours of the morning and then reappearing as people are waking up?

My advice to the OP is to set your alarm for some ridiculous hour in the AM to get up and change servers. Like most other people do when they absolutely need to transfer. Which i’ll add again as empirical evidence against Vasham’s misinformation, wouldn’t be possible unless the population was based on concurrent online users.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

This Sale is Blasphemy...

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I think you are using that word way way wrong.

I also think sales happen. Especially around the holidays. If there is something you want and absolutely have to have the best deal, wait until black Friday, cyber Monday, or a few days before Christmas.

This is one of the absolute truths of the universe.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

I feel cheated

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I bought a sticker from a gumball machine for fifty cents, then it messed up for the kid that used it after me and gave him two stickers! It said ONE sticker per fifty cents! I am writing the company a strongly worded letter as soon as I get home. Gumball machines in this day and age should operate flawlessly.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Does anyone care about SPVP anymore?

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I don’t like to use this argument often but I think it legitimately applies here and isn’t just something to try to pacify people or blow off their complaints: The game hasn’t even been out six months.

If the OP, and many other people in his situation have been putting in 166+ hours a month, for six consecutive months, then you are probably burnt out. You might need to take a break.

From before day 1 the designers have said they want to introduce new maps, they want to introduce new modes, but need to see how the classes and systems are working out first and that the most effective mode for data collection was the conquest style.

It’s not as if all of the classes and tournaments and lobbies were working flawlessly right out of the gate so they could just crunch some numbers and then get to work on Quaggan-ball.

New modes require a good deal of adding functionality to the engine. Not to mention if all of the existing maps won’t work, then new ones need to be created.

I am positive you will see more PvP improvements. But as with everything else in game development, things take time. Actual, real time. Not “I put in 900-100 hours or in six months and need something new or me and my lot will quit playing this game that we can always come back to for free, so I don’t understand why I don’t have it now” time.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

I don't understand...

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

You are all bananas. With exception to a few NPCs and sections in particular the voice acting in this game is just a little above par for what you should expect from a game.

And the VO in GW was HORRENDOUS. Honestly, it sounded like they needed someone to do a few lines and called the mailman in to the recording booth. It did get a lot better by the time Eye of the North came along, but Prophecies and Factions were almost as bad as the original Resident Evil and House of the Dead arcade game.

I don’t think you’ll find better voice work in an MMO, except for SWToR, and you see where the focus on that and the tens of millions of dollars they spent for it ended up getting the game in the end.

Fun fact, there were enough individual lines of dialog recorded for GW2 to fill three full length films. Felicia Day, Steve Blum and Troy Baker in particular do a pretty great job.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Just started - what is the best/op class ?

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Warriors.

Playing most other classes will just end up in heart-break every time you read the patch notes. Mainly for either the stuff thats broke and doesn’t get fixed (Ranger, Necro), or nerfs to the new skills you find most useful because the last patched nerfed the skills did find most useful (Thief).

This might change soon though because I think they are running out of things to buff on Warriors. I mean, when all you have left to add is underwater finishers, you’re scraping the bottom of the barrel. Maybe when that happens the other classes will start seeing equal attention instead of outright neglect or baseball bats to the knees.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

I feel cheated

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I think this was a mistake or an over-sight that came about as a side-effect to the hot-fix for chest bugs.

I don’t think they intentionally lied to everyone about only being able to craft two of the five. And I don’t think they deliberately kept that plan a secret so people would buy the minis from the gem shop.

Something was broke, they put in a quick fix to reward the people that were affected and to keep more people from getting the wrong rewards (im talking about the bug where people were opening the chest and getting PvP stuff specifically and the people that didnt get cogs from the dungeon), and as a result a lot of us ended up getting more stuff than intended.

So complaining about it is sort of like saying you feel cheated that you didn’t get to take advantage of their mistake to get more than you were supposed to get.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Stuck with extra slot toy bag look

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

To begin with, I think you are confusing the 15 slot bag with the toymaker’s bag back slot item.

The 15-slot bag was not the thing that is making the bag appear in your character. That item does not change the appearance of anything. The bag you are seeing is the back slot item, which you can transmute or hide the appearance of.

Basically, you equipped a back slot item and confused it with a storage container, then trashed a perfectly good and free 15 slot item, wasted money on buying another one, and never unequipped the back slot.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Guildwars 2 T-shirts

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Im not even sure where you found the shirts you are talking about (if they are official merchandise). Quite a long time ago the community voted on some shirt designs and they never actually got released.

I did get a white T-shirt with the red logo on it from a launch event, but it wasn’t particularly high quality and had the launch date on the back. Not that i’m complaining, they are pretty cool to have, but i’d also like the opportunity to buy the shirts they teased us with

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Another holiday, another grind...

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

During the course of a single Wintersday event in GW, I would farm the snowman cave hundreds of times to get the jinglebear mini

During Halloween I would say I did the skele speed farm at least a thousand times each year for ToT bags/titles.

And I was not alone. For a week straight there would be twenty or more overflow servers for UW and Umbral grotto, with dozens of people surrounding Koris, and LFG for skele farm.

That was grind. GW2 offering multiple, totally viable, methods to go about getting core event items is not grind.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Bell Choir - Billie Jean

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

/signed for an a appreciation unbreakable bell. That is definitely getting the most out of the content.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

GW2 Theorem Game

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Theorem 5 hint: You may find two variations of this cipher. You’ll find the answer in the one that isn’t a straight path.

Since its the weekend right before the holidays and Theorem 4 took people a few days and posted hints to figure out, I decided to make the last one a softball so everyone can get their answer in.

I hope everyone enjoyed the game. These things take a bit of effort to put together, believe it or not. The winner will be drawn on the 25th.
Thanks for playing!

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Upcoming Fractal Changes: Discussion

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I wonder where the level ranges they talked about implementing a while ago went. It’s nice they are adding this fix, but the other method seemed more effective.

The way I thought it would work is that you went in the level 1-10 set and anyone in that range in the party would level up on completion.

Once you hit 11 then you leveled up by doing the 11-20 group. 21, the level 21-30 group.

That way players could find groups easier and wouldn’t be facing escalating agony effects before they had the tools to deal with them. Without a way to inspect individual levels, this new implementation looks like players could just lie about their level to get in to the first party available and a Fractal lvl2 player will get omgwtflolpwnd by agony from a fractal level 45 boss.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

GW2 Theorem Game

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Theorem 5

“A true villain! That’s what we have here, running rampant throughout Divinity’s Reach. First one of our instructor’s fine clothing store, now vandalizing the children’s class room. And just earlier this week all of Madam Victoria’s windows and mirrors were smashed while she was at court. The Mesmers of this city will not sit idly by and be harassed while the Seraph zigzag about, polishing their helmets! And i’ll tell you what else…”

While the instructor went on with her tirade and finger wagging, the Seraph dispatched to the Mesmer academy surveyed the ransacked class room.

“Someone has really gone off their rails attacking this lot. If they ever get caught in the act we’ll be lucky if they aren’t driven stark mad by the time we get there.” One muttered.

“Your not kidding. Queen Jenna and Anise are taking this personally. Our backs are against the fence here. If we don’t find this guy, they will let these kids use us for practice.” another added.

“Enough about your fences and rails. Logan wants our report before the end of day. All we have so far is the same gibberish calling card that was left at the other scenes and it appears this freak strikes every four days.” Their senior scolded as he picked up a slip of paper with the silhouette of a tiny lute and the letters tstahntsrsgeirlieanmeki carefully and decoratively inked across it.

Good luck!

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

all games have grind!

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Not sure the etymological discursion pertains to the current thread. I believe what I am saying is that, free of obligation, I would like to play the non-grindy game promised in the Manifesto. I don’t want to chose to play or quit freely. (Though I admit that is the choice with vertical progression—grind or quit.) What I want to do is play the game without being forced to grind after attaining level 80 and exotic gear.

It does. And this is exactly why I brought it up. “Grindy” is 100% subjective. The second you feel like something is a grind, then it is and the idea of a non-grindy game is gone.

No one can agree on the exact parameters, different people like different things, it’s impossible to please one sub-set of people without displeasing another and each sub-set thinks their way of doing things is the best.

If you are going to allow grind to be an applicable concept to a voluntary activity, then you should also be accepting of the fact that content you totally enjoy, someone else loathes and considers a grind; content you hate, other’s will love and repeat without feeling put out at all. So every single aspect of the game is potentially a grind to someone, somewhere.

This discussion can never end. There is no resolution. So it’s not particularly worth having.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

all games have grind!

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

The terminology as we use it goes back to 1851 and refers to an oppressive task that is unpleasant or difficult to perform.

This evolved in to meaning monotonous labor and became a slang term for work.

So absolutely anything, in the existence of ever, can be considered a grind if you are forced to do it and find it (such as society demanding we have a job, or go to school) unpleasant, difficult, and monotonous.

One person might not consider doing three paths of a dungeon every day, for a week or so to get an exotic set, a grind because they enjoy the dungeon and the people they are playing with; while another person may think it is a grind because they loathe every minute of it and feel like they are forced to do it to keep up.

Etymologically, Guild Wars 2 has no grind because it’s not something you are forced to play. It is a recreational activity that you have complete free will to decide that you want to participate in. At any moment you feel any part of it becoming “grindy” you can stop and do something else. Simply, unless you are a gold farmer trying to pay your bills, no one is oppressively forcing you to play the game.

Now, if you are choosing to participate, free of obligation, in an optional activity you think is monotonous, laborious, and difficult, then proceed to complain on the internet about it…you may want to look a little more closely at how much you value your free time and you decision making abilities.

There are very real mental illnesses out there that are characterized by someone voluntarily exposing themselves over and over again to activities that cause them frustration, stress, anger, and disappointment, and then proceed to try and convince themselves and others that it’s not their own fault. Just something to think about.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

Toypocalypse (Can't join as a party)

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I have to say that the volume of complaining about this one issue has certainly surpassed the actual level of severity.

We have complained. Anet responded.

TBH I didn’t mind the event. I thought it was a nice tower-defense style mode. Being able to play with friends is always a plus and would be nice in the future.

Complaining about an entirely optional, free, temporary event is really silly in the grand scheme of things. Wanting and suggesting improvements is one thing, but straight raging over a mini game just seems…petty.

What bothers me is the solution to the problem of people having a hard time. There were two achievements: an easy one for just completing the mini-game, and a hard one for completing it in a perfect fashion. That’s the way achievements should work. That’s the way they work on every other achievement platform that exists. So to quell everyone, they are just going to give the easy and hard achievements to people for just finishing. There are game wide implications to that attitude and how people will play. Horrible, horrible precedence to set.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Toypocalypse (Can't join as a party)

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Boo. So basically players are going to be given both achievements for just completing the event? I and some of my guildies put in serious effort to finish that thing with all 5 dolyaks alive. We achieved the achievement.

What is the point of even having achievement’s if you are just going to care-bear give them away to everyone? If the achievement system is just going to be trivialized by setting the bar to the skill level of the lowest caliber player, then the entire thing should be removed because there is no merit in it. “Yeah I accomplished that thing and can prove it!” becomes “Meh, I was there when this thing happened. Didn’t really need to do much, but this orange bar filled up”.

The side effect of this BTW is going to be players not bothering with event achievements until the end of events just to wait and see if there is a nerf that makes it so they won’t need to work as hard or spend as much time on it.

Such a pity.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

I burn my eyes cuz of white background!

in Forum and Website Bugs

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

The sale is over now, but keep a look out for these:
http://www.woot.com/plus/gunnar-gaming-glasses-1

Also for when you aren’t gaming, this free program is really nice. It adjusts the temperature of your monitor to match the time of day:
http://stereopsis.com/flux/

Yeah, the forums should probably be a bit gentler and you shouldn’t need to buy special glasses to read them without burning your eyes, but if you spend a lot of time on the computer then they really help all around. I have a pair at work and and at home.

@Dimm, books, magazines and paper aren’t backlit by LEDs. Staring at bright monitors for prolonged periods of time does have physical side effects. This is a pretty well-known thing. He isn’t making it up.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

Christmas Card From Anet

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Well awesome on them.

Studios usually only send this sort of thing to press outlets with hopes of getting a little page space. The amount of crap Kotaku gets every year is astounding. They usually let it pile up and then do give-aways or charity auctions some time in the year.

Things like this are why Anet is one of my favorite studios. …Now when is the first community design a weapon contest!?

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Christmas Card From Anet

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

How did the staff get the addresses of players?? O.O

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

GW2 Theorem Game

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Theorem 4 clues:
I’m a big fan of wordplay, but I don’t just make things up. What looks like a simple mistake might have been intentional.

Once you have nailed down the what, perhaps you should consider the who.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Not posting all class changes.

in Suggestions

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Disillusioned…because of changes to your Mesmer.

I seen what you did there. That was clever.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Profession Based Armor Sets

in Suggestions

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

This idea is every kind of win. I actually came here to post this exact thing because I was having this conversation in /m in an LA overflow.

It started by reminiscing over GW1 Mesmers. They had, hands down, the most iconic look in GW. Their armor had style, class and poise. It was very distinct and very defining.

Now Mesmers share a look with Necros and Eles and I think a good bit of their entire profession’s persona was lost there.

There should definitely be a return of prestige armor. And if should be profession based. The silhouettes of characters currently only tell you whether they are a soldier, adventurer or scholar. While that’s perfectly functional for PvP, it does nothing to add to the atmosphere and uniqueness of each character.

I’d like to see something sort of like the concept of Factions (kurzick/luxxon) armor. Two sets, one that is just the standard “hey this is what I am” armor, and the other being a much fancier and more costly version. So you could look at a character and say “hey that’s a thief” or “hey check out that thief’s elite set”.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

DEs: have you REALLY done them all?

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I still haven’t seen the Skritt-Burglar or the Modus Sceleris. I did find a random Moa boss that opened a portal to a new puzzle zone and that was neat.

There is so much going on that it’s really hard to legitimately say you have done everything. I’m sure there is a ton of content that most people don’t even know exists. Like I knew the Burglar and Modus were active, and have even gone to hot spots looking for them and had no luck. But the Moa guardian and secret instance with the puzzle and chest I had no idea about and probably wouldn’t have found without going down the list of achievements.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Massively: GW2 Best MMO OF 2012

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

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AcidicVision.5498

Well, maybe Massively’s MMO of the year was a critics choice.
Biggest disappointment was probably player influenced.

Sort of how Oscars are sometimes given to artsy movies that did “meh” in box offices as opposed to the movies that consumers actually liked.

If im correct, then the latter actually justifies the former. The more popular the game, the more players it has. The more players it has the more noise people with an agenda will make because they would rather see the game burn than be something other than what they want. Im sure massively GW2 articles and forums are full of misguided comments raging about ascended gear and botched content releases that they got for free.

Secret World didn’t have that kind of noise, because it didn’t have that big of a player base, because it wasn’t that good of a game. Thus not a nominee or winner in either category.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Toypocolypse

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Hmm… add a little steel drums, some rum… Toypocalypso!

Or some creedence and a helicopter….Toypcalypse Now

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Why isn't there an introduction cinematic

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Coming in with an opposite perspective, I think there is a huge amount of lore and story to the game. Using a human character as an example:

1 – you play through the event that sets you up as Hero of Shaemoore which kicks off personal story.
2 – you resolve your biography choices that really flesh out your character as a…character.
3 – The orders are introduced one by one and they explain who/what they are and the dragons.
4 – Play through your order arc that really gets into how bad news the Dragons really are for all races.
5 – Prepare/stage the assault on Zhaitan.

There is a pretty clear progression there and unless you are just clicking through or skipping all of the personal story dialog scenes and options, it’s pretty hard to miss. The only thing I could see being a bit out of no where would be the reunion near the end, but if you do the story mode dungeons along the way then you see every step of that happening.

If you are talking about lore and details that are superfluous to your character’s story and the Zhaitan arc, that gets filled in by talking to NPCs and listening to chatter. There are kids in LA and the Foothills that explain the Charr/Human conflict about thirteen thousand times a day.

The Dragonbrand is also explained by various NPCs in Blazeridge. Where it came from, what its doing, how its affecting creatures, how it might be fixed. All voice acted things you participate in, via hearts or dynamic events.

I guess a case can be made for the lore and events of races and the world not being shoved in the face of, and shovel fed to, players. But if you slow down, explore, participate, and observe, then you get everything you need to know and more.

If the deeper lore of the franchise is something you are really interested in knowing, then spend and hour or so reading through the original games wiki, and/or check out the two books that have been published so far. There is a ton there to invest in, but most of it isn’t directly related to the Zhaitan chapter of the Dragon plot.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Voice software mandatory for explorable dgs?

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I always use voice-chat with my guild when in dungeons. Things just run smoother altogether. I never use voice-chat in pick up groups because:

1. If they have it I’m not invited to theirs, probably for the same reason as 2…
2. We don’t invite pugs in to our voice chat just to avoid trolls and kittenholes.

That said, it’s only really in pugs you see failed dungeon DEs, people running the wrong direction, over-aggroing mobs, discovering mid-boss fight a person has no idea what they are doing, rage quitters, boot griefers and the like. All of which can make a dungeon a pretty miserable experience. Even if you have convinced yourself they are just NPCs with bad AI and dialog.

The game-play related issues could all be totally resolved by having a full party in voip with a group leader that has the patience to explain things to someone unfamiliar.

So no, not necessary. But, understandably, quick efficient communication with your team, in a team-based activity, makes it much more enjoyable and a lot less frustrating.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

"Frosty " and "Jumping in a Winter"

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I just want to share this with as many people as possible. Please comment so more people do see it. Otherwise it just gets buried.

This is the Wintersday thread. I wouldnt be opposed to a sticky. I mean…who doesn’t need to read this?

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

GW2 Theorem Game

in Guild Wars 2 Discussion

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Theorem 4

“When all that is was of the golden sun, I walked free on the hot ashes of creation. I watched the birth of your race, the greed and destruction you created with Abaddon’s gift. I watched your people hunt, entrap, and execute my kin for their magic, and I had slain many of you for it.

The good and evil among-st us retreated to sanctuaries your corruption could not reach. To guard the still pure and undiscovered. To wait for you to destroy yourselves.

Then the dragons awoke again and while my kin have not been swayed, I understand the beasts will annihilate everything.

So my ward has delivered me here. A voluntary prison encasing my home lands magic preserves me, that I may aid the brave, or curse the unworthy, in such ways as I can.

Pay this new found alliance tribute and receive my gifts to aid you.

I may not always playfair, but since your lot first stepped from the palms of your god’s hands…neither have you.

In the primordial tongue of wind and fire hr jr ej vb kc"

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Plushie Griffon appreciation thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

There are already what…three golem minis? Tomorrows toy is sooo yesterday.

We need a plushie progeny in an elf suit.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Why is every event centered around a dungeon?

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

It’s more like a story instance than a dungeon. There are no traps, corridors, sub-bosses, cut-scenes, paths, giant health pool bosses, multiple way points, tokens, or anything else that makes the dungeons…dungeons.

The entire thing is just an open area with a few dynamic events and then you’re done.

If it makes you feel better, jump in a group and just treat the other players like NPCs. They will run around and work towards the objectives on their own and there really isn’t a need to interact with them at all. That’s pretty much what I have done all three days so far. I jump in the first group that is LFM, enter the instance, finish it in 10 minutes or less and then go on my merry way.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

My luck is nonexistent

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Log out, go for a walk. Maybe up to the store. Enjoy the scenery, smile at some elderly folks, give a polite nod to a passerby. Come home, wipe your fit and whistle a little diddy as you start up GW and try again.

It might help.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Endless Wintersday Tonics Thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

…and read on forums that it might seem very possible you get an endless toymakers tonic from it. So I get a little hasty throw em into the forge and boom, I get a robot endless tonic…
-snip-
…and now this whole debacle with the tonics? It’s just the last straw for me.

My favorite part in there is where you admit to reading it from strangers on the internet, understand getting the toy-maker tonic is only a possibility, and own up to your own impatience…

And then blame ArenaNet that things didn’t go your way.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Plushie Griffon appreciation thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Oh I am so going to make that endless tonic and then buy the mini.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

I personally disagree with random chance mechanics

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Actually you’re partially wrong and proving your point with situation that weren’t absolutely similar te ones that create complaints in GW2.
For example Minis: 1 granted at each of your characters birthday. (Random? yes. Can go empty handed? No. Can be sold/buyd from other people? Yes!)

p.s. and no serious RNG from the store in GW1

I wasn’t replying to the situations people were complaining about in GW2. I was replying to Vanthian’s statement:

“I am not saying Guild Wars 1 didn’t have RNG in the code. I am saying that for most rare items (mainly armor) there was 0 RNG attached (Emphasis mine)

Which was wildly incorrect. Being for or opposed to RNG in a game, as a mechanic is one thing, but just plain making things up when talking about a game’s predecessor and trying to apply that false information in order to make some point here is totally different.

So I was just setting that straight.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

I personally disagree with random chance mechanics

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I am not saying Guild Wars 1 didn’t have RNG in the code. I am saying that for most rare items (mainly armor) there was 0 RNG attached.

No, you said “most rare items”, which is false as you can see from my nifty list I will keep adding to as things come to mind. Then you said “mainly armor” as an aside (see that’s what parenthesis mean), which is also false, since you aren’t considering Ecto, Obsidian Shards, Rubies, Saphires, Jade, and Amber for the most rare sets. And all of which, in and of themselves, were super rare to annoyingly rare materials from random drops or salvages (at least Amber and Jade could be traded for faction, but if you didnt like to PvP…s.ol.) (that was another aside).

In other words, you were just wrong all around. Sorry to be the one to tell you.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

I personally disagree with random chance mechanics

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I am not saying Guild Wars 1 didn’t have RNG in the code. I am saying that for most rare items (mainly armor) there was 0 RNG attached. The major problem with Guild Wars 2 like I stated is that they pushed it as a skill based reward system and went half and half on launch (Half skill half luck).

Minis, rare dungeon weapon skins, ectos, obsidian shards, sapphires, rubies, other materials to make rare weapons, coffer of whispers, zaishen chest, dungeon chests, nine rings, voltaic spear, green weapons, dhumms scythe, lock picks, everlasting tonics, elite skill tomes, Chibi Gwen, Superior runes, salvaging superior runes, prophecies elite skill boss spawns, tapestry drops from challenges, Wintersday gifts, birthday gifts, Trick or treat bags, Air of Superiority, identifying weapon mods, salvaging weapon mods…

in short…some of the most desirable things in the history of GW, and some core progression were RNG with as low as a sub 0.1% chance. I’m not sure what game you were playing for seven years, but it wasn’t GW if the only RNG you came across was armor.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)

Early buyers skin

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

@Raggi, you cant. They were for dedicated GW1 fans that wanted to put in the effort. Some of the things could take upwards of hundreds of hours to earn.

As for GW2 limited skins, there was a baseball cap for early purchases, and a t-shirt for people that went to one of the launch events. Both were town clothes.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Endless Wintersday Tonics Thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

Yeah, good on you arrownin. I appreciate the effort.I got the Doll endless tonic and may try the others after I decide which two dolls I actually want to make as pets. Plush griffin pet, or tonic…tough decision.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Endless Wintersday Tonics Thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

You sure that wasn’t an ugly sweater/sock/hat? I’ve opened somewhere around 400 gifts and bought 30 of the cash-shop presents. Never seen stuffing or glue from any of them.

Not saying it’s impossible, just that I have opened a ton of boxes and not seen it. Wouldn’t expect a crafting material for a limited time event that you need 50-250 of for anything to be that rare.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Endless Wintersday Tonics Thread

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I doubt it was nerfed. They are account bound, so you wont see them for 100g in the market in two months. Also, they have to have a respectable drop chance because the is only x amount of stuffing and glue that can exist in the world. The chance is probably just enough to drain the excess, but high enough that you’re likely to get something out of soaking it.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

Jumping Puzzle Life Race

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

I am a pwr/crit thief. I don’t have a single point in vitality. I’ve definitely finished before with a lot more and a lot less health. That attempt was on the Snowman path. On the Quaggan route I have finished with less than 500 because of the two kitten peppermint stick parts.

No one is interested in playing this though it seems, so I think the thread can go away.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

"Frosty " and "Jumping in a Winter"

in Wintersday

Posted by: AcidicVision.5498

AcidicVision.5498

That’s brilliant.

Someone that can sing needs to make a youtube video immediately.

The Kismet
Dragonbrand

(edited by AcidicVision.5498)