Guild Wars 2

I truly understand all your lore data. I stated before that the commander is without any doubt much better informed than the common tyrian, and way more knowledgeable than a player, and specially better at lore than me.

However, as a player I still felt out of the water with all the sudden reveal.

“I am the last mursaat. Many years ago, you knew me as Lazarus the Dire. I have returned from the brink of existence!”

Fantastic if you really have the background. But if this pops suddenly at the end of a fight against human sorcerers, and you don’t know Lazarus from before, it feels like a very awkward deux-reveal. Follow that with the heel turn in the next ocassion we talk with him, and you have a very complex character that we are suposed to know just trough one and half scenes.

Please understand that a lot of what you take for granted is based on your previous knowledge of the subject: There are lots of people even less informed than me.

Taimi is probably the best character in all GW2. Her voice have never bothered me… but that doesn’t have so much to do with the character as it have to do with the voice actress.

It is very probable people that hate her voice simply have a better ear than me, and can hear some annoying tone I simply don’t. Like the bitter taste on brusel sprouts that I am not able to perceive.

Opposite to brusel sprout disgust, Taimi hate seems to be rather uncommon and highly subjective. I’ll continue enjoying them, they are just fantastic.

Rofo.4782:

Hey, just a quick question.

How much of a disadvantage I’ll be when playing without expansion?
I know HoT have some new things like specializations etc.
Can I play base game without being inferior to players who bought the expansion, it’s possible that I’ll buy it in some time because right now I’m a bit short on money.

Do NOT buy the game without HoT. Play for free until there is a discount on HoT if you must. Buying HoT after buying the base (paid version) of the game doesn’t offer any descount.

I know Anet doesn’t sell the base game alone anymore, but there are still some retail stores offering the non-HoT base, hence the advise.

However I doubt they will add even more burning to Guardian, I really like your theory, Dan. It could offer a decent way to make amends for Logan, so I can stand him.. eventually… maybe.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

Ardid.7203:

What I don’t understand is why my commander seems to know so well Lazarus. We are speaking of a very famous figure, yes, but one that dissapeared centuries ago. Our character is no doubt one of the more informed individuals in Tyria, but nothing prepare us to even suspect the commander would be some kind of expert on mursaat and with a personal opinion on Lazarus.

[…]

So, I don’t care who he really is. Please make us know him first, within the gameworld, as protagonits and as players, before expecting to surprise us with him.

GW2 IS NOT GW1.

Did you forget about the ending to episode 1? Lazarus announced himself, that’s how we know who he is.

Beyond that, the PC just treats him the same way they’d treat any mursaat. Mursaat in general are well known about. It’d be kind of like us knowing about kittens. I’ve never seen an actual WWII kitten before, but if someone came up to me and said “Hi, I’m a kitten from WWII, but I want to be your friend”, I’m going to treat him with disdain and suspicion while also acting like I know him because I know what a kitten is.

That’s how the PC (and the NPCs) are treating Lazarus – they know what he is, so they have a basis to reflect his persona as.

The Commander doesn’t need to be an expert on the matter, just have the general knowledge of it.

And we know that the Commander has the general knowledge of it, as Episode 4 shows that the dungeon explorable paths have taken place as well as the main story, but also from Episode 1:

<Asura character name>: The blast released spirits from the bloodstone. If I remember my Human History Symposium correctly, they’re victims sacrificed by the White Mantle.

<Charr character name>: Whoa! The blast released spirits. They may be sacrificial victims of the White Mantle. My ancestors reviled those evil badgers.
<Charr character name>: They tried to exterminate my ancestors, but tortured their own people as well. These spirits were twisted by what they went through.

<Sylvari character name>: How long were they imprisoned? Why? I’ve heard stories of humans sacrificing each other on bloodstones. What mental scars they must bear.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Blood_and_Stone#Dialogue

Every race has taken some form of history lesson on the White Mantle/Shining Blade conflict (well, not sure about norn comments there). So yes, there is reason shown for the Commander to know who and what mursaat are. Presented in the game itself.

While I agree with most of your argument, I don’t think episode 1 describes so much about Mursaat. All we know from inside the game is about White Mantle and bloodstone “things”, not Mursaat. I think its easy to get confused there, since they seem to be very close somehow, and that knowledge is part of the lore older players just never question. But I’m speaking as someone that didn’t know the relation until recently.

Even worse, just talking about Mursaat doesn’t say anything about Lazarus. He was a bigger surprise for me because I just didn’t know who he was. I identified him as something Mursaat related, but I had to google it to really understand the situation.

And I don’t think you can compare meeting Lazarus with meeting any “adolf followers”, because we have a great amount of info about them, continuously repeated through books, music and movies, during the whole last generation. They were active less than a century ago…

IMO talking with Lazarus is more similar to be talking with Louis XVI or Blackbeard, very connoted “bad guys” from 300 years ago, who we could somewhat recognize, but I really doubt we will be talking so casually…

The new Lions Arch may have a lot of function and purpose, but sadly, it doesn´t really show. Old Lion’s arch was a shantytown made from recycled ships by survivors, and it showed. It has function, purpose and spirit.

IMO they shouldn’t re-destroy LA: instead, make locals begin to take it back again: give them a plot about stopping the apropiation by the Consortium; make them install more stores (non sanctioned, rogue style ones) to improve commerce in the civic area; put a lot more artisan fishing ships, some shadyly pirate-like ones and a collection of multiracial boats in the docks; add an “Old Lion’s Arch Café” made in the old recycled-ship style; etc.

Let the people use the new Lions Arch like they used the old (like a city, not like a themepark), use the conflict between the population and the Consortium spice the atmosphere, and we will have a great city map again.

Please also remember Scrapper WAS THE LAST ELITE SPEC TO BE RELEASED, barely giving time to beta test it, and all those TBD on the streaming interviews with the devs.
ENGIE IS ALWAYS THE LAST PRIORITY.

nottsgman.8206:

- Dungeon Mode (5 man limit) For Commander Tags:
It would be awesome if someone with a commander tag had the option to go dungeon mode with a 5 man limit like we have with the raid mode option for 10 people. So, that way we could use markers to help teach new people where to go in dungeons or even fractals. I’m not saying people must have a commander tag to do dungeons or fractals, but if someone has a tag it would be another great tool to have.

funny you mention this. you used to be able to tag up in dungeons. I think it was before the tag updates for raids and such though. no idea why the function was removed because it was amazingly useful.

So people forget about dungeons and start to fractal/raid?

Ancestor =/= Creator.
Both could work in a fantasy world. The first actually needs lore and logic to work. Second needs lore and logic not to be cheap.

It’s CLOTHES FOR RACE again!

Keyring
Legendary (swap-stat-able) runes & sigils.

Aaron Ansari.1604:

Amaimon.7823:

It’s almost inconceivable for 2 species to look 99.9% identical and have zero association, even if you have to go back to the first days of the Mists..

That’s… actually almost always the case in cheap fantasy. GW2 is better than most settings, true- it’s pretty much just humans, norn, and dwarves who look like different proportions of the same species, out of a pool of about thirty- but take your standard Tolkein races of humans, elves, dwarves, and hobbits/halflings, out of a pool of five. With the possible exception of humans and halflings, there weren’t any relation between those groups. It’s a vexing trope, but it’s well enough entrenched in the genre that speculating on a common biological origin is almost always a lost cause.

Yes, I know I’m calling Tolkien cheap. Yes, people have been physically violent against me for that before.

DeadTreeJig.6714:

This post is directed to other introverts.

<disclaimer>
First I’d’ also like to clear up a few things about introverts (from my perspective) for those extroverts reading this. I am not shy, misanthropic and I don’t live in my parents basement (I AM a parent, and I don’t have a basement). As an introvert (again from my perspective) I don’t enjoy socializing for the sake of socializing. It doesn’t do anything for me, I find it burdensome. There’s nothing wrong with being social and I am glad the majority are, but it’s not my thing. I enjoy spending time with small groups of people in a task oriented setting, and in that setting I do enjoy socializing as a byproduct. I’m aware that I tend to sound patronizing in the way I write, it’s a typical introverted trait when addressing people we don’t know. It’s not intended. And lastly, before you remind me of the word multiuser in MMO let me clarify that multiuser is not synonymous with socializing.
</disclaimer>

How do you other introverts play GW2? Do you play solo, pugs, guild runs, play with one or two other specific people?

I mostly play solo. I look for meta’s and world bosses, I like the dynamics of fighting with a crowd. I really enjoy playing with one or two people I know IRL, but they are not as into the game as I am so it’s very infrequent. I’m not hardcore, but I do play almost every evening.

I’m in two guilds, but other than giving a “howdy” in the guild chat when I get on and the occasional forum post, I’m really not involved. Voice chat in guilds seem to be 90% social and 10% task. Nothing wrong with that of course, that’s how most people are, but again not my thing.

Too bad there’s not a “looking for another introverted player” feature.

Anyway, leave your comments on how you play as an introvert.

(Let’s not make this an “introvert vs extrovert”, “come out of your shell” or “it’s a multiuser game” thread.)

-DedTreeJig

This is how I usually play. I’m on only one guild , though, and they talk through teamspeak all the time. And I always answera, as long as someone first pokes me in the silent channel.

Rauderi.8706:

Also introvert here.
I do mostly solo stuff, but once dailies are done, I’m keen to group up for fractals, etc. I doubt I’ll ever see a raid, even though I’d like to do them.

I get by with a small, quiet-ish guild. RP guild, too, because of a higher likelihood of good writing. Seeing illiterate twitter-speak jump into my guild chat grates on my psyche, and having a large guild full of that would make me immediately jump ship.

Funny thing is, while an introvert, I do very much enjoy group accomplishments. I just also happen to be picky with whom I associate. >.>

I would love to participate in a RP guild. But spanish speaking guilds tend to the full social chitchat soccer youtube party crass joke spectrum more than any literacy.

Gorr demonstrated that the idea of constant infinite magic is flawed, by showing dragon minions and dragons, by extension, do create a lowering in the magic present in a place, “consuming” or “destroying” it.

However, Gorr’s theory doesn’t explore any suficiently large area, or during any suficiently large amount of time, to demonstrate how magic works universally, or even at the planetary level.

All we know is dragons consume magic here and now (this continent, the last few years). We don’t know if there is another source, or if dragons eventually destroy all magic they eat, truly free it while sleeping, or if they create more magic than they consume. All there is is speculation and questions.

The scholars need to make much more experiments and calculations yet to find a complete law to explain magic behavior and “life-cycle” properly. Present day theories are way too incomplete.

Asura and Charr can without any doubt solve any compatibility problem with technology…

Please fix those 100 things that are more broken with engie first?

We also don’t know how closed the system is. We know dragons consume magic and then let it go again… But we don’t know if there is another source of magic in action too.

We know there is a Sun warming the days on Tyria, The Dream connecting the minds of sylvari (and maybe others), the Mist joining times and lives past, and we know there are multiple races that have used, stored, mined and even shared magic from and with the environment. We don’t have the tiniest clue if some of them can actually be creating more magic, or wasting magic forever…

So we can barely assume dragons consume and release magic in a similar proportion. We know they can be a disaster now because they do eat large amounts of magic that could affect Tyria today.. But we don’t know for real were that magic comes from, or if it is really wasted or if it goes to some other place. Maybe they even PRODUCE MORE magic during their sleep. We just can’t see the larger, coomplete picture.

In our world:
Do friendship between different people exist?
Do fetichism exists?
Do love that surpass physical atraction exist?
Do texting, ERP and costume play exist?
Do perversion, intelectual atraction and extreme curiosity exist?

In Tyria:
Do magic exist?
Do mesmers exist?
Do permanent sex change exist? (hint: yes)

Make your own conclussions.

While I don’t think the phrases themselves express “cowardice”, I really believe they don’t reflect at all what those skills are used for. People rarely use them to flee their enemies, they use them mostly to advance in mass towards some objective.

Keyring>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bigger bag.

There are a lot of PvE daylies where you have to complete a bunch very brief, easy to miss events in a given map: you need to get there in time, or the event will burn under the feet of a zerg.

In other words: any item that buffs speed over the build limit would become mandatory here, even when it is “just pve”. IMO this also extend to map completion and a lot other “non competitive” activities in the open world that requires you to move fast. These kind of advantages aren’t mere “convenience”.

About gliding: I love gliding, but it DID affect building, and created an especific vacuum in PvE balance: all the “falling” traits. When was the last time you saw one of them being used in PvE? They were simply killed by gliding.

Item speed boosts WILL kill some areas of the game, and thus damage balance and build diversity.

Healing power should influence how many condis (or stacks) you can remove with a cleanse. That would bring value to healing and add a new, more flexible way to balance condis.

I always try to include permaswiftness in my builds, because I like to move fast. To do that, I have to sacrifice survivability or damage (or rearrange builds on the spot just before entering combat, which I don’t like to do). That means there is a tradeoff between map traveling speed and combat. This isn’t casual: Anet intentionally created the build system that way.

Introducing an item that brings this kind of advantage (100% speed, my god!) will simply disrupt the already fragile balance there exist. My actual build will become unreasonable, and every single trait, skill, rune or sigil effect related to travel speed would lose any reason to exist.

So, yes, I’m “emotional” about this, because it IS power creep. It transform the game from a game about exploration and combat in a game about just combat.

All this is talking ONLY from the balance/gameplay perspective.

From the visual enjoyment perspective, all I would like to say is: there is already more than enough visual clutter in the game due to cosmetic items. Norn wing backpieces were the worst offenders until they added that raven glider. Just try to do a JP with people using that around… Now imagine they arent active only when gliding: they are everywere, obstructing your vision all the time. Because people like to mount things.

Commercially, mounts COULD be a success. But, IMO, they would be a disaster as gameplay elements, unless Anet severely limit their impact (Which would limit their commercial success, because “mount people” want big, shiny, obstructive items that also provide huge, gamechanging, balance breaking advantages)

Are we speaking of the spiral in the last chapter of HoT? I don’t remember any other spining room…

What I don’t understand is why my commander seems to know so well Lazarus. We are speaking of a very famous figure, yes, but one that dissapeared centuries ago. Our character is no doubt one of the more informed individuals in Tyria, but nothing prepare us to even suspect the commander would be some kind of expert on mursaat and with a personal opinion on Lazarus.

I don’t like when they mix the character with the player. That is cheap and doesn’t work well: I didn’t play GW1, so when Lazarus appeared I was simply asking miself “Who the kitten is this guy and why I’m acting as if I know him?”

So, I don’t care who he really is. Please make us know him first, within the gameworld, as protagonits and as players, before expecting to surprise us with him.

GW2 IS NOT GW1.

Xyonon.3987:

Ardid.7203:

Is it true Battering Ram does the same dps as Grenade Garrage?

Please tell me it is! (crosses fingers)

The ram adds up to 1501 dps to your rotation. Grenade Barrage alone is 1863 dps already. If you add the other grenade skills, the whole kit adds up to 4045 dps.

If you are a bomb aa spammer you could go for the ram for additional cc. If you wanna deal max dps though, the nade kit is a must.

I’m neither. I just like FT and CC play, and was hoping to have a decent tool to bust my damage without having to use nades all the time.

Same here. I’m swimming in transmutation charges I hardly use, because I normally make just one, specific ascended set for each of my 9 chars. My main changes more often, but even with that, thre are plenty of charges to use.

Anet already stablished they aren’t adding more Professions, just new Elite Specs.
IMO their plan is a good one.

ProtoGunner.4953:

I don’t think mounts will take that much time. At least not for a normal company. Also, there are games which have mounts and waypoints. Also it is always better to have a mount instead to exchange to a speed boost which only gives 33% speed. I don’t want to constantly waste a slot in openworld only to have a speed boost, or use any skills all the time to get swiftness. Also 33% is too low. I want to have 100% speed boost. Also, there are maps where WPs are scarce – especially when they are contested all the time. Additionally in WvW I don’t have to walk on foot all the time to get into the action again. Mounts would be awesome – especially collecting them through achievements etc. Though I don’t think it will happen, so… one point more I quit playing at least temporarily. Waiting for expansion. Otherwise this game will go down fast. Playerbase is lower than ever and interest is fading. Even some of the most loyal friends I played with quit playing be cause the lack of content is so evident.

So you want to destroy the balance and opportunity cost structure between combat and exploration builds that make GW2 unique, just to more efficiently skip map travelling with an item dependant boon that will instantly become mandatory and create a considerable power gap between people with and without mounts?

It is a fair CHANCE. It means while the opportunity to get it is equal for everyone, it isn’t something sure for anyone.

Or the whole Lost Precipice Guiild Hall…

Sorry but I don’t really see the resemblance.

Linking the spoon everyoone get after Teq is a tradition in my megaserver.

Ariurotl.3718:

BunjiKugashira.9754:

Balthasar have mercy on my ears…

That’s an unlikely god to ask for mercy.

And then Balthasar removed his ears and put them in a safer place.

A poster in these forums called Hawks said it in the more simple and clear way I could imagine: “Only problem with the Engineer is that it makes every other class in the game boring to play.”
Even neglected, non meta and buggy, Engie is just extremely fun.

IMO at some point new raids, new maps, new LS and even new elite specs will become the basic expectation line for players. Anything equal or less than that will not be truly valued by the players.
Then Anet will NEED to add new, unexplored, lore-heavy and truly integral to the game options to attract new people and retain veterans. IMO they will need to implement heavy additions to the character creation itself and strong changes to the basic storyline. That day they will have to choose to make those changes in the actual game, adding new races with totally different lore and storylines, or to simply put that same effort in GW3.

I seriously would NOT focus on leveling. This game doesn’t offer a very rewarding levelling experience, and its naturally fast to level, too. Even if you don’t rush at all, you’ll be hitting 80 in half month, at most. Unlike other MMORPGs, end game is not a far and away utopia at the end of an endless road of suffering. Its fast and easy to reach.

So unless you intend to delete your chars when hitting 80 (I know some people do it), it’s better if you think what you want to play in the end, not while leveling.

The problem is the really hard ones are hard due to elements outside skill.

Something requiring great skill is ok by me, I can accept some challenges are over my skill level (And if I want to surpass them, I have to get better) I can admire and respect people with great skill.

When something require skill and dumb luck, then I can’t feel ok about it. I still admire Crustydog for completing all the adventures, but I applause his tenacity and patience over all, because we both know quite a few of the adventures are more “chancy” than “hard”.

SO. Amazing work, Crustydog.
Please improve adventures, Anet.

What is multi-boxing?

Moonyeti.3296:

The only thing I liked about the old way was that it was skippable, for when you are doing the same thing for the umpteenth time (dungeons are the prime example). The new way feels much more like a normal conversation.

The new way can work much better if the devs always keep the limitations in mind when making new content. The biggest problem being unskippable dialog, do not throw a spotlight on that problem by having us stand around talking for a few minutes, then move in silence toward our next objective for two minutes. Have the dialog play out while the characters are walking somewhere, people that don’t care “skip” it by ignoring the chit chat and just running to the destination, people that want to listen stop and talk, then go, or go but listen on the way. Everyone wins.

Unfortunately a lot of the time they do just that – stand around and talk, THEN travel in silence when the talking is finished. Just being aware of the issue I think a lot of the frustration can be minimized by good encounter design.

The only thing I liked about the old way was that it was skippable, for when you are doing the same thing for the umpteenth time (dungeons are the prime example). The new way feels much more like a normal conversation.

Best idea so far, Moonyeti.

There are a lot of these dialogs that could be put in movement, and even DURING combat. Think on the magnificent jewel that are dialogues in the Uncharted series. A lot of them aren’t “lets stop and talk”, but intertwined with the action. That change alone could erase so much wrong in the GW2 storytelling style.

As long as they don’t stop everything else for months to get the expac2 working, I’m game whenever they say.

All I ask is for the next elite specs to be better balanced and more thoroughly integrated with the rest of the gameworld: proper lore for each, usefull in all modes, interesting and original to play, not so OP and not so locked into itselves. PLEASE NO MORE RUSHED LAST HOUR DEVELOPMENT FOR ENGIE! Please, not another Scrapper situation.

IMO mysteries also have an expiration date: the resolution of the mystery needs to be possible and be executed at some point, or the mystery becomes just a meaningless background.

This is a good example: I would love to know MORE about the wizard’s tower, but I don’t get any interest in it as it is now. After so many time, it just… become boring to me.

So, I think they should let us explore it, and then bring some NEW mysteries about the place.

When your gameplay is so efficient it resembles a bot, is hard to blame the reporters. You just need to talk a bit and should be enough.

Amaimon.7823:

SeranusGaming.7362:

Amaimon.7823:

world of warcraft did a “remaster” but only for the playable characters. Full HD taurens.. they became kinda kreepy though

You bring up a good point. I’m not sure I could handle the sight of a HD Asura (aka Rat Goblin).

I think they’ll look less creepy than you think. I think their skin is somewhat reminiscent to that of sharks, although.. that’s just speculation. I tried to look if someone made a HD or ultra-realistic asura picture, a lot of great artwork out there, but sadly nothing I can call to this cause

Can you imagine though, GW2 so detailed, so hyperrealistic, you can count the hairs of a Charr furr? skritt, I’d pay millions for a game that detailed

I think Asura would look more creepy if HD. And that would be amazing!

Dimes.6024:

Ai cant be hard to master. Dats just ai.

Correctly controlling AI can still be “hard to master”, if such AI was well designed. Also, most turrets arent really that “intelligent” are they? Also, just look a the HT example.

Turrets (except HT) are not great, or even barely decent design. They are plain cheese/garbage, and need to be redone.

Dimes.6024:

And thats great! Ai should make your life easier if you newbie yet, but shouldn’t bring you to the experienced guys level. New engi can run turrets with almost no harm, while leveling, after that he replaces them with combos, kits and fun engi staff

No, is not great, is a waste of resources and opportunities. End game in this game is anything post 80, and its big. You spend less than the 2% of your character life leveling. Even worst: you dont do ANY leveling in sPvP… so.

Tools that play by themselves but don’t scalate with player skill (“Droneplay at first, garbage later”) are bad desing. Tools that are simple to understand but keep offering challenges (“Easy to learn, hard to master”), those are great design, and that’s the philosophy Anet should be using.

Moonyeti.3296:

Makes sense, they would be engaged in a war of attrition against each other. And with Kralk potentially still recovering from Snaff, that could put the two armies on a more even footing potentially.

STILL FIGHTING SNAFF!!!

Benjamin Arnold.3457:

Professor Sprout.1560:

Talking of which, @Mr Arnold could I perhaps tempt you into dropping some kind of intriguing yet frustratingly cryptic hint re the new fractal? ::D

Extreme Quaggan Dance Party.

Enraged Coordinated Swimming Duels CONFIRMED!

Narcemus.1348:

It’s going to be the subject of a raid, and all the lorehounds who aren’t good enough to raid, or don’t have time will be stuck on the sidelines raging against the raiding community because they get all of the interesting stuff that we’ve always wanted to experience.

AND raiders will not even value it.

The map is already done, and its good. It is a shame not to use it. IMO using the brain to create good lore so it makes sense to get back there is well invested development work. Since the map already exists, they don’t need to make everything from zero, so its less resources invested for a full playable map.
I think it is a great idea.