Guild Wars 2

Agree completely with the OP. Little hiccups and growing pains here and there, but a homerun for the most part.

Anytime any MMO changes something – no matter what it is – there is a percentage of the community that reacts negatively to that change – many doing so just because it is change and they have to readapt/relearn certain aspects of the game. It’s simple human nature.

Im Mudbone.1437:

Blaeys.3102:

We really need the ability to right click on a guildmate or friend and travel to their server version without having to be in their party.

That one small change would make a HUGE difference. As it stands, guilds and friends are not being kept together reliably. The result is guilds are seeing less of other guild members and other friends on the map instead of more, as was postulated by the developers when megaservers were announced.

We need better tools for staying together with the people we most want to play with. Having to party and taxi is a chore and really takes from the fun of the game.

GW1 did it the CORRECT WAY using districts that could be manually switched to.
Just ANOTHER of the; dare I say it, one of the best things about GW1 that SHOULD BE in GW2.

In the meantime, just let us right click a friend or guildmate and travel to their map without being in a party. Seems like a small thing that would make a major difference.

We really need the ability to right click on a guildmate or friend and travel to their server version without having to be in their party.

That one small change would make a HUGE difference. As it stands, guilds and friends are not being kept together reliably. The result is guilds are seeing less of other guild members and other friends on the map instead of more, as was postulated by the developers when megaservers were announced.

We need better tools for staying together with the people we most want to play with. Having to party and taxi is a chore and really takes from the fun of the game.

My guild did missions last night and they went really smooth – in fact, probably smoother than ever since there were people on the maps to help.

I do think there are a few improvements they could make, specifically:

1. Taxiing. Currently, you have to be partied to taxi people to your map. The “right click to join friend in XYZ map” functionality should be extended to include guild lists and friend’s lists.

2. Multiple guilds doing the same missions is still a little bugged and needs addressing. Ideally, when a guild doing a mission enters a map, it should create a new version of that map and prioritize the guild entering to ensure there is less conflict with other guilds.

Other than those two simple points, I think the megaserver is a huge success – a sentiment I see shared everywhere except on the forums (as is typical of these forums).

I am still enjoying the patch alot.

bri.2359:

Blaeys.3102:

For the record, my guild has nearly completed researching the new guild perk and should have the first 3 built and ready to trigger early next week.

The price is steep, but not unreasonable.

That is your opinion, and not a fact …

For a multi-server guild like TxS, it is currently impossible for us to build this consumable. That is a fact, and there is nothing positive about it.

It is very much not impossible for you, however, to talk to your members and reach out to other guilds willing to help. Yes, you are a multiserver guild, but you are also made up of members who are part of many established guilds – most of whom would probably jump at the opportunity to become more involved. I guarantee there are plenty out there willing.

Use the opportunity to make a stronger and larger environment in the game for killing Tequatl – it just takes a little open mindedness and willingness to adapt to change.

For the record, my guild has nearly completed researching the new guild perk and should have the first 3 built and ready to trigger early next week.

The price is steep, but not unreasonable.

I repeat what I said above – stop focusing on what could possibly go wrong/the negatives and start thinking about how the new system can make things better for everyone. On demand bosses with those guilds who have put the work into building themselves up during the past year + is a great thing. We just have to stop pushing against it so hard and adapt a little.

Agreed 100%. The feature patch was a major homerun. Well done.

Yea. it looks like going to the grove breaks almost everything. It messed up my guild interface as well.

The interface seems bugged.

I started research on the new perk – its now showing as done and ive lost the influence/merits.

trying to start any new upgrades causes them to trigger but the time left reads 00:00

And of all those 1000s upon 1000s of people you are talking about, none are in guilds willing to support these initiatives by starting the events? Has anyone from one of these big alliances even tried to find out?

People really are looking at this from the wrong perspective. With a little cooperation and communication, you should be able to trigger these fights at even better times – and shorter intervals – than you ever were before.

Instead of focusing on perceived negatives, let’s (the players) wait, see what the system actually looks like in practice and then figure out the best way to make it as fun as possible.

There are tons of guilds out there with hundreds of thousands extra influence and maxed out merits to ally yourselves with – many of whom would jump at the opportunity (not to mention it would create a stronger player community). Please, look for the positives and think about how this might make things better before immediately jumping to “the sky is falling.”

My only semi concern about the new system pertains to fight difficulty. Right now, scaling with very small and very large groups doesnt work very well. Last night, I saw a group decimate the Risen Priest of Melandru from 100 to 0 percent in less than 12 seconds.

That is not fun to be part of and is something they need to pay very close attention to.

Part of the megaserver plan needs to be a revamp of the scaling mechanic – making sure fights remain interesting for the players doing them. With the likelihood of more consistent numbers, it is probably time to look at changing alot of fight mechanics – at higher end scaled fights – as well.

Umut.5471:

So, there will be no use to grind for dailies after 10k daily ap, am I right ?
I have currently about 6k ap from dailies.

My understanding is it only applies to APs, but I could be wrong.

If you still want laurels and the karma awarded from dailies/monthlies, you still have a reason to do them.

Extend the new proposed guild system to include more than just the big three (possibly a lower tier unlock to make those more convenient for guilds of all sizes) and it would be perfect. Guilds would be triggering world bosses left and right at times convenient to everyone. Win – win.

I think there will be some hiccups when the new system comes into place, but I dont think ArenaNet plans to write any of these changes in stone.

bri.2359:

Blaeys,

Some of us in TxS already do this for our home servers, and the megaserver will hurt this as well. Unless I join the guild triggering the instance, how will I get into the same same map instance??

Also, some guilds/players just do not want any help, even when it is offered. Instead they troll the event.

Taxiing people across maps will remain viable. It may be more problematic when the megaserver kicks in, but we wont know until that actually happens.

To the second point, working with guilds will help you identify the trolls and avoid them even more.

I still believe that, if we stop trying to see the negative in this change and, instead, think of ways to use it to strengthen the experience, I think we can.

If we go in negative, the output will be negative. If we go in willing to adapt (nothing strong exists that isnt willing to adapt), then we can use the strengths of this new system (specificallly, an on demand fight with the new guild functionality) to make the experience even better – for everyone.

ArenaNet needs to stay the course with the announced changes, at least until we see an actual problem. Give the community the chance to build something very strong (and we can) around guilds willing to support the new system.

I think TTS – and the European counterpart – could look at this as an opportunity to help the GW2 community grow stronger and more cohesive.

How? By simply offering your expertise to other guilds willing to trigger the content. Start a guild partnership program through which guilds agree to open the content in exchange for TTS leadership and support.

You could even start sign up sheets on your web site to fill as many slots as needed. A little coordination and effort and this could make TTS a real force for bringing the community together even more (which is what TTS was really known for when it first started the Tequatl runs).

Work with the new changes and look for ways they can make you stronger rather than just resigning and declaring they mark the end of the game. That is only true if you make it true.

I know my guild would be willing to participate in such a program.

As long as there are still decent ways to earn stones/transmutation charges in game (which we already know there will be), I dont see any negative change compared to what we have now. If anything, we will have more freedom over how our characters look.

If TTS can adapt to the new system (by partnering with established guilds to help with fight starts) and not simply fight against it, it can only strengthen TTS – giving them a very positive image in the GW2 community and giving them an even deeper pool of players and resources to work with.

Before bashing it and simply saying “ArenaNet needs to change this” try adapting to the new system a litte first. No organization survives that isnt willing to bend and adapt to change. This will be a test (that I think they will pass) of TTS’s ability to do just that.

guardian.6489:

Blaeys.3102:

The answer is really easy – and potentially exciting if people are up for it.

TTS simply needs to partner/make friends with established PVE guilds on different servers. Offer your leadership, numbers and support in exchange for starting the Tequatl and/or Worm fights reliably on given nights.

Im guessing (actually more than guessing ) that there are several guilds/servers out there that would jump at the idea.

Use this is an opportunity to strengthen the entire GW2 PVE community.

We’re already attempting to do this solution however it’s inperfect.

There are popular runs outside of Anet’s schedule that often spawn several overflows when we attempt to run them. We usually have the leadership to accommodate this however even we had a partner Guild with the merits to spawn teq at one time we most likely could not also cover additional overflows

I would say give it a shot after the 15th and see what happens. Im guessing there are more guilds out there willing to help than you realize – more than enough to cover any overflows at any times of the day.

If TTS started and promoted a “guild partner” program for exactly this purpose, it could end up being something even more impressive than TTS is now.

Aidan Savage.2078:

Ramiel.4931:

Aidan Savage.2078:

Ramiel.4931:

Uhh can’t you just use that guild thingy that allows you to start it whenever you want?

Read the thread. Your question has been answered multiple times.

That system was put in place to solve this problem, of guilds and groups that can’t play at certain hours.

Then why in the name of sanity are they changing the system in the first place? Teq and wurm spawn EVERY two hours like clockwork. If you miss one, you wait 90 minutes and catch the next one. This change anet’s going to try rolling out takes the ability for anyone to get on at nearly any time of day and do these bosses and throws it into a blender, then sets it on fire before putting it out by urinating on it. Because that’s basically what anet’s doing by making the world bosses shift to this schedule, STILL not fix issues with guilds, and give guilds the ability to spawn the world bosses (mostly) when they want.

I’m sorry but you are not willing to adapt to the new times nor are you willing to put in the extra effort of 1 hour of running missions each week. You want everything handed to you on a silver platter.

Allow me to requote some numbers for you:
380,000 influence.
260 merits.
760 gold.
12 guilds.
24 servers.

The guild research is going to be a hellish nightmare for TTS to do in a single guild, god forbid 12. Additionally, it’s going to take roughly 250g just to reach the FIRST upgrade that can begin to earn merits. Compounded by the fact that only players on the server the research has been done on can see, or even activate the guild missions.

Have each member pitch in 50s. Say half of all your community actually donates that, you have more than enough to pay for a crapton of influence for 2 guilds.

How about TTS asks each server to contribute a world boss spawn consumable in exchange for TTS helping them with the public spawn of the boss? Both are undesirable solutions to a symptom, not what’s actually broken.

There is no need to overworry about this. There is a very simple solution.

As a couple of threads have mentioned, simply make friends with established guilds (im guessing many are already TTS members anyway) who are willing to help you out and trigger the events at specific times in exchange for TTS’s leadership and guidance. There is no need for TTS to unlock or research anything.

This is an opportunity for TTS to become a real leader in the GW2 community. It may mean taking a little time to teach the fight to new groups, but that is something TTS has always been really good at.

The answer is really easy – and potentially exciting if people are up for it.

TTS simply needs to partner/make friends with established PVE guilds on different servers. Offer your leadership, numbers and support in exchange for starting the Tequatl and/or Worm fights reliably on given nights.

Im guessing (actually more than guessing ) that there are several guilds/servers out there that would jump at the idea.

Use this is an opportunity to strengthen the entire GW2 PVE community.

Tigerlily.3765:

This megaserver system is a mixed bag, as other have noted. I know the problems it is trying to address (people whining about OFs in living story for example, and empty maps for new players).

I just hate the idea of not being able to control what my map I am on. You can’t even have your party “look around” for a better map any more since you are prioritized to be in the same map as them.

The GW1 district system was still better. It’s like OFs but you can hop around to check for a map which suits your needs (either empty or full). TTS, etc. can look for an empty map to run teq/wurm. RPers can have a RP map. Guilds can host events in a certain district. All players can hop around looking for a group (if they want one) or an empty map (if they want to solo). This system was simple and had a lot of advantages.

I would also like to see them give the players more control over where they play and who they play with. I hope the long term plan is to move to something more akin to the GW1 district method.

That said, Im guessing there are technical issues related to that currently – so I am very happy to give the megaserver idea a go.

As far as the world bosses, the same statement applies – I would like to see them transition even more in the direction of giving control to the players. I love the idea of guilds being able to trigger major world events and wouldnt mind seeing them add the others (FE, Golem, Shatterer, etc) to that functionality as well.

It would address the issue of people who only play at set times each day missing out on some bosses and give guilds an amazing tool for planning an evening of fun. The more functionality they give us, the more control we have over our in game experience. That seems like a win-win to me.

All of that said, I really like the direction they are going and cant wait to see the new system fully in action later this year.

Kasteros.9847:

i’m obligated to represent my guild only(it is law of this guild) so i can’t be in any other.

Time to look for a better guild.

If the only way a guild can keep members is to disallow membership in others, then that is a strong indication of the strength of the guild.

Its just simply “The Big Dragon”

Actually (because someone thought that was serious in another post, I know it stands for To Be Determined – which I find exciting as well.

Who knows what we will get.

Personally, Im hoping for the Staypuff Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters.

Unless they do something like put in a time lock of some kind, this should allow guilds/organized groups to build up 4-5 unlocks and restart a fight like the Worms or Tequatl until their group gets the fight down pat.

I still wish these events started scaling at 40 instead of 80 or 100, but this is a huge step in the right direction.

Shanaeri Rynale.6897:

Small guilds will be ok. They just need a ‘donor’ guild to start the event off. I suspect the norm will be smaller guilds allying together with a larger guild in place to kick the event off.

This is very true. Small guilds (and even most large guilds) cannot realistically expect to do these events alone anyway.

Cletus Van Damme.2795:

Let guilds start every boss, open every dungeon permanently. Other stuff is cool.

+1(,000) to this.

Gimme more cool things to do during preset guild event times.

The idea of a guild being able to trigger events in the world has me really excited. The potential for this related to future content is simply amazing.

Gimme it now

Im happy about this tiny item in this one blog probably more than I am about any of the other announcements (and it all looks good to me).

Heibi.4251:

Like: Standardization of timing. Makes more sense.

Dislike/Observation: Hard to do a server-based gathering to do a boss as a server. It will be harder to also be offered help from the likes of TTS who have graciously gone from server to server aiding them in completing bosses like Teq and the dreaded 3-headed wurm.

I know for a fact there is someone on your server planning to unlock the guild event system as soon as absolutely possible (even if it means using all of our – er, i mean their – banked guild influence to rush it).

It should make it easier for groups like TTS to do the same.

Enzo.3906:

I absolutely hate now that I’m forced to do these metaevents events on a schedule. I understand why you guys did it, but I really hate it.

Actually, they are taking the schedule away and giving control to us – through the guild event system.

Im hoping this is just the beginning for this kind of system. I LOVE this idea.

Anyone else notice they snuck a “TBD” into the world boss rotation schedule

Im guessing that stands for “The Big Dragon.”

I am more than ecstatic about the guild world event idea.

Stormy Dragon.9210:

My main guild just spent a lot of money to move to another server largely because EB was getting too small to do many of the PVE events. Not more than two days ago, I paid 1400 gems to do a server transfer. Now we find out that in two weeks they’re getting rid of servers, so all those gems were kind of wasted.

You will still get your money’s worth. Remember, at first, this is just low level zones, the pvp lobby and the cities.

To the other posters asking about server populations dipping – I dont know overall numbers, but my guild is more active than it has ever been – and I have yet to find a recent event on the server that didnt have enough people at it. This isnt a reaction to dipping numbers – it is a way to equalize the PVE experience for players regardless of the server they chose – and I think that is great. The game isnt hurting (and definitely isnt dying). Using something like this to support a ridiculous statement like that is just sad.

Shanaeri Rynale.6897:

Personally, I don’t care what that slice of computer hardware is called I happen to play on. So long as I can do it with my friends and meet interesting people along the way. The megaserver allows me to do this more than before and it partially restores what we had before in GW1

Well said. This sums it up for me as well. I am glad they are moving away from the more traditional server architecture and toward a larger community model.

While I think there will be some kinks to work out with things like guild missions and more coordinated gameplay activities (things people would get into TS for), I trust they will have solutions for all of them.

My hope is that, come April 15, this rolls out, they get it working seamlessly in the low level zones and then push it to the rest of the game a couple of weeks later.

Every month, my guild does a moshpit style spvp event just for fun (no score) with everyone on the same profession character in our custom arena.

Just by chance, this month’s happened to fall on April 1 – and happened to be all mesmer. The result was an hour and a half of pure bobblehead chaos.

Im cautiously ecstatic about this.

It sounds like you are using the server model we currently see in Edge of The Mists, which seems to work well enough.

I like that they are testing the idea out on the low level and city zones first to see how it works. If it works the way it is planned, I hope the rollout to the rest of the game is implemented sooner rather than later, but again, like that they are thinking it through and testing it (kinda like turning low level zones into a beta test environment – I like that ).

Like some others, I can foresee some potential issues with this related to control over who we play with. Im not 100% convinced they can do this and still ensure we get to play with our friends, guild members and other people from our server easily enough, but Im willing to give the devs the benefit of the doubt and see how it plays out.

Ideally, I would like to see more (and more visible) control over which version of the map we can play on (a drop down menu like the hotjoin pvp menu in HOTM) – which would alleviate the RP (from another thread) and playing alongside friends issues completely – but think the current plan may end up working great for everyone.

Again, cautiously ecstatic.

I prefer to be easily amused.

It makes life more fun.

Dusty Moon.4382:

Clear.8512:

Dusty Moon.4382:

Clear.8512:

The joke is on Anet. If they created a more intelligent prank. There would be 50 threads about how they are wasting their time and should be working on permanent features.

April Fools you can’t win no matter what you do.

Really? Intelligent? Then why is Jack kitten movies so funny to people? Or Punked?

Pranks are supposed to dumb and silly and this one is very silly indeed.

Easy there, I had it in bold as the counter argument is that it is a childish stupid prank.

My apologies……

It’s okay, as long as you don’t let it go to your head.

Frenzify.6832:

What I’m starting to find amusing about this is how easily amused people are. Not that being easily amused is a bad thing; I just prefer more intelligence in my humour.

Not on April 1st.

Save that intellectual stuff for the rest of the year.

My response to the haters -

(wish I knew how to embed on the forums)

By the way, this is what I did today instead of working at my job. Thanks alot for that Anet

Feothyr.6072:

Hmm. Weird. Everything looks normal for me … Oo Anyone got a guess on why?

Port somewhere. That turned it back on for me.

And again, great job Anet. Three bobble head mesmer clones chasing a bobble head moa is hilarious to watch.

Love a game that isnt afraid to do something like this.

Awesome job Anet.

You’ve had my entire server laughing for hours over this.

In game guild event calendar with sign up capabilities.

Really love the OPs attitude about this.

I think I will make it my own.

They can change the fights to add fun new mechanics without putting in the arbitrary roadblock of requiring 80+ people to do the event.

Tequatl and the worm fights have decent mechanics but the ridiculous lack of scaling below 80 people means they are mostly reserved for the TTSs and Blackgates of the game.

I see no problem with making Shatterer more interesting. I definitely do not want them making it require numbers that, on most servers, just arent there.

How does a post like this promote or encourage a productive conversation about anything in the game?

There may be a salient point worthy of discussion here, but the way it is presented is antagonistic and insulting rather than thought provoking and productive.

Not much to discuss -

1. Seeing last log in. Yay. That will help me as a guild leader alot, but most people wont care.

2. New dropdowns for LFG for wvw. Not sure this will have any impact on current gameplay. Biggest issues with LFG right now arent related to WvW. They are related to griefing and unfriendly players.

3. Multi language search capability in LFG. A positive, but not something that impacts me as a NA player.

4. “Finally, we’ve improved the support for guild members in the system and made some improvements on the back end to reduce opportunities for griefing.” – not enough detail to know what this even is. Its poorly worded, and they really should go into more detail.

Honestly, I think they could have wrapped this entire blog up into one of the others (Friendly play, probably). As it stands, it just feels like filler – taking up space while they get the next blog post ready.

There is just no meat here. Maybe its more than it seems, but if that is the case, then we need more details before getting excited.

Celtic Lady.3729:

lordkrall.7241:

And what source of revenue would you add to the game in order to make up for the revenue lost without transmutation?

They’ll be making it up in spades from dye sales obviously.

They’ll be buying those dyes from my character with max level cooking – which just got alot more interesting and potentially profitable

Mungrul.9358:

Blaeys.3102:

At current exchange rates, it takes about 14 gold for enough gems to buy 5 transmutation stones. One transmutation stone = 3 charges.

So, basically 15 transmutations (2 full outfits and several weapons) would cost you 14 gold today (if you didnt want to buy gems with real money). That seems pretty reasonable to me.

Acceptable to you now maybe, but here’s a fun experiment for you:
Hop along to the GW2Spidy Gem Exchange Rate History Graph and set the “zoom” to “All”.

Notice something?
Yup, that’s right.
While 100 gems has always cost $1.25 to buy, they have consistently gone up in gold value.
100 gems on release will have cost you ~27 silver.
A year after release, 100 gems could be bought for ~3 gold and 20 silver.
Fast forward to today and 100 gems will cost you ~9 gold and 16 silver.

What this highlights to me is that the economy has been very sneakily designed so that over time it will become more efficient for ANY player of the game to drop real world money on gems rather than earn the gold to buy them in game.
Not too long from now, maybe within the year at the rate the conversion is rising, $1.25 will buy you one piece of tier 3 cultural armour. Eventually that $1.25 will buy the whole set.
And it’s so gradual, they’re obviously hoping that this will be the case and that the future Guild Wars 2 player will be more willing to spend real-world cash than earn the gold in game.

Its called inflation and it is a natural evolution of any trade based economy. Ten gold the day the game came out is no where near the same as 10 gold today (its like saying I could buy a new car for $1000 30 years ago. Why cant I buy one for that today?). Comparing the two the way you do is fallacious at best – misleading at worst.

The knee jerk reactions are unwarranted on this particular topic. They arent trying to do anything malicious or underhanded as alot of the conspiracy theorists on these forums claim. It isnt in their best interest to do so and I am sure they know that.

Xar.6185:

Blaeys.3102:

At current exchange rates, it takes about 14 gold for enough gems to buy 5 transmutation stones. One transmutation stone = 3 charges.

So, basically 15 transmutations (2 full outfits and several weapons) would cost you 14 gold today (if you didnt want to buy gems with real money). That seems pretty reasonable to me.

Your calculations are a bit off because:

• 1 transmutation crystal = 1 charge (Currently 5 for 200 gems)
• 3 transmutation stones = 1 charge (Currently 5 for 125 gems)

You have it the other way around.

Ah. you are right.

Still pretty reasonable, though. I think people are too quick to jump on the “OMG, they are money grubbing cheats” bandwagon without thinking it fully through.

At current exchange rates, it takes about 14 gold for enough gems to buy 5 transmutation stones. One transmutation stone = 3 charges.

So, basically 15 transmutations (2 full outfits and several weapons) would cost you 14 gold today (if you didnt want to buy gems with real money). That seems pretty reasonable to me.

KazNaka.4718:

Blaeys.3102:

Sigil of Rage isn’t a stacking sigil, so not really an issue.

Removing the shared cooldown with other proc sigils will make it a viable option though, especially paired on a two handed weapon with something else.

All in all, great changes to sigils across the board.

no one was talking about sigil of rage……lol (did you just get that from the title? O.o)

I was trying – and failed – to be funny.

It amuses me how people (not you – I get the point of your post) focus on the single tiny nerf (which isnt really a nerf in the grand picture with all the huge buffs) and ignore all of the major changes that will, most likely, result in everyone being more effective.

Taking away the shared cooldowns is enough by itself to make a huge difference (with sigil of rage, by chance, being an example of that).

But, at least they put one tiny thing in there for the naysayers to use to declare the end of the world is nigh once again. It’s really nice of ArenaNet to think of them and give them a little something in the midst of everything else.