Guild Wars 2

Think of it from a developer’s point of view.

• You have some devs populating the map with generic NPC’s – “Drop one here, and here, and maybe here…”
• Some devs who add dialogue – “You can say this or maybe that, while you have some chatter…”
• And some devs who make the generic NPC into a story mechanic – “The players will interact with this NPC repeatedly…”

You then have artists who are creating many generic NPC models; a list which can be constantly added to without having to manually adjust individual NPC’s in the world in order to add variety.

Could some current NPC’s be assigned standardized appearances? Sure. But the developers don’t always know where the NPC will end up on the development spectrum when they’re first given their set of appearances, and time/energy may not warrant going back and giving them all assigned looks.

Edit: Wait, you’re seriously complaining about this Phil Thackeray? Did you read his dialogue?!

I used six keys and got:

• Permanent Spectre Finisher (14g or 500 gems)
• Gifts Mail Delivery (350 gems)
• Phoenix Hammer Skin (800g)
• Two Black Lion Claim Ticket Scraps
• And the joy of just opening up gift boxes to see what’s inside.

In case you’re wondering, I valued the last one much higher than the other four. It was a guildmate who pointed out what the other prizes actually “worth.” Gamble for the joy of gambling, and you won’t be disappointed .

A better tool for such a search would be http://gw2wbot.darthmaim.de/smiley/ .

Set the Level range = 80 – 80; Type = Back; Rarity = Exotic

When you get that two-page list, you’ll be able to select an item and look at its API information. If you see the flag “NoSalvage”, then avoid it.

I did a quick look myself, and it seems like many of the exotic level 80 backpacks which are salvagable are also rather hard to get (i.e. they’re account bound and can’t be bought on the TP). For your sake, I hope I overlooked an obvious one .

Edit:Oh! And before you apply the jewel, hover over the backpack with a salvage kit to make sure that it can be salvaged. I’d hate to see some esoteric code stop you from getting the jewel back… Heck, EW’s suggestion is just safer.

And just for clarity, because I don’t see it explicitly mentioned:

After you crafted Zap Experiment, did you make sure to salvage it? You need to salvage it to get Spirit of the Zap Experiment.

I’m also hoping it didn’t go into the Mystic Forge by mistake

May I suggest you update the title of this thread so that people, especially developers, know what this is about at a glance?

Slyther.1297:

I’d love to buy some gems, but when I’m paying 27 CAD for 20 USD worth of gems, it’s just… ugh.

I absolutely know that feeling. Seeing $20 USD in the store and knowing “how much more” it’s actually going to cost has made me hesitate more than a few times. On the other hand, if the prices were given to us at $20 CAD, then people could argue quite rightly that we’re getting things at a “discount” with today’s exchange.

Plus, having done some accounting for a business in my life (therefore I must be an expert?), I know how much of a pain it is to have multiple types of currencies. It may not be worthwhile for Anet (or their billing partner) to hold Canadian funds in their US account, let alone have an account based in Canada to charge us from.

You should be able to purchase a Tiger Den Map, which will let you toggle your cub on and off, as well as transport you to the den.

Astralporing.1957:

Greener.6204:

I run around LP a lot, and I struggle to think of where the old updrafts would help me any more than gliding already does. If I want to move vertically from A to B, the vast majority of the time there’s either a launch pad and updraft already there, or my goal is to glide down.

When you’re taking over the guild hall, you had to run onto the launch pads to get up to the drafts. It’s the exact same process in the normal guild hall, sans visual clutter.

Which points are you traveling to and from where you’d like to see constant updrafts?

originally, it was possible to practically traverse the whole map using updrafts, as all of them were on, not just the one from the launch pad. And sometimes you used them when gliding down, to extend the range.

Seriously, now if i want to use an updraft to glide somewhere, i often need to glide down, activate the jump pad, and glide up. And keep repeating that for every updraft on the way.

That doesn’t answer my question, nor help me to picture the problem that you’re facing, nor help in the development of a solution.

I did a tour of the hall again, and any point where I felt, “I would like an updraft” I found I still would need a launch pad to reach one, whether they were always on or not. Which paths are you running? What gliding mastery do you have? Details help.

I run around LP a lot, and I struggle to think of where the old updrafts would help me any more than gliding already does. If I want to move vertically from A to B, the vast majority of the time there’s either a launch pad and updraft already there, or my goal is to glide down.

When you’re taking over the guild hall, you had to run onto the launch pads to get up to the drafts. It’s the exact same process in the normal guild hall, sans visual clutter.

Which points are you traveling to and from where you’d like to see constant updrafts?

While I do love this idea, one big problem is that the wardrobe tracks the Skin ID’s rather than the item ID’s. Since there’s rarely a one-to-one pairing going from the skin to the item, it would be a heavy load to do a backwards search for all items which have the skin.

An example would be the Krait Battleaxe Skin, which has ten items on the TP, and each of them would need to be found and displayed by the servers.

The best bet at the moment would be to “/wiki [shift+click on wardrobe skin]”, and then do the backwards look-up yourself. It’s not the best solution, but it’s all I’ve got.

You probably want to go here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/gw2/Suggestions-Quality-of-Life-Changes

Also, Anet is more than aware of the desire for such a thing. “Taking up the chant” won’t do much.

Completely anecdotal thoughts are about to follow:

I believe the aggro mechanics are different depending on which map you’re on, and possibly even down to the type of mob you’re facing. I think Anet has even played with these mechanics since the HoT launch, especially in portions of the raids.

It may that the aggro mechanics are more varied than vague, making it even harder to test, let alone define.

I’m really sorry that’s happened to you and your friend, but your frustration is misplaced. I believe the level 35 requirement was put in place to limit access for Real Money Traders (RMT’s). It’s one more barrier put in place to stop them from harassing players in the busiest town.

So yes, be angry, but not at Anet. Be angry at the RMT’s, and those players who continue to purchase from them.

Make sure to add what details you can to the thread that’s already in the bug forum: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/bugs/Mad-King-Says-Fails-To-Give-3-Key-Fragments

It makes it easier for them to track the issue(s) down.

I’m a huge fan of legendaries changing the feeling or atmosphere around a character.

For instance, when my revenant draws Bolt, the effects are additive to who he is as a character; he gets more of what he appeared to be when the sword was stowed.

In contrast, when my ranger draws Chuka and Champawat, the entire feeling around her changes; the atmosphere around her tangibly becomes more aggressive.

Granted these are subjective observations, but I do love the idea of legendaries bringing characters to a new state of being, rather than just adding more “stuff”.

I can only say how grateful I am for you to go and do this!

I believe that all of the chapters are replayable, aside perhaps from the HoT prologue. They need to be as there are generally achievements associated with them that can only be gained when the chapters are replayed.

Which chapter doesn’t seem to be replaying for you?

Edit: I’m not in-game to double check, but you might only be able to replay a chapter if that character has completed it. Could someone else verify, svp?

The HoT areas do not count for the traditional world completion, no.

Djinn.9245:

vesica tempestas.1563:

the HOT maps arent ‘going in a direction’

Dry Top/SW > HoT > Bloodstone Fen > Ember Bay

Platforming/Verticality, Platforming/Verticality, Platforming/Verticality, Platforming/Verticality

I’m a tad confused. Dry Top has some jumping, but Silverwastes is very flat. VB is quite vertical but AB is has only a few portions where up or down has any meaning. TD is highly layered and a nightmare to navigate for the uninitiated, but DS is just three long roads with a giant pit at the end. BF is almost completely vertical but I’ve yet to have to look up or down in EB.

I see Anet giving a wide range of map types, and I struggle to apply the term vertical in the way you have. Could you clarify what you mean by verticality?

nerovergil.5408:

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

Off all those that don’t wish to farm? Some players have more cash than time. Some, more time than cash.

I doubt raising the cost of Gem Store items would go over well. The exchange rate is set by the players. It’s probably fine, as is.

anet can have your money and cant have your time. You having more time is not beneficial to anet

If you see gems in your wallet or gems on the exchange, then Anet’s already been paid. If you buy gems with gold, it doesn’t hurt Anet at all.

You can also get it at the end of the Ember Bay Reward Track.

MashMash.1645:

This blew up way more than I intended. I just thought it would be nice for non raiders to still be able to get spirit shards.

It didn’t blow up, don’t worry. It decided to go into a devolving circle for many, many pages.

Behellagh.1468:

…
And while it’s hard to farm for hard leather, it’s easy and quick to farm say Potatoes and Elder Wood at their daily farm locations and sell them, with sell orders not sell immediate. You can find those as well on GW2Efficiency along with permanent ore node locations. Plus at various times players have posted routes where you can farm high demand wood relatively quickly (under half and hour) and sell them for a couple of gold a day. This may be quicker than trying to farm T6 leather.

I’m just listing alternatives since we were all in your shoes at one time.

Out of curiosity (as I am a previously proven non-economist), would you believe it healthy for some people to view the economy more as a barter system than a monetary one?

Edit: To add an anecdote (as I believe perspective plays a big role), I’m currently in need of a lot of empty kegs. I’ve been gathering flax for months. I’m also currently annoyed with the overflow of linen scraps on my main character (I guess I just filled my bank). Yet at no point up until now did I think, “Hey, my friend Tippy over there has some kegs and wants some linen; maybe we should trade.”

As a person who places little-to-no value on gold, trading seems like a reasonable process.

I may be an example of what’s hurting the economy and not allowing prices to match the real supply coming into the game with the demand from players.

Everything I get, I salvage, and then auto-deposit into my bank. Out of sight; out of mind. My materials and goods rarely get evaluated against the Trading Post. I don’t give things to people who are willing to buy them. The supply given to me doesn’t help balance the players’ demand.

A few anecdotes:

1. Mithril: I had hoards of it. I didn’t sell it on the trading post. When guild halls demanded it, I tossed it there (didn’t participate in the economy). When I get too much now, I convert it to an ascended mat and store it (not participating in the economy).
2. Mystic Coins: I had 500 of them. When I heard guildies needing them, I gave them away (not participating in the economy). I saw a legendary I wanted and burnt through my supply (not participating…). I get them from dailies and I auto-deposit them (not participating…)
3. Leather: I had full stacks of refined and sections of all types. Guildies needed some, and so did the new halls. I sank them there. (yada yada)
4. Silk: I currently have many stacks because I’m too lazy to get rid of it. (yada yada).

I figure you can be an active speculator which is hoping that hoarding will pay off, or you can be a tacit non-complier like me and throw off the actual supply to demand equation.

I guess my only question is, what could change my habits? I really don’t have an answer to that one.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

Sorry, everyone. My post was in answer to hornswroggle’s only. I tend to forget to ‘quote’. Again, my apologies.

Awww, but you gave us a chance to respond to what other people might be thinking! Don’t apologize for that.

Inculpatus cedo.9234:

Much too complex.

I was under the impression the ‘Leave Feedback’ tab was introduced to make it easier for those unschooled in the more complex aspects of Wiki editing. Hopefully, we won’t be discouraged from using it.

Using the Feedback button is absolutely encouraged, so much so that we’ve got some editors looking into a better way to track edits to the talk pages!

We’d much rather hear from contributors than not; learning wiki-code is not a requirement for helping out.

I don’t use long bows on any of my characters, but I will gladly change that to wield such a weapon.

I love this idea not only for the challenge in making such a bow, but also for how amazing it could turn out.

Darkrayne.5614:

Greener.6204:

Darkrayne.5614:

Greener.6204:

Darkrayne.5614:

…to be able to get around at an acceptable pace.

That right there is the problem. Acceptable is a subjective and dynamic term. I feel like I move far too slowly travelling from the MF to the crafting area with my 33% movement buff. It’s a feeling of not being there yet. Increasing the “standard” speed won’t ever get rid of that feeling.

Mounts won’t solve the problem. They’ll just move the goalposts.

That’s an overly philosophical reply and it doesn’t really relate to this tbh. You’re saying that if I start getting somewhere twice as fast then I’d start to want to get there twice as fast again? No, I’m not trying to leet my way through the grind with super speed and constantly keep getting faster. I just don’t want to go so slow that I’m bored and right not it is too slow. It really is that simple. In comparison to most other zoned or open world games, it feels sluggish and is less fun.

Not quite what I’m saying, and not philosophical, more psychological.

Let’s say a player has a tolerance of running for 20 seconds before they start feeling bored and asking, “Why am I not there yet?” That means they have a 20-seconds-of-travelling radius around them. Things which are within that radius are fine to get to. Things which are beyond that distance are frustrating to get to.

Speeding up the player increases the distance of the 20-seconds-of-travelling radius, but it won’t remove it. There will always be places the player wants to get to which will frustrate them, unless Anet adds instant travelling options…. Oh, wait.

That’s not how we work though is it? We base the time on how far we have to go and what we are trying to do. It’s not a set amount for every situation.

…

I just want to have fun guys.. not run. I’d rather combat and events take longer and the time between them is shortened by running faster.

Which is why I prefaced my comment with “subjective and dynamic”. Your tolerance for acceptability is yours, and depends on what you’re doing. There will always be some distance which will make you frustrated, no matter the speed you travel at.

Darkrayne.5614:

Greener.6204:

Darkrayne.5614:

…to be able to get around at an acceptable pace.

That right there is the problem. Acceptable is a subjective and dynamic term. I feel like I move far too slowly travelling from the MF to the crafting area with my 33% movement buff. It’s a feeling of not being there yet. Increasing the “standard” speed won’t ever get rid of that feeling.

Mounts won’t solve the problem. They’ll just move the goalposts.

That’s an overly philosophical reply and it doesn’t really relate to this tbh. You’re saying that if I start getting somewhere twice as fast then I’d start to want to get there twice as fast again? No, I’m not trying to leet my way through the grind with super speed and constantly keep getting faster. I just don’t want to go so slow that I’m bored and right not it is too slow. It really is that simple. In comparison to most other zoned or open world games, it feels sluggish and is less fun.

Not quite what I’m saying, and not philosophical, more psychological.

Let’s say a player has a tolerance of running for 20 seconds before they start feeling bored and asking, “Why am I not there yet?” That means they have a 20-seconds-of-travelling radius around them. Things which are within that radius are fine to get to. Things which are beyond that distance are frustrating to get to.

Speeding up the player increases the size of the 20-seconds-of-travelling radius, but it won’t remove it. There will always be places the player wants to get to which will frustrate them, unless Anet adds instant travelling options…. Oh, wait.

Darkrayne.5614:

…to be able to get around at an acceptable pace.

That right there is the problem. Acceptable is a subjective and dynamic term. I feel like I move far too slowly travelling from the MF to the crafting area with my 33% movement buff. It’s a feeling of not being there yet. Increasing the “standard” speed won’t ever get rid of that feeling.

Mounts won’t solve the problem. They’ll just move the goalposts.

Asura were never balanced; they are way too top heavy.

Dwarves, with their lower centres of gravity, would bring much more balance to the game.

Astralporing.1957:

Illconceived Was Na.9781:

Astralporing.1957:

…okay, you win. A person that kills 52 loot-dropping mobs a year (the abovementioned one moa per week only case) is going to see his account impacted the same way as someone that kills hundreds of mobs every day.
Somehow.

It’s not “somehow,” it’s exactly the same mechanic whether you kill 52 moas/year or 52,000 moas/year.

Mechanic is the same. The end effect of said mechanic isn’t.

The end effect is exactly the same, unless you’re blurring two different mechanics:

1. If you kill more, you will get more
2. Magic find increases the odds of getting something good from the loot table

If you’re looking at a bag after 52 000 kills and think, “Huh, I have a lot of good loot” you can thank #1 for the “a lot” part, and #2 for the “good” part.

vesica tempestas.1563:

As a side affect that population wide increased rate also impacts the market through increased supply – that is also significant.

Intriguing, I never went that one extra step. A very strong reason to keep MF capped, or else all new players could be pushed out of a runaway market depreciated market?… not good market? Econ majors, help?

Edit: ‘Cause I’m not good with jargon.

Astralporing.1957:

Greener.6204:

Kentaine.4692:

Basically, no matter how you slice it. Magic Find is virtually meaningless to all except those who grind for items.

Not true. Whether your someone who grinds for items with 200% MF, or takes down a moa once a week with 200% MF, Magic Find will mean the same amount to you and treat you both fairly.

That’s the beauty of it; It’s why I like it . I have the same chance of finding a good item as anyone else (with the same MF%).

Er…nope.
rather obviously, MF means much more to someone that kills a ton of loot-dropping mobs than someone that kills only a few of them in the same time interval.

To put it more clearly: MF is meaningless to those that do not take advantage of it.

But magic find is ignorant of time intervals.

Don’t confuse the number of trials needed to prove statistical significance with whether or not the effect exists. A drug may need ~1000 trials to prove that it works, but that doesn’t mean it only has “meaning” to someone who takes it a lot.

I.e. You kill one thing, MF has an effect. You kill two things, it has the same effect.

Kentaine.4692:

Basically, no matter how you slice it. Magic Find is virtually meaningless to all except those who grind for items.

Not true. Whether your someone who grinds for items with 200% MF, or takes down a moa once a week with 200% MF, Magic Find will mean the same amount to you and treat you both fairly.

That’s the beauty of it; It’s why I like it . I have the same chance of finding a good item as anyone else (with the same MF%).

Malediktus.3740:

They are over 90k accounts at gw2efficiency. That is almost 1/4 of the HoT sales. I would think its representative of people who play the game for a long time.

When you have self-selecting systematic error, Dewey Defeats Truman.

Edit: Second link which actually gives information. Thanks wikipedia.

stale.9785:

I’ve been facing a different bug – one that’s also been there since HoT release. For whatever reason, it’s impossible for me to glide during the encounter. Other’s can, when I party with them (this is how my necro got through) but I cannot.

It’s beyond frustrating, since this effectively removes my ability to finish the story.

Run into the small wind markers on the ground; don’t jump at them. They’ll automatically give you a bounce into the air.

The CC problem is one I’ve constantly come across, ever since the stability update in April (Note: This is what I blame, and I may be wrong)

When you channel, it pulses CC, but not enough may hit Mordremoth as he can be immune to some of them. Unfortunately the rift disappears once you’ve completed your channeling, and Mordy just gains his defiance bar back to full. He stands there wobbling, the game expects him to be taking damage, you can’t hurt him, therefore the mechanics don’t reset.
I’ve had to do many, many rounds of trying to CC him with personal skills, timing the CC’s so that they don’t hit while he’s “immune” from the last strike. It’s not fun.

aceofbass.2163:

Hmmm can you please tell me the name of those? When I copy the links and type them in game they show as blank.

Yeah, that’s true for some chat link codes, unfortunately. The codes were correct though.

• Recipe: Charged Ambrite Orichalcum Earring
• Recipe: Charged Ambrite Orichalcum Amulet
• Recipe: Charged Ambrite Orichalcum Ring

You’ll want to compare the prices as you see on the wiki pages to those in the TP, as suggested above.

Your logic doesn’t follow. What some people think of “A” does not lead to how “B” should be built.

If this is really a thread about AB, you should be posting over there. Making another thread about it isn’t helpful.

I believe the bags within bags is caused by Anet wanting to guarantee access to certain loot tables, without having to rewrite the tables each time.

E.g. Arrowhead Cache from the Auric Basin Reward Track will give you a few goodies along with a vetted roll on a loot table via the Fallen Adventurer’s Backpack.

lLobo.7960:

We need a bag for bags.
An inventory bags where other bags goes. Like we have the trash, gear and crafting ones.
Then we would have a bag for bags with bags.
Not even kidding, this would be great.

Now I don’t know what I want more, this or build templates!

Anet has likely been aware that build templates are missing since before launch, and is very much aware of how much the player base wants them. There is no need to bump this thread.

Given that they haven’t implemented them yet, the issues may be multifaceted. My shots in the dark include:

• The number of times the skills/traits system has been overhauled, which would require a complete rebuild of the template system. Who knows how many previous works in progress have been thrown out.
• The frequency with which they change the IDs for skills/traits, which would make old templates have holes, or possibly break.
• Future content plans which are at odds with making a template system work with what we have now. Edit: E.g. the addition of how revs use their utilities would have thrown many basic template styles out the window. What’s next?
• Deeming that they have bigger fish to fry with their developer time. We don’t know how much may have been sunk into it already.
• Some other reason which would be obvious to a developer, but far from what I would ever think or know of as an issue.

Basically, if a wonderful QoL system hasn’t been brought into the game after four years, there are likely many reasons for it being MIA.

There are a couple of unlimited salvaging tools, and they have appeared and disappeared a few times in the store (i.e. they’ll be back at some point):

• Copper-Fed Salvage-o-Matic
• Silver-Fed Salvage-o-Matic

I’m not sure which one was on sale, but if you have the gems to buy it, you can open up a dialogue with Support and see if they can help you get that discounted price.

Djinn.9245:

Obtena.7952:

Astralporing.1957:

Obtena.7952:

Is there value in complaining that a reward is not given to people that don’t do the activity that gives it?

That’s not what we’re discussing here. Raids are not the activity that gives the reward (that would be earning xp). Raids are the gate that keeps the rewards away from some people, even if they are doing the activity.

That’s just not being honest and arguing semantics … obviously unlocking whatever Raid mastery is part of the requirement for the spirit shroud reward just like capping XP bars. If you can’t get past that, we have little to say to each other.

Djinn.9245:

Obtena.7952:

Djinn.9245:

Onlysaneman.9612:

What I do care about is A-net setting a precedent of allowing raids to affect the rest of the game beyond basic balance tweaks. You must understand how, for those of us who don’t raid, that might be a bit concerning.

This, and Anet gating character progress behind other game modes in general.

It may be a concern but it’s already happening everywhere in the game since day 1. It’s already an established precedent.

Furthermore, this is not a gating of character progress … your progress is in no way gated by this. It’s disingenuous to refer to an additional reward from an activity as a barrier to how your character progresses. Nobody is your fool here.

Experience is the base form of character progress in almost every single game that has characters. Gating the base form of character progress has not been happening since day 1. And I can’t think of what form of character progress HAS been gated behind other play modes since day 1.

You’re not gated in character progression by this, at all. You still gain experience and gaining it is in no way gated by arid masteries, therefore not preventing your progression as a character. Progression is NOT the same thing as material rewards. Seems to me you’re confusing the two, though I can’t see how any gamer would do such a thing unless it is intentional.

I don’t think you understand how this works. I am currently without Mastery Points to continue advancing my Masteries. Since all XP bars in my Masteries are full without Mastery Points to “buy” them, I am literally gaining zero additional Experience.

Ah! So your beef isn’t with the new reward system, but is instead with the ease (or lack thereof) of getting Mastery Points.

There are some decent threads about how to get some MP’s (sadly Google will have to be used over the forum search); have you tried the Players helping Players section for advice? And I’d be willing to bet that there are some good guides out there on the internet, and even some guilds which do tours from time to time (I grabbed a few by following a random squad through AB).

I know that the MP’s are locked behind some annoying things (I finally get why you kept saying progression is locked behind content), and that sometimes the adventures or what-have-you just kick you when you’re down. That sucks. But it is a completely different topic from how these new rewards were implemented, and because of that it has led to a lot of people misunderstanding you.

Hopefully though, in a perfect world, the rewards can be extended to people who are stuck in your position.

Djinn.9245:

Obtena.7952:

Djinn.9245:

Onlysaneman.9612:

What I do care about is A-net setting a precedent of allowing raids to affect the rest of the game beyond basic balance tweaks. You must understand how, for those of us who don’t raid, that might be a bit concerning.

This, and Anet gating character progress behind other game modes in general.

It may be a concern but it’s already happening everywhere in the game since day 1. It’s already an established precedent.

Furthermore, this is not a gating of character progress … your progress is in no way gated by this. It’s disingenuous to refer to an additional reward from an activity as a barrier to how your character progresses. Nobody is your fool here.

Experience is the base form of character progress in almost every single game that has characters. Gating the base form of character progress has not been happening since day 1. And I can’t think of what form of character progress HAS been gated behind other play modes since day 1.

The fairness of this new reward system has no bearing on your character progression. You’ve brought up this topic numerous times, yet haven’t defined what you mean by it.

I strongly suggest you create another thread in which you lay out your definition, and how you feel impeded. It would be far more useful for all involved, and would avoid derailing what people here are talking about.

Ashen.2907:

IndigoSundown.5419:

Ashen.2907:

I will freely admit to being ignorant of all of the details of earning and using spirit shards as well as masteries and raids as I have not maxed my masteries, nor played the raid.

But, honest question here, is it possible to earn spirit shards through xp, without raiding, in core Tyria?

Yes, if you complete all of the Tyria Masteries.

So, just to clarify, Non Raiders are not blocked from earning spirit shards through XP? There is, apparently, more than one approaches provided, allowing people who do not want to raid an alternative approach to earning spirit shards through XP?

Correct. I’m sure you can parse this list a few different ways, but to earn spirit shards you can:

1. Complete your daily.
2. Use tomes of knowledge on a level 80 character.
3. Play WvW and open reward containers. (May drop from kills in WvW?)
4. Play PvP and open reward containers.
5. Play PvE as a level 80 character. Get drops and open bags.
6. Open Noxious Pod in Dragon’s Stand. (I didn’t know that ’til now).
7. Complete your Core Tyrian Masteries, and gain enough experience to level up in Core Tyria maps.
8. Complete your HoT Masteries and gain enough experience to level up in HoT maps.

The last two are the new ones.

1. Yes, in guild hall, Rata Sum, and another world map (can’t recall which)
2. Yes.
3. Yes. All of them.
4. No, but I did enter a finished instance once and grabbed a couple of achievements.

misterman.1530:

Five pages, and not one Dev response. This speaks volumes, no?

Not really. A lot of this thread is contributors going back and forth with each other. At this point most if not all angles have been stated in one form or another, but while we as contributors tend to take ideas to the first step, Anet has to delve far deeper – and thus take longer – before being able to say anything. Speaking before they have a solid plan isn’t their style.

We don’t know if this change was the only step they intended, or if they have future plans. We don’t know if our suggestions are easy to code for or not. We don’t know how the UI can be conveniently adjusted to accommodate the player with future changes (I still struggle with the Hero Panel ). We don’t know the potential economic impacts, etc. etc. But since we lack the details to make those assessments, our words naturally come out sooner than Anet’s.

AliamRationem.5172:

So what I’m saying is that it was a good idea and they should expand upon it. Perhaps they could even consider a slight rework of the way masteries work and tackle more than one problem at once.

Suggestion: Unlink experience from masteries. There is already progression in earning the required points. Instead, create a long-term reward track of sorts entirely based upon post-cap experience. Expand upon the rewards to create a progression. The more exp you gain, the bigger the rewards.

That would be a lovely iteration of the system. I’ve got a fair number of friends who have hit a wall with their Mastery progression (be it by choice or otherwise), and would appreciate another side progression.

Djinn.9245:

What this all comes down to is Anet attempting to force players into game modes whether the players want it or not. I think its sad, really. Why does Anet want to do this? Are there not enough people who want to play these modes?

Instead of using a stick of trying to FORCE people by gating regular character progression, why not use a carrot? Make a special achievement or title for people who kill their first Raid boss. Same for PvP, WvW, Adventures, JP, etc. Stop trying to force people to play the way you want.

I’ve read this a few times over, and I’m still very confused. How are spirit shards a part of regular character progression? If you’re trying to make a lot of ascended weapons and armour, you only need that quality for high-end specialized content.

Anet added an additional source of spirit shards which not everyone can currently get, but for over a year now all of our accounts have been able to get them through playing how we want. People who enjoy PvP can get them, people who enjoy WvW can get them, etc. Your character progression isn’t stopped by Anet adding an additional source.

Kelly.7019:

…<don’t mind the snip>…
I’m my guilds sole scribe- so maybe i have a different view on things. I’d love to decorate more, and have made many things because i like crafting and love exploring, but the cost is too much for just a few. Which is why so many would prefer personal housing that they can decorate and make their own, but then again that’s not guild halls.

Oh, I know that pain. I’m the sole scribe for one of my guilds, and it definitely brings about problems with some people either not confident in decorating (for reasons I snipped from your quote), or people not able to decorate (inspiration shouldn’t have to wait for me to come online).

Kelly.7019:

How bout nothing much seems new

Hmmm… SAB decorations were back in April… Seance candles were recently fixed… Okay, those words totally check out.

Kelly.7019:

They they should come fully stocked and not basically empty with nothing for guildies to do. You don’t build a house and forget to add the plumbing “Oh, well get to that later.”

Some people don’t like the time and effort it takes to add things to halls, but for the guilds I belong to, communally building up the hall has added to the guild cohesiveness. It’s nice to know you can contribute to something bigger than yourself that is helping all of your guildmates. If the guild halls came fully furnished, then there would truly be nothing to do.

Kelly.7019:

…nothing new has happened other then doubling the decoration cap which should not have been an issue in the first place since decorating is a gold sink, and people don’t do it.

Unless you’re intimately related with the code, you may want to stay away from making such arguments. I’m sorry that no one in your guild is decorating, but for three of the four guilds that I belong to, it’s an on-going process, and yes, a wonderful gold sink.

Kelly.7019:

Yea, i don’t care about the arena like some others do, it’s way too small to do much.

Build vertically! I was recently taught how to get normal decorations into the arena, and the complexity of the fights we can make is astounding. Just need a few hundred more SAB clouds…