Guild Wars 2

Its just skins for pets that exist in GW2 so I’d say its not a big deal. You say your a completionist but if you want those that means playing GW1. Guild Wars isn’t the only series with exclusive skins from playing the previous game(s) from MMO’s to console series. It’s a great way to reward veterans while not making them more powerful. Now you just have to decide if GW1 is worth it to you. It has a great story, but the gameplay is dated now. Personally still find it one of the best game stories with rich lore that is lacking in GW2. You’ll find lots of small references to the original in GW2 too so that’s always cool.

Sounds good. Never hurts to have at least a little defense. I was pure power/precision/crit but last week got rid of a little bit of the critical for toughness (I was originally under 1000 on my ranger). Its nice and didn’t even notice a change in dps.

Haha I’ve opened over 150 boxes with zero minis and that’s all I want from it. Got loads of Obsidian Shards for a legendary I’m not going for so I’d be happy with them being sell-able so I can buy one for my collection. For now I’ll keep throwing karma at it, not that I found any other use for karma anyways.

Honestly the +4 power isn’t anything. Sure if you mixed all the stats and just had random gear instead of stacking in a few areas, you wouldn’t be that effective. However, +4 toughness instead to get an item you prefer is fine if that’s what you enjoy. Some people love to min/max stats but it’s honestly not a big deal in this game, especially over such a minor change. My answer is short: do what you enjoy either stats if you like the biggest numbers possible or get a bit of protection and a more interesting item to you.

I agree with many above me. If the story was actually good with cut scenes, unique gameplay (different types then just go in and clear), deeper character development, and an actual purpose to the choice you make (maybe even dialog choices like some Bioware games use). Basically redo the entire experience. Otherwise it’s not worth the resources unless it would only take them a few minutes to implement.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

I think why not many said anything about GW2 characters is that there are a limited number who die who have personality enough to want to save.

Plus, a lot more of us played GW1 and have fond memories of other NPCs. To be honest, if I had to save any NPC from their fates . . . it wouldn’t be someone from either of these games.

I see your point. I stuck with GW characters but there are game character deaths I liked much better outside of either game (Mordin’s potential death scene in Mass Effect 3 comes to mind, especially cause his death is due to a choice you make). Guess I just hoped for a deeper story with a few strong characters. I loved so many of GW1 heroes due to their developing stories but maybe that won’t work sense we don’t have a hero mechanic in GW2.

The fact that tons of responses referred to GW1 characters just goes to show that the story aspect failed in GW2. Love the rest of the game but the Personal Story and dungeon stories gave hardly any interesting characters beyond ones we all hate if that counts.
As for my answer, I’d have to pick my top 3 (not in any particular order): Prince Rurik, Glint, and Master Togo.

Wow didn’t know anybody actually liked the story. Between the boring or even hated characters (Trahaerne especially but I found most others boring as well), boring missions (mostly go to an area and kill risen), and almost no plot ending with the saddest dragon of all time. Maybe cause I came from GW1 which was story based, so I expected an actual good story, but I only do it for the quick exp. “Choices” meant nothing and the only emotion I felt was laughter at a few characters stereotypical deaths and cheesy lines.
As for Destiny’s Edge, they aren’t even a part of your story beyond one member at the start. Just play Story Mode versions of dungeons if you want the barely interesting drama that was a lot more fleshed out in the novel. Hoping the Living Story becomes more interesting.

(Do have to admit I enjoyed the story for the most party up until a little after picking an order to join. )

Sigmatics.7056:

No! It’s to easy to gear my characters! Make it harder again so I can complain about grind!

/facepalm

Exactly. This helped fix the every increasing cost of everything so that we can actually afford to start gearing. Remember that rare is two tiers below max so its good that we can get our exotics faster and work on “end-game” gear through fractals, laurels, or guild missions and/or work on another character. Some may be rich, but those with work/school/etc. can’t play more than a few hours a week.

Sauzo.6821:

Also will in effect allow more people to make exotics to try and make precursors to use AND sell which will put more on the market and lower the prices to something more affordable to the masses. I see it as a win/win for all!!

Yeah I’m seeing this as a good balance for the economy that was controlled by those who had the time to grind dungeons for ectos. Glad to see the market recovering so we can all work on our exotics which are supposed to be the stepping stones into endgame and getting ascended.

I agree with the issue of still saying most dungeons are pre-80 (AC is lv35 supposedly) but no group at that actual level would have a chance. Know its to stop people from easy farming but please just change it to say all explorables are level 80 and balance them that way cause right now it isn’t balanced around lv35s. I’m not saying it’s hard for 80s, but it isn’t supposed to be an endgame dungeon. Would love a dev to explain this.

Between giving me a reason to go to these zones and learn where the world bosses are, fixing the inflation on ectos in economy (sorry to those who had the time to farm for rares all day and screw the rest of us), and actually giving a way for casuals to get occasional good loot without farming cof/fractals is a great change. I earned 4 new boss achievements today for bosses I didn’t know existed cause I’ve been trying to gear through fractals (which people are still running so this didn’t hurt other areas of the game). Also gives me new “dailies” to try and get with these cool fights. My guild united and ran these together, also gaining us influence toward the guild missions.

Did think the lag made it less enjoyable but sure that will die down as people spread out again more. Didn’t stop me from getting my rewards though. Would also be cool to have some exclusive skin at each world boss like Final Rest that’s not extremely hard to find but still rare to make these even cooler. Don’t know why people are complaining. All it did was rebalance the ecto cost since rares aren’t actually gear to equip for most people with a more balanced step toward exotics to then work for ascended. Seems almost perfect to me.

masterdesh.8943:

ok whether you agree balancing needs to happen or not has there been talk of it and if so when?

They usually have small balance patches every month with the new content but they’ve made it clear they’re not just going to go in and make massive changes and then have to constantly balance their balances. Everything is fairly balanced though with minor adjustments so don’t expect to ever see a big balance patch to be honest.

Hmm I found them to boring and much too simple. Not saying this in a “I’m better than you” way and I have to agree with people saying Arah shouldn’t have been a required mission to finish the story. Since I’ve finished all personal stories on two character now, I’ll try to make some suggestions. Try to go through the story at lv80 if you find it too hard at your current one, keep your gear updated, master dodging, and maybe spec for more defense until you finish (only costs 3.5s to respec). If you still have trouble, I hate to say it but it’s your skill level. The stories are very simple for the average player and a joke to a lot of us. Find someone who can help you learn your class maybe?

Sorry if I sounded rude at all. Don’t mean it. I found them too easy so I have trouble finding advice but wanted to try and help.

Yeah the lore is another issue. GW1 set up a ton of amazing stories with an interesting world. GW2 is set in that same world, but it feels like almost none of that matters. Two of the lands are lost to us right now which is fine, but practically nothing from any of the campaigns mattered (besides EotN). This game is still early, but that is why I’m putting out this suggestion. If the story was at GW1 level, I would have trouble making a complaint about the game.

Exactly. The Personal Story should be more personal. Maybe the Living Story is their new direction which would be amazing, but I doubt it. They had all this talk about a living, breathing world while all we see is the same things on repeat and no change from our supposed “heroic” actions. Lets make these Elder Dragons epic battles in the open world where we can all unite from our own personal problems to deal with.

Disclaimer: I love most areas of GW2 and also accept nothing is perfect. This is just an idea I wanted to talk about and I’m happy to discuss even if you think my ideas are bad.
*My suggestion is in the last paragraph if you want to skip

Coming for GW1, I figured that GW2 would be mainly a non-instanced world with a living story line. With the event system, I pictured an evolving world where we slowly are working to defeat Zhaitan as a massive player base through an evolving story similar to what they are doing with the Living Story updates. This would mean the world is in constant change and a feeling of actual important to the world.

As for the personal story, I pictured it would be like what they are in the early levels…personal. It would be a side story there to evolve your character and maybe release a few new missions each patch that go alongside the big story line of the dragons.

My suggestion/hope is to take the big plot and put it into the Living Story and leave the Personal Story as a more character driven plot. We could even start from where we are now by having Zhaitan rise again (we never got proof he died) with a week-long chain of events or something before an expansion to bring him down for good and cleanse Orr. Otherwise, the risen will still be here 5 expansions from now at the same strength as well as the Eyes and Moths of Zhaitan. With this plan, the world truly feels alive and people will want to buy the game/login and play to see and participate because they are one-time events (doesn’t need to mean 1 time as in an hour on a particular day but more like 1 month or something).

Good? Bad? Ideas to add or ideas you don’t like? As long as you’re polite to each other and me, I’m happy to hear any opinions.

While I love that game, I’m playing it cause it has no subscription as I can’t afford a monthly fee while in college (paying for it without help besides loans). I do try to buy a few items from the gem shop though if I have any money to spare to put in my support for this amazing game (even if I didn’t like the story as much as GW1 haha)

1. No
2. No
3. Yes
4. Yes but not sure what’s easier than laurels although I do understand that some don’t have the time to log on every day so it will take awhile for them but still basically free

(Plus I like all the lore connections ascended gear has coming for a GW1 player)

Mr Quinn.9815:

We need Henchies …

I’d love henchmen to return, but used just to solo story mode for no rewards so those that never want to do dungeons can still experience the lore and finish their personal story. Most of the game doesn’t need henchmen though like GW1 did. Did enjoy having deeper personal characters however. Didn’t care about the characters in this game at all.

Mystic Starfish.2586:

So unless they made the missions as easy as your PS, then you’d all be running around as Livia while she’s getting the scepter >.<

Well since we already have the PS system in place, it could function a lot like one. Plus the Bonus Mission Pack used a specific build and the entire mission was designed around it so they could make it at a balanced level of challenging. But true, it may not happen because of the Fractals. Just thought it was a fun topic to think about.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

jblade.6470:

The Foefire (know it’s also a fractal but we never get to actually see it happen)

This is actually a misconception. That city looks nothing like Ascalon City, and there were Ash Legion tents used by Flame Legion so it couldn’t have been during the Foefire since the rebellion was already underway.

Hmm didn’t even think of that. Just figured the big event right before we leave was the Foefire but didn’t take the time to realize other clues. I just thought the city looked different because none of the old areas besides the HoM seem to look anything like they did in GW1 due to different designers or something (which saddened me since I wish there were more places that hadn’t changed much at all). Thanks for clearing that up.

For those that didn’t play GW1, there was an item in the cash shop called the Bonus Mission Pack which opened up a few single-player missions taking place during important events from the eyes of a historical character. They touched on things like the Tengu War and Gwen’s joining of the Ebon Vanguard. In addition, it allowed for fun new skins for weapons after completing one of these missions.

So I was wondering, since we have a gem store, why not add something like this for lore fans as well as a new way to get cool skins. Nobody seemed to complain about having to pay for a new way to get skins and I loved getting to see first hand events we’d only heard about. They could add a lot in the 250 year space between games as well as events during or before GW1. If they had events take place in areas we’d been in GW1 without the 250 years of change to it, it would be exciting for vets to even just get to play again in old unchanged areas.

Ideas:
The Foefire (know it’s also a fractal but we never get to actually see it happen)
Flooding of Lions Arch / Rise of any of the Elder Dragons
Missions following the various companions like Livia with the Scepter of Orr
Actually play during the Searing attack by the charr

Anyone else have cool ideas they could add that you’d like to play?

Well after the free monthly updates and a sale on the only other way for them to make money beyond the initial GW2 purchase, I’m very happy. In other MMO’s I never felt like I was getting my monthly fee worth of new stuff to do each month while in this game, even if I dislike a content update, I’m okay with it because I never gave up more money and got way more out of the game then most $60 games. Don’t treat this like you would with subscription games because, if you want, you can just pay the $60 for the base game and enjoy free content updates or just leave for another game like you would with any other game once you “complete” it. I’m happy with a discount on more character slots so I can try out every profession. Welcome to the joys of a free-to-pay model and looking forward to the unexpectedly often free content.

Funny that a lot of people are complaining here but me and my friends are excited to have another reason to go hunt for all the puzzles . I’m not very good at them but it’s a cool little extra challenge to play around with not done in every other MMO. For those saying it’s not optional, the entire monthly is full of various fun objectives from WvW to Fractals to give an extra incentive. If you don’t do monthly, you don’t really loose some amazing reward. Just a fun new goal for the month if you want.