Guild Wars 2

And I have to admit that I am really impressed with what you guys did with this new season. I had an absolute blast with my guildies adventuring through it.

• The storyline was concrete and interesting.
• The map itself is gorgeous.
• The fight with “the boss” is one of the best fight sequences I have ever played in any game.
• Smooth, bug-free, experience.
• cough Scarlet did it cough

Not only that, I left for “that other RvR game” before we saw the fruits of the CDI; but after logging back in for the first time I poked around my character screen and instantly remembered ideating about some of the stuff you put into the game.

This game has come a long way with the progressive improvements you have been making to it, to a person who hasn’t seen it since March the difference is night-and-day.

Keep it up ANet! Although I’ve moved onto other games; GW2 will definitely always be one of my fondest memories.

Auroraglade.

/15charsinatubrubadubdub

It’s most definitely foot prints, there are even indentations for the balls of the feet.

Banzie.5248:

Dhuuum dhuuum dhummmm. XD

Fixed it for ya.

A lot of people are interpreting this as a sign of no Tengu. I’m not sure. For now they may be sticking to their no-involvement guns but something like this would likely teach them that they can’t hide away forever.

Tomzzy.9564:

I couldn’t find anything in the water. Hope you find something more

Thanks for looking.

SirMoogie.9263:

Be careful of Pareidolia.

Indeed. They could just be impact craters, but their shape is curios (they also lack scorch marks).

SirMoogie.9263:

Flame Legion Effigy

Yeah I jumped at that one because it’s the one thing that I saw in a Youtube video of the cutscene. Just a really, really, big one.

SirMoogie.9263:

explosions from the airship cannons or giant lasers from the sky

Again, no scorch marks. All the other impact craters do have scorch marks.

Maybe Scarlet’s ships landed at some point?

Paradox.5498:

Some ppl (like me) don’t suffer long loading times in LA,

Never said I did. Not sure how that’s relevant anyway.

Paradox.5498:

actually DO use the mystic forge on daily basis

Granted. However, do you spend your entire day running between crafting stations and it? It’s slightly less convenient now – but honestly, exactly how lazy are we talking here?

Paradox.5498:

crafting stations

Choose any racial city.

Paradox.5498:

trade post

Choose any racial city.

Paradox.5498:

bank

Choose any racial city.

Paradox.5498:

all close to one and the same waypoint

Comparatively – they are miles apart when you compare them to the better laid out racial cities. If I were to have a problem it is that the old LA was atrociously laid out and completely useless – good riddance.

Paradox.5498:

The convenience is now only accessible through character specific gem store purchases

It has always been there, only better, in other cities.

Paradox.5498:

You can disagree all you want but don’t be blind to the fact that other people have other opinions and those opinions are at least just as valid as yours.

Opinions are subject to be disproved. I attempted to use LA as a crafting hub in the past, I was appalled at how much I had to run around in order to use it. Some people (where the “opinions” likely come from in this thread) have likely never done serious crafting in other cities and therefore are not in a place where they can contemplate the calmer opinions on this thread. What we are saying is that you should try it before you cut the entire patch into threads. Because the old LA was unbelievably USELESS.

I’ll conceded on the social aspect, I did AFK many times in LA to have a chat.

Lydell.8713:

One would argue that a massive attack on the historical city of Lion’s Arch, all the victims, the fact that a giant drill is at work to unearth kitten knows what but most likely something terrible and destructive is a solid chunk of lore in the making.

Don’t forget the footprints.

MrPersons.1560:

they provide you with a 1 time fee MMO and adding new stuff every 2 weeks

Such bad people, tsk tsk. Such an evil company that gives us an optional route to support them. I don’t know what this world is coming to with evil corporations handing out free stuff. You know what I will do tonight? I am going to and buy a pass to the ship. That $10 will surely foil their plans of handing out free stuff!

As I said before, LA was always a stupid place to craft in the first place. Furthermore I rarely saw people crafting there when I was in the area – people are just bandwaggoning one person’s bad perspective. A moderator should close this thread because it’s pathetic.

Tomzzy.9564:

Did it step over 2nd gate?

Bingo. As I said this thing would need to be massive to have footprints that big and a cadence that long.

Tomzzy.9564:

Maybe this is nothing afterall. :P

ANet are known for having little details like this all over the place. This is definitely not nothing. If it was nothing the footprints wouldn’t be there. I’m going to do a little investigation when I get home.

Blurk.6231:

we must also consider the thing has 4 legs

It would be incredibly weird if an ED didn’t have a paw for a foot, but I can’t see any reason why it would be impossible.

Blurk.6231:

http://i.imgur.com/tC5XwEn.jpg

Now that you put L/R on the map, there is one question: is this giant thing playing hop-scotch in LA? Unless it stepped back to get a better footing.

I know it’s been discussed a tiny bit in another thread, but it makes sense to move that discussion here. One important question is what humanoid in the game has foot prints that big – from the screenshots it looks like it may be slightly larger than Tequatl’s footprint; and from the cadence it would have very long legs.

• A super fire effigy?
• A Golem that Scarlet has made?
• With the fractals portal being upset, something to do with the Colossus (incredibly unlikely)?

LA was always the one of the worst places to bank/TP/craft anyway (coming as close second to Hoelbraak) – the loading screens are likely shorter than the running distances between stuff in the old LA an exaggeration.

If you want to do that type of stuff DR or BC is where it’s at (yes, yes, they lack Mystic Forges, but you are doing something wrong if you are running between the forge and whatnot continually).

Blurk.6231:

OOPS I didnt see the red arrows! I only saw the green line. My apologies. Well doesnt hurt to have two

The more the merrier. Still interested if someone can take a hike along the green line (I am at work, so no exploration for me).

Blurk.6231:

I am working on making a map with locations right now.

Uh….

zamalek.2154:

http://imgur.com/DTs6dca .

We are investigating what we find: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/lore/lore

Tomzzy.9564:

Should be fixed now.

<3

So given the cadence of the footsteps (red arrows) I would assume that the next set would be somewhere along the green line in the image: http://imgur.com/DTs6dca .

The next step would be practically under the current location of Scarlet’s drill. If you are able to go and see if there are any under water there. If the next steps are in Fort Mariner (they may be hard to find given all the craters) there may be something interesting in Bloodtide Coast.

Excuse the old LA map, I couldn’t find one of the new LA on the internet without stuff on it already.

We should put them on a map. Sadly your first two links don’t work so I can’t at the moment.

Lutinz.6915:

Note about the house with the force field. Isn’t that the house of the Priory agent from the Priory Personal story?

Maybe only Priory characters can get in?

ThiBash.5634:

Vol.7601:

Confirmed through spoiler reveals last week.

‘thing invading her mind’.

Nope.

Added emphasis to Vol’s post.

wookalar.8952:

Tomzzy.9564:

I found some giant footstep’s IF they are footsteps.[/IMG]
[…]
Edit: They areprobably not from marrionette, cause she has high heels if i remember. These look more like barefoot.

Also the Marionette’s “corpse” is in Lornar’s pass now. But, we don’t know if that was the only one.

Possibly Scarlet’s golem? I struggle to think of anything else that would leave humanoid footprints that big. Maybe she finished her “super race”? I don’t think Giganticus would even fit the bill (they are too small to make footprints that big). Comparatively they look like they could be slightly larger than Tequatl’s footprint.

Edit, ideas as I get them: a massive flaming effigy?

Jelle.4623:

-Asura Gate to Rata Sum still active

Dead give-away that Rata Sum is the ultimate target.

Mark Katzbach.9084:

The crafting stations did not get moved to Vigil’s Keep.

So can we go into LA and do “dangercrafting”?

This is the first thing I will attempt when I get home tonight at play the patch for the first time.

Gearbox.2748:

I believe deer mostly level up by crafting grass into cud. It gives good xp to deer.

Next thing you know they start playing the TP.

Deers flooding the TP with legendaries in an upcoming LS confirmed.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

zamalek.2154:

Oh my… She, herself, is a puppet – you, sir, are a genius.

You realize that was one of the first things mentioned about the Marionette? That it could be a reflection of her being a puppet in the end as well.

I missed that memo :/. Still it may not be merely a metaphor. I guess we may never know because it’s too late to go back and see if there were any more of these: there is far too much dialog, models and textures that probably haven’t been recorded.

Konig Des Todes.2086:

You are not of the Archivists. My pact is not with you! All who breach the pact must be purged.

/turns you into an elemental husk

/gets farmed for loot and XP

ElysianEternity.6215:

What convenient placement. Thaumanova Mk. II here we go.

So I would assume that the drill bit is somewhat like a battery terminal. Conclusions:

• The sounds coming from under LA were the ley lines all along. Unless there is also an ED at the intersection (some interpretations of the thumper maps had the EDs at the tips of the ley lines, so if you agree with those maps this scenario is unlikely).
• If she is indeed after an ED she is probably leveling up her airship by siphoning off magic out of the ley line intersection (or at least, she plans to).
• I even further doubt that LA is the final target.
• I wonder what that Skritt who enjoyed rummaging around in the sewers has to say.

Jelle.4623:

-Water level is lowering (noticable mostly around Grand Piazza and Farshore Ward)

This indicates that there must be a massive volume of air under LA; because aren’t the harbors connected directly to the sea? In order for the water level to be lower [locally] the rate of flow into the caverns must be immense – unless Scarlet blocked off the harbor somehow so that she could physically access the caverns. Will the new LA be partially built in these caverns? Is the new map we have been asking for going to be below LA? Are these caverns possible one way to access a specific ED? Primordius seems logical, Mordremoth is very plausible.

Shiren.9532:

It really sucks to be missing out on this stuff and it makes me feel like I made the wrong choice.

I would suspect the other orders have their own NPCs that either explain the same thing, or, further flesh out the information – we just haven’t found them yet.

Anyone else find it poetic that we have come round in a complete circle? The LS started with us freeing refugees, and we are now doing it again.

Colly.4073:

They are busy laughing at our EU post’s and posting on Twitter/Facebook…….C’mon they don’t give a rats behind about us EU.

To be fair, these are different teams. I doubt the social networkers in the company are involved in shipping the patch. At the same time, a moment of silence from them would be nice – so make it at least seem as though they are involved (honestly though, in that scenario they would likely be sleeping at their desks because there would be nothing for them to do).

Rennoko.5731:

Just like today, they decided at the last minute to add in all the sigil and rune changes, that is why it is taking so long to get the patch out….

They found out that the changes made the rangers balanced… Explains everything.

Vol.7601:

The fact that Anet’s official twitter account stated that the patch was going to come in an hour, and then had to delete it shortly after shows that something bad came up.

You are right. That is the only time you will hear that on the internets. That’s completely plausible. Vol, I think we are on the same team – I just have a slightly different perspective being in a similar industry and all.

Sorry ANet, for losing faith in you. You have a long way to go to reach Valve status – but you are Good Guy Gregs.

thaooo.5320:

You’re obviously lying, or are confusing pve players with wvw players. The hard core wvw players I’m surrounded with do not have a full set of armour, or even close to a full set of armour.

I know one who does (3 sets, mind you), but you know, ranger… I am a semi-hardcore (more hardcore than semi) WvW player and yeah, I only just finished my coat. The only reason is because in my country there was an unfortunate timing situation with a BF4 league (we are doing horribly, but fun is fun) – and that demanded my time.

But those 5% stats are COMPLETELY and inarguably irrelevant compared to player skill. It is immeasurably rare that you find a player who is in the same skill bracket as you while roaming – and it is entirely only in that case that those 5% stats make a difference. Even while zerging a good player doesn’t need that extra 5% (keep in mind, I appreciate all styles of play – a good zerger is as valuable as a good roamer).

Remember, WvW is often-time compared to real life. Despite how much I hate that comparison one fact holds true – in real life both supplies (gold) and experience (dungeons) are extremely important to your average foot soldier. This applies to my server, a good majority of our WvW players are WvW-vets (and hence are just epic, no complaints) – the some that are PvE experimenting in WvW have competency that PUGs we face do not; they need to learn how to listen, but they do well.

A good WvW’er will spend a very small portion (like I do) of their time in PvE earning gold for their WvW coffers. They will play alts (which, at times, must remain in PvE while levelling) to learn the weaknesses of the foes that they face. If your WvW friends are not doing PvE then they are mistaken, because us WvW’ers are unfairly good at PvE.

CureForLiving.5360:

Kalavier.1097:

Really it just drives home the point. “How do you really make an epic boss battle between something 500 meters long, and some humans/slightly larger races?”

Zhaitan would actually have been pretty easy since he’s not so much a single dragon but a bunch of dragons stuck together, so you could have fought him in the air, cutting away chunks of him (possible fighting them) until he was a more reasonable size to fight on the ground. Or more reasonably sized to fight on top of.

Sort of, but at the same time quite far off, what actually happened: shoot bits off of him, wait until he lands on a tower, commence fireworks. A ground battle (instead of fireworks) would have been quite some fun.

Vol.7601:

Too bad? Someone is going to shafted in the end, whether they release on time or not.

I bet if they released on EU time, you wouldn’t care at all if NA get shafted.

Same feeling with NA and EU.

You ask for advance warning – they gave enough advance warning. Something came up and they had to make a fix.

But I assume you would rather have them release the patch and have everything screwed up the moment you log in?

Calm your pants. The usual release time (2hr ago) is not so bad for both regions. Again, in case you failed to read my post, I don’t mind that they have to delay the patch – just do expectation management well in advance (well = 1 day at worst). You might have missed that. Experience in business software development (yuck, soul draining stuff) indicates that you usually know when stuff is going south, it may very well be different in game development, but I would venture to say that a day’s worth of warning isn’t asking much. Imagine, for one second, as much transparency as “GW2_Official_Twitter_Account: Guys we might slip on this patch.” Boom! Expectations set; anyone who complains is definitely an idiot.

I am not asking for fudged patches (funny how you counter a point I made, and then counter a point I explicitly avoided, hmmm….), I am asking for transparency. Big difference. Massive. Transparency = trust. Complaints about slipped patches (where the slip was indicated before-hand) from players = idiot players.

Colly.4073:

It’s been like that in every American based mmo.

My point exactly. Again, the sad thing is EU got them to where they are.

Vol.7601:

All over a few hours?

EU is a large region. “The afternoon” = bed time for some of us. Basically, an entire day. I don’t have a problem with an entire day – but I would like to know before-hand so as to not have expectations.

Crossplay.2067:

As a programmer

As a programmer (well this specific case: escalation engineer) who deals with the highest level of kitten from international customers, I can assure you that at all times I am completely honest. If a cold fix becomes mad territory the customer finds out before my manager. My manager kittens on me, the customer trusts me – the company continues to make money because trust is maintained (it’s sugar-coated, sure, but basically honest).

Patches get delayed, I get it. Tell us before-hand so we don’t get all worked up [at work] on the patch day – only to get home and to have to go to bed because we have intellectual jobs to sustain.

Just saying… Some of us have crazy demanding jobs – we look forward to your patches. Delaying the patch is perfect – just give us advance warning.

Guys, guys, be realistic. Although EU was what made GW1 into the massive success it was it is, in fact, unimportant.

Any game on earth – bar, NONE (NADA, never, absolutely without exception, full stop), NA is the only region that matters. At least when the game devs start reaching into AAA territory.

No patch for me today. Less $$$ on the gem store from now on, not none, just less. Two patches is enough to prove a pattern. More patterns equals less $$$.

If Trahearne is involved we all know how this patch will end…

Taisia.2813:

Awesome advice just ran like a zombie for an hour or two! AND now all is ready! Thank you very much! Original post also updated

The patch delay certainly helped. Grats!

Last dance in the fish mouth T_T

pswendel.8179:

3 screens /more chars

GW2 look so pretty in panoramic caps…

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

I suggest you spend a bit more time looking at NPC dialog, Reading text, and paying attention.

Before the patch or after?

I assume you are referring to this post: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/livingworld/escape/L-A-s-Downfall-Feelings-Survey/page/2#post3645564

One question, why would moving supplies to aid LA when it is attacked be a bad idea and irrelevant? LA won’t suddenly cease to exist – the forces fighting in it don’t merely need air for subsistence, this isn’t the final chapter into the LS. There is insurmountable probability that the next LS chapter will be called “Return to Lions Arch.”

I would have been more appropriate for Logan to say “I can’t run from your love.”

Morrigan.2809:

seeing how useless they are

It comes across that way in the game. Trust me, in the books, it’s a different story entirely. Claw Island is not to be trifled with.

As for an air attack though, they are boned.

I absolutely love the idea; I’m not completely sold on the clockwork minions though – they may be influenced by her broken mind but I think she was compelled by the entity to create them.

Maidah.2539:

Notice also how the Marionette is hanging from chains like a puppet.

Oh my… She, herself, is a puppet – you, sir, are a genius. That may actually be Ceara trying to claw her way out, send us a message maybe? “I’m still in here! Help!” I wonder what other messages she is trying to send, maybe there was something in her lair. It’s a pity the content has been temporary because I doubt my memory is up for the task. I wonder if a Konig summoning spell would shed some light on this…

I’m actually starting to go back on my previous, uh, attitude toward Scarlet if this was all intentional. I may even feel bad if we kill her.

Creeper.9360:

If they intend to keep the same scale, I don’t see how we could even fight Kralkatorrik.

With fireworks of course.

Also remember that at times things in games can be representational. For example, I highly doubt an patrol in territories as dangerous as The Mists War would comprise of 2 people. I also doubt that the efforts to liberate the Orr temples would have 200 or so fighters (that is, NPCs+Players) – it would be significantly more. However, given the constraints of the technology certain compromises must be made.

Kralky was inanimate in GW1 and therefore had no associated interactions (animations, aiming reticules and everything you expect from a boss encounter in GW2) – therefore they could make him as large as they please. They may have to scale him down for GW2 (or 3) for the sake of gameplay.

Something that big would have been incredibly frustrating to fight during the final scene; just from the standpoint of finding where to click it.

Teofa Tsavo.9863:

leaving a large part of the game living in the past with no connection to current events.

The only problematic one is Tequatl the Sunless – and that can be waived as you never actually see it die, the very most we know is that we lopped off its tail (hence, it could be out-living Zhaitan).

All the rest remain relevant.

Dreizer.8712:

the dev do indeed do away with LA, how that will affect PS episodes.

Keep in mind that players should still be able to do their personal stories during the attack – that means provisions have likely been made for them (just noticed there are “Personal story steps will be accessible through a new entrance.”).

As far as Kessex Hills goes it seems as though ANet are not scared of leaving things in a mess. They promised to “clean up” Kessex, but hinted that certain parts of it will remain in ruin forever (that little village where you do the escort, for example). I certainly don’t think LA will be left in a bad way forever – but things take time to rebuild (LA took months to rebuild the lion fountain last time). If it will ever be the same, I’m not sure – both of us would be lying if we claimed to know what ANet will do.

Dreizer.8712:

how that will affect PS episodes.

This whole PS/LS thing is quite confusing. The LS happens one year after the PS and hence the game is representing two timelines at the same time. It’s inevitable that they would eventually clash and the likeliest victim would be PS (out with the old, in with the new). I can’t claim how they are not going to ruin the PS but I assume that they will have both maps on your hard drive – if you go into LA via PS you will see the old LA.

Dreizer.8712:

The Devs will NOT destroy Lions Arch so knock it off.

So much anger. Why? Why you anger so much?

Sadly though it is you that is wrong: http://massively.joystiq.com/2014/02/11/prepare-to-escape-from-lions-arch-in-guild-wars-2s-next-conten/

Steve Hwang/Steven Waller/Johanson

All essential services that are unique to Lion’s Arch will be redirected to Vigil Keep for the time being, including Asura gates to other cities, Fractals of the Mists,

Completely moving things around is hardly “damage eye candy graphics.”

Steve Hwang

taken steps to ensure that the city will remain fully explorable for map completion, although if you’re especially fond of a particular view…well, you might want to grab screenshots while you can. We were also warned that exploration isn’t exactly going to be as safe as it currently is.

So they have actually expended that “major resource allocation on the Devs to re-design this existing content.”

Now, calm your pants and repeat after me: “whooosaaaa, whoooosaaa, whooosaaaa.”

The level 50 deers killed 65 340 285 boars.

As for the level 50 boars, they must have killed 65 340 285 players.

As for the players, they must have killed 65 340 285 deers.

hellsmachine.4085:

DOTA 2

DOTA 2 has a “player skill” vertical progression system. They players themselves (in real life) skill up – with more practice they become better.

Exactly like GW2 has always had – player skill outranks that extra 5% stats by an extremely large margin. I agree completely OP.

To be fair though, having something to work toward (ascended) is nice.

Aaron Ansari.1604:

This, at least, is definitely false. We saw plenty of magical races in Cantha and Elona- hell, Elona had djinn, which are advanced elementals- literally sentient beings of magic.

Except I addressed them in the final paragraph. I certainly don’t think that Elona and Cantha are excluded from ED shenanigans – we just haven’t found out about them.

CureForLiving.5360:

But I guess with some imagination you could make it work for other professions as well.

Ele, necro, mes could do some off-hand conjuring (fireballs and whatnot).

Please, please, please, stop with the IRL arguments. This is a fantasy game – your arguments are irrelevant. You can have all the realism you want in Call of Duty where a 1-handed pistol will typically beat a 2-handed Sniper Rifle in close-quarters.

Time, advancement and communication:

• Time: not all the EDs started to stir at the same time, one could argue that there are many more spread over Tyria (planet) that are simply still inactive.
• Advancement: Tyria (continent) may be the only place where magical races have evolved. EDs wouldn’t be as interested in non-magical races. Furthermore Tyria (continent) may be the only continent on the planet where magical races can evolve (lack of ley lines and therefore magic elsewhere on the planet?) – this would mean it would be the only place of interest to dragons.
• Communication: isn’t it strange we have never heard stories from species elsewhere on Tyria (planet)? Never mind dragons, even simple stories that imply other races exist out there. It seems that no Tyrian (continent) has had the opportunity to interact (and therefore communicate with) a race elsewhere. They may be fighting their own EDs right now – we just have no means of hearing about it. If the game does indeed go to those continents some day; we may get to see first-hand what happens if you do not defeat an ED (assuming we defeat all of ours).

As for Elona and Cantha: bubbles. If I was in Cantha right now I would definitely be worried (more-so if I was in Elona). That could also explain why we haven’t heard from them in so long (they would be literally cut off by Bubble’s minions).

mercury ranique.2170:

If you want to be goodatthe game

Who said you can’t look good while you kill stuff? I personally don’t have a problem with the cosmetics of any of my weapons – but wanting to kill in style does not make someone “bad.”

mercury ranique.2170:

you will be performing under par.

Cosmetics.

mercury ranique.2170:

It is as in real life.

Like invisible armor? Or the dreamer? Or <see signature>?

mercury ranique.2170:

Using one sword is always less effective then using 1 sword and a shield.

No it definitely isn’t “in real life.” Hands are viable weapons when used correctly. This isn’t real life though, so my argument is bunk.

Allowing people to hide their offhand weapon (like you can hide some armor) makes this seem more reasonable. The only thing is is affects PvP balance (especially shields) – so it would have to be a PvE thing only.