GW2: Update Notes Thread

[Churchill]

TESO looks bad? I haven't been keeping up since

I was all excited and holding out hope for an RvR replacement.

I am currently back into waiting for ARR mode.

There are pretty glaring issues that I don't think they will fix. At least, I don't know/trust the developers and everything I've seen from them makes me think they are less than humble-willing to change what they've done. With FFXIV, I at least trust Yoshida even if I don't trust SE.

One of the initial issues that caught my eye prior to playing the beta is that they had decided to go no trinity/model GW2. If there is a game I would never model it would be GW2, lol. They basically have a game that is HUGE in the PVE universe, eg: huge open ended RPG playing experiences and will likely draw a ton of new ES fans who entered at Skyrim. It's also going to draw a ton of people from GW2 and DAOC for the RvR. Then there's the people who do PVE and play tons of MMO vidya. I think the only group here who won't be disappointed is the Skyrim fans group and that's primarily because they are the lowest common denominator and that's what TESO(GW2) is all about.

It's still going to have guild recruitment issues because there are no raids, it's launching with less dungeons (and for less people) than GW2 did, and the combat is pretty fucking terrible and that means RvR will be terrible. They are proud of some of these things so...

[Kuya]

Are guardians signets now worth it or are they still scrub status?

[Celeras]

I'll still be using shouts and Pure of Voice, but I'm sure a burn build would see the new wrath as tempting.

[Shiyo]

One of the initial issues that caught my eye prior to playing the beta is that they had decided to go no trinity/model GW2. If there is a game I would never model it would be GW2, l

This isn't an issue,this is called the MMO genre evolving. Tank/healer/DPS trinity is boring as shit, horribly balanced, and basically only the healer and tank gets to have fun. Yay how exciting! It also takes much less skill compared to a GW2 model, because not everyone needs to pull their weight and a great tank/healer can carry the worst DPS in the universe. GW2's no holy trinity model is a step in the correct direction. I love having to avoid damage, keep myself alive, do damage, and watch my survivability/stamina/DPS/healing cooldowns all at the same time. The normal holy trinity MMO DPS class basically spams a DPS rotation and randomly "Runs out of fire" - much less interactive, much more newb friendly, and much more boring. Also does not allow boss fights to be fully challenging or epic(Anet is very bad at designing boss fights, but when done right this system allows much harder bosses).

If that's your thing, that's fine with me, but the MMO genre is evolving - I'm sure there's numerous MMO's out there with the holy trinity to satisfy your needs.


GW2's downfall is it's inability to actually have devs who know how to balance classes, and inability to add content that isn't complete shit. GW2 at release is the best MMORPG, and one of the best video games I've ever played. It is a shame they couldn't keep up with their high quality work that the game released as, but that's fine because I still got ~6 months of infinite fun out of the game.

Hopefully this is the only the start, and every single MMO after 2014 copies GW2's great ideas in the MMO genre. GW2 is the MMO every new MMO should be copying, because it takes everything bad, shitty, and horribly designed about MMO's and fixes them completely(almost).

It's still going to have guild recruitment issues because there are no raids, it's launching with less dungeons (and for less people) than GW2 did, and the combat is pretty fucking terrible and that means RvR will be terrible. They are proud of some of these things so...

No raids is also great, raids are another archaic horrible old MMO design choice that needs to die off completely. Dungeons aren't really required for a good game either, if the open world content is amazing(as it should be) and it focuses mainly on the world, story, and PVP, that's fantastic. I don't like sitting inside a closed off instanced dungeon with a few other people pretending like I'm playing Diablo when there's a gigantic world outside not even being used because the devs focus too much on instanced content.

Horrible combat is a problem, after playing Oblivion/Skyrim(and hating them), I don't expect Bethesda to be competent enough to make any type of actual interesting or fun combat. I will never play a game with horrible combat, but I haven't tried this game out, or looked into it much myself.

[Kiarax]

First boring chapters take a month, fun content with some semblance of replayability available for 12 days, best idea. As fun as stuff like the Halloween/Xmas events was I really think Anet need to focus on permanent content. The grand majority of stuff they've added has all been timed and they seem to put way more love in to it too. Fractals were cool (woulda been happy with them just expanding on this tbh) but guild missions are eh. Fun content but not much work put in to them when you compare it to the holidays or SAB. When you take out the timed shit that's literally all they've added to PvE. Just seems like really strange development priorities.

As for the other stuff in the update... WvW perks look cool, Arrow Cart buff is OP. Ranger and pets getting love is nice, still sounds like pet skills will feel unresponsive though. Not a fan of signets at all but they at least have some viability now. S/D Thief being able to consistently steal boons is pretty sweet, might have to try that setup again in certain content.

[Katlan]

Well this update did one thing right at least lol...
Only took them f/e, but I'm floored they fixed it considering their track record on fixing broken stuff is terrible!

(Made Twilight months ago - never got icon)

[Churchill]

Shiyo I've loved you ever since you told me I was too alpha for you but you're wrong dear.

[Arcana]

Timed/Themed content is there to be re-used at later dates so putting all that effort in isn't completely wasted, it's just a real shame that there's no indication of the personal story moving on at all.

I honestly haven't played the game in a few weeks and haven't had that addictive need to play the game, the Frost & Flame shit took 30mins tops and that's it, over and done with. How is that type of content supposed to keep your fan base coming back?

[Katlan]

Timed/Themed content is there to be re-used at later dates so putting all that effort in isn't completely wasted, it's just a real shame that there's no indication of the personal story moving on at all.

I honestly haven't played the game in a few weeks and haven't had that addictive need to play the game, the Frost & Flame shit took 30mins tops and that's it, over and done with. How is that type of content supposed to keep your fan base coming back?

it makes em come back every month to see the "timed" content. Because if they don't then they will miss it. And in some cases like Frost & Flame crap (and SAB first tier weapons) they will never be seen again

[Shiyo]

I don't come back to do timed content. A lot of people I know don't, so that design decision isn't working as planned.

[Tagus]

Well new dungeon is pretty epic, so there's that. They definitely know how to make a fun dungeon.

[Celeras]

What the fuck happened, why are we getting Shiyo'd again. Was there a relapse I wasn't aware of, or do you really just enjoy spewing the same verbal diarrhea after every patch? Its like you wake up and say to yourself "Hey there was a GW2 patch today, I think I'll go reiterate my opinions from months ago and explain why I don't like the developers".

Anyway, the dungeon is in fact pretty sweet. I shall accept it as a suitable replacement for the temporary hole SAB is leaving in my heart.

[Celeras]

Oh and my Bolt gives people an electrified death now. FRY MUTHAFUCKAS.

[Kachiko]

They did a shitty job with up scaling/changing temple events. Veteran/Champion Wraiths, at Greneth canon, instantly wipe groups and have a very long upkeep on life transfer. Veteran Abominations do a slow running charge that one shots you and you can't avoid because they don't load due to so many people around. Dwayna Champions added but are a breeze because of the mob type. Haven't done Lysa or Balthazar yet.

[Celeras]

So many people around.... in Orr?

[Kachiko]

At certain times, for Temple Event runs, yes. Northern Silverpeak does it at 5 PM PST and SoR is trying to do it nightly at 6 PM. Still, if you bring overwhelming forces, it might not be a problem, and smaller hit squads will never see that, but ffs, its moronic what they did for the groups in-between.

[Takiwaki]

Oh and my Bolt gives people an electrified death now. FRY MUTHAFUCKAS.

I get that on my ele all the time when I kill using lightning anything.

[The Blackrose]

Fully confident ANet does not play their own game.

[Kiarax]

Yup, saw that coming from the patch notes alone lol.

[Celeras]

Looks great to me. Defending should be easier than attacking, and you should have to care about people attacking your shit rather than just letting it happen cos you take it back at will by rolling up with 5 rams and a golem. Ideally fortified keeps should be borderline uncapturable with active defenders and supply.

Only downside I see is that it may discourage karma trains and make people try to split the defenders, which in turn limits the size of the zergs I get to explodify when in such a mood. But as far as playing the objectives, I can't complain.