Guild Wars 2: Pre-Release Discussion

[Meko]

Maybe I'm just old school or I don't know what I like, but the idea of 100% dynamic combat/no target/etc is a bit intimidating. I'll need to see it first hand to make judgement obviously but it's such a change.

[Takiwaki]

Maybe I'm just old school or I don't know what I like, but the idea of 100% dynamic combat/no target/etc is a bit intimidating. I'll need to see it first hand to make judgement obviously but it's such a change.

There is targeting, just no player targeting (meaning there are no abilities that target other players), so no need for a player to be concentrating on health bars.

if you look at this video which i think is awesome you can see auto aiming and targeting just like old school.

[Zerocool]

Maybe I'm just old school or I don't know what I like, but the idea of 100% dynamic combat/no target/etc is a bit intimidating. I'll need to see it first hand to make judgement obviously but it's such a change.

FFXI was my first MMO and I had no idea how atrocious the controls were in that game until I started playing Warhammer after that. It took me forever to get used to the "traditional" MMO style combat keyboard+mouse style controls. And I admit I was a keyboard turner for the longest time. But eventually it grew on me and I got used to it. And now I don't see how I could ever go back. So I think for a lot of people, going to a bit more active combat system will be different, but people will get used it to.

Some quotes from some interviews:

And you mentioned this before, but the more you play the game you kind of start to get it and you figure out what you should be doing. It’s really cool to watch that process happen.

I’ll watch people come in and they’ll play the game for like 8 hours, and we’ll bring in usability testers to do that. And the first couple of hours they’re standing still and pressing 1 over and over again, and they’re not moving around. But then by the end of the day they’re swapping weapons and dodging out of the way and stuff.

And then they start understanding their role, and as their weapons change they’re moving closer and they’re getting further away. That’s dynamically happening, and they’re not even realizing that they’re doing it. You’ll ask them at the end of the day about it, like I noticed you were doing this thing and they’re like, oh, I didn’t even realize I was doing that. And that’s really cool.

We’d look up their character info and their build was like, what are you doing? You gave yourself no attack skills; it’s all weird utility stuff. So the weapon swapping system gave us an opportunity to basically say if you are not very good at our game and you are a casual player, all you ever need to know is one weapon. And you’re going to understand what that does; it’s very simple and not hard to understand.

Then there’s another layer of complexity we can add to that with the second weapon set so you can swap back and forth and do that hot in combat for people who want to reach that level and get to that point where they understand that. You never have to do that to play the game, but it is an additional level of skills that become available to you. But it makes it just much more casual friendly, and that’s really what drove that decision.

[Dantrag]

As far as the Trinty goes, they already stated if I'm not mistaken that the closest person will automatically have aggro. Which imo is pretty fucking cool.

[Lucavi]

^ Yes, and I can't wait for that. Get in, take your licks, then get out when you start getting winded. Even the necromancer will be able to tank, and the mage will be able to tank for short periods of time through earth element and putting up a lot of snares and walls. Just release the goddamn game already. D:

[Takiwaki]

More of Sylvari week. voices

http://www.arena.net/blog/the-sylvari-soul

http://www.arena.net/blog/wp-content...he_Blue_01.jpg

http://www.arena.net/blog/wp-content...1/08/gw158.jpg

http://www.arena.net/blog/wp-content...le-Sylvari.jpg

[Takiwaki]

some lore posted about one of the main npcs Caithe the green Sylvari in the recent images by Ree one of the main writers.

Hello, all!

Regina’s forwarded to me a question from a player, and I wanted to take a minute from scribbling lore to answer. The question was, ‘What is the relationship between Caithe and Faolain?’

The sylvari attitude toward gender is somewhat unusual in Tyria. Yes, sylvari are born physically male or female, but they do not sexually reproduce. Therefore, pairings of lovers are not for the purpose of creating children. Sylvari pairings might be heterosexual or homosexual, and they make no distinction between the two.

To a sylvari, love is about inspiration. Physical touch, ardor, and sensuality are beautiful things, but what the heart feels, what gives joy to the spirit – these are most important, and that has nothing at all to do with the physical form. Love is not bound by gender. It does not ignore the pairing of hearts simply because the bodies are alike. Indeed, the sylvari feel free to love (and love openly) regardless of the physical qualities of their beloved. It would surprise them to hear that someone of any race felt differently. They would say that love is too precious to be passed over simply because someone’s eyes are blue, their hair is dark, or because they are of the same sex.

Faolain and Caithe are two of the Firstborn, the twelve sylvari that stepped from the Pale Tree at the very beginning. While others of the Firstborn chose to stay and tend the tree, or to explore only the forest that surrounded them, Caithe and Faolain dared to see the world. They traveled Tyria, relying on one another, respecting each other’s skills – Caithe, the deadly martial fighter; Faolain, with her powerful sorcery. Yes, they fell very deeply in love, and yes, that love was both inspirational and tangible.

When Faolain fell to Nightmare – and that is another story – Caithe was beside her. But at the moment Faolain chose to move forward and embrace darkness, Caithe stepped away. It was a single action, but the divide between them is vast. Unless Caithe joins the Nightmare Court, they will forever be parted, no matter how strong their love for one another. Faolain returns, time and time again, seeking to draw her lover back to her side, but each time, Caithe refuses and remains standing at Nightmare’s edge. She cannot bring herself to truly leave Faolain; she cannot join her.

Their story is the classic tragedy of star-crossed lovers. It has nothing to do with the fact that both are identifiably female. It has nothing to do with ‘gender.’

It has to do with love.

“Your heart belongs to me.” – Faolain, to Caithe (Edge of Destiny)

[vrumpt]

Maybe I'm just old school or I don't know what I like, but the idea of 100% dynamic combat/no target/etc is a bit intimidating. I'll need to see it first hand to make judgement obviously but it's such a change.

My biggest concern is that it won't be meaty enough to hold up as the main form of leveling in the game, and that the events won't last long enough to make them feel important. Its really a wait and see I think, but i don't really think they'll mess it up. The only problem I see is that GW2 will be just a tad too casual for some players. Something about the meat of the game just seems like its gonna be great to a point, but after a while and even at the later levels because of the flat leveling curve its gonna feel repetitive with doing everything. Hopefully something else they have will be enough to drive players forward, but (and i'll probly be corrected on this) I thought i remembered reading or hearing that levels weren't really incredibly important in GW2 because of the weapon system they have, so they hold less meaning.

Thats really the only worries I have for it. Have they started taking beta apps yet?

[Zerocool]

I think they said they would have something like 1500 dynamic events. Each with their own chains that supposedly extend pretty far and will have different results depending on whether you fail or succeed in certain objectives or not. Also, since your level will scale to the content, you have the option to go back and do earlier events that maybe you didn't take part in when you were first leveling up or maybe see a new path to that event that you hadn't seen before.

I'm sure after a while it can get repetitive if that's all you do through the whole game, as is the case with anything you do constantly. But honestly I can't see it being any more repetitive than the boring kill/gather quests or pure mob grinding other MMOs use. Also the fact that you won't be stuck to one linear leveling path all the way to cap will help out. Feeling like you have the freedom to level where you want to will help.

I don't really see it being too casual though. At least not any more than any other themepark MMO released today. Group content will be a lot more accessible though. Which is a good thing imo. People don't want to shout or wait around for groups for hours. One of the things I really enjoyed about Warhammer was the open warband system. I could hop on, run out to the RvR lake and open up my menu and join right up to an open party and have at it. And when I was done I could just drop and go on my way.

[Gokulo]

and even at the later levels because of the flat leveling curve its gonna feel repetitive with doing everything.

Which MMO is not repetitive while leveling?

[Meko]

My biggest concern is that it won't be meaty enough to hold up as the main form of leveling in the game, and that the events won't last long enough to make them feel important. Its really a wait and see I think, but i don't really think they'll mess it up. The only problem I see is that GW2 will be just a tad too casual for some players. Something about the meat of the game just seems like its gonna be great to a point, but after a while and even at the later levels because of the flat leveling curve its gonna feel repetitive with doing everything. Hopefully something else they have will be enough to drive players forward, but (and i'll probly be corrected on this) I thought i remembered reading or hearing that levels weren't really incredibly important in GW2 because of the weapon system they have, so they hold less meaning.

Thats really the only worries I have for it. Have they started taking beta apps yet?

I agree with that on some levels. I really hope they have epic, open world bosses that roam the lands free a la FFXI. Personally, I think open world bosses is what Blizzard left behind in WoW. Who doesn't want to be running along only to see a giant dragon on the hillside or off in the distance? A long ways off for sure but I hope the 'casual' goal isn't the only one. I like that questing and crafting can be casual a la WoW so that I don't have to spend hours and weeks to get my skills up by 2 points but I would prefer the group content to be challenging and rewarding. Also, no tiered system - I hate that. There are many ways to make content challenging without tiering it to the point that Blizzard has done where your 'raid' mobs have less health than current day tanks. (sorry for the WoW rant but so far, most MMO's have gone this route and I sincerely hope GW2 doesn't end up that way)

[Isiolia]

I don't really see it being too casual though. At least not any more than any other themepark MMO released today.

Looking at GW1, I really doubt that the entire game will be completely casual. Arenanet set a precedent of having accessible content with a very high bar set for actually fully conquering it.

In that game, you get all the XP you need and more just by playing the storyline missions. Other than stuff I failed and had to retry, I barely repeated anything playing the first three campaigns (I think this does change some in EoTN, since you need to grind faction more).

Actually getting a lot of the titles means a fair bit of work though. On top of that, GW1 has a Hard Mode you can flip on for zones once you've beaten the campaign they're in. So even if you've gone and gotten a Master's reward in every mission (completing extra objectives or beating the clock), you still can go back and try it again with beefed up mobs.
Main "problem" is that, like with most other stuff in GW1, you really are just looking at getting a title out of it. Still, point is that the precedent is there for challenge if/when players want it, while still providing a full experience for more casual players.

[Elcura]

http://www.arena.net/blog/wp-content...1/08/gw158.jpg

I thought TERA had cool looking environments, but this is amazing. Must look great in motion.

[Tonka]

[Shuichi]

The environments definitely look like something out of a painting, just like they wanted. After watching that video, I've become a little more interested in the Sylvari.

[Hyan]

Which MMO is not repetitive while leveling?

This game shouldn't be repetitive (more-so than a normal rpg). What's the point?

[Foxer]

Graphics look pretty nice. I don't see anything cra cra but the look they're going for is pretty amazing. Also, not a fan of the new race, but it's definitely more interesting to me than any of the ones they had in the game game already. Whole eyebrow shit was cool. lol

[Zerocool]

Yeah they really put a lot of care and attention to detail in there. Looks like Ree might of even been tearing up there at the end lol.

[LidenbokValour]

Pretty fucked stoked for this game, is there any rumors on a release date or anything of the kind? Sorry I've not really kept myself in the loop with this game, and people probably ask this a lot. Don't hurt me!

[Katlan]

w/TERA not being released until 2012... and who knows when that will be (might be pushed back again for all anybody knows), I've been looking forward to GW2 more and more. After seeing all the new stuff, and playing it at Comic Con (btw - TERA wasn't even at CC this year, but they were last), this is my #1 game I'm looking forward to