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  1. #1
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    Red face No matter how good or bad the game is, the community is freaking amazing.

    Hello champions! Good to see ya!

    Before you destroy my little asuran head by saying that "PVP COMMUNITY SUCKS IN THIS GAME LIKE IN ANY OTHER!1!1", I've gotta say: GW2's community, overall, is freaking amazing. It really reminds me of the old days of MMO's, logging in just to chat, to have a good time with your friends, and also make new friends along the way, on events, on map chat, everywhere.

    People helping others on hero point challenges, guild mates BEING guild mates, and people overall being very kind and pleasant to stick around is one of the most amazing things that this game can offer, and as an MMO veteran, I don't find this kind of stuff on other games.

    Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. What is your opinion on this topic?


  2. #2


    This is Nailah, my Human Elementalist. The big guy on the right is... well, I don't know his name, since he doesn't really say much. He's been loyally following me around ever since I helped him defend his hometown from a nasty band of roaming Ettins. Even though we barely survived the assault, and even though we can't really communicate, we've been traveling together ever since.

    Yes, this community is awesome.

  3. #3
    Deleted
    I think it mostly has to do with the size of it.
    The smaller the community, the less anonymithy... the more you can either build or destroy a reputation.

    Regardless:
    I don't recall much of what you describe in GW2 to be honest.

  4. #4
    I have to agree that, all things considered, the chances of a pleasant encounter with a random player are much higher in GW2 than any other MMO that I have been on. I think the game is beautifully designed to promote a helpful attitude and its one of the things they got very very right!

  5. #5
    Guild Wars 2 is the most anonymous MMO I have ever played. I guess it is more difficult for other players to indirectly screw someone over with the unholy inconvenience of mining ore ahead of the other guy- the monsters.

    Otherwise I have rarely had my gameplay enhanced or detract4ed by the other players of this game randomly. They may as well be NPCs. In fact, I often can't tell the NPCs from players during events.
    Last edited by Fencers; 2017-02-10 at 12:11 AM.

  6. #6
    Herald of the Titans Lotus Victoria's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post
    Guild Wars 2 is the most anonymous MMO I have ever played. I guess it is more difficult for other players to indirectly screw someone over with the unholy inconvenience of mining ore ahead of the other guy- the monsters.

    Otherwise I have rarely had my gameplay enhanced or detract4ed by the other players of this game randomly. They may as well be NPCs. In fact, I often can't tell the NPCs from players during events.
    Funny thing is: I make a lot of friends in-game, and I don't even try that hard during my normal gameplay. Usually I tell a little joke, or just hang on with people around me during events, and I usually make a lot of new contacts. Really strange. Guess it's different from people to people.


  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by Zmago View Post
    I think it mostly has to do with the size of it.
    The smaller the community, the less anonymithy... the more you can either build or destroy a reputation.

    Regardless:
    I don't recall much of what you describe in GW2 to be honest.
    I disagree. Firstly, the GW2 population isn't that small and secondly there are much smaller games with much more toxic communities.

    From my perspective, it's the design issues that effect the community. For example, the first 3 things that I think of with GW2 are gathering, ressing and events. I will compare with another big MMO out there from a design point of view. There may have been some design changes lately on the other game but you will get the gist of what I am saying.
    1. Gathering - In GW2, everyone has their own nodes so gathering isn't competitive. In the other game, you are effectively competing with other people for the nodes.
    2. Ressing - In GW2, everyone can res and you are rewarded for ressing someone by getting XP. In the other game, not everyone can res and there is no benefit to ressing someone who you don't know.
    3. Quests/Events - In GW2 if you run past and see someone struggling, the game rewards you for helping out with XP and loot. In the other game you compete with people for tags (I believe this is changing or has changed).

    I have met idiots in both games but GW2 has been far friendlier and the atmosphere is more conducive to working together. The competition in a lot of MMO's encourages people to be idiots. If you are fighting a mob and there is a node next to you, someone will help out first and then go and gather the node. In other games you are competing with people, even from your own factions so they will grab the node and then, if you are lucky, help you out. Everyone tries to become more and more efficient in everything they do because they are taught from the word go to compete in the game. People ninja loot, pugs demand high requirements for basic tasks. All because they want to get through the task as quickly as possible and get onto the next one so they can get as much as they can.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post
    Otherwise I have rarely had my gameplay enhanced or detract4ed by the other players of this game randomly. They may as well be NPCs. In fact, I often can't tell the NPCs from players during events.
    Haven't you done a zerg event and had people res you if you die? What about going to the daily jumping puzzle and having someone open a portal for you to the top? Those have to be the most basic examples of enhancing gameplay.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by Lotus Victorya View Post
    Funny thing is: I make a lot of friends in-game, and I don't even try that hard during my normal gameplay. Usually I tell a little joke, or just hang on with people around me during events, and I usually make a lot of new contacts. Really strange. Guess it's different from people to people.
    This has been my experience too. I will join a pug world event and get invites to guilds or run around with the people for ages after the event has finished.

  8. #8
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    Hmmm I mostly never interact with the community but yeah, people in smaller games seems to be nice, in comparsion to bigger communities. I have only one case of bad examples in comparsion to a bunch of good ones: Tried to make a friend in-game, friendly person at first with a cool guild and the hall, then he/she/it stopped being friendly because I couldn't contribute enough to the hall (toooo poooooooor - I have 6g and 22 Slices of Butter).

    But still - at least the people I had to interact was friendly. Sadly I don't play much to have more cases.
    Last edited by A Chozo; 2017-02-10 at 02:31 AM.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by Gray_Matter View Post
    Haven't you done a zerg event and had people res you if you die?
    I usually quick release if I die. I play an all defense Warrior (in other MMORPGs I strictly play tanks) for the most part and rarely die in the world.

    Players have res'd me while idling in the world a fair bit. But during an event or trouncing about? Eeehhh. When a player res has happened it's not even that big a time saver really vs. releasing and moving on with my life.

    What about going to the daily jumping puzzle and having someone open a portal for you to the top?
    Hell no. I avoid all platforming in this game whenever possible.

    I dual run my husband's Mesmer for my Warrior when forced to do a platforming element.

    So no, random players have made almost no difference in my game experience. To paraphrase my sister, "When I play this game [GW2] I just feel like I am soloing and people happen to run by occasionally. We're soloing next to each other."
    Last edited by Fencers; 2017-02-10 at 04:17 AM.

  10. #10
    The fact that you don't have to form a party to help out with folks (in open world content, at least) works wonders to help promote cooperation. There have been times that I've encountered asshats in GW2, but few and far between. Same applies for FF14, which I currently play.

    Had a lot more negative experiences with people in WoW, but to be fair to that game, my playtime on it is at least double my playtime on GW2 and FF14 combined, plus there's simply more people there.

  11. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post

    So no, random players have made almost no difference in my game experience. To paraphrase my sister, "When I play this game [GW2] I just feel like I am soloing and people happen to run by occasionally. We're soloing next to each other."
    Interesting that you say this. Although I can see that viewpoint, my feeling is that this game is the best at making me comfortable with other players around. There is more cooperation between players (albeit is mostly due to the game mechanics) than any other game that I have played.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post
    I usually quick release if I die. I play an all defense Warrior (in other MMORPGs I strictly play tanks) for the most part and rarely die in the world.

    Players have res'd me while idling in the world a fair bit. But during an event or trouncing about? Eeehhh. When a player res has happened it's not even that big a time saver really vs. releasing and moving on with my life.

    Hell no. I avoid all platforming in this game whenever possible.

    I dual run my husband's Mesmer for my Warrior when forced to do a platforming element.

    So no, random players have made almost no difference in my game experience. To paraphrase my sister, "When I play this game [GW2] I just feel like I am soloing and people happen to run by occasionally. We're soloing next to each other."
    Is this more your play style or the game itself? Obviously you aren't forced to group for most things but that would be the same in WOW or any other game. The only differences I can think of are for things such as kill tagging.

  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Gray_Matter View Post
    Is this more your play style or the game itself? Obviously you aren't forced to group for most things but that would be the same in WOW or any other game. The only differences I can think of are for things such as kill tagging.
    The only thing I actively do in terms of personal playstyle is avoiding platforming elements whenever possible. Otherwise I play the game normally, engaging in all the content that is not overly platform heavy. There is no real benefit or negative to other people playing the game alongside me in GW2. They are little more than NPCs- barely any difference.

    If the positive benefit of another person is a rez or platforming shortcut I would hardly consider that the social positivity banner I would chose to fly.

  14. #14
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    I never really got into a community back in the days when I played. But then again I just played with friends, never joined a guild.
    Should I ever return to the game I would probably join a Wvwvw guild if such exists, and if they accept lowlvl mesmers :P
    But I do like good communities in mmos. Back in the days Rift had an awesome community, and Wildstar has it now (especially for pvp players:P).

  15. #15
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    Today I went to Lion's Arch with a guildmate. I was annoucing his "concert" (he was playing the harp toy), and I became his "manager". We managed to get a lot of attention in Lion's Arch, and people were super nice to us.

    I love this community. Maybe this kind of stuff just happens to me.







  16. #16
    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post
    Guild Wars 2 is the most anonymous MMO I have ever played. I guess it is more difficult for other players to indirectly screw someone over with the unholy inconvenience of mining ore ahead of the other guy- the monsters.

    Otherwise I have rarely had my gameplay enhanced or detract4ed by the other players of this game randomly. They may as well be NPCs. In fact, I often can't tell the NPCs from players during events.
    ^Ditto. I can't name another 'massively multiplayer' game where 99% of other players could be bots and my experience would be no different honestly :/

    Personally the more 'not forced to party up but talk and interact and help anyway' sort of thing i experienced was more Rifts sort of thing than GW2's, though that was mid Storm Legion at the latest before the game became the burning trash fire it is today.

  17. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Lotus Victorya View Post
    Today I went to Lion's Arch with a guildmate. I was annoucing his "concert" (he was playing the harp toy), and I became his "manager". We managed to get a lot of attention in Lion's Arch, and people were super nice to us.

    I love this community. Maybe this kind of stuff just happens to me.
    It is the approach to which you bring in the game.

    Some players engage with MMOs, through the nature of playing alongside others, in a manner that is orientated around aspects of 'play'. Play in the sense of a playground, sandlot, etc. That approach leads to more direct interaction with players on a level that does not strictly emphasizes gameplay mechanics or expression. These players are just playing a game for 'fun'- the sheer experience of running around, gazing at the world, making jokes with others, inventing meta-games, emote exchanges, et cetera. A more humanistic approach if you will.

    Other players engage with games in a more abstract manner- they are there for the mechanics or gameplay expression. Tending to drill down into the necessary components to achieve X, Y, Z goals as allowed in the gameplay. This is a less player direct approach and typically only involves other players when required and rarely any meta-games or things that might be considered 'funsie' (for lack of a better term). A more abstract approach if you will.

    It may very well be that there is a fantastic community interested in virtual flute playing and engage with the fantasy of a "concert" in Lion's Arch. However, that only engages those that communicate with games on a premise that is inherently rooted in play.

  18. #18
    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post
    It is the approach to which you bring in the game.
    It's interesting that you say that, when you also describe GW2 as the "most anonymous MMO" earlier in this thread. Especially when you talk about how you play the game in such a way as to make other players anonymous to you.

    Maybe it would have been fairer, or perhaps more realistic, if you had recognised that having an MMO where you can happily play the way you want to is actually a good thing? Rather than focusing on the result of your desired gameplay as being, for some reason, undesirable?

    Reading that back it sounds more confrontational that I wanted it to be, but I'm not sure how I can better phrase it. I'm genuinely interested in why you saw it as a flaw when it allows you to play the way you want.
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  19. #19
    Quote Originally Posted by Huehuecoyotl View Post
    It's interesting that you say that, when you also describe GW2 as the "most anonymous MMO" earlier in this thread. Especially when you talk about how you play the game in such a way as to make other players anonymous to you.
    I do not believe I play GW2 in any manner that makes players anonymous to my playing experience. The anynomity I spoke on easrlier is inherent to the gameplay of GW2.

    What I do not do is engage in interaction that is not supported by the gameplay expression of GW2. Flute concerts, dress up parties, role playing, etc. The only GW2 content I avoid is platforming- which usually does not require other players.

    In fact, I would argue platforming is one of the few areas where other players harm the play experience. Usually it is much easier to tackle platforming patiently, singularly and at one's own pace rather than having a lot of players rushing, buffing and triggering many of the traps through the platform elements ahead of you.

    Maybe it would have been fairer, or perhaps more realistic
    I believe my comments were both fair and realistic. The majority of the gameplay expression in GW2 does not emphasize the impact of other players; they are largely no different from NPCs in gameplay.

    if you had recognised that having an MMO where you can happily play the way you want to is actually a good thing? Rather than focusing on the result of your desired gameplay as being, for some reason, undesirable?
    This seems to be your own personal interpretation. I do not view GW2 negatively for being largely anonymous.

    I'm genuinely interested in why you saw it as a flaw when it allows you to play the way you want.
    I do not view what I would term as anonymity a flaw in Guild Wars 2.

    Of all MMORPGs I have ever played, which is a considerable number, GW2 is the least other player necessary of them all. Whatever boons or negatives existing in the community of GW2 may as well not exist at all vis-a-vis the play experience of other MMORPG communities. Players are highly self sufficient, can take care of themselves and soloing a good portion of the game is inherently possible with even marginal experience of MMOs (& VGs in general).

    This quite a different experience from my Everquest, Final Fantasy 11, Ashreon's Call, Galaxies and Anarchy Online days; where the presence of other live players was both novelty and necessary within the gameplay. Or Rift, Old Republic, Age of Wushu, Runes of Magic era of MMORPGs with less novelty committed to the presence of other players but an still possessing expectation in gameplay expression for other live players.
    Last edited by Fencers; 2017-02-19 at 08:07 PM.

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by Fencers View Post

    Of all MMORPGs I have ever played, which is a considerable number, GW2 is the least other player necessary of them all. Whatever boons or negatives existing in the community of GW2 may as well not exist at all vis-a-vis the play experience of other MMORPG communities. Players are highly self sufficient, can take care of themselves and soloing a good portion of the game is inherently possible with even marginal experience of MMOs (& VGs in general).

    This quite a different experience from my Everquest, Final Fantasy 11, Ashreon's Call, Galaxies and Anarchy Online days; where the presence of other live players was both novelty and necessary within the gameplay. Or Rift, Old Republic, Age of Wushu, Runes of Magic era of MMORPGs with less novelty committed to the presence of other players but an still possessing expectation in gameplay expression for other live players.
    You would greatly limit your experience in GW2 if not for other players. So that is a false premise saying that it is the least dependency on other players. I know you have played the game but you haven't really played it other than as a casual leveling experience. Games like SWTOR are far more solo than GW2 is. Just because you don't formally group up for non instance events in GW2 doesn't mean that you don't depend on other players.

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