Expansion Confirmed [1-24-15], Heart of Thorns

[Svifnymr]

So when do you guys expect the expansion? I expect some sort of reveal in 2015 and a release late 2016/ early 2017. The LS will probably how we deal with Mordremoth and new expansion will bring one or two more dragons until ANet reveals plans for the future.

If they do an expansion, I'd actually like it to present some new threat outside the realm of the dragons specifically.

That said, didn't this same thing happen a year or two ago? NCSoft told their shareholders expansion was coming, then Anet said "no, that's not what we meant"?

[lawow74]

I would be fine opening up a new region like Elona and going after Kralkatorrik and/or Palawa Joko. But having the Mursaat/Seers return would be awesome as well. Though I'd rather go to Cantha than Elona, given my preference.

Also, I pretty much guarantee ANet will not break the level/gear caps. At most, they'd add more Legendaries. Cos breaking that cap would be suicide for them in regards to the fanbase.

But as others have said, I'll believe it when they officially announce it.

[Exroyal]

I'm not having too high hopes because "future expansions plans" may just as well mean "more LS content." However i can see us dealing with the Emperor in Cantha, or Joko in Elona. Even the Mursaat as lawow mentioned. Hell, for all i care, i would be satisfied if they gave us something. Remember GW1 Utopia which was cancelled? That could also be a thing.

[Deleted]

All I'd really like to see;

-Class balance
-Updates to unuseable skills
-More diversity in class specs

Where the story goes/what new region opens is passable to me, but if they really took a long hard look at getting each profession a handful of actually viable builds that feel unique and toned down the cheese builds then I'd be happy. There's already a great core to GW2 gameplay, it's just sad that they didn't follow up the amazing foundation with the Qol it desperately needs. There's little point adding new maps or battlegrounds if the spec I want to play sucks too much to play through.

[zito]

They really need to prioritize fixing their combat system. Boss mechanics are horrible, mostly containing inflated white damage you can do nothing against because toughness is a horrible stat and crit/crit damage stacking is out of control while defiant makes 75% of skills completely useless and condition cap for some reason is still a thing after 2 years.

[Meledelion]

Boss mechanics are horrible, mostly containing inflated white damage you can do nothing against because toughness is a horrible stat and crit/crit damage stacking is out of control while defiant makes 75% of skills completely useless and condition cap for some reason is still a thing after 2 years.

No, actually white hits do close to nothing. The "problem" is that you only need to fear big attacks which you can always dodge (if you can't you've got room to improve).

We've been over this before, the problem isn't critical damage at all, it's the normal damage multiplier that is absolutely insane. Proof of that comes from the nerf to crit chance which hardly had any impact on actual DPS.

[Lazuli]

I call bullshit on expansion

NCSoft like to spout random shit, not ANet actually saying it. I believe NC said the same thing like a year ago about expansions and look where GW2 is now..

[PACOX]

I'm sure that they've been working on an expansion for awhile but kept it tightly under wraps because a) the game still/was young b) the dynamic nature of their development cycle. Not announcing an expac gives them the freedom to change things, push it back, etc without backlash from the forums.

It would explain a lot of subtle hints that have seemingly led to no where (how many times have they teased Cantha, how many times have the Tengu popped up in LS story some type of way if only to remain slightly relevant). Look at how fast the story is progressing, one dragon dead, the Ascalonian curse about to be lifted, the threat of the White Mantle, the world is becoming increasingly chaotic. We know almost nothing about season 3, or anything coming next year besides SAB being refreshed. Heres something I found interesting, they said (I don't remember where I've read it but it was on of the devs talking about the game very recently) that Felicia Day is still part of the cast despite Zojja not being in any LS update even before Taimi was introduced.

An expac would explain how huge swatches of the dev team seem to go missing at a time without any major layoffs. It would explain some of the people they've hired but we've haven't seen much from yet (AI guy, don't remember his name). They've lost a couple of named people but their team is pretty stable as far as MMOs go. Many other games would have seen huge development team changes at this point. It would explain some of the "breaks" and we know Anet/NCSoft isn't paying them to take several vacations throughout the year - the game has done well but not that well.

[nevermore]

I'd really like to see an overhaul of the whole skill bar system...

The idea of having skills tied to weapons is good but the implementation is really poor, it needs a lot more customisation options.

Utility skills, again, are extremely limited and boring. 90% of all utility spells are horrible so you pick 3 that are the least garbage and stick to them (occasionally swapping out one or two depending on the situation). Let's not even mention elite (lol) skills...

There's just not enough choice, not enough customisation.

This is exactly why I can only bear to play my Elementalist, as I have access to a bigger pool of abilities (even if they're hidden behind cooldowns).

I would also love it if you could see your target's cast bar as well. It would open up a whole new realm that could make boss fights more entertaining.

[Fencers]

I'd really like to see an overhaul of the whole skill bar system...

The idea of having skills tied to weapons is good but the implementation is really poor, it needs a lot more customisation options.

Utility skills, again, are extremely limited and boring. 90% of all utility spells are horrible so you pick 3 that are the least garbage and stick to them (occasionally swapping out one or two depending on the situation). Let's not even mention elite (lol) skills...

There's just not enough choice, not enough customisation.

I agree for the most part. When I play GW2 I often feel like I am not playing a character that I built. But rather a pre-made class ala those FPS games where the "Assault"-class, "Medic"-class, etc all have a preformed kit with a handful of elements to swap around.

GW2 is a very impersonal game to me.

[Exroyal]

I agree for the most part. When I play GW2 I often feel like I am not playing a character that I built. But rather a pre-made class ala those FPS games where the "Assault"-class, "Medic"-class, etc all have a preformed kit with a handful of elements to swap around.

GW2 is a very impersonal game to me.

Because of every weapon having set skill right? They should fix this by adding several different skills to each weapon, not just 5 abilities to each weapon. Probably easier said then done and a balancing nightmare in the long run, but they managed with GW1 with FAR more skills.

[lawow74]

Because of every weapon having set skill right? They should fix this by adding several different skills to each weapon, not just 5 abilities to each weapon. Probably easier said then done and a balancing nightmare in the long run, but they managed with GW1 with FAR more skills.

Of course, GW1 also ran into an issue that they eventually were forced to separate skills between PvE and PvP because of functionality in one making the other either terribly OP or basically useless. I think they want to avoid adding that complication to the already-long list of complaints about how PvP works in GW 2.

[Valeron]

I like having each weapon determine your skills. However, I would like some choice and variability with those weapon skills. an example would be you have 10 skills for each weapon and you choose 5 of those skills to use on your skillbar. Something like that anyway

[Fencers]

Because of every weapon having set skill right?

Pre-set skills, placement, usage and same utility. There is literally only one weapon that can do X/Y per character and you can only do X/Y in the exact way the designers desired.

I can't forgo a leap attack with my sword equipped. I can't leap attack with a mace equipped. I can't change where leap attack is placed on the action bar. Leap attack functions the exact same way, with the same key, same placement and same weapon every time. Forever.

I did not make a build or develop a play style.

I chose the "Warrior-class" and equipped a sword. Just as I chose the "Assault-class" in Shootermania and picked a shotgun.

[Deleted]

I chose the "Warrior-class" and equipped a sword.

What else did you expect on a Warrior? A freaking staff?
But I guess we're each with different opinions. I, for example, like the way every weapon does something different. I've always hated having a skill attack in WoW which was usable regardless the weapon equipped. It made the weapons nothing more than "stats items". It never mattered what you wore,as long as it had to right stats.

[lawow74]

What else did you expect on a Warrior? A freaking staff?
But I guess we're each with different opinions. I, for example, like the way every weapon does something different. I've always hated having a skill attack in WoW which was usable regardless the weapon equipped. It made the weapons nothing more than "stats items". It never mattered what you wore,as long as it had to right stats.

And yet the original GW had a good mix of both. Some skills tied to the weapons, others general class skills. And you could mix and match them as you chose.

[Fencers]

What else did you expect on a Warrior?

Anything I wanted to be in game.

[Meledelion]

Of course, GW1 also ran into an issue that they eventually were forced to separate skills between PvE and PvP because of functionality in one making the other either terribly OP or basically useless. I think they want to avoid adding that complication to the already-long list of complaints about how PvP works in GW 2.

This was something people actually loved, I don't get why people talk about it like it's a huge negative when the only ones who ever said it was bad was a-net because people apparently are too stupid to understand that skills work slightly differently in PvP vs PvE (their words).

One of the reasons why GW had such great PvP was the skill split.

[lawow74]

This was something people actually loved, I don't get why people talk about it like it's a huge negative when the only ones who ever said it was bad was a-net because people apparently are too stupid to understand that skills work slightly differently in PvP vs PvE (their words).

One of the reasons why GW had such great PvP was the skill split.

I was mostly pointing out that was how they ever managed to come close to balancing it in the first place, with as many skills as existed in the original GW and the amount of diversity possible with your loadouts and the dual-profession system.

By keeping control over skills much tighter I think they hope to never be forced to segregate the two again. Of course, it would probably lead to a healthier game, but it's just one slice of the pie that is the state of PvP in GW 2.

[Deleted]

PvP in GW2 is pretty bad anyway so separating skills from PvE wouldn't change much...

I feel like 80% or so that GW2 does, GW1 does better. I can imagine that Beyond: Elona (+ Cynn's marriage with Mhenlo) in GW1 would "gather" more players than a new LS update in GW2.

I must say that GW2, although quite entertaining, is rather badly designed. And I can't see a clear path where it's going. What do ArenaNet members want to focus on? I can't tell.

EDIT: grammar/spelling mistakes.