GW1 vs GW2

[Kelimbror]

I think GW is a fun game to play, even now, but feels more like a CRPG than an MMO. Contrary to popular belief among GW players, I think GW2 is better in every way. I still think the OP should give it a go, but it is radically different.

[Zogarth]

I think they are hard to compare, so different games. GW1 was my first real MMO, and i still love it to this day. What i liked most was the whole "party" aspect of the game, and the way you could make it harder/easier by taking more/less companions with you. I remember customizing and making A-teams out of my party members to go in and 4-man the hard end bosses like Abaddon on the hardest difficulty.

Also, the game was quite cheesy. Specialized specs that could do one thing, and if you did not have a direct counter you could become immortal (I am looking at you 55 hp monks, and enchantment stacking assassins).

[Darkpoison324]

I loved everything about guildwars 1 it was just awesome overall
the missions were awesome
the abilities were always changing and fun
getting better gear was a challenge!
i was a runner and that took skill and the perfect build for each area

guild wars 2 was a complete fail for me honestly way to cookie cutter

[Ghazan Julio]

Gears of War 2 for sure. The flamethrower and maps were the best.

[Dezerte]

Henchmen for sure, specifically the ones you could customize greatly.

[Kazgrel]

I think GW is a fun game to play, even now, but feels more like a CRPG than an MMO. Contrary to popular belief among GW players, I think GW2 is better in every way. I still think the OP should give it a go, but it is radically different.

This sums it up quite well.

To my surprise, there's still a reasonable level of activity on GW1 still. I inquired on Reddit about pointers for going about getting more HoM points, and got a healthy amount of replies. I expected it to be an echo chamber, honestly.

[Deleted]

Nightfall was my 1st entry, but i played all the stories/expansions.
The way the game played, the henchman/hero system, actual builds (where you could play around with different attacks to find your own playstyle), heroes you could equip with armor/weapons, not being gear-dependant at all anymore(after you got the lvl 20 armor).....

GW2 was a complete miss to me; i leveled 1 character to 80, tried crafting, did some grinding and decided i simply don't enjoy it. The only +points i give GW2 are the superior graphics and the guardian class (always wanted to be an actual pally in GW).

[Kelimbror]

This sums it up quite well.

To my surprise, there's still a reasonable level of activity on GW1 still. I inquired on Reddit about pointers for going about getting more HoM points, and got a healthy amount of replies. I expected it to be an echo chamber, honestly.

I wanted to go back and play it fresh and do a lot of HoM stuff myself, but I play too many games so ultimately couldn't do it. I loved the time playing it, even if some of it isn't straightforward and confused me a bit.

But yeah...that one is a classic. I hope as long as GW2/3/4 is running that they keep the servers up for GW1. Kinda have similar nostalgia for it as I do for LotRO. The day we finally finish Mordor if they don't keep it going with original stories I hope they provide some form of subscription based legacy servers where you can play the game in its final state forever.

[Fencers]

That is true, Fencers. As much as I love the game, I agree that my character is meaningless. I like the way that they make us think that we matter (via personal story, etc), but that's a different story.

I suspect that the feeling of anonymity is so strong in GW2 due to the gameplay being action based yet having to account for others that may be around. In other words, I do not think the impersonal feeling of GW2 is a shortcoming of presentation, narrative or setting.

The impersonal feeling stems largely from having to reconcile a Moa being flanked and shot at by 12 players capable of rolling, dodging, stealthing, crippling, blinding, chilling, knocking back, stunning the same damn bird while they circle strafe.

Degree of movement and 'outs' provided to players is HUGE in Guild Wars 2. Without resorting to animation locking every player action, GW2 had to create systems that scaled and account for both the any number of incidental players and their freedom of movement; which serves to undermine the phenomenal self empowerment given to the player by default.

Early on in playing GW2 my sister made the comment of Guild Wars 2: "I feel like I am just soloing and other people happen to be running by."

GW1 felt so personally determinant by contrast despite not actually having any where near the freedom of movement and combat GW2 offers currently.

[Lotus Victoria]

GW1 felt so personally determinant by contrast despite not actually having any where near the freedom of movement and combat GW2 offers currently.

That is what makes me curious about GW1. I must have missed quite a game.

[Kelimbror]

That is what makes me curious about GW1. I must have missed quite a game.

You didn't miss it. It's still available on Steam and well worth the money, though obviously a sale is preferable.

[Deleted]

What i miss....

1. Hero's Ascent!!!!!!!
2. Alliance Battles
3. GvG
4. 55hp monk
5. sub-class
6. GW1 Storyline (still the best)
7. Jade Querry / Fort Aspwenwood
8. Speedclears
9. Underworld / Fissure of Woe
10. The Great Snowball Fight of the Gods ( i love this event )

and many more....

[Pachycrocuta]

Early on in playing GW2 my sister made the comment of Guild Wars 2: "I feel like I am just soloing and other people happen to be running by."

That can honestly be made about nearly any MMORPG anymore.

I personally despise action combat MMORPGs. That's the major drawback of GW2, despite me having some fun in that game. It's why I am not the biggest fan of ESO, either. I never had the twitchy mentality, which is why I typically avoid pvp (and why I stay away from fps games).

[Fencers]

That can honestly be made about nearly any MMORPG anymore.

In my experience, no.

I personally despise action combat MMORPGs. That's the major drawback of GW2, despite me having some fun in that game. It's why I am not the biggest fan of ESO, either. I never had the twitchy mentality, which is why I typically avoid pvp (and why I stay away from fps games).

I don't despise Action-Combat in MMOs, but its not something I have seen really work too often. Vindictus still does it best.

[Daljo]

I suspect that the feeling of anonymity is so strong in GW2 due to the gameplay being action based yet having to account for others that may be around. In other words, I do not think the impersonal feeling of GW2 is a shortcoming of presentation, narrative or setting.

It stems from the fact both games are completely different sub genres. GW1 has always been nothing bigger than a multiplayer game, you only ever shared the lobbies with other players but the game world where all the action and story took place is all made for you (and whoever you are playing with). In that sense the game world revolves around you.

GW2 is different because even without your input the game carries on. One of the design philosophies was that even though you're sharing a world with hundreds of other people, those people shouldn't be detrimental to you and your objectives (unless they are part of your objectives, like in PvP). The reason it would feel like you're just soloing and other people are just running by is because they have almost zero negative impact on you, unlike traditional and older games in the genre where you directly compete for resources.

It's not possible to have an MMO where everyone is important or special because it loosely simulates reality. The more people whom you share the game world with, the less value you have as an entity. There are ways to elevate your self above others but they are all earned though effort and/or time. It's the entire argument and reasoning behind the devaluation of the 'epic' item quality in WoW.

GW1 is a great game for sure but you cannot compare GW1 to GW2, in the same way you cannot compare Warcraft 3 to World of Warcraft. The feeling of insignificance is integral to the genre.

[Deleted]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this but from a purely mechanical point, GW1 might be very painful for you to play.

It's clunky. Oh boy, is it clunky. Click to move, WASD doesn't work too well there, body blocking on all enemy units, invisible walls everywhere + no jump button, if you play it these days honestly you'll find it very hard to get any money. Most money used to be earned by ecto farming, trading dyes + minipets, then later in the expansion by 55 monks running CoF.

This usually goes as a fact on any MMO, but I would say for GW1 especially, you won't have as much fun as we did playing in GW1's heyday.

From everything else, like storyline, the world, missions + the way group content is handled in general, it's great. From a purely mechanical standpoint, it's very clunky. Just be aware of that if you intend on buying it. It's a tonne of fun if you can get into the groove of jagged movement, your character using pathfinding, the earshot system, etc.

[Valeron]

Don't know if anyone mentioned this but from a purely mechanical point, GW1 might be very painful for you to play.

It's clunky. Oh boy, is it clunky. Click to move, WASD doesn't work too well there, body blocking on all enemy units, invisible walls everywhere + no jump button, if you play it these days honestly you'll find it very hard to get any money. Most money used to be earned by ecto farming, trading dyes + minipets, then later in the expansion by 55 monks running CoF.

I agree with mostly what you say but for the bolded part. Body blocking was a virtue of the game, not a con.

[Nofo]

What I miss:
#1 - Energy Cost + Recharge Time.
It takes too long to explain the depth loss it caused when GW2 dumbed it down to Energy (thieves) or Cooldown (everyone else).
#2 - 99% of enemies use exclusively skills available to players, therefore providing players - specially newbies - with an immersive and rich variety of synergic skill combos you might want to use.
#3 - Skill Hunting - You could obtain skills directly from enemies after defeating them.
This would take players all over the world hunting for various skills, some held by very tough enemies.
#4 - Dervish Profession
Scythe
Dervish Enchants (initial effect, ongoing effect and end effect)
Shed Attacks (sacrifice enchants on you, triggering their end effects, to produce additional effects).
#5 - Unique skill effects
GW2 has mostly generic effects like dealing X damage/healing and applying Y universal (de)buff(s).
In GW1 you had unique buffs/debuffs like preventing you from losing more than X% of your HP from any single hit.
#6 - Primary + Secondary Profession/Class
Worth noting that the primary class had a considerable impact on the builds you could excell at, or in some cases even be viable with.
A Necromancer+Monk would have access to a very different combination of end game builds compared to a Monk+Necromancer.
#7 - Max level 20 & No gear treadmill.
The game was entertaining for years without gear treadmill AND despite being stuck at level 20.
Only roughly 10% of the game was spent below max level (20). At least regarding end game, MMOs should follow this example and stop increasing level cap every new expansion...
#8 - No useless items
All items you caught could either be salvaged or traded to collectors.

i agree with this ONTOP of i loved how the enviroment was compared to GW2. like mission wise going through doing all the missions on hard mode and puting a team together to run everything and what not. i miss GW1 i havent gotten into GW2 very much i actually forgot my account stuff so once there is a sale again i might get back into it. i honestly might at some point try to convince some friends to get GW1 account together and go through and complete as much as we can, then link the GW1 to my new GW2 account

[zito]

That is what makes me curious about GW1. I must have missed quite a game.

The game still exists.... you can even get rewards for GW2 by playing GW1 via the hall of monuments. Usually there is a bundle sale for all expansions for like $30 which is fantastic.

[Svifnymr]

The game still exists.... you can even get rewards for GW2 by playing GW1 via the hall of monuments. Usually there is a bundle sale for all expansions for like $30 which is fantastic.

Though amusingly, there is no reduced pricing for JUST one game, that I've seen. I didn't get Factions, but have the other three. It's certainly not worth a lot of money, but it's package or full-retail.

And to further agree with Zito, it's not just "still there", there are PEOPLE there. It may not be super-populated, but folks are still running around in almost every area.