Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Sunseeker]

Unless there's a programming problem, is there any problem just making the aggro random? Unpredictable aggro would force players to think on the fly, if the boss jumps on them.

I think it should depend on the mob in question. From a D&D standpoint, some mobs are more erratic than others.

[Chronius]

49mins into this panel they explain threat/agroe
http://comic-con.gamespot.com/video/...ag=videos;hd;1

[Valeron]

I think it should depend on the mob in question. From a D&D standpoint, some mobs are more erratic than others.

From a D&D standpoint? I don't really get that statement. There the mobs react to the players according to the DM's wishes, there are no rules for it (unless by player spells or abilities, but I don't recall anything other than charm monster/person or cc spells like petrify).

[Sunseeker]

From a D&D standpoint? I don't really get that statement. There the mobs react to the players according to the DM's wishes, there are no rules for it (unless by player spells or abilities, but I don't recall anything other than charm monster/person or cc spells like petrify).

Not exactly, the int score of a mob is supposed to represent how tactical the mob in question is, if it is capable of knowing when to run away, who to kill and when, ect... And the DM is supposed to take that into account even when mobs can "do what he says".

GW2 is taking MMOs in a more D&D-like direction, where there really isn't "aggro" other than who the mob feels is the most threat to them, no threat meters needed.

[Underskilled]

Not exactly, the int score of a mob is supposed to represent how tactical the mob in question is, if it is capable of knowing when to run away, who to kill and when, ect... And the DM is supposed to take that into account even when mobs can "do what he says".

GW2 is taking MMOs in a more D&D-like direction, where there really isn't "aggro" other than who the mob feels is the most threat to them, no threat meters needed.

That could actually be VERY interesting. Say for example, fire elementals rushing to a water attuned elementalist, because they are biggest threat, hard hitting monsters rushing the player with the least armor, etc.

[Deleted]

The monsters were damn smart in gw1 already, always targeting that weakest party member with most death penalty... gah!
Good thing I mainly played a prot monk, Protective Spirit is life (almost literally)!

...which makes me wonder, there won't be much healing spells ad whatnot, but what about all the cool spells from the protection attribute (maybe some assigned to a guardian)? Those skills were what made monks fun to play for me, and I'd miss them, if removed from the world completely.

[Will]

Jesh, there won't be "tanking" please stop already.

apparently there will be - the devs mention tanking occasionally, and mention that being right in a creature's face will make it go for you.

[Lefuu]

apparently there will be - the devs mention tanking occasionally, and mention that being right in a creature's face will make it go for you.

Relative thing. There is no tanking class/spec/role, everyone can absorb few hits and pull back, cc the rest of the group and go on. Multiple spells also protect you so.. old aggro system you're used to won't mean much either way.

[Chronius]

Guys, please just go back a few posts and check my link. Its the lead developer talking about how threat works, it'll answer nearly all your questions. The entire developer is worth watching anyway.

[Drakhar]

You know, I was absolutely positive that the last class would be Mesmer, until I watched that video where Colin said "it could literally be anything," and was no longer necessarily a scholar or returning class. Could just be misinformation to throw us off, though. I'm still betting on Mesmer, but this is the first time I've ever questioned it.

On aggro: it's going to be far more complex than determined by proximity and will vary by monster. Also, there's no bodyblocking like in GW1.

[Wynnyelle]

Guys, please just go back a few posts and check my link. Its the lead developer talking about how threat works, it'll answer nearly all your questions. The entire developer is worth watching anyway.

Agreed. I learned quite a few things from that video. Quite a good watch. =) Thanks!

[Beetlejuice]

They mentioned before that it would be a mix of proximity and damage (and maybe some other things). Don't know if they changed it or if he just didn't find the other factors important enough to mention. I hope they stayed with it, proximity alone is a little bit to easy to exploit imho. If they stayed with dmg being a small part the fully def speced guardian/warrior would still have to care about doing dmg and the backline elementalist blasting away would still have to fear drawing aggro and having to kite the mob a bit. Having a tank, the guy who can take a few more hits and whose job is to protect the squishies, is not a problem, having a trinity tank is. Tanks make fights more tactical and less random nukefest. And in gw2 the difference between a tank and a squishy isn't so big that a tank simply can ignore the dmg. From the interview i get that even a full speced tank will have to back off every now and then in an explore dungeon to get his health back up because of the lack of focus healing.

[Wynnyelle]

Yeah as you said it's at around 49 mins.

Basically there is not aggro or threat AT ALL - the mob will attack the closest player, personally I'm rather disappointed with that concept.

Not that I want tanking quite the contrary - but as I see it it will effectively mean that shield warriors and shield Guardians WILL be considered tanks by the community because they will take the least damage.

It's still better than having a set threat table though, I think. I can see things easily going wrong for an inexperienced group. And hopefully it won't just be one person "tanking" the mob. I would think that Arenanet would realize that that isn't much different from WoW tanking and would want to make it different. I guess we won't really know what it'll be like until we actually get the chance to try it out though.

[Abominator]

So I just watched the GW2 panel that was at comicon and I think I just realised something terrible. Before watching I assumed that GW2 will be coming out at the end of the year, it appears I was very wrong. So there is more then likely going to be the beta in Q4 which alone would put GW2 in Q1 of 2012 maybe even Q2. Also the guy mentioned that GW2 team will be at comicon next year and that leads me too two conclusions, A) it will be for an expansion pack which doesn't make sense so soon after the game is released or B) it will be to further show off GW2 before it release later in 2012. Lastly they said that they will announce the final class before the end of the year, this means it will likely be at the end of the year or near there which means either A) they will reveal final class just before game release to try and not give everything away or B) release it several months before the game is finished.

So because of this I am lead to believe that GW2 will be released in 2012 no doubt and may even be as last as Q3 or Q4, what are your opinions?

[jvbastel]

So I just watched the GW2 panel that was at comicon and I think I just realised something terrible. Before watching I assumed that GW2 will be coming out at the end of the year, it appears I was very wrong. So there is more then likely going to be the beta in Q4 which alone would put GW2 in Q1 of 2012 maybe even Q2. Also the guy mentioned that GW2 team will be at comicon next year and that leads me too two conclusions, A) it will be for an expansion pack which doesn't make sense so soon after the game is released or B) it will be to further show off GW2 before it release later in 2012. Lastly they said that they will announce the final class before the end of the year, this means it will likely be at the end of the year or near there which means either A) they will reveal final class just before game release to try and not give everything away or B) release it several months before the game is finished.

So because of this I am lead to believe that GW2 will be released in 2012 no doubt and may even be as last as Q3 or Q4, what are your opinions?

I wouldn't read too much into the "the final class will be revealed before the end of the year". The context he said it in clearly shows he took a VERY wide range

as for comiccon next year, why wouldn't they do another panel after release? blizzard does multiple panels on multiple games at blizzcon.

I'm thinking Febr - March 2012

[Sapho]

The agro thing being based on range is interesting - there'd be potential (if the group was flexible enough) to just bounce a mob around, keep it running from player to player and not doing much (at least with mobs who rely on melee abilities e.g. dragon cleaves). I guess that, plus a ton of CC, is what you'd need to do for 5 clothies to run a dungeon. Personally I think it could actually be pretty fun. I just hope the plate classes aren't made so durable that they end up being essential to a group - make them weak enough that people can't be lazy.

[Lefuu]

panel.. 51 min





----------------------------

[Autumn xD]

That could actually be VERY interesting. Say for example, fire elementals rushing to a water attuned elementalist, because they are biggest threat, hard hitting monsters rushing the player with the least armor, etc.

I agree with this also. It would give threat a literal meaning and have the potential to make the PvE very dynamic - even more so than the current trinity-less additions. It could also vary from mob to mob based on its actual intelligence, from more of a lore point of view - a wise Warrior would know its threats where as a mob that is much less smarter would simply attack whatever.

[Sunseeker]

I agree with this also. It would give threat a literal meaning and have the potential to make the PvE very dynamic - even more so than the current trinity-less additions. It could also vary from mob to mob based on its actual intelligence, from more of a lore point of view - a wise Warrior would know its threats where as a mob that is much less smarter would simply attack whatever.

Exactly. Aggro, as a mathematical formula, has to exist in some fashion otherwise mobs don't attack. But that's not to say that formula has to be static and can't have cool modifers, such as "If fire elemental is hit with water/cold damage, threat x10"

[Lefuu]

They said in the interview and panel i posted above that, GW2 aggro system is pretty simple... monsters attack the nearest target so you can go in take few shots, dodge out and let someone else fill the spot.. and so on.
Ex elementalist switching to earth attunement and going in, tanking for a while, taking shots, jump away and someone else fills the spot and take shots untill 3rd player jumps in to switch and fill the spot. You can time cooldowns and things so it looks interesting tbh, switching between all the time.

No restrictions either, instances done w/ 5 rogues, 5 warriors, 5 engineers etc.