Chances to play before the 28th

[Olgierd]

I don't want to pre-buy GW2. But I might be persuaded to, if there was a chance to play before the official release (that way I can cancel it if I hate it).

I heard there were still occasional stress tests that people with pre-purchase could get into. Are there any planned? Or does Arena just drop them out of the blue with minimal notice?

[Deleted]

Very unlikely.

[Deleted]

I don't want to pre-buy GW2. But I might be persuaded to, if there was a chance to play before the official release (that way I can cancel it if I hate it).

I heard there were still occasional stress tests that people with pre-purchase could get into. Are there any planned? Or does Arena just drop them out of the blue with minimal notice?

There might be one announced, but don't count on it. I think last stress test was with 4-5 days of heads up. Also, stress tests feature frequent disconnects, stability issues and whatnot, hence the name "stress test" - don't judge a game based on how it behaves when pushed to the max. :P

[Deleted]

you missed all 3 beta weekends and all the stress tests. I'd recommend watching these videos to decide whether you're interested or not:






I know that doesn't get you the gameplay, but it does give you a good idea of what the game has to offer.

[Spl4sh3r]

Think they said something that there would be no more Stress Tests, and we know they won't have anymore Beta Weekend Events aswell. Ofcourse anything can happen, but you shouldn't bet on the impossible odds (unless you are an addictive gambler and can't control yourself).

[azureflames81]

i wouldn't count on it if i were you

[Olgierd]

you missed all 3 beta weekends and all the stress tests. I'd recommend watching these videos to decide whether you're interested or not:

I know that doesn't get you the gameplay, but it does give you a good idea of what the game has to offer.

Yep, missed every single damn thing due to being far and away... Cool videos though. I saw the first one before but not the second, go figure. Thanks.

[Karizee]

I would like one more stress test to play around with a build for my elementalist, but they haven't said anything.

/wistful

Missing Tyria <3

[DrakeWurrum]

Not to go all elitist on your goal/desire here, but um... When you bought Skyrim or Diablo 3 or Assassin's Creed (assuming you bought at least one of those), did you ask the developer to try the game in case you hated it? O_o

I mean. Those games cost about as much as GW2 does.

INB4 talks of refund: You can easily get GW2 refunded. It's not special in this regard.

[DrakeWurrum]

I'm not saying it's unreasonable, but I do think it's unnecessary. People value their dollars/time a bit too highly, and are far too critical of video game quality.

[Delias]

Huh, I was just talking about this the other day and thought that it's the exact opposite. People have become so accepting of buggy games, low-quality or excessively short games, unfinished games with DLC shenanigans, so on and so forth.

I see nothing wrong at all about expecting to get your $60 worth from a game developer and wanting at least some way to give a product a whirl before committing.

Which is a completely fair point for games that give you next to no information about them before release, like most games. What do we know about Darksiders II or Sleeping Dogs, for example? The only information available is very controlled gameplay videos generally done on stage or released by the developer, and they're releasing in less than a week. However, we have thousands of hours of user submitted gameplay and opinions by fans and reviewers alike of GW2. It's not the same situation in the slightest.

[Merendel]

Huh, I was just talking about this the other day and thought that it's the exact opposite. People have become so accepting of buggy games, low-quality or excessively short games, unfinished games with DLC shenanigans, so on and so forth.

I see nothing wrong at all about expecting to get your $60 worth from a game developer and wanting at least some way to give a product a whirl before committing.

Well he could take our word for it that this one was neither short nor low quality from our beta experiences. There were bugs but beta is beta and there were remarkably few even compared to games that had already launched. Generally speaking MMO's by their nature have more content than any single player title on the market and will be worth the money unless you just flat out hate the gameplay. Hateing the gameplay is a risk you take with any game though, very few offer a demo till they've been out for a time.

[terrahero]

you missed all 3 beta weekends and all the stress tests. I'd recommend watching these videos to decide whether you're interested or not:






I know that doesn't get you the gameplay, but it does give you a good idea of what the game has to offer.

Some of that stuff is seriously outdated.

[Delias]

Some of that stuff is seriously outdated.

Likewut.
Pretty sure it's all still relevant, regardless of being old videos.
Maybe some things in the second video. Don't remember, didn't watch it.

[Jovanaar]

Honestly, I think we're getting a final stress test.

[terrahero]

Likewut.
Pretty sure it's all still relevant, regardless of being old videos.
Maybe some things in the second video. Don't remember, didn't watch it.

Nr7. There is very little dynamic about the personal story. Besides some minor choice of going to X or Y to beat bandits. Heart events, also not dynamic. The video suggests the questing is all dynamic, but thats not entirely true now is it?

Nr3. He says you can level through PvP, you can through WvW. So at the worst he is completely wrong, at the least misleading. Also he says there is no limit to players in WvW, pretty sure i saw a queu.

Nr2 is not entirely accurate either. If you are following a condition build (from traits and gear) then going for a weapon with just DD is a bad idea.

vid2:
Traits; its a very very wrong. traits are now gained through points, in his video it was still about getting them through challenges in the world. Thats a major difference.

Home instance is, iirc, not completely implemented yet. Not to the point they want to, something they do post-launch. Correct me if im wrong.

Personal story; Your choices dont affect the racial skills anymore.

Im not blaming the video, no idea when they came out but in the first one he says "hopefully releases end of 2011", so... yah. Anyway, these things i found where wrong or misleading.

[Delias]

Nr7. There is very little dynamic about the personal story. Besides some minor choice of going to X or Y to beat bandits. Heart events, also not dynamic. The video suggests the questing is all dynamic, but thats not entirely true now is it?

He was specifically talking about dynamic events, and the number was even called "dynamic events", not "Dynamic events hearts and story." o.O
Also, considering it was talking about quest paths being dynamic hearts would be. You don't have any set order to do hearts, you do whatever hearts you want to do. Still falls into doing your own thing.

Nr3. He says you can level through PvP, you can through WvW. So at the worst he is completely wrong, at the least misleading. Also he says there is no limit to players in WvW, pretty sure i saw a queu.

"They've designed areas for world PvP right from level one, so you could level a character to max level entirely from PvP" <-- that part? You kind of took it out of context. The statement is still accurate. He did not even imply that you could level in structured.

Nr2 is not entirely accurate either. If you are following a condition build (from traits and gear) then going for a weapon with just DD is a bad idea.

Again, not what he said. The only inaccurate part was the #3 weapon bar thing he said only applies to thieves now. 'You can use whatever weapon fits your playstyle' not 'you can use whatever weapon you want regardless of any external factors'.

vid2:
Traits; its a very very wrong. traits are now gained through points, in his video it was still about getting them through challenges in the world. Thats a major difference.

As I said, didn't re-watch vid 2. But yes, that is wrong.

Home instance is, iirc, not completely implemented yet. Not to the point they want to, something they do post-launch. Correct me if im wrong.

They plan to add player housing along with guild halls, but nothing has been said on if that has anything to do with your personal instance or not. For all we know, you can buy a house in the Black Citadel as a human.

Personal story; Your choices dont affect the racial skills anymore.

Mhmm

Im not blaming the video, no idea when they came out but in the first one he says "hopefully releases end of 2011", so... yah. Anyway, these things i found where wrong or misleading.

The videos are old, but almost everything said in the first video still holds true. =P

[terrahero]

He was specifically talking about dynamic events, and the number was even called "dynamic events", not "Dynamic events hearts and story." o.O
Also, considering it was talking about quest paths being dynamic hearts would be. You don't have any set order to do hearts, you do whatever hearts you want to do. Still falls into doing your own thing.


"They've designed areas for world PvP right from level one, so you could level a character to max level entirely from PvP" <-- that part? You kind of took it out of context. The statement is still accurate. He did not even imply that you could level in structured.


Again, not what he said. The only inaccurate part was the #3 weapon bar thing he said only applies to thieves now. 'You can use whatever weapon fits your playstyle' not 'you can use whatever weapon you want regardless of any external factors'.


As I said, didn't re-watch vid 2. But yes, that is wrong.


They plan to add player housing along with guild halls, but nothing has been said on if that has anything to do with your personal instance or not. For all we know, you can buy a house in the Black Citadel as a human.


Mhmm


The videos are old, but almost everything said in the first video still holds true. =P

I have to take my own knowledge as much out of the picture as i can. And nr7 and nr3 is something that can easily be mistaken for something else.
Incarcerated is doing a good thing, getting the OP to form his own opinion. An informed and aware opinion, and for that you cannot use outdated, misleading or faulty information. There is more recent, more accurate information available.

Wasnt the One Thread kept pretty uptodate?

[Ticktox]

Some of that stuff is seriously outdated.

Maybe but it's still completely relevant because all of it is in fact true.

[Delias]

I have to take my own knowledge as much out of the picture as i can. And nr7 and nr3 is something that can easily be mistaken for something else.
Incarcerated is doing a good thing, getting the OP to form his own opinion. An informed and aware opinion, and for that you cannot use outdated, misleading or faulty information. There is more recent, more accurate information available.

Wasnt the One Thread kept pretty uptodate?

Poor comprehension =/= misinformation.