How much has the game changed since Halloween?

[Wikram]

I quit playing around the time of the Halloween event. I leveled to 80, farmed the best dps armor, weapons, etc, and then I just became bored. Aside from pvp, there was very little to do at max lvl, except maybe farming for a legendary (lol no thanks).

So my question is, have there been significant changes to the game since I last played?

[Meledelion]

Why don't you try logging in?

Fcking stupid threads like these make me lose faith in humanity...

Be respectful of other posters and let's not insult people. Infracted. -Edge

[Karizee]

Here's the patch highlights.
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/releases/

And more detailed patch notes.
https://forum-en.guildwars2.com/forum/info/news

Things you might be interested in are Fractals and Guild Missions. Oh, and ascended gear.

[philefluxx]

Why don't you try logging in?

Fcking stupid threads like these make me lose faith in humanity...

Wow....#firstworldproblems much?

Next time I see you bitch about someone that complains they dont like the game because of something that isnt true Ill be sure to point you back to your response in this thread...

[Meledelion]

Next time I see you bitch about someone that complains they dont like the game because of something that isnt true Ill be sure to point you back to your response in this thread...

Yea cause finding out things are wrong is absolutely diddely doddely possitively impossible by logging in right?

I'm also looking forward to it.

[Deleted]

Still boring as hell at max level, nothings changed on that front. I loved the levelling aspect in GW2/the art but they screwed up max level.

[Valeron]

how did they screw up max level? because they don't have raids?

[ScottsdaleHokie]

how did they screw up max level? because they don't have raids?

There's no one holding your hand telling you what to do once you're there.

[lanerios]

Ignore meled, it's a huge troll. I am in the same boat, hadn't played since Halloween, and while levelling at least, not much has changed.

[Valeron]

There's no one holding your hand telling you what to do once you're there.

that might be actually a good point and is probably one reason why sandbox games aren't nearly as popular as theme parks (not saying GW2 is a sandbox, far from it, but it has a similarity in that you have to set your own goals).

[Fencers]

So my question is, have there been significant changes to the game since I last played?

No.

The core mechanics and fundamental design philosophy of the game are unchanged. Like all actively developed MMOs new content is added, skills tweaked, bugs squashed, etc.

If for example, you disliked the non-linear structure of the game, progression ceiling or the way the skill bar operates- well, life is rough.

If in another light you were perhaps frustrated by secondary systems or wanted more events than was at launch- huzzah, GW2 has more of these things.

[Deleted]

I quit playing around the time of the Halloween event. I leveled to 80, farmed the best dps armor, weapons, etc, and then I just became bored. Aside from pvp, there was very little to do at max lvl, except maybe farming for a legendary (lol no thanks).

So my question is, have there been significant changes to the game since I last played?

ArenaNet has a weird obsession with making almost all of the content they add to the game temporary. So in the time you've gone, there has actually been some decent content (although nothing like a WoW patch), but most of it has been removed. Truth be told, though, even if you combined all of the removed temporary content, it's still probably half the size of a WoW patch (if not less).

In terms of permanent content, they added:

- Fractals of the Mists dungeon (a series of mini-dungeons with many different difficulty levels).
- Spirit Watch PvP map.
- Guild Missions, which are very "meh". If you're used to organised guild play in WoW, they will seem like a joke to you.

That's about it as far as permanent content goes.

[Karizee]

As an ex-hardcore raider I can attest that the higher level guild missions are definitely worthy of challenge. Nothing like being on the hot seat with all the fear/tension/exhilaration that goes with it as being the crab holder in Southsun while Champ & Vet karka are training your ass down while you have zero skills and must rely on your mates to protect/heal you. Throw in the most brutal hot potato ever - one misstep or misstoss and it's all over! No pressure, it only took days to build the influence to unlock it, lol.

Or the Iron Marches one, we had 80+ players on our mission this last week - it was relentless! Counting down to the last barrel, people in Mumble calling out incoming waves of stalkers and igniters on every front, beat it with only one barrel to spare. Quite thrilling, I'm very pleased with the guild missions.

High level Fractals are downright brutal, if you're not coordinating you may as well go home empty handed cuz you're not going to get anywhere.

[Fencers]

When you say high level fractals are brutal, do you mean the mechanics change at some level? Because so far, I have only had agony dropped on us. Everything else was pretty much exactly the same as a level 1 fractal mechanically.

I don't recall my fractal level. It's like 50 or something supposedly. Usually I just go in and play w/o caring what level I am at.

[Meledelion]

The difficulty of fractals is vastly exaggerated. Mobs get more HP and hit harder. That's not making it more difficult, it's making it more punishing.

[Fencers]

Well, they can still be "brutal" if they just hit harder. I am simply asking if they become brutal due to more complications [mechanics wise].

I honestly don't play enough fractals to know what are the truly tough ones. I don't really run too many dungeons in GW2 really. Every once in a while when friends are feeling in the mood and such.

[Valeron]

I'll have to try a fractal sometime, I just hate pugging.

I've tried three dungeons the whole time I've played, AC story, CM story, and the Mad King Thorn battle (don't think you can really call it a dungeon, so I've only done 2).

[Meledelion]

Well, they can still be "brutal" if they just hit harder. I am simply asking if they become brutal due to more complications [mechanics wise].

I honestly don't play enough fractals to know what are the truly tough ones. I don't really run too many dungeons in GW2 really. Every once in a while when friends are feeling in the mood and such.

Sure but that doesn't make it harder. Imagine a simple game: you have a pong pallet but instead of hitting the ball you have to avoid it. After two hits your pallet breaks. Now make the pallet break in one hit. It's equally hard before as after the change so the difficulty didn't increase. Instead let's say there's two balls you need to dodge, now difficulty has increased.

To answer your question, nope. After 10+ (introduction of agony) all mechanics remain the same, some strats change though.

[Fencers]

Sure but that doesn't make it harder. Imagine a simple game: you have a pong pallet but instead of hitting the ball you have to avoid it. After two hits your pallet breaks. Now make the pallet break in one hit. It's equally hard before as after the change so the difficulty didn't increase. Instead let's say there's two balls you need to dodge, now difficulty has increased.

To answer your question, nope. After 10+ (introduction of agony) all mechanics remain the same, some strats change though.

I know, I know. Not arguing about difficulty here.

Was merely asking what defines "brutal" in this case. I do suspect fractals are mostly the same mechanically despite fract level.

I'll have to try a fractal sometime, I just hate pugging.

I only play with my friends & family in MMOs. Especially in GW2 where there a fewer things which separate us.

Like for example, I really enjoy raiding & dungeons. Neither of my sisters or my husband enjoy those all that much though.

In GW2, if we wanna run a dungeon. We can. But we can also do other things and not worry too much about this or that statistic. Like, my husband having all PVP gear [he doesn't PVE] or my sis being level 30.

I think there is a lot of value in bringing friends/fam to GW2 over other games. Because there are naturally more barriers to play in typical MMOs.