I reached level 80 on my first character. Now what?

[lawow74]

There are plenty of rare titles and achievements to show off to people in GW2. (or at least ones that are hard to obtain). I'm not a fanboy of GW2. I play it and enjoy it. Vertical progression is something MMOs need to grow out of. Having a power cap means balancing is easier and rewards can be more easily created.

Unfortunately, a number of those rare titles are simply unattainable since the events they were tied to are gone. But there are still less common ones to get, especially the insane grind of a number of WvW titles.

[Kazgrel]

Except the best gear has to be acquired through playing the game. Even if you buy the materials, you need 500 crafting to make it. (Which a full set of exotic armor is around 390g for medium, 420g for heavy, and 501g for light, not even including weapons. Source)

Also, what's the point of getting better gear in WoW (for PvE)? To raid with. What's the point of raiding? To get better gear. The end boss is cool, once. Otherwise, it's a never ending circle. If you like that, fine, but vertical progression to me is outdated in MMOs because it's becoming a nightmare to balance. Look at WoD for instance. Look at all they had to remove from the game in order to rebalance it.

There are plenty of rare titles and achievements to show off to people in GW2. (or at least ones that are hard to obtain). I'm not a fanboy of GW2. I play it and enjoy it. Vertical progression is something MMOs need to grow out of. Having a power cap means balancing is easier and rewards can be more easily created.

By exotic here I believe you mean ascended. There is a difference (moreso in price than performance)!

I share the same sentiment regarding vertical progression. Been there, done that, got a bunch of achieve points, titles, and transmog sets out of it, which are the only items of permanence out of the whole thing.

[Karizee]

Unfortunately, a number of those rare titles are simply unattainable since the events they were tied to are gone. But there are still less common ones to get, especially the insane grind of a number of WvW titles.

Some of those WvW titles are just xD
(this is coming from someone that got the pre-nerf Insane title in WoW)

But the power cap thing is pure awesome, the more I play the more I like it. I can pull out any character I want and immediately play the latest content without having to level up/grind up to make it playable. Having problems on something with my ele and want to try my guardian? No problem! Meta shift in WvW and want to play my Necro now? Awesome! Even my legendaries are account bound. If this is what makes the game casual, I'm all for it

[Fadewind]

@Kazgel DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERP. Yes. Ascended.

@lawow74 Not the titles I mean. Like Karizee said, there are WvW titles. Also, there are still some difficult titles associated with Silverwastes (End-all and Be-All) and the Dungeon Master one. (Get ALL the dungeon armor and weapons) Every MMO has limited time titles, so it's really nothing new (and nothing I'd use as an example of a rare title).

[Deleted]

Except the best gear has to be acquired through playing the game. Even if you buy the materials, you need 500 crafting to make it. (Which a full set of exotic armor is around 390g for medium, 420g for heavy, and 501g for light, not even including weapons. Source)

Also, what's the point of getting better gear in WoW (for PvE)? To raid with. What's the point of raiding? To get better gear. The end boss is cool, once. Otherwise, it's a never ending circle. If you like that, fine, but vertical progression to me is outdated in MMOs because it's becoming a nightmare to balance. Look at WoD for instance. Look at all they had to remove from the game in order to rebalance it.

There are plenty of rare titles and achievements to show off to people in GW2. (or at least ones that are hard to obtain). I'm not a fanboy of GW2. I play it and enjoy it. Vertical progression is something MMOs need to grow out of. Having a power cap means balancing is easier and rewards can be more easily created.

Only that vertical progression is everything about an RPGs. All the way back since D&D invented it. The challenge to defeat that boss, the excitement of getting new piece of gear or a new level. The great feeling of watching your toon grow stronger and be able to roam places he wasn't able before.
In a game where everyone is kinda equal in power and access to world content, you don't have that motivation to push further.

While i agree that in WoW they got it completely out of hand, making the game all about power creeping and nothing else, i do not agree that it shouldn't be replaced with something else to work for.
In the coming HoT they introduce some sort of Mastery system, that will provide something like it. But it is still not enough.
There should be something else, at least to me, to keep me occupied.

[Kazgrel]

Only that vertical progression is everything about an RPGs. All the way back since D&D invented it. The challenge to defeat that boss, the excitement of getting new piece of gear or a new level. The great feeling of watching your toon grow stronger and be able to roam places he wasn't able before.
In a game where everyone is kinda equal in power and access to world content, you don't have that motivation to push further.

While i agree that in WoW they got it completely out of hand, making the game all about power creeping and nothing else, i do not agree that it shouldn't be replaced with something else to work for.
In the coming HoT they introduce some sort of Mastery system, that will provide something like it. But it is still not enough.
There should be something else, at least to me, to keep me occupied.

...wat?

We must be playing different games with the same name. My D&D days reminiscence more about crazy moments in RP or battles, not over some piece of loot/gear/whatever.

Regarding the Mastery system, we have very little info to go by thus far on how it's going to work, other than it'll include precursor crafting and glider masteries.

[Svifnymr]

...wat?

We must be playing different games with the same name. My D&D days reminiscence more about crazy moments in RP or battles, not over some piece of loot/gear/whatever.

There were some nice/unique treasures along the way, but MMO's don't really replicate such things well. They could at least give you a legendary demon sword that whispers you occasionally...

[Kazgrel]

There were some nice/unique treasures along the way, but MMO's don't really replicate such things well. They could at least give you a legendary demon sword that whispers you occasionally...

Indeed. I thought that the precursor axe for Shadowmourne (Shadow's Edge) whispered you when you were on the quests, but that was actually the Lich King doing that.

Not sure if you've encountered it in GW2, but the Job-O-Tron backpack skin enables all sorts of hilarious banter as you play:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rep...-Tron_Backpack

Not an intelligent weapon, per se. That would be something cool to see/hear from a legendary weapon (in any game).

[Gray_Matter]

Only that vertical progression is everything about an RPGs. All the way back since D&D invented it. The challenge to defeat that boss, the excitement of getting new piece of gear or a new level. The great feeling of watching your toon grow stronger and be able to roam places he wasn't able before.
In a game where everyone is kinda equal in power and access to world content, you don't have that motivation to push further.

While i agree that in WoW they got it completely out of hand, making the game all about power creeping and nothing else, i do not agree that it shouldn't be replaced with something else to work for.
In the coming HoT they introduce some sort of Mastery system, that will provide something like it. But it is still not enough.
There should be something else, at least to me, to keep me occupied.

You are confusing goals and progression. Progression can be a goal but it's not the only goal. Even in WOW there are achievements like the "Insane" title that has very little to do with progression.

In GW2, lets take fractals. Why can't it be get to level 50 because that's the achievement? World completion, that's another goal. Completing all of the jumping puzzles, another one. There doesn't have to be better gear as a reward at the end to make the goal worthwhile. There should be a reward but that reward could be something as simple as a title.

On the gear progression discussion, why do you need to get stronger to go somewhere you couldn't go before? why shouldn't skill determine where you can go? As you get better, you can go to more places. It's just another way to approach the game. The moment you have gear progression then you make content directed at weaker gear irrelivent. In WoD there is a massive new zone but most of it is trivial because gear and levels make it so.

When it comes to gear, GW2 works differently. It's designed around having gear as a goal. Not for the strength but for the looks. So you can run a dungeon to get a piece of gear because you like the way it looks not because it makes you X stronger so you can now beat Y.

[Svifnymr]

Indeed. I thought that the precursor axe for Shadowmourne (Shadow's Edge) whispered you when you were on the quests, but that was actually the Lich King doing that.

Not sure if you've encountered it in GW2, but the Job-O-Tron backpack skin enables all sorts of hilarious banter as you play:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Rep...-Tron_Backpack

Not an intelligent weapon, per se. That would be something cool to see/hear from a legendary weapon (in any game).

Yeah, I've heard Job-O-Tron, he's amusing, though I'd prefer some serious stuff. I was also thinking of WoW's Puzzle Box, but for something so simple for atmosphere, it's mostly ignored over Magic Weapon +3. GW2 does well with some items giving off light and stuff, though I'd love to combine that with some of the WoW enchant effects. I'd just like more personality. (or any backstory to legendaries at all...)

[Valeron]

of all the places to advertise a boxing match...

[Lazuli]

now grind the same stuff times infinity, or pvp

[Deleted]

You are confusing goals and progression. Progression can be a goal but it's not the only goal. Even in WOW there are achievements like the "Insane" title that has very little to do with progression.

In GW2, lets take fractals. Why can't it be get to level 50 because that's the achievement? World completion, that's another goal. Completing all of the jumping puzzles, another one. There doesn't have to be better gear as a reward at the end to make the goal worthwhile. There should be a reward but that reward could be something as simple as a title.

The things that you describe as goals are more or less what is called "filler content". That's for the times when you are too bored of pursuing the main goal and wish to do some diverse things. To me, main goal should be a step-by-step provided story ending with some major stuff like killing expac boss or stuff. Just as they do in WoW. The difference for the better here should be that you don't scale with gear, just the encounters need to be increasingly difficult and requiring more skill to beat. And this story should be long to keep the audience busy and the game alive. Not to release some two-week events that need 30min to complete and then you are done and log off.

On the gear progression discussion, why do you need to get stronger to go somewhere you couldn't go before? why shouldn't skill determine where you can go? As you get better, you can go to more places. It's just another way to approach the game. The moment you have gear progression then you make content directed at weaker gear irrelivent. In WoD there is a massive new zone but most of it is trivial because gear and levels make it so.

I can buy that. I just need some material reward for my efforts. Can be shitty 1% world map movement speed, but i want there to be something. Just for the sake of it.

[Deleted]

Okay, so how do I get to Malchor's leap exactly? My first plan is on doing all jumping puzzles in alphabetical order. I need to do the one called "Autre of adjournement", but I can't even get to the zone I need to be for it... I've tried exploring the northwest corner of the Orr part of Straits of Devastation, but I cannot find a portal there.

[Valeron]

The portal is around the middle of the west side of Straits of Devastation

[Kazgrel]

Okay, so how do I get to Malchor's leap exactly? My first plan is on doing all jumping puzzles in alphabetical order. I need to do the one called "Autre of adjournement", but I can't even get to the zone I need to be for it... I've tried exploring the northwest corner of the Orr part of Straits of Devastation, but I cannot find a portal there.

You're looking for Sentry Waypoint:

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sentry_Steppes

Portal is just southwest of there.

[Gray_Matter]

The things that you describe as goals are more or less what is called "filler content". That's for the times when you are too bored of pursuing the main goal and wish to do some diverse things. To me, main goal should be a step-by-step provided story ending with some major stuff like killing expac boss or stuff. Just as they do in WoW. The difference for the better here should be that you don't scale with gear, just the encounters need to be increasingly difficult and requiring more skill to beat. And this story should be long to keep the audience busy and the game alive. Not to release some two-week events that need 30min to complete and then you are done and log off.

The only difference between the two is that in one case they are providing the goals for you and in the second, you are setting your own goals. GW2 misleads people a bit because of the whole 1-80 leveling thing because in a way, they set you a goal (to get to 80) but from there, there are no goals set for you. It would be better if they didn't set this precedent in the first place. Fractals level 50 could be just as good a goal as the end boss of an expansion. I am not talking about difficulty, just that both are goals. One is sort of given to you on a platter and the second would be something you would choose to do. For you, because it's not provided as the goal, you see it as "filler content". About the closest you would get to a provided goal would be the personal story and living story stuff.

There are large parts of GW2 that are very easy. Most world bosses can be easily beat but if you want an organized challenge, Tequati and the 3 worms would be a bit more challenging.

I can buy that. I just need some material reward for my efforts. Can be shitty 1% world map movement speed, but i want there to be something. Just for the sake of it.

For me, rewards like an extra 2% gold for life is a better reward than an item of gear that will be outdated in a few weeks.

[Deleted]

If you want to enjoy the game you need to understand something. Guild Wars 2 is a bit different from the other mmos. As Arenanet said, it is all about the journey, not the destination. So for short, find out what you enjoyed during level 1-79 and do it again.

[ro9ue]

The goal is to enjoy yourself.

Pretty much this. I think WoW did too much hand holding. I played EQ before WoW, so I came from a game that basically was just... go out in the world and adventure. When I went to WoW it was basically on rails and while it was interesting for a while, you start to miss the freedom of the old sandbox style games.

Players who were introduced to MMOs from WoW are probably going to have a much harder time adjusting. And that's fine, if they want a themepark MMO, there are plenty out there: WoW/Rift/LOTRO. But to say ESO/GW2/etc are bad because "Ok I rushed to max level, now what?"... they basically have missed the whole point.

Only that vertical progression is everything about an RPGs. All the way back since D&D invented it. The challenge to defeat that boss, the excitement of getting new piece of gear or a new level. The great feeling of watching your toon grow stronger and be able to roam places he wasn't able before.
In a game where everyone is kinda equal in power and access to world content, you don't have that motivation to push further.

While i agree that in WoW they got it completely out of hand, making the game all about power creeping and nothing else, i do not agree that it shouldn't be replaced with something else to work for.
In the coming HoT they introduce some sort of Mastery system, that will provide something like it. But it is still not enough.
There should be something else, at least to me, to keep me occupied.

I'm not sure GW2 and the like are "RPGs" as much as just MMO Action games. In fact, in GW2, the leveling system is nearly pointless and IMO should've just be kept out. If the type of game you're looking for is do this to get this much better so you can do this and get this much better... forever.. that's something you'll only see in the on-rails games like WoW.

You just have to go into GW2 with an open mind, slow down and enjoy the scenery. The players who play for lore, exploration, etc love this game. And those who come from WoW and love the progression who look at all of that leveling/questing/world event stuff as a means to an end are missing the whole point of the game.

[Deleted]

Players who were introduced to MMOs from WoW are probably going to have a much harder time adjusting. And that's fine, if they want a themepark MMO, there are plenty out there: WoW/Rift/LOTRO. But to say ESO/GW2/etc are bad because "Ok I rushed to max level, now what?"... they basically have missed the whole point.

I'm not sure GW2 and the like are "RPGs" as much as just MMO Action games. In fact, in GW2, the leveling system is nearly pointless and IMO should've just be kept out. If the type of game you're looking for is do this to get this much better so you can do this and get this much better... forever.. that's something you'll only see in the on-rails games like WoW.

You just have to go into GW2 with an open mind, slow down and enjoy the scenery. The players who play for lore, exploration, etc love this game. And those who come from WoW and love the progression who look at all of that leveling/questing/world event stuff as a means to an end are missing the whole point of the game.

Reasonable enough. Although, you cannot argue that having completed the entire map, having completed all dungeons and world bosses, there's not much left to be done. Lest for repeating it all over again for the fun.
This is why this game has so many fans, huge percentage of which are inactive most of the time. It happens like this:
1. New content patch added
2. Active playerbase bumps 50%
3. 2 days pass
4. Active playerbase dumps 50%

Because like why would you stay in, when everything you can do is to repeat the same stuff over and over again. I agree that in WoW you do the same grind, only there you are given some resource for the effort, which means something. And when there's some reward, that makes the grind more compelling.

GW2 simply isn't the game to drown in. You play it for 1-2hours a day, maybe 2-3months, visit all places and defeat all bosses and you are done with it. After half a year maybe come back to try the same with different class and check out all content updates they made, which you finish if you wish to follow the story.

In that it just cannot compare with WoW.