Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Tazila]

Tbqh the most fun I've had was when I hit 80 and got on the Orr event trains and then when Silverwastes came out, jumping on those trains. Events themselves didn't really feel like they do at 80 before 80, or at least ones in sub-80 zones didn't feel like it (minus tequatl and like area bosses).

[carnifex2005]

The brand new power-pop hit, "Ice Bow 4 (I'm Gonna Miss You)" is now on Soundcloud...

https://soundcloud.com/zacksuckatlov...gonna-miss-you

[zito]

The brand new power-pop hit, "Ice Bow 4 (I'm Gonna Miss You)" is now on Soundcloud...

https://soundcloud.com/zacksuckatlov...gonna-miss-you

Good riddance.

[zito]

I'm still confused to this day as to why anyone plays anything but Warrior. :O

Seriously, every time I'm on any of my alts, I run into situations where I'm thinking, "Well, if I were on my Warrior I could have done X..."

Warrirors don't have meta reflect in PvE.

[Deleted]

I wonder if the druid specialization will offer good dps for rangers or it will be mainly support? Can't wait to see more news about druids

[Kazgrel]

Warrirors don't have meta reflect in PvE.

They can always spec in to reflects using shield.

*snicker*

[zito]

They can always spec in to reflects using shield.

*snicker*

Sorry let me rephrase that. Spam-able group meta reflect for PvE. What's the current meta? 2 warriors, 1 guardian, 1 ele and 1 mesmer?

[Maxilian]

Hi guys, i'm been trying GW2 lately as a Engineer (i used to play with a Mesmer but i don't really like the class) but i'm not sure what's the best way to play him, i really enjoy using the flamethrower and i have been thinking on making a FURY and ATTACK, to make the most of the speed of my attacks (but i'm not so sure, i have others ideas but i don't want to post a wall of text :P ) also... i'm just lvl 36 and i haven't even done a dungeon yet :S

[zito]

Hi guys, i'm been trying GW2 lately as a Engineer (i used to play with a Mesmer but i don't really like the class) but i'm not sure what's the best way to play him, i really enjoy using the flamethrower and i have been thinking on making a FURY and ATTACK, to make the most of the speed of my attacks (but i'm not so sure, i have others ideas but i don't want to post a wall of text :P ) also... i'm just lvl 36 and i haven't even done a dungeon yet :S

You don't need to play the best way. I've done up to level 39 fractals with zero AR and masterwork gear because I knew how to avoid mechanics. Engineers are very rare in PvE but if you want to do a flamethrower build most people use it to stack might. Fire fields and blast finishers. I don't play one so I couldn't link a build but play mostly how you enjoy too - optimization isn't that important.

[Kazgrel]

Sorry let me rephrase that. Spam-able group meta reflect for PvE. What's the current meta? 2 warriors, 1 guardian, 1 ele and 1 mesmer?

Don't mind my facetiousness.

Meta for pve? Think it is war, 2 eles, thief, guardian. I haven't run a dungeon in eons on GW2 though.

[Maxilian]

You don't need to play the best way. I've done up to level 39 fractals with zero AR and masterwork gear because I knew how to avoid mechanics. Engineers are very rare in PvE but if you want to do a flamethrower build most people use it to stack might. Fire fields and blast finishers. I don't play one so I couldn't link a build but play mostly how you enjoy too - optimization isn't that important.

Well... last time i heard of Engeniers, people said that they weren't really strong and i imagine that you don't need to play the best way, even less when you're just lvling up but i want to know the basics of my class so by the time i reach max lvl i know how to play it :P

[carnifex2005]

Well... last time i heard of Engeniers, people said that they weren't really strong and i imagine that you don't need to play the best way, even less when you're just lvling up but i want to know the basics of my class so by the time i reach max lvl i know how to play it :P

I main engie. Here's a great handbook on the profession here that helped me out a lot...

http://www.wolfineer.com/the-engineer-handbook/

[zed zebes]

I don't know where else to put it and it might go awry if it was its own thread, but the question has been in my head for a week. (Yes, I got questions like this in my head, but I'm a nerd. It doesn't mean I don't ponder world problems, you hypothetical asshat.)

Will Guild Wars 2 be the last big budget MMO to succeed? Is the game sort of the last statement on MMOs as big budget projects go?

I thought GW2 was just going to be the next step of MMOs. A third generation MMO, where action combat is common, progression is less vertical and questing is more open. I figured EQ Next would be the next MMO 3.0, but that game is in development limbo. I am not sure what will happen with EQ Next at this point.

ESO came and it's had some success, but it remade its pricing plan and is trying a relaunch with B2P and consoles. FF14 is succeeding, but its a relaunch as well, and an older style MMO. In general, stuff that has come out since GW2 has been in development for so long that the advances of GW2 aren't really being incorperated into those games yet. (As opposed to EQN.) Wildstar has floundered, and besides the action combat, was very much an older style MMO.

So is GW2 the last step for big budget MMOs? Do you think we'll see EQN in time or another AAA MMO that goes forward in design? I see a lot of smaller budget stuff that plays it safe with a few tweaks. Crowfall, Shroud of the Avatar, etc. These are kickstarter projects.

Was the video game industry just not healthy enough to continue the path GW2 started?

[Kelimbror]

Was the video game industry just not healthy enough to continue the path GW2 started?

Your entire post, and this particularly, is a loaded statement that can't really be reconciled with the reality of the genre. Choosing not to make the entire genre a GW2 clone doesn't mean it is unhealthy. The genre is perfectly healthy.

Additionally, classifying GW2 as the last big budget MMO to 'succeed'? Like...really? ESO has successfully transitioned into F2P, Wildstar is following that soon, all other games for the most part already transitioned or started with these models. I honestly don't see what you are trying to imply unless your ulterior motive is that GW2 is 'teh best mmo evah'...which has nothing to do with what you've presented.

And don't get me wrong, I clearly love GW2...but...really?

[Fencers]

Will Guild Wars 2 be the last big budget MMO to succeed? Is the game sort of the last statement on MMOs as big budget projects go?

No and no.

Guild Wars 2 isn't even a very big budgeted MMO or massively popular one outside the genre. Not on the scale of World of Warcraft, of course. Also not in the sense of a brand recognized outside the genre- Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings Elder Scrolls.

GW2 is a successful game made by a previously boutique developer. it is also aimed at the mass market, but is not culturally penetrating as the aforementioned franchises.

So is GW2 the last step for big budget MMOs?

There will be games with much larger budgets and games that see more success in varying segments of hyper-fragmented marketplace. This is business.

Do you think we'll see EQN in time or another AAA MMO that goes forward in design?

In time for what? Subjective.

EQN's development is VERY likely going to be hurt by a reduction in advertising. It is unlikely the new publishers are going to sink as much money into marketing as SOE were seeking.

Marketing is the biggest factor in the initial success of modern franchises. EQN is unlikely to enjoy a huge marketing push on the scale of today's blockbuster games advertising on the Superbowl and before runs of Jurassic World. That's real money.

[Svifnymr]

I don't know where else to put it and it might go awry if it was its own thread, but the question has been in my head for a week. (Yes, I got questions like this in my head, but I'm a nerd. It doesn't mean I don't ponder world problems, you hypothetical asshat.)

Will Guild Wars 2 be the last big budget MMO to succeed? Is the game sort of the last statement on MMOs as big budget projects go?

Really I think the thing to ponder is what makes a success. I mean, SW:TOR is doing fine, but had to convert to F2P to get there. Wildstar and ESO might be successes, but again they had to change their setup.

So GW2 at least stuck to how it planned at launch.

[Maxilian]

I main engie. Here's a great handbook on the profession here that helped me out a lot...

http://www.wolfineer.com/the-engineer-handbook/

Thanks a lot, these have been quite usefull

[zed zebes]

Your entire post, and this particularly, is a loaded statement that can't really be reconciled with the reality of the genre. Choosing not to make the entire genre a GW2 clone doesn't mean it is unhealthy. The genre is perfectly healthy.

Additionally, classifying GW2 as the last big budget MMO to 'succeed'? Like...really? ESO has successfully transitioned into F2P, Wildstar is following that soon, all other games for the most part already transitioned or started with these models. I honestly don't see what you are trying to imply unless your ulterior motive is that GW2 is 'teh best mmo evah'...which has nothing to do with what you've presented.

And don't get me wrong, I clearly love GW2...but...really?

I advise you to reread my post without positioning me as a cartoonish fanboy. I specifically include Everquest Next because it is not a GW2 clone (impossible to be due to dev cycle), but it looked to be along the same path that GW2 went down with obvious differences of its own.

Please mind: dev cycles, ability to succeed from launch, how future prospect MMOs are being funded and take shape.

ESO had to change business model and is hoping for console launch to bring more life. I didn't say ESO failed. I aim to state that it's dev cycle is too close to GW2's and so couldn't be influenced by GW2. Outside of having RvR and action-ish combat, there aren't many similarities between it and GW2 outside of being an MMO. ESO is a mix of Elder Scrolls RPGs with traditional 2nd gen MMO design.

- - - Updated - - -

No and no.

Guild Wars 2 isn't even a very big budgeted MMO or massively popular one outside the genre. Not on the scale of World of Warcraft, of course. Also not in the sense of a brand recognized outside the genre- Star Wars, Star Trek, Lord of the Rings Elder Scrolls.

GW2 is a successful game made by a previously boutique developer. it is also aimed at the mass market, but is not culturally penetrating as the aforementioned franchises.

There will be games with much larger budgets and games that see more success in varying segments of hyper-fragmented marketplace. This is business.

In time for what? Subjective.

EQN's development is VERY likely going to be hurt by a reduction in advertising. It is unlikely the new publishers are going to sink as much money into marketing as SOE were seeking.

Marketing is the biggest factor in the initial success of modern franchises. EQN is unlikely to enjoy a huge marketing push on the scale of today's blockbuster games advertising on the Superbowl and before runs of Jurassic World. That's real money.

Your first two responses don't hold much weight. Yeah, GW2 probably had a lower cost compared to some, but its still a AAA budget MMO in scope and design. You could argue the game put too many options on its plate for ANet to maintain.

Also, nothing compares to WoW's success and pop culture infleunce. That doesn't matter. Guild Wars 2 is still far more successful than many MMOs and can be seen as the one recent MMO to succeed without having to make major business changes post-launch.

Your third response I'm not clear on. Are you including titles like Destiny in that classification? A "fragmented" marketplace only backs my original POV behind the question posed.

[Arewn]

Sorry let me rephrase that. Spam-able group meta reflect for PvE. What's the current meta? 2 warriors, 1 guardian, 1 ele and 1 mesmer?

Pretty sure that hasn't been the best combo since quickness got nerfed.
1 warrior(unique banner buffs, FGJ, Empower allies), 1 ranger (wielding sword, spotter, frost spirit), 1 ele (might/fury stacking, conjure weps) , 1 thief(single target dps, some utility, stealth for skipping), 1 guard(defensive utility&buffs), 1 mesmer(reflect/tw). Additionally, all of them can do good damage.
Some combo of 5 out of those 6. And this is assuming you're going for 5man speed clears with group-optimized builds. The second that's not the case, everything breaks down and you open the flood gates to every class and all sorts of builds.
For example, a might stacking warrior is a huge help to a group that doesn't have an ele might stacking, despite the fact that might stacking warrior isn't the "meta" dungeon build. Ironically, the so called "meta" group isn't even the group set up that gets run most of the time.

[Fencers]

Your first two responses don't hold much weight. Yeah, GW2 probably had a lower cost compared to some, but its still a AAA budget MMO in scope and design.

This is subjective. If the creteria implied in "scope & design" is known and measurable only to you- you may as well not have a conversation with others. As they are not privy to what is in' your mind.

If you are talking about actual costs, size of development, publishing, advertising and so forth- that we can have a [somewhat speculative] conversation on.

Also, nothing compares to WoW's success and pop culture infleunce. That doesn't matter.

It does matter. It matters the most when you are talking about success in this genre. In particular to development and publishing budgets. Because Blizzard have a lot of money. So much so that all comparison must be relevant to World of Warcraft when discussing the market of MMOs.

We are talking about developers where the CG of some games rivals Guild Wars 2's production costs.

AAA is a class defined by money.

Guild Wars 2 is still far more successful than many MMOs

Debatable.

can be seen as the one recent MMO to succeed without having to make major business changes post-launch.

Notable but not important to the success of some titles. SWTOR, for example, became more profitable after a change in business model.

It is also worth nothing GW2's business model is atypical. Whereas the major (or AAA) MMOs that did change their model amid high profile did so in sharing a very specific business model- the most traditional one among the genre.

It is admirable that GW2 is not in dire straits, or that the franchise has not had to resort to a change in model to recoup investment (which is what really happens with stuff like TESO). Though it would be more note worthy as an achievement if GW2 were Final Fantasy 14- going strong with a sub model that others have not made click in the 3rd era of MMOs.

Your third response I'm not clear on. Are you including titles like Destiny in that classification? A "fragmented" marketplace only backs my original POV behind the question posed.

MMO is an umbrella term of which many subgenres are being published. Consumer have a lot more choices in the current market and the dividing line is who has the most money to market to their audience.

GW2's non-web and non-niche marketing dried up 2 months after release. They are not a AAA developer.

EQN's fate will be decided as above- by their marketing budget. Which is unlikely to be on the scale SOE perhaps planned due to budgetary trims in development.