Guild Wars 2: The One Thread

[Karizee]

Got back into the game lately (terrible timing though with how busy I am...well supposed to be with finals and stuff).

Wondering if anyone has any tips for WvW? I tried a couple times, but I was all alone and had no idea what I was doing.

You can find other players by looking for the blue badge icons on the map - those are commanders on your team. Green dots are players on your team as well but they only show up when you are in fairly close proximity.

Sometimes you might find a large group running without a commander tag, this is likely an organized guild group and they may not want you to run with them since fights can be lost by a single player (referred to as rallybots). Ask them if you can join them before tagging along.

Orange swords indicate a large fight happening, white swords just show an objective being attacked and can be triggered by a single player.

Join your server's Teamspeak to get in on the strategy, there's a lot to learn! Also very helpful to learn the names of the different objectives so you can relay enemy movement in map chat (25 JQ heading north from Bay, 5 BG at north camp, etc.)

[Valeron]

Some community and developer discussion about vertical progression. Here is a summary, seems pretty fair.

Hi All,

Here is the next evolution of the original Vertical Progression proposal based on a summary of our discussions:

Regarding Ascended Gear we would like to see more ways to earn it and in terms of drop rates, a higher percentage chance of acquiring them through this method.

A review of current RNG metrics.

The ability to change gear stats (Note there is still a lot of discussion about whether people want this or not)

The ability to build up to Ascended Gear through drops rather than just relying on RNG.

Ascended Gear mats dropping more equally across the game, for example WvW.

No more new Gear tiers that make the existing tiers obsolete.

Additional ways to earn Ascended Gear at accelerated for Alts.

Note this is the formulation of a proposal for discussion. Once the proposal is finalized it will be discussed internally. However there will be no promise of actions or schedule.

Chris

[Lane]

What materials aren't dropping in WvW? I get tons of Bloodstone Dust and Empyreal Fragments, plus Dragonite Ore (though not at the same plentiful rate of acquisition).

Changing gear stats would be nice. My only reservation about that is their cosmetic system being what it is.

[Meledelion]

Mainly dragonite, but in comparison all mats.

I have 12stacks of emp and dust left and I have 50 of each refined mat (bricks/stars?)

In WvW I get a lot less in comparison than dungeons. Dragonite is what 4ore per keep, vs 20 per dragon

[Svifnymr]

Changing gear stats would be nice. My only reservation about that is their cosmetic system being what it is.

I'd really rather some of the armor sets became skins rather than stats. Like the three orders or the cultural armors.

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From developer live stream via Dulfy: http://dulfy.net/2013/12/17/gw2-developer-livestream-notes2013-retrospective-part-two/

Why decide to bind weapon skills to weapons

Isaiah: In GW1 we had a giant array of combinations. This resulted in a huge amount of bad builds and a lot of people were not able to do the content. If we package things together and give them a minimum bar of effectiveness that give us a lot more control over what we can expect the players to do.
Mike: There were surprising a lot of GW1 players who were running with the first 8 skils that they have unlocked throughout the entire game.

Sort of amusing to think of players complaining about how hard stuff is when they're using whatever talents happened to occur. I'd still like a bit more variety, if not at least the ability to rearrange the order of weapon skills.

[Meledelion]

That really doesn't surprise me at all and I'm confident the same thing happens (traitwise and utility wise) in GW2.

[Valeron]

It saddens me that they basically developed the skill system to the lowest common denominator. One of the best parts of GW1 was that skill system. Yeah a lot of those skills were redundant but that is correctable with a new game.

[Meledelion]

IMO you should never balance a game according to people who don't play it "right", I really don't get it.

[Lane]

I'd really rather some of the armor sets became skins rather than stats. Like the three orders or the cultural armors.

The problem, as I see it, is this: if you have one 'be-all/end-all' set of armor that means the purchase of splitters is going to practically become a necessity every time you want to change your look. Additionally, due to the lack of a PvE locker combined with GW2's penchant for limited edition skins means your bank (or mule) is going to fill up quickly, thus prompting having to buy additional bank space (or character slots).

From a financial perspective, I don't see how it would anything but benefit Anet to have ascended armor with the ability to stat change. However, from a player perspective be prepared to either pick out one 'permanent' look for yourself or endlessly shell out $ or gold for both splitters and transmutation crystals.

This isn't to say I'm against a 'be-all/end-all' set of armor. It's more a commentary on how terrible GW2's cosmetic system is. The way it is isn't ideal by any means, but at least I can justify a second skin for an alternate gear set. That justification is removed with one armor set and suddenly I just have a bunch of skins taking up space that'll cost me quite a bit of $/gold to switch to if I want. I suppose I could just have multiple sets of ascended armor, but that's not really taking care of the problem either.

[Svifnymr]

It saddens me that they basically developed the skill system to the lowest common denominator. One of the best parts of GW1 was that skill system. Yeah a lot of those skills were redundant but that is correctable with a new game.

More that they slimmed up the wide range into a more narrow range, which is fine, but I think it's a little TOO narrow.

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The problem, as I see it, is this: if you have one 'be-all/end-all' set of armor that means the purchase of splitters is going to practically become a necessity every time you want to change your look. Additionally, due to the lack of a PvE locker combined with GW2's penchant for limited edition skins means your bank (or mule) is going to fill up quickly, thus prompting having to buy additional bank space (or character slots).

If you have a bunch of stuff that is statted to use as "base armor", then additional "luxury" stuff as skins makes more sense to me. The Order pieces are a good example, since they're Rare stuff rather than exotics. So if you're going to make them exotic, you're already transmuting to some base set like the crafted set.

It wouldn't really require more splitting, because the base armor is already there in the system. Offhand, how many crafted base exotics cost more than a splitter? Mind you, if they just make it "select-a-stat" like I think they intend, (similar to how they did the recipes for ascended), then it can work for like, Cultural armor, but still leaves Order stuff a bit lower.

What I mean is something like how the Wv armor vendor is right now, a bunch of gear with stats, and a bunch of skins in another tab.

[nevermore]

IMO you should never balance a game according to people who don't play it "right", I really don't get it.

100% agree. It completely baffles me.

If you're too dumb/dont care to figure out a decent spec (it's an online game, not quantum physics) maybe that content segment wasn't designed for you. Heck you could even ask others on an online forum ;D Simples.

[Deleted]

Very embarrassing that they used the players that didn`t learn how to play Guild Wars, as an excuse for attaching the spells to the weapons, to remove the option of even more build options.
Making a game player friendly is one thing, but this...?

Having said that, considering some of the dumb balance moves done in this game, possibly a good thing too.

[zed zebes]

I wish they would just give a plain "no more tiers" promise. I feel like all the dev time spent on Ascended gear has been wasted. I don't know a single person actually bothering with Ascended armor once they saw the time-gating and grind. I made one ascended weapon and that was it for me. Stats weren't worth the time cost. Dev time wasn't worth the addition of the tier to the game. It has added extremely little to the game. I would have rather they spent the time on adding the crafting recipes to redoing crafting to be more interesting and useful. Most of the disciplines should be as interesting as Cooking.

[Fencers]

Making a game player friendly is one thing, but this...?

The most successful games in this genre are specifically successful for their broad appeal and ease of play. Indeed, the defining design of the most successful MMO ever made is it's extreme approachability and ease of play. Which defines the 2nd MMO era totally.

Gw2 is a fair bit more successful than GW1 was in the competitive market. It's Anet desire to create a product for entertaining a broad spectrum of persons. So it worked.

[Fencers]

(In the "Jimquisition" tone) APPEAL TO A WIDUH AUHDIENCE

Blargh.

There is nothing wrong with appealing or design a game for a broad audience. World of Warcraft, Super Mario Bros., Guild Wars 2 and Final Fantasy 7 are fine games in their own right. Well made, well executed. Few to none gameplay contradictions.

It is not the case that every game need aspire to be The Secret World, Super Meatboy, Vindictus or To the Moon.

It's fine. The market is vast.

[Deleted]

(In the "Jimquisition" tone) APPEAL TO A WIDUH AUHDIENCE

Blargh.

*Jimquisition mode engaged* HA!

Only recently discover both him & ZeroPunctuation, hilarious stuff at times

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The most successful games in this genre are specifically successful for their broad appeal and ease of play. Indeed, the defining design of the most successful MMO ever made is it's extreme approachability and ease of play. Which defines the 2nd MMO era totally.

Gw2 is a fair bit more successful than GW1 was in the competitive market. It's Anet desire to create a product for entertaining a broad spectrum of persons. So it worked.

Wasn`t Guild Wars also released during a time when cable/fibre didn`t exist & that many folk had no internet? So gw2 is bound to seem more popular as, well, who doesn`t have internot access these days? hehe
I think gw2 is far too easy & having the option to mess builds even more would have added to make the game hold interest longer then it did.

As for making the game player friendly, gw2 is, in general, face roll most of the time & the only times it isn`t is when anet hits the players with their infamous "Hmm, we`re not that good at fight mechanics, here, have a one shot-BOOM" mechanic.
Guild Wars may of been tough for some, but all you had to do was twig what build would be best in what area/dungeon etc & then have at it. Hell, I`m still playing & learning & that`s what makes it fun & for those that don`t like the discovering, build sites are *everywhere*

Same goes for warcraft, I was pvp only in that, yet used to get nagged to boost guildies in dungeons/arena etc & the last guild I was in asked me to help (more hinder ;p) in a raid. Didn`t have a clue on the boss mechanics, they told me on vent & ta-da, few attempts later, place cleared (bored as I was though, mobs dying just isn`t as fun as players >;p)

i guess the new weapons for each class may also add to things, but who knows...

[Lane]

It wouldn't really require more splitting, because the base armor is already there in the system.

You would still need to split the skin from the armor or lose the skin permanently under the current system. Unless they readjusted the prices on, for example, T3 cultural then that is 120g vs. the cost of 6 splitters. Not to mention the gem store only sets.

[Lovestar]

IMO you should never balance a game according to people who don't play it "right", I really don't get it.

Game designers are still extremely phobic about just outright telling people how to play, forcing them to create systems which are obvious and difficult to mess up. (so effectively doing the same thing, without admitting it)

That said, while GW1 is a wonderful game and I love the skill system, someone who just wants to jump in and play it like a standard console game will promptly have their head implode. You really do have to spend some time thinking and researching your bar until you get the hang of things, and it's much more to ask of people than you can really do in a community-based hotjoin environment. Also you practically require a degree in Guildology and a browser window open to GuildWiki ("Wait... is this armor-ignoring damage? Hold on, how is + calculated differently from 'in addition' and...").

What ends up happening is a handful of dedicated people figure out the good bars, then everyone else just parrots it because it works. This is fun for the handful, but mostly an irrelevant "Glue A to Slot B" for everyone else that's just there for the pretty armor and title farming. Ideally there's a perfect solution that makes every type of player happy, but overall I think the GW2 approach is a pretty reasonable compromise between strategic choice and developer guidance.

[Svifnymr]

You would still need to split the skin from the armor or lose the skin permanently under the current system. Unless they readjusted the prices on, for example, T3 cultural then that is 120g vs. the cost of 6 splitters. Not to mention the gem store only sets.

You would lose the base armor to the cultural, and just grab another base set.

Currently, Tier 3 has stats, lets assume you don't like the stats, you transmute them to an exotic base set (like Draconic or something) with the proper stats. If you want Order of Whispers armor, you transmute it to the same base set.

If both of those were simply skins, you'd apply them to the base set and not transmute anything. If you decided you wanted the other set of armor, you'd buy another base set of armor for the new gear set.

Current buy it now highest price for a set of berserker gear is 4g, though average is about 2.5g, converting gold to gems to get 300 gems for a splitter is 23g.

Now, sure, Ascended is in the game, so that wrecks the curve for the formula on some pieces. But for exotics, it's usually cheaper to get a new piece of gear and transmute to that rather that splitting off the old set to re-use the stat-piece.


This is all aside from trying to get an upgrade back, which the new Upgrade Extractor does more efficiently.

[Lane]

Now, sure, Ascended is in the game, so that wrecks the curve for the formula on some pieces. But for exotics, it's usually cheaper to get a new piece of gear and transmute to that rather that splitting off the old set to re-use the stat-piece.

Yeah, but I'm talking about if they allow stat changes on ascended armor that would be the only armor set you'd ever need. I don't know how much it costs to craft a set of ascended armor (or if drop rates would be adjusted enough for that to even be a feasible means of re-acquisition), but I'm currently assuming that you would not want to destroy your ascended armor every time you wanted to switch skins, also assuming you would not always want to permanently destroy previous skins, and thus splitters would become a necessity.