tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post8517931147932764178..comments2024-03-28T10:18:05.213+00:00Comments on Inventory Full: Test Department: GW2Bhagpusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-8361830841538938442015-08-02T19:00:49.293+01:002015-08-02T19:00:49.293+01:00I was going to include something about the limited...I was going to include something about the limited exposure but I forgot. I might write that up separately. I think it's a good idea in principle but I remember only too well how very, very buggy the mid and high level maps in the original game turned out to be, which had never been shown or tested in the open betas there. <br /><br />The whole beta thing is particularly uncomfortable in GW2 because literally every veteran player will be praying like crazy for a Precursor NOT to drop. The fear of it happening is almost enough to stop me taking any active part at all. <br /><br />I wish they'd switch all loot off completely for beta characters. Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-25139434480479270092015-08-02T18:54:36.879+01:002015-08-02T18:54:36.879+01:00I really like what you might call the "base g...I really like what you might call the "base game" of GW2 - the kind of content that we had at launch. I like the everyday stories of the ordinary people who live and work in the world. Most of the original maps are layered with background detail that permeates every moment you spend there, from the sound effects and ambient speech through a whole raft of scripted NPC interactions that occur regardless of player activity to the Hearts and dynamic events. <br /><br />I still hear and see new examples almost every day, even now. The sheer richness of the tapestry is difficult to appreciate unless you spend hour after hour in those maps just wandering about, as I have been doing for years now. By contrast, Dry Top and Silverwastes are massively more focused, purposeful and streamlined. There is very little in either that doesn't directly serve the plot or the reward system. <br /><br />My fear is that all of HoT's explorable maps will be like that. It's good design in game terms but it makes for a poor virtual world. All I really wanted was what most MMOs offer up for their first expansion - more of the same. Look at Heavensward for FFXIV and see how blissfully received that's been, or think of Ruins of Kunark or Desert of Flames. <br /><br />If HoT was the 3rd or or 4th expansion then I'd be a lot more sanguine about such a clear change of pace and direction but I guess we'll be somewhere around 2025 when those appear at this rate of development and by then I very much doubt any of us will care.<br /><br />(And you don't need to apologize for your excellent English, that's for sure!)Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-78050020416175547222015-08-02T17:16:32.155+01:002015-08-02T17:16:32.155+01:00PS Ugh, my apologies for the spelling mistakes. I ...PS Ugh, my apologies for the spelling mistakes. I keep switching sentences around because they don't always make sense (English isn't my first language) and then tend to miss misplaced words. :/Ravanelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03447777640056476366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-33547382682451178502015-08-02T17:13:17.384+01:002015-08-02T17:13:17.384+01:00I've been enjoying the sarcasm of this post (i...I've been enjoying the sarcasm of this post (in a good way) and can see where it comes from. Personally I'm not interested in beta testing (and as you know, I didn't pre-order the expansion), but to hear how they're dealing with that promise is kinda sour.<br /><br />In the end I get the feeling ArenaNet doesn't really know what they want. As you say, those promises sound hollow (then again, they usually in the MMO dev world). I agree that a new leveling zone is a source of temporary joy, but then, what it is that you *would* want to see in the upcoming expansion? (Honest, curious question, no sarcasm intended.)<br /><br />That said, as a fellow sucker for immersion, most of my characters are parked in the Shiverpeaks, Kryta or Ascalon, because I enjoy those environments most.Ravanelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03447777640056476366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-84405058878437910422015-08-02T15:12:18.408+01:002015-08-02T15:12:18.408+01:00Well, they've had about 3 months to further po...Well, they've had about 3 months to further polish and refine the experience. Let's hope for the best.<br /><br />I just found it hard to conclude anything about it because as mentioned, it only felt like 25% of a zone. "Needs more" is what I kept ending up feeling, specifically the immersive bits for soloists to go wandering and exploring, because what seemed to be on test was the whole "meta" event for the zone, which does its usual thing channeling zergs from point A to point B to point C, with probably 75% of the zerg lost and not knowing what's going on, just hitting the first thing pointed out to them.<br /><br />No Reddit tips or guides as you might expect on a live release, no strong incentive for someone to take the lead and organize for better rewards (it's all getting wiped anyway), really hard to judge how a meta event would feel if it wasn't being seriously attempted anyway.<br /><br />Perhaps the extended beta weekend will give more time to attempt stuff like that.Jeromaihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02206083433625986970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-59310908324568044812015-08-02T14:48:00.997+01:002015-08-02T14:48:00.997+01:00If they'd brought out expansions at the rate t...If they'd brought out expansions at the rate they produced them for GW1 they'd have had three times that money from me by now. I wanted an expansion two years ago. My problem's with what's in the expansion, not that we're getting one!Bhagpusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03499162165023939880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1510920011443550663.post-83377712037207426662015-08-02T14:21:14.636+01:002015-08-02T14:21:14.636+01:00"I have paid up front for the expansion, whic..."I have paid up front for the expansion, which means that at least next weekend I get to be the one running around on Live maps getting in everyone's way [...] than being the poor schmoe who has to stand back and watch."<br /><br />I see that Anet plan to sell more boxes worked... that explain the beta we are seeing.João Carloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03071469488376795686noreply@blogger.com