Quote:
Originally Posted by www.guildwars.com
Q: Is Guild Wars Factions an expansion pack or a stand-alone game?
A: Guild Wars Factions is a stand-alone product. Those who own Guild Wars are not required to purchase Guild Wars Factions in order to continue playing on their game account, and those who purchase Guild Wars Factions may play without purchasing Guild Wars. However, there is a strong level of interconnection between the two games that makes having them both an exceptional experience. |
It's true that one can play through Factions without ever knowing about Tyria. With 8 classes to choose from, and the ability to level up to level 20 within 3-5 hours (estimated. I didn't do research on this extensively.), Factions is a VERY well-put-together game. However, it is because of these details that the "strong level of interconnection between the two games" is not very apparent.
After one reaches lvl 18-20 and leaves the "pre-island" (Shing Jea), they have the ability (assuming they have Prophecies) to travel to Tyria, where they can start battling level 13 foes, as appose to the lvl 20-25 that exist around Keining?
On the other side... Once one has reached Lions Arch in Tyria, and are fully capable of standing up to lvl 13 foes with their low lvl character, they get the option (once again, assuming they have Factions) to go the Cantha and try taking on lvl 20+ baddies?
This does not make the games sound like they have interconnectivity at all... As a matter of fact, it just makes Fations sound WAY better than Prophecies, in terms of creating a quick-high-level character.
There are many more questions that I have about this “interconnection”, such as:
- Why do all the original professions have new armor choices in Cantha, but the two new professions only get Obsidian Armor from Tyria? Can't ANet add new Sin and Rit armor to the traders in Tyria?
- Why do Canthan citizens get 8 classes, while Tyrian travelers only get 6? Could the games not be balanced by perhaps making it so that Canthans can't create Rangers and Mesmers and Tyrians can't create Assassins and Ritualists? (This question is not as important as the others, but I feel it does hold some relevance to the argument.)
I could make the list go on, but I feel these are the most important questions that I want to ask the community.
Feel free to comment, flame, critique, ponder, or do anything else you want with these questions. I would like to hear from as many people as possible concerning this issue.