[Dev Update] Hard Mode and Sunspear & Lightbringer Titles

Ashantara,

I love how you mentioned that you dislike quests that are "Run from A to B to C" Etc.

And then suggest more of the same thing?
Seriously, lighting the candles were really, Run to A+B+C+D and back.

Hmm, I'm honestly hoping hard mode will be less enemies but more intelligence.
I'm imagining a group of 4 kournan's each with 8 skills being extrmely durable because they were running something that worked as a team. I don't want stupid elementalists that do 400 damage lightning spikes, that's not "hard". I'd like enemies that worked as a team and posed moe of a threat because of that.

It would also increase mesmer awareness when people realise that it may be necessary to shut down that Healer's boon priest, or that group of elementalists that are co-ordinating lightning orbs.

This is a ridiculous and terrible post overall. I understand you don't like the direction they've taken previously when they say "hard", but things like

and

are worthless. Yes, I get your point, assuming that your point is to illustrate how useless hyperbole is in a discussion.

And seriously, the Candle quest is the epitome of running from A to B to C and back again--that doesn't help your case at all. I'm not against unique quests, and there are too few of them, but that's a terrible example.

"Mature" players? You do know the game is pretty much entirely about combat, don't you? What's with the backhanded swipe at "immature" players wanting to do nothing more than kill things?

Care to explain why Treasure Hunter is here, along with all others?
Btw u can just post how many chests u hv opened so far, maybe no other explanations r needed.

Don't you need several million gold worth of keys to open enough chests to get the treasure hunter title? Treasure hunter, Wisdom, Sweet Tooth, Lucky/Unlucky, Drunkard, etc all require millions of gold to max.

I'm not going to argue with it. That is another case tho.

How many Grandmaster Treasure Hunters (10k chests) hv u seen in game? Not much i presume. And i can tell why: even if u buy gold for real money u still need to put hell a lot of effort in getting maxed Treasure Hunter title. Unlike Sweet Tooth, Drunkard titles where u need money + 10k double clicks.
Atm i'm near my 5-th rank in Treasure Hunter (2500 chests) and I've never bought in-game gold for real money. So, plz don't offend me and ppl like me equalizing Treasure Hunter and all other "money" titles.

No, that's just a way of attacking the nearest enemy. It would probably be more efficient to target the casters first though, in an order suited to the situation. For unheard of sophistication you might use T+Spacebar with real people. Ha! Real people! Can you imagine it? In an MMO? Absurd.

But tactics I suppose means your team build more than anything else in Guild Wars; PvE maneuver is usually limited to making a space between your Warrior or Dervish tanks and your backline. Maybe some tactical decisions on pulling mobs. Maybe watching patrol routes. But mainly team build.

I agree you don't have to change much in your Skill Bar to complete Protector/Exploration Titles... but you change absolutely nothing in a farming Skill Bar once you've decided on your favourite area. You make absolutely no team decisions in a solo farming expedition. The comparison was and is relative to GW situations.

What are you comparing to? Some other fairyland GW where monotony and grind doesn't exist? I fail to see how your reply addresses any of my arguments regarding leaving the Protector Title as it stands. The only thing you haven't mentioned explicitly is that you presumably consider farming and accumulating vast stacks of Ectos as more worthy of respect than passing the Missions in the game.

Yeah! Hard Mode Great Northern Walls! I like this feature Well the AoE warning will be removed from Normal Mod? Hm, interesting

Can't wait for this, really shows the GW team are still busy with previous chapters and doing their best to please the community and yes, even listening to us Thanks for hte info Gaile, looking forward to it, any known timeframe of implementation?

can't wait for this either, this is something i've always wanting since my warrior reached lvl 20 ascalon as lvl 20+ does sounds like a nice challenge, I really look forward btw, when is this update coming?

I think that the hard mode is something like the Titan Quest (from glint) in ascalon --> you have also 20+ char's and that is nice to fight with

Gaile can you also give us some answers on the previous questions?? Like you have done on the 20th? Thanks in advance? Would be nice to have a update...

so.. should i still farm LB points?? or what? will there be no need to now that there will be easy points l8r?

yay sounds awesome pie

Sooooo... any chance on hearing about this feedback some time soon?


PS
I saw the update note on Hero Pets. Good job, folks. It's been asked about for a while and it is nice to see. Haven't tried it yet, but I'm sure it will work fine.

I'm a bit wary of this; I can't help but think that ANet's idea of increasing difficulty is introducing environmental effects and unbalanced monster-specific skills.
I hope they don't take this approach, effectively duplicating the frustration of DoA.

Mind you, I'd also like to add an idea: as old areas will be harder now, can we get elite skills re-introduced to bosses in areas prior to the Crystal Desert?
Bringing back some of those old bosses that were around before ANet decided that elites shouldn't be available before the desert would kick arse.

I have at least 1 protector title on 8 professions.. I don't care if they make me do more difficult missions again to gain them back. Its simple, accessible and can't really be out of reasonable reach. All it takes is a few guildies.

this is really not an issue, If the numerous times that Gaile has said that hard more WILL NOT affect the existing titles, and what's more there'll be new titles for it...

OPTIONAL
fear not

You make a fair point. Whereas the other titles I mention can be bought with cheat-gold, Treasure Hunter does indeed require you to do the 'work' and actually find and open the chests in (fairly) difficult areas... rather than stand in town. However the point is also made that 10,000 keys for high-end chests will cost 6 million Platinum. It's pretty rare that people make this kind of money 'legally', don't you think? I'd say it's possible that someone could be a very very smart and dedicated trader and cover their costs on the chest runs, if they kept pulling out Sup Vigors and req 8 Gothic Swords, but the time required to sell these would likewise make the title prohibitive.

In answer to your question, I have opened around 1000 chests but these are between 7 different characters so I have a few with Treasure Hunter (1) and one with (2). In principle I always like to take the appropriate keys when I am PvE-ing in any 'high end' area. The point is that I am feeding one character who ID's all the golds (now on about 400). I have done a small amount of chest-running in FOW and other places, but this hasn't made a major impact on the stats.

I am not saying anyone should give me a title *now* for what I have done - my point was twofold - 6 million Platinum for a title is a little much, and 10,000 chests all with the same character is a several years' worth of work. I suggested either bringing down the maxed level (say to 5,000) or making it an account level title (I think that 10,000 chests even over multiple characters is an achievement greater than GMC or Protector). These are just ideas.

I have a character where I decided to go for Legendary Survivor, Skill Hunter, Grandmaster Cartographers and Treasure Hunter simultaneously. I like clearing out areas and can't resist a chest when I see one. The problem I found was that, after buying a cap sig and five high end keys, a run was costing me 4 Platinum, and after capping 20-30 skills I gave up on taking the keys as my funds were drying up - leaving me with the choice of farming (grind) or many hours of tedious sitting in LA district 1 trying to make decent money out of the golds (TBH most were used or merched). Now I have capped about another 150 skills with that character and probably walked on by around 500 chests in the process. I'd have loved to open them, but just didn't have the 300 Platinum needed for keys (esp at the same time as buying Cap Sigs). I prefer to spend my time playing the game, not farming or selling.... point is that if I did the farming and selling necessary to finance Treasure Hunter, I would then not have the time to open the chests (unless we are talking specific chest runs, and doing Witman's Folly 2000 times to get a title isn't fun).

The point I was making about this title was that someone who was serious about getting it would find it one hell of a lot easier if they didn't have to worry about the money.

Will this make Gates of Madness easier too? I hope it will.

Hmmm I think I see where the "broken promises and time frames" come from.


Great news...I will be looking forward to it within the next 30ish DAYS.

Hahaha, paragon in DOA....a decoration may be! I have a Holy Lightbringer Paragon (lvl8 lb, max at the moment, who knows how long?) The ONLY way I can get into DOA is with a guild party. Hell, my paragon is SO useless that I can have him sit around and do nothing while the rest of the H&H party kill lvl20 & 24 Jade Brotherhood and boss ppl. Truly a wasted character with very little direction to go in on his own. Yes, yes, 5 paragons are a problem...you go find them, fewer ppl are playing em now....I feel so alone sometimes...

Anyway, one would think that since DOA is a nightfall elite mission, at least the nightfall characters would have an advantage in there....? One would think. Guess it's back to the SF/GG and ranger and monk builds. Hopefully, DOA will be redressed somehow...I really don't want to not have to play my Paragon.

Why can't hard mode be for pre searing? I guess i could see it messing up the LDoA title, but it would also have more people going through pre searing. + IMO death lvling is a stupid way to get lvls. Its like 1000 hours= 1 lvl. The LDoA is more of an AFK title than u being legendary. Insted of saying " i killed a whole lotta lvl 14+ charr that where ganna blow this place" it says " i died a lot, and was afk a lot too".

Also if Hard mode was in pre searing u could actually get ALL the titles. As of now u can not get both LDoA and Legendary survivor.

Hard mode otherwise (to me) sounds great, and I can hardly wate for its release. TY for the good game and good updates.

anyone opened a chest recently i saw a message but i didn't click on it, it said something about key code

heh cant w8

Yes, does sound very interesting and cool indeed! Only thing is, it's a little overdue by now,...

I realise they planned to implement it soon after the release of NF. NF is out for several months by now! I am usually one of the more patient players, but by now, i really can't wait anylonger

Not only because of what's going to be new, but also because of the unfinished work from NF e.g. the two titles.

Hard Mode comes soon availble, ok but do you have to, already... done the missions in masters (NF and F) and including bonusses (Proph) before you can play on hard mode?????

I was just thinking, possible hard mode will make all areas of almost equal monster difficulty, i.e. someone did mention charr and flame djinn.

Well of course flame djinn would have a better skillbar, and it would be in par with the new charr in hard mode, so it balances out, if you get what i mean.

more strategy, less 2 skill spamming

I dunno if the question has been asked already.

Will we loose our protectors titles? And then will the guardians titles give us more points toward KOABD?

1. No, won't lose protector titles and they will still count towards KoaBD.

2. Probably.

Hmph.

A-Net can go screw themselves for this.

Why the heck bother with a Hard Mode?
Some parts of the game are tough enough already.... without locking away yet MORE valuable items in the realms where only those with exceptional teams can get to.

I play games to be entertained... and entertainment shouldn't depend wholly on capability. What the hell good is it to me if half the game is locked away in area that only specially formed teams of elitist bastards can reach? How is that supposed to be entertaining for anyone but the elitist bastards? Frustrating is what it is.


I say scrap the whole "Hard Mode" notion and put access to the upper titles in the areas of the game that are already hard enough.


This whole idea is ridiculous...
... as are those weirdos who seem to find it entertaining to have their arses handed to them. A challenge isn't a good thing; it is a frustrating and annoying thing.

I think it's a brilliant idea for players who want a more challenging expirience in guildwars. fair enough that elite missions can only be completed by the best of teams, so how about making them a little more complete-able in normal mode and maybe keep it the same in hard mode or a little more difficult. I love the idea of a hard mode and encourage A Net to get it up and running.

Excuse my previous rant.

... But I wish A-Net could cater to content without automatically making it tougher.

that is called an opinion, one that lots of gamers dont agree with. I Know i cant have much fun it its not a challange. but thats diffrent for you.

but bashing people casue they want something harder is nonsense, you still have your nomral mode and dont have to join in.

I could likewise say why should we suffer for peopel that want things being easy? easy= boring for some people

Agreed.

Can't wait to get my ass royally handed to me on THK.

I also agree for people who want a harder gaming expirience and a more challenging game go for hard mode. for people who are happy with just level 6 charr in ascalon stay in normal mode, its as simple as that. Although the one thing i don't agree on is the maxed sunspear and lightbringer titles only being available to hard mode. people in normal mode stil want those titles too... but i guess one could argue that you have to work hard for those titles.

Ok. I'm sorry I worded it so crudely.
I didn't mean to be offended and I shouldn't have been...


But I should point out that the option to make the game more difficult for one's self is always available.... If it isn't enough to go through an area with a team of 8.... then they can go through it with a team of 6 .... or 4 ..... or try a different build.

It isn't difficult to make things more difficult for yourself.
Making things easier on the other hand is severely limited.

I wish people would see that.
If they want a challenge then they have every oppurtunity to impose it on themselves.... without effectively imposing it on everyone else.


[And I usually get the "If you don't like it, don't play it" response about here.... to which I respond "but I paid the same money as the elitist, put in the same amount of effort, and got less for it".]


Ironically though, those titles make the game easier the higher the level they are... Hence those who want an easier game need the upper levels of the titles more than those who want the game to be challenging.

Torqual. for one. i dont think you get what elitist means (its thinking you are better then everyone and making fun of those less skilled), becase you make it sound like wanting a challange is a bad thing.

going with smaller teams doesnt make it any harder and in the end its still the same game and the enemies are the same.

I paid for my game and I should get my moneys worth, would you rather they not update things? adn yea, you dont put in the same effort, cause harder areas take more effort, if you arnt willing to use hard mode, thats your problem. thats like not playing pvp in this game you miss out on half the game.

and like you pointed out, its true that you dont have to play, cause the addition of hard mode has noeffect on you at all. NONE AT ALL.

I have played throught this game many times and its now easy for me, its nice that anet is adding this so I have more to look forward too. yet you are unhappy because you dont like harder things.

I really find this funny, hard mode is an optional thing you dont have to paly, but you rather them not add it and suggest other players make the gmae harder for themselfs.

your making it sound like all that matters is what you want, all the while the way its being added effects you in no way.

Sounds like a great update! I like that this is an option and not something imposed on us.

This is going to be the update of the year, and I bet it comes either at the end of this week or middle of next.

I'm really looking forward to all of this as I have already stated. New farming spots, new items, new ways of playing...*sigh* it's excellent.

Wait...we should get a few new creatures...we should get the Presear Lv. 30 Bunny and Presear Lv. 30 Moss Spiders for all those in Hard Mode!!!

Honestly I'd rather see more new content than just making the old stuff harder. We'll see how ANet does this though. It could be fun.