PC Gamer May 2007 Information - "Guild Wars Reborn"

Thank U For Spending Your Time Typing All That

I was wandering Will A-Net Add Centaurs or Tengu to the playable Races to GW2? I can understand why if they do disagree with the Centaur's but Tengu? Dwarves I no why they do not want people playing them.

Nice research! xD But then again, it doesn't take much research to find that out. Sure, people asked for different kinds of races, but why not just bring in different types of people. For example (using GW1), making Elonian, Canthan, and Tryrian chars have different abilities, instead of makign different characters like orcs, fairies, and what not. It is indeed an appeal to fight as a human in GW and it is much easier to integrate yourself into the fantasy world, if one can relate to it to a certain extent. Why don't we just bring in the characters from Vegitales straight away and get the whole fantasy race thing over with.

It is what I have been falling back on each time, that GW and ultimately Anet are selling out, not to the "squeeky wheels" here in the forum, but what is otherwise on the market. The originality streak that Anet had with GW1 seems to be coming to an end. And no, I'm not screaming apocalypse here. I'm just saying, that GW2 is no longer "GW"... it's something else. Why is everyone so keen on races anyway? So some "race" is better at casting and others better at melee... erm... kind of reminds me oooof: Ele is a better caster and warrior makes a better melee... hmm... Each class has it's disadvantage and advantage. Try pulling off a caster warrior... it could... work... sort of... not really... many have tried and failed miserably. If you are looking for the different advantages and disadvantages in playing a certain class, it's in GW already, why do you need another race for it? So that you can play a cartoony pc-game version of some Disney alien? Now I'll boldly ask, how old are you? Do "mommy" and "daddy" still hold your hand and take you to the movie theatre to watch Disney movies? As I've said, as Kadavra said, GW1 has a delicate, beautiful balance between realistic (with our world) and fantasy. GW is a much more grown-up game, leaving the cartoonish to games such as WoW. Every game out there seems to reflect this incessant need to play with a cuddley, cute, trasformer teddy bear type character and GW offered this wonderfully refreshing game.

If everyone feels this need for races, so be it... but do they have to resemble kiddie movies and WoW/run-of-the-mill cartoonish games? The graphics/technology of the artwork is still great, but... it's a sellout to everything that has already been out there. As much as I love fantasy, I quite like remaining a human when I play, or at least resemble a human.

Maybe Anet are trying to cash in on the whole Harry Potter craze... does anybody see subtle similarities between the Asura and Dobby, from Harry Potter?

The Missions will be Instanced in GW2. Just as they are Instanced now in GW. This info has been covered already.

LOL! this is by far my favourite page of this whole thread...I never actually noticed the Asura was just like stitch! awwww thats so cuuuute..imagine all the kids that are going to see that on the back of GW2's box, I smell sales...kerching...oh..and someone who wants the name "Stitch" better reserve it quick, I have a feeling that will be a popular name in GW2. Well that and "Dobby" ;o what happened to the well known forum heros...undressypoo where are youuu?

(doesn't read pages 2-50)

Increasing the level cap is a silly idea for GW. A lot of WoW fanboys use it as a bashing point for GW (LOLZ DEH LEVELZ CAP IZ ONLYZ 20 LAWLZ) not only on the internet but with people I talk with on a day to day basis. Conforming to this is just silly for GW to do, it will cause a lot more stupidity than there already is; and a lot more "eliteness" too.

The problem I have with WoW, EQ, Knight Online, etc. is that it's sooo boring leveling up so I can do harder quests. Then most of the quests are "collect 5 rat tails" just so I can get 100 exp. Which is utter bull. With Guild Wars I actually have to think stratigically rather than just "well I can't do this quest, I should just level up some more". With WoW and the rest the only time you can do that is when you are max level, which takes forever to do.

There's an old saying, there are NO new ideas, just new ways to tell them.

I love the concept art for the Norns, (even though they are Viking / Storm Giants). The art on page 34 is especially... titillating.

I agree the Asuras look the most "out of place", but maybe they will change in design in 2 years. Also, I was struck more by the sentence ABOVE the race block: "ANet is keeping the total number of playable races under wraps for now..."

So, these are not the final number of races.

Personally, I think that the more variety the better. Sure, Silvari = Elves, just like Charr = Beastmen. It's not how they look that matters, but how they play.

And that is VERY far off....

Thank you! ^^ That was well said.

there's also a saying: creativity requires the courage to let go of certainties.

i agree with what you're saying, but, as i said before, from the descriptions on pg 30, same ideas, same story. they are not being told in a new way.

haha, indeed. indeed. a close friend of mine has nearly that exact same celtic shoulder tattoo. i'll have to tell him to get the bronze "chest gear" to go along with it. ROFL!

i dont think achivements should be carried over, gw 1 and gw 2 are different games, and therefore shouldn't affect each other at all! With the Monument thing its going to cause the same, or more elitism as before!!

Why does elitism even effect you, no1 is forcing you to see those people, turn ur chats off.

I am sure that we will take care of guild names in some way. As details are available, I'll be sure to share them. (Info may come in two waves, of course: Yes/no and then details later on how that will work.)

That's another good question. Since we had just one playable race in Guild Wars, and will have many playable races in Guild Wars 2, I feel pretty confident that the heritage that we bring over through the Hall of Monuments will be for our entire "family," and not merely the Human characters that we create. I will see if there are details about this at present.

Oh, I'm pretty sure that the PvP concept is pleasing to existing PvP players. In fact, I know it is. In addition to the increase in competitive options presented simply with the addition of multiple playable races, UAX has been a much-requested feature. I do believe that PvPers are going to love GW2!

Well, when you have a chance to read that 13-page article, and as more information becomes available, I think you'll better understand that the design and the "construction" of Guild Wars places a limitation on where we want to go with the gameplay, with the story, with players choices, and with the core design. Guild Wars is a very good game, and I know that I will continue playing it even after Guild Wars 2 is released. But Guild Wars 2 offers the opportunity broaden the horizons, to implement cool features, to... err... "boldly go where no Charr has gone before?"


Oh and guys, please don't base your opinions of the new races on a scant 30-word description in a single magazine article. I mean, I can give you 30 words on the United States, or 30 words on Hamlet, or 30 words on Bach or The Beatles, but would that really tell you much? You will learn much more as time passes, of course. I would like to ask that you hold off on "pigeonholing" the races, or making an assessment of what they resemble, or cast them as "just like [such-and-such]" because just as you saw with something as traditional as Humans, we have a lot of different ideas about what these new races will be like -- their personalities, culture, combat, and much more -- in our new world.

Will there be random arenas in GW2? I like GW because you can log in and get some pvp action very fast.

At first I was dissappointed, now, I think GW 2 will rock.

30 words on the beatles is still too much info.

So am I correct in assuming, (Drawing from another of Gaile's posts.) that we will be able to do other things than just kill?

To take a different look at ANet vs. New races
If we say, Elves vs. Sylvari "ANet just gave elves a new name, they'll be nowhere near original..."
Well, how many games out there have got a Ritualist? Or a Paragon? I think that ANet will do their best to seperate the new races from the masses ^.^
If that is not something they try to, I doubt we should have waited long to have seen a druid or a paladin
Just, pleeeeaaaaaseee ANet, don't screw it over ^^

ms. gray, maybe so, but hopefully you can understand where some of our frustration is stemming from: 'scant' is a good word for the descriptions provided in the magazine, but seeing as how that's all we have at the moment, it's pretty much all we can utilize to base our initial opinions about the new races. what i'm trying to say is that i think the GW2 announcement was premature and not fleshed out well enough - it's causing excitement for some and panic for others.

also, how else are guild wars fans supposed to react to a cover like this?

WOOHOO, AWESOME!

i look forward to the info and hopefully it will allay my fears. the only reason i follow this thread so closely and wait to hear word from you is because as a fan, i care about guild wars and want to see part 2 carry over some of the unique features of GW1 that made it so successful and loved by us all.

A suggestion:

As we have a little time between now and the release of GW2, and as their could be significant back story to the new races, etc., which might reveal pertinent details the community is hungry for, why not start something like the scribe on the official GW site providing chapters of that back story?

Many players are less involved in the narrative aspects of the game when it's first released simply because they would rather play the game. This could be a strategy by which Arenanet could build support for the new game, release provocative and important information to the player base and generally encourage buzz for the new product. Just an idea.

Sorry Gail i just have to point out how wrong you are.

ITS To Boldly go where no charr has gone before.


LMAO.


Anyways did you see where the presear bunny gave it away yet? hehe feel free to message me on that. remeber secrets are key here.

Now for most of the goobers here.

Yes the cover of PCGamer isnt exactly a good way to say it at all. Yes GW2 will be a clone(similar to) of WoW( which WoW is a clone of many others out there) with a flair of GW in it. Denial is a bugger for some of you out there. Will it be World of Guildcraft, i highly doubt it. Not caring about any of GW2 at the moment except for 2 things.
1. Yes i really want my chars to carry over 17 of 19 of them that is.
2. And i want in the beta


Now for the real problem at hand. The real biggest fear of most people and the 1 thing others dont seem to get yet. Yes theres a long time till GW2, who knows it may even get scrapped by then it happens.

Here it is.

What exactly type of support are we getting after GW:EoN.
Well so far we know there isnt gonna be any more campaigns or expansions.
We'll prolly get maybe 1 skill balances after GW:EoN.
Possible and hopefully some of the major probs will get fixed.
Is there anymore reason to even make suggestions to improve GW1? IS that gonna be part of the support we get left?\
We'll possibly and hopefully get holiday events till GW2. But it doesnt say that we will.

Now you see why some are saying GW1 is basically dead. We dont wanna see what usually happens when a supoprt team is usally left to take care of things.

Now i could go into a mass detail of things but no need i think ive summed it up fairly well.


BTW on my wanting my chars to transfer over - im serious on it. Reason is yes they are gods and can live forever young.

Thankyou very much for your quick reply, Gaile.

Before the WPE I would spend my free time reading the adventures of Devona, Cynn, Mhenlo and Aidan for clues of the game world.
I think that's a good idea. They're probably planning this before the release of GW:EN and additional lore before GW2 ships. I can hope.

can you honestly tell me, without a doubt, that the direction guild wars / guild wars 2 is going is the way the development team wants it to go, even without any influence from players? Can you tell me that it is not the people that threw fits and spammed your dev chats with their WoW-like requests that made the team completely change course?

Why are you bringing WoW into this again, this is the correct course Anet took (except for a few minor things) and I support 99% of GW2. The current GW model simply wouldn't last, it was time for the correct change.

So help me God I want in the beta.
Also, if through some divine miracle You could have a copy of the magazine thrown through my door at this instant, it would almost certainly make me a believer *checks to see if magazine has been thrown through my door...nope, still agnostic*

Anywho, I'm kinda leery at this point in time. I've played a free trial of WoW, and from the descriptions I've read in this thread (I skipped pages 2-82), it was really reminiscent to me of WoW. There's a reason that I deleted WoW from my computer before my free trial ended. Although it was addictive at first, I eventually felt like all I was doing was trying to level myself up quickly, so that I'd be able to get to all the cool stuff. The advantage to Guild Wars was that there was enough cool stuff up to level 20 to get you there, and then you were able to do all the cool stuff afterwards. I like the level cap.

Also, one of the things I dislike about MMOs is that I always come in late, so that there are all these people out there that are months (or even years, if we're talking about EVE) ahead of me, and I'll never be able to catch up. The great thing about GW is that it was about skill, not time spent playing. In a few days, someone who just started playing was equal in level to one who had been playing since the beginning (and that's only for PvE characters, PvP characters were equal levels right off). Depending on how levels are treated in GW2 will be important.

However, there's only so much that can be said about level caps, so lets move on. I understand the need for a GW2, because GW wasn't perfect (there, I said it). Rather than feeling like an MMO, it felt a lot like Diablo. Once you finish the storyline, you can make your characters look pretty, or you can play PvP (some may argue "you can make new characters too!" but you're playing the same story, which will get less exciting the second time around (moreso the third, fourth, etc.) So by making new characters, essentially all you're doing is aesthetic, ie making your characters look pretty) The game which best exemplifies how I feel MMO's should be is EVE. An essentially player-controlled world. One thing I used to think would be really cool for a GW campaign would have the world split up into factions (like Factions) but with a real-time, persistent war being fought. Outposts could be captured by different Factions, who would then have to defend that outpost from other factions taking it. Granted, this would be somewhat difficult with a storyline going on, but if its seperated from the story-line somewhat (maybe in some sort of "World Battle" ) I think it would be a great system.

Anyways, I understand the need for a new gaming system for GW, so GW2 makes perfect sense to me, but you gotta be careful what you borrow from games like WoW. GW was made to correct the mistakes in MMOs, which is why its classified as a CORPG.

actually i can.

those people pitched their fit and left did it over a year and a half ago when GW hadnt even hit the million mark and Anet did not give in.

they have the logs that show how, when, and how much of what people are playing.

their logs of millions of players playing habits back up the changes being made for GW2

just as some types of hardcore players left GW1 because they couldnt stand what you love about the game others (like you) will not touch GW2 because it is no longer the same game.

every major change will be loved by some and hated by others.

and they will have a much bigger pond to fish with all the wonderful things they have planned.

read the article as i did not just impressions of others and it might not seem as bad

I say no. I don't believe at all that gw2 will even be remotely similar to WoW. The art style will be different, the gameplay will be hugely different, the goal will be very different. The only thing that I see being similar is that it will be open gameplay with instance as a secondarie mode of play, and this is not something that WoW came up with, it's something that is part of majority of mmo's. To say it will be a clone or even similar to WoW is just retarded. WoW makes all it's money off of subscription fees, GW and GW2 will be free, and by that standard, a-net will make an entirely different game.

Hey, I got a question Gaile.

Remember the whole deal with Guild Wars Utopia? What was that about? A codename for Guild Wars: EN/2? Or were you lot trying something else?

* Just to note, if Gaile doesn't respond this MUST mean Utopia is in fact the name of a super mega chapter we're all getting for free next week that has more storage and dual wielding and no favor and hairdressers and leavers in RA get stabbed and everything and ZOMG its true isn't it.

Hi I'm new to Guru from gameamp, and I was readin this thread... I just wanna say after 8+ months of GW I still don't have 432 hrs across all my chars. I don't play all that much, and if I have to play 432 hrs. on one char to be competitive, I don't think I'll be buying GW2. Just my 0.02 cents

Mr. Hobo

It was a Working title

Hate the cover. Hate the sensationalism. Love the article. It's a common journalistic device -- heck, I used it myself back in my journalist days. (Well, maybe not quite this overtly, but still. ) Anyway, when I read the lead page, and when I saw the cover, my heart lurched, knowing that it was really going to cause a lot of alarm amongst the players. The article is great, as I've said, and it really does a terrific job of detailing a lot of information clearly and well, but I do wish that the lead, and the cover, reflected the presentation itself and were a bit less sensationally presented.

Yes, I can. (Loviatar makes some good points on this matter above.) Anyway, any other questions?

Dang, I almost want to not respond so we can entertain the rumour. However, as FireFox says, Utopia was the working title for a new Campaign, or at least that's how I remember it. It was long ago, and pretty hazy. It was just a name to call something until we had nailed down a title. Along comes the idea of an XP instead of a campaign, and then the idea of moving to Guild Wars 2, and Utopia fell by the wayside as a potential name. If that never ever even was a potential title candidate.

Here's my thoughts:

new game sounds interesting
I think it will release in 2008. I am quite certain Anet can't go 1 whole year without a revenue stream.

Speaking of revenue, I also don't think the highly complex server farm can be maintained forever (cost). Given that a lot of GW needs other peeps to be completed, it would also seem that once GW2 goes live GW will drop off fairly fast and be harder and harder for people to play. Between these two, I give GW about a year to stick around. Maybe it lurches along on some desktop servers hidden away in the closet for a bit after that.

aNet (or the GW division) is business division. It is a P&L (profit and loss), it has revenue and costs. Revenue has to be higher than costs or bad things happen (bankruptcy, people get fired, divisions get shut down, you go through cost-cutting, etc.). So 2008 must have some pragmatic release associated with it.

What I am bothered by is my investment in GW. 1 1/2 years seems like a short time to invest in a game. I suppose this is the way of it, but it still feels like a lot of wasted time. I am glad there is some carry over though.

I really want to say I am disappointed that we were lead to believe the inquirer article was wrong. It kind of makes me feel that everything is suspect now.

did you not read how that was posted. i said and ill say again.

Yes GW2 will be a clone(similar to) of WoW (which WoW is a clone of many others out there) with a flair of GW in it.

Being a clone does not make something an exact copy of it. hence i had the paranthesis in there. and the fact i had also said WoW was a clone of many others. BUt since WoW is the biggest name MMO out there thats why ppl use it almost exclusively.

Gaile, would you, at this time, be able to answer a simple cosmetic question or at least rouse it out of someone?

Pretty simple. If we can't carry the exact character over, which I'm begging to be ok with - are we going to be able to make a duplicate of said character?

Meaning this: "By Golly Neriandal Freit, you look just like your grandpa Neriandal Freit!" ?

Gaile Gray,

I have a question. Will there be more races playable in Guild Wars 2 Like Centaurs and Tengu for example? I can Understand why not elves and Dwarves because the were used so much in other MMORPG'S but Centaurs and Tengus were never used in any other MMORPG's I can think of? I am asking this because I talked with a couple of my friends/alliance and they really agree that Tengu and Centaurs did help out in the Guild Wars story line and they were Heros and Henchmen. And when I mean helped in the Guild Wars story I mean HELP.

[QUOTE]since you missed it completely they stated BETA would start in 2008 with release at least 2009.[BN

NCsoft can afford to pick up the bills as they have several revenue streams


Who is ArenaNet?

ArenaNet is a wholly owned subsidiary of NCsoft Corporation [/B]

The Lady isn't going to be able to answer your question. But, people are saying that in the article Gaile is telling us we all need to read entirely (rathering then here on the thread), that what we see and know now on the races is "some" of them.

I think a centaur sprite would have problems, since it's a radically different shape from a human or humanoid sprite. They're too big, I think, to be a playable race. Tengu, on the other hand, would be fine, but I hope that they only appear if there is content from Cantha.

yeah um this is random and i only read the first post (not gonna read 1.6k+ posts) so this may have been answered but is stuff like fame gonna be transferable to gw 2

Personally I'm very excited about GW:EN and GW2, lots of cool features.

I believe ANET is doing the right thing, though with every new Campaign there was something a little different, new features added into the game, the fact of the matter is, it was the same thing non the less. We progress through missions, acquiring exp, skills, armor, weapons, for the final assault against some overlord boss. Guild Wars needs a reinvent, it needs some new spice.

I could care less about what the haters think. Everyone has a brain, you can use it as you please, you can distort information as you please, but the thing is change is good. If GW2 was just like GW1 just with better graphics, then what would be the point in buying it. It needed to be reinvented, I'm surprised its so soon, but also excited for the future.

Characters carry over, laugh. One its in a totally different time period, no matter how godlike your SF Ele with FoW armor and 1,000,000 plat is, I don't think they could survive that long. Fresh starts are always fun, for me at least. Two, too much carry over would destroy GW2 and put new players that didn't play GW1 more at a disadvantage character / level wise.

Level Cap. So there may or maybe not be a level cap. GrindWars say you. I say bring on the Grind! Anet founded GW on the concept of not having to level grind or farm (though many people farm, a lot). The level system might be something totally different but we don't know whats up. You, yourself make the game a grind. People today farm, is that not Grind, that was not Anet's plan, but you don't complain about that. Oh but then they even hint that something might make you 'have' to grind then its a hex on you. I'm sure If you spend as much time in GW2 as you did in GW1 you will get to that level of which you seek.

GW:EN, no new characters, while I desired a gun class of some sort, (maybe in GW2) I'm happy that they didn't. I want to be able to focus on my current characters and make them better and not be enticed to play some different class and pretty much trash all my other guys, expect my monk, for this char. I'm sure its going to be a stunning expansion that will be well worth the money spend. And they even said it would cost less than a normal Standalone Campaign. $30 maybe?

No Support after GW:EN. They even said there would be support long after GW:EN and GW2 is released. GW2 again comes out 2 years from now, so you'll have 2 years to play GW:EN, and the other 3 campaigns, then after you will have all the time you want. And though it is a 2 year wait, GW2 beta is expected to launch sometime 2008.

Heres how I see it in the end. Guild Wars is a game, it costs $50. Console games usually cost around that much. They last a good 20 hours. Final Fantasy a lot more usually. /age, how long have you been in GW. Hope you had fun, I was there since the near beginning (1-2 months after game released). Did you have fun on those $50 console games that lasted a fraction of the time and usually aren't multiplayer. If you used GW for self gratification, to make your self feel better, feel like you've accomplished something in life then I hope you had fun doing it. I personally used it as something to do, as games are indented to be fun, not a chore. Games don't last forever, if you want some longer lasting accomplishments then win the Nobel Peace Prize.

In closing, have fun while you can I always say. Not everything will go on forever, but you've must have realized that the day you bought Guild Wars. That one day, the story would dwindle to nothingness as a new Chapter in the history of MMORPGS opens that will truly stun and amaze us in its majestic glory that is Guild Wars 2.

It hasn't been answered, actually. The question hasn't even been asked, or the issue addressed. That's pretty concerning, since people people cherish their fame the same way people cherish their armors and titles. If you weren't allowed your fame...how's that fair for the PvP crowd?

Because everyone will be on a level playing field? How is that unfair?

I don't think you've seen the end of the "playable race" discussion. Can't say for sure about numbers and such, but I can assure you the phrase "some of the playable races" appears in the article.