Are we losing sight of the Big Picture?

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

When we started to Play Guild Wars Prophesies we all felt the threat of the Charr invading our land and we didn't forget the history of the Guild Wars (The actual Wars, not the game.) We felt for Ascalon and our homes, and we knew we were apart of a bigger nation and we fought.

http://www.guildwars.com/gallery/video/
(At the bottom, just scroll down for Guild Wars Cinematic Trailer)

But as the other chapters have been coming out it seems as if its just another game, with less and less lore each time and were just playing a game and we don't seem to have the same feeling as we had in Ascalon. I hope that GWEN will do a good job in this area and not just feel like the same old game. Perhaps a nice CG trailer to start things off.

Sujoy

Sujoy

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2006

In Livia's Cleavage (.)ME(.)

The Early Monk Heals The Worm [EMHW]

Mo/

your world seems to be limited only to Ascalon, step out of character and enter the role of an Elonian person, and BOOM! You feel the threat of the invading Kournans?

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

I wouldn't say that, as much as i try to care about Elona...i don't, oh lookie big ol abaddons coming! But i don't even care about those people. Its just antoher land with people with a big bad evil coming after em.
'

Mesmerman

Mesmerman

Academy Page

Join Date: Mar 2007

[Penis]

Me/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by GWaddict
When we started to Play Guild Wars Prophesies we all felt the threat of the Charr invading our land and we didn't forget the history of the Guild Wars (The actual Wars, not the game.) We felt for Ascalon and our homes, and we new we were apart of a bigger nation and we fought.

http://www.guildwars.com/gallery/video/
(At the bottom, just scroll down for Guild Wars Cinematic Trailer)

But as the other chapters have been coming out it seems as if its just another game, with less and less lore each time and were just playing a game and we don't seem to have the same feeling as we had in Ascalon. I hope that GWEN will do a good job in this area and not just feel like the same old game. Perhaps a nice CG trailer to start things off.
Racist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chuba

Chuba

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Finland

New Dragons [NDR]

There is lore there, just hidden in all them monuments, quest descriptions, game manuals etc. Some of the Nightfall lore especially even reflects on some of the events that took place a few years earlier in Tyria (why the Charr invaded Ascalon for example).

MirageMaster

MirageMaster

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2007

EU

Anet needs to work more on lore thing,they droped it shortly after beta,too bad, i was enjoying it.

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mesmerman
Racist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Umm.....what?

Alleji

Alleji

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by GWaddict
Umm.....what?
Obviously you don't care about Elonians just because they're black.

Free Runner

Free Runner

Forge Runner

Join Date: Oct 2005

GW2G

Knights Of The Sacred Light [KSL]

No lore?


Nightfall gave us the reason Tyria had been in turmoil. It gave us the reason why we had to fight the Charr. It gave us the answers liek where did Shiro go? or who was the fortune teller. If you read between the lines you can find alot of decent stuff.

But i also hope EotN gives the answers to the last few questions we have. And i hope they dont use the Asura to do all this. I can really see Anet using the Asura as a stand in for the Mursaat.

MMSDome

MMSDome

Raged Out

Join Date: Sep 2005

if you are a Tyrian character you are amost like an American. We go out and we save other countries from their problems because it is the right thing to do. It is good that you love your homeland but to save Ascalon(your homeland) from invasion you must also destroy evils in other countries to secure your countries safety. If Abbadon would have taken over Elona he wouldve spread into Cantha and Elona, just like modern terrorists and enemies of today. We go out to war and fight in foreign lands to secure our own safety. Look at the bigger picture.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alleji
Obviously you don't care about Elonians just because they're black.
Please tell me you are kidding, that is one of the most bone headed things ive read on this forum if you are serious.

EPO Bot

EPO Bot

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2006

Mo/N

Exept that America isn't burned to a crisp....yet. But let's not discuss that here!

lyra_song

lyra_song

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Oct 2005

R/Mo

Ascalons got called to Elona because the Sunspears needed help, go ask Mhenlo. Same for the Canthans...look at why the Zaishen elite are there.

Ascalons got to Cantha cause Togo sent a letter to Mhenlo. IIRC Elonians go to Cantha based on a suggestion to explore other countries...and then you get sucked into the whole thing.


Canthans and Elonians go to Ascalon for another reason too (sorry wasnt paying attention).

Anyway....the lore is there. You just shouldnt skip over it .-.

Sujoy

Sujoy

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Sep 2006

In Livia's Cleavage (.)ME(.)

The Early Monk Heals The Worm [EMHW]

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alleji
Obviously you don't care about Elonians just because they're black.
its possible, especially if he's from the South of the US.

----------------------------------------------------

on topic :

Nightfall is the most lore-tastic chapter of all

Zinger314

Zinger314

Debbie Downer

Join Date: May 2006

N/Me

If you want lore, go play WoW or EQ. There isn't much continuity in GW lore...I still laugh when I read the instruction manuals.

Skuld

Skuld

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr]

A/

That isn't healthy Zinger.

Kha

Kha

Sins FTW!

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Angel Sharks [AS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zinger314
If you want lore, go play WoW or EQ.
I hope you're joking.

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

I'd agree with you but I'm not a big fan of Factions or NF so my view is slightly biased.

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alleji
Obviously you don't care about Elonians just because they're black.
No that is not it. Try not to be so stupid. Your not funny.

Matsumi

Matsumi

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Another reminiscing thread eh? "Remember when we found that first black dye together?" *weeping noises* Yea, it was somewhat fun, but time to move on. It also helps if you start a character in those new continents or whatever too. Gives it more immersion quality when starting a new chapter, instead of dragging all the Tyrian characters through like a pack of donkeys. That is really the only part that seemed like a drag to me, so I started deleting some of them and starting new ones in different chapters. To each his/her own though, that's just the way I've found it to be more entertaining.

Kha

Kha

Sins FTW!

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Angel Sharks [AS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GWaddict
When we started to Play Guild Wars Prophesies we all felt the threat of the Charr invading our land and we didn't forget the history of the Guild Wars....

But as the other chapters have been coming out it seems as if its just another game, with less and less lore each time.
Funny. When I first started playing Guild Wars, Ascalon didn't exist. You started in Lion's Arch. I became attached to Lion's Arch, and then they changed things around and we weren't from Kryta anymore. Even still, I started to get involved in the Ascalon lore, and the lore of the other places too.

It's not that there's less and less lore each time; in fact, there's debateably more and more as the world grew and things were developed further. If anything, people just became stubborn and didn't want to learn a bunch of other stuff. They were so focused on their own little world of Ascalon that they didn't care about foreign places. Also add that to the obsession many have with the Charr, and it's no wonder why some people just don't care as much for Cantha or Elonia as they do for Tyra, and in particular Ascalon.

The problem is that a majority of the people are from Prophechies, or were introduced to GW with Prophecies, so there was no choice where they were from. Unlike a lot of other online games, you HAVE to be from where ANet told us. The story is so focused on one place, that it's hard to really find the same attachment in other locations.

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Matsumi
Another reminiscing thread eh? "Remember when we found that first black dye together?" *weeping noises* Yea, it was somewhat fun, but time to move on. It also helps if you start a character in those new continents or whatever too. Gives it more immersion quality when starting a new chapter, instead of dragging all the Tyrian characters through like a pack of donkeys. That is really the only part that seemed like a drag to me, so I started deleting some of them and starting new ones in different chapters. To each his/her own though, that's just the way I've found it to be more entertaining.
I have at least two characters from each of the new campaigns. Still doesn't really do much.

Dj Tano

Dj Tano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Quote:
I still laugh when I read the instruction manuals.
Thats so true! :P

Anyways, i think the lore is lost because people are not interested in reading 10.000.000 lines.

I want to point out at a great rpg that has all the lore without a single line to read (well maybe subtitles) - Grand Theft Auto 3-5

I also think that the thread writer is right.

Too many new conflicts have been introduced, and you loose the connection to the lore, because there are so many.

It would be better if they concentrated on fewer conflicts, and instead made them more depth.

Ps: "Remember when we found that first black dye together?" - Great times; when you first uncovered the world of guild wars, when you never wanted to leave pre searing, when you didnt know about weapon req. or suck ass farming...

*adding*

Just finished watching the videos... man the nostalgy just stabbed my heart!

Ps: could it be that the story was focused on devona at the beginning?

Commander Ryker

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jun 2005

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dj Tano
Thats so true! :P

Anyways, i think the lore is lost because people are not interested in reading 10.000.000 lines.
Most of the people in this game are students who feel that once they leave school for the day, the reading is over. They wouldn't read it even if it was one line. They are impatient to get to the next thing and reading and watching cut scenes are taking time away from that. They want to gogogogo, not sit around and read or let someone who is interested in the lore to watch the cut scenes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dj Tano
I want to point out at a great rpg that has all the lore without a single line to read (well maybe subtitles) - Grand Theft Auto 3-5
That's because in GTA it's all vocal and so it's like watching tv, but you provide the action.

Dj Tano

Dj Tano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Quote:
That's because in GTA it's all vocal and so it's like watching tv, but you provide the action.
And thats just what guild wars needs.

Short
cutscenes wich look nice, are cool, and even funny.

Then you get onto the action!

The cutscenes we have now are mostly just somebody reading a text whilst chars look around.

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dj Tano
And thats just what guild wars needs.

Short
cutscenes wich look nice, are cool, and even funny.

Then you get onto the action!

The cutscenes we have now are mostly just somebody reading a text whilst chars look around.
Ya your right, most of the cut scene in NF are simply downright boring. It mostly just a few chars talking..and talking. Im not saying its a bad thing, i dont mind it, but they could add a little more flare (like the Proph CG )

lucifer_uk

lucifer_uk

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2006

Nottingham, England

The Venerable Truth [TvT] The Venerable Alliance [TvH] [TvL]

R/

Except from when you have that 1 enemy left over killing your team and that one afk person holds everything up.

Dj Tano

Dj Tano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Cutscenes should be an enjoyable experience where you get to meet the chars and get info at the same time.

Just think of the flair of a playboy mhenlo with those canthan twins and cynn getting pissed off about it, but not in text, but the whole thing as a scene, with him actually flirting and stuff...

But i supposed that would take quite some time to animate...

Kha

Kha

Sins FTW!

Join Date: Mar 2005

USA

Angel Sharks [AS]

Quote:
Originally Posted by GWaddict
Ya your right, most of the cut scene in NF are simply downright boring. It mostly just a few chars talking..and talking. Im not saying its a bad thing, i dont mind it, but they could add a little more flare (like the Proph CG )
Really? The NF cutscenes have a lot more humor and flare to them than the other two. I found it a nice change of pace, especially from Faction's overdramaticness. Proph had a lot of boring drawn out stuff imho, especially Rurik's annoyingness. Give me Zhed in a cutscene over Rurik any day.

lucifer_uk

lucifer_uk

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2006

Nottingham, England

The Venerable Truth [TvT] The Venerable Alliance [TvH] [TvL]

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dj Tano
Just think of the flair of a playboy mhenlo with those canthan twins and cynn getting pissed off about it, but not in text, but the whole thing as a scene, with him actually flirting and stuff...

But i supposed that would take quite some time to animate...
/LOLSIGNED for more scenes like this in GW:EN.

Neo Nugget

Neo Nugget

Site Contributor

Join Date: Jan 2006

R/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alleji
Obviously you don't care about Elonians just because they're black.
.....what?

Skuld

Skuld

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr]

A/

hahahhaha Alleji <3

MirageMaster

MirageMaster

Banned

Join Date: Mar 2007

EU

To those ppl not intrested in reading 10000 lines,... FU.
I like lore.And i dont even care about elonians.

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Quote:
Originally Posted by MirageMaster
To those ppl not intrested in reading 10000 lines,... FU.
I like lore.And i dont even care about elonians.
Honestly, I don't think we were really supposed to "care" in the sense that we are concerned for their well-being. The Tyrians were the down-trodden, beaten down by an enemy that was just better than them, and they were forced to leave their homeland. You felt for your character because they no longer had a homeland, it was "seared" and all but destroyed. In Tyria, we tend to feel the need to help others because we have nowhere else to go. We pursue our destinies, or the "Prophecies", rather.

The Elonians, or more specifically, the Istanis still have their homeland, virtually untouched. The big threat is coming from far away, and you're meeting it head on, already prepared to destroy it like it was your bitch. Along the way, you get to be the "cool outlaws", the "black sheep" in a smug community, and working alongside an old "super villain" like he was your best bud. You're almost the bad guy throughout the entire continent of Elona, only to encounter the root of all evil. There's never a moment where you need to feel bad for anyone, cause you pretty much are bad, kinda. We are the vigilantes in Elona.

Cantha? Well, it was somewhere in the middle. Something threatened their homeland, and we play the doctors, in a sense. We're sent out to heal the land and get to the bottom of the "infection". It becomes more or less our job to defeat evil, whereas the others it's our choice, lore-wise.

Zorglubb

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2007

The best game of all times was nearly a book: Planescape Torment.
Every other RPG after that one felt like canned stories and cliches.

samurai wasabi

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

always winners

A/Mo

wel about the lore of guildwars some of you were richt there isnt much lore about it but mabye there wil be more lore in guildwars 2 becuase there you have more races and mabye i hope the wil fight for ground sand then a story developes itself

Skyy High

Skyy High

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2006

R/

Seems like the OP is losing sight of the big picture. He's focusing on Ascalon, whilst the lore of Elona is connecting ALL 3 chapters and explaining how the events connected.

No it's not all laid out on a silver platter like in Prophecies; you need to do side exploring and questing in order to discover bits of the lore. But honestly, the way Prophecies did it felt forced; the entire story was given to you by the main quests and missions, so there was no "discovery" in it. It was like being read a book. I guess some people like such things, but if I'm playing a game, I want to find the book myself and then read it myself.

Or take a trip to the lore forums. They're always better at digging up interesting tidbits than a single player alone could be.

MrTumnus

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jan 2006

Mo/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by lyra_song
Ascalons got to Cantha cause Togo sent a letter to Mhenlo.
Did the events of Factions and Prophecies both happen at the same time? If so, it would mean that the Heroes of Ascalon (Mhenlo, Whino, Devona, Eve, and Aidan) were both in Tyria and Cantha at the same time.

Or did they happen right after another; ie: They left for Cantha conveniently right after they (along with us) defeated the Lich King?

Pwny Ride

Pwny Ride

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2006

Aussieland

Prime Players Of [OSHA] ~ [dth] alliance. <3

Me/E

I feel dissapointed because nearly every single aspect of the games have been to do with 'saving the world'.

What about having less continent focused aspects of the game. I mean for example quests and main storyline missions that involve villages (i.e. simple fun things like say finding a lost kid, going to the center of a forest to gather herbs for the local healer, defending the village from packs of wolves). Simple, Fun, Entertaining.

REAL exploration (actually being able to stop and smell the flowers, or instead ADD flowers to be able to smell if you catch my drift).

Making it a more relaxing game.
It was awesome, visiting Ashford, doing quests and enjoying. From there on for me some of Guild Wars got rather morbid. The Searing was the biggest mistake in Guild Wars

So i think a-net needs to focus on the smaller side of things, to help people appreciate the game thats been made, OR you can just play the game 4 times over, we all know GW:EN will be another cliche (until i'm convinced it'll bring something new to the game).

GWaddict

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Siege Turtles

Me/R

Ya, not it just seems like the whole chapter goes through by you doing a mission, do one quest, do a mission. I don't have much time to do long missions usually so i just like to sit back and do a quick quest. Its getting annoying just mission after mission.

Skyy High

Skyy High

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2006

R/

I don't know about you, but the majority of the side quests I've done have had nothing to do with the "main" storyline. There are lots of "help me do xx" and such kinds of quests that let you help the little guys in the chapters. My favorite is probably (for nostalgia of course) the one where you defend Beetletun from the invasion of undead...all the villagers screaming "Run for you life! Save us!" etc, very fun. =D