a few questions from a noob

Ok

I have played a number of single player RPGs and now I am trying out online rpgs and i have a few questions.

How easy is it to find good equipment? Do I have to trade or can I get the best stuff by exploring and using salvage kits ect...?

Do you need really good equipment to survive in the game?

Is the game, PvE that is, still a challenge at high levels and with the best equipment?

How much of a role does exploration play in the game?

How friendly/welcoming of noobs is the community?

(1.)Fairly easy (2.) You can do both (3.) You need max armour to survive @ the end but it is not manditory to get it until later levels (4.) Yes, very much so the original it takes quite a while to get to lvl 20 and it takes though many missions to get there, but in Factions and Nightfall it is quite easy to get to lvl 20 so many of the mission are aimed @ lvl 20 players (5.) It's a pretty big part, you can go thought the main story line w/out uncovering much map and still have a great time, but then you miss out on the fun trying to get titles and takeing on new quest and such that are only accesable if you explore the map (6.) In PvE in general there is not alot of disrimination, but you do get that odd-ball that will call you noob and stuff, but it's pretty nice, but once you get into PvP it gets a whole lot tougher for a new player to play in organized PvP that it why they have random arena and such so all around its pretty nice.

Hoped this helped.

1 - Equipment drops are pretty common, but max stat weapons I typically have to trade collector items, such as Celestial Essences and Soul Stones. Barring that, some weaponcrafters will make them for 5,000 gold a piece. Salvage kits will help you get certain modifications that make a good weapon a great weapon.

2 - Absolutely, but by good equipment I mean max equipment. Depending on the campaign you play in, you may be able to get access to it pretty quickly. Depending on what class you're playing, your max base armor will be between 60-80.

3 - Most definitely. Guild Wars is about how you play your character more than what you have or don't have. Those eight skills on your bar are all you have access to in an explorable area or mission.

4 - Exploration is pretty much up to you. Going around and doing the various quests in-game will have you explore a lot of area. Exploring every nook and cranny is required only if you're out to capture every elite skill there or if you're going for a cartographer title.

5 - The community in general can go either way in my experience. If you say up front that you're new to this and just learning the game, you'll probably get a lot of leeway. Otherwise people tend to assume you know what you're doing. Ask around for help, especially in the beginner areas, and I'm certain that there will be a few people who will help you for free.

Feel free to PM me or IM me using the link below my avatar if you have any other questions.

Welcome to GW!

The idea of GW is that it does not take long to get your character into the position of being maxed out, with good equipment. You can then have fun on a more level playing field for the game, rather than spending weeks grinding to progress.

Here is a link to the wiki http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Main_Page which will give you all the information you would want on characters, weapons, armor and skills. It also has a beginner area for each chapter/campaign.

GW is not about uber armor or weapons. Your max level is 20 which you reach fairly easily; then the game begins with your skill selection and usage.

Once you get max armor and weapons (again fairly early in the game), the only reason to change is for vanity.

PvP characters have max armor and weapons upon creation.

Thanks for the info. but I wont be playing until the 21st since I have exams. In my experience when I play a new RPG it pretty much becomes my life.