May 24th Update has arrived

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Brilliant gameplay against solid game design, or a bug or exploitable bit of code that needed fixing? You figure it out.
I suppose the fact that those same enemies drop nothing to a lvl 20 character, and it was only AFTER the introduction of Hard Mode and the global level increase (George Lucas's ham fists keep coming to mind) that the problem occurred is irrelevant? Right, solid game design.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Edit: We are not against farming. We've lifted the blooming anti-farming code! We're against leaving in place an error that resulted in those capitalizing upon it gaining undeserved income, putting a hit on those who did not know of the "something" or chose not to use it.
For all we as players know, ANet simply removed the warning message and left the code in place. Based upon my solo farming in Hard Mode experiences so far, its a mixed bag that seems to side with some form of anti-farm. The first week of Hard Mode seemed to have a good increase in items, and its dropped off sharply since then. As I posted in another thread, I can do 20 runs or more of certain bosses, and get no drops five times in a row, a small amount of gold, a non-max blue item, or other garbage. Solo.

Lastly please don't put out a "hit" on innocent players, because it seems that's the general trend, to alienate the casual player to keep the hardcore interested, such as those willing to grind for titles and such. Also, please remember, the "error" or "exploit" or "cheese" (take your pick) didn't exist until ANet implemented a global difficulty increase without first looking into areas like Urgoz to see what possible effects it might have had. Slam slam slam go the ham fists...

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

Thank you very much for fixing the Urgoz disaster. People are arguing semantics, but in the end, it was a brainless way to slaughter enemies. That is exactly what GW is NOT about.

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

Not to mention that for 2 yrs you guys vehemtly denied that an anti-farm code even existed.

Jetdoc

Jetdoc

Hell's Protector

Join Date: Jul 2005

The Eyes of Texas [BEVO]

D/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by VitisVinifera
The way it was intended to work was to prevent 55's, and as such, it worked precisely as intended, like those chained soul guys in TOPK. Simple as that.
..but the "chained soul guys" in ToPK do not drop anything.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetdoc
..but the "chained soul guys" in ToPK do not drop anything.
They're also not infested terrans that insta-gib you if they touch you.

[edit]I guess introducing various AI enemies into certain popular farming areas to counter specific builds that were efficient at what they did isn't considered against farming, according to some of the logic in this thread.

For the last time (yeah, right) why not simply have the unpaid interns responsbile for wrecking the game at every turn instead just monitor and ban proven bot accounts? Such as the ones that are offering to sell gold in all chat that MUST be screencapped several times a day and sent to tech support...? Or the ones that are still mass farming certain mission areas in droves?

I guess, me being a silly and naive and, according to Gaile, "delusional" player means I must be completely unqualified to voice anything resembling an honest opinion, or gasp, venture forth a fact! Heaven forbid!

Perhaps ANet is just full of George Lucas clones? Now THAT's a scary thought lol.

Feminist Terrorist

Feminist Terrorist

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

Oh Noes! The 'burbs!

Yo, Anet, my ele's face is still effed up. When will that get fixed? :/

VitisVinifera

VitisVinifera

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Northern California

HoTR

N/Me

my point about the TOPK guys is neither that they insta-gib you, nor that they don't drop loot. It's that they are a somewhat contrived afterthought put in to stop 55's (wait, didn't Gaile JUST say they weren't against farming?). They cheese 55's just as much as trappers were cheesing them. Anyways, the point is that they were functioning exactly how they were meant to, contrary to what Gaile claimed.

mazey vorstagg

mazey vorstagg

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Nodnol

Meeting of Lost Minds

E/Mo

woot!!! I love the new armor job

lucan hammercrest

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2006

W/Mo

And if you really want to fix the game Set it up that both PVE and PVP players get a chance to get the same skins... If you really wanted to get rid of the bots u would have already but i didn't see anyone from Anet checking out Ascalon international dist nor complaining about gold being sold there from websites its almost like its Anet is selling the gold to make more cash.... Listen u gave the PVP peeps Mursaat Hammers and Bows give us the Crystalline Sword drops in PVE.... Some people dont like pvp and the same can be said for pve but one group should not benefit more then the next... You say anet wants to be fair like I stated before look at the market and tell me whats fair

Living Parasite

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Oct 2006

Doesn't matter. The way the PvP 'Rewards' system works, you don't have to be worried about seeing PvP chars with rare skins.

fenix

fenix

Major-General Awesome

Join Date: Aug 2005

Aussie Trolling Crew HQ - Event Organiser and IRC Tiger

Ex Talionis [Law], Trinity of the Ascended [ToA] ????????????????&#

W/

Gaile:

A BIG <3 for the update, the armor changes are AMAZING, so I love you guys for that (my PvE chars are so much better off in PvP now, cheers)

BUT...the Reward Point system, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth thinking about the number of unlocks that I'll have to get in order to even LOOK at the good skins. I think it should be made an unlockable skin system, because even then, you'll still need the 50 of the previous skins, but if you delete them, you won't have to get them again, or worry about losing the Reward Points for nothing.

Levi Garett

Levi Garett

Old School Nub

Join Date: Jun 2005

ABQ, NM

Guildless

Mo/Me

I think there's enough enchantment removal to ensure there was never going to be solo farming in the elite missions.

You guys need to get a grip that was the worst farm ever. Like I said before it was Cheesy as hell. Thank you Gaile for backing up my Cheesy statement.

Honestly it wasn't even that great of a farm. There are much better places that yield better Gold per Hour. The only decent thing about that farm was the 1 in a 1000 chance of getting a nice Zodiac item. If you want a Zodiac item that bad then try a trapping group or splinter group in Hard Mode. Even better now you can actually get inscribable Zodiac items from the end chest.

It's pretty sad that we have all this QQ'ing after being given one of the best updates in a long time.

Gaile don't worry there's more people that are enjoying this update than the handful of QQ'ers here that want their mindless Urgoz Spirit "Farm".

HKSdivision

HKSdivision

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Feb 2006

W/

Will some of you just quit crying about the Urgoz nerf. It's been done so get over it and find something else to do.

Kcp

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2005

OBF

N/

Quit crying about urgoz, you can't honestly be able to tell yourself that it wasn't an exploit. It should have been fixed the same day it was posted, that's the only reason there is to be mad about the urgoz situation.

Good job anet.

zwei2stein

zwei2stein

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Jun 2006

Europe

The German Order [GER]

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jetdoc
I agree. At least on the pre-existing collector helmets they could've made them so we could have Radiant insignia attached to them. I understand why they made newly obtained collector's items without insignia (because people would farm them and salvage them), but it sucks for those of us who had them.

Oh well, it's only money. I need to go shopping for new armor combos.
It's also lost time.

There would be nothing wrong allowing them to be famerd for radiant at first place, radiant prices could use some reduction (especially now when everyone will be buying lotsa them for new armors.).

given that i used collector helmets whenever possible, GG anet, way to spoil great update, GG. (and is there something wrong with using collector armor in general? its not like adding insignia would make them imba)

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

Well i just out it its more places than just Urgoz where this happens. Try killing something with a crusher you dont get exp from that either now. wonder if catapults in some mission now are whacked also just like this.

However though Levi yes it might have been cheese but not any amount of an exploit or that you could get insame amounts of money from doing it either like some have claimed.

cosyfiep

cosyfiep

are we there yet?

Join Date: Dec 2005

in a land far far away

guild? I am supposed to have a guild?

Rt/

My monks (all three of them ) are jumping for joy at the new armor!

Thanks for listening to us Anet!

Yuki got a new head tat and my newest monk cant wait to get to the grotto now!

and insignias....thats good too (I hope, havent looked hard enough at it, but its something we asked for so I am happy its finally here!)

imkey

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Dec 2006

Green and Pink

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
income for just about zero effort.
I wouldn't say zero effort...
I hope you do realize how freakin boring this farm run is compared to others... Try doing it for an hour straight. You'll get on average 8 golds. 80% of golds are vendor trash.

The reward of a few good items and some gold is barely enough to justify the "boring as heck" farming run the player had to do to make ends meet. This run was not FUN at all.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Sure some of you like the loopholes. Sure some of you don't like getting stopped from a fountain of income for just about zero effort. Pennies from heaven and all that. But despite comments to the contrary, those were ill-gotten gains, far in excess of that intended, far over what you could or should realistically earn in any given period of time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Levi Garett
Honestly it wasn't even that great of a farm. There are much better places that yield better Gold per Hour. The only decent thing about that farm was the 1 in a 1000 chance of getting a nice Zodiac item.
To the ones asking me and others to "quit crying" you're missing the point. I've never farmed the Urgoz run, hell, I didn't even know about it until recently, and then I didn't think it was worth the time and effort for, as Levi puts it, a 1 in 1000 effort.

My point is that instead of trying to approach problems and issues with elegant or well thought out solutions, ANet chooses instead to create solutions that frankly are as bad or worse in concept than the problem, then have Gaile try to smoothe things over, a job I would not envy, given ANet's rather rediculous overt stance on several issues despite their actions directly contravening what it is Gaile says!

I'm trying to show you people that through logic and reasonable thinking, one could accomplish the same solutions without drastic game changing issues. To mention a couple:

Soul Reaping
Economy "Re-balance"
Hard Mode Exemptions
Non-static Inscription Pricing
Etc.

While I think at its core GW was a great game, there have been so many alterations and weird decisions, its like watching the process of Michael Jackson from when he was in the Jackson 5 to present day. Scary, disturbing, and yet, difficult to not watch.

Nomen Mendax

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2007

Clan Suiel

W/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
...
Edit: We are not against farming. We've lifted the blooming anti-farming code! ...
Which of course ANet did at the same time that it introduced loot scaling that made many normal mode farming runs pointless. So it's hardly proof that ANet is not against farming.

Chelsea Marcelle

Chelsea Marcelle

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Mar 2007

United States of America

Severed Body Parts

R/Mo

Thank you very much for this wonderful update A-net!

My friend and I cannot wait to purchase some great Tyrian armor.

DvM

DvM

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

Vlaardingen, The Netherlands

Survivor Squad[SS]

Why is everybody missing the point?

There is a diffrence between being against farming and fixing an exploit.
Think to yourself, was that Urgoz thing the way they intended it? seriously? No, so they fixed it. Be happy that it was there for the few weeks you have farmed it. Some people got benefit from it, others diden't. Shit hapens, get used to it.

And ofcourse do I realize that this looks o so much that Anet is against farming and is only trying to save their face etc etc. But heck, they made the game, they had an intention when they made it. If something is not like they intended, they fix it. This also applies to the amount of gold/time invested a player can earn. If a place seemsto generate to much money, they adjust it. Nothing wrong with that.

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Why would anyone be surprised about this? It's not like it's the first time they've "nerfed" a heavy farming spot. Remember the Griffon run of long ago? That was a more obvious nerf, but there have many many others since then that were 'subtle' like this. I don't personally see anything wrong with what Anet is doing here, either.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by DvM
Why is everybody missing the point?

There is a diffrence between being against farming and fixing an exploit.
- Fixed an exploit where creatures successfully using suicide skills in Urgoz’s Warren still gave loot and experience.

That's the missing line.

So, because an area was farmed (not by me) due to ANet's incompetence and shortsightedness in setting up Hard Mode, they then proceed to "simply" make the monsters nodrop/noxp mobs. So this great game design includes mobs that successfully use their skillset, whom the player defeats by killing them before they one hit insta gib them, by using whatever tactics necessary, which is all fine and good. So why change it? because a few people do endless runs for minor merchant fodder in the exceedingly rare shot at a rare skin? How is that different from anywehre else?

Nice, elegant solution... :lol:

And then you have to ask yourselves, in light of ANet's "fix-it" methodology, how long before other "problem" areas are fixed in the same way?

SLAM SLAM SLAM we need an annoyin alien named Jar Jar Binks to market to the 6 year olds! Yayzorz.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Gaile Gray
Edit: We are not against farming. We've lifted the blooming anti-farming code!
Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanemacabre
Why would anyone be surprised about this? It's not like it's the first time they've "nerfed" a heavy farming spot. Remember the Griffon run of long ago? That was a more obvious nerf, but there have many many others since then that were 'subtle' like this. I don't personally see anything wrong with what Anet is doing here, either.
Huh. You don't see ANYTHING wrong with that... NO inconsistencies or anything?

Ok.

Buzzer

Buzzer

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2005

Australia

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaleban
I suppose the fact that those same enemies drop nothing to a lvl 20 character, and it was only AFTER the introduction of Hard Mode and the global level increase (George Lucas's ham fists keep coming to mind) that the problem occurred is irrelevant? Right, solid game design.
Read her post again. She's saying it's not solid game design.

Does-it-Matter

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Dec 2005

N/

Kaleban's last post sort of hit the nail on the head (inadvertently, I'd assume) about the decisions ANet faces, and the general hypocry of the community.

If ANet actually spends time working (and thinking, and testing) on an update, or they have other projects that are more important at that moment they are "taking too much time, lying to us, purposely gimping the game to sell GW2, not listening to the community, have no clue about the game" or whatever other 'The Sky is falling, where is my tinfoil hat?" remark I've seen of late.

Of course, if they actually do quick updates, or "solve" something, or anything to provide an answer to the vocal MINORITY's rantings they are doing it "inelegantly, hastily, sloppily, not well thought out, etc."

Seriously people... you can't sit on a fence. Either they take their time, or they meet your inhuman time schedule. It would be nice if the complainers (to define a person who uses clearly angered or "whining" statements rather than logical arguments) would simply realize that no matter what ANet does, there will be dissenters (i.e. you're not special because you complain... it's the fad these days, didn't ya know?) and to then approach it with a reasoned attitude that does more than rival a five-year olds temper tantrum.

---

And look on the Dev Forum, there is no anti-farm code... you just have bad luck.

arcanemacabre

arcanemacabre

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Feb 2006

North Kryta Province

Angel Sharks [As]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaleban
Huh. You don't see ANYTHING wrong with that... NO inconsistencies or anything?

Ok.
I don't have a problem with fixing a farm run like this, no. I never mentioned anything about the loot scaling, although now that you mention it, no problems with that either. They may claim they are not against farming, and it may be true on a level, but they certainly aren't against making it hard to do so.

Now, if the way they "fixed" the farm run is causing problems, like the issue with the collectible loot being needed for a collector and it no longer dropping, well I agree that needs to be fixed. But then again, I didn't say I don't have any problems with exactly what they did and how they did it. I just don't see anything wrong with what they're trying to do.

Of course, this is all my opinion. If you're implying that I'm wrong, well I hate to tell you but I can't possibly be wrong - it's my opinion.

EDIT: As far as the loot scaling goes, I must say that although I personally have no problem with it, I think that if it's as poorly accepted as it is among the community, it should be reversed - for the happiness of the community. I'd rather please the masses as long as it doesn't hurt anyone, even if it goes against my personal opinion. Something like this doesn't affect the masses in the least. It affects the small number of people that farmed that area, that's it. Who cares, find another spot.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Buzzer
Read her post again. She's saying it's not solid game design.
Sarcasm FTW.

I realize that having suiciding enemies AI target spirits is probably not the best AI.

However, PRIOR to Hard Mode, there was no farming there because I believe the enemies in question never go over lvl 14. So no chance at Gold drops.

Only AFTER Hard Mode was globally introduced, did this "problem" occur, due to the "ALL ENEMIES MUST BE OVER LVL20 AND BE BIONIC" mentality started by DoA.

So my point was that Hard Mode's global implementation without being playtested in obvious areas, such as suiciding monsters areas was probably not good design or plannng.

And furthermore, the fact that instead of just reducing the monsters levels there to under lvl 20 was seen as less desirable than just removing drops and xp at all, REGARDLESS of whether you're solo farming or in an 8 player party just playing through is even WORSE.

And to Does it Matter, I am perfectly aware of the inability to please everyone all of the time, and am more than familiar with deadlines and schedules in the programming world. I'm saying I would rather inconsequential issues like this take a backseat to the "ham fist fixit squad" and rather they spent their time on things that the PLAYERS have requested rather vehemently and over a great period of time.

Its one thing to adhere to a vision, its another to let hypocrisy and obtuseness cause your player base to dissent or outright mistrust you. And Gaile's barely veiled insults in some of her posts do not speak well, especially of a PR person...

flyinhigh

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2007

meh

wtfpwned

N/

bah! who cares about the rest of the update, thank you thank you thank you for nerfing the urgoz farm. now i can tack a 100k to the price of the weapons i got.


swwwwwweeeeet

oh yeah i have a stack of 200 of those vamp fangs, 1k each now wooot, these are gonna be like bleached shells back in the day

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

Well so far this also effects the catapults too in missions, just havent tried THK yet, if anyone wants to test that also.

Patrick Smit

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2006

NiTe

Quote:
Originally Posted by arcanemacabre
Great update, Anet! Now I can continue to buy armor based solely on looks, and have the functionality, as well!


Now seriously, trade improvements... I'm not joking.
I support both statements

Cacheelma

Cacheelma

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

The Ascalon Union

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by countesscorpula
A bit of a screw up with the update...

Hopping Vampires and Thought Stealers are the only things that drop Vampiric Fangs.

Vampiric Fangs are the items collected by Juan Stumi in HzH.

Hopping Vamps and thought stealers no longer drop ANYTHING.

So we have a useless collector in HzH. Good game, A-Net. Way to think things through once again. SO much for getting cheap collector items instead of "vanity" items.
You won't get any drop from them only IF they successfully use the suicide skill to kill themself. You still get the drops from them if you kill them.

Dr Strangelove

Dr Strangelove

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Dec 2005

Wasting away again in Margaritaville

[HOTR]

Saying Anet is being a bunch of hypocrites by nerfing a farming run when they are against farming is like saying Anet is against people playing the game because they ban some people. Get a grip.

Now if only they'll make inscribable weapons drop in Factions and Prophecies....

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr Strangelove
Saying Anet is being a bunch of hypocrites by nerfing a farming run when they are against farming is like saying Anet is against people playing the game because they ban some people. Get a grip.

Now if only they'll make inscribable weapons drop in Factions and Prophecies....
funny statement there. Anet says that they arent against farming and they do ban people that just play the game as by the reinstatement of ppl that do get banned.

As far as inscriptable weapons we can only hope they dont make that mistake.

Kool Pajamas

Kool Pajamas

Forge Runner

Join Date: Aug 2005

Maryland

Mage Elites [MAGE]

1. Want to also note about the bugged templates
2. Insignia update very nice
3. /help /wiki really nice
4. Dissapointed with the pvp rewards. If youre going to do this they should be perma unlocks. The way its rewarded is even worse. Only the hardcore gvgers or people who enjoy a boring format like hvh get to use it. HA/TA once again left out in the cold. Should just be done based on balthazar faction. Give high cost so you need rank/glad/champ points in order to even be able to unlock it. Would reward all areas of pvp and especially the people who play all areas as they would have the highest faction caps.

5. Easily abusable AI that affects the economy should be considered an exploit. The game wasnt meant for a few people to kill large groups of enemies without even having to be in range of them.

manitoba1073

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kool Pajamas
5. Easily abusable AI that affects the economy should be considered an exploit. The game wasnt meant for a few people to kill large groups of enemies without even having to be in range of them.
actually you did need to be in range. the only effect it had on the economy was the lower of prices of zod weapons and allowing alot of ppl to make some money. But if you say thats bad lol

greendc27

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2006

Wisconsin

Gaming Continuum [GCon]

R/Mo

I think there's a glitch with the Knights helm now, but in a good way. With the conversion mine now has armor +80, strength +1, armor +20 (physical), health +50, received physical damage -3. I don't think the received physical damage -3 is supposed to be there since i have a superior rune of vigor on it, not a superior rune of absorption.

strcpy

strcpy

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

One of Many [ONE]

Quote:
Originally Posted by imkey
I wouldn't say zero effort...
I hope you do realize how freakin boring this farm run is compared to others... Try doing it for an hour straight. You'll get on average 8 golds. 80% of golds are vendor trash.

The reward of a few good items and some gold is barely enough to justify the "boring as heck" farming run the player had to do to make ends meet. This run was not FUN at all.
So, Anet got rid of a boring not-profitable run that isn't worth the time and you are angry how? My guess is that one of those things isn't correct.

Patrick Smit

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Nov 2006

NiTe

Quote:
Originally Posted by greendc27
I think there's a glitch with the Knights helm now, but in a good way. With the conversion mine now has armor +80, strength +1, armor +20 (physical), health +50, received physical damage -3. I don't think the received physical damage -3 is supposed to be there since i have a superior rune of vigor on it, not a superior rune of absorption.
Superior rune of absorbtion is global as far as I know