PC Gamer GW Issue Review --- Sept 25, 2007

The PCGamer GW Guide Review:

The stand alone GW only issue is a nice sight to see now that there are no hint guides for GW after Factions came out.

The way the magazine breaks down is... 50% artwork images (some from the cancelled rumored 4th addon, Utopia).... 25% lore about all the races and history of GW.... and 25% Minor Walkthru of GWEN (not a 100% complete ultimate guide per what the issue claims).

Artwork: Amazing stuff as always. It is nice to get some homage to the artists involved in making GW one of the most unique worlds ever designed.

Lore: Great reading material about the Charr, Asurians, Norn, and all other aspects of the GW world. Not a complete reference for everything therein but it does add more depth to some questions asked... like how did the Charr start the Ascalon invasion and why were they pushed back from the Human settlements? I would preferred if the whole magazine was full lore to explain all of the history of GW.... maybe some day we will get a complete "Ultimate Tome of Guild Wars Lore and History™" This section alone is worth the $10 cost of the magazine.

GWEN Walkthru: Some minor tips, good non spoiler guide path thru GWEN. Not a single map in the magazine... which is completely disappointing. Seriously... the community put out GWEN maps already and the Ultimate GWEN Walkthru doesn't have a single map? Nothing? Yes nada! I don't expect maps of all the dungeons, terrain and towns but seriously... The editor could have done a better job here. The only heroes mentioned are the core ones -- Gwen, the Asura, the Charr, Jora the Norn, and the Dwarven Healer. All other heroes must be minor just so you know. Not a single mention of new armors, secrets, quests books, or dungeons. Very minor touch on skills and the mini games which may have been left out intentionally alas it could have been a bit more in minimum.

Miniature: It is a free mini... maybe you can sell it for 40k or just keep it until the HoM is changed from character based to account based (if ever)....


Final Comments: Sure it was $10... and does contain a free mini. The GWEN tips will help if you get stuck but there are still alot of unanswered questions -- Tips for the new dungeons and how they work would help alot. The new map icons could be confusing to someone who doesn't know what those new little doors and flags are on the main map. Questions like -- why can't you use new dwarven boxing skills back in the KilRoy boxing mini games are still unanswered... What are some good combos for cracked armor and other conditions to get a maximum condition damage effect? Why do the quest books not show minor quests there in listed under the main quests? Why is HoM all character based and not allow as account based? (Seriously who has time to get 4+ character fully in GWEN and upload all their titles there?)
Why can't we have an expansion the community wants as the next GW addon? (Hairstylist, more storage - armor / outfit storage, mini storage, rune bags, Ability to sell stacks to mat vendors, ok this list could go on for a while..) I know half the community would pay $29 just for the requested wants of current GW players... even though GW2 is still in the works and far off....

So the magazine is a good thing.... not a bad investment for $10 but could have been SO much more in comparison to thinking that you could get a near 100% strategy guide for $20 (based on the outdated original GW strat guide).

I don't think we ever will see answers to all the questions above... GW2 is the main focus now.... so if we don't get it for GW1 after all these years maybe Anet will make sure the community will get it in GW2...

I agree It was nice seeing info about the mission packs. It says you get to be master togo.....lol.

It's basically a CE add-on, IMO.

But I agree, I would have liked to see more info on the Cancelled Utopia Chapter: Were new Professions in development? Were Destroyers the main threat? Basically, it would have been nice to know what got cut, and what made it into GWEN. (Maybe Anet didn't want this info released, but it's the kind of "inside info" I'd pay $10 for).

The art was cool, but honestly, not as much new stuff as I hoped. The best part was the History of Guild Wars 2, which is now available online for free, so if you're not interested in the mini-pet, consider that.

http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2007...-_ultimat.html

A dungeon guide would have been useful, those are much more challenging than the main quests, and having maps I could refer to while playing wouldn't hurt.

I got the issue last week and have to say that the story if GW2 makes me a bit sad, poor LA.

And from the looks of it, Cantha and Elona are blocked by the great dragons, so that = the next 2 GW2 chapters. LOL

I just want to find out what are they going to keep us busy until GW2 comes out, unless they have another huge update (other than the free expansion) like SF or something like that.

I always hoped they added new realms for the remaining gods, we need realms for Lyssa, Melandru and Dwayna and a possible armor crafter at the end of those ala fow

For the free expansion, I really thought they will be using all the new added land masses in the full tyria map after gwen, but playing as heros and not our chars mean that even if they use these new unexplored ares in the gwen map we still wont be able to go there with our chars.

I still liked the art work for Utopia and remember the rumor back just after NF was out when someone said that the new expansion is called Utopia and they denied it. It was true after all

Where is ze guide to be pro PvP'r? If I read correctly there should have been one in the magazine too.

It's cool to see history take a turn for the worst, finally. I was tired of being the good guy and pwning the face off of all those bad guys.

The bit about Cantha was especially suprising, however. I'll hope we'll be able to go back to it.

You said poor LA, I say poor Ascalon. Man, that city will be so FUBAR between GW:EN and GW2.

GW has PvP?

I always thought it was a team based PvE game. I guess I've been playing it wrong after all these years.

There is, it talks about gwen skills + other skills / different professions for different effects for different styles of pvp. Especially the cracked armor status condition.

Don't know. I thought i'd find the answer from ze book! But that book is another fail, again? oO

Geez, what a calamity. I'm still quite partial to the human race though. I wonder if there will be some sort of division between players much like the Kurzick and Luxons but based upon race? What of the starting points as well? If you're human do you begin in Divinity Reach and somewhere else if you're Charr? This game lore wise sounds pretty fun so far. I hope Anet takes their time on it. If you have to extend the release to 2010 or 2011, you have my support. Make this game pwn.

From what i read in the magazine, Sylvari was born in 1265 AE and we r now in 1075 AE, Is that mean we r not going to see Sylvari in GW1?

I have some questions i want to ask about, When are we going to see the beta of GW2, and when are we going to learn more about game-play in GW2?

Are you expect everyone to GRIND their titles from now on in GW1 for 2 or 3 years? tell me u r jk, right?

Would you like a rushed piece of crap? I recommend EA games if you would. I'm just saying that they should take their time and make the game with tons of content and more detailed than anything they've done before. Nothing wrong with a game producer trying to better their product.

Man the human kingdoms got owned.... Like others have said, I have some bias to the humans becuase well, their human. Not to say that I wont make a charr or what not but I really hope GW2 lets the people of Ascalon kick some butt.

They have every right to shine and get their land back considering what they have gone through.

Side note: So much for saving Elona sounds like its as bad off if nightfall had happened!

I got mine yesterday and have scanned it through. I love everything EXCEPT it would *REALLY* be nice to have walkthroughs for the dungeons, including maps, and boss strategies.

Question for those who got the magazine: Did it come in a plastic bag? I went to Barnes and Noble and found two issues without a plastic bag. I know this store opens one or two for people to read but I couldn't find any other copies. I didn't get a chance to check any other stores yet(besides Target, EB Games, and Gamestop which didn't have PC Gamer). Obviously with the magazine out and able to be open and read(including the page with the code), I didn't buy one and I'm not about to.

Yeah we really screwed Elona over when we set Palawa joko free. And don't get me started about Cantha! Those poor Luxons and Kurzicks never saw it comming.

The writter also skipped the whole Cyndr part. Reliable...

Aww, Cantha closed off. This seems to be basically ArenaNet's death sentence to the Ritualist class.

Looks like I'll be playing an asura elementalist or some such...

Anyways, what's the name if this issue? I'd like to get a copy of it, sounds interesting.

An estimated entire page of text is missing from my issue. After Page 92, where it talks about Primordus, it entirely skips over the Guilds, Ascalon, and picks back up again near the beginning of talking about Kryta. Is this a printing error?? Because the page numbering is correct, but the text doesn't flow.

Proof: http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2007...-_ultimat.html

There is no way. Unless they continuously add more content to GW1 every couple months, interest will die in the game and people will move onto other things. Then if GW2 comes out late in 2010, nothing guarantees they'll be back, having gone on with life or become devoted to some other game.

Nothing kills enthusiasm quicker than waiting. Look at Robert Jordan. He died and people laughed! They were relieved they stopped reading at book 5 or 6, and laughed at people who stayed loyal. Pretty sad, but that's how people are.

Look at the posts on this and other boards right now. If GW2 is not released late next year or early '09, people's expectations will be so high that it will suck as soon as you load it on your computer. It could be a great, functioning game, but people will say it sucks because they waited so long. It's the people who are the problem, but I have no sympathy for game designers as they know exactly what they are getting into, and who buys their product.

I want a perfect game as much as the next person, but I think the best option is to work hard, release on schedule, and fix things as they come up. Yes... just like other games.

The said that many people from Cantha and Elona migrated to Kryta, so there should still be Factions/Nightfall classes. Please point out to me the people that laughed when Robert Jordan died, I will gladly send them to meet him. Besides the fact that, that is extremely insensitive to his family, friends, and fans, the man was diagnosed with a deadly disease that had no cure, imaging living with that and knowing that your time was about to come due. Not to mention the disease and the treatment left him so weak he couldn't even sit and write or even eat, all he could do some days was lay in bed. Also, people will lose interest in Guild Wars if they don't release GW2 in a reasonable amount of time, but better that and have a good game that will bring them back than to put out a lackluster game that will drive people away.

I read the document of text from that link on the end of the first page and all I can say is wow...it's like we're going to be playing (all of you who buy GW2) ina very good book.

Now actual gameplay.... >;P

The Jordan thing you can google on your own. Find the forums and wade in at your own risk.

As for the GW2 issue, no matter what ANet does, there are people who will see it as lackluster. They have the unique opportunity of retaining a high percentage of current players, as well as attracting a whole slew of new players. Delays would kill this. The bad mouthing would start a week after it was not realeased on time. It would grow louder and louder until the game is released. Then upon released, regardless of how trouble free the game is, people will start to moan about how long the delay was and they still don't have this, or don't allow that, or it doesn't live up to the promises, etc. etc. etc. You can be emotional and stoic and be disappointed, or you can be a realist and roll with the punches.

Positivity=======> its just what you need!!!

'Reviewing' a magazine to see if the cost is justified. More and more I'm beginning to think this forum is populated by kids spending their weekly allowance, and trying to justify it.

Dont forget the whining for l33t armors, weapons, skins and the other ePeen stuff.

Can someone summarize the lore without violating any copyrights? (Basically do as Inde did in the previous PC Gamer thread.) I'm in Europe and don't really know anyone in USA who can buy me a copy. Thanks in advance.

If such a thread exists already, sorry for asking here. I tried searching, but this forum's search kind of blows, and Google hasn't indexed this site for a few days.

to wrap up guildwars 2 its like this flood, bye sunspears,hi undead,scared whispers, big old pwerful dragons,battle islands gone pvp is in la downtownlol... and ohh wheni say floood i mean most coastal citys wiped out

i think that shall do it dont think that is aganst rules

Im sorry if i disappointed u, but to tell u the true i have never bought or interested in EA game at all.
"Would you like a rushed piece of crap?" Do u have a reason of saying this?
Do you know y i said GW2 shouldn't take that long? And the reason is:

-Anet has said the graphic of GW2 wont really do much better than GW1 right now because Anet wont makes a game that require a super computer to play it.
-Anet Announced GW2 in late March 2007, do u think they just started develop it today?
-the idea of gameplay in GW2 have been revealed long time ago and what they need do is to make it happened and work out.
-Anet has combine 2 Dev teams that develop GW1 into 1 team to develop GW2 and only left a small Dev team to continue develop GW1.
-Anet said that they have a lot of experience of making game from GW1 and they still have alot of back up from GW1 to GW2.
(Fix me if i am wrong.)
With all of these, what is the reason for Anet to take another 2 or 3 more years to release GW2?
Did u count urself into that too?
And what do you mean by saying this "I'm beginning to think this forum is populated by kids spending their weekly allowance, and trying to justify it."?


@Edge Martinez: I am really agree with ur statement.

You dont need a summary. Go to the bottom of the first page of this thread. Someone posted a link to the GW2 Lore that PC Gamer posted online.

They mis-printed the story so gave it online in its entirety.

Edit: If you do nothing else about this PC Gamer mag, read that article. It is a really good read and gives some good insight into the lore and plot of GW2. A few parts it sounds a little "fantasy cliche" but overall is some very well written lore.

I was being sarcastic Siva.

This is what I was saying:
If they can get out a good game by 2009, then by all means they should. However, if they need more time than that, then we as the community shouldn't rush them. If you do, then you're just adding to your own complaints down the line.

As for the graphics, you can bet there will be an upgrade. You may not need a supercomputer, but you may need a good chunk of of RAM, a decent CPU + a good sized bus and graphics card to make it run well(That is, without computer-based lag.). Just because they say you won't need it, does not mean it won't be essential to have for an enjoyable playing experience.

It takes as long as it takes.

Blizzard does well despite taking 10 years to make a new version of the game .... Starcraft. They've even scrapped games well in to development to start over from scratch Diablo 3....

I rather have a great working game that's been delayed. I've seen people post (ps3 forums) about wanting to fine companies for missing game release deadlines / almost going in to a spaz fit, so I do know there a group / age segment that want things now or they go in to a fit.

The big problem with games today is the marketing department promises too much of a game way too soon, ending up creating a backlash when the Dev's of the game have a heart attack at the pace the company wants the product out.

Yup, me too.
There is a missing page of text somewhere between page 92 and 95 (93 and 94 are both art).
Thanks for the link; my read is now complete.

Pretty good read too for those who are into the lore. And the art is simply stunning.

A fine for not getting a game out by projected is ridiculous. If that were ever to happen, game companies would just push out their release date to make sure they had a nice safe buffer.

Gimmie Gimmie NOW kthxbye

Interesting, but that article's too much like a jam doughnut with cream on top.

Why did the Six Gods come to Tyria? What were they doing in Arah? Why did they abandon Tyria? Did they find the sleeping dragons and run away scared? Was that how Abaddon, sneaking around like the ol' god of secrets he was, got corrupted, by running into the Arah dragon? Can the dragons gate into the mists? Can we train the dragons to play fetch with the Scepter of Orr? I know I'll be driving myself crazy trying to predict the twists.

Dont give me that kind of thing. What do u know about the development of SC2? Do you actually think that Blizzard took 10 years to develop SC2? And wtf are those Blizzard doing in those 10 years by only having 2 races and haven't fully completed it yet? Do they still need another 5 years to completed the other race? Do you actually think that Blizzard stupid enough for paying the Dev team who took 10 years to develop SC2 without having it completed yet?
And I am not those stupid Koreans that can play SC for 10 years without getting bored of it.

GW is online pc game not home console game, do u got it? If a home console game have a bug the only way to fix it is to return the cd back to company, Do you think GW need cd to play the game? What is the best to fix bug or change thing in online pc game?

Can u give me more details or the link that there is a company did that to their Dev team?
How long does it take for Blizzard to release Wrath of the Lich king after released Burning Crusade? (This doesnt mean i want GW to do the same as WoW.)

Wow, this thread was supposed to be about reviewing a magazine.

Umm if you like art, then get it. I dont ever see a reason to have a GW guide the way GW is set up. The history behind GW2 is really nice and appealing, hopefully they can carry this over in a successful way. Alot of this magazine probaly could of been put in an actual PCgamer monthly magazine and would of saved people money as well as not leaving out the subscribers.

All I can say about the time line between the two games is:

It stinks!

/Jay Sherman off


Ascalon: wiped out
LA: wiped out
Battle Isles: wiped out
Cantha: AWOL (GW2C2: kill the emporer)
Elona: conquerored by Polo Joker (GW2C3: Kill Joker)

Hah yeah I laughed about that, too. But the art is so nice! It's too bad it didn't happen. :P

(I recall my husband saying to one of the ANet designers, "You guys should do an Aztec setting!" and the guy looked at us, smiled slyly, and said something along the lines of "oh, just wait, maybe you'll see what happens...". I do confess I was pretty excited about the concept!)