Wow was Factions so bad? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Sparda

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2006

The Netherlands

N/

23 Oct 2007 at 19:47 - 1

hmmmm i realy think GW2 hasn't got the Cantha Continent.
was factions so bad.
Did Anet listen to al the screamers who sad factions whas a flaw in the GW series
Read this part of the new lore it kind of sux
Cantha Continent whas my favorite and the campaign whas good also IMO the best

Cantha

In the year 1127 AE, Emperor Usoku, successor to Kisu, took a firm hold of his nation. He raised the Canthan military, spending millions in gold to arm his troops, and then swept the countryside. He defeated the Luxons and the Kurzick, incorporating these disparate people back into his nation. Usoku unified Cantha behind a strong national identity and began to drive out all non-humans. His regime was ironclad, tyrannical, and fierce. Those Canthans who did not agree with the emperor's dictates were given no choice but to leave their homeland, seeking refuge and sanctuary in Elona and Tyria.

As a result, Cantha became extremely isolationist. Once Orr rose from the ocean, those tendencies were reinforced by an inability to safely sail the western seas. Any ships venturing near the Strait of Malchor are sunk by the black ships, then dredged from the ocean floor by the Orrian dragon and commandeered into service. Thus, completely cut off from Kryta, Cantha vanished entirely. Travelers, refugees, and even Xunlai agents residing within Tyrian heard nothing more from Cantha. [sic]

Sporadic sailors have washed ashore on the southern coast of the Maguuma jungles, but that is the only evidence that Cantha even exists past the cataclysmic event that cut it off from Tyria. It can only be assumed that Usoku's successors continued his dictatorial, isolationist rule, and that Cantha continues beneath the iron fist of the emperor, as ever.

I think we can wave Cantha goodbye

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

23 Oct 2007 at 19:48 - 2

Locked gates FTL

Put me off Factions.

HayesA

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2006

Pennsylvania

E/

23 Oct 2007 at 19:52 - 3

Needing Faction to continue the storyline was the major put off to me. Plus the first couple missions on the mainland were really annoying to do.

nechronius

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Southern Cali

Herald of the Storm

W/R

23 Oct 2007 at 19:54 - 4

Sounds like they're just setting up Cantha for another expansion for GW2.

Locked gates FTL indeed. They could have allowed passage and then just prevented people from entering mission or something. Instead you travel all that way and discover you can't even get the zone for future use.

And with Cantha's needlessly convoluted maps this was just another dagger in the back.

Deadlyjunk

Banned

Join Date: Nov 2005

Fisherman's Haven

Endangered Species List [List]

W/E

23 Oct 2007 at 19:55 - 5

What mainly annoyed me in factions, my main being an ele, was that the mobs interrupted me far too often to be funny.

Factions has the award of "most annoying mobs" imo, even beats the Cry of Frustration Wind Riders in Maguuma.

Sparda

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Nov 2006

The Netherlands

N/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:04 - 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deadlyjunk

What mainly annoyed me in factions, my main being an ele, was that the mobs interrupted me far too often to be funny.

Factions has the award of "most annoying mobs" imo, even beats the Cry of Frustration Wind Riders in Maguuma.

i do not share that opinion about interrupts i had no probs at all with my ele
she realy whas tha bomb there she burnt everything ^^

But the most anoying thing i hear from people factions sux big time i can't run or be runt. -_-

HawkofStorms

Hall Hero

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:07 - 7

Unfortunately, it appears that info is copyed dirrectly off the PC gamer magizine article. Since it is against copyright rules to dirrectly post such articles online, this should be closed.

Antheus

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

23 Oct 2007 at 20:09 - 8

Is there a point to this thread?

Factions PvE mostly sucked because there were no heroes, and henchies provided were, in most missions, useless.

With heroes, it's not worth mentioning.

Aera Lure

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Aug 2005

In Baltar's head

Bring Out Your Dead [BOYD], former officer [LBS]

Mo/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:10 - 9

I did not like the locked gates. At all. Made things too linear. The quests back and forth right in the beginning got a little old, too. Nonetheless, I look back on Factions as having enjoyed it overall. I brought most of my characters all the way through it, enjoyed the missions and loved AB, at least at its inception.

Its funny to me that while I might say I enjoyed Nightfall more on the first playthrough, to this day, I have still only brought one character through all the way. I have mixed feelings about heroes despite them being used by me every time I play. Brought in a level of micromanagement of items, storage characters, remembering what was where, constantly swapping weapons and runes around when changing builds etc etc that still troubles me, despite enjoying the flagging and use of hereoes and that side of the micromanagement.

Anyway: poor Factions. It gets a bad rap undeservedly so, imho.

cosyfiep

are we there yet?

Join Date: Dec 2005

in a land far far away

guild? I am supposed to have a guild?

Rt/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:12 - 10

Now that all the chapters are in I dont find factions so bad, yeah getting 10k faction to proceed in the story was a b*tch but compared to getting r5 to even LOOK at the armor in eotn its a cake walk. Nightfall just continued the locked gate syndrome and with the drab areas has left the worst taste in my mouth yet.....
At least factions was short enough---I have gotten all but my latest characters thru it in a very short amount of time (some with prot too!), so I dont find it distasteful any longer. Nightfall still has ......I dont think some of my characters are going to make it thru that one any time soon (would rather do the desert quests/missions in prophecies again!)

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

23 Oct 2007 at 20:13 - 11

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

Unfortunately, it appears that info is copyed dirrectly off the PC gamer magizine article. Since it is against copyright rules to dirrectly post such articles online, this should be closed.

No. If PC Gamer come online and moan, then fine, until that time this is a valid topic (if a year or so too late)

strcpy

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

One of Many [ONE]

23 Oct 2007 at 20:15 - 12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparda

i do not share that opinion about interrupts i had no probs at all with my ele
But the most anoying thing i hear from people factions sux big time i can't run or be runt. -_-

Amusingly enough, it was probably the number one requested feature prior to the release of Factions, supposedly to keep noobs out of later missions/areas and make people play the game (of course, there is no way to do either - noobs that pay for runs can pay to get drug through missions and you can not make anyone play a game). I was somewhat surprised they didn't open the gates up later. It sure did what I figured they were looking for "OK, we will give it to you, now you can see how craptacular your idea was", it sure silenced well over 99% of the "Stop runners now, runners ruin the game, only allow to progress through storyline" complaints.

As to the OP it also reads pretty much the same way for Elona - which people generally liked. I assume these areas are reserved for expansions or they want to leave general knowledge of those areas till release. After all, you can't tell *everything* about the game, there has to be quite a bit that we explore. They are also pretty much iffy on Orr.

Plus Factions *still* won Game of the Year and sold quite a few units - yes when compared to the other two it is the least successful and least liked, but it was still a highly successful game. I can't see then abandoning Cantha.

evilseabass

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2007

23 Oct 2007 at 20:16 - 13

Quote:

Originally Posted by HawkofStorms

Unfortunately, it appears that info is copyed dirrectly off the PC gamer magizine article. Since it is against copyright rules to dirrectly post such articles online, this should be closed.

Forum Nazis FTL...

On topic: I too am sad that Cantha will be pretty much non-existant in Guildwars 2. Hopefully, they are setting it up for an expansion down the road.

I enjoy Factions, and still visit often. Many of the armors there are far superior to some of the Elonian and GWEN armors..

Diddy bow

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2006

Jawsome!!!!!!!!!!!

looking for one :p

A/D

23 Oct 2007 at 20:17 - 14

Factions>NF imo. I never enjoyed it as much as proph. But if factions was the first i guess i would have (i miss being a nub

).

Red Sonya

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jul 2005

23 Oct 2007 at 20:19 - 15

Quote:

Cantha Continent whas my favorite and the campaign whas good also IMO the best

Well you are rather alone then because factions came in last as far as reviews went and it's popularity. It was the worst and ugliest chapter of them all and the storyline my gawd my 8 year old nephew can write a better storyline than that. The only thing good about Factions before Nightfall were a few green weapons and offhands, but, now that Nightfall is out nothing can match the weapons people can customize for the most output of power an energy.

The only thing that saved Factions from being a total flop was the pvp system they imposed in it with the owning of outposts and towns by capture and the overall movement of the war line from playing pvp within the game. Take those out like Alliance Battles and Fort Aspenwood and nobody would be playing Factions with any sense.

Prophecies will always be the best chapter. It was new it had the most players and it was HUGE compared to the other two. Nightfall would come in a good 2nd leaving GWEN and Factions to fight it out for last place. I play in Nightfall mostly now and occassionally visit Prophecies and the only time I step foot in Factions is to play PVP at AB or FA.

HawkofStorms

Hall Hero

Join Date: Aug 2005

E/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:21 - 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by strcpy

Amusingly enough, it was probably the number one requested feature prior to the release of Factions, supposedly to keep noobs out of later missions/areas and make people play the game (of course, there is no way to do either - noobs that pay for runs can pay to get drug through missions and you can not make anyone play a game). I was somewhat surprised they didn't open the gates up later. It sure did what I figured they were looking for "OK, we will give it to you, now you can see how craptacular your idea was", it sure silenced well over 99% of the "Stop runners now, runners ruin the game, only allow to progress through storyline" complaints.

As to the OP it also reads pretty much the same way for Elona - which people generally liked. I assume these areas are reserved for expansions or they want to leave general knowledge of those areas till release. After all, you can't tell *everything* about the game, there has to be quite a bit that we explore. They are also pretty much iffy on Orr.

Plus Factions *still* won Game of the Year and sold quite a few units - yes when compared to the other two it is the least successful and least liked, but it was still a highly successful game. I can't see then abandoning Cantha.

The difference between factions locked gates and NF's locked gates is that they occur at different degrees. In factions, you pretty much can only explore one or two explorables areas at a time before reaching the next gate. In NF, its much more open, giving you access to a whole region at a time (ie, you can explore all of Kourna when you reach it, or all of Vabbi, or all of the desolation at once). In Factions, you pratically have to unlock each and every explorable zone.

Chimaera

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Jun 2006

The Godless

Rt/N

23 Oct 2007 at 20:34 - 17

I didn't like Factions because it was too cramped, running between buildings and struggling to find the right route through the slums wasn't fun, i much prefer the nice open hills of tyria and elona. EoTN is especially good because it really feels open, there are routes through the maps but it seems to give you more choices, if you wanted to get somewhere in factions you couldn't avoid mobs, just had to go right through them.

Plus i absolutely hate the undercity, all my gripes with factions rolled into one zone.

However it did give me my rit so it's not all bad

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:40 - 18

I love Factions. Always have done, always will.

Cantha is a beautiful continent and I will sorely miss it if it is left out of GW:2 entirely.

Blackhearted

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2007

Ohio, usa

none

Mo/

23 Oct 2007 at 20:46 - 19

How Factions stood above nightfall is simply cause it didn't purely hinge on that "you MUST take (insert random hero here) to be able to proceed anywhere" crap. That "feature" was especially bad for us who took our characters over shortly after nightfall came out and thus have a level 2 koss on most of our characters.

Trub

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

Sitting in the guildhall, watching the wallows frolic.

Trinity of the ascended [SMS]+[Koss]+[TAM]=[ToA]

23 Oct 2007 at 20:49 - 20

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestial Beaver

I love Factions. Always have done, always will.

Cantha is a beautiful continent and I will sorely miss it if it is left out of GW:2 entirely.

Que suspenseful music.......
Remember, we will be battling 'The Ancient Dragons'
Sounds 'Canthanesque to me!!
Woot!! I can't wait to see!

The Shelf

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2007

R/Me

23 Oct 2007 at 20:49 - 21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestial Beaver

I love Factions. Always have done, always will.

Cantha is a beautiful continent and I will sorely miss it if it is left out of GW:2 entirely.

Everyone needs to quit griping about that. Cantha and Elona are not going to be left out of GW2. They need to save something for the expansions, don't they? There will be enough content in Tyria as it is, especially now that it's been expanded by EotN. Let Anet save Cantha and Elona for later.

wetsparks

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

23 Oct 2007 at 21:03 - 22

I personally like Cantha. It was annoying getting around the city with all those mobs, but once you learned how to avoid most of them it was fun. The story was short and iffy and the voice acting was horrible but the environments were cool along with Fort Aspenwood and Alliance Battles made for a very fun game.

Swift Thief

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Feb 2007

Aatxe Pirates [YaRR]

A/

23 Oct 2007 at 21:22 - 23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antheus

Is there a point to this thread?

Factions PvE mostly sucked because there were no heroes, and henchies provided were, in most missions, useless.

With heroes, it's not worth mentioning.

So, you are saying guild wars sucked until Nightfall came out?

rick1027

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2006

W/R

23 Oct 2007 at 21:29 - 24

its kind of funny i used to dislike factions but since im bored with gwen and didnt nightfall pretty much on all charactors i've been hanging in factions and i think i like it better now still not crazy about the closed gate thing

Bryant Again

Hall Hero

Join Date: Feb 2006

23 Oct 2007 at 21:46 - 25

Factions was probably my favorite campaign, really. Or at least exactly on par with Proph.

Mordakai

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Kyhlo

W/

23 Oct 2007 at 21:49 - 26

Factions Pros:

My first Greens
Cool gimmick with Kuunivang skills for final missions
Fastest leveling to level 20

Cons:

Locked Gates
annoying to get to Kurzick/Luxon areas
artificially lengthened Chapter

Skuld

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Sep 2005

Thousend Tigers Apund Ur Head [Ttgr]

A/

23 Oct 2007 at 21:50 - 27

Factions is my favourite

Cantha and Elona are sure to be expansions, don't sweat it.

Shuuda

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guildless

Me/

23 Oct 2007 at 21:54 - 28

Erm, did I miss something, but where does it say that Cantha will never be in GW2?

Kissa

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2007

Rt/Me

23 Oct 2007 at 21:55 - 29

I absolutely love factions. Sure it has flaws like locked gates, but I love the missions (especially Vizunah, love mass battles), love the landscape, love the rits, love ab, it is 100 times better than boring Pro.

gremlin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Oct 2006

GWAR

Me/Mo

23 Oct 2007 at 21:59 - 30

Some things about factions were very good like the ambushes by ninjas all over the city, that and lots of dragons around.

It had a good feel to it till the storyline split, so I join one faction and complete the game.
But cannot open up all the cities and get masters in them unless I now join the opposition and effectivly do that part of the game again.

Very bad idea, very stupid idea totally removed any interest I had in the continent except when I wanted a skill or item.

Shuuda

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Guildless

Me/

23 Oct 2007 at 22:06 - 31

My only problem with factions was, a city, all made out of wood (the walls, the floor, the roofs, the doors, the support poles etc). Yes, I know they have a sea of jade and forest of stone. But didn't anyone in Kaineng once say.

"Hmmm, I wonder what would happen if someone lit a match?"

I mean Trogdor would have a field day in Kaineng city.

Solas

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2006

Ireland

Currently LF Active HA Guild, Glad 2, Comm.3, R2

E/

23 Oct 2007 at 22:18 - 32

could also be part of trhe story to venture there maybe, a world event in GW2?

early days

i for one liked cantha, big change from proph, variety FTW

didnt mind the gates, just ment you had to paly the game^^

TheRaven

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2006

Virginia

Spirit of Elisha

W/

23 Oct 2007 at 22:42 - 33

I like factions. It was the first game I bought and so it feels like home to me. The locked gates don't bother me too much since I never take runs anyways. I prefer to follow the storyline with my characters.

The only thing I hate with factions is the timed missions. I prefer to take my time and proceed cautiously so as not to over-aggro. Pugging with a masters group is always stressful because half the team is rushing ahead to ensure the masters reward while the monk is screaming "my energy is 2 of 45". No coordination.

It's also always deserted in the Luxon/Kurzick areas, mainly because I'm one of the few who do enjoy the game. I'd love to see the areas crowded again.

Omega X

Ninja Unveiler

Join Date: Jun 2005

Louisiana, USA

Boston Guild[BG]

W/Me

23 Oct 2007 at 23:05 - 34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Celestial Beaver

I love Factions. Always have done, always will.

Cantha is a beautiful continent and I will sorely miss it if it is left out of GW:2 entirely.

I doubt that its going to be left out. I think that it will be very much apart of GW2. Cantha being isolationist brings in new possibilities for the story. It went from being a giant marketplace hub to being completely closed off to the outside world.

If anything, we could very much see a story that attempts to break dictatorship rule and restore Cantha.(sounds like a Jet-Li movie.)

mrmango

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2006

Southern California

Charter Vanguard [CV]

Me/Rt

23 Oct 2007 at 23:13 - 35

I never even found the locked gates, no reason to look for them.

Whirlwind

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

Wolven Empire

D/

23 Oct 2007 at 23:26 - 36

Factions was easily the most boring of the games. Its still a good game, just not quite up to snuff imo. Elona tyria and even gwen blow it out of the water=p

Operative 14

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2006

Arizona, USA

[OOP] Order of the Phoenix I

23 Oct 2007 at 23:38 - 37

I could never put my finger quite on why I didn't like Factions until this past week when I was leveling my ranger there.

One monk.

I played through Factions before Nightfall came out and the idea of heros was even muttered. That being said, playing through Kaineng with only one availible henchman Monk, popout Assassins every where, and jade brotherhood Mesmers made Kaineng something I didn't ever want to do again.

BACK ON TOPIC!

It looks to me that Cantha is far better off then the rest of the human cultures. Tyrian humans are struggling to survive against the armies of two super powers after being devastated by massive flooding that destroyed their main cities and civilizations.

Elonans have faced famine and drought that probably makes the Crystal Desert look like an inviting vacation spot. Their sunspear defenders are defeated or dead. All at the hands of an undead, mad (and albeit entertaining) despot that's bent on world domination.

And what does Cantha have to deal with? Zealous isolationism. They don't have any wars becuase it sounds like that one emperor whipped the Luxons and Kurziks into shape, and dismanteled the muderous street gangs.

And, really, it looks to me that they're just setting up Cantha and Elona to be additional campaigns anyway. I have a feeling it will follow the same sort of formula we have with GW1.

Stormlord Alex

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Dec 2005

Beyond the Forest of Doom, past the Cavern of Agony... on Kitten & Puppy Island

Soul of Melandru [sOm]

W/E

23 Oct 2007 at 23:42 - 38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Operative 14

One monk.

The Rit henchies make red bars go up too. Spamming Spirit Light is rather good

Count to Potato

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2006

Imagination Land

I Swear She Was Eighteen [Gwen]

W/

23 Oct 2007 at 23:42 - 39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stormlord Alex

The Rit hencies make red bars go up too. Spamming Spirit Light is rather good

Not if u dont have any spirits around u and sac urself like ive seen before

Skyy High

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: May 2006

R/

24 Oct 2007 at 00:22 - 40

It'll be an expansion. I thought that was pretty clear from how they set up both Cantha and Elona. Can't have the first continent as huge as all the area we have now.