I got GW the week after release, and while there's been some updates of the graphics, the big change has been game mechanics - GW today is a completely different game than the release-GW was.
Just some quick examples: there were no heroes and the henches were considerably dumber than they are today, mobs did not avoid AoE damage, you had to capture skills by triggering the cap sig while the boss was using the skill you wanted (so you often got the wrong skill, or the boss died before you'd captured the skill), there were no traders, only the core skills existed, there were no insignia or inscriptions, there were no minipets, you had only about 50% chance of salvaging runes...
A trip in the time machine: GW in 2003!
Numa Pompilius
Fril Estelin
More of the oldies found a bit everywhere on the vast net:
ATI ad for GW
the old Anet website (reading this, you get the impression of being in the prehistoric times of GW
)
you can also read some fan mail from 2000!
The annoucement that Gaile Gray joined Anet back in April 2002
(the same page leads to an interesting article on preventing cheats)
The pre-order GW package!
Old design for warriors and eles?
Old inventory and also the next version of it.
ATI ad for GW
the old Anet website (reading this, you get the impression of being in the prehistoric times of GW
)you can also read some fan mail from 2000!
The annoucement that Gaile Gray joined Anet back in April 2002
(the same page leads to an interesting article on preventing cheats)
The pre-order GW package!
Old design for warriors and eles?
Old inventory and also the next version of it.
Numa Pompilius
Quote:
| Old design for warriors and eles? |
bpphantom
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Meat Axe
I always assumed that WoW came out much before GW, which would have explained the terrible graphics.
|
Mordakai
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by bpphantom
Nope, WoW just has really terrible graphics
|
But as you play the game the graphics strangely grow on you.
No, it's never as detailed as GW, but it also feels more alive somehow.
Meh, beauty is in the eye of the beholder I suppose...
(I will say this: beginning armor in WoW is the worst crap I've ever seen. You're a noob, and are meant to feel that way!
)
Malice Black
That necro PvP bar was l33t.
I miss the old days when it was a good game
I miss the old days when it was a good game
Nevin
IGN has a great collection of screenshots. Ranging from 2003/4-2006/7
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/552/552148/imgs_1.html
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/552/552148/imgs_1.html
Rhedd
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius
I got GW the week after release, and while there's been some updates of the graphics, the big change has been game mechanics - GW today is a completely different game than the release-GW was.
Just some quick examples: there were no heroes and the henches were considerably dumber than they are today, mobs did not avoid AoE damage, you had to capture skills by triggering the cap sig while the boss was using the skill you wanted (so you often got the wrong skill, or the boss died before you'd captured the skill), there were no traders, only the core skills existed, there were no insignia or inscriptions, there were no minipets, you had only about 50% chance of salvaging runes... |
Less than 100% salvage chance FTL!
Malice Black
Suck?
The game was better when Anet wasn't there holding everyones hand. Now everything is handed to you on a silver plater, with a big smile.
Borrrrring
The game was better when Anet wasn't there holding everyones hand. Now everything is handed to you on a silver plater, with a big smile.
Borrrrring
MirkoTeran
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius
Just some quick examples: there were no heroes and the henches were considerably dumber than they are today, mobs did not avoid AoE damage, you had to capture skills by triggering the cap sig while the boss was using the skill you wanted (so you often got the wrong skill, or the boss died before you'd captured the skill), there were no traders, only the core skills existed, there were no insignia or inscriptions, there were no minipets, you had only about 50% chance of salvaging runes...
|
Fril Estelin
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Nevin
IGN has a great collection of screenshots. Ranging from 2003/4-2006/7
http://media.pc.ign.com/media/552/552148/imgs_1.html |
http://uk.media.pc.ign.com/media/552...g_1703519.html
http://uk.media.pc.ign.com/media/552...g_1703518.html
You can see the graphic changes through the months.
I guess the GW elders are right, and now the game is much less of a challenge (Anet simply adapted to its population?). So it's time to bring back your good memories!
quickmonty
Been playing since May, 2005 (32 months). Yup ... a lot has changed since then. Some things are better and some things aren't.
Remember when there wasn't a limit to how many minions you could have? LOL! Some fun times back then.
Remember when there wasn't a limit to how many minions you could have? LOL! Some fun times back then.
Malice Black
Wow...I haven't been playing as long as some.
I picked the game up in June/July 2005 I think..
I picked the game up in June/July 2005 I think..
Sir Seifus Halbred
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius
That's the original log-in screen for GW, that's what it looked like on release. I don't remember if those are release-version armors, but they might be - there's been several minor changes to armor.
|
super strokey
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by quickmonty
Been playing since May, 2005 (32 months). Yup ... a lot has changed since then. Some things are better and some things aren't.
Remember when there wasn't a limit to how many minions you could have? LOL! Some fun times back then. |
Rhedd
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Malice Black
Suck?
The game was better when Anet wasn't there holding everyones hand. Now everything is handed to you on a silver plater, with a big smile. Borrrrring |
Suck.
I fail to see how things like random failure on simple tasks (salvaging) make the game more challenging.
Has anyone ever, ever, EVER actually enjoyed the experience of trying to salvage or upgrade some valuable item in an MMORPG, only to have it be destroyed thanks to the whim of random chance? Ever?
If there's one thing that can bring a smile to my face every time I start up GW, it's the fact that Anet is designing it instead of some of the people on these forums.
I have a job, thanks. I like my games to be fun, and yes, instantly gratifying.
HawkofStorms
Malice's comment is dirrected more towards the economy.
Gold items were actually rare prior to chests and buried treasures. Money had value, etc. Now anybody can get enough money for vanity items by just beating the game the first time through.
Gold items were actually rare prior to chests and buried treasures. Money had value, etc. Now anybody can get enough money for vanity items by just beating the game the first time through.
Malice Black
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by HawkofStorms
Malice's comment is dirrected more towards the economy.
Gold items were actually rare prior to chests and buried treasures. Money had value, etc. Now anybody can get enough money for vanity items by just beating the game the first time through. |
Yes, it was a lot better back in the day for the economy, and for those of us who played it.
Getting a gold was a "wow" moment, now it's "another gold for the merch". Back in the day no golds were merched, everything could be sold. A max gold with no dmg mod would fetch a few k.
The people were better. Pugging was actually worthwhile. Getting a group wasn't harder then the mission/quest.
Granted, the whole salvaging thing wasn't too great, but that made getting that sup vigor even more special.
2005>present day
My friends list would agree.
quickmonty
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Malice Black
Yes and no.
Yes, it was a lot better back in the day for the economy, and for those of us who played it. Getting a gold was a "wow" moment, now it's "another gold for the merch". Back in the day no golds were merched, everything could be sold. A max gold with no dmg mod would fetch a few k. The people were better. Pugging was actually worthwhile. Getting a group wasn't harder then the mission/quest. Granted, the whole salvaging thing wasn't too great, but that made getting that sup vigor even more special. 2005>present day My friends list would agree. |
Big G
First of all I want so say how honored I am, because you put my Gw video onto your history list (the alpha one). I was wondering how did I get more than half a thousand views in one day, and now I see the reason. =)
Feel free to comment and discuss about everything about guild wars in my video, and I will reply my own opinion if necessary.
I also looked those old photos you put here. Amazing and Arenanets old website..haha =)
Thank you this thread is awesome, and I was wondering that why didn't anybody do a thread about the history of the GW, But here it is!
Sorry for my English grammar..
Feel free to comment and discuss about everything about guild wars in my video, and I will reply my own opinion if necessary.
I also looked those old photos you put here. Amazing and Arenanets old website..haha =)
Thank you this thread is awesome, and I was wondering that why didn't anybody do a thread about the history of the GW, But here it is!
Sorry for my English grammar..
Coloneh
looks almost as shitty as wow.
and did you guys notice the collosal scimatar, and the centaur with a spear? did they make anything new in nightfall?
and did you guys notice the collosal scimatar, and the centaur with a spear? did they make anything new in nightfall?
DarkNecrid
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Coloneh
looks almost as shitty as wow.
and did you guys notice the collosal scimatar, and the centaur with a spear? did they make anything new in nightfall? |
warcrap
the game was better back then i wonder how they managed to screw it up so fast?
Fril Estelin
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Big G
First of all I want so say how honored I am, because you put my Gw video onto your history list (the alpha one). I was wondering how did I get more than half a thousand views in one day, and now I see the reason. =)
Feel free to comment and discuss about everything about guild wars in my video, and I will reply my own opinion if necessary. I also looked those old photos you put here. Amazing and Arenanets old website..haha =) Thank you this thread is awesome, and I was wondering that why didn't anybody do a thread about the history of the GW, But here it is! Sorry for my English grammar.. |
May be you want to share the history if this video, how you got into the alpha test of GW, what it felt like, then the beta, then the game. And are you still playing 4 or 5 years later?
All your comment are welcome and it would be good to revive a little bit this part of the GW story (do you have friends that were into the alpha too? maybe they can come too). I guess most people noticed the big difference in terms of graphics, as if the game has suddenly changed from a simple/cartoony style to the GW style.
Numa Pompilius
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Mordakai
At first glance, they appear so.
But as you play the game the graphics strangely grow on you. |
WoW's graphics were horrible at release, and haven't been improved noticeably since.
Yes, I know it's by design, a conscious decision to allow people with ten year old computers to play, and yes, their art directors have done a good job of trying to cover this up (e.g. by going for "cartoony" graphics with low/no detail) but it's still sucky.
The atrocious graphics was the reason I got GW instead of WoW - after seeing Pre-Searing, and not having an old Pentium-I machine with a voodoo card, the choice was very simple.
Tyla
I miss when I had proph only....
Molock
I purchased GW on February 21st 2006.. so I wasn't there at the very beggining... however since I started playing GW the game has changed a lot. I remember pugging as being fun, sadly nowadays its rather hopeless as so many idiots have joined the community. You would think that as time passed the community as a whole would become more experienced.. the contrary has occured. The original players have already left or are losing interest and the new players have no idea what they are doing and don't wanna take any advice. *sigh* I'm gonna leave this thread before I get overwhelmed by nostalgia.. lol
quickmonty
PUGs weren't all that great in "the good old days". I lost count of how many times I failed at Dunderhead Keep with PUGs. Finally got through with a guild group.
ensoriki
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by tyla salanari
I miss when I had proph only....
|
DarkNecrid
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Numa Pompilius
Stretched low-res textures and low-polygon 3D graphics don't really grow on me much.
WoW's graphics were horrible at release, and haven't been improved noticeably since. Yes, I know it's by design, a conscious decision to allow people with ten year old computers to play, and yes, their art directors have done a good job of trying to cover this up (e.g. by going for "cartoony" graphics with low/no detail) but it's still sucky. The atrocious graphics was the reason I got GW instead of WoW - after seeing Pre-Searing, and not having an old Pentium-I machine with a voodoo card, the choice was very simple. |
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burni...hots/ss239.jpg
Sure, its not great NOW but for the release, it sure was.
Tevash Szat
Well, I was with GW at the very beginning and then stopped playing October 05.
The one thing I really remembered from open beta was this one signet or skill that allowed you to temporarily "steal" a skill from a boss. I don't remember the specifics of it, but it was removed before the game officially came out.
As for the early days, biggest memories were of the smiting/protection monks that soloed UW and of Droknars Forge running.
Basically you loaded up on Sup Runes to get your health as low as possible, then used an enchantment that reduced dmg down to a percent followed by another that reduced damage by a fixed amount thus making you invulnerable. All those enchantments coupled with zealots fire made monks killing farming machines.
Biggest dissapointments came when they updated the monster ai to stop all the farming. I didn't have a monk, but I had an e/mo build that was good enough to farm a few areas. In that one patch, all of my farming was destroyed and boom I suddenly became sooooo poor...
Back then, Droknars Forge rushing was extremely popular too as you had lvl11-12 heroes with lvl 20 armor which wasn't too bad except the low level arenas suddenly became horribly unbalanced.
I too, sadly was unable to capitalize on the rushing since I didn't have a warrior either, but I was amazingly able to complete one rush with the R/W. This was after they tried to make it harder too.
Don't remember the specifics again, but I was rushing for free since I was just testing out to see if I could actually make the run. Nobody seemed to believe that I could have, but when I reached camp rankor(or something like that), boy were they surprised.....
Had some great memories. I actually would be interested in going back to GW if I weren't so far behind with all the expansions. Oh well, I guess I'll just wait till GW2.
The one thing I really remembered from open beta was this one signet or skill that allowed you to temporarily "steal" a skill from a boss. I don't remember the specifics of it, but it was removed before the game officially came out.
As for the early days, biggest memories were of the smiting/protection monks that soloed UW and of Droknars Forge running.
Basically you loaded up on Sup Runes to get your health as low as possible, then used an enchantment that reduced dmg down to a percent followed by another that reduced damage by a fixed amount thus making you invulnerable. All those enchantments coupled with zealots fire made monks killing farming machines.
Biggest dissapointments came when they updated the monster ai to stop all the farming. I didn't have a monk, but I had an e/mo build that was good enough to farm a few areas. In that one patch, all of my farming was destroyed and boom I suddenly became sooooo poor...
Back then, Droknars Forge rushing was extremely popular too as you had lvl11-12 heroes with lvl 20 armor which wasn't too bad except the low level arenas suddenly became horribly unbalanced.
I too, sadly was unable to capitalize on the rushing since I didn't have a warrior either, but I was amazingly able to complete one rush with the R/W. This was after they tried to make it harder too.
Don't remember the specifics again, but I was rushing for free since I was just testing out to see if I could actually make the run. Nobody seemed to believe that I could have, but when I reached camp rankor(or something like that), boy were they surprised.....
Had some great memories. I actually would be interested in going back to GW if I weren't so far behind with all the expansions. Oh well, I guess I'll just wait till GW2.
Fril Estelin
Apparently, the first ever GW site was this one:
http://web.archive.org/web/200305280...guildwars.net/
It has the same set of pictures as the one on IGN:
http://web.archive.org/web/200306280...reenshot01.php
(look at this one, it really looks more shiny and bright colored)
Thanks for bringing back the memories Tevash Szat. (what kept you off the game?) I hope more people will do the same.
And I guess the classic discussion "the game was better in the old days" is unavoidable, which itself hides the two questions "was the GW population playing better in the old days" and "what does 'better' means"?
Anyway, feel free to just step back in time and relive the memories.
http://web.archive.org/web/200305280...guildwars.net/
It has the same set of pictures as the one on IGN:
http://web.archive.org/web/200306280...reenshot01.php
(look at this one, it really looks more shiny and bright colored)
Thanks for bringing back the memories Tevash Szat. (what kept you off the game?) I hope more people will do the same.
And I guess the classic discussion "the game was better in the old days" is unavoidable, which itself hides the two questions "was the GW population playing better in the old days" and "what does 'better' means"?
Anyway, feel free to just step back in time and relive the memories.
Cherng Butter
The music in the first video was soooooo annoying!
Crom The Pale
I have to say, one of the best times I ever had in GW was long long long ago back in 2005 when I was trying to find my way to this far off and distant outpost called Yak's Bend so I could aquire the rare Expert Salvage Kit and change some drops into Fur for my Ascalon armor, there was no collector and you couldn't purchace the Expert Salvage kits anywhere before Yak's Bend.
That was back when people actually explored the game, didn't have any web sites with walk throughs or guild members that already completed everything.
That was back when people actually explored the game, didn't have any web sites with walk throughs or guild members that already completed everything.
chowmein69
Gw looks like WoW :O
Rhedd
I remember back, years ago, when to play a video game on my PC I had to put a cassette tape in the new-fangled cassette tape drive and wait 30 to 45 minutes for the program to load into memory before it could be played.
People these days, with their DVD drives, their multiple Kb hard drives, and their "saved games" just don't understand how spoiled they are.
Now everyone just wants a game handed to them with no wait, no effort, and no pain.
You can't truly value a game unless you have to wait an hour before playing it!
>_>
Translation of my sarcasm: People bitch. People have always bitched. Way back in "the day", people bitched. Now people bitch about how things are now, and since "then" isn't "now", things must've been better "then". For the most part, however, things are actually better now. (When it comes to GW and media drives, at least.)
People these days, with their DVD drives, their multiple Kb hard drives, and their "saved games" just don't understand how spoiled they are.
Now everyone just wants a game handed to them with no wait, no effort, and no pain.
You can't truly value a game unless you have to wait an hour before playing it!
>_>
Translation of my sarcasm: People bitch. People have always bitched. Way back in "the day", people bitched. Now people bitch about how things are now, and since "then" isn't "now", things must've been better "then". For the most part, however, things are actually better now. (When it comes to GW and media drives, at least.)
Fril Estelin
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Crom The Pale
That was back when people actually explored the game, didn't have any web sites with walk throughs or guild members that already completed everything.
|
But it's amazing to see the GW history before 2005!
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Rhedd
You can't truly value a game unless you have to wait an hour before playing it!
|
Numa Pompilius
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by DarkNecrid
So...this is horrible according to you:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/burni...hots/ss239.jpg Sure, its not great NOW but for the release, it sure was. |
Burning Crusade is also not the original release, it's got slightly upgraded graphics, just like the graphics of EotN is slightly better than the original Prophecies graphics.
World of Warcraft had weak, retro, graphics when it was released in 2004. It was released two years after Gothic 2, which has graphics of about the same quality as WoW, and you can compare to e.g. Half Life 2 which was released before WoW was, or to Guildwars, which is just four months newer.
DarkWasp
Well, I started in about April 2005. Not only did I catch the first BWE, but I caught the early community before the release. One of my favorite things about the pre-release community was the market. I remember wakling into LA saying, "WTS Necro Rune". Instantly, I made 500 gold. I found it amazing that I didn't have to repeat my advertisement.
On the first day of the Beta Event, I spent most of the morning with my friend in Pre-Searing. Now he was a W/E and I a R/E, so all we ever heard were shots and slashes and the occasional firestorm. Around evening time, I felt ready to leave Pre-Searing and did so. I remember no one else was in the house so a cranked the sound up, but I never expected to hear mesmers. When I heard the sounds of Mesmer and Necro skills, I almost had a heart attack in awe. I can't say Guild Wars was better back then, but I can honestly say that being a newbie with everyone else is the most fun you can have with a MMOG.
So what was different in 2005? The GUI as you saw in those videos. It wasn't until just before the April 2005 that they changed it. Gates of Kryta was harder than THK for level 10s, there had to be like 200 ghouls right there at the beggining of the swamp part. People were buying 15k armor, but it was not modeled yet and looked like the 1.5k versions. There was no colored text for drops on the chat bar. Everyone (except those who primaried rangers) thought rangers sucked. Heroes Ascent was located in the desert, the Tombs of the Primevil Kings. PvP was so much better before people got good at it.
Factions was the second most amazing part of Guild Wars. When the PvP preview weekend happened, not only did we have the Battle Isles to explore, but there were Asian characters running around. For the first time, new proffesions and cultures! In addition, the coolest title screen was added. Guild Wars has gone downhill since the removed the Factions theme song from the title screen. Naturaly, people thought factions was the worst because A. They were expecting something as epic as Prophecies and B. There were only Assassins and Ritualists running around.
When NightFall was released, I didn't feel any major change. I also did not enjoy playing it as much as Factions. I am not one for 400 enemies in large mobs per zone. If I wanted constant action, i'd play something more fast-paced like Raptor or DemonStar (scrolling shoot-em-up games). I do not feel fit to rate NightFall. I feel that Eye of the North had the mobs and zones perfect. I really like it's style. It is, however, short and low on content.
Fell free to quote me and even argue your cause. My main point here is, Guild Wars was not better before Factions, it was just more fun at release when everyone was in the dark about what to expect from the game.
On the first day of the Beta Event, I spent most of the morning with my friend in Pre-Searing. Now he was a W/E and I a R/E, so all we ever heard were shots and slashes and the occasional firestorm. Around evening time, I felt ready to leave Pre-Searing and did so. I remember no one else was in the house so a cranked the sound up, but I never expected to hear mesmers. When I heard the sounds of Mesmer and Necro skills, I almost had a heart attack in awe. I can't say Guild Wars was better back then, but I can honestly say that being a newbie with everyone else is the most fun you can have with a MMOG.
So what was different in 2005? The GUI as you saw in those videos. It wasn't until just before the April 2005 that they changed it. Gates of Kryta was harder than THK for level 10s, there had to be like 200 ghouls right there at the beggining of the swamp part. People were buying 15k armor, but it was not modeled yet and looked like the 1.5k versions. There was no colored text for drops on the chat bar. Everyone (except those who primaried rangers) thought rangers sucked. Heroes Ascent was located in the desert, the Tombs of the Primevil Kings. PvP was so much better before people got good at it.
Factions was the second most amazing part of Guild Wars. When the PvP preview weekend happened, not only did we have the Battle Isles to explore, but there were Asian characters running around. For the first time, new proffesions and cultures! In addition, the coolest title screen was added. Guild Wars has gone downhill since the removed the Factions theme song from the title screen. Naturaly, people thought factions was the worst because A. They were expecting something as epic as Prophecies and B. There were only Assassins and Ritualists running around.
When NightFall was released, I didn't feel any major change. I also did not enjoy playing it as much as Factions. I am not one for 400 enemies in large mobs per zone. If I wanted constant action, i'd play something more fast-paced like Raptor or DemonStar (scrolling shoot-em-up games). I do not feel fit to rate NightFall. I feel that Eye of the North had the mobs and zones perfect. I really like it's style. It is, however, short and low on content.
Fell free to quote me and even argue your cause. My main point here is, Guild Wars was not better before Factions, it was just more fun at release when everyone was in the dark about what to expect from the game.
freekedoutfish
Is that seriously what the beta version of GWs looked like? Its like a dead ringer for WoW. Makes you appreciate how amazing it looks now.
I thought they could do better in 2003 :P
I thought they could do better in 2003 :P