An Open Letter to the Guild Wars Community

TO: Guild Wars Community

FROM: Jupiter Star Warrior

DATE: Thursday, August 21, 2008

SUBJECT: Game Updates Responses and General Discussion

Dear Guild Wars Community:

In the time I have spent on Guild Wars Guru, I have noticed a few disturbing attributes I wish to address to the community on a whole. First, I would like to discuss my opinion and observations regarding the general community's responses to game updates. Then, more specifically, touch up on insulting ArenaNet employees. Next, the community's behavior regarding ideas bounced in certain forums. My idea is not to insult, but to inform and, hopefully, teach those willing to learn certain and proper and general respect to other users.

It has come to my attention that there is something seriously wrong with responses before, during, and after updates to the game Guild Wars. Often, when updates happen, there are certain individuals who complain because a certain skill has become, in these individuals' eyes, useless or tainted. In certain instances, certain skills do become useless. However, other instances just simply requires a bit of rethinking to make the touched skill useful again. People making builds just need to work out the build. Why not recreate the build for yourself? That way, you got something that's uniquely yours, instead of a cookie-cutter build that most everyone uses?

Also, why do certain people blatantly insult the employees of ArenaNet when they are simply trying to make a fun game more fun and well balanced? The ArenaNet employees work hard at what they do. Stating that skill balancing is tough work is a fair assumption, especially when programmers and developers must do so without dramatically altering the game engine and causing the game to crash. Insulting the employees of ArenaNet makes the community look degrading and, forgive my choice of word, stupid.

On an unrelated note, I have also come to realize that on certain forums, there are players who, after reading an idea, say that the idea presented “sucks” without offering any specific reason why. Instead of insulting the topic starter, responses should offer a reason why the proposed topic is not a wise idea to the game. Responses should also offer constructive feedback, and include ways of making the idea a better one, if applicable. Thinking logically, developers may actually implement the idea if the community works together and present a wise, clear idea. Instead of saying “useless idea is useless”, why not state why that idea is useless? People do not have to be intelligent to act intelligent.

Finally, when presenting an idea to the community,k or even responding to an idea, users should try to proofread a post before submitting it, making that post more legible to read. Legible posts give credibility when they are presented in a clear manner, where all can read without getting a headache.

Taking at least one or all of the approaches above will make this community better than what it is. The suggestions are not meant to call anyone out, nor are they supposed to be offensive. On a whole, we as a community should take the time to be better than what we are. The Guild Wars community is a large community, and represents us as a human race. There will be differences of opinion, but insulting someone is no way to react. Growing up, we were taught proper manners, so we should use them and help each other out.

Thank you for your time in reading this letter:


Jupiter Star Warrior

Originally Posted by Sai Rith I gotz first post!

Originally Posted by JupiterStarWarrior TO: Guild Wars Community FROM: Jupiter Star Warrior DATE: Thursday, August 21, 2008 SUBJECT: Game Updates Responses and General Discussion Dear Guild Wars Community: In the time I have spent on Guild Wars Guru, I have noticed a few disturbing attributes I wish to address to the community on a whole. First, I would like to discuss my opinion and observations regarding the general community's responses to game updates. Then, more specifically, touch up on insulting ArenaNet employees. Next, the community's behavior regarding ideas bounced in certain forums. My idea is not to insult, but to inform and, hopefully, teach those willing to learn certain and proper and general respect to other users. It has come to my attention that there is something seriously wrong with responses before, during, and after updates to the game Guild Wars. Often, when updates happen, there are certain individuals who complain because a certain skill has become, in these individuals' eyes, useless or tainted. In certain instances, certain skills do become useless. However, other instances just simply requires a bit of rethinking to make the touched skill useful again. People making builds just need to work out the build. Why not recreate the build for yourself? That way, you got something that's uniquely yours, instead of a cookie-cutter build that most everyone uses? Also, why do certain people blatantly insult the employees of ArenaNet when they are simply trying to make a fun game more fun and well balanced? The ArenaNet employees work hard at what they do. Stating that skill balancing is tough work is a fair assumption, especially when programmers and developers must do so without dramatically altering the game engine and causing the game to crash. Insulting the employees of ArenaNet makes the community look degrading and, forgive my choice of word, stupid. On an unrelated note, I have also come to realize that on certain forums, there are players who, after reading an idea, say that the idea presented “sucks” without offering any specific reason why. Instead of insulting the topic starter, responses should offer a reason why the proposed topic is not a wise idea to the game. Responses should also offer constructive feedback, and include ways of making the idea a better one, if applicable. Thinking logically, developers may actually implement the idea if the community works together and present a wise, clear idea. Instead of saying “useless idea is useless”, why not state why that idea is useless? People do not have to be intelligent to act intelligent. Finally, when presenting an idea to the community,k or even responding to an idea, users should try to proofread a post before submitting it, making that post more legible to read. Legible posts give credibility when they are presented in a clear manner, where all can read without getting a headache. Taking at least one or all of the approaches above will make this community better than what it is. The suggestions are not meant to call anyone out, nor are they supposed to be offensive. On a whole, we as a community should take the time to be better than what we are. The Guild Wars community is a large community, and represents us as a human race. There will be differences of opinion, but insulting someone is no way to react. Growing up, we were taught proper manners, so we should use them and help each other out. Thank you for your time in reading this letter: Jupiter Star Warrior

Originally Posted by JupiterStarWarrior That wasn't the point of this letter, you know. -_-

Originally Posted by Sujoy Keep your day job, changing this community is near impossible. All the people that really gave a dam have left long ago.

Originally Posted by ALF71BE tl;dr in b4 close. What's with people and their "open letters" eh?

Originally Posted by Mr. Undisclosed The original open letter got attention so everyone thinks "o hay, people will give meh attention if i putz open letter in teh title!". When I see posts titled "An Open Letter" I don't read them and instead choose to make fun of the poster for being stupid.

Originally Posted by ALF71BE What's with people and their "open letters" eh?