Some good stuff in this interview by KillTenRats. You'll want to head over and check it out:
How important is each profession’s identity? Does the second profession mechanic affect the identity of the professions?
Izzy: Obviously the secondary profession a player chooses is hugely important. It’s crucial that we have a strong primary profession which defines the character, but that secondary profession opens up a new matrix of tools you can manipulate. In effect, we don’t have ten professions in Guild Wars. When you factor in the secondary professions, we have close to a hundred classes in the game. We have two kinds of identities for all our professions – primary and secondary. Take an elementalist, for example. You play a primary elementalist a lot differently than you play a secondary elementalist. When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that.
Read the rest here - http://www.killtenrats.com/2009/09/1...ars-interview/
KillTenRats.com Interview with Linsey Murdock and Isaiah “Izzy” Cartwright
Inde
Puebert
The funniest part in that interview was when Izzy said, "When we balanced Smiter's Boon..."
Nice find, I really like Kill Ten Rats's interviews.
Nice find, I really like Kill Ten Rats's interviews.
ll Jamie ll
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Originally Posted by Puebert
The funniest part in that interview was when Izzy said, "When we balanced Smiter's Boon..."
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Izzy really hates Smiters.& I agree, good find right thar.
Inde
It's uh... on the front page of GuildWars.com. DON'T YOU CHECK THE OFFICIAL SITE! 
And I agree, the question KillTenRats asks are really spot on in their interviews. Great stuff Ravious!
And I agree, the question KillTenRats asks are really spot on in their interviews. Great stuff Ravious!
Xenex Xclame
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Originally Posted by Linsey
We’ll be able to balance specifically for Sealed Deck without causing problems in other areas of game.
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Zahr Dalsk
Quote:
| Linsey: Monks are the primary solo farming classes for PvE, obviously. |
Sarevok Thordin
>When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that
So buff the Dervish?
So buff the Dervish?
HawkofStorms
I think they mean Xenex, by making the decks, they were able to choose which skills were available, and therefore balance those.
Scythe O F Glory
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Originally Posted by Inde
When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that. |
Skyy High
I thought it was really clear what they meant. Sealed deck play means they can ban or restrict certain skills or skill combinations all they want, which gives them an extra dimension to play with when trying to balance the format.
Gigashadow
This part was most interesting to me: "One of the big things we’re going to do is focus more on a smaller number of game types for GW2 instead of the fifteen or so game types in GW1".
So probably at least:
- World vs world pvp where you can join up solo
- GvG
- HA or its equivalent (maybe different # of people than GvG)
- Rated team arena (not necessarily 4v4)
- Random arena (just because it's so popular in GW1)
So probably at least:
- World vs world pvp where you can join up solo
- GvG
- HA or its equivalent (maybe different # of people than GvG)
- Rated team arena (not necessarily 4v4)
- Random arena (just because it's so popular in GW1)
FoxBat
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Originally Posted by Gigashadow
This part was most interesting to me: "One of the big things we’re going to do is focus more on a smaller number of game types for GW2 instead of the fifteen or so game types in GW1".
So probably at least: - World vs world pvp where you can join up solo - GvG - HA or its equivalent (maybe different # of people than GvG) - Rated team arena (not necessarily 4v4) - Random arena (just because it's so popular in GW1) |
What I would expect:
- world pvp
- rated gvg
- unrated/pug gvg (that was the purpose of HA, but we don't need separate maps/mechanics to accomplish it.)
- MAYBE a small team format, possibly with a sealed deck twist.
Arduin
Izzy got the Assassin's niche wrong.
Also, When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that should be When a class isn't functioning like intended, we make sure it will.
Also, When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that should be When a class isn't functioning like intended, we make sure it will.
Bug John
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Originally Posted by Izzy
particularly for more casual players
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of course, smiter's booning smiter's boon immediately solved the smiting problem, I don't think Ogden agrees, but he's too much of a casual player to understand
Gill Halendt
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Originally Posted by Sarevok Thordin
>When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that
So buff the Dervish? |
majikmajikmajik
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Originally Posted by Gill Halendt
Or... Nerf Soul Reaping?
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Axel Zinfandel
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Originally Posted by izzy
For Guild Wars, we had two big demographics of players — PvP and PvE — and we tried to make all of our skills work for both player sets. There are some skills that work well in both PvE and PvP, but not all of them. Going into Guild Wars 2, we now recognize that we have two different game types. We need to address the different needs of each game type without negatively affecting either one. If we don’t properly handle skills in both formats, we end up hurting both games. Every profession needs a niche in both game types. Right now in GW1 we have classes in PvE and PvP that are used very infrequently. As we enter GW2, we’re going to do a better job identifying these issues up front.
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Hopefully this means they will actually design GW2 so that all classes will have a place, instead of say mesmer being powerful in PvP, but lacking in PvE.
This actually puts a bit more faith in me for GW2, but I still can't wait to hear about the system they'll actually put in place, specifically PvE. PvE in GW1 is.. well... frankly it's pretty boring. A lot more challanging and fun then most other MMOs mind you, but the redundancy after reaching level 20 so quickly is a drag.
Cuilan
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| Mesmers manipulate how you’re able to play. They’re one of our primary hex classes and are good for interrupts and debuffs. They also have one of the stronger energy gain lines in the game. |
One huge difference between Guild Wars and Magic the Gathering is cost. The only possible way to be good at Magic is put hundreds of dollars every year for Standard or thousands for Vintage formats. Guild Wars lets good players play.
draxynnic
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Originally Posted by Linsey
(Mesmers) also have one of the stronger energy gain lines in the game.
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Zahr Dalsk
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Originally Posted by draxynnic
This hasn't been true for years. Auspicious Incantation is decent, but only when you can't fit GOLE into a build or when GOLE on its own isn't enough.
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ele pl
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| while we do updates every few months; we’re pretty similar in that regard |
QueenofDeath
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Originally Posted by ele pl
So true! Delayed updates ftw
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Gigashadow
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Originally Posted by draxynnic
This hasn't been true for years. Auspicious Incantation is decent, but only when you can't fit GOLE into a build or when GOLE on its own isn't enough.
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lord of all tyria
You forget channeling. Protecting HA monks from needing to be good since the dawn of time.
reaper with no name
This interview is funnier than that April Fools' skill update they did.
Bolded for emphasis:
Monks, Terratanks, and SF sins beg to differ.
Um...what?
Mr SF sin begs to differ.
And in the same paragraph, they mention elementalists. The same profession who can outheal and outprot monks at the same time with ER.
Also, Elementalists as damage dealers? Does Anet even play in HM?
I love that last sentence though. It's one of the few things Anet got right about the profession.
SF, MSDB...
Scythe Warriors, Scythe sins, Scythe rits, and MSDB sins all beat mr Derv at the melee AoE game.
WTF is "enchantment manipulation"? Are they talking about enchantment spam? I sure hope not, because dervishes suck at that (and the entire concept is ridiculously underpowered, as well).
Mr Warrior laughs at Mr Dervish's self-healing as he easily beats him at it, while having better armor. Nevermind that the concept of self-healing is fail in PvE anyway.
Mr Scythe Sin can spam DW better than mr Dervish, too.
Come again?
This is the best punchline I've heard in a long time.
E/Mo > Mo/X
W/D > D/X
A/D > D/X
A/E > all
Never mind. This is the best punchline I've heard in a long time.
Quote:
| Could you briefly describe what you would consider to be each profession’s niche? |
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| Izzy: Warriors are front line damage dealers with variable utility. They’re the most durable profession and are the best at dishing out Deep Wound and Knockdown. |
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| Linsey: Mesmers manipulate how you’re able to play. They’re one of our primary hex classes and are good for interrupts and debuffs. They also have one of the stronger energy gain lines in the game. In PvP, they can have a psychological effect on other players, making them second-guess themselves. |
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| Linsey: Monks are the primary solo farming classes for PvE, obviously. They’ve got strong condition and hex removal, and of course, they’re our main healers. Elementalists are both mid-line damage dealers and toolboxes. They have access to Blind, slow, ranged damage spells, and explodey AoE spells. Eles have high energy pools and can make strong use of secondary class skills, so they’re quite versatile. |
And in the same paragraph, they mention elementalists. The same profession who can outheal and outprot monks at the same time with ER.
Also, Elementalists as damage dealers? Does Anet even play in HM?
I love that last sentence though. It's one of the few things Anet got right about the profession.
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| Izzy: Assassins are lightweight DPS melee characters who have Shadow Step and really fast solo spike damage. With access to Poison, Bleed, and Dazed, Assassins are very good at applying conditions to a single target. |
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| Dervishes specialize in AoE melee damage, enchantment manipulation, and self healing. They have easy access to Deep Wound, which makes them pretty formidable. |
WTF is "enchantment manipulation"? Are they talking about enchantment spam? I sure hope not, because dervishes suck at that (and the entire concept is ridiculously underpowered, as well).
Mr Warrior laughs at Mr Dervish's self-healing as he easily beats him at it, while having better armor. Nevermind that the concept of self-healing is fail in PvE anyway.
Mr Scythe Sin can spam DW better than mr Dervish, too.
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| Izzy: Paragons are durable support characters with a decent ranged attack. They have Chants, Shouts, Echoes, party heals and buffing, and easy access to Bleeding. |
Quote:
| When we find a class combination where the secondary is stronger than the primary class, we usually end up changing that. |
E/Mo > Mo/X
W/D > D/X
A/D > D/X
A/E > all
Quote:
| Izzy: Our goal is game balance, first and foremost. |
FoxBat
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Originally Posted by reaper with no name
stuff
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Hyozanryu Sanada
LoL Linsey is gonna regret that there gonna be a LOT of angry TAers out there including myself.
Hyozanryu Sanada
And reaper, you are 100% right.