big patch 06/01

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

http://www.guildwars.com/news/gameupdates.html
Quote:
Added language-specific districts to European servers. There are now different districts for each supported language: English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. Players are placed by default into the district that matches their current language preference, but can still travel freely to any available district or to the International District.

Added requirement for a guild officer to be present to initiate or accept a guild battle. This can help guilds protect their rating by removing the potential for malicious or careless actions on the part of a guild member.

Added more boss-monster locations to high-level maps to make it easier for players to acquire elite skills.

Assured that the skills Battle Rage, Crippling Shot, Defy Pain, Punishing Shot, and Warriors Endurance are now used more frequently by the boss monsters that carry the skills, to make them easier to capture.

Added new art for unidentified salvaged runes so that the profession and rune quality are displayed. Identifying the rune is still required to learn the rune's attribute and to unlock the rune. This change only impacts newly salvaged runes.

Assured that all uncommon and rare armor drops have an unlockable ability.

Assured that rare armor drops will always have either a major or superior rune, not a minor rune.

Assured that NPC traders, whose price fluctuates according to market demand, will always pay at least the vendor value for an item.

Assured that Celestial Sigils now have an inherent value of 1 platinum piece, which allows them to be sold at vendors.

Assured that armor provided by collectors can now be salvaged.

Added a new "/rank" emote for players who are rank 9 or higher.

Improved Henchmen in missions beyond Iron Mines of Moladune. They now have three pieces of armor infused instead of one.

Improved or clarified secondary missions in D'Alessio Seaboard, Divinity Coast, Augury Rock, Thirsty River, Ice Caves of Sorrow, Thunderhead Keep, Ring of Fire, Abaddon's Mouth, Hell's Precipice.

Increased the gold reward in Divinity Coast that is given for protecting the Chosen.

Improved the ambient ongoing fight in the D'Alessio Seaboard outpost.

Doubled the duration of the buff that Vizier Khilbron gives to players in certain missions, from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Updated monster and loot balance in Perdition Rock, Vulture Drifts, Prophet's Path, the southern Shiverpeak region, and Hell's Precipice.

Made improvements to various mission start locations, NPC locations, gates, levers, and bridges.

Made improvements to various map click points and thumbnails.

Fixed issues with quests Defend The Temple of War, Hungry Devourer, Supplies For The Duke, Army Life, Duke Ambush, and To Kryta.

Fixed the glow color of several boss monsters in Crystal Desert and Perdition Rock to match their skills.

Improved AL on Elementalist Leggings crafted in Quarrel Falls from 30 to 39.

Renamed "Raw Cloth" to "Cloth."

Renamed "Enchanted Lodestones" found in post-searing Ascalon to "Scorched Lodestones."

Removed the ability to dye certain non-equippable items such as crafting materials.

Fixed skill Winter so that all elemental damage is converted to cold.

Fixed skill Feral Lunge duration of bleeding effect.

Fixed skill Spiteful Spirit so that it deals damage when the target uses a skill.

Fixed skill Fevered Dreams so that it does not affect non-foe targets in response to unsourced condition effects.

Fixed skill Essence Bond to eliminate the rare incorrect triggering on physical damage.

Fixed skill Life Bond so that it always deals the correct damage type.

Fixed skill descriptions for Healing Signet, Balthazar's Spirit, Putrid Explosion, Defensive Stance, Symbol of Wrath, and Desperation Blow, so that the descriptions more accurately match the actual effect of the skill.

Updated Alt keydown functionality to additionally display henchman names in town.

Added overhead chat bubbles for team chat (except in competitive missions, where there are no chat bubbles).

Updated auto-run functionality so that players will auto-run when clicking an NPC in the world but not when clicking an NPC in the party allies window.

Updated European and Korean translations.

Updated Korean character naming rules.

Updated art for Geomancer's armor. This is the first of several updates over the coming weeks that will provide unique art for each ascended armor set, such as Enchanter's, Tormentor's, Necrotic, Aeromancer's, Saintly, Gladiator's, and Druid's armor sets.

Changed the "Delete Character" dialog to allow the deletion of old characters whose names do not conform to current naming rules. A previous bug prevented the deletion of characters whose names were created under old naming rules and no longer conformed to current naming rules.

Fixed a bug preventing alternate characters from logging on when one character on the account was blocked.

Fixed Lightning Drakes' air magic ability.

Fixed miscellaneous rare crash bugs.
editted:
some people dont like unquoted text - go figure

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Lots of cool changes, but nothing to reduce grind for PVP folks.

Ginko

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

The Illuminati

It said they assured Sigils cost 1platnium? Now does that mean they will cost that much from vendors or is that how much you sell them to Merchants and such?

When I logged on I found that all the sigils were out of stock, so this could be possible.

If anyone can confirm, thanks!

--Ginko

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

That probably means the minimum price for selling them to the vendor is going to be 1000.

dbgtboy

dbgtboy

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

irl

i quit playing

THANK GOD! no more minors in rare salvage armor, IM SO HAPPY!!!

Bamelin

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

Why sell them to the vendor for 1 k when you can sell them to another player for 60 - 70 k?

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Maybe before the NPC was giving 10g for them or something. Dunno.. just taking guesses.

C-Tzar

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

North AL, USA

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by dbgtboy
THANK GOD! no more minors in rare salvage armor, IM SO HAPPY!!!
Minors? I never even gotten those out of rare armors. At LEAST 30 purple and yellow armor drops with not a single rune. Sounds like they fixed that too.

ethornber

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
Lots of cool changes, but nothing to reduce grind for PVP folks.
In that list I see

1) More efficient Rune unlocking
2) Higher chance of gaining Elites

How is that not reducing the perceived 'grind'?

Healing Y O U

Healing Y O U

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Mo/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by C-Tzar
Minors? I never even gotten those out of rare armors. At LEAST 30 purple and yellow armor drops with not a single rune. Sounds like they fixed that too.
ive only gotten 1 major... but with my luck HA didnt get it.

DarrenJasper

DarrenJasper

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Well it looks like runes are a lot easier to get a hold of now, so that's an obvious gesture to us and I'm very grateful.

Thanks ANet!

Zorlag

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethornber
In that list I see

1) More efficient Rune unlocking
2) Higher chance of gaining Elites

How is that not reducing the perceived 'grind'?
They also "removed" easy air drake and flesh golem farming (both creatures were laughably weak for their level before) which means it might take longer time to collect stuff that way. I guess we need to test these changes before we can comment which way the scales tilted. Mostly good fixes on the list though.

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by ethornber
In that list I see

1) More efficient Rune unlocking
2) Higher chance of gaining Elites

How is that not reducing the perceived 'grind'?
Runes aren't that important. The elite gaining isn't any different than before as you still need to travel far, kill lots of stuff, and spend skill points.

Ginko

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

The Illuminati

Whoa, the prices went up to 100pp!

EDIT: This is soooo weird, it just dropped 36pp...and now it's 100pp again...

--Ginko

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Zorlag's right. Before you could've farmed certain mobs to get runes somewhat fast. They then sped this process up increasing major/superior runes but at the same time nerfed those special mobs. Now, the process of obtaining runes is actually slower.

DarrenJasper

DarrenJasper

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
Runes aren't that important. The elite gaining isn't any different than before as you still need to travel far, kill lots of stuff, and spend skill points.
Yeah, this is true. But in the letter that came with the patch, the devs said they were aware of the PvP grind issue (a pretty big and important admission imo) and this was the first of their "small steps" way of approaching issues. It seems like their logic is sound and if this initial fix is an indication that they are working towards solving our problems, I'm happy as can be.

Eclair

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Elite gaining is fine as it is IMO, except for the few buggy ones (some of which they fixed in this patch)

I estimate it took me around 10 hours to get all but 2 elementalist elites and all but 1 mesmer elite. (Just missing the mesmer and elementalist elite in the last mission, and Obsidian flesh)

It's the rune unlocking that really needed fixing IMO =P

Galaphile

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: May 2005

Well, everyone who bought the 15k armor is going to be happy, since they are now making it look different for those sets that were the same.

Lilanthe

Lilanthe

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Flesh Golems are indeed more hard. I can sometimes prevail against a group of 4 with less then 80 health.

I guess it's not worth it anymore...

But to smiting monks.

Healing Y O U

Healing Y O U

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Mo/R

Please use the Quote, and also be sure not to get any of the old updates. Arent you even going to reply to a thread that you created or have you just posted it and left.

edit: surely you can make it a bit better. Kinda like mine...

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=17526

Eclair

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

I thought flesh golems didn't drop armor very often, thus very rarely would you get any rune from them?

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

I have Geo armor from the Forge

but didnt notice a big difference -- its probably subtle

aphex twin

aphex twin

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

UK

Xen of Onslaught [XoO]

Mo/W

seems like they increased the damage they do used to get hit for about 7 each time and now they upped it to 18!! cant farm solo now

xerigen

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninna
I have Geo armor from the Forge

but didnt notice a big difference -- its probably subtle

I'm pretty sure they meant the armor that costs 15k from granite citadel, marhan's grotto, the underworld, and the fissure of woe.

Healing Y O U

Healing Y O U

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Mo/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
10 hours for 3 spells is not fine.
How about we just let you start a charracter with all the skills, best armor, Max money. All just for you. By the way we will also throw in a free cookie.

-edit: removed reference to deleted post

Ninna

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Northeast USA

Guilded Rose

Me/

Quote:
all but 2 elementalist elites and all but 1 mesmer elite
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
10 hours for 3 spells is not fine.

you misread -- got ALL elem/mesmer elites except 3

Typhoon

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2005

And yet, my uber secret solo farm spot is still unchanged. Muhaha!

Eclair

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
10 hours for 3 spells is not fine.
I said 10 hours for all BUT 3 elites, that's something like 30+ elites from the elementalist and mesmer lines.

Edit: Oops, Ninna you beat me to it XD

Stayfrosty

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Marduke guild

yea, they used do do 4 max and i could tank about 30.. now they are hitting me up for 10-15 im crying

PieXags

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

I swear to all that is haflway decent on Earth as we know it, Anet is by far one of the greatest community devs I've ever seen. Great updates, way to go Anet.

I ADORE the idea of different looking 15k armor, pretty sweet 'eh?

Cheers.

gwden

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ninna
you misread -- got ALL elem/mesmer elites except 3
Ah, well that's different then. 10 hours for all of those spells isn't so bad. It took me about about the same time to capture some mesmer's spell. It took that long mostly because I couldn't get the mob to use the spell.

30+ spells, eh? Been saving those skill points?

Talus

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

Hamilton, ON

E/Me

Let's get back to talking about this great update.

I wish they improved the in-game /ignore function...for OBVIOUS reasons

-edit: removed reference to deleted content

Adaria

Adaria

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2005

Florida

Wayward Wanderers

E/Mo

I haven't had a chance to see the update first hand as far as playing goes yet, but I am VERY eager to see the new rune changes and stuff. They did a whole lot and... Why in the name of the gods would anyone want to dye their crafting materials anyway? o_o;

Can ANYONE enlighten me on this? I realize it has been fixed to where it cannot but, why would you want to anyway?

"WTS GOLD STEEL INGOT 1K!!! PM ME PM ME NOW!"

Ahem... that would be mildly funny... but... yeah really stupid.

Eclair

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by gwden
Ah, well that's different then. 10 hours for all of those spells isn't so bad. It took me about about the same time to capture some mesmer's spell. It took that long mostly because I couldn't get the mob to use the spell.

30+ spells, eh? Been saving those skill points?
I think I might have bought 10 skills at most from the NPCs. That makes 20 (level 20) + 24(missions) + 10 (exp after 20), so that's about right =)

Basically all I buy are the REALLY essential spells and with the rest of my points I buy signets of captures. I actually kinda wasted some points buying random skills on my elementalist, on my Warrior/mo I have something like 25 signets of captures and 20 skill points unused T_T.

Mimu

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2005

England, UK

Call of Destiny [call]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Adaria
I haven't had a chance to see the update first hand as far as playing goes yet, but I am VERY eager to see the new rune changes and stuff. They did a whole lot and... Why in the name of the gods would anyone want to dye their crafting materials anyway? o_o;

Can ANYONE enlighten me on this? I realize it has been fixed to where it cannot but, why would you want to anyway?

"WTS GOLD STEEL INGOT 1K!!! PM ME PM ME NOW!"

Ahem... that would be mildly funny... but... yeah really stupid.
I dyed a belt pouch once...they're not even tradeable, so you can't show anyone.

Does this mean I have a rare, pre-update, yellow belt pouch?

HOORAY FOR ME!

egads

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

This is an excellent update. Loads of things that have bugged me in the past have been fixed, not to mention all the things I hadn't seen. Good work devs!

Now I just need to memorise the new rune icons.

Shadowsting

Shadowsting

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: May 2005

Gentlemen's Club

Quote:
Added new art for unidentified salvaged runes so that the profession and rune quality are displayed. Identifying the rune is still required to learn the rune's attribute and to unlock the rune. This change only impacts newly salvaged runes.
Okay........I'm really confused by this point.........

What does it mean? I was farming Riverside a couple of minutes ago, and I got a few minor runes. Yes, the art has changed, (and not for the better IMO), but what else has changed? Is this if I, say, salvage an un-IDed armor that has a rune, or what. I'm really confused...

NotoriousEvil

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2005

The elite skill thing needed to be fixed too. Someone in my party for Dragons Lair was waiting like 5 minutes for the nature boss to use melandrus resilience. The rune thing is good too.

Sol Invictus

Sol Invictus

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Tyranny of Choice

Me/N

So, has anyone seen the new Geomancer armor? Does anyone have screenshots of what it's supposed to look like now, and what it looked like previously?

Eclair

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Shadowsting
Okay........I'm really confused by this point.........

What does it mean? I was farming Riverside a couple of minutes ago, and I got a few minor runes. Yes, the art has changed, (and not for the better IMO), but what else has changed? Is this if I, say, salvage an un-IDed armor that has a rune, or what. I'm really confused...
Basically what happens is that if they salvage the armor instead of IDing it first, and the rune comes out, it'll now show whether its a minor, major, or superior. This would allow for better chances of unlocking the superiors you want, as now you can buy class specific superiors and have a 1/4 -1/5 th chance of getting the superior rune you want.