New to Guild Wars? New Player? Not sure what to do? Have a question?

Hi All,

I recently played a couple of hours of the last beta test thanks to a friend who had pre-ordered the game and gave me his buddy key to use. Looks like a great game but I have a few questions I hope someone could answer for me:

1. I know that all stats are reset as of the retail release but will my username/password for the beta still be used to login and play?

2. Will I still be able to use my beta character name and details (apart from skills and experience, obviously!) or will I have to start from scratch?

3. I have convinced a couple of other friends to buy the game so that we can form our own team. Unfortunately we only manage to get to play online together once a week or so (due to work/family obligations etc..) so I was wondering if it is possible to create multiple characters so that we could each use one character to adventure 'solo' and use the other to play as a team when we manage to get to play at the same time.

4. If we play as a team of 4 but the next session only 3 team members play how will it affect the other players quest/log book? e.g. if 3 of us complete a quest in one session, and the next session we play as a team of 4, will the 4th player have a quest conflict compared to the other 3 who have already completed it in a previous session? (sorry, just trying to cover every eventuality)

5. I am not a big fan of PvP, is it possible to play the whole game through without playing as part of a PvP guild etc..are there any advantages of joining a guild when it comes to playing the game purely as PvE (apart from the fact that a team has a better chance of killing large groups of enemies etc..)

6. If I am playing a solo session and decide to team up with somebody for that session only how does it affect each players quest/log book etc..(similar to question 4, sorry)

If these questions have been answered previously I apologise for my laziness (for not searching the forums), thanks in advance, and I look forward to the games release and meeting a some of you in the game!

Alzy

Your username (email) and password are preserved. The only new thing you have to enter in on the 27th (or 28th, or whenever) is the retail key you get with your retail box.

What do you mean by "details" of your character? Appearance? The names will be preserved, and that's all we really know.

Each account is able to create four characters. You can use these character slots however you deem fit.

The team-member that didn't play doesn't complete the quest that the other four did, nor will he recieve the reward. Teams don't really carry over from one team-up to the next. The 4th player can always go back to town or outpost to pick up the quest and complete it, and you can help him with it, assuming it isn't a plot-changing incident (such as the Academy). There's usually no problem if you've completed a quest and someone else hasn't, but some quests unlock others so you should always try to keep current with each other.

You don't have to play PvP if you don't want to, but it is about a half of the game. You can't avoid PvP in the Academy quest, but it's only a two minute game. Guilds go for both PvP and PvE, so if you want to stay entirely PvE you can always join a PvE guild to find people to party with (as opposed to spamming Looking for Party all over the outposts). If the question is, "Can I solo the entire game?" the short-answer is no, you can't. The long answer is that it will take forever and you won't have much fun struggling through the whole thing.

If you party, there is no carry-over of quests. If you have a quest and the other person doesn't, if you both do everything required to complete the quest, only you will recieve the reward.

Where do you put your guild hall or how do you get too it?

Thanks fawgre.

Your guild-hall shows up in Post-Searing Ascalon as any other map-marker that you can teleport to. You can choose 6 different settings for your guild hall with different strategic advantages.

How does armor and clothing coincide with appearance? And how customisable is your post-creation character, NOT related to armor or weapons? Can you layer clothing, or is it more the classic: wear vest and it replaces the shirt?

I don't quite understand your first question, so I'll answer what I think you're asking. You can pick what kind of armor you want from a number of sets your primary character is capable of (you can also mix and match pieces from different sets, there's no extra bonus for having a complete set aside from looks), and, if you prefer further customization, you can dye parts of the armor.

There also isn't really anything known as "clothing." Either you are wearing your armor, or you take your armor off and you are wearing your underwear. Underwear is not customizable .

Not really all that customizable at all. You can choose to take a guild (and guild cape), and the aforementioned dye, but vests are just fall under the general "chest pieces" and you can only get one. A vest would replace a "shirt."

Oh. It always dissapoints me in games like lineage and NWN when you can't layer. Thanks though.

How does combat work exactly/ i've gotten a general idea, though nothing to detailed.

yup i read that but since i never played the beta,i can't really tell by those stats and spells how good for pvp purposes. so i just wanted to know if it is possible to play a monk in pvp and still be able to compete with say a ranger or warrior.

I kinda stumbled on GW at an EB today, and it got my curiosity piqued. Naturally, I've got a few questions.

1) I've been wandering the web looking for more info on the game, but the point of the game (if such a beast exists) eludes me. Is it an MMORPG in the traditional sense? Or a standard single-player RPG, with the ability to play online with friends?

2) The emphasis of "Guild" obviously means Guild play, but is there a solo aspect to this game? I had my fill of party play from FFXI, and switched to WoW for the soloablility presented, but was soon disillusioned by as someone on this thread so aptly described, the work-like aspect of questing on Azeroth. Also, would I lose a large part of the game not being involved in GvG action? I've enjoyed guilds for the sense of community I got, not the raiding aspect they presented. I'm similarly not very big on PvP.

3) How large a role does story play in the game? I loved FFXI for its intriguing story, and yes, the cut scenes which I felt added depth to the gaming experience. WoW, I felt, lacked that aspect, which played a role in my leaving the game after only 4 months (I played FFXI for almost 2 years).

Guess that's about it outta me :P

If by "compete against a ranger/warrior" you mean battle them, no, you have no chance. Monks are designed to heal, and heal, and heal, and maybe protect, but mostly heal. If you're in PvP, and you're a monk, you aren't even thinking about offense. (Unless, of course, you are going to be a smiting monk or a tank, but that's kind of frowned on. It's been done, just warn your teammates that you can't heal before you rush out there.) The monk armor is just too weak to stand up to the rigors of combat, especially if you are going to be devoting slots to healing allies.

As far as being opposed to PvP, from what I hear, PvE is a widdle around on, then wait forthe next expansion. it's for the times you want a break from thhe action. All the same, the PvP action seems to waht this game was made for. Hence; "Guild Wars". So, note i have not played the beta so cannot say for 100% surety, I don't think this is your game. Unless 59 dollars for a year+ of PvP isn't sounding bad too you anymore.
i kind of like PvP thoughso i'm sticking around to see what happens beofre deciding to or not to purchase the game.

Point of the game is to have fun...? I guess the point would be to do all of the missions, or, in PvP, to reach the top of the ladder. It's Massively Multiplayer Online in the sense that there's a lot of people and it's played online, but when you go outside of the main meeting places you (and your party) get your own copy of the map with just you (and your party) in it. The second definition is closer, but you can't really solo GW as it's designed more for group combat.

I already answered this in part, but I'll get more in depth. You can solo. It is possible. However, you're going to need Henchmen, or computer controled AI, to go along with you. And you're going to have a tough time of it. Human players, while sometimes unreliable, will get you through the game. Grabbing parties isn't all that difficult, though, since everyone in the game is being forced to work together.

You loose about half of the game not participating in PvP, but the half that you retain is amazing and is good enough as a stand-alone game. While you're limiting your gameplay, PvE is still amazing and you don't have to worry about feeling left out. There are also PvE-only or balanced-between-PvP-and-PvE guilds, so you can join a guild for the community without the push for the top of the ladder.

The devs try to incorporate story into the game. Most players breeze past it, including myself. Every NPC in the game tells you something, some story, and there's a huge plotline buried under all the gameplay. I, of course, skipped past this whole thing in the pursuit of action, but if you are patient you can get a lot out of it. The cutscenes are pretty good, cinematic, epic. Members of your party have the option to skip them, and when you see "5 of the 6 members of your party wish to skip this cinematic" you might feel a little peer pressure.

Thanks all for the quick replies. I'll admit that the concept implied by the name of the game was not lost on me (Guild WARS screams GvG), but sometimes I find you can still be surprised by asking questions. Sadly, I'm beginning to think GW may not be the game for me. I'll keep my eye out on it tho. No monthly fees is a huge incentive

You can always pick up the pre-order (they go from anywhere to a penny, a dollar, or five dollars) and play from the 27th to the 29th. That would be the best way to determine whether or not the game is for you, everything here is biased.

Hey fawgre, thanks for the quick response.

As far as the character details go, I did mean things like name/class/appearance etc..but I was just curious, as stats are reset it's no problem to create another character.

Thanks also for the answers to the other questions.

I am not opposed in any way to PvP, although I am a bit worried of getting my arse kicked by more experienced players, which is why I am planning on concentrating more on the PvE side of the game. As I won't get to devote a 'LOT' of time (like some players obviously will) to the game and I decide to join a 'guild/PvP team' will I be obliged to attend certain events/matches etc.. or will my guild be likely to kick me out due to poor attendance etc..?

Danarhys..I played a few hours of the last beta and played solo, all I can say is based on that time playing the game (and it was enough to make me pre-order it based on single player adventuring alone). If throughout the course of the game a quest is too difficult to complete solo you could always 'hire' a henchman or ask a player or two to help out and then carry on by yourself after that.

Wow, fawgre, way to keep it under wraps on all the responses . Where would we be without you. alzy it depends completely on the guild you join. While a guild can have up to 100 members most guilds will stick around a close knit group of friends. BUT, that doesn't mean you can't join in on the fun. My guild currently has a member who works almost all the time (no, not me I'm not that bad yet) and is only able to participate a little bit. But myself and my guild members all have lower level characters we play just for this purpose. We enjoy playing with different teams and members, and we are very "helping new people" oriented. I spend many hours in Pre-Searing Abbey as Kith Verlon, helping new users get acquainted with the game in a friendly environment. You could always join us as a group and possibly as a guild. Just hit "n" and add me to your friends list. Also trusted guild members that don't have a headset (for teamspeak) we send one too ( a cheap one) but at least it helps you participate and get in on all the hilarious fun. I recommend shopping around for a guild that suits your needs.

Lansing Kai Don

Yes very huge incentive... knowing the computer industry. I'm always upset to see monthly fees on anything except internet service. This game is not for everyone, but I think fawgre is very action oriented. Whereas, I prefer to take my time, survey the upcoming battle and make an appropriate strategy. I'm also much more PvE oriented and like exploration. I will be trying PvP later on, but kind of scared to dip my toes into it. PvE gets my adrenaline going, I'd probably have a heart attack on PvP. I made these statements as a balance to the name... it does seem GvG, but I've spent 3 BWE's doing nothing but PvE and haven't gone through a 1/8 of the Beta (which is a 1/3 of the game). But like fawgre said, you really should purchase a preorder for that small fee and see what you will be missing.

Lansing Kai Don

Thanks Lansing Kai Don,

I already use TS in other games. My friends and I usually play FPS's but I also enjoy RPG's and I am trying to convince them all to buy GW asap so we can form our own team. As we don't always manage to be able to play together a lot I am planning on having a character to use solo PvE but would be happy for any help/support/info from other players as I progress.

Thanks again and look forward to playing,

Alzy

sorry guys, quickie question. i just got the game on preorder and received the special preorder version with disc and cd key. i was wondering...it says my product has already been used "Err=105" or something along the lines of that...whats up with that? do i need to wait until the next beta event or something?

any help would be great. thanks.

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ighlight=error

That thread should help you about a bit. It's a common problem, just wait until release to enter your code.

thanks for the heads up bro. appreciate it.

Could someone explain the combat system in detail? As i siad when I posted this earlier i understand the basics but no ones really given it a thurough run down. Also: I've heard something about a subscription fee for anyone who wants to go beyond level ten to the final ten levels. Is this rumor, or a sad marketing tequnique used again after being used for ages past and to come?

Combat system... is complicated, but I'll take a stab at it.

In PVE: You run up to a monster, either in melee range or the range of your spell, and auto-attack it using the spacebar (or double-click) and then use your skills, or go right into using your skills without auto-attacking. There are eight skills on the bottom of the screen, you can either hit these (with the mouse) or hit the number keys 1-8 to activate them. You have a set amount of energy with which to use spells, and you are also limited by their recharge times (the time until you can use that spell again). Once the enemy is dead, you repeat.

PVP combat is far too complicated to get into, but it's basically the same thing with a lot more strategy and a lot more planning.

Best way is to find out for yourself in the Early Access, it's not all that difficult to pick up. Hopefully that insanely basic explanation helps some, if not, PM me and I'll try to get into more detail.

As per the second half, it's LIES, lies lies. LIES. No subscription fees, ever. You can choose to pay for additional content in Chapters every six months, but you are not obligated to.

theres no subscription fee right? but how does GW peoples make money then? do they just come from the new chapters that will come out every few months? Is that more or a less a sneaky version of monthly payment or something? i mean seriously, the free thing is just awesome and too good to be true- im dumbfounded....

Yes, they get their money from the Chapters. But, think of it this way.

Traditional Pay to Play: 15 dollars a month? Times 12 months, if you choose to play the entire year. You must keep paying if you want to continue enjoying the game.

Guild Wars: 50 dollars up-front. You can stop right here, and just play this game for the rest of your life, there's no oligation to purchase additional chapters. If you choose to buy another expansion, it's 50 dollars (or possibly a bit less) every 6 months, which is about 100 dollars a year (or about 8 dollars per month).

If that's "sneaky" to you, well, then, yeah, I guess you could consider that your monthly payment. It's more like you're purchasing an entirely new game every 6 months, though, which is why the chapters are priced as first-tier games would be.

I heard from someone that you can't see people outside of the towns is that true?

missions and explorable areas are instanced specifically for your party. you will not run into any other players in your instance.

So wait if your not on a mission can't see people?

I mean like exploring the wild will i ever come into anyone thats not in my party?

I mean in all MMO's the thing i like most is walking around the wild and seeing people just doing whatever other people do.

GW does not have that. All the other players out side of the party you form can only be seen inside the towns and outposts.
It was done this way to prevent PK, kill stealing, waiting for creatures to respawn in order to complete missions/quests, and other issues normaly seen within other MMOs.

I was wondering if you can do warrior/ranger as your profession?
Thanks

Yes you can. You can make any combo of professions that you want. Some are more attuned to work with others, but there really is no wrong build from what I understand.

I know this is a silly question, but I've just received the boxed version of the game, and....I can't find the access key. At all. Very frustrating. And I know it's probably sitting right in front of me, I just can't see it. So, to all those who CAN find their access keys, could you point out where it is to me? Pretty please?

It's inside the CD case, on the left side at the bottom when you open the case. Scratch the grey line and only but only if you’re lucky will there be a game key. lol j/k

Unik

And that would be why I couldn't find it, because the inside cover accidentally fell onto the floor. *sigh* This is why I shouldn't handle anything technical (like doorknobs) when I'm low on sleep. Thanks bunches.

I have some questions about the "Arcanist Done Right" build on the main page and other Elementalist/Monk healer builds. The description says they're good for PvP. Are they also good for PvE? Also, can you get a party as easily as you could with a Monk primary, or do you get ignored because people think you're a nuker?

So, does that mean that even all ppl playing on early release day will be wiped as well?

I have a question about starting guilds. What are the exact requirements? Is there like some kind of quality I should have for a website? and also how many people do I need to have as sort of founders? Ive got like maybe 3 others so far.

I just came to Guild Wars from WoW, what should I expect?

I heard there was supposed to be a list of emotes and commands in the preorder box ... but there were none in mine. Is there a same sort of list online somewhere? Thanks.