More story and immersive stuff?

I love Guild Wars, but im dissapointed by the lack of depth in the storyline

- I wish more people had voice acting in guild wars.

- I wish you could talk to normal folk. "like ascalon townpeople" - About different stuff. about irelevent stuff.. like the worlds gods, past wars, gw holidays, their families. all that detailed role playing and world lore info that helps bring it together. It seems so rushed.

- after doing important events in the story it would be great to be able to "converse" with different people about does events. Like after pre-searing being able to go over to a guard and talk about some stuff that has happened in the two years lifespan.

- I wish each chapter had an ending cinematic. The two cinematics pwn, but I think it would be better if there was one to introduce the story and one to close it. It would also be great to be able to acces the cinematics from the main menu. they are well hidden away on the CD. I think many people unfortunately havent seen them.

- wouldnt it be swell if we were able to right click on key characters and hear their backstories. create an examine button. It could also help flesh out character development and characters stories making them more beliveable and loveable.

- books. In Oblivion and WoW I love I can walk around and go in houses and libarys and read books about the world. books about what dark magic does to your mind.. books about ancient gods and war and about ancient arch villans and ancient heroes, and read books about my birth sign and old kingdoms and lands passed away. GW is a great licens but I think Anet waste their opputunity on developing on it.

- more physical stuff for your character to do? being able to walk around into houses? sit in chairs on taverns and drink? climb ladders? swim? use mounts? GW feels awful restricted I think. I also think many people are still incredible frustrated over not being able to jump. it just doesnt feel right. After a year I still havent gotten used to it. Most games really allow this. Maybe if GW is going to take advantage of Windows Vista, dual core and DirectX10, it will allow it.

- alligment system. perhaps similiar to KOTOR and neverwinter nights, you could do quests that would slowely make you good or evil or neutral. maybe like in fable it could change your apperance. so if you became really evil your skin would be paller and you would look mean.. your pupils would become red and you would look aggresive all the time, and the oppesite if you were good.

- more emotes? no /cry /sleep ?

- more uniqe NPCs. havent seen many kids besides gwen? what about a funny bard who comes into town once a month or so and sings a song? what about a special fair were you could buy rare stuff cheaper? more randomisation to add to the colorfulness of the world?

- more variation in the npcs? maybe make npcs fat, smaller or taller. many of them look exactly the same?

- present the story in new cool ways? perhaps the current way of doing cut scenes and stuff is not the best ways to tell the story. maybe it would be better to do something like CDprojekt is doing with The Witcher!? Look: http://www.gametrailers.com/player.p...pe=wmv&pl=game


- Being able to carry your weapons on your back while in town. would be a nice way to show off your cool staff or sword

example:


picture from The Witcher. The hero is carrying his sword on his back while not fighting. it makes sense. Oblivion and WoW use the same systems, and even Counter-Strike: Source implanted. It would be so cool if GW would have it to.


- And on that note with the image above; More conversation options. being able to resepond in uniqe ways to the npcs.


- Profile page. While I was playing Neverwinter Nights, you could click on other peoples avatars and see their own backstories which they had written. and you could write your own! this would be a sweet tool for role players to have. but it would also be cool if guilds could use it. if you could click on a guild leader and then see a biography on the guilds story, what kind of people and who they are recruiting and why. it would help communication much further I think.

- Dynamic weather effects and day night cycles. I think most of us understand that this wont be able to make it into the current chapters but why not the new ones? being able to suddenly feel rain or something. there could even be a system implanted were the seasons would change?


- more uniqe combat animations. as a warrior I feel the combat looks fairely generic. it feels strange that you are locking on to your target. you cant like in Hellgate: London, WoW or Oblivion move around in real time, trying yourself to catch kiters or something. Being able to strafe and actually have to physicaly hit your oppenant would add a new dimension and layer of fun into the gameplay itself. Imagine if casters could run around and dodge spells and cast them while moving(slower meleers could get up to them and catch them!). It would give so much more feel of control and tactical advantage. no one likes to be forced to stand still. people wanna keep moving while fighting and strafe and run forward and backwards while fighting. it would be very neat
but the same with combat animations. sword fighting for example.. the way sword fighting works in this game, looks simple and not good at all.
maybe arenanets animators should get inspirations from stuff like this:

Ninja Gaiden: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvpKt...ninja%20gaiden
Samurai Champloo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCWz6...search=samurai
Kenshin: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPxT3...%20the%20en d
RoTS: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05BLo...0of%20a%20hero
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uspdt... den%20dragon
LoTR: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zs7Bp...%20the%20rings
Hero: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPFn-...ero%20jet%20li
Advent Children: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nvdv5...ent%20children



Thats some of the stuff I would love to see. Love GW but I think that there are many awesome things that could be expanded upon.

I think you are basically wishing for a different game. I understand your woe.

The fact is ANet doesn't really care about story and roleplaying emersion. In fact, it's probably one of the things that allows them to produce the game cheap enough to be free online play.

It's apparent that they don't care about the story, by all the many plot holes present. The Factions trailer showed Nika dealing a ciritcal blow to Shiro 200 years ago when he assassinated the emporer. But obviously she can't be 200 years old. In the game it was a completely different assassin who did that. They just wanted Nika to be their poster girl. It turns out they never found much relevance for her being in the game.

The name Guild Wars, is completely unrelated to what happens in the story. They made the name Guild Wars because they thought of the idea of people making guilds and then PvPing with eachother. They tacked on the tenuous excuse that there used to be guild wars several hundreds of years ago just to justify the name of their game story-wise, but the guild wars from hundreds of years ago have no bearing on the current story at all. It's just casually mentioned at the beginning.

And then there are all the unanswered questions and holes after you finish the game. Factions is guilty of this too. I would go on about all of these, but then I'd be filling this thread with spoilers.

I honestly wouldn't hold your breath on the issue. This game was built to be a competitive game. In fact, ANet calls it a Competitive Online RPG, not a MMORPG.

I agree with a majority of what you've posted. There could be a lot of better content to this game. So many leave because there is a lack of things to do. Especially due to the lame level caps.

Agreed that they need more than the two - four it seems like they have. Need variety.

I love running through the North Kryta province, sword in hand and the stupid settlers run into you and get in your way. You'd think they'd get out of the way seeing some big guy with a sword or axe running at them. You click on them and nothing. Lame. Yeah, the game is rushed. Way too much in fact. You get to level 20, ascend, boom that's pretty much it. Boring. This is why they need to raise the level cap to a much higher level. But too many will cry about it not being balanced, even though there would still be balance. The point of games is to be better than other things. Skills don't do that, leveling AND skills do that.

Exactly. Where is this content and what happened those two years?

Agreed there as well. People skip the cutscenes because they're mindnumbingly dull and boring.

Either that or as you comment on in later posts. Enter their homes and find books based on family history.

Reading books and scrolls would be a great way to adventure and learn new skills too. :P

That's already possible in so many games. Even old games like Neverwinter Nights. So it's obviously not a hard thing to do. Would be excellent to expand the guild hall this way as well. Imagine a small house for each member, maybe medium for officer, etc. You can store a ton of items and things there, even more gold. Purchase upgrades and more. You could even invite people into your home by issuing keys. Talk with a Locksmith to change the locks, and so forth. :P

It'd be awesome to earn a title for being a truly good hero. If you're a Warrior Monk you can become a Paladin, etc. Haha, if you become evil the guards chase you in towns. That'd be funny to see.

Only new emote that came with Factions was /dancenew and that's only for CE. Not even a simple little /favor command. GET WITH IT ANET.

I agree with you here as well. Towns and outposts are dull, boring. Because there are no real unique things there. Same thing everywhere. Yawn.

See my above comment. :P

Something. Nay. ANYTHING less boring than what it is now would be so much nicer.

About putting the swords and shields on the back. How would that work with the cape? Maybe put the sword in a hilt (something you can BUY for your inventory, like the belt pouch, etc) that holds your weapon and shows it on your side when you're not fighting. Shield maybe goes under the cape but I dunno. Nice ideas though.

Agreed. Much moreso than those few lame storytellers who loop options.

I loved that feature in Neverwinter Nights. You could even have your own class name. Sure, you could be a Human but you could have a unique name like "Jedi" for example.

Seasons, even day and night would be nice. A day/night cycle that would change every six hours would be cool. New monsters at night.

Amen. Fighting is even kind of boring because it appears to be the same three animations. And why the hell can't you fight bare handed!

---------------

Guild Wars is a fantasy game, a role playing game. It's not supposed to be realistic! This game isn't a "competitive RPG" in any way. Because you're too equal to everyone. How the hell is that competitive? It's not. Being competitive would be having diveristy. Allowing people to level up to something high and extreme, but be equally hard to reach (Like level 99 in Final Fantasy). It's an MMORPG, Mass Multiplayer Online RPG. You team up with people and do missions, etc. In towns there are always lots of people. I'd call that mass right there. Multiplayer because you have to team up to finish missons since the hench are scripted worse than a poor OS (*nix anyone?). The only thing they got halfway right was the RPG aspect. You can play out the role of your character, but not by much.

In closing, you've got awesome ideas. Go to work for ANet and improve this game!

/signed

Edit: Fixed a typo.

Your words make me depressed mate

I hate it when people implant stuff just for the sake of it. People should only do stuff if they want to do it right.


But is the hole point of role playing games not to be immersed in the story? like baldurs gate, final fantasy, oblivion, neverwinter nights, diablo 2?


Diablo 2 ran on battle-net and that game had tons of awesome story, seperate books released and a ton of great cinematics. that game is just a pure classic.

im affraid that GW will not be like that because it does not have soul or personality. its a beautiful but ultimately a steril and generic experience?


I still love it. I just wish they could exceed in other areas than graphics and pvp balancing.


-gede

Well said! So many people get bored of this game for those EXACT reasons! Level 20 is too low a level cap for one. Oh boo hoo, you have a life. So do I! But if I want to play the game and get my character to level 99 or whatever the cap is, so be it. If you can't then don't play the game. But wait, it's not fair, it's not balanced! Who said life is fair? Who says life is balanced?

But this isn't fair for the PvP characters? Okay so uh, cry then PvPers? Look at all the other games out there. You play as one character that does PvE and PvP. You work to make that character better, stronger and so forth. In the end it's far more rewarding than, "Okay, let me delete this PvP character and reroll to make XX/XX class with those skills." I'm sorry but how in the hell is that fun? I'd rather put time and dedication into my character than make an instant perfect character any day. You learn more with experience than having something perfect given to you instantly.

Gedepod, excellent post yet again.

Its not going to become an RPG, no matter how much of those they add on.

Until GW gains static combat zones, increased level cap, and full character customization, it will just be a PvP game with a simple A to B quest on the side.

I applaud you on a very good post GedePod. I seriously think anet should hire you and have you give suggestions lol =)

I agree with every point stated and really wish there was more interaction and immersion.

/signed

and i agree with Lyra as well =)

Undivine, you do realize that the assassin was Vizu, not Nika right? Vizu is Nika's ancestor. And while people may say but in the movie she has long hair and in the temple it's short, well, how much time was there between the movie being produced and the npc being placed into Tahnnaki, time passes, 2 different groups do something, minor changes occur. If this was as big a problem as you make it out to be, studios would never make sequels unless they had the same actor for any continuing roles because the audience would freak out over it. Of course, if this was true then we wouldn't have had the schlock that was batman forever and batman and robin, or even catwoman.

Wonderfully said. Why can't I have more people like you in my guild? :P Not saying there's anything wrong with my guild. I've been complimented on my guild, I just love having smart people with great ideas and stuff.

Damn that statement opened up a ton of pores as I was reading it.

It hits the nail damn well on the head.

So far, it does feel that GW has no soul. But its only because they refuse to make the game as immersive as possible.

well the games never been about level cap or equipment.. I stopped posting my solo builds (due to nerfs) but sure alot of people would crap thier pants if they see the stuff I solo (sure there's alot of people like me too).. in pvp even a naked guy could own a newbie- it's not about the equipment it's all about your build and ability.. hard to come from a game like lineage where level and gear plays a big role to gw and get what it's about.. what I really like about the game- I'd pay for a game like this seriously.. everything else out there is'nt skill based- kinda reminds me of a good fps game on a lower level

But at what cost? From my pov, the lack of these things is what keeps GW free. In reality, the whole game could be a 1 player, offline RPG.

Those are the limitations...i suppose....of being a free online game.

If you want immersion, if you want to lose yourself into an avatar completely, games like WoW are worth the cost.

I don't like WoW

I like GW. I like the technology and premise, but is being free worth it if its all medicore?

/Sign on most.

Most could be added to the current game system. It would certainly add more emmersion to the game (for those who wants them).

Again, I think it is just the orientation of the game. Right now they are just trying to get a balance between the PvP and PvE, yet not making each too satisfy. GW, because its mission base- instanization, has a great potential to add more RPG factor in than any other MMO. There are just alot, alot of thing that could be added to make it better.

Also remember, the OP is not asking for constant update, but rather addition to new expansions (possibly some will carry over to the old). Therefore, thinking them as a stand-alone single player RPG game, it all those things are all very reasonable to ask.

Of course I realise Vizu was the assassin, dargon. It is pretty obvious that Nika was in the trailer, but Vizu was the actual one who did it. I mean, they both look nothing alike, apart from being skinny.

If they made "little" tweaks like that after the fact, doesn't that just demonstrate my point? That "tweak" would not be considered little in any other game. The story was the very last thing they thought about.

GedePod, I respect your taste in games... all of those you mentioned... all fantastic games. I'm sorry to bum you out, but this game just isn't like them. It's not a story kind of game. I do wish they would try harder though.

Everyone wishes that GW would be more immersive. They have TONS of ways to do it (though they will NEVER change the combat system, and I don't really want them to, to be honest--the game is built around its combat system). Anything from having sword hilts to new emotes (I couldn't believe that Factions didn't come with any new emotes besides /dancenew) to being able to customize your own character to be fat/skinny to having more interactive NPCs (and I don't even mean active conversation, like what is found in KOTOR--something as simple as just having more topics to talk to NPCs about). There are so many ways that GW could improve. I'm hoping that as they make more money from more Chapters, they will be able to incorporate some of these ideas. I mean come on...a quiver and sword hilt/putting yoru weapon on back/side is a MUST for any fantasy game... =/