Absolutely beautiful - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

stumpy

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2005

Canucklehead BC, Canada

Advanced Necro Undead Society

22 Jul 2005 at 21:42 - 1

I just wanted to make a real post here ... i dont mind if it gets deleted right away ...

but this is by far the most beautiful game I have ever played. I absolutely have fallen in love with the scenery ... I can't tell you how impressed I am with this game ... I mean ... even the tombs maps are beautiful ... like that 1 vs 1 map with the bridges outside the HoH ... the northern shiverpeaks ... I could spend hours in there ... pre seared ascalon ... (WHERE ART THOU NOW

... I love pre seared too)

I just had to make a complimenting post to the beauty ... whats your favourite areas? (please dont say the desert lol ... )

ManadartheHealer

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Awaiting GW2

W/

22 Jul 2005 at 21:44 - 2

I like the Maguuma the best...with the Shiverpeaks coming in a close second

AceSnyp3r

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Work in Progress [WIP]

22 Jul 2005 at 21:48 - 3

Well, I have to say Half-Life 2 is the most beautiful game I've played, but that's irrelevant since it isn't and RPG. Personally, my favorite place in GW is the Barradin Estate in presearing.

Teklord

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

Lloyd.ab.ca

Lords of All

R/Mo

22 Jul 2005 at 21:50 - 4

Never been to the desert, so I can't vote for that. However for as far as I have been, I like the Shiverpeaks even though the snowing areas cause a noticable frame rate drop (at least until my new Alienware arrives). Umm, The Wilds (and other Druidish areas) have some very unique fantasy type properties. And for purely asthetic appeal, Kryta and area. I once saw a comparison in Lion's Arch to that of Besaid (FFX), very true.

Edit: ^^ HL2 comment. Very very true, Half Life 2 is easily the most impressive graphical game I've ever seen. Especially in terms of water reflection and under water effects it rivals all others.

teny10

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Servants of Fortuna

W/Mo

22 Jul 2005 at 21:50 - 5

no love for the desert? come on
i love the statues in the arid sea. espeically the one that acts as a bridge for the forgotten wisdom quest.

Xonic

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jul 2005

Mo/Me

22 Jul 2005 at 21:53 - 6

The first time I saw that water fall outside of wizard valley (?), it took my breath away.

I wasn't breathing much ever science I saw the female character models anyway

HL2 is beautiful, but I was more impress by the physics.

Haloknight9

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

22 Jul 2005 at 21:55 - 7

I loved pre searing too. It had a very 'warm' atmospere. Glint's cave was pretty awesome too (the one with her in it, not the phases before) If you ever have the chance, toggle your graphics setting 'enable post process effects' and see what i mean..

A couple of screen shots of the difference...

stumpy

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2005

Canucklehead BC, Canada

Advanced Necro Undead Society

22 Jul 2005 at 21:55 - 8

lol ... okay I'll give some love to those enormous statues ... I believe my spite comes from the fact that I have ascended 4 already and have 2 others there right now ... (killed off my warrior/mon and an old ele/mon) ... I'll give a littel love for the scenematic into augory rock though lol.

corax5

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Ye olde England.

22 Jul 2005 at 21:57 - 9

Kryta is hands down my favourite area, I really love the desert aswel, when your trecking across a vast sea of yellow roling sand dunes and then in the distance your eye catches a huge statue of a long forgotten hero...unforgetable.
Kinda like the first time I saw Hyrule in Ocarina of Time.

Kostabi

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

R/Me

22 Jul 2005 at 22:08 - 10

My favourite place has to be Whitman's Folly in the Southern Shiverpeaks, I never really gave the scenery a second thought until I arrived there. Awfully peaceful looking at the icebergs and such.

Algren Cole

Banned

Join Date: Jun 2005

22 Jul 2005 at 22:12 - 11

Stumpy: you are absolutely right. I haven't been so impressed with a video games graphic elements and pure beauty since Final Fantasy X..this game is amazing in that aspect

Borealis

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Black Rose Gaming

Mo/W

22 Jul 2005 at 22:12 - 12

Snake dance for my vote, can be hell to get through but stopping to take a look around is recommended....by me at least. Reminds me of being in the Colorado Rockies in winter.

Aniewiel

Smite Mistress

Join Date: Jun 2005

The Land of AZ, USA

Rt/E

22 Jul 2005 at 22:30 - 13

I love all the coastal regions---stingray strand in particular.

MSecorsky

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

So Cal

The Sinister Vanguard

Me/

22 Jul 2005 at 22:38 - 14

The caves in the mountains, where your characters have kind of a black-light effect on them. Cool as all get out.

Lek Stacy

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canada

Savage Killers (SK)

N/Mo

22 Jul 2005 at 23:07 - 15

The coast of Watch Tower Coast and that hidden cave area in pre-searing just north-east of Fort Rankin and the Catacombs. Oh, and climbing up that really supper high mountain peak on the very west side of Talus Chute, the view from there was just awesome!

GW Monkey

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2005

23 Jul 2005 at 00:24 - 16

Quote:

Originally Posted by stumpy

this is by far the most beautiful game I have ever played.

It's gorgeous, I'll give it that. And depending on what kind of graphics card you have, you might not even be seeing what the $400+ cards crowd sees. The details in the mob faces are incredible; the first time I saw it was on a GFX5700 and it looked pretty damn nice, but then seeing it on a GFX6800GT changed everything dramatically. It does have a low-ish poly count even on the highest details; 1600x1200 4xAA is still an acceptable framerate with max everything. Excellent texturing.

A lot of it is the time the game came out. Pixel shader technology becoming affordable enough that the average person can afford at least a lvl2 card. Compare Doom3 or FarCry or HL2 from a non-shader card to a shader card and the difference is intense. FarCry on PS3, assuming you've got a high-end CPU too, is probably the most gorgeous game there is. The atmospherics in BF2 will creep you out, it's scary good. (If you're into squad based combat games give it a shot - I think my GW career is about over and it's BF2's fault.

)

My favorite places? Along the beach of Watchtower Coast. The snow/fog lowlands parts of Snake Dance. The open areas of Mineral Springs, like right by the creek and the little bridges and the Japanese-ish lanterns and all the leafless birch trees. The lava tubes/arches around the infernal worms section in FoW.

Dac Vin

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

Farnham, Quebec, Canada

The Phoenix Brotherhood [TPB]

23 Jul 2005 at 01:29 - 17

In the order I saw them:

1. Maguuma Jungle. Especially when we leave the Druid Overlook to enter the Sage Lands, and see the barren red landscape meshing with the green jungle below - even with all the setting at the lowest, all I could say was "WOW"!

2. The big snowy area just left of the Ice Tooth Cave. I dunno for you, but it seems like the PERFECT place for skiing

That's all for now.

Kali Ma

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

N/Mo

23 Jul 2005 at 01:54 - 18

I really like the shoreline south of Port Sledge. Really beautiful there.

Edit: Witman's Folly is the area's name.

Rieselle

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Melbourne, Australia

E/Rt

23 Jul 2005 at 02:25 - 19

I agree that the landscape is beautiful - I particularly like the part in northern kryta where there is a beach and a giant ruined building on an island just off the beach, it was the first place that made me go "woah!" in the game :)

Having said that tho - why do american PC games (in contrast to japanese console games) concentrate on -sightseeing- so much?!?! I wish they'd focus more on combat graphics - better spell effects, more attack skill animations, damage and death effects. After all, a static landscape gets boring pretty quickly, but visual carnage never gets old :P (and if it does to you, then you're playing the wrong game - since GW is mostly made up of endless fighting...)

Mariena Feladon

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

Netherlands

Silhouette Stars [sil]

Mo/N

23 Jul 2005 at 05:37 - 20

This is indeed one of the most beautiful games I have ever seen. HL2 is also very well done.

My favorite places? To the east of Droknars Forge, the place infested with Grawls, is a little hump where you can stand on and have a great view of Port Sledge.

The mountain in the Arid Sea will also grant you an enormous view of the area.

Aaaaand there's this place in Snake Dance (can't remember where), where you have this gorgeous view of the area.

Haloknight9

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

23 Jul 2005 at 05:48 - 21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rieselle

I agree that the landscape is beautiful - I particularly like the part in northern kryta where there is a beach and a giant ruined building on an island just off the beach, it was the first place that made me go "woah!" in the game

Having said that tho - why do american PC games (in contrast to japanese console games) concentrate on -sightseeing- so much?!?! I wish they'd focus more on combat graphics - better spell effects, more attack skill animations, damage and death effects. After all, a static landscape gets boring pretty quickly, but visual carnage never gets old :P (and if it does to you, then you're playing the wrong game - since GW is mostly made up of endless fighting...)

Good point. Sometimes it is nice to stop and view the scenery though.

Actually, for me anyway, the looks of the the place im in affects the mood of gameplay. That and music :P.

Gaile Gray

ArenaNet

Join Date: Feb 2005

23 Jul 2005 at 06:29 - 22

I was playing last night near Aurora Glade. I thought "Ah, yes, Maguuma Jungle surely is the prettiest area in the game." Then I recalled a few days ago, when I had firmly decided, in my mind, "Kryta has to be my favourite," yet a bit before that, I was in pre-searing and said out loud, "Oh, wow, that is so beautiful!" Too, I remember when we added snow, and I was positively enchanted!

When we're picking out screenshots, I am always drawn to the sweeping shots of the Ruins of Ascalon. Something about those seared buildings and the red, scorched earth just makes an amazing image. Then we added Fire Island Chain and I love lava, and those abandoned structures in the desert have this haunting effect on the mind, and...

My favourite place?

Wherever I am at the moment.

Paul Templar

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

New Zealand

Insert Two Lazy Guild Name [LaZy]

N/R

23 Jul 2005 at 06:44 - 23

same here deleted a char that had finished the game so back in pre-searing enjoying it there but wherever I am in the game i enjoy it for scenery.
Grabbing some henches and go off exploring trying to find something that was hidden or something new has always been fun

Haloknight9

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2005

23 Jul 2005 at 06:52 - 24

I liked the shiverpeaks as well... sitting there watching the snow fall and the sound of wind. It was nice. I even shivered a bit. Then I went to go turn the AC off.

I like how the the snow appears to get close to your face as well(if you zoom into first person). Man would I love to see a bit of that snow react to the wind sounds...

Tactical-Dillusions

Desert Nomad

Join Date: May 2005

Grimsby, UK

R/

23 Jul 2005 at 07:58 - 25

Majestys rest. Gloomy, spooky and out of the way. Really good atmosphere there.

Makkert

Black Beast of Aarrrrgghh

Join Date: May 2005

The Netherlands

The Biggyverse [PLEB] // Servants of Fortuna [SoF]

23 Jul 2005 at 08:03 - 26

nothern shiverpeaks.

period for me.

Mawgleah

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2005

Florida

Angry Souls

Me/E

23 Jul 2005 at 08:57 - 27

My favorite place is Droknar's Forge. If you position yourself near the Dragon Ship and pan up a little, you see the ship and the full moon behind it. Beautiful and serene.

Divinitys Creature

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Somewhere between the Real World and Tyria ;P

The Gothic Embrace [Goth]

23 Jul 2005 at 11:40 - 28

Southern Shiverpeaks easily the best region. It's like a fairy tale or dream. The snow makes it more immersive.

Amei Leng

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jul 2005

Left coast

Sleepless In Cyberspace (SIC)

23 Jul 2005 at 14:27 - 29

Standing a top the crystal Bridge, we always stop for a pic, as each char goes thru.

Ilya Khan

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Los Angeles, CA

-FdM-

Me/Mo

23 Jul 2005 at 17:39 - 30

My favorite place is Pre-Searing. It's just so nice. After the searing? Mineral Springs is very nice. Untouched and the trees and the sky just make a very nice environment. I hate it that I must kill those giant rat bird things.

Tuon

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Mar 2005

23 Jul 2005 at 20:06 - 31

I find it hard to get immersed in a game where it takes 10 min to walk what looks like 500 miles

Weezer_Blue

Elite Guru

Join Date: Feb 2005

Just a Box in a Cage

Hurry Up The Cakes [Oven]

23 Jul 2005 at 20:10 - 32

Tie between Kryta's shoreline and the Southern 'Peaks.

Audhumla

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

Oregon

The Shattered Hand

N/R

23 Jul 2005 at 20:11 - 33

For me, it is definetly the beaches of Kryta. (If I remember correctly, specifically the D'Allesio Seabord mission)

IxChel

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2005

http://sof-guild.com/

Servants of Fortuna

Mo/R

23 Jul 2005 at 21:12 - 34

Since I've "completed" all 4 characters (and later deleted one for a PvP slot), I've taken up leading a "Scenic Tour". I go to easy areas /w my monk and I explore every last corner, looking at it from multiple angles. It takes a while, sometimes hours (when you could do the mission in 20 minutes). It is amazing what pretty art they have in this game! Someone needs to write a "Tourist's Guide" listing all of the monuments, architecture, and natural scenery. Certainly those that come with me on the tours finish the missions -- but it takes us a long time as I'm just enchanted by the landscape. The attention to artistic detail (as well as the game design as a whole) is what sets this game apart from its competitors.

Divinitys Creature

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2005

Somewhere between the Real World and Tyria ;P

The Gothic Embrace [Goth]

24 Jul 2005 at 04:26 - 35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuon

I find it hard to get immersed in a game where it takes 10 min to walk what looks like 500 miles

Magumma spiders dropping all over the place can make half a mile seem like a hundred.

berko

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Jul 2005

Canada

N/Me

24 Jul 2005 at 04:38 - 36

Augry Rock Mountain, just before you fight your mirror self.....

EternalTempest

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2005

United States

Dark Side Ofthe Moon [DSM]

E/

24 Jul 2005 at 04:46 - 37

hmm very tough, but the one zone in nothern shiver peaks, thinking it's frost gate, where it's dark and snowing and several of the zones where's it's snowing in explore / mission zone's in shiverpeaks.

Pre-Sear a lot of zones and catacombs, I recently started my 2nd character not to long ago and has the good effect of this is all going to be gone soon when I explore, makes the sear more hard hitting.

PieXags

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Infinite Representation Of Pie And Its Many Brilliances

24 Jul 2005 at 05:08 - 38

Druid's Isle