I'm not a big fan of RPGs because they usually have uninvolving shallow combat gameplay, but I play lots of NWN because of the endless supply of new modules that are coming from the mod community for that game. This keeps the game fresh in terms of story and scripted battles, which is something that I can never get in the pointless killing exercises of online FPS games. I like having a purpose behind fighting. With a narrative, characters, plots, and scripts.
Guild Wars' combat seems OK. I played in a preview a while ago and thought it was fairly entertaining. But my real concern is that Guild Wars' focus as a "Competitive Online RPG" will mean that the game will quickly run out of missions/quests/stories to go on, and will devolve into the Pointless Killing Exercises that I try to get away from.
So will Guild Wars have lots of new missions to go on, as the months go by? I think I read somewhere that after you run out of missions to go on.. you're pretty much stuck with the PvP stuff. And that NCSoft won't release new missions very often. Does this mean I will be replaying the same small set of missions over and over?
new missions/quests/stories?
Guardian Legend
Rhazwyth
Yes, you would need to play the same content over and over. Their income on the game will be "modules" as you call it, or expansions that you pay for. Don't know how often these will be released. My guess is one every 6 months.
Galatea Orea
Based on the last beta weekend, there are going to be a large number of side quests. These give experience points and some also give skills. New side quests open up as you complete missions. It actually wasn't possible to complete all the side quests and all the missions during any single beta weekend. Completion of some quests open up others. As you explore beyond the mission track, you will find quest givers hanging out in various places that the missions don't take you. I found the quest environment rich and at times a little overwhelming, having more than 25 side quests at one time for one of my chars.
I also think that whoever said once you complete the main mission only PvP is left probably didn't have any interest in honing skills, assisting other players, engaging in the lively trade market, exploring, or obtaining better weapons and equipment. Nonetheless, my impression from what I've read is that devs do intend to have new material on a regular basis.
I also think that whoever said once you complete the main mission only PvP is left probably didn't have any interest in honing skills, assisting other players, engaging in the lively trade market, exploring, or obtaining better weapons and equipment. Nonetheless, my impression from what I've read is that devs do intend to have new material on a regular basis.
funbun
Yeah, there are tons of side quests. I had one from a scribe in Ascalon to document historical monuments during my trravels. The first was in Simona( sp) I didn't even get there until the end of the weekend. The side quests, lore, exploring for weapons, trading are 65% of the game at least!
Sin
My only question is why were you reading a Blizzard Magazine's review of GuildWars? 
Seriously there are many many side missions and there are the explorable areas, oh and the collector's missions. But more than that is how the missions are instanced for you and your party so that what you do in the mission affects the outcome in later missions say you killed someone and completed the mission, but the other 5 people with you didn't, well, since you are the most experienced the guy you killed is gone. For them to be able to do the side mission that includes him they have to have a party that not one membe has completed that side mission. Maybe not the best example literally but the point is that the instanced missions allow for the players to affect the mission status like what mobs appear, how strong, so it isn't all identical. Earlier missions there is more of a sameness because it is more a tutorial time. Post-searing, once you pass through the academny, missions start to take on a different approach, you're also in teams of 4 and not just 2 so your skill has to expand to be good for the team.
Also since the level cap is low, and skills are not level based, the need to do the just kill kill kill stuff flies out the window. You aren't grinding to level up to use some skill or gain use of some armour. Weapons you need some leveling for attribute points to make them more effective but it's not like a mad rush to get that level up so the questing is more for the adventure in and of itself.
Hope that was helpful.
Seriously there are many many side missions and there are the explorable areas, oh and the collector's missions. But more than that is how the missions are instanced for you and your party so that what you do in the mission affects the outcome in later missions say you killed someone and completed the mission, but the other 5 people with you didn't, well, since you are the most experienced the guy you killed is gone. For them to be able to do the side mission that includes him they have to have a party that not one membe has completed that side mission. Maybe not the best example literally but the point is that the instanced missions allow for the players to affect the mission status like what mobs appear, how strong, so it isn't all identical. Earlier missions there is more of a sameness because it is more a tutorial time. Post-searing, once you pass through the academny, missions start to take on a different approach, you're also in teams of 4 and not just 2 so your skill has to expand to be good for the team.
Also since the level cap is low, and skills are not level based, the need to do the just kill kill kill stuff flies out the window. You aren't grinding to level up to use some skill or gain use of some armour. Weapons you need some leveling for attribute points to make them more effective but it's not like a mad rush to get that level up so the questing is more for the adventure in and of itself.
Hope that was helpful.