Ask GW Game Designer James Phinney a few questions!

The upcoming fansite friday will be conducted in a slightly different manner than we have all grown accustom to. First of all, the question will be largely gathered from forums and submitted by the various official and elite sites. Secondly, the interviewee will be ArenaNet's James Phinney (Guild Wars Game Designer). Our list of questions must be sent by Friday morning, thus time is short. Remember, this is a very rare opportunity, hence only post your very best questions! (note: a handful of questions will receive an answer)

I will be copy and pasting the best questions into our site's submission email, consequently only clear and concise posts will be used.

This thread is solely for the gathering of questions, if you have a comment regarding this Fansite Friday; create a thread in the Riverside Inn or post in an already existing related thread. Any 'non-questions' will be deleted.

Time to put your thinking cap on, let the questions roll

Will we ever be able to toggle our capes on and off?




(sadly this is the most important question on my mind right now)

How has Guild Wars changed from your original vision of the game?

How do you react to Gaile Gray kicking out most of the PvP testing individuals and Guilds from the alpha testing?

Are you planning to make fixes to the skills a major part of the PvP community, including alphas, claim to be unbalanced? If so, when?

Do you have any concrete plans on how to make Guildwars into a competative PvP game? If so, what suggestions are you considering these days?

How do you react to Gaile Gray (and to some extent Alex Weekes) getting such negative feedback from some parts of the community? (I guess I know this won't be included, but I'd like to know anyway )

How do you react to the people claiming Anet outright lied to them when your commercial said you'd be ready to PvP competavely in no-time, yet a lot of people have played for over 600 hours and still don't feel they have everything they need for competative play?

Will Natures Renewal be balanced soon so that it doesn't make about half of the skills in the game useless in high end PvP (HoH and GvG)?

Was the open passage from Beacon's Perch to Droknar's Forge supposed to allow a pathway for people to 'hurry up' and get to Droknar's? Is it going to remain "open"?

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Has any thought been given to making a "level playing field" in the lower level arenas (specifically thinking here of low-level characters with 'basic' equipment/skills vs. low-level characters with high level armor/skills)?

Will the expansions contain much more content for level 20 players or a broad scope of implementations for all levels of play?

Will the expansions offer more challenge than is now seen in the origional version?

I too am concerned about the Droknars armor runs, will there be a fix or change for this in the future to bring a more equal balance to the lower level arenas at Ascalon and Yaks Bend?

Do you have any plans to make some more random pickup group arenas in the pattern of the HOH type tournaments?

Would you consider allowing PVP faction points to be also traded in for gold?

Will Warriors be balanced with non-casters anytime soon?

Will Ward Against Melee, Aegis, Fainthartedness, Guardian, Shadow of Fear, Whirling Defence, and other skills that cause conditions such as blinding and weakness be balanced anytime soon?

There is always a lot of speculations around Wednesday every week wether or not a patch will be released, and what it would contain. The first weeks after release, a high expectation pattern for the frequency and content has been set because of the weekly updates. Now players look every week and wonder what is going on, and when their concerns are addressed. Altough development and betatesting means certain things can pop up, would a little transparency of ETA's of fixes/ features in development hurt?

I too would like to know whether or not we'll ever be able to toggle our capes.

Also I'd like to know if I'll ever get to see the updated tormentors set I've been waiting for...

Also, how do you think trading faction for gold would be? PieXags needs money, and I've got a few thousand faction just sitting there that I won't be using.

How do you feel about fictional factions fighting for the HoH instead of real-world regions to even out America almost always having favor, and Korea getting it at certain times of the day? (While europe sits there.)

How do you expect people will view the two new PvE zones? Do you think people will enjoy them or that they'll quickly get bored of them...?

How does the option of much bigger large-scale battles sound? As a sort of on-going war that doesn't end, with many players and parties fighting against the same foes, with parties of up to 40vs40 or even higher than that?

Will we ever see a more interesting style of PvP other than small-scale parties bickering in a few arenas?

Am I as awesome as I like to think?

If the expansions aren't ready for release, will they be released anyway?

Perhaps it's a waste to ask such an easily dodged question, but I would like a truthful answer.

According to the Rules of Conduct, it states how selling or purchasing gold and in game items for money is illegal; yet to this day more and more people violate this rule and it seems like no action is taken against these rebels. Is ArenaNet eventually going to track down on these criminals?

Was the path from Beacon's Perch to Draknor's Forge intentional? If so, why was it included?

Are we ever going to see some real guild wars? Large scale ones, for example at least 16 vs 16?

What was the purpose behind linking "favor" to the UW/Fow PvE areas? Was it to bring the PvP and PvE community together?

What are some of the future uses for gold besides custom armor?

-DW

Is there a plan to make it easier to hook up with friends and guildmates, i.e. a "Status" or "Location" section of the Friends List and Guild Roster that can also allow you to warp to a person's district if they're in a town?

Is there a god? Haha.

Serious questions:

Will a better trade system be made?

Are there any plans to stop or prevent people from spamming trade messages in 'ALL' channel?

Will the guild hall do more than be an access to guild vs guild battles, as in guild storage?

Ah, the mother of all questions

What plans are there to reduce grind?

Are there any plans for additional PvP content (maps, modes, etc)? If so, by when?

Has ArenaNet given any consideration towards supporting Intel's intergrated graphics, which many Guild Wars players use, despite the inherent bugs created?

If I create a new RP character in an expansion with a new character class, do I have to play through the content from the original release to get to the post-ascension expansion content?

Will the Crag map ever be removed from the cycle of Arena maps?

Are there any plans to implement random HoH maps so that it is not king of the hill every time?

Are there any plans to implement unrated random Guild battles?

1) In wake of profusive chat spamming in both the "Trade" AND "All" channels, will the Guild Wars community be treated to a streamlined system to effectively sell wares WITHOUT hawking them through chat channels? Perhaps a console window that lets players browse through categories (weapons, off-hand items, runes, etc.) with the selling player and price asked listed?

2) What measures have been instituted to combat active in-game fraud (i.e. scam), commonly occuring via in-game deals, "running" services, and guild siphoners?

When will guild capes be toggleable, or not a requirement for getting a guild hall?

When can we expect a conclusion to the Gwen storyline?

Besides the ladder and this Summer's global tournament, what plans does ANet have to encourage more GvG and PvP in general?

What does the future hold for ArenaNet?

or

With ladders being very popular among competitive online games, does ArenaNet wish to/plan to add more ladders to Guild Wars?

I would also like to know if we will be able to toggle our capes. ( I figured if a lot of people post this it will be more likely to get answered)

Do you ever plan on making more interesting side games, such as fishing, perhaps?

Do you ever plan on introducing player houses to the game?

Do you plan on making more storage space for accounts?

Can you share any ideas you have for pets with us?

What types of terrain might we see in the new expansion pack?

Will we ever see the France-shaped land space east of the Crystal Desert put into use?

Do you have any plans on making the game more fun to explore and easier? It's disappointing when you go to a zone like Dragon's Gullet only to find that there is a three foot ledge separating you from what could be another area leading farther north.

What are your plans for travel to the areas in the first expansion?

Will the first expansion make the current map larger or is there a new process of doing this?

Can you share with us some ideas on what you will be doing with the "Gwen Mystery"?

Are Guild Wars and its community growing into what the developers imagined they would be?

What is Arenanet's response to the developing resentment from some PvP diehard fans?

How would you promote Guild Wars to a casual gamer now that many things had changed in-game since last year?

To encourage open discussion on possible, but specific future changes, would Arenanet post some sort of .plan or an announcement system regarding to skills/economics/mechanics balance that are being revised?


added:
Where is Saus and what did you guys do to him! >_<

Are you planning to add more features to PvP? For example, can we expect to see new PvP settings, objectives or scenarios in the near future?

What are some of the most important things that dev team think GuildWars need as of now?

1) How does ArenaNet plan to address concerns of grinding and lack of replability in both PvP and PvE, specifically advancement limitations? To quote a guild member, "I find that skill acquisition in this game is slower than leveling in the other MMOs I've played, but the actual benefits of gaining a skill are low making it feel even more like a grind than the other MMOs."

2) Is there any plan in the future to unlock skills to all characters not just PvP? I ask this, because of the limitations of skill selection when changing secondary professions.

3) What "fun" factors are in the works for improving the general diversity of gameplay, and tactics such as the possibility of a line-of-sight restriction on the radar?

Are you going to unnerf farming so casual players don't have to grind or pay 1billion gold, also to stop ebayers from making so much money? Thanks.

What's up with Dwayna's Avatar in Sardelec? Is she there just to give one crummy quest? Also, what are you planning on doing with Melandru's Watcher and Lyssa's Muse in Temple of the Ages? And is the Voice of Grenth in south Lornar's going to be the gateway to the new areas or is it just going to remain just another entrance to Underworld?

With the new chapter, there will odviously be more areas to explore. Meaning outposts, large cities, and missions. Will there be more skills/professions to go along with those chapters to put skill traders in the outposts and skills in the quests. But to be more specific, what does the GW team have in mind for new professions and skills.

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There is odviously an uproar from many players, PvP and PvE, of the Guild Wars community due to the "Grind" of not being able to unlock enough skills in a short ammount of time, why is there such a delay in response to this growing persecution of Arena.net and the Guild Wars' Staff?

Will we get more character creation room? Like say will we ever be able to create one character of each class? I also really hope that IF new classes are introduced in the expansion that we will have more slots to create characters for said classes in pve.

This is more of a desperate plea than a question Hehe.

Can you make PvP less of a chore?

Will you add more weapons for each class and will there be more classes?

I wanna know if there is any chance of getting some more things to do in the guild halls, like maybe some 1 on1 with other guild mates or some sort of practice possible between guild members.

Would you consider making it so one can buy dye, and make a template out of it. Basically, if one buys 5 blue dye, and applies it to one's warrior armor, that becomes a template, and from then on, a player can apply that template to his armor free of cost. A Template would have to be made for each dye combination, such as each of the basic colors, and each combination of colors, such as yellow + green. So the player could switch between all of the basic colors (including black) and any combinations they have made.

Would you PLEASE consider increasing the size of personal storage so we players can store our stuff without having to carry it spread out over 3 characters.

Would you consider increasing the amount of gold dropped and the frequency so that players not only have the ability to obtain one set of 15k armor, but all droknars, 15k, and FoW/Obsidian armor. The time it takes to get enough money to buy a set of 15k armor should be decreased by 1/12. You designed the armor, I would like to be able to enjoy it!

Would you consider lowering the max requirements of all weapons and focuses to 8 (or at least 9). Those of us with obsessive disorders hate it when we get a max dmg weapon with req. 12, even req. 9, because it is technically not the BEST. Also, would you remove the code that has drops like 6-27 and 11-21, that is really annoying to get weapons that are close but not max dmg, again for those of us who are obsessive. Also, Would you remove the crappy built in upgrades like 10% chance (while hexed). Also, would you make the chances for things like skill recharge max instead of say 9%.

Would you consider making it so runes can be removed from armor without destroying the armor. It is not a big problem for ascalon armor, but when one must destroy droknars armor to perhaps just change one rune, VERY BAD.

Would you make it so that runes obtained from salvage match their color, blue-minor, purple-major, gold-superior. I have obtained gold and purple armor that were lower than their color indicated. Also, would you make it so that armor identified unlocks a new rune each time, instead of giving one runes one already has. Also, would you increase the rate of drops for unidentified armor, so that players can get their PVP characters all their runes FASTER.

Would you consider increasing max dmg weapon drops in crystal desert and above, so that a player can collect all the different weapons and focuses, and would you consider make it so that upgrades can also be removed without destroying the weapon.

Would you make that max cost of capture signets and simple buying of skills to say 200 (preferably lower), and have the cost start at 5 for both sig and purchase for each character, instead of having 2nd and third characters buying where the 1st left off. I must unlock EVERY SINGLE skill and elite skill for pvp, and paying 1k for one skill or cap sig for my Ele and Mo characters after unlocking all of my warriors skills, that is way too much for anyone to afford. I could also accept doing quests to unlock all of the skills (you would still have to keep the cost of cap signets down).

Would you consider making it so that players can change the primary class of one of their characters to ONE other character, so that players can experience all the professions in pve without having to delete a character they have slaved over, and so they can admire the armor of say the necromancers even if, being limited to 3 primary professions (one left open for pvp character), they wouldnt have chosen the necromancer. Also, this would allow players to bypass the stupid refund point system, which limits experimentation.

Will you lose the refund point system, and make it so that players can change their attributes at will, IN TOWNS, not in zones. This will allow experimentation.

Also, would you make it so that every skill and elite skill in unlocked for pvp, all secondary profession skills will be available to the players 3 characters (1 open for pvp), so that I can change from a W/E to a W/Mo or a W/N and try that out in pve.

Basically, GW is way too difficult for collectors of everything and unlockers of everything right now. It makes the game not enjoyable. Limits on storage space and even personal space (the pouch being 5 slots instead of 10, why not 10), do not limit players in a good way, but a bad way. What is the point of having many different types of armor if you cannot have them all. What is the point of having so many weapons if one cannot have them all. What is the point of women if all they do is complain about how we men act, so what if I dont take a shower for month and eat food with my fingers, if medieval people did it, its good enough for me (but I digress). Basically, I want to be able to get and unlock everything in, oh, 400 hours of pve. I have already put in 230 + hours, and that is already too much with the little I have managed to get so far. Dont worry, I will play your game even if I dont have to grind to get everything, in fact, games that make you grind to get things are not good games, since they must MAKE you play to have everything you want to get. What is the point of a game if it is not fun (same can be said for women, ack, again I digress).

I dont care if you answer these in your answers to questions, just as long as you act on these suggestions, as these are more important to me than new content, as what is the point of new things if I cannot story them anywhere. I have more ideas about npc battles, and what to do with the guild halls, so if you want to hear them, make the changes I have suggested, and I will think up ideas that, if inputed, will make GW fans be happy. Also, I have already put many ideas down over in the general topics section of the forum on knights-templar.com, check them out for more of my ideas (disregard the one about henchies, henchies are not too bad after all). You can contact me at [email protected]

Are you planning to add upgrades to guild halls ?
There are plenty of nice ideas in this thread : http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=37949

Why are some players and specially guildshaving the ability to hold more weight to the developers ear then others not because of logic and proof, but rather because their friends with the developers and should get what they want, like say nerf this or buff that because they lost cause of those things apparently.

Anet sure inheritted the GFraisers with them.

Will the skill bar be ehnanced to display all the other skill stats (casting time, cooldown) in the bubble and not just energy consumption?

Why has anet adopted and supported a heavy grind policy that has drawn huge complaints when they had such huge pvp following back in april?

Is the original vision of Guildwars skill and teamwork over time spent a concept too advanced for it's time to be successful in that form?

I have a couple of questions I'd be very interested in the answer to:

Will you take a firm stand on the effort level required to play GW? - The very receptive nature of ArenaNet has been a boon during the development of the game, but is has led to people permanently hoping for a "fix" that will reduce the percieved "grind". It even leads them to believe that if they nag and whine enough, they'll get their wishes through. Will ArenaNet finally declare how it is supposed to be, so that the players who are not satisfied may leave at last? Remember - You can't please all of the people all of the time.

How will the new expansions work? - I know that you cannot reveal anything about the actual content of the expansions, and that is not the kind of answer I want. What I am after is how will new skills be introduced. Will old skills be deprecated, much like they are in some CCGs? How will missions be balanced to be a challenge both to ascended characters and new characters?

Will you address the issues with the "Worlds at War"? - This is a tricky question, I know. There is, in my humble opinion, a serious design flaw in the WaW system in that it statistically rewards large regions. This leads to feedback system where, the larger a region is, the better the payoffs for moving to it. This kind of effect has leeched out the "Europe" region in favour of the "America" region. It is simple: The rational thing to do if you speak English is to make the switch. Nationalists of various persuasions may tell you otherwise, but nationalism is not rational.