Anet, I'm out. (about the nerf stick and why the # of districts in towns shrink)

I've played a few MMORPGs before. My favorite was one were it was entirely about PvP and the world was basically anarchy. However, I didn't like playing monthly fees, and, quite frankly, that game was so addictive that I stopped doing anything else. When Guild Wars was announced and so many of us played it at E3, I was thrilled at the prospect of a game with no monthly fees (even if the PvP was disappointing compared to my previous experiences).

I've been Guild Wars regularly since it came out. I'm not anymore. The reason? The frequent use of the nerf stick. Anet rewards players who ingeniously figure out new ways to play by nerfing them (and everyone else).

It's therefore pointless to play Guild Wars anymore. The rules change too often. I would love to suggest that Anet stop using the nerf stick, but, quite frankly, it's too late. This latest balanced nerfed too many of the skills I use frequently, and I don't feel like redoing half my character templates. (note : I never used the 105/55 build or the new ele infinite enchant builds. They've just ruined my normal characters playability by making useless some of the skills they relied upon. (for example, Balthazar's Aura, Energy Tap, Ether Feast, Ether Renewal, Distracting Shot, Zealot's Fire, Diversion, Debilitating Shot. Those are just skills I happen to like and use that got nerfed.) I like building my characters for a specific purpose, and I don't like having to rework them because Anet got twitchy with the nerf stick. So, I'm out. (I know some people will flame because they disagree. I don't care if you flame. Enjoy yourself in doing so) Anet, I may give your game another go in the future (since it's not as if I have to deactivate an account or anything), but if you keep this up, I will never come back.

The really sad thing is the number of users that will never read this post or reply and make their voice heard who DO agree with me and have already jumped the boat.
(look at the number of districts in towns if you doubt me. I think the populations is about 1/3 of what it was 2 months ago....if not even less)

The difference between massive online games that succeed and the ones that don't is that the ones that do succeed don't change the rules constantly. They don't see a few people building an exploit style template (i.e. 105/55 and inf. enchant) as a sign that ALL the skills involved need to be nerfed. They just block the exploit. It's a shame that Anet feels the need to drag out the nerf stick with such frequency and punish everyone else for not exploiting it, too.

Even without a nerf or exploit block at all, there are ways to counter these templates. Before they nerfed Nature Renewal, it could work real well as a great counter to the 105/55. (and, incidently, the ele ether renewal inf. enchant as well. Of course, that template really didn't affect much in the way of real world scenario's anyways). Protective bond is essentially all but worthless now. Why not just use protective spirit instead? You lower your hitpoints down to 55, it's only a slightly perceptual difference.

They keep talking about "improving the game" with balance changes and new areas. Well, we've all seen sorrow's furnace. I was bored of it within 2 days. Their "balance changes" aren't any better. In fact, they're worse because they take the handful of uber skills that each class has/had/should have that work only when you use them properly and they nullify them.

So, I can hear the "good riddance" flames already. But, the sad truth is, this is not directed at all those that post that. This is really directed at the Anet employees that say they read the forums of the fansites. This is directed at the people who can change things. I hope they read it and learn.

I loved the update. Just in case you devs are reading this.

See you in a week

This guy doesn't know what he's talking about. Every single MMO from Everquest to WoW has had constant changing of the ways skills work.

Great, you love the update and so do several other people. How many more frequent, huge overhaul updates will you like?

I'm certainly not a fan...half this stuff could have been done and waited out a bit to see if it was sufficient.

Slasc, I used to play that game a considerable amout myself. Truly a great game, hindered by some techical difficulties that prevented it from rising to the heights I feel it should have achieved. I agree with much you are saying here, and feel your pain. I'm not going to quit over it, but the fun of several of the classes has been lost for me. Pvp just seems less diverse now. I'm thinking that at least some of this overnerfing will be reversed (or hoping, anyhow) to some degree.

GL in whatever game you end up playing. Personally though, I suggest just taking a break or playing some N/* in pve (always fun, for me anyhow).

Hey dont get pissy at me for saying that I liked the update. I could have very well flamed the OP...but I didnt. And so far everyone has been pretty civil...

Umm, you claim to be concerned for the player that likes to innovate, but you don't like frequent changes the game, which thus reward the innovative and keep the people who copy things a step behind?

Way to make sense...

wow, cry.

I'm glad they have the nerf stick. It's awesomeness allows me to not have to make a counter to the FOTM every time I go out there. Although IWAY is really starting to irritate me. Seriously, it's not even skill anymore.

Anyone else sick of these 'U GUYZ SUK 1'M L33VING!!1111ONEONESHIFTELEVEN'
threads?

I know I am.

Exactly.

Nerfs reduce reliance on FotMs. They make people think about how to now make their new builds viable.

Think about it. The people who suffer the most from the nerfs are not the ones who MAKE the FotMs. Those are the innovative ones who recognize how things work and will adapt quite easily, pulling in a new strategy. Rather, it's the ones who just copy whatever's popular and are mediocre at that, even. They lack adaptability. When their favorite build is nerfed, they're the ones who wait for a new one to rise and then try to copy it. The rest of us are out there working on new builds for use with skill changes.

:'-(

if youre really quitting, this was a total waste of your time.

congratulations.

what she said.

I like the update.

Meh, if you leave, just leave because the game bores you.

It does, bore me. Meh...

Although i haven't found much of a cause for complaint myself this time around, i do try to look at things from different perspectives.
When i see a mesmer complaining about ED/ET etc, i don't see a rant...i see someone who has had alot of their fun negated from the game. They were playing a game and having fun and it got stopped...they are hurting and i sympathise.
No matter what happens, there will always be the cookie cutter builds, the fotm and a build which is the most powerful "generally".
In this case, ArenaNet will constantly balance things until all classes are identical and all skills are the same.
Wrong approach i think Anet.
We will all have a bunch of cloned skills except with different names and things will go very stale indeed.

My opinion...they should be adding skills/combinations/possibilities...not taking them from the game or watering them down.
If something is too powerful, give other classes something extra to counter it.
Add new skills every month anyway...the fotm will change naturally, not because of a nerf.

"wow, i wonder what ranger skill will be out next week!"

^^ if only.

Oh please..you know as well as we do that ether renewal and balthazars aura (skills you "happen to like and use") are horribly overpowered. despite the fact that you were too dumb to figure out the best template with those overpowered skills, and thus never reach a nerf-worthy level of power, the fact is that many people who actually have brains did so. and thats why anet brought out the warranted nerf bat. see you in a few weeks

Hahahaha, "uber skills".

in that case here is a game where the rules stay the same but there is endless fun on your scale

http://www.sillyjokes.co.uk/games/arserace.html

It's kind of funny that people complain about anet dumbing down 'innovation' when they mostly just steal and abuse FOTM builds.

Hypocrite.

Are the people who complained about balthazars aura the same people who don't or can't be bothered to run away from it? Makes you wonder.

AHAHAHAHHHHAHAHAHAAHA
Thats a bloody hilarious game!
Pretty stupid but funny!
Played two races and lost both

this guy is just pissed fotm dosen't work anymore

Slasc, think about it for a bit 'eh? They don't punish people who think of ingenious new ways to play. They punish the thousands of people who look up talentless builds on the internet and practically exploit them in various forms of play. Just because you can't use your wicked uber 1337 build you got off some forums anymore doesn't mean it's Anet's fault you're quitting.

It's your OWN damn fault for not knowing more than one build.

Goodbye. Can I have your stuff?

Oh, and for the records:
http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...d.php?p=501098