07 Nov 2005 at 07:45 - 31
There has never been any indication that "new races" = "new races for players to play". ANet could simply be referring to other races in game, such as the White Mantle, the Dwarves, Krytans, etc. They have never actually come out and said "You'll be able to play as a completely different race".
They also have never said anything about cap limits changing one way or the other. Explanations or rationalizations from the community about the pros and cons - valid or not - doesn't mean anything. The only thing they have said in the past is that the cap limit for the current game will not be increased. That doesn't mean it won't change in the future in expansions.
Note, the following is my opinion.
I hope that whatever expansion package comes out that it warrants the additional cost, not just gimmicks and a few more missions of the same ilk as the last offering. A couple more professions, a few more additional skills, and more of the same old PVE content isn't going to cut it, at least for me. In order for the expansion to sell well and provide enough incentive for current players to buy it, there has to be a compelling reason to spend another 50 bucks. The current professions are unique enough, but the skills within the professions are mostly filler and junk. With only 8 skills available for a skill bar most players bring the same skills, making most of the rest worthless.
While it's fun to goof around with different skills, and trying things out, the vast majority of players all play the same handful of skills. Some of the skills simply aren't worth using - they are lesser powered skills that beginners are given until they advance far enough to get better ones. Same applies to armor, weapons, etc. With 90 some odd skills, yet only 8 slots (seven if you could a rez or cap skill) available, most skill bars generally get set up the same.
So, ANet has a choice. They could add some more of the same skills that really don't bring anything to the table. This would maintain balance between the expansion and non-expansion players, but may not be compelling enough for people to spend 50 bucks on. Or, they could add some extremely desireable skils to make players more powerful. This would instantly imbalance the expansion and non expansion sects.
But, the problem is, things HAVE to become more powerful for players - or else there wouldn't be all that much of a reason to buy an expansion. If players don't become more powerful that means the monsters can't become more powerful, the skills/professions introduced will be just more of the same. There can only be so many ways to heal a player, only so many ways to cause a deep wound, only so many ways you can interrupt a spell, before it just becomes meaningless.
Player's motivations for playing GW are as varied as personalities, but the overriding desire is to become powerful, to find newer, better skills, armor and items. Everything else is secondary. If ANet simply provides more "space" without greater rewards than what can be gotten in the basic game, then there will not be a reason to spend money on the game any further. It may sell well in the beginning, but the universe must evolve to survive due to stagnant gameplay. Right now, players are constrained to simply search for cosmetic upgrades but at some point, even that will not be enough to sustain it's core.
Just my opinion, of course.
