Aug 7
Morning Demo
We’re having an informal look at the game right now, with the designers standing around the room and doing a Q&A while we look at the game.
Some tidbits from the morning -
- Current official number sold is over 4 million.
- Something like 95% of all players have a max level character.
- The goal is not only to allow for ‘more level 20 content’, but to allow for more variety in player skill without falling back on ‘hard mode’.
- Dungeons were to include an element of exploration, and introduce some tactical components to the game.
- Unlockable mission map features give dungeons a ‘zelda vibe’. You can find a mini-map that shows where the puzzles are, where the bosses are at. They’re trying to step back from their reliance on the green arrows. “Hey, secret room!”
- The expansion is the ’size’ of Factions, but everything is level 20 stuff. Instead of having content eaten up by 1-20 content, it’s all high-level all the time.
- Gameplay is more free-flowing. Instead of relentlessly following the main story, players should feel free to follow the sideline content to fruition.
- There are sort of ’story bubbles’ that lets you experience a bunch of content in one area. There are the three racial representatives when you first get into the gameworld, and (within those racial bubbles) you can pretty much play things out of order.
- Fighting tournaments, dwarven boxing, polymock: all elements meant to give you ’stuff to do’ outside of the story. (I hope you believe it when someone other than Smed says it’s necessary.)
- Technology innovations mean this is “the most beautiful game we’ve ever made”. The battle engine has a system that allows music to react to the flow of combat in interesting ways. Monsters are going to use a little better tactics (warriors up front, healers in the back). The AI stuff and the music may eventually make it back to the other games, shaders and art they’d like to do but at the moment they’re not planning on it.
- Technology isn’t the focus. The focus is on the play experience. Give players the freedom to do what they want. Players who want a directed experience can grab quests and do that, folks who want to explore can go out and do that.
- Strong narrative and story in this one especially. They see this as a true sequel to Prophecies.
- The main story quests end in instanced areas, similar to missions. Allows for some different things that they haven’t done yet.
- PvE-only skills allow them to be a little more directly for fun. “Be outrageous.” PvE-only skills are given out as quest rewards during the game. “You help a dwarf find some ale, and you get a skill that works better when you’re drunk.”
- A bunch of the team is already off of this game, working on Guild Wars II.
- That said, they’ve got a ton of people working on the old game. “We’re going to work on Guild Wars 1 for as long as people are playing Guild Wars 1 … We made a promise to the players.”
The Big Picture -
The destroyers come from below, causing huge devastation. The asura come from below, the norns from the north, and the charr from their homeland. As a well-known adventurers, our job is to go out and help the NPC races to get it done. The destroyers are a primal force .. that they’re not going to spoil. They would say that the dwarves know these guys; they’re the race’s ancestral enemy. Dwarven Armageddon.
The decision to do a sequel was rooted in plans for future expansions. A lot of what they wanted to do required them to revisit some fundamental elements of the game. Not having a subscription model is incredibly freeing for them; they don’t have to worry about multiple games consuming the playerbase. After two years, they can see tons of places where they know they should have done things differently.
For the designers, it’s all about ‘bad grind’ vs. ‘good grind’. Guild Wars players are much more focused on collecting than gaining more power. They see that as good thing; why should it be bad that people have to work for specific rewards. With GW II they’re looking to add the variety of power on top of collecting.
17 comments17 Comments so far
Why is it I can’t ever get into Guild Wars, but I’ve always wanted to? I never even could get a guy past level 6 or 7… what is wrong with me?
That said, I need to pick up Factions and eventually this final expansion as well. I really want to like GW2 and to do so I feel like I should give Numero 1 a good college try.
I have to go the other way Bildo, I can’t help but keep getting into Guild Wars. I’m into MMOs for the exploration. I like to see what the devs created… worlds, creatures, ideas… that’s what fascinates me.
In that sense… GW is nearly the best offering on the market. The world is huge, the visuals are incredible, story is compelling, and all the other junk and artsy fool like me enjoys.
Oh, I do like gameplay as well, and I think Guild Wars has a very finely tuned system. I can’t put this one down.
i agree with wearfannypacks im trying to get all of my 8 charaters to lvl 20:D
I agree with wearfannypacks, I have ten char who have beaten at least one of the campaigns or even 2 on most char and I am very exited for this expansion. I am most exited about the Charr and Asura lands.
Interesting… would you lot say it’s much easier to solo with the Nightfall or Factions campaigns? One of my bigger drawbacks was that I felt like I couldn’t progress the story on my own. I understand Heroes help a lot more than the minions, right?
I know what you mean Bildo. The first time I got this game, I couldn’t get past Ascalon post searing. I kept trying to do stuff myself but I kept dying and eventually quit for a few months. Came back and was like nvm again. But then I found out a friend played and she helped me level up and get farther in the game. That’s when I really got into the game. After awhile, I just couldn’t stop myself. Loved the game. I think one of the most important things is to join a guild that fits you. Since the game isn’t entirely mmo, you want people who will constantly amuse and compete against you. There’s alot more to the game than is apparent. Just look at wiki.guildwars.com. Easy to learn, hard to master.
I am a huge fan of GW. Thanks for the screenies and this hands on write up. Looks like you had a good time.
I think perhaps you guys weren’t tweaking your builds optimally for Post-Searing Ascalon? In GW, skills and tactics can really affect how well you’re able to progress through the game. One of my friends got really fed up because he wasn’t able to get very far just after Post-Searing. I grouped with him a few times to help him along, but he just failed so badly at group co-ordination. He was playing a W/R with a pet, and kept running up ahead thinking that he could tank absolutely everything. That’s not the way. Just because you’re a Warrior doesn’t mean that you don’t neat your teammates. He wasn’t willing to change his strategy or his build, and as a result of his inflexibility he didn’t get far, and got just quit because “the game is unfair” and because “the game cheats”.
Anyway, GW:EN looks like it will be good. I really wanted to find out what happened to the world after I finished Prophecies. And also to Gwen! Been holding on to my Broken Flue and Tapestry Shard for two years!
I love Guild Wars, Arena.Net outdoes themselves with every new game they make.
I agree Brinstar, tactics are a huge fundamental in this game, it’s not like Diablo will you solo it all, team coordination is a must, and it costs you if you dont. The expansion looks awesome, I’m so excited and I can’t wait to have the freedom with the story arcs. The lvl 20 content is what I really wanted, and I’m glad Anet made an expansion for us veterans :)
BTW, game name Sasuke Reborn if anyone needs help, I’m trying to my best to get my own players to lvl 20 and I dont mind helping others on the way :)
Ty guys for the awsome sneek peek. Ive been waiting 2 find out if my mini asura pet had family or not! so excited for the pre-release content! FYI my main char is Dominik Lash, hit me up if anyone needs help or advise or if ur lookin for a friendly guild! :)
@Bildo
The game really doesn’t start until you reach the level cap (maybe a little before).
Guild Wars makes getting to level 20 fairly easy and fast for experienced players, the vast bulk of the game is geared toward level 20 characters and that’s where it starts getting fun, in my opinion.
Guild Wars is a game that really encourages a gamer to build some friendships, because the true fun in the game is about playing with a tight group of regular players.
I am so exsitted that eye of the north is comeing out i got my perdoer items i mean all i am a collector of this game i got all 3 T-shirts and the key set for my Zbord keybord and the pins pets mouse pad im a Guild wars fanatic even i play the guild wars sound track in my car and i got the bone dragon painted on my car as well please think im crazy ha ha may be :P i love the TOA i dream i was in guild wars woot i love my dream ^^ :P felt real
steve ashley jr elite player just dont go killing everyone thinking that there am fah or the jade brother hood and crisom skull or luxon for that matter ………….GO KURCRIK
hey i like Guild Wars alot!
If you want to go on a mission or want to chat .. add me on GW
my character name is Sir Andyandy
Im a rockstar also.. hehe :P