Guild Wars 2

[Numtini]

The only consistent negative I've seen is stability. Everyone seems to like the gameplay. But then, commercial sites like everything.

[01101010]

The only consistent negative I've seen is stability. Everyone seems to like the gameplay. But then, commercial sites like everything.

But that is what they are paid to do... 

[Shatter]

The only consistent negative I've seen is stability. Everyone seems to like the gameplay. But then, commercial sites like everything.

Same here, the biggest gripe I always see is performance but everything else seems to be consistently declared as enjoyable.  Then again, people thought Rifts were enjoyable but once you had done 5 of them they just got annoying. 

[Outlawedprod]

http://www.incgamers.com/Previews/38...st-impressions
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02...awns-thoughts/
http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/02...eths-thoughts/
http://www.gamebreaker.tv/mmorpg/gets-it-right/
http://www.destructoid.com/guild-war...e-222175.phtml
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V6Ck...ature=youtu.be
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-YKm...06FAAAAAAAAAAA
http://kotaku.com/5886430/ten-things...2-beta-weekend
http://www.guildwars2guru.com/guild-...test-coverage/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SMYW...02FUAAAAAAAAAA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...v=l9vArH8fZjU#!

Your links contain delicious ...

[Mrbloodworth]

Kotaku plays in press beta, too many people cause screen lag to a crash

I'm super psyched about GW2, regardless of the performance in that video.  I've been going back through GW1 lately to finish off some stories and such.  I can't believe how deep that game is, and how brutally tough it is until I started fleshing out my heroes a bit more.  Fun!

They may need to lower textures and atlas characters. 

[Draegan]

Predictions

A bit of hype on my part: This game will be the most heralded MMORPG release since WOW.  It might not hit sales figures of a SWTOR due to Star Wars and Bioware name (at least not as fast), but it will be one of the best MMORPGs in the last 10 years.

This is based off my own experience with the game and the media interpretations that have been released this week.

[Typhon]

and all with, GASP!, no dedicated healers!  Die trinity! FUCKING DIE!!!

(if I'm wrong about the 'everyone/no one is a healer' thing, just leave me my illusions for awhile)

[Lantyssa]

and all with, GASP!, no dedicated healers!  Die trinity! FUCKING DIE!!!

Amen.

[Hawkbit]

Makes me wonder if they're waiting to go head to head with D3 on launch. 

[Shatter]

Predictions

A bit of hype on my part: This game will be the most heralded MMORPG release since WOW.  It might not hit sales figures of a SWTOR due to Star Wars and Bioware name (at least not as fast), but it will be one of the best MMORPGs in the last 10 years.

This is based off my own experience with the game and the media interpretations that have been released this week.

Good to hear, I was hoping TOR would be my next long term MMO, but GW2 will be replacing it ASAP. 

[apocrypha]

Makes me wonder if they're waiting to go head to head with D3 on launch. 

My opinion is that that would be a really fucking stupid move.

I feel that to give themselves the best opportunity to pick up a good number of new players, i.e. people who didn't play GW1, they need to find a launch window that is a couple of months away from both the D3 launch and MoP release. I think that the SWTOR shiny is wearing off enough for a lot of people for that to no longer be a worry - unless there's some kind of miracle SWTOR patch very soon that adds LFD, dual spec and a shitton of extra content.

Myself and several of my gaming friends are very much in limbo between games atm. Some of us are playing SWTOR but it's not got an incredibly sticky feel to it. There's a lot of waiting for D3, even some interest in MoP if nothing else has come along by then. But right now GW2 would grab us all, even if only for a short while. That probably won't be the case in 3-6 months time.

[luckton]

I think that the SWTOR shiny is wearing off enough for a lot of people for that to no longer be a worry - unless there's some kind of miracle SWTOR patch very soon that adds LFD, dual spec and a shitton of extra content.

1.2 is looking like it's gonna be the first of a couple 'kitchen sink' patches.  Will have to see how things turn out, but they better get crackin' on that shit soon.

[Numtini]

I find the idea that the group oriented gameplay is engaging compared to soloing combined with the lack of a trinity to be very very interesting. One of the reasons I am very drawn to diku/trinity style games is that they do require at least some type of cooperation between people. If they've found a way to make group combat more than just a DPS zerg without healing, I'll be very impressed and very happy.

[Fabricated]

I have a far more jaundiced view of GW2 because the first one was horribly boring and mediocre IMO despite being technically solid.

Basically, kinda how RIFT didn't really do anything wrong and had a lot of cool ideas and a dev team that really seemed to care, but it just didn't grab me.

[Shatter]

I find the idea that the group oriented gameplay is engaging compared to soloing combined with the lack of a trinity to be very very interesting. One of the reasons I am very drawn to diku/trinity style games is that they do require at least some type of cooperation between people. If they've found a way to make group combat more than just a DPS zerg without healing, I'll be very impressed and very happy.

My understanding of the combat is in a nutshell...everyone needs to be self sufficient.  Since bosses for example dont aggro on a single player they will bunny hop so everyone will "tank", everyone will DPS, etc.  You will be required to keep you alive which will be interesting because a lot of the people who play these games are retarded when it comes to any type of environmental awareness. 

[Nebu]

I have a far more jaundiced view of GW2 because the first one was horribly boring and mediocre IMO despite being techincally solid.

Basically, kinda how RIFT didn't really do anything wrong and had a lot of cool ideas and a dev team that really seemed to care, but it just didn't grab me.

I have the same concern.  GW seemed more about gimick builds than anything.  I enjoyed the pvp in Rift a lot more than GW and GW was supposed to be built around pvp.  

I guess Guild Wars always just felt too 'console' for me with only a few abilities.  I want more utility at my fingertips than one hotbar provides.

[01101010]

My understanding of the combat is in a nutshell...everyone needs to be self sufficient.  Since bosses for example dont aggro on a single player they will bunny hop so everyone will "tank", everyone will DPS, etc.  You will be required to keep you alive which will be interesting because a lot of the people who play these games are retarded when it comes to any type of environmental awareness. 

It will be glorious. GLORIOUS! 

[Fabricated]

I've never had that much of a beef with the trinity myself.

[Shatter]

My understanding of the combat is in a nutshell...everyone needs to be self sufficient.  Since bosses for example dont aggro on a single player they will bunny hop so everyone will "tank", everyone will DPS, etc.  You will be required to keep you alive which will be interesting because a lot of the people who play these games are retarded when it comes to any type of environmental awareness. 

It will be glorious. GLORIOUS! 

Good point

[Draegan]

I have a far more jaundiced view of GW2 because the first one was horribly boring and mediocre IMO despite being techincally solid.

Basically, kinda how RIFT didn't really do anything wrong and had a lot of cool ideas and a dev team that really seemed to care, but it just didn't grab me.

I have the same concern.  GW seemed more about gimick builds than anything.  I enjoyed the pvp in Rift a lot more than GW and GW was supposed to be built around pvp.  

I guess Guild Wars always just felt too 'console' for me with only a few abilities.  I want more utility at my fingertips than one hotbar provides.

There are very little similarities between GW1 and GW2 outside of lore and story and while WOW, Rift and TOR give you access to more abilities, Guild Wars 2 isn't very limited as it seems.

The Basics:

• Each player has access to two weapon sets which can include dual wielding and a 2H or any other combination.
• You can switch between weapon sets on the fly at anytime.  While in combat, your weapon swap ability has a short cooldown (~20-30s if I remember correctly).
• Each weapon set contains 5 abilities.
• Each player has access to 1 healing ability.
• Each player has access to 3 Utility skills.
• Each player has access to 1 Elite Skill.

So putting that all together, you have 5 skills, 1 healing ability, 3 utility skills, 1 elite skill which is 10 abilities.  Factor in that you can weapon swap, you now have up to 15 abilities at any given time.

This does not include your class special abilities. For example, the Mesmer has four F1-F4 abilities that do different things to your illusions etc.

There are exceptions to this rule, lets take a look at the Elementalist.

The Elementalist can only have one weapon set, there is no weapon swapping.  As you would expect, the Elementalist is attuned to Earth, Air, Water and Fire.  Each weapon has 5 abilities per element.  So as an Elementalist you can switch you attunement on the fly like weapon swapping.  Each element has a seperate cooldown, so you can use an Air ability, switch to Fire, use a fire abilities and so forth.  Each element has it's own unique cooldown (not shared) that is the same duration of the weapon swap.

The element attunement swap buttons are F1-F4.

So as an Elementalist you have access to 20 abilities at any given time not including your heals, utility or elite skills.

Another example would be the Necromancer.  The Necromancer plays by the basic rules above, but has only one F ability (F1) which puts you into a different for that gives you access to four more abilities while in this form.  To access this form you have to use certain abilities that build it up it's life force.  You can use it at any time (short cooldown) and that life force doubles for the "health" of that form.  So once you take enough damage, that life force is gone you get put back into your normal body.

So as a Necromancer, that's 15 + 4 abilities.

The Engineer is completely different too.  It has access to "Kits" that, like the Elementalist, change your load out and your abilities.

Each of the other classes have unique class abilities that give them access to different things.

[luckton]

I'm amazed by the skill combo system. 

It's like Chrono Trigger's combo system, but more modern and more 

[01101010]

I'm amazed by the skill combo system. 

It's like Chrono Trigger's combo system, but more modern and more 

Precisely what I am drawn to. Ever since FFXI and their skillchain combos, there hasn't been anything to grab hold of - one of these faceless MMOs had a combo wheel, or was that LOTRO? Either way, it was rather limited. This stuff is how the trilogy will start taking a backseat.

Why work in a group when you have all the tools? here is why...

[Nebu]

Helpful stuff

Thank you very much for taking the time.  I've been watching quite a few videos of the game and none of them seem to capture what you've just described.  You've helped me become a lot more interested in GW2 with each of your posts. 

If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your words (with proper attribution) to help describe the system to a few guild mates.

[Numtini]

Beta signups open for 48 hours. Beta registration servers crashed.

[Draegan]

Helpful stuff

Thank you very much for taking the time.  I've been watching quite a few videos of the game and none of them seem to capture what you've just described.  You've helped me become a lot more interested in GW2 with each of your posts. 

If you don't mind, I'd like to borrow your words (with proper attribution) to help describe the system to a few guild mates.

Tell them to bookmark Guildwars2junkies.com ;)

[luckton]

Beta signups open for 48 hours. Beta registration servers crashed.

I just did it and had no hiccups. 

[Tyrnan]

Apart from the scanner program sending me to the french version of the signup page (with no way to change it that I could see) it went fine for me too. Haven't received a confirmation email yet though.

[Sky]

Beta signups open for 48 hours. Beta registration servers crashed.

Step One: Submit your PC hardware specs

Click here to download the DxDiag diagnostic tool. (328KB, .exe, Windows only)

[jth]

Had to run the scanner program ~20 times (network error and no retry option) but eventually it got through.

[Tmon]

I went ahead and signed up, doubt they will select me given the sad old pc I'm using.

[luckton]

Maybe I just got lucky.  I dunno...I ran the program, it submitted the data, I filled out the follow-up form and I just got my confirmation email.

[01101010]

I went ahead and signed up, doubt they will select me given the sad old pc I'm using.

I'd do it from work, but the WIN7 Enterprise and the shitty vid card would probably throw things off a bit.

[Nevermore]

There are very little similarities between GW1 and GW2 outside of lore and story

This is why I haven't been getting excited for this game.  I liked the gotta find 'em all skill collection and building vastly different skill combinations on my characters.  I liked all the different companions I could use.  The lore and story was the weakest part of the game, so the fact that's the only part they kept isn't doing anything for me.  Maybe it'll turn out to still be a game I like, but so far I'm getting a Rift vibe off it.

[Chimpy]

I went ahead and signed up, doubt they will select me given the sad old pc I'm using.

I'd do it from work, but the WIN7 Enterprise and the shitty vid card would probably throw things off a bit.

Win 7 enterprise is effectively exactly the same as Ultimate.

[luckton]

I went ahead and signed up, doubt they will select me given the sad old pc I'm using.

I'd do it from work, but the WIN7 Enterprise and the shitty vid card would probably throw things off a bit.

I did it from work...