Guild Wars 2

[tazelbain]

Looks awesome, but won't that lead to SWTOR like scenario where they will be nearly worthless because they are trival?

[Zetor]

Yea, the accelerating bar is pretty good.

Re craft grind in GW2: the focus seems to be that 'discovering recipes' (crafting something you haven't crafted before by combining sub-components) is going to get you a ton more crafting xp than just farming 500 iron and crafting 100 pieces of an_iron_dagger_01 while sending next to a vendor, vendoring them as you craft. This -may- result in people crafting full armor sets and actually using them / selling them / giving them to guildies / etc. It remains to be seen just how powerful crafted items are compared to regular armor upgrades (from vendors) and instance drops. Given GW1's super-flat power curve, it's very possible that crafting in GW2 will just be used to get weapon/armor skins after hitting max level.

[Draegan]

Also, crafting doesn't have to compete with raiding in GW2 so I don't think there will be any restrictions on "uber powerful gear" having to only come from raids.  Now you're free to have those big public dragon events dropping rare crafting stuff and rely on people making stuff for you.

Also I remember hearing that if you drop a crafting profession and then come back to it at a later date it saves your progress.  I'm not sure if they do the same with recipes, but I'm sure it does?

[HaemishM]

The accelerating crafting bar thing is <3 <3 <3

Yes. Dear god yes.

This. It's such a small thing, and such a simple solution to the "I have to craft 3000 widgets so I'll leave my computer on all night" problem.

[luckton]

Sweet mercy I just saw the crafting video 

Note to Bliz: Steal this QoL feature too 

[Numtini]

They are apparently going to allow game currency to be exchanged for cash shop currency similar to the Plex in Eve or the Dubs in Puzzle Pirates.

[Sparky]

I really don't mind as it's AAA sans sub.  Something has to give.

[Numtini]

It really didn't have a big effect in either game because you can't sell directly, you can only use your proceeds within the game, so I don't think it will have a big effect here. Sort of like the sellable pet in WoW that alarmed people, but didn't have any particular real effects on the economy as far as I can tell.

[Draegan]

I'm interested in seeing what will be sold in the cash shop (or test shop) this weekend.

GW2's art style is amazing so I think even I wouldn't mind plopping down some cash for some badass looking costume gear.

[Zetor]

Considering that GW1's cash shop was the only one that didn't make me want to stab people (coh, eq2 and lotro - I'm looking at YOU!) I'm not too worried.

[tazelbain]

They are apparently going to allow game currency to be exchanged for cash shop currency similar to the Plex in Eve or the Dubs in Puzzle Pirates.

I don't think I have ever been this excited for an MMO ever.

[Lantyssa]

GW2's art style is amazing so I think even I wouldn't mind plopping down some cash for some badass looking costume gear.

I'll admit to buying several of the GW1 costume packs.  They were some of the best outfits I've seen in any game.

[waylander]

I bought extra character slots, and all the PVP packs when they were released.  GW1 did a good job with its cash shop so I'm optimistic about GW2's version.

[Threash]

What are pvp packs?

[waylander]

What are pvp packs?

It was a long time ago, but about 2 years after retail they finally realized there was a market for people who just wanted to PVP.  So they offered PVP packs where you could buy the ability to create instant end game characters with access to all gear just for PVP (you could not take a PVP toon outside of a PVP staging area), and they sold them through the cash shop.

In GW2 they are making that a built in feature of the game from day 1.

[Threash]

Would have loved those when i played.

[Crumbs]

In GW2 they are making that a built in feature of the game from day 1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7hnK7bN258

[caladein]

That's not entirely true as Structured is just one small gametype.  Yes, if all you used PvP only characters was for RA/TA/Codex it's the same.  You're still stuck leveling and unlocking stuff if you want to play WvW.

[luckton]

Currency in GW2 in graph format, spoilered for size.

Source: http://www.guildwarsinsider.com/visual-guide-currencies-guild-wars-2/

[Draegan]

That really needed a graph?

[luckton]

That really needed a graph?

 

[01101010]

That really needed a graph?

Of course. This is the trend... McDonalds point-to-picture simplicity.

[Draegan]

That really needed a graph?

 

Really?  You need a graph to tell you that there is a PVE currency and a PVP currency and then an RMT currency that can be traded for in-game currency?

  Indeed.

[Crumbs]

Somewhere, someone, who really needs a graph, is graphless today.  Thanks alot luckton 

[luckton]

That really needed a graph?

 

Really?  You need a graph to tell you that there is a PVE currency and a PVP currency and then an RMT currency that can be traded for in-game currency?

  Indeed.

By that logic, I could argue that we don't really need a graph to tell me what class does what, since every class can heal/DPS/tank/support/etc.

But we got one anyways... 

[Sky]

Really more of a chart or a diagram.

[luckton]

http://imgur.com/a/yOKsM

Item Shop photos.  I have no idea if this is NDA or not, nor do I know what was offered in the GW1 shop.

I can tell you that if there's items that allow me to spam every single person's chat box with a message of my authoring, I think some of these items need to go away 

[kildorn]

The megaphone doesn't bug me. I dislike the mystic chest key.

[Segoris]

The megaphone is a consumable, so we can most likely assume it is a one time use. Good luck spamming when it costs money per global message.

The mystic key bugs me if they cannot be found in the world game as well. If they can be found in the regular world then I'm fine with them. The asura bank portal makes me realize why the digital deluxe and CE bonus bank is only a temporary use item now.

[PalmTrees]

Completely hate the spend real money for a random chance to get what you want type cash shops. If I want a certain color dye, just sell it to me because I'm absolutely never going to buy a dye box with a random assortment of dyes. I don't waste money, even small amounts of money, on gambling. Selling experience and loot boosters is just very suspicious, smells of grind.

[Tyrnan]

The mystic key bugs me if they cannot be found in the world game as well. If they can be found in the regular world then I'm fine with them. The asura bank portal makes me realize why the digital deluxe and CE bonus bank is only a temporary use item now.

I'm really, really hoping they can be found as drops. Otherwise it's basically the Cardassian Lockbox + Master Keys from STO, and ArenaNet going down that road is a horrible thing to contemplate.

[Segoris]

It smells of grind, but leveling is supposedly pretty quick here without some huge xp curve at higher levels which is why I'm not hating on the boosters currently. Absolutely agree about the dyes though.

As for not wanting to waste money, I think I'll have no complaints spending $1-$15 in a given month (not every month, but just on a whim) since there's no subscription. As long as some of the items on the cash shop don't become mandatory for play then it's cool

[schild]

Neither here nor there, but no one will ever trade Gems for money. It makes no sense.

Edit: Oh Goddamnit Arena Net you sons of bitches. Vanity is vanity. Magic Find is NOT vanity. Crafting items are NOT vanity. 12 Slot Bags are NOT vanity. Bank Portals are NOT vanity. Item repair is not vanity (and that's borderline Zynga RMT bullshit right there).

I might just not buy the game at all now.

[Numtini]

If it's real, and it appears to be, it's incredibly disappointing.

[Bungee]

Well, given the relatively small bonuses on the XP boosters and the really short duration, I think it's not that big an advantage. But still makes me  . That's not what I expected. Also the Bag and Bankslot things are kind of annoying. Still buying it though, I don't see anything there being a balance issue in PvP which, afterall is all this game is about. And I do appreciate little helpers to ease the PvE grind.