Guild Wars 2 Launch Date announced: August 28th, 2012

Thats pretty odd. Cpu oc hurts performance??? Im screwed then bc i have a cheapy core i7 oc'd to 4ghz.

No. First off, he's only talking about Beta which isn't fully optimized and second, the last beta weekend ran smooth as butter for me and I was rolling i7 2600k at 4.4ghz. I'm not sure why there is mixed results but I know a lot more people had a smoother experience with the second beta weekend from the first and I expect that trend to continue for the third. They recommend not overclocking, using crossfire/sli but as I said, I overclocked and it ran great.
 
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This picture has completely changed my mind about internet conspiracy theories. Also, Head Start is on a Saturday...fuck yeah!!!
 
No. First off, he's only talking about Beta which isn't fully optimized and second, the last beta weekend ran smooth as butter for me and I was rolling i7 2600k at 4.4ghz. I'm not sure why there is mixed results but I know a lot more people had a smoother experience with the second beta weekend from the first and I expect that trend to continue for the third. They recommend not overclocking, using crossfire/sli but as I said, I overclocked and it ran great.

I have an i5 sitting at 4.0, GTX 570 at 850/2000 and 16gb of RAM.

I was hitting MAYBE 20-30 fps on Max settings on a dead server. Worse in crowded areas, of course.

Turning my settings to lowest possible was the only way to hit 60 on occasion. All drivers updated. No issues running any game on Ultra. They do need more optimization for sure - I know others with my same/similar setup that were sitting 60fps maxed no issues so... I'm just going to assume nothing is final yet.

ANet is at the helm. I'm not worried.
 
Later than I would have liked, but judging from all the BWE/Stress tests I've played they definitely needed this time to polish it up and make it worth the wait. At least It'll still come out about a week before school starts for me.
I have an i5 sitting at 4.0, GTX 570 at 850/2000 and 16gb of RAM.
I was hitting MAYBE 20-30 fps on Max settings on a dead server.  Worse in crowded areas, of course.
I was also getting fairly bad performance. But knowing ArenaNet the final product will be much more optimized. GW1 was one of the most optimized games I've ever played, practically any machine could play it with good performance.
Oh and Chris, your OP sucks, no offense.
Kind of a shitty thing to say, no? This isn't really the official OP anyway, just an announcement thread.
 
Later than I would have liked, but judging from all the BWE/Stress tests I've played they definitely needed this time to polish it up and make it worth the wait. At least It'll still come out about a week before school starts for me.


Kind of a shitty thing to say, no? This isn't really the official OP anyway, just an announcement thread.

All in good fun, though seeing as this is the GW2 thread on GAF now, it could be a lot better.
 
Well, considering that Chriswok post was separated from the old thread, he didn't have any say, he just posted the info first in the old thread and a mod created a new thread with his post because new news = new thread.
 
Oh and Chris, your OP sucks, no offense.

They split off his post from the older thread (since locked) and made this new thread with it. He just threw in the picture to make it look somewhat interesting. Not really his fault.
 
They split off his post from the older thread (since locked) and made this new thread with it. He just threw in the picture to make it look somewhat interesting. Not really his fault.

Ah, I didn't know it was split, my apologies.
 
They split off his post from the older thread (since locked) and made this new thread with it. He just threw in the picture to make it look somewhat interesting. Not really his fault.

It's not that the OP sucks, it's that Jira is jealous he didn't get to make this thread.
 
I'm very interested in this final beta. Hopefully it's not just another CPU build again and they have it using the GPU to help with graphics or something because damn! From what I played in the last beat, that game is NOT ready.
 
It's not that the OP sucks, it's that Jira is jealous he didn't get to make this thread.

False. SBSP has taught me that robots do not have emotions. They are cold, unfeeling, automatons.

Jira's pretty cool though. His OT shall be impssobily efficient and informative no doubt.
 
252660_10150940962114209_1562846267_n.jpg



This picture has completely changed my mind about internet conspiracy theories. Also, Head Start is on a Saturday...fuck yeah!!!

Those cheeky bastards. They said it wasn't the release date....

Anyway, I'm shocked that it's August. Game was fun, but parts (PvP in particular) didn't feel anywhere neat ready. It'll be a VERY busy 2 months for Anet.
 
So what kind of improvements did they make after that first invitational beta? I was so disappointed in the game I've literally never entered a thread about it since then.
 
It's not that the OP sucks, it's that Jira is jealous he didn't get to make this thread.

Maybe just a little, but can you blame me?

I'm very interested in this final beta. Hopefully it's not just another CPU build again and they have it using the GPU to help with graphics or something because damn! From what I played in the last beat, that game is NOT ready.

Many people saw massive performance increases from BWE1 to BWE2, if you didn't I wouldn't worry about it yet, you'll get it too.

So what kind of improvements did they make after that first invitational beta? I was so disappointed in the game I've literally never entered a thread about it since then.

If you were disappointed in the game upon first playing it then you won't like it now because the game hasn't and isn't going to change from a fundamental design standpoint.
 
So what kind of improvements did they make after that first invitational beta? I was so disappointed in the game I've literally never entered a thread about it since then.

If you can be more specific about what disappointed you it would be more easy to answer your question.

In general, they changed some UI stuff, traits, skills of some professions, a bit on the performance side, added some stuff to test and one new area. The core of the game is the same, so if some part of the core disappointed you, then i'm sorry but it will keep disappointing you.
 
If you can be more specific about what disappointed you it would be more easy to answer your question.

In general, they changed some UI stuff, traits, skills of some professions, added some stuff to test and one new area. The core of the game is the same, so if some part of the core disappointed you, then i'm sorry but it will keep disappointing you.

I was turned off by how ambiguous the game mechanics were, the pacing of the quests and a few other things. The core mechanics weren't all that exciting to me so you guys are probably right, it won't be for me.

I hope it isn't yet another MMO bomb, but I can't see the game gaining popularity outside GW1 veterans. It's very hard to place my finger on it, but I don't feel good about it.
 
Perhaps someone can answer this question for me: Is Guild Wars 2 like GW1? Because I thought GW1 was pretty awful.

I'm hoping GW2 is not like GW1 (pvp focused, boring PvE, heavily instanced with crowded city centers, only 5-6 armor models per class, heavily reliant on crafting rather than drops)

I never played the expansions, so I have no idea if those fixed any of those issues, but I found vanilla GW1 to be severely lacking.

The heavy instances allowed for better events and quests, but no, GW2 is nothing like GW1, it's a full blown MMO. GW1 was really lacking early on, but by the end of all the campaigns and expansions it became a much better game.
 
I was turned off by how ambiguous the game mechanics were, the pacing of the quests and a few other things. The core mechanics weren't all that exciting to me so you guys are probably right, it won't be for me.

Hope it doesn't bomb, but I can't see the game gaining popularity outside GW1 veterans.

Ironically enough, GW1 vets don't really like the game because it isn't GW1. GW1 is a very odd game in the sense that it's not very talked about amongst the gaming community at large and yet has gone on to sell over 7 million copies making it one of the top 10 series in gaming. GW2 has FAR, FAR more recognition amongst the gaming community than GW1 did even in its prime. You have to think, there's a lot more people playing MMOs and gaming in general than there were in 2005 which means a chance at a much larger playerbase. GW2 will no doubt crush the 7 million sales of its predecessor in the same 7 year timeframe.
 
I was turned off by how ambiguous the game mechanics were, the pacing of the quests and a few other things. The core mechanics weren't all that exciting to me so you guys are probably right, it won't be for me.

I hope it isn't yet another MMO bomb, but I can't see the game gaining popularity outside GW1 veterans. It's very hard to place my finger on it, but I don't feel good about it.

Well, i think some of the quests are being/were modified thanks to the feedback they are getting from the BWEs, but i guess is stuff like experience, balance, spawn rate and stuff like that. Soon we will also know how the events change at higher levels when the others zones are open.

Well, the funny thing its some GW1 veterans don't like the game because isn't GW1 extended, but the game looks to be successful tho only time will tell. Lots of people who didn't like GW1 fell in love with GW2 so there is a new group of fans apart from the GW1 veterans that will play the game, so the game will have a healthy population and their business model seems to be fine for them.
 
How varied are the equipment choices per class ? I want to pick this up due entirely to the fact that there is no subscription...

Thanks in advance.
 
http://www.guildwars2junkies.com/20...es-interview-with-lead-designer-eric-flannum/

We got a chance to ask Guild Wars 2 Lead Designer, Eric Flannum, a few questions about the game ranging from World vs World, class balance, PVP vs. PVE progression and more. We’re very excited to share this with, especially on the same day that Arenanet has announced that the game’s launch is August 28, just two months from now!

GW2 Junkies: Guild Wars 2 has some amazing character models, ranging from gigantic norn to tiny asura. With any competitive MMO, players worry about hit boxes and how character models affect gameplay. Since a player can get hit by stray damage, how have you designed the hit boxes for all the varied sizes and shapes that GW2 has to offer—asura are short, norn are tall, charr are wide (and low to the ground when they are running), etc.?

Eric Flannum: Every player character in Guild Wars 2 has the exact same sized collision cylinder. For asura this means that the cylinder is larger than they are and for norn it means that it is smaller. Very early in the process of making the game we knew this was going to be the case, so the min and max sizes of our races are heavily influenced by this.

GW2J: Have you thought of allowing players to choose what their starting weapon is during character creation? Though the game is still in beta, many players have commented that some of the starting weapons might not be the best for a beginning player.


Eric: There used to be a biography question that dealt with that very thing. It actually resulted in some inappropriate weapon choices for new players who weren’t aware that they were making a choice about how complex they wanted their experience to be. Since we didn’t feel that we could guarantee that all of the choices would be equally easy for starting players, we decided to pick the weapon that we thought was best for new players. We’re still taking feedback on this, of course, so players who participate in Beta Weekend Events (BWEs) should let us know if they’d prefer a different starting weapon.

GW2J: What are your current thoughts in balancing player populations in WvW and the PvE environment? You’ve mentioned that there could potentially be a cap in WvW for each world. Some players are concerned about being locked out during peak times on popular servers. What are your plans to prevent players from being frustrated, and have any of the BWEs so far even reached the population cap for WvW?


Eric: Some worlds have definitely reached the population cap in BWEs. I think it’s a valid issue for players to be concerned about, but our alternative to having caps would be severe performance issues or even server crashes. To help deal with WvW overpopulation, we do have a queuing system specifically for WvW, and there are four maps. Players who wish to play in the center map can queue for it while playing in one of the home maps, or even PvE. We will also have a period of time when the game launches where we will allow players to change worlds with reduced costs. We hope that during this time, players who wish to avoid queues in WvW will spread out to less populated worlds and not have to worry about queues. If queuing in WvW continues to be a major problem, then we will definitely look into further solutions.

GW2J: We love WvW and all the “sieging” fun it brings. There are a few concerns that some players have when it comes to the logistics of gaining experience and rewards. Tokens are looted from players; however, as large battles move back and forth across the map, are there any plans on perhaps rewarding these tokens automatically to players instead of making them a looted item?

Eric: Our goal is that progression in WvW be roughly equivalent to progression in PvE. We are obviously not there yet, but it is definitely a priority for us to bring the two more in line with each other. We also recognize that looting fallen players is often very difficult and are looking into possible solutions for this problem.

GW2J: How does experience work in WvW? People were getting a lot of experience by just defending keeps, and some people weren’t getting much by fighting out in open areas. Can you explain how experience is rewarded in WvW?


Eric: Experience basically works the same way it does in PvE. Killing NPCs, such as guards and monsters, exploring new areas, gathering resources, and completing events will all yield experience. Players who were defending keeps were earning experience by participating in keep-defense events. In general, anything you’d get experience for in PvE will also yield experience in WvW, but, of course, there is the added bonus in WvW of getting experience from killing other players.

GW2J: The WvW maps are gigantic and can often appear daunting to a new player, especially someone who is not in a large and supporting guild. Are there any plans to get the solo or casual player into the action quicker? Are there any plans on introducing faster ways to get from point to point (assuming a server has control) around the map?

Eric: A world can upgrade its ability to travel by upgrading captured keeps to contain a waypoint. Other than that we don’t currently have any plans for increased fast-travel options. One thing that is important to understand is that travel times are necessary to ensure that a side can achieve victory by keeping the other team out of the fight for an extended period of time. WvW is meant to simulate a large-scale battle, and we feel that travel through the map and simulating troop movement and reinforcements is very much a part of this.

GW2J: With any PvP-oriented game, class balance is extremely important. We realize that things are nowhere near finished yet in regards to classes, but can you comment on where you are right now in this area of development?

Eric: We’ve done some very basic and rough skill balancing up to this point. Now we’re moving into a phase where we will very much concentrate on this. Players should expect to see a lot of skill changes and refinements in the next BWE.

GW2J: As players reach the level cap and participate more in WvW, what are different ways a player can advance their character in WvW? We’ve noticed a lot of cosmetic differences and rewards, but are there other types of rewards outside the cosmetic things, like gear, crafting materials, money, etc.?

Eric: Your character is the same in PvE as in WvW, so all of the forms of advancement that are available in PvE are available in WvW. As far as things specific to WvW go, there is a weapon and armor set available exclusively through WvW play, as well as several WvW-specific achievements and titles.

GW2J: One of the most common issues players have with GW2 is its animations. Some people have complained that a character appears to be “floating,” or not attached to the ground. Some have pointed out shadows or different kinds of “change of direction” animations that take place. Can you explain what your animation team has done and perhaps some of the reasoning why things are the way they are?


Eric: I think there are a few different things that people refer to when describing things as feeling “floaty.” There are a number of bugs with things like player shadows, footsteps, and model position that contribute to this feeling. Those are things that we intend to fix.

The other thing that people point to involves our use of transition animations to make our animations look and feel smoother. In many games when they use transition animations, they will restrict movement to match the animation. Instead of doing that we opted to make our movement more responsive, so while the animation may look like the character is transitioning from one movement set to another, the character is actually moving in the new direction immediately. This may help contribute to the “floaty” feel that some people complain about, but we feel that in the long run it is a good compromise between smooth-looking animation and responsiveness.

GW2J: We want to play an asura! When do you expect players will be able to get their hands on the two missing races: the Asura and the Sylvari?

Eric: There is a distinct possibility that we’ll see one or both of those races in a BWE, but we haven’t locked down the content yet, so I can’t really confirm or deny anything at this time.
 
Ah forgot to specify. The armour choices per class is what I meant. Cosmetic and utility.

I remember being turned off by GW1 based on the fact everything looked so similar. (I'm talking early GW1)
 
Ah forgot to specify. The armour choices per class is what I meant. Cosmetic and utility.

I remember being turned off by GW1 based on the fact everything looked so similar. (I'm talking early GW1)

Tons of cosmetics, you can wear any armor that your weight class can use. You can take any armor that you like the look of and transmute it with the stats you want.
 
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