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[Arcteryx]

We don't know how things will be handled. Seems like Specialization and Revenants will be Expansion-only content, but that doesn't splinter the player base. The new WvW map is going to be free, I imagine, though I'm not sure if the Stronghold gametype will be. Guild Halls will probably be free, but actually building them might be tied to the expansion.

So, if the new regions and mastery system aren't expansion-only, then there's nothing to split the community at all.

It has the potential to though. It all depends on how they implement the specializations and the subsequent balancing. I can already see a lot of bitching by players like "what? I have to buy the expansion to unlock greatswords on my Necro? dat p2w!!!"

Personally I don't care for the mastery stuff, but I am interested in the new class, specializations, and new legendaries.

Also, I would imagine certain aspects of the mastery system pretty much HAVE to be expansion only, as they pertain to the new map area(again, I doubt they are going to allow non-expansion holders to access that area).

 

[Retro]

so i just bought the game and tried changing the email address of my old guild wars 1 account and now i can't seem to verify/authenticate the change. could this be because of increased server use right now?

Yeah, they're getting slammed at the moment.

What's the easiest way to level up a character? I want to make either my mesmer or elementalist 80.
and are Revenant ritualist?

It's a double XP weekend, that'd be a good place to start. And yeah, it looks like Revenants will borrow quite a bit from Ritualists.

Hard to imagine you'd be able to visit the new regions without owning the expansion.

We'll have to wait and see, but that's what it would basically take to keep everyone playing together, basically.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

so i just bought the game and tried changing the email address of my old guild wars 1 account and now i can't seem to verify/authenticate the change. could this be because of increased server use right now?

have you linked your gw1 and gw2 accounts?

its possible there is a high load, if many are buying them! Have you been able to make your GW2 account?

 

[Trey]

We don't know how things will be handled. Seems like Specialization and Revenants will be Expansion-only content, but that doesn't splinter the player base. The new WvW map is going to be free, I imagine, though I'm not sure if the Stronghold gametype will be. Guild Halls will probably be free, but actually building them might be tied to the expansion.

So, if the new regions and mastery system aren't expansion-only, then there's nothing to split the community at all.

This is how I think it'll break down. Except I think stronghold will be free as well.

 

[swnny]

The show was meh, like I expected, but at least the expansion sounds promising. Lets hope they deliver.
Being paid rises the concern of splitting the player base, but I'm sure they tought of that and will address it accordingly.
I'm more interested in the ways of buying the digital version. What are the chanses of it being in the gem store?

 

[Retro]

This is how I think it'll break down. Except I think stronghold will be free as well.

I think so to as well.

I'm more interested in the ways of buying the digital version. What are the chanses of it being in the gem store?

The FAQ says it'll be sold digital and at retail, I dunno if it'll be in the gem store, but we'll have to wait and see.

"We'll have to wait and see" is going to become a pretty common phrase around here for a few months.

 

[Nemesis121]

The show was meh, like I expected, but at least the expansion sounds promising. Lets hope they deliver.
Being paid rises the concern of splitting the player base, but I'm sure they tought of that and will address it accordingly.
I'm more interested in the ways of buying the digital version. What are the chanses of it being in the gem store?

That didn't hurt GW1 population so I don't expect it to hurt GW2..

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

I wonder what will happen with the precursors. and there will be new precursors too. Like, will it give players with the expansion a financial advantage?

It sounded like you need to complete many collections, so you will probably need to work hard to get a precursor. I wonder what this will do to prices of current precursors. New precursors mean you cant use the old ones for new legendaries. If you have a precursor but want a new weapon you might want to sell before expansion hits?

 

[Kos Luftar]

We don't know how things will be handled. Seems like Specialization and Revenants will be Expansion-only content, but that doesn't splinter the player base. The new WvW map is going to be free, I imagine, though I'm not sure if the Stronghold gametype will be. Guild Halls will probably be free, but actually building them might be tied to the expansion.

So, if the new regions and mastery system aren't expansion-only, then there's nothing to split the community at all.

If nothing is tied to expansion, how can they sell this? No one would buy it if they can get it just by owning the base game.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

If nothing is tied to expansion, how can they sell this? No one would buy it if they can get it just by owning the base game.

Well, I think everyone will get the mastery, but all mastery content is in the new area. And you cant go to the jungle area without the content.

so you need the expansion;

1) to get the jungle. you can only hang out in the WvW map

2) you can get the mastery, but the old world has no gliding, and nothing in the old world will reward mastery points.

3) you cant make a precursor out of the jungle

4) mastery PvE combat skills though... that is the question? what if it is enemy specific? Or something like "press F to do a certain finisher"? Or some skills that are only used to fight Mursaat or something? Or maybe combat skills about special pick-up bundle weapons?

5) I think nobody can be a revenant or do a specialization. And if they are not more powerful, it fits their model.

6) I also think you cant be a guild leader and get a guild hall without the expansion




Here is a question: will season 2 be bundled with the expansion?

 

[Retro]

If nothing is tied to expansion, how can they sell this? No one would buy it if they can get it just by owning the base game.

It would depend on the price point. If the expansion is basically access to the Revenant profession and Specialization feature and they sell it for $20, that's not bad at all and I think most people would pick it up (especially if they throw a character slot in there for free).

 

[silvermember]

If nothing is tied to expansion, how can they sell this? No one would buy it if they can get it just by owning the base game.

It is not our job to worry about it, unless it is unfair and unreasonable. Arenanet has done a decent job at monetization.

 

[Minamu]

Any word of a gem store sale?

 

[show me your skeleton]

have you linked your gw1 and gw2 accounts?

its possible there is a high load, if many are buying them! Have you been able to make your GW2 account?

yeah, they've both been linked. i was able to log in with my old account password but just unable to verify the email change. looks like i shall have to wait!

 

[NobleXenon]

Does three biomes means three level 80 zones? If so, that's means more Orichalcum into the market. I have almost twelve stacks that I want to unload; hopefully Ascended Jewelery Crafting is out before the expansion hits and drives up the prices.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

It would depend on the price point. If the expansion is basically access to the Revenant profession and Specialization feature and they sell it for $20, that's not bad at all and I think most people would pick it up (especially if they throw a character slot in there for free).

The big question: Wooden Potatoes really nailed it - I mean, how big is this jungle area exactly? Is it really triple layered? The most ambitious area they have ever done? Unlike anything we've played before?

I imagined Aion when I saw the trailer, but Aion had a landmasse sort of similar to GW2, where you can just glide off mountains. There has to be something else to it.


We should have predicted it sooner... Dry Top.. my god.. Bazaar of the Four Winds? That entire area is one vertical fest. I bet they won't use those mechanics though. Bazaar was really difficult to navigate with the lag.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

yeah, they've both been linked. i was able to log in with my old account password but just unable to verify the email change. looks like i shall have to wait!

I see. I hope it comes soon mate and its just server delay!

 

[zulux21]

It would depend on the price point. If the expansion is basically access to the Revenant profession and Specialization feature and they sell it for $20, that's not bad at all and I think most people would pick it up (especially if they throw a character slot in there for free).

personally I am expecting the expansion to be $40. or $67.52 shipped (in wisconsin) for two copies from best buy with GCU.

 

[Achtius]

Can someone invite me back to the guild? Achtius.4632

thanks

 

[docbon]

Trailer looked pretty good. A wee bit surprised there's only one new profession though.

edit: ~probably~ has something to do with these specializations.

 

[Retro]

Worst part of the announcement: now I have to figure out how to fit a new profession into my roster.

Does three biomes means three level 80 zones? If so, that's means more Orichalcum into the market. I have almost twelve stacks that I want to unload; hopefully Ascended Jewelery Crafting is out before the expansion hits and drives up the prices.

From the way they described it, it's more like each zone has three distinct 'layers'; the jungle floor, the underground root system and the canopy.

I didn't actually catch anything about the number of zones within the Heart of Maguuma region.

 

[Panda Rin]

So I haven't played in almost 2 years. How long would it take me to catch up? Worth purchasing the living story content?

 

[Nemesis121]

I don't have a problem giving Anet $50-60 for the Expansion because I don't spend money in their CS, I save my gold for that, if it takes me 3 weeks to save, I will save, but i refuse to give them money for gems, bought GW2 for $60 and they haven't seen a single fucking penny since that initial purchase, and HoT will be the same until they release another expansion...I know people who bought Legendary with credit card, trading gems for gold, i refuse to waste real money on an item i can't hold with my own hands..

 

[Levyne]

So I haven't played in almost 2 years. How long would it take me to catch up? Worth purchasing the living story content?

If you have an 80 in exotic gear you're already set in being able to do anything.

Edti: As for living story content, hard to say. I like it as little 2 week goodies but paying money for them seems wrong. Hopefully they bundle them at some point

 

[Rhaknar]

So I haven't played in almost 2 years. How long would it take me to catch up? Worth purchasing the living story content?

wait what? those things cost money? I thought they were just patches?

 

[docbon]

If you don't log in while a living story episode is active, it costs 200 gems to unlock it later. I always make sure to log in at least once every two weeks to make sure I get them.

 

[Retro]

So I haven't played in almost 2 years. How long would it take me to catch up? Worth purchasing the living story content?

If you were max level and wearing exotic gear 2 years ago, congratulations; you're caught up.

It's up to you whether you want to pick up the Season 2 episodes. There's a fairly cool armor set tied to it reward wise and some really cool fights / story moments, but nothing that absolutely HAS to be seen (that kind of stuff is just part of the updates). You can also tag along with a player who has them unlocked, though you won't get any rewards.

Each episode is 200 gems, which is basically $2. If you're okay getting a small fry instead of a large one for lunch once a week, you could probably swing it, but some people have a bugaboo about spending real money for games.

wait what? those things cost money? I thought they were just patches?

Every two weeks during the Living World Season, a new episode is released. This (usually) adds something permanent to the game world (a new zone, some new boss fight or section to explore, etc.) and a bunch of instanced story missions. The story missions are unlocked for free if you log in while an episode is "live", or you can unlock them for 200 gems later. That's just the story missions; all of the other content is free.

 

[Wanderer5]

Not related to the expansion at all, but this is what my WvW experience has looked like for the last *six weeks* now:



(I'm Isle of Janthir, blue team.) This matchmaking is garbage.

Yeah sadly thanks to DB mostly, there are 4 tier 2 servers, and you guys will get screw whether it FA, DB, SoS, or YB. Seems like even SoS can still storm through despite having lost a few guilds recently.

 

[Spyware]

Worst part of the announcement: now I have to figure out how to fit a new profession into my roster.

Heh. For me this will be easy. I'll just delete the extra 5 heavies I made and remake them as Revs! Names and looks (well, for now since I don't know what the expansion or updates will bring that I might like better) already decided I did name the charr Sootrive tho, and before the announcement that was a cool name. For a Rev that might just sound... meh. But I have some time to figure that out.

Also, seems my question was overlooked earlier. I got another account and I will play on that quite a bit. Is there a second spot for me in the guild or would you rather save that spot for a new/returning player?

 

[Ashodin]

Cecil Venteal will be my revenant. yup yup.

 

[hythloday]

Also, seems my question was overlooked earlier. I got another account and I will play on that quite a bit. Is there a second spot for me in the guild or would you rather save that spot for a new/returning player?

If you're actively playing both accounts, I see no problem there. There are other people in the guild with more than one account.

 

[Wanderer5]

Think I'll delete one of my "cosplay" warriors, since they don't really have much point anyway outside for shits and giggles.XD I probably do a Revenant Charr on my main acc heh, and maybe make a sylvari one on my alt if I like the class a lot.

 

[Spyware]

If you're actively playing both accounts, I see no problem there. There are other people in the guild with more than one account.

Thanks
I'm gonna play the "main" one just like before and the new one quite a lot in the beginning (to level up the one character there). If I feel later that I'm taking up a space even tho I don't play the other account much I'll drop out of the guild again ofc.
I'd miss the guild chat if I wasn't in
Spyware.6530 is the new one. And since Cresc is copying eeeeverything I do he got one too, so if Virus.5201 could get an invite too that would be great

 

[Hawkian]

so that's what rytlock is now. looks right up my alley.

specialization and mastery are the kind of things I was desperately hoping for (i will have every new weapon skill, with hot sauce please), and engis get their hammers. Horizontal progression is great because it gives me a reason to do what I want with whatever character I want again, even if it's something I've done 100 times already. guild halls/gvg were actually the only aspect (outside new areas) that didn't surprise me. So well done to them on the keeping stuff under wraps.

no level cap increase, no gear tier increase, and setting the precendent of a sale price for the base game 10 bucks actually does make this a substantially nontraditional expansion. might sound silly to you but these were the main aspects disturbing me about the idea of slapping a big content, feature and systems update into a box and selling it for money; and the "total purchase price and value proposition" remains a very different story here compared to any of its competitors. now I don't have to support those concepts and will gladly pay what is asked. Pricing will be key, there's a lot that they could get away with knowing it will eventually be discounted/bundled.

My lone disappointment is that they didn't announce a release date. Even a release month? I'm honestly a little stunned that they would make such a large-scale annouce event without that detail.

Maybe I missed it but did they say anything about Mordremoth at all? Are we gonna see or fight it in HoT?

yes. "We take the fight to Mordremoth!"

 

[coughlanio]

Just grabbed the game. Is the Mumble server active? Might jump on.

 

[hythloday]

Just grabbed the game. Is the Mumble server active? Might jump on.

Depends what time of day. Mumble is most active on Saturday nights since that's when we do our weekly guild missions (at 9 PM eastern).

 

[Kos Luftar]

Seems like a lot of people here think that stuff they announced as part of GW2:HoT will also be coming as free additions to base game (ie: new borderland map, new pvp map, possibly specializations and masteries), I hope you are right but I highly doubt it because that is the major "features" HoT is bringing so they would have no reason to give those out for free.

My only gripe is what Hawkian said about the scope, it just seems too narrow for an expansion, if you compare expansion to the GW1 campaigns. Also they way they were talking about it, it also seems like it is just really hard content that people keep crying about. I hope I can still go into these new areas and do stuff on my own, and won't have to put up LFG to get enough people rallied to be able to see all the content (ie, Silverwastes).

All these uncertainties are because they barely gave any meaty details. Also it was suppose to be 1h:30m yet they stopped 15-20min short.

Have the usual GW2 news sites had a chance to get some interviews?

 

[Rhaknar]

not sure how I feel about weapon skills being tied to levels now instead of usage

im not saing its good or bad, I literally dont know how I feel about it lol

Asuras continue to be the best race in any mmo at least, that didnt change

 

[silvermember]

Seems like a lot of people here think that stuff they announced as part of GW2:HoT will also be coming as free additions to base game (ie: new borderland map, new pvp map, possibly specializations and masteries), I hope you are right but I highly doubt it because that is the major "features" HoT is bringing so they would have no reason to give those out for free.

My only gripe is what Hawkian said about the scope, it just seems too narrow for an expansion, if you compare expansion to the GW1 campaigns. Also they way they were talking about it, it also seems like it is just really hard content that people keep crying about. I hope I can still go into these new areas and do stuff on my own, and won't have to put up LFG to get enough people rallied to be able to see all the content (ie, Silverwastes).

All these uncertainties are because they barely gave any meaty details. Also it was suppose to be 1h:30m yet they stopped 15-20min short.

Have the usual GW2 news sites had a chance to get some interviews?

They supposedly have a playable demo during pax east. So you might have to wait until then.

Guild wars 2: HoT seems exactly like what EoTn was aka an actual expansion and not a standalone like factions and nightfall. So the scope would be narrower compare when comapre to the other game.

 

[Retro]

not sure how I feel about weapon skills being tied to levels now instead of usage

im not saing its good or bad, I literally dont know how I feel about it lol

They increased the speed at which you level from 1-15, but it feels longer because that first story instance only lets you spam "1" and it doesn't give all of them to you rapidly.

I'm kind of feel the same way about it; it's neither good nor bad. The only thing I can really say is that I level fast enough early on that it doesn't bug me for very long.

 

[Mxrz]

My only gripe is what Hawkian said about the scope, it just seems too narrow for an expansion, if you compare expansion to the GW1 campaigns. Also they way they were talking about it, it also seems like it is just really hard content that people keep crying about. I hope I can still go into these new areas and do stuff on my own, and won't have to put up LFG to get enough people rallied to be able to see all the content (ie, Silverwastes

Yeah, was pondering that. I really do not want 10 new Silverwastes, or every event needing lots of people. Hopefully there'll be a mix, with some small scale stuff too.

 

[Hawkian]

the new maps won't all be like the silverwastes, lol. feel free to make me eat crow if I'm wrong about that.

i want new jumping puzzles.

edit: but yeah, this doesn't compare to gw1 campaigns even remotely, nor is it intended to. I mean, each of those had entire new newbie continents with tutorial experiences, for people beginning their first character in that campaign- it would be like if you could only own this and NOT the base game. Very similar scope as EotN, which actually didn't even carry a new class with it. I could dwell on how much having a new class will change everything, but sure, some people wanted two; so it goes.

EotN was released at $39.99, $35.00 preorder.

If that holds true and you buy HoT+Base game right now and wind up with $45 for the "full" experience, game + current expansion. If that's the asking price I predict it to be regarded (at least in hindsight) as a ridiculously good value. While I'm sympathetic to the concept of fragmenting the playerbsae and advocated strongly for content development to continue as long as possible without additional box charges, I'm not ready to get out my porch and titchfork just yet. This is what many voices claimed to want in several aspects,

 

[Dog Problems]

That new class sounds really cool. I'll probably get back into the game once this expansion is released.

Possibly sooner. :-D

 

[Hawkian]

did the wow expansions have lore reasons for the appearance of the new classes when an expansion arrived?

 

[irfaanator]

I'll most likely be picking up the expansion and checking it out. No date on release correct?

 

[Hawkian]

soon! lol

 

[irfaanator]

Definitely saw a spear/polearm in the trailer. Whoever gets that is what I'm playing. Any info on mastery system? I kinda feel like it's the wvw system but idk

edit: rip staff user is a ranger. dont got one of those at 80

 

[Rhaknar]

did the wow expansions have lore reasons for the appearance of the new classes when an expansion arrived?

you mean, the game where the 2 new classes were death knight, in a expansion about death knights and lich king, and monk, in a expansion about asian themed pandaran land?

...yes

They increased the speed at which you level from 1-15, but it feels longer because that first story instance only lets you spam "1" and it doesn't give all of them to you rapidly.

I'm kind of feel the same way about it; it's neither good nor bad. The only thing I can really say is that I level fast enough early on that it doesn't bug me for very long.

actually might be faster? since tis tied to level, all skills are auto unlocked when you get a weapon if you are the correct level, and its quite fast getting to 10 (I just did it on a elementalist, deleted her, and did it again on a necro in under a hour)

 

[Cathcart]

did the wow expansions have lore reasons for the appearance of the new classes when an expansion arrived?

Yes, loads. The Lich King was the reason for Death Knights and that entire expansion was pretty much about them. Monks came from Pandaland and the pandas spread monkiness to the other races.

 

[Mxrz]

I know it'll not happen, but specialization being permanent would be a hell of a thing. On the other hand, the idea of switching at will takes some of the mystique out of it. Ideally it would involve some sort of quest, but it sounds like it might just be another trait system.