guild wars expansion out.

[Jab2565]

Kinda snuck up on me, but I went to eb and they got in the expansion today. I don't think I'm going to buy it right now though. I like guild wars , but I just can't seem to play it for more then a day then I get burned out again with it. Which is odd since I pretty much spent a few months playing diablo 2 each day. Then there is the fact that's 50$, I like what they did with the price model, but from previews and such it seems like there is less in this one then in the original. So is anyone going to buy it or bought it already?

[selfnoise]

Dunno. Does this have as much level 1-20 PvE content as the first game? The original game PvP didn't do it for me, but I think I'd pay another 40-50 bucks one-time for more PvE content.

I was also a bit worried that everyone would end up playing the new classes, and party balance would suffer.

[Jab2565]

No idea, I didn't really play much of the trial events.

[bwiltgen]

I have Guild Wars and like you pfreak I got burnt out on it really quick after reaching level 20 and ascending. I find it interesting how a game so similar to Diablo 2 could get so old, so quickly. Personally, I blame it on the loot model (or lack thereof). Although I understand why they so restricted the amount of random loot that you could achieve through PvE abilities, it killed any incentive to keep going for me. I really wish it weren't so, because I LOVE the bots in that game. Totally removes any real need for me to go out with 7 hair-brained yahoo's just to get a mission done. Hopefully other MMO's will incorporate the idea of bots sooner or later so I can enjoy that feature in better games.

Anyway, I played in one of the beta events as the Assassin class because I wanted to try the new combo attack system. The way Penny-Arcade described the skill system sounded neat to me. After a few hours playing, the new skills didn't feel so new. In fact the combo attack system just felt more tedious than the other classes. The missions felt very much the same as the original. Very bland all around in my opinion. It didn't spark my interest, and I am personally not going to pick it up.

[The Bitter Cynic]

Well, I always understood that the "expansions" for Guild Wars would build upon the original release.

Instead they (Anet) decided to create a stand alone expansion for $50.

Not quite what I expected.

I also thought the expansions were going to avalible by download as a patch that you paid for, about $20. Download whatever content expansion you wanted and bypass stuff you didn't want.

This isn't a complaint about the stand alone (I'll pick it up eventually) but me just saying how the expansion idea changed from what I thought and read when I first bought Guild Wars.

[Simpilot]

The expansion is $50?!?!?! That's gotta be a record...

[Ryan Markel]

Originally Posted by Simpilot

The expansion is $50?!?!?! That's gotta be a record...

It's an "expanshalone."

[Mark Crump]

No, technically CoH was an "expansion" too.

[Alan Dunkin]

Well in many ways it's not really an expansion, you don't need Guild Wars to play.

--- Alan

[Sidd_Budd]

I thought the plan for Guild Wars was to charge full price for expansions, to make up for the lack of a monthly fee for their sort-of-MMO-model. I still haven't gotten to level 20 yet in the core game, so I'll likely wait a few months to pick up Factions.

[HRose]

It is now available on the online store.

DAMN, I have no money after Eve, DAoC, WoW, EQ2, FFXI and Oblivion and DQ8.

I hope no new games come out in June.

[EFlannum]

To put things somewhat into perspective our times playing through chapter 2 are roughly equal to the times we got playing through chapter one, there is overall less square footage in chapter 2 but more content per square foot. I would describe it less as an expansion and more akin to the old d&d gold box games, it's a new standalone game experience built on the same engine and using the same ruleset.

This wasn't necessarily the plan right from the start but it is what it turned into. Hopefully it all works out.

[HRose]

I'm noticing at the char creation screen that the same classes are dressed up with different equipment depending on the campaign you pick, does this mean that even all the equipment & look of the new exp is completely unique?

This is the warrior class in the classic campaign and the new one:



And, yes. Even the face/hair combinations are unique for each expansion. Sadly you cannot create the two new classes in the classic campaign.

[Alan Dunkin]

I believe that they are all unique for factions, so the old classes have all new looks, etc. for that land if you're making a new character (which makes sense). EFlannum can say better than I, however.

--- Alan

[HRose]

I wish there was also a complete feature list. I really wonder why these are never released.

Like detailed explanations about how many new zones, PvP modes, number of new arenas and so on covering in detail all that is added.

I think it would help the sales more than just vaguely announcing that there will be more but without explaining what this "more" is about. It's really hard to gather precise informations.

[HRose]

Btw, the Oblivion "tweak" to put the "render frames ahead" to 0 to make the game playable makes GW stutter like crazy.

[EFlannum]

Originally Posted by HRose

I wish there was also a complete feature list. I really wonder why these are never released.

Like detailed explanations about how many new zones, PvP modes, number of new arenas and so on covering in detail all that is added.

I think it would help the sales more than just vaguely announcing that there will be more but without explaining what this "more" is about. It's really hard to gather precise informations.

Not posting a link but if you go to the guild wars website and look at the factions FAQ it pretty outlines everything for you. It may not have every single feature but it can certainly give you a good idea of what to expect.

[EFlannum]

Originally Posted by Alan Dunkin

I believe that they are all unique for factions, so the old classes have all new looks, etc. for that land if you're making a new character (which makes sense). EFlannum can say better than I, however.

--- Alan

You pretty much said it :)

[selfnoise]

Originally Posted by HRose

Btw, the Oblivion "tweak" to put the "render frames ahead" to 0 to make the game playable makes GW stutter like crazy.

Yeah, I had to turn it off because it was messing up BF2 something fierce. I don't think it's just GW.

[Jab2565]

I think the problem for me ,is that if your not going to pvp in Gw, then the game gets old really fast. Loot isn't random or powerful enough to take trips outside the city, and the only thing that matters are your skill cards. Which is a good idea for pvp, but kills replayablity for pve. Also I really don't want to join one of the pvp guilds which require you to play everyday, use voice chat and all that other stuff.

[schizoslayer]

Originally Posted by pfreak

I think the problem for me ,is that if your not going to pvp in Gw, then the game gets old really fast. Loot isn't random or powerful enough to take trips outside the city, and the only thing that matters are your skill cards. Which is a good idea for pvp, but kills replayablity for pve. Also I really don't want to join one of the pvp guilds which require you to play everyday, use voice chat and all that other stuff.

Is there a QT3 guild at all? I started a guild back when it launched (we even have a snazzy cape that isn't entirely black!) but these days you only ever see one person online at a time.

Plus it's a euro guild and I'm aware much of QT3 is in the Americas dunno if you can join a guild of a different home to yours.

Regardless I am currently playing under the monker of Vilencia Kittyflash (Related I guess to Chastity Kittyflash who was my first character) so feel free to message me if you see me. Can't afford the factions thing though so still stuck inthe prophecies campaign.

[Jab2565]

There is a qt3, I don't remember the name though, haven't been on in awhile I can't invite you either I'm not one of the higher up members. No idea about whether nationality affects what guilds you can join.

[Cosmic Hippo]

I'm in the middle of playing the Prophecies Campaign right now, and I for one am enjoying it immensely. Also, they seem to have fixed the loot system a little - the other day I randomly found a red dye and a silver dye relatively quickly, and they've added some new equipment even in the regular game I think in prep for Factions.

Anyway, I too wouldn't mind joining a/the qt3 guild, active or no, if we can figure out who the leader of it is. Better than joining a random one. My character name is Ilena Ari; feel free to message me or whatever, too.

[Hanacker]

Originally Posted by pfreak

I think the problem for me ,is that if your not going to pvp in Gw, then the game gets old really fast. Loot isn't random or powerful enough to take trips outside the city, and the only thing that matters are your skill cards. Which is a good idea for pvp, but kills replayablity for pve. Also I really don't want to join one of the pvp guilds which require you to play everyday, use voice chat and all that other stuff.

Depends what you mean by "really fast." There were what, 25-40 hours or so of PvE campaign in the original game? And like Diablo 2 I had fun rolling new characters to replay the game with different abilities. Or just tweaking my level 20 guy to try out different skill sets.

[Luke M]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Hippo

I'm in the middle of playing the Prophecies Campaign right now, and I for one am enjoying it immensely.

Cosmic, can you tell us what the Factions campaign has added and improved over the original campaign, specifically in terms of quest and mission design? Are there any new tasks you can perform in the gameworld (the portion of the game that takes place outside of/between the Cooperative Missions) besides the eventually repetitive fetching, escorting and killing that defined all of the non-cooperative mission quests in the first game? I know that Arena.net added Challenge missions to Factions, but I've not heard about any other new PvE additions. Overall, does it feel like something new, or is it just MOTS?

[Alan Dunkin]

There is an American guild I think, check the previous thread regarding the Factions free trial that went on a few weeks ago - I totally forgot to join in as I was busy with other stuff at the time.

--- Alan

[Moggraider]

Cosmic hasn't bought Factions. He's just playing the original with me now.

[Jab2565]

By fast I mean that the first 2 weeks I played it for a few hours each day and enjoyed it, after that I didn't look at the game for at least 3 months. Each class is different which is good, but the lack of real loot, or anything to do outside of combat or pvp stopped me from playing.

[HRose]

I'm just in the very first zones of the new expansion and it looks good. The great majority of them are really beautiful and designed so that they feel less like frustrating labyrinths. The two new classes also have interesting skills and odd combat patterns.

The game is essentially the same, so if you disliked the first, this won't change much. It seems that both items and loot dropped is significantly better than the standard campaign, it also seems that you gain levels faster, which could mean that more content is reserved for the late game.

For the rest it's pretty much the same, many flaws are still there (like pairs of mobs moving on straight rails and with walking animations still out of synch). I've also seen wrong textures, a glitch on a monster with the hand turned backwards and a few object placed on the air instead of on the ground, but it's mostly about superficial glitches the great majority of people will never notice.

More comment on my site and I still have more notes written down.

Right now the setting has been really interesting, with mobs well realized. But the quests still haven't offered anything that stands out. You still start fighting bugs, kappas, nagas and other human groups. Moving between trainers and performing simple tasks.

It's the same game, with more polish here and there, better graphic and interesting skills. But I wouldn't expect significant changes over the basic model.

[JPR]

There is a qt3 guild, and it's called Quarter to Three. I can't invite Vilencia Kittyflash, because you are already in your existing guild.

We rarely/never have more than one person online at a time, either. As far as I know, nobody from our Guild has bought the expansion (myself included). Apparently I am the leader (though that was news to me -- I thought Tom was). Union Carbide (that's his in-game name) is an officer and was on today, so if he's on, he can invite anybody. My characters are The New Flesh and Cry For Attention, so you can message either of them. I don't know how much I'll be playing in the near future.

I know that Octopus Overlords has a much more active Guild than ours, and there was talk of making an Alliance once factions launched. I believe that would allow you to do Guild-related stuff with them in addition to us, so that's a big upside for Qt3 people that actually play.

If you guys post your characters here, I can invite anybody that wants inviting.