how is guild wars 2/ is it worth getting thread?

[ramboondiea]

hello escapist peoples.
So its the end of the month, I have been paid and I fancy getting a new game, and I have thought about getting guild wars 2, but I haven't heard much about it since launch and I'm curious as to it's current state, and just how the game is in general, as all reviews seem to reference it in terms of other mmo, and I haven't actually played an mmo before.

I also would like to hear from people who play the game, just how accessible it is?, as I have heard this game is rather easier on new comers.

any help is always appreciated.

 

[Smertnik]

You might want to take a look at already existing GW2 threads, everything I can think of regarding the game has been mentioned multiple times and in great detail in pretty much all of them.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

hello escapist peoples.
So its the end of the month, I have been paid and I fancy getting a new game, and I have thought about getting guild wars 2, but I haven't heard much about it since launch and I'm curious as to it's current state, and just how the game is in general, as all reviews seem to reference it in terms of other mmo, and I haven't actually played an mmo before.

I also would like to hear from people who play the game, just how accessible it is?, as I have heard this game is rather easier on new comers.

any help is always appreciated.

Probably would've done better in the Gaming forum, but since you're here now...

1. It's very accessible.
2. If you haven't played an MMO before, you won't have any expectations regarding end game and infinite progression, which is good.
3. It's a good game.
4. It's very buggy.
5. Unless you find you absolutely loathe the game play, which is unlikely, it's good value.

That's about all you really need to know.

 

[L0dest0ne]

I heard mixed reviews about it, mostly complaining that it was too casual. I played it myself for awhile but I really just stopped after two weeks. You can get top level in days, and the only gameplay after that is grinding gear, which brings me to my next point, the lack of an endgame.
People always went on about the progressive combat system, but it's just the same lazy WoW combat with a few bells and whistles.
It really depends on what you want from an MMO. If you want an MMO that isn't time consuming, is accessible, cheap, and simple, then GW2 is for you. If you want a deeper experience, try DDO, LoTRO, or WoW.

 

[purf]

Aside from EVE Online a few years back, I've never been into MMOs and I freaking love it. Works very nice as a single player experience. And as you kind of mentioned money in the first sentence, I'm confident to say it is the most bang for bucks you can get these days.

To the points above:
1. The difficulty is sometimes all over the place or it can seem so. Some classes may not appear to be exactly accessible
2. ✔
3. ✔
4. I've read about this. While bringing my Ranger up to his late 50ies, I've experienced one bugged quest event and three mobs refusing to attack me and running circles instead. So...
5. ✔
6. It's strangely silent in the world. Pick a high population server.

 

[purf]

but it's just the same lazy WoW combat with a few bells and whistles.

No, it's not. Well, unless you think that actual combat as in: moving, dodging, flanking - you know, fighting by acting in the game world as opposed to standing still babysitting cooldown timers is "bells and whistles"...

 

[BloatedGuppy]

4. I've read about this. While bringing my Ranger up to his late 50ies, I've experienced one bugged quest event and three mobs refusing to attack me and running circles instead. So...

You should have experienced the post-50 game in the month after release. Up through about level 60 I had a relatively bug free experience, and then suddenly it was a bug fiesta. Orr was particularly broken. Skill points everywhere were busted (and stayed busted for weeks), 50% or more of the events were stuck, or would break on different steps. And to this day, innumerable class skills and traits are badly bugged and not yet fixed. Indeed, you're enjoying many of those bugs as we speak, you're just not aware of them. Pop by the Ranger forums and read through the list of class bugs. All of those are outstanding at the moment (I have an 80 Ranger myself).

I really do enjoy the game and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone but end-game obsessed progression freaks who live to cat-ass their way through raids, but I cannot deny that it's the buggiest MMO since Warhammer Online.

 

[purf]

snipsnap

Well, you're right, of course. But!
There is an interesting article over here outlining issues with complex systems like those of MMOs, for instance, and my point of view is, more or less, that bug does not equal bug.
Is this, admittedly, plentitude of bugs, really affecting my experience? Nah, I cannot say so. Because, you said it: I don't know about them (unless I'm reading forums. Which I have to stop doing
Now, if I were to ask about a game and I'd get a response that it's full of bugs, I would maybe assume that I will glitch through the map, have items disappear from my inventory, the client crash frequently, stuff like this. Hence, me adding my experience to your 4th point. And, now OP, you have the full picture...

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Now, if I were to ask about a game and I'd get a response that it's full of bugs, I would maybe assume that I will glitch through the map, have items disappear from my inventory, the client crash frequently, stuff like this. Hence, me adding my experience to your 4th point. And, now OP, you have the full picture...

Interestingly enough I actually glitched through the map just the other day with my Mesmer. It had become such an easily reproduced bug that people were using it to glitch under the map in WvWvW and turn/hold points without being visible or attackable. It's meant to be fixed, but the skill point bug was meant to be fixed too, and it continues to happen. They're having a lot of issues sorting out the code with their DE's as well.

All I can say to you is that you've been very fortunate.

 

[ramboondiea]

snip

snip

buckled, ordered it, if I don't like it am coming for you both (<----this is a joke) haha

thank you for answering my questions, i appreciate it, i do have one more question tho, how depended is this game on group play, i ask as a game called guild wars certainly implies the importance of guilds, and i would assume many people who play this are moving from one game to another with there old guild people?

 

[BloatedGuppy]

thank you for answering my questions, i appreciate it, i do have one more question tho, how depended is this game on group play, i ask as a game called guild wars certainly implies the importance of guilds, and i would assume many people who play this are moving from one game to another with there old guild people?

It is the least dependent game on group play in the history of the genre.

You will fight alongside other players, but you will only "need" to group up in a vanishingly small set of circumstances (dungeons).

GW2 is a game that emulates WoW with the exception of minor combat differences.

While I haven't played it...

It doesn't really emulate WoW very rigorously at all. There are SIGNIFICANT differences between the two games.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

Experience has taught me that "Significant differences" usually ends up being "One or two gameplay changes who's actual impact can be brought into question"

Look, I'm not knocking the game. How can I, I haven't actually played it. But going by reviews and seeing gamers I respect (ie Swifty) playing the game, I remain somewhat skeptical.

It's not a question of knocking it. Not all the differences break in GW2's favor.

Suffice it to say that they are substantially different in some fairly high impact ways. I can go into detail about it if you want, but it would take a while.

WoW fans are amongst the most disenchanted with GW2 specifically BECAUSE it's not a clone.

 

[BloatedGuppy]

I have no issue with the standard MMO gameplay style. Gameplay is not why I play MMO's over most other games.

Yeah, I saw the same thing too with SWTOR. People complained that they were hoping it wouldn't be a WoW clone, then they got in and whined that it wasn't enough of a WoW clone (though it is still a WoW clone).

See that? I just admitted that my favorite game from last year was a WoW clone. It's not a bad thing to copy WoW's gameplay. But when a developer or fans of the game in question keep claiming that it's vastly different, they're only setting other players up for dissapointment. It always makes the most logical sense to be pessimistic.

Amusingly, GW2's most significant points of differentiation is where it tends to get crucified by malcontents.

TOR was a good game, but it was stubbornly anachronistic. Realistically though there were some serious design flaws holding it back, as opposed to an over-reliance on established mechanics. It's fine to be a WoW clone, just don't be an inept WoW clone or WoW will steal your picnic basket.

 

[Kyr Knightbane]

GW2 is a game that emulates WoW with the exception of minor combat differences.

And it's all meaningless. Just like how SWTOR's focus on story didn't stop people noticing that it's a near identical copy of World of Warcraft. Because ALL MMO's want to be World of Warcraft. Let's stop denying that as if using the same gameplay and progression style is some kind of grand horrible thing. Even though that won't stop fans of this or that MMO declaring a few minor combat changes makes the game "totally different from WoW"

While I haven't played it, it certainly LOOKS good. Even with that, though, if you're unsure about it, it might bode well to wait and see if they bring out a trial of some sort.

This is what I think all MMO's should have at launch, or at least shortly after launch, a free trial. An MMO is going to take a big time committment, and it's never a middle ground. If you try an MMO, you'll either quit very quickly, or get drawn in and want to play to the end.

IMHO, I'd suggest you hold off for a little bit, but if you really want to give it a try, go for it.

Since you haven't actually played GW2, i would have to say you are wrong. Guild Wars 2 has a much larger emphasis on exploration than World of Warcraft. Having played WoW extensively (For probably the better part of 4 years) I can say the two games share a few similarities, but most MMO's and most RPGS follow a specific formula.

But with Guild Wars 2, the emphasis on exploration is much bigger, and you are encouraged to look around. In World of Warcraft, i just slogged through questing areas to the next one with an addon that told me where the next quest was. I would look at the scenery, figure out where some high ground was and pull mobs to me on my hunter or my mage, and after a few minutes, i'd loot, turn in a quest and leave.

With Guild Wars 2, you don't have to grind monsters. At All. You can Craft your way to 80, you can do PVP til you hit 80, you can wander around and just do events til you hit 80. Plus when you look around, you can stumble upon an event that takes you through an ENTIRE ZONE. Culminating in a True Boss fight, where if you just sit still and pound on your keyboard for abilities, you'll die. Dodge rolling and evading are crucial to any and every class.

I agree that they need a free trial to bring people in, but in all honesty, spending 60 bucks for a game that i can take my time with and not feel the burn of my monthly subscription in the back of my head, is great. I love the atmosphere, i love how minions and monsters behave in groups and i enjoy how helpful the entire community is in the game. I've never once had a bad experience in a group, and never been told i'm terrible, my gear is shite, etc etc etc. Most people thank you for your help, and offer to keep helping you.


Also, On Topic. Yes its a good game. A bit buggy and needs a bit of polish, but its barely 3 months old at this point. Its got amazing potential and i'm going to stick with it. If you dig it, awesome, if not, hey that's awesome too, but please don't cast judgement on a game you haven't given a chance.

 

[GrandmaFunk]

but its barely 3 months old at this point.

yesterday was the 2 month anniversary of the oldest characters =)

it's great! it's the only game I've been playing since the release.

 

[Shuguard]

Well if you don't play gw2 a lot, say maybe 1-2 hrs a night and make multiple characters. Then you will probably have a good time. But if you make only 1 character and spend maybe 4+ hrs a day, you will start to see some problems.

 

[DustyDrB]

It's the first MMO I've ever played and....it's super boring. I've played about five or six hours and just flat out don't want to keep on with it.

But I just really think this genre isn't for me. Some friends convinced me to try, and the lack of a subscription fee was nice.