I don't recall ever posting a top level thread on the site in my many years here, so this will be fun....

I'll preface this by saying, anybody who has been on this, or any other game news site has seen the same pattern for every new game release....   What I like to call the "Hype-to-Hate-Rollercoaster".   Honestly, it can be more fun than the games people are defending or bashing...  But, I wish for everybody to take a moment and reflect on this bit of repeating history...  

No matter what side of the fence you're on right now.. arguing about it doesn't matter.   

If you're a supporter, EXCELLENT, then go forth and play with your amazing new shiny toy!   (we'll see you back here complaining eventually...)   

If you're a hater, this surprisingly is also EXCELLENT, but best to quietly mock the supporters and keep it to yourself.  Why?   Because right now, your points, arguments, and sound logic, (ha!)  will never be heard or understood over the massive blind devotion and fervor to the 'oooo new shiny' game.   

With that out of the way....

Right now the "oooo new shiny" phase is in full swing.   So most positive reviews are going based solely on that, because you know, this game, just like the numerous titles before it, is the 2nd coming, the new messiah, the game to end all games, the WoW killer, the greatest game every made, etc etc..  The list of re-used praises goes on and on.

 Tell me, who couldn't go find us 100+ SWTOR pre-and immediately post release  threads with the same love and insane devotion GW2 is getting.  (or Rift, or AoC, or any major release in the last 10 years..)    Then fast forward a bit to see the following 'bitch' posts about the former 'best game ever made'  (as each of them has been called at one point or another..)

Point is:  Same Shyte, Different Game.    This month it is GW2, next month will be TSW...  and God have mercy on whatever game dares to announce or release after that...   

So now with all that said, and my awesome flame repellent on, I can say this:

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday, and will attempt to play a little more as time permits this weekend.  There is nothing revolutionary or even evolutionary about it.   It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.    Not saying that it is a BAD thing... but  the way the overall gaming community would have you believe:  GW2 is the messiah of online gaming.  That it is the cure for cancer, will end world hunger, stop all wars, and give us the flying car...etc etc etc..

Sadly, hype can do that.  And when something is hyped so high, the expectations are so high, there's no where to go but to be let down..  I know there are ravenous supporters, people who never want to hear a single ill word spoken of their beloved, but we've all seen it before, those are the same blind faithful of every new release, who usually regain their sight about 30 days or less after a release.    

The hype, especially for this game, is just unrealistic.  It can never be all these things to this many people.   There's bound to be a fairly large percentage of people disappointed.   

However,  I think GW2, for being a beta, and a first run at a large scale beta, is decent, it has a lot of potential, and with the proper attention to player feedback, polish, and completion of the game, they'll have something that is quite good.

The game is kind of pretty in an artsy sort of way,  responsive enough, has that 'asian made game' vibe of instant respawns, overdone spell effects, and overly dramatic spammable combat.   Is it bad?   Not really.    It clearly is a sequel to Guild Wars, and for people who want just that, will be quite happy.  For those looking for the 'end-all-game-to-end-all-mmos"   this won't be it.    

But for people looking for that mythical game of legend, the 'end-all-game-to-end-all-mmos", perhaps its time to give up and move on.  It's never coming.  Not in this genre, and not in our life time.   

 The most positive feature of GW2:  At least we won't get 10,000+ "I Unsubscribed...." threads 30 days after release.

I have yet to see an MMO in recent memory where this does not happen. Strangely though,  it seems to come mostly from the consumers themselves and not subtle marketing.

I think a large part of it is trying to capture that "new" feeling in a market that has been recycling for years. 

Furthermore, I feel that choosing an MMO has become like voting in a controversial election. Too often I see players are stuck trying to rationalize their purchase or attack another product.  it feels like I am reading the same reactionary logic of a reaction that came from another reaction of a reaction. 

Originally posted by sigurd57

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday [...]  It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.  

Either you're lying about playing, or your idea of what makes an MMO "different" has absolutely nothing to do with moment to moment gameplay.

Actually, the main haters of the game (other than those who whine about lag) are bitching because the game isn't enough like every other MMO they've played over the years.

Originally posted by QSatu
It's not exactly "ohh, new, shiny.." I got exactly what i expected. I saw enough youtube/commentaries to know how the game will play. And I have some problems with a game. there are some things I don't like. But it doesn't mean it's not the best game I've played for some time. It's simply fun. Will it be long term game? You can't say that now. We will need a few months after release to judge it.

I think the point that the OP is making is that it is generally a good game, but it has been hyped to an impossible degree that it can never fullfill. Simply put, it is not the second coming of MMO Jesus, despite being a good game on its own. 

The game has some good things going for it, but it has not escaped the same cycle of Warhammer, Aion, AoC, Tera, and TOR in that it is made into something it is not all while have suffering from waves of overreactionary posters that either claim it to be perfection or shit. 

Originally posted by sigurd57

 

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday, and will attempt to play a little more as time permits this weekend.  There is nothing revolutionary or even evolutionary about it.   It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.    Not saying that it is a BAD thing... but  the way the overall gaming community would have you believe:  GW2 is the messiah of online gaming.  That it is the cure for cancer, will end world hunger, stop all wars, and give us the flying car...etc etc etc..

Sadly, hype can do that.  And when something is hyped so high, the expectations are so high, there's no where to go but to be let down..  I know there are ravenous supporters, people who never want to hear a single ill word spoken of their beloved, but we've all seen it before, those are the same blind faithful of every new release, who usually regain their sight about 30 days or less after a release.    

The hype, especially for this game, is just unrealistic.  It can never be all these things to this many people.   There's bound to be a fairly large percentage of people disappointed.   

I agree with you completely.

I tried it yesterday.  Given the wild claims by ANet that this game breaks all the conventions, GW2 plays very much like most every other game out there.

The Dynamic Events are anything but, and are pretty disappointing for those who were expecting a real change in MMO play.  Most of them are just the normal quest minus the quest giver, which just makes the game appeal even more to the easy-mode, instant gratification player.  Other things, like instant travel on demand, just add to this feeling.

They don't create the semblance of a game world.  It's just a game - another themepark killing field.

It's not horrible, but it does lack anything that really differentiates it from the pack.  And I'm not sure anything could match the unrealistic hype this game has recieved.

Originally posted by Sythion

Originally posted by sigurd57

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday [...]  It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.  

Either you're lying about playing, or your idea of what makes an MMO "different" has absolutely nothing to do with moment to moment gameplay.

Actually, the main haters of the game (other than those who whine about lag) are bitching because the game isn't enough like every other MMO they've played over the years.

So you don't feel the complaints about combat animations, scaling, and repetative dynamic events aren't legit complaints?  Because there have been a lot of those complaints too.  

You guys are just going to have to get used to the fact that many people don't like the game.  Doesn't matter what their reasoning is.  There will also be a lot of people that love the game.  But to imply the people that don't like it are just baddies or unable to deal with so much "innovation" is just silly.  And calling everyone who doesn't like it a "liar" makes you guys look petty and small.  

Originally posted by Sythion

Originally posted by sigurd57

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday [...]  It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.  

Either you're lying about playing, or your idea of what makes an MMO "different" has absolutely nothing to do with moment to moment gameplay.

Actually, the main haters of the game (other than those who whine about lag) are bitching because the game isn't enough like every other MMO they've played over the years.

NO, Most of the qq about gw2 is bc is just too much like warhammer and rift.

Originally posted by Sythion

Originally posted by sigurd57

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday [...]  It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.  

Either you're lying about playing, or your idea of what makes an MMO "different" has absolutely nothing to do with moment to moment gameplay.

Actually, the main haters of the game (other than those who whine about lag) are bitching because the game isn't enough like every other MMO they've played over the years.

I think he's accurate.  When you boil it down, there really isn't a lot that truly separates GW2 from the rest.  Moment to moment gameplay still boils down to killing X of Y.  Player actions have no persistent effect on the gameworld.  Dynamic Events (they really should rename those to Scripted Events) mostly just repeat over and over, and do little to make the world appear alive, or to evolve in any perceptible way.

To me, it's a moderate disappointment, because at its base, Guild Wars 2 really is just more of the same.

Originally posted by Rohn

Originally posted by Sythion

Originally posted by sigurd57

I did play GW2 for a bit yesterday [...]  It is kind of like every other MMO I've played over the years.  

Either you're lying about playing, or your idea of what makes an MMO "different" has absolutely nothing to do with moment to moment gameplay.

Actually, the main haters of the game (other than those who whine about lag) are bitching because the game isn't enough like every other MMO they've played over the years.

 

I think he's accurate.  When you boil it down, there really isn't a lot that truly separates GW2 from the rest.  Moment to moment gameplay still boils down to killing X of Y.  Player actions have no persistent effect on the gameworld.  Dynamic Events (they really should rename those to Scripted Events) mostly just repeat over and over, and do little to make the world appear alive, or to evolve in any perceptible way.

To me, it's a moderate disappointment, because at its base, Guild Wars 2 really is just more of the same.

Probably so except I would say the art work and art style I think it pretty amazing. Also the attention to detail which may go hand in hand with the art so maybe that doesn't count. I haven't really sunk myself into crafting but I will do that and see what I think. If it's better then crafting in many games then that's a definate start. For me it wasn't a disappointment but I knew what to expect before I prepurchased. Also I had little expectations to begin with that it would be that different then anything else that has come out over the past 5 years and definately it is better then some over the past 5 years so, we'll see how it goes :)

Good post OP and I agree this game is going to follow in the same footsteps of those games you listed. It doesnt matter if its B2P or subscription based. You cant make people play games they are bored of. Lets see where the game is at around September.

TSW will be the next one on the list ill leave that one alone because those fans really have the odds stacked against them. So then the next game and the one I am most anticipating Archeage will be next. Archeage board right now is rather peacefull, for the most part the only people going to that board atm are AA fans, that will change when it gets a release date or NA publisher. I have the foresight to see that AA will not go over well in the west. The fans that overhype AA even disgust me. One in particular was one I was laughing at and called out several times in the TOR board months ago for being an over zealous fan of tor. But most of these idiots never change nor learn they hop from game to game and go all in on one side or the other.

Ofc OP is spot on with this as most people that doesn't like their current game goes to sites like these instead of beeing online. So from a forum perspective there is no inscentive for happy gamers to stop playing just to come here and tell us how great it is.. (unless the population is low and its a draft attempt)

No matter how great a game is forums like theese will be full of 90% fanatics pre-release and 90% hater post-release.. Everybody else cant be arsed to write anything on these sites..

Originally posted by Demmi77

That said after ff14 , tor , apb, etc. I am waiting a few months b4 buying anything ever again

Not a bad ideer.. just dont rely on these forums to give you an actual ideer of the state of any games as forums like theese primarily are very single minded towards the downsides..

Originally posted by FrodoFragins
I haven't played it, but they got rid of the strict Trinity.  It can't be the same as all the other MMOs.  Maybe the mobs simply are too easy at the low levels to see that system shine?

At low levels in any game you don't need the trinity system. And yes there are mobs that are easy and others that are harder in the starter areas, but thats what is fun. 

Originally posted by FrodoFragins
I haven't played it, but they got rid of the strict Trinity.  It can't be the same as all the other MMOs.  Maybe the mobs simply are too easy at the low levels to see that system shine?

The group dynamics are rather different, and you have to move a lot more when you fight than in most games but I don't think many players reached far enough to really notice that.

It isn't until you start running dungeons you really get the feel for the group dynamics in a MMO. The first 15 levels aren't that different in any game, here do you notice that you work more with other people but that is about it.

It does put a smile on my face watching GW2 fanbois and doom sayers be put on the defensive finally. Welcome to my world with Rift and to the same world TOR fans were put in.

You still can use the excuse "it is just Beta" and yes it is valid, but you cannot pretend their are not technological hurdles that cannot be overcome with current 2012 tech. The lag and FPS threads just as I predicted have already started AND THIS IS A LIMITED NON NDA CLOSED BETA. Imagine on launch when ArenaNET is truely held accountable for their actions and no excuses remain.