Originally posted by Meowhead

Originally posted by just1opinion

Crafting, by the way.....I found to be a lot of fun, and no one has really mentioned it yet.  I became a tailor and artificer.  Have done a bit of the tailoring, not much artificing yet.  I really want to try the guardian before I do more crafting so I might not get to do any more at this rate with the servers being down and what not.

I was gone (Selling porn at a convention, actually. D: ) on Friday, and was running on like 6 hours of sleep over 3 days, so I haven't gotten to play much (Taking a break because cleaning bedroom so friend can visit and play GW2), but I concentrated on crafting a lot.

Uhm.  I actually like the crafting.  More than any other themepark I've played offhand.

Grab your gathering tools early... gather as you go along... maybe get a couple friends to pool resources (I didn't, but that would have sped things up), and you can make pretty useful items.  Better than drops and store stuff, really, at least early.

I like the system!  There's just a couple main types of components for each type of crafting (WIth some overlap), like you need say... copper/wood for weaponsmithing.

So mining and chopping trees.  Then there's a couple ingredients you buy from the crafter (For example, tin to make bronze), and you can use it to make base components, like bronze ingots.

Slap a few base components together to get more specific parts (Tada, now I have a bronze sword blade and bronze sword hilt!)

THEN do thingsl ike make inscriptions... wood -> wood planks -> wood dowels + ingredient (drops from monsters) = some type of boost (Venom sac for a +condition damage increasing weapon, for example)

+poison item + bronze sword blade + bronze sword hilt.... bam, you unlocked condition based bronze sword, and it's more badass than things you're likely to find or buy.

Hey fun and a little bit of forethought, it's kind of fun to experiment with parts and unlock things. :3  ... I can see how crafters would be useful in this game because they can make VERY specific types of items with good stats.  You want a sword that's SPECIFICALLY good at something?  That's where a crafter who actually works the market could come in handy.

Maybe.

Hardly anybody seems to craft!  If it stays like that, crafting should actually end up profitable. :P

wanted to add on this a bit.. I spent a bit of time crafting and one thing is that there are recipes you can make via experiementing with the components they give you but also you can get patterns from karm vendors. Example: In Diessa Plateau I did a heart event which opened up the karm vendor as usual but she had armor recipes.. bought them, learnered them and looked in my leatherworking and saw.. wow they take the old materials than I keep getting and cant use to level up. Now I was lvl 22 when I made the new lvl of gear from leatherworking and it was lvl 25 req but this new stuff was way better and had a lower lvl req!

Summed up.. there are better patterns out there than the useual and you get them as rewards for playing the game and exploring what it has to offer :)

Originally posted by terrant

Originally posted by Maephisto

Originally posted by DarkPony

The red bit you got right.

I want the game to make me like it. It manages to do this in certain aspects. In others not so much.

And yeah, I realize its a beta, I also wrote that some things I have problems with might be prone to change. Some other things though, aren't likely to change much. And at the core, the game is what it is and it can't be everyone's favorite cup of tea and that's fine.

 

Well......there does seem to be a lot of hate for the downed state so far.  I think it may be possible they take that out. 

I have mixed feeling about the downed state, but you were correct in your OP, sometimes you see the writing on the wall and want to just commit sepeku and teleport to another area.  Instead, you have to sit and wait for the mobs to kill you a second time.  This process isnt always quick either.

I hope not. Downed is fun. My only problem is that in some situaitons (not all) it's basically a non issue because you'll die as soon as you're downed.  And the cooldown on the 2 and 3 downed skills is...weird.

I like it as well.. I don't think I ever died slow when I wanted to die. If its a slow death you have time to rez yourself. I think the cooldown is different for the prof. For ranger 2 is rez pet, 3 is make pet rez you but make pet rez you has a long CD which makes sense.. they dont want rangers to have a huge advantage. Problem with to is that the pet runs in to die usually after you rez it. I didnt get to try and see if you could use them right after each other(rez pet THEN rez you)

Nice write up.

Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.

IMAGE

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Originally posted by DSWBeef
Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.
*snipage*

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I'll be waiting for AA too or at least holding off the GW2 boat to post-launch. But I don't have so much confidence in TSW :<

Anyway, please don't take my reviewette as a definite thing. I really saw too little of the game to be able to condemn or praise it overall. If they manage to optimize performance well, if they tweak the feel of movement a bit, and combat, zones and DE's become more interesting later on, my experience will be different. At least the atmosphere of the game alone makes it worth checking out I think, because (some of) the surroundings and the sound are second to none in the fantasy mmo department.

You just have to keep in mind that it feels very themeparky and it's built from the ground up "to entertain the whole family".

For freedom loving evildoers like myself there's still the possibility that WvW will be fun when you go at it with your guild and friends in an organized fashion. In beta weekends like this many people (myself included) are a bit like headless chickens and don't really get to experience things deeply enough).

So personally I would be pretty interested to see how it ends up closer to launch or post-launch and I would want to give it another spin at that time to see how I like it when the game feels more polished and when I am able to put some more time in. But currently I will still be holding off the payment boat for it.

Hope that helped a bit to put my experience into perspective <3

Originally posted by DarkPony

 

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Originally posted by DSWBeef
Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.
*snipage*

---

 

I'll be waiting for AA too or at least holding off the GW2 boat to post-launch. But I don't have so much confidence in TSW :<

Anyway, please don't take my reviewette as a definite thing. I really saw too little of the game to be able to condemn or praise it overall. If they manage to optimize performance well, if they tweak the feel of movement a bit, and combat, zones and DE's become more interesting later on, my experience will be different. At least the atmosphere of the game alone makes it worth checking out I think, because (some of) the surroundings and the sound are second to none in the fantasy mmo department.

You just have to keep in mind that it feels very themeparky and it's built from the ground up "to entertain the whole family".

For freedom loving evildoers like myself there's still the possibility that WvW will be fun when you go at it with your guild and friends in an organized fashion. In beta weekends like this many people (myself included) are a bit like headless chickens and don't really get to experience things deeply enough).

So personally I would be pretty interested to see how it ends up closer to launch or post-launch and I would want to give it another spin at that time to see how I like it when the game feels more polished and when I am able to put some more time in. But currently I will still be holding off the payment boat for it.

Hope that helped a bit to put my experience into perspective <3

Yea a guild member is loving it and he convinced my guild leader to get it so ill most likely get it now. Im the same as you after SWTOR i have little faith in TSW. I have faith in AA cause we have seen beta footage we have read reviews.

You're wrong about events, Pony. There is a lot more to them then you wrote in your review. If you treat dynamic events like Rift's invasions and WAR's PQs than what you said would be true. However, if you actually pay attention to what's going on, maybe follow an NPC or listen to the conversation, it may lead to some interesting things.

Sure, in the beginning the dynamic events are simple but they ramp up in complexity and the scope of their impact on the world as you progress in levels. There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes in GW2. Ambient NPC chatter is not always useless. Sometimes listening to a group of NPCs talk or following an NPC leads to some very interesting developments.

I'll agree about the camera control, although i saw that getting some hot attention on the forums, so it's likely that will change.  I can also get where are coming from on the mounts, though i doubt we'll ever see them.  The teleport system, much like the one in GW1 wouldn't make sense at all with mounts added in as they would cancel each other out.  I doubt they would can the telport system for mounts( though i did occassionaly find myself staring at the Moa stables wishing i could steal one and take it for a romp around Queensdale a few times ).  

The rest is a toss up for me as i was so deeply immersed in the game, both in PvE and PvP, that i experienced literally none of the things you disliked, though that does not mean that they didn't exist...i just didn't see them at all.  The downed state, for me, was more prevalent and important in the Mists.  People were frantically fighting, but there were many, many folks who were helping revive downed combatants and since the waypoints for revival are so far away, it's really a better idea to stay down until one of your teammates or three pulls you back up. Most of the time that's one long walk if you don't.  Not to mention, i beamed with pride at the fellows that i didn't know, constantly helping downed comrades.

And that's the one thing that i took away from the whole thing. I haven't felt as connected to those around me in a game as i have this past weekend.  This one char engineer saved my bacon three times in a row by laying down some serious suppressive fire in order for others to either revive me or for me to just get away as we were storming a keep.  With the arrows raining down ( wow all those arrows!), he got me revived again and went down himself in the process.  I then laid down every ounce of aoe i could muster between element switching ( i was an Ele ) and got him revived.  A little later we were all talking about the experience, having a great time and generally feeling this immense closeness and kindness in which i personally haven't felt in a game in a very long time.

All in all i enjoyed your reviewette, as i always do, and i hope you give it another shot come next month.

--Sky

DP your pretty spot on with your reviewette :) basically waht i thought about the game..

For me its not worth buying because it feels like playing the same old game again.. certainly has not lived up to the super hype for me...

Originally posted by DSWBeef

Originally posted by DarkPony

 

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Originally posted by DSWBeef
Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.
*snipage*

---

 

I'll be waiting for AA too or at least holding off the GW2 boat to post-launch. But I don't have so much confidence in TSW :<

Anyway, please don't take my reviewette as a definite thing. I really saw too little of the game to be able to condemn or praise it overall. If they manage to optimize performance well, if they tweak the feel of movement a bit, and combat, zones and DE's become more interesting later on, my experience will be different. At least the atmosphere of the game alone makes it worth checking out I think, because (some of) the surroundings and the sound are second to none in the fantasy mmo department.

You just have to keep in mind that it feels very themeparky and it's built from the ground up "to entertain the whole family".

For freedom loving evildoers like myself there's still the possibility that WvW will be fun when you go at it with your guild and friends in an organized fashion. In beta weekends like this many people (myself included) are a bit like headless chickens and don't really get to experience things deeply enough).

So personally I would be pretty interested to see how it ends up closer to launch or post-launch and I would want to give it another spin at that time to see how I like it when the game feels more polished and when I am able to put some more time in. But currently I will still be holding off the payment boat for it.

Hope that helped a bit to put my experience into perspective <3

Yea a guild member is loving it and he convinced my guild leader to get it so ill most likely get it now. Im the same as you after SWTOR i have little faith in TSW. I have faith in AA cause we have seen beta footage we have read reviews.

I found that highlighted part funny, because ya know.....we had TONS of beta footage of GW2 as well, and now people are bitching about GW2.  Not EVERYONE is bitching and hated it, only the loudest few. (Pony, I don't count you among the loudest few, nor as a hater.)  But that just goes to show that having beta footage, apparently, isn't accurate for some people. I hate to say it, but it just seems that haters gonna hate.  They're pre-disposed to hating and they're just GOING TO hate.

Your review.. fair and objective, very much what I would have written and we agree on most every aspect you discussed.

My only criticism, your sig.... really?

Originally posted by just1opinion

Originally posted by DSWBeef

Originally posted by DarkPony

 

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Originally posted by DSWBeef
Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.
*snipage*

---

 

I'll be waiting for AA too or at least holding off the GW2 boat to post-launch. But I don't have so much confidence in TSW :<

Anyway, please don't take my reviewette as a definite thing. I really saw too little of the game to be able to condemn or praise it overall. If they manage to optimize performance well, if they tweak the feel of movement a bit, and combat, zones and DE's become more interesting later on, my experience will be different. At least the atmosphere of the game alone makes it worth checking out I think, because (some of) the surroundings and the sound are second to none in the fantasy mmo department.

You just have to keep in mind that it feels very themeparky and it's built from the ground up "to entertain the whole family".

For freedom loving evildoers like myself there's still the possibility that WvW will be fun when you go at it with your guild and friends in an organized fashion. In beta weekends like this many people (myself included) are a bit like headless chickens and don't really get to experience things deeply enough).

So personally I would be pretty interested to see how it ends up closer to launch or post-launch and I would want to give it another spin at that time to see how I like it when the game feels more polished and when I am able to put some more time in. But currently I will still be holding off the payment boat for it.

Hope that helped a bit to put my experience into perspective <3

Yea a guild member is loving it and he convinced my guild leader to get it so ill most likely get it now. Im the same as you after SWTOR i have little faith in TSW. I have faith in AA cause we have seen beta footage we have read reviews.

 

I found that highlighted part funny, because ya know.....we had TONS of beta footage of GW2 as well, and now people are bitching about GW2.  Not EVERYONE is bitching and hated it, only the loudest few. (Pony, I don't count you among the loudest few, nor as a hater.)  But that just goes to show that having beta footage, apparently, isn't accurate for some people. I hate to say it, but it just seems that haters gonna hate.  They're pre-disposed to hating and they're just GOING TO hate.

Yea i said it in the sense that its footage looks 1000000% better then any other. That part was also directed at TSW and not GW2.

Originally posted by DSWBeef

Originally posted by just1opinion

Originally posted by DSWBeef

Originally posted by DarkPony

 

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Originally posted by DSWBeef
Been waiting for your thoughts on the beta, and as it stands this wont be a game ill get UNLESS all my friends get it. ANy mmo is amazing if you play with the right people. On the quest issue I feel that a image you uploaded sufficiently explains it. I guess ill see how TERA ends up, TSW, or wait in agony for Archeage.
*snipage*

---

 

I'll be waiting for AA too or at least holding off the GW2 boat to post-launch. But I don't have so much confidence in TSW :<

Anyway, please don't take my reviewette as a definite thing. I really saw too little of the game to be able to condemn or praise it overall. If they manage to optimize performance well, if they tweak the feel of movement a bit, and combat, zones and DE's become more interesting later on, my experience will be different. At least the atmosphere of the game alone makes it worth checking out I think, because (some of) the surroundings and the sound are second to none in the fantasy mmo department.

You just have to keep in mind that it feels very themeparky and it's built from the ground up "to entertain the whole family".

For freedom loving evildoers like myself there's still the possibility that WvW will be fun when you go at it with your guild and friends in an organized fashion. In beta weekends like this many people (myself included) are a bit like headless chickens and don't really get to experience things deeply enough).

So personally I would be pretty interested to see how it ends up closer to launch or post-launch and I would want to give it another spin at that time to see how I like it when the game feels more polished and when I am able to put some more time in. But currently I will still be holding off the payment boat for it.

Hope that helped a bit to put my experience into perspective <3

Yea a guild member is loving it and he convinced my guild leader to get it so ill most likely get it now. Im the same as you after SWTOR i have little faith in TSW. I have faith in AA cause we have seen beta footage we have read reviews.

 

I found that highlighted part funny, because ya know.....we had TONS of beta footage of GW2 as well, and now people are bitching about GW2.  Not EVERYONE is bitching and hated it, only the loudest few. (Pony, I don't count you among the loudest few, nor as a hater.)  But that just goes to show that having beta footage, apparently, isn't accurate for some people. I hate to say it, but it just seems that haters gonna hate.  They're pre-disposed to hating and they're just GOING TO hate.

Yea i said it in the sense that its footage looks 1000000% better then any other. That part was also directed at TSW and not GW2.

thats because TSW looks like crap and isn't ready for vids. If they let the press in like Anet did for GW2 it would never come out. 

 Iam not sure  Iwould call GW2 a themepark.  Or if it is a themepark its one where you can never be quite suer what rides will be there at any one time or where they will be.

Yes the starter events are preidictable and always going on.  The apple orchard is basically a WAR PQ.  But after exploring the first two tier zone of 2 racial areas (4 zones)  I would say that is the minority.

Is that good enough to hold people's interest?  I don't know.  But my biggest problem with the normal themeparks is that they are entirely predictable and favor anal retentive palnning of quests.  GW2 addresses that fiarly well.

They do seem to have some sort of interest in "affecting" the world.   Isay that because their surveys asked about it.  However other than various waypoints getting taken over and the overall shifting state of the world I am not sure there is really that much that GW2 does in that regard.  It not like players can build a town or something.

I feel like if you did a Wordle of the most unbiased reviews, you'd see things like Beautiful, Stunning, Alive under the positive aspects. Under the negatives you might see a lot of Frantic, Combat, Themepark.

This is how I'd summarize my experience as well. The game is visually stunning. The hidden areas, jumping puzzles, and easter eggs are all awesome, and add to the atmosphere.

The combat however I found very chaotic and spammy. It's easy to realize to dodge out of a big red circle. It's not so easy to tell when the enemy is covered in sparkle effects, what exactly it is doing. You sometimes literally can't see the enemy there are so many effects. What exactly is confusion...and what is poison...or vulnerability...and exactly how many stacks are on you is also not easy to tell.

Whereas each fight in WoW required different tactics for each class, each fight in GW2 comes down to the same thing - timing your dodges and DPS'ing down your opponent. There are only a handful of skills across all classes that feel really unique and game changing. Somehow it plays more like an FPS than an MMO despite the lack of aiming.

Regardless, it was great fun, and maybe some of the combat stuff will work itself out in beta. No game is without its issues early on. The game in its current state is worth the price of admission, even if its something you only play occasionally. It's still the best MMO I've played since WoW.

There are some cases where they certainly need to do something about certain bosses etc.

There is a flame shaman in the begining of the charr starter area that I fought multiple times on my Ele.  Oh man the first time we fought him the carnage was spectacular  I think literally like 20 people were dead on the ground.  It was a field of corpses.  I died a couple times and I just couldn't really tell what was doing it.

However I fought him 5 times or so after that and did fine.  He seemed to have some crazy attack at close range and shoot out large fireballs in a sort arcing five ball spread.  avoiding those seemed to be key.  But those things hit so hard and were just too hard to see and i think they basically auto hit melee with no warning.

They need to refine things like that.  So that is why my prediction is two months until release.  They need a month to refine stuff like that basically.

They rally don't need to nerf that encounter at all though.  And I seriously hope they don't.  We killed him a few times with just 10-15 people.  But its needs to not be such arbitrary death.