Originally posted by blognorg

Some may consider that an insult, but that's not the intent. I've been in both of the betas and I think it's shaping up to be a great game. However, I was thinking about its sturcturre a little the other day. The game has a lot to offer, but it's all kind of separated. You have the main PvE content, the structured PvP, the world PvP, dungeons, and the personalized story. All of which are pretty structured and objective-based. Each part of the game is like a different ride at a theme park. Even in WoW, it all felt kind of cohesive (not as much recently with all of the LFG and queueing), but in Guild Wars 2, it's like "well, I've ridden the PvE coaster for a while; maybe I'll head on over to the World PvP ride." The game literally feels like a bunch of rides... fun rides, but rides none the less. I know the game was never made out to be any kind of sandbox, and it's not a bad thing. I was just curious if anyone felt the same way, though.

 

I haven't played any beta (yet) so I'm curious to know.

If GW2 would not fit your description, what do you think would be different in the game?

I think I somewhat understand what you mean, but would like to have a better understanding.

Originally posted by Mexorilla

Originally posted by moosecatlol

I don't disagree, I feel as if this is definitely a themepark game.

it is most definately a themepark.  those getting upset about that need to get over it.  if you find it fun,  play it.  if not,  then don't.

Well...GW2 is not a sandbox, never pretended to be one.....

A theme park? well....mmm...yeahhh....

but gameplay is so diferent, feels so diferent maybe is more accurate..

Game gives your the freedom to enjoy PvP since lvl 1 and PvE is so flexible with sidekicking system & dinamic questing...

So is not that Themepark you are (some) talkiing about.... or most of you think of....

Game mechanics like grouping & sharing full exp & loot,dinamic events cascades or PvP are so apart from conventional Themepark MMORPGS. Since i played it, i WISH i could just aproach some player in any other MMO and help him & share the victory! ...but they usually reject my invitations because they lose exp...and that..... sucks! No more steals....

GW2 changes that for good! finally!

but yeah....hmm....its not a sandbox   >.<

good enough for me though...

GW2- dodging a bite underwater!

Yeah, its a themepark MMO and it doesn't bother me at all -- I love it actually. If I get bored doing something I can go do this or go do that. It has alot to offer and I think over time ArenaNet will continue to build upon this park and add things like player housing. This is what I love most about MMO's - being able to explore a huge world that has a variety of content to offer. I didn't get that feeling with SWTOR and it got old real fast.

Originally posted by aesperus

Originally posted by blognorg

You're right; there is exploration to a dgree, but even that is done a themepark-esque way by literally labeling points of interest on your map, then rewarding you for getting to them. That doesn't feel like real exploration to me. Don't get me wrong, it was fun go around getting all the things on each map for a reward, but is that not what themepark games are all about? Not only that, but the game has zones that are just as strict as many MMOs. Yeah, they're big, but it's still quite clear where you can and cannot go.

See.. this is one of the issues with the game (TSW is also struggling with this):

A lot of those markers are like an introductory guide. They give you a general 'hey.. here are some places to check out if you want, that may have some interesting things around them'.

However, those markers don't really spell out a lot of the more interesting / intricate features the game offers. For example, with exploring, none of those points of interest will show you a jumping puzzle / hidden treasure. There may be some nearby, but going to a POI, unlocking it, and moving on to the next won't show you this. Furthermore, there's nothing in the POI that hint that there may or may not be a hidden explorable area nearby. This is somewhat reinforced with skillpoints as well. Some of the skillpoints were hidden with jumping puzzles, and I remember one particular one that a lot of people were screaming in /map chat for help with in the Disseau Plateau.

Plus, exploration is a way to kick off / find a lot of the dynamic events in the game. There are many not around heart quests, in which you find random NPCs out in the world who need help w/ something, or are doing something stupid and need you to save them, lol.

As for the zone thing, every game has zones. This isn't unique the themeparks. I can see where the hard loading screens can break immersion, and for some people that is the real key between a 'real mmo' and a 'themepark', even if they aren't mutually exclusive.

- Again this kinda goes back to how I was saying the game really allows people to play how they want. If you are going through the zones checking off the achivements / map completion, that's how you are going to see the game, and that's all the game is going to appear to offer. If you go through the game only doing heart quests, you will see nothing new about this game in terms of questing. If you ignore half that stuff and start wandering, you will find a lot of hidden little things around the world. Some may be rewarding, some may not. This is definitely something that is helped by having even a slight interest in the games lore. I've found that a lot of lore buffs, or people curious about the GW2 backstory tend to be a lot more open & willing to explore the areas.

- I'm not saying I don't think the game is a themepark, but to use Disney World as a metaphore: Riding space mountain doesn't mean you've experienced Epcott, or ate at some of the restaurance, or found that hidden candy shop that has the best sweets. However, this doesn't stop people from going there, riding space mountain and then claiming they've seen it all.

I suppose, but it's not really different than any other themepark, even by your definition. In WoW, theoretically you can choose not to do any of the quests (play how you want), but it leaves the game as a pretty dry experience, foregoing all of the rewards. The same thing goes for GW2; you can ignore or do as much as you want, but the game still has a pretty good idea of what it wants you to do, and rewards you accordingly. I thoroughly combed through three or four of the maps, and I didn't notice that much which wasn't right near a marker, or skill point, or something. It doesn't seem to hide much. Like I said, it was fun, but I wasn't getting the intrepid adventurer feeling. I guess I could get into the lore, but it seems kind of semantical in terms of "playing how I want". I don't really feel like I'm in complete control over my experience, because in the end, I'm just setting goals within a fairly confining system. I think that most people need that, and without it they feel lost. Even the devs said as much when they were doing testing and ended up adding in the heart quests and scouts to give people even more direction. There's literally a checklist of probably 95% of the content, based on what I've experinced. Who knows, things may be monsterously different later down the road... but I realy doubt it. Again, and I want to stress this; I think the game is fun, and I'm totally playing it when it comes out. However, the mojority of the players are going to have the same goals (i.e. what the game tells them) and have roughly the same experience.

I think it is funny that people feel the need to pidgeonhole games into Sandbox or Themepark. WHO CARES!!! If you like it play it, if you don't, well don't.

GW2 will be a good game period.

Originally posted by Thrashbarg

All games have some form of structure, that's part of what defines a game. No online world can be infinitely changeable.

Want a real "sandbox" game, get into tabletop text rpgs, they will beat anything online for variety until people can plug their brains straight into computers. Besides, even in a real life sandbox you'll want some toys and basic rules or nothing will happen other than kids chucking sand around.

I've been to a few real life theme parks, and none of them had linear progression. 

Anyway, this thread is nonsense and I'm kinda bored with no GW2 to play, so I figured I'd just come tell everyone they are wrong (since apparently that's the point of internet forums, am I doing it right?).

So... you don't find a roller coaster to be linear? Besides, that wasn't my argument. In fact, I don't believe that I used the word linear once. My point was that the game feels like a bunch or rides. When I played it, I literally felt like I was in a theme park; there was all these things to do, but they didn't really connect in any way. So, I ended up just trying out different "rides" for the majoirty of my experince.

Originally posted by botrytis

I think it is funny that people feel the need to pidgeonhole games into Sandbox or Themepark. WHO CARES!!! If you like it play it, if you don't, well don't.

GW2 will be a good game period.

Hey, only if the shoe fits. The only reason I made the thread was because this game, more than any other, made me feel like I was literally in a theme park, just trying out different rides. It wasn't a slight on the game in any way. Besides, obviously you care, along with all of the other commenters.

If GW2 is the ultimate themepark does that make Arenanet the ultimate carnies?

Agree with the OP. GW2 will be my themepark mmorpg home for a while.

A themepark with something for all I'd say. To me GW2 is mmorpg refined not reinvented. 

GW2 is the ultimate non-forced themepark

GW2 is a themepark MMO theres no question about it, but it is a quality one which  offers a less linear path as to which ride you want to try right from the start.  DE add a nice variety to the rides making them somewhat  less repetitive  and the whole system promotes cooperation instead of competion at least on the PVE "rides", add to this the fact that you only have to pay once to get in and you can see why  this game has been held in such high regards by most (including me).  At the end of it  people will get tired of it but this is not a bad things as most good things in life dont last forever.

Yeah, GW2 is obviously the ultimate realization of the themepark metaphor in an online gameworld.  That is exactly what they were shooting for.  WoW is more like a single ride at a themepark.

If I were to imagine WoW2, it would be GW2. They improved on all of WoW's most popular features and ditched the most hated ones.

Originally posted by orator1970

GW2 is a themepark MMO theres no question about it, but it is a quality one which  offers a less linear path as to which ride you want to try right from the start.  DE add a nice variety to the rides making them somewhat  less repetitive  and the whole system promotes cooperation instead of competion at least on the PVE "rides", add to this the fact that you only have to pay once to get in and you can see why  this game has been held in such high regards by most (including me).  At the end of it  people will get tired of it but this is not a bad things as most good things in life dont last forever.

Oh, without a doubt. I can't stand standard questing systems. Hopefully GW2 will begin the trend of getting rid of them forever.

GW2 is the ultimate themepark with no prizes or sideshows.

Originally posted by Jimmydean

GW2 is the ultimate themepark with no prizes or sideshows.

If prizes or sideshows are subscription fees you nailed it!

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by Jimmydean

GW2 is the ultimate themepark with no prizes or sideshows.

If prizes or sideshows are subscription fees you nailed it!

Yes I often think of subscriptions as prizes. Who could get luckier than to win that prize.

GW2 is more like a themepark where you buy a wristband ($60). You can play any of the games as many times as you want, but no matter how good you do in them, you never win a prize. 

Originally posted by Jimmydean

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by Jimmydean

GW2 is the ultimate themepark with no prizes or sideshows.

If prizes or sideshows are subscription fees you nailed it!

Yes I often think of subscriptions as prizes. Who could get luckier than to win that prize.

GW2 is more like a themepark where you buy a wristband ($60). You can play any of the games as many times as you want, but no matter how good you do in them, you never win a prize. 

 I'm going to buy it and be entertained and I guess that is my prize. :) 

Originally posted by Jimmydean

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by Jimmydean

GW2 is the ultimate themepark with no prizes or sideshows.

If prizes or sideshows are subscription fees you nailed it!

Yes I often think of subscriptions as prizes. Who could get luckier than to win that prize.

GW2 is more like a themepark where you buy a wristband ($60). You can play any of the games as many times as you want, but no matter how good you do in them, you never win a prize. 

Actually...

You never really win a prize in any computer game.  Anything you won in a game disappears once you log off, and when you eventually stop playing, you realize that it all was for nothing.

If you are playing games to win "prizes" then I think you are playing for the wrong reasons, and you will only wind up being bitter when you discover that all the prizes you won are illusions.  Games should be played for the experience...not in order to win prizes.

Now if you enjoy the experience of winning a prize, that's one thing...but you should never play a game for the prize itself.