Originally posted by Thillian

Character progression is the defining feature of an RPG. 

It would be weird to whine about non-existent progression in an FPS game, since the main difference between FPS or action game and RPG is that in action game or FPS your character is not defined / limited by stats and levels. 

Since this is a MMORPG forum, and not MMOFPS or MMOActionGame, it is perfectly logical that people complain about lack of character progression when the game is obviously almost totally lacking it.

 So my GW2 character is no different at level 80 than he was at level 1? Could have fooled me. Might I suggest learning before posting about a game you obviously totally lack knowledge of?

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Originally posted by Joriel
the point is to have fun

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This ^ If you're no longer having it, move on to something else. Don't burden yourself any longer.

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

Originally posted by lathaan
[mod edit]

 

Are you saying, ANet sat down at the drwaing board and said "Let's design a game that will make people quit so it gets better for those who won't quit?

 

 

You make us fans look bad Lathaan.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by PaRoXiTiC

None of you are getting the OP's point. There is no Character Recognition in this game. You don't need gear to be recognized. In WvWvW you are just a number, in sPvP you are just another red or blue guy trying stand in a big circle the longest to take a point. 

This games PvP is great but trash at the same time. This is supposed to be an MMO and MMO's give you some sort of character recognition.

 So every MMO EXCEPT GW2 has character recognition? Could have fooled me. I am amazed at the claims people will make to try and make this game look bad. The truth is the haters will not change the fans minds and the fans will not win over the haters. The difference is fans talking about a game they like do not look mentally unbalanced, while spending your days bashing a game you hate makes you look a little off kilter.

Apparently PaRoXiTiC doesn't know that in GW1 they had monthly official tournaments for prizes and his oh so precious Recognition.

GW2 nothing special ? oh man just quit mmo or go back to that garbage carrot on a stick mmo's who failed within 2 months.

I cant realy argue about why GW2 is such epic game, but to each his own i gues ?
Wonder what will come's along and beat GW2, how long will it take ?
How many will fail again and again and again...

This is the most epic mmo to date, maybe your not into the skill it takes to compete at high level pvp.
Maybe you need that raiding guild holding your hand to get better gear to roflstomp noobs

WvW is not something for the solo casual, its for hardcore RvR guilds who can make a diffrence inside WvW with communication and blitz attacks.

PvE hardmode's made 95% of the community cry for nerfs, they got used to eyes closed AoE style WoW.
So many things Arenanet has to offer, and all you say is, it sucks lolz :)

BB dont let that door hit you guys on the way out /wave !!!!

Originally posted by PaRoXiTiC
The OP isn't talking about Gear Progression. Some of you need to learn to read. He is asking what the point of playing is since it is an MMORPG. MMORPG's are supposed to be different than single player RPG's. Guild Wars 2 needs some type of character/guild recognition to make people feel like they are playing an MMORPG and getting some sort of character progression.

 You are very single minded and close minded about this. You seem to believe that EVERYONE wants the same thing you crave. Not everyone cares to be recognized for greatness in an online game. You seem tot hink the world is all about one thing and its not.

Its clear that you cant see progress unless someone else pats you on the back for it. Not everyone has that desperate need.

Originally posted by Alucardlb
Having fun, why is this such a odd concept. Remember when you were a kid and you would toss rocks? or some other random ass thing like that, why did you do it? Because at that moment it was amusing to you, will it be like that forever, most likely not, but for the time its keeping you busy.

 From now on I am only willing to toss rocks if there is a system in place which recognizes and makes others recognize my rock tossing superiority. I also want gear that makes my rock tossing better so no one else can accomplish what I can with a rock. That is all.

I'm well over the 300 hour mark now and still going strong. Believe it or not, most of my time spent playing now is with my level 80 Elementalist, even though I hit the level cap over 100 hours ago. I now have 55% world completion, a full set of exotic armor, three exotic weapons and two pieces of exotic jewelry/trinkets. Earning the exotics has provided some progression incentive, as has the slow, but steady progress towards world completion. However, most of the time I'm just playing the game the way I would play Skyrim, with the progression just coming along as part of that.

So, what's the point of this game? It's addictive and it's fun. After over 300 hours played, the addiction has lessened slightly, I've cut my daily hours back by about 30%, but it's still fun. that's whay we play games, right? to have fun? The appeal of MMOs is that a good one can provide hundreds or even thousands of hours of fun, right?

Well, this game succeeeds. It's beautiful, immersive and fun. It provides the structure for those who need structure, but it also supports more free form play. It's many things for many people and apparently most of us, no matter how we play, are indeed having fun.

Fun. That is the point.

Originally posted by Thorbrand

Originally posted by sammandar

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by grimal

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

Somewhere along the line people need to realize that traditionally MMORPGs were not about fun 1st. They were about goal achievement 1st. It was through this goal achievement that you would enhance the times in the game that you had fun.

But in GW2, the goals do not serve to enhance the fun,The "fun" is supposed to be in achieving the goals. While it may do that to a greater extent than all game before, it still becomes repetitious after a while and that is where the fun fades. MMOs require more than just "fun" to be a long term success.

And to address one of the other points in the thread, GW2 is not mssing the "What to do", it's missing the "why to do it". Which, I guess, ties into my point above.

Off-topic:

Geezer - I appreciate your comments and tend to find them very straightforward, so thanks for them!  (Except the TOR bashing where you are blatantly WRONG!!!) :p

On-topic:

This game is not a typical MMO.  It's a great game, but it's not a great MMORPG.  In fact, it severely lacks in the latter as there is very little to progress to.  I really don't consider this game much of an MMORPG, more of an MMOAPG similar yet different than GW1 was.

MMORPGs and RPGs have always been about the character progression.  When you can unlock the most important parts within the first ten levels, those looking for the RPG part will become quickly bored.

Again, good game, poor MMORPG...IMO (don't want to forget that!!)

Level 80 here, still unlocking many, many things and have more to do. If you are referring to WoW and games like that stringing your skills out there is a reason for that, it's money.

If you dont like the way it works in GW2, simply increment your traits and skill points out like in WoW for example. Unlock a skill every other level and don't put traits in as often. Try to only play with one weapon type for 10 levels, get another weapon and play with it for 10. You can make your own rules! :)

I personally only played with a few different skills in WoW anyway, and having 30 buttons to click on my bars was pointless. Same goes for other games like Rift.

All in all it's how you play any game. The game isn't perfect, but it's hard to ridicule something that gives this much entertainement for $60

edit: sp

wait, so you can run lvl 80 dungeons at lvl 10? you can equip exotic gear at lvl 10? you have all your skills available at lvl 10? (especially the elite skills)

Both of you know what we was referring too don't try and act like you didn't. What he said is true. Maybe you are not playing the game?

 The only problem is the people claiming there is no progress after level 10 are all full of it and lying or simply have not played and ar parroting some BS they heard from some unknowledgable poster. Too many people obviously are full of it about this game. They pretend they know and make claims that are simply false. I dont know why people like to lie about what they dont know but game forums bring that out as much as anything else.

What is the point of this game?

not to pay a sub :)

Originally posted by Ramadar

Originally posted by Cothor

WvW seems pointless really. The bonuses are not significant enough to care about.

spvp is pointless as the gear cannot be worn outside

Dungeons are pointless other than farming shards for crafting

It would seem there is no way to elevate yourself beyond others, there is no form of name recognition, no way to be known as the richest, best, etc. Just pointless content.

The graphics and questing system are very good, but once you hit 80 the game just comes to a halt. Perhaps I am missing something here?

These are some good points but considering there's no GvG in the game it shouldn't be call Guild Wars 2 it should be call World Wars cuz being in a guild without being able to go against other guilds to see who's better then who does make this game pointless I loved GvG and why it's not in GW 2 is so stupid.

 I have a news flash for you, Guild Wars the game was not named for the fact that you could PvP other guilds.

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

Originally posted by Homitu
What's the point of Mario?

Hell! Let's just break out the ole Coleco Head to Head football and screw this whole MMORPG thing.

 

 

I had this game when I was a teen. We must be getting old Geezer.

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by ZigZags

U mad? Like who didn't know GW2 was just a placeholder until something good actually comes along. Even the developers knew that, which is why the game isn't a monthly fee.

 

Any game in the future that is worth any sort of real time committment will be a monthly fee pay to play model. People think they want no monthly fee, but trust me, no game worth longevity will ever do that.

 

GW2 is flavor of the month....well quarter really. You will see the population drop significantly over the next 6 months.

 

The hardcore fanbois, like the ones who used to exist on the SWTOR forums will also jump ship eventually. Those of us with a lot of MMO experience were fortunate enough to know better and get out early or avoid alltogether.

You just described any title that has released in the last 10 years! :) Even Rift, which is still a solid title has diminishing numbers and holds fast to the niche playes. You haven't really gone out on a limb in your prediction. 

 

In a way I did since so many people think GW2 is the next grand daddy AAA mmo. Which it wont be.

Originally posted by ZigZags

U mad? Like who didn't know GW2 was just a placeholder until something good actually comes along. Even the developers knew that, which is why the game isn't a monthly fee.

 

Any game in the future that is worth any sort of real time committment will be a monthly fee pay to play model. People think they want no monthly fee, but trust me, no game worth longevity will ever do that.

 

GW2 is flavor of the month....well quarter really. You will see the population drop significantly over the next 6 months.

 

The hardcore fanbois, like the ones who used to exist on the SWTOR forums will also jump ship eventually. Those of us with a lot of MMO experience were fortunate enough to know better and get out early or avoid alltogether.

 You are obviously out of touch with the reality of the economic models for the future of online gaming. I would trust your claim more if you seemed to know what you are talking about, but alas that has not happened here.

The point is to play until it's no longer fun.  I've already stepped aside but expect to go back and finish the 100% exploration, missing 2 bugged SP's in the last Orr area and a bunch of WvW locations and SPs.  I'll probably level some alts and get mats to level my mains crafting.

I'm definitely not in this games target audience.  I was worried that was the case but bought the game based on the company, the art, the lack of a trinity and the B2P model.  It turns out I that do need substantial upgrades that grinding the dungeons simply don't offer.  And WvWvW isn't nearly as fun for me as LoL or FPS games.

It's a good game and I have no regrets in buying it.  It's just not something that interests me much after hitting the cap and doing all of the heart quests.

My only real complaint/disappointment is that my first and only story mode dungeon turned me off of dungeons compeltely.  I was excited about not having a trinity and hopefully being able to find groups much faster.  I didn't expect to dislike the entry level dungeon experience.  It should have been stupidly simple and fun.  And maybe introduced a few mechanisms to prepare you for the harder ones.

Originally posted by Rokurgepta

Originally posted by ZigZags

U mad? Like who didn't know GW2 was just a placeholder until something good actually comes along. Even the developers knew that, which is why the game isn't a monthly fee.

 

Any game in the future that is worth any sort of real time committment will be a monthly fee pay to play model. People think they want no monthly fee, but trust me, no game worth longevity will ever do that.

 

GW2 is flavor of the month....well quarter really. You will see the population drop significantly over the next 6 months.

 

The hardcore fanbois, like the ones who used to exist on the SWTOR forums will also jump ship eventually. Those of us with a lot of MMO experience were fortunate enough to know better and get out early or avoid alltogether.

 You are obviously out of touch with the reality of the economic models for the future of online gaming. I would trust your claim more if you seemed to know what you are talking about, but alas that has not happened here.

LOL, economic models for the future of online gaming? We'll see bud. 

Originally posted by SirFubar

Originally posted by SnarlingWolf

Originally posted by SirFubar

From that point of view, playing any sort of video game is pointless too. That mentality is beyond me, always the need of some sort of progression to make the players feel great about themselves because they could spend more time ingame to earn that "special thing" that the others won't have. That's why I love eSports games over all those games with their stupid progression, because it's all about skills.

 

With eSports a player puts in time as well, to improve their skill and make themselves competitive. The point is also there, to win in a competitive environment and depending on their level of play to possibly make money. So that comparison doesn't really work.

 

In fact competitive eSports players put in as much or more time than a person who plays an MMO to get ahead of others and to get benefits not everyone has. So in fact you are highly in favor of people spenting more time to earn things.

 

Competitive eSports players learn every map idiosyncrity. They learn every little tactic that can improve their game. They spend endless hours honing in on key skills and improving weak areas (often times with mindnumbling boring repetitive tasks over and over to improve the one specific skill). I don't know how on earth you think they don't put in tons of time to earn something others don't have.

 

Are there casual eSports players that don't put in much time? Yes, just as there are casual MMO players who don't put in much time. The difference is the casual eSports player tends to recognize and accept he won't be as good as those who put in a lot of time. Where as the casual MMO player feels it is unfair that someone who put in more time has something he doesn't. Interesting isn't it?

[Too long to quote]

Time is time. If an MMO player puts in the time to earn hard to get items which gives him an advantage over another player it really is no different than an eSport gamer putting in the time to get better which gives him an advantage over another player. ESports players learn the maps inside and out, MMO players learn the dungeons inside and out.

It seems to be flawed mentality to say you support eSports players putting in lots of time to improve to be better than others but that you feel it is wrong that MMO players who put in just as much time to get gear which makes their characters better than others. They're both investing time for a gain and at the end of the day they're both video games not real life so it is just for entertainment. How one person spends his/her time to legally gain an advantage over another player (aka not hacking/cheating) shouldn't matter and no one should feel slighted because a person has earned more through more work than they have. That's as bad as hating someone who started in the middle/lower class but worked hard to build a fortune and is now wealthy. They put in the time, they got the reward.