Still going to wait till 6 months after launch as always, but looking good.

nice interview, good videos. I'll probably pre-order, they haven't let me down yet.

Originally posted by Scot

Still going to wait till 6 months after launch as always, but looking good.

Considering the original GWs launch you can probably just check these forums after bug whine, the original game had almost no issues whatsoever.

These guys are perfectionists. But it never hurts to be careful of course.

I will pre-order it myself.

Originally posted by Czanrei

 

Eric Flannum – Lead Designer:

"Guild Wars 2 is a fully persistent world. What we mean by that is that you will be in the world with other players and that anything those players do to impact the world will change things for everyone. If a group of players wipes out a bandit camp then that bandit camp is gone (until the bandits rebuild it of course), if a town is overrun by centaurs then the services in that town are gone until players can win it back and rebuild it. We do have instancing of course which we use both for dungeons and in helping to tell a character’s personal story."

Does this mean that zones will get rid of zoning for the most part finally and not only run into players in the towns and forts? If so, I think it would be a huge improvement to make GW a truly persistant world like 95% of the other mmo's.

yes it means exactly that. Strain posted on a forum a few years ago that he had solved the zooning in another and a better way than he did for Wow (he was Wow lead programmer at the start before Kaplan).

GW will have instanced dungeons and similar things, and some instances for the story. The rest will be open and very different from current game with the dynamic world system. Mythic actually planned something similar for WAR but cut it out with most of the other good stuff.

Originally posted by Ocllo

There will be a sick infestation of Asian gold farming rings in GW2 like you have never seen before in any other MMO. All the botting, chat spam, /tell spam, account phishing and so on that they do will be 100 fold. What will they do to stop it??? NOTHING, you can't stop them. This will be a major downer for me and so many others. It's 2010, you would think MMO developers would have come up with a way to stop them.

 

This is actually my main concern upon the release of GW2.

I'm positive that Anet will deliver another great game but the thought of having legions of botters/hackers/spammers ruining the game experience like it happens in many of todays MMO's makes me think twice - will the next generation of MMO games be able to prevent or counter these old issues more efficiently ?...

Originally posted by memoir44

The reason characters in GW1 can't simply jump is because of the heritage of old controls (tx Jeff Strain) and a further proof he was NOT the lead programmer behind the much more fluid WOW controls. 

The reason you couldn't jump in GW is because making the game in full 3D would take a lot more resources, same as with instancing. GW is made with a very low budget in a rather quick time and to be played on a very simple computer. It is not as he could have stolen the wow engine when he quited (and the Wow engine just had the crude basics then, this was 4 years before it released.

But how you make that prove he didn't make the basic system to Wow seems a bit odd. He was BTW also the lead designer on Warcraft 3 (which of course proves nothing either except that he is good). He also programmed the original battle.net.

Originally posted by Nudles

Originally posted by Ocllo

There will be a sick infestation of Asian gold farming rings in GW2 like you have never seen before in any other MMO. All the botting, chat spam, /tell spam, account phishing and so on that they do will be 100 fold. What will they do to stop it??? NOTHING, you can't stop them. This will be a major downer for me and so many others. It's 2010, you would think MMO developers would have come up with a way to stop them.

 

This is actually my main concern upon the release of GW2.

 

I'm positive that Anet will deliver another great game but the thought of having legions of botters/hackers/spammers ruining the game experience like it happens in many of todays MMO's makes me think twice - will the next generation of MMO games be able to prevent or counter these old issues more efficiently ?...

 

the current thing on GW1 to stop hackers is they also have to know your character name in order to hack your account. Spammers and botters on the other hand are a different beast entirely, in GW you can't continuosly comment over and over again you have to wait a few seconds after you've commented or it is considered spamming also in GW characters cannot tranfer more than a certain amount of gold (there's a cap on the amount of gold you can send) to one another or else you're considered a gold farmer.

The only problem is botters/syncers they are gonna be crazy and I have no idea how they control those.

If any of you where there at the Launch of GW 1 it was a really smooth launch as far as online games goes.  As far as gold spammers and bots.  Spammers were really never a problem in GW 1 but the bots were time to time.  But i must say they worked hard to stay ahead of them as you would see them in area's running out of towns and after a few days they would be gone.  These guys really know how to do it right as far as i can see.  Looking forward to 5 more years of GW 2

Originally posted by memoir44

GW1 used instances to up their graphics specs.

Preloading of graphical content is the sole reason why they didn't have an open world. It takes much more time to program an open world with preloaded graphics. They also made the mistake to go with the old "click and move system" à la Dungeon Siege.

The reason characters in GW1 can't simply jump is because of the heritage of old controls (tx Jeff Strain) and a further proof he was NOT the lead programmer behind the much more fluid WOW controls.

And there lays its weakness, because ... the complete design philosophy and (more important) the technical issues and MORE programming time that comes out of this is complete new for them.

 

GW1 had many other limitations to be considered a full fledged MMORPG (the absence of an auction house for instance). reason: cost reduction at the time for a non subs based game.

 

GW2 was already postponed 2 times. The last time in the summer of 2008 (with the failures of AoC and War as "designed open worlds" and with the Beta launch of Wotlk (changing world phasing techniques)).... while ArenaNet had a target launch of early 2009 ...

Something must have gone terribly wrong (since they still ask for new game developpers as to this very day).

The so called genious of Jeff Strain already left the studio in the summer of 2009. Apparently not agreeing with the design philosophy and while Arenanet quickly responded he no longer workded on GW2 for several months, it only fueled the rumours about those famous delays.

I also think GW2 is coming too late on the market to have an impact like GW1 had.

Why ? Present day MMO's are all about playing NOW with no waiting times at every time of the day with the rich choices of PvP - PVE - crafting.

This is simply not an offer with a single "persistent" realm based world. You only have those fights when the realm is ready for it. It mostly means: playing on prime time.

So there are 2 possibilites: OR the design team is exaggerating (and hyping) a lot and most of the play is STILL very much made out of instances (cost reduction) or they face a rather unplayable world.

The fact GW2 is already 3 years late shows they changed the design already several times which is never a good sign (see the example of WAR in its early beta play of Dec 2007).

 

As far i can remember, GW offers both keyboard and mouse movement options.

As for the design and technical issues being it's weakness i beg to differ. Choices had to be made in order to present the quality of content and gameplay the game has, making it an accessible title to lower range machines. If choices wouldn't be made and they decided to try a persistent full axis game, something would have to be sacrifficed and more development time required making it a late release. Not saying it couldn't be improved back then but GW is Anet's first comercial game and an acclaimed title regardless of it's "weaknesses".

You say GW2 is too late and present day MMO's are all about playing NOW with rich choices of PvP - PvE - Crafting. Either i've been living under a rock or you are slightly delusional. Apart from very few titles, most of today's MMO's are poor when it comes to PvE and PvP content, relying on endless grind with limited gameplay. Even today, GW stands out because of it's story telling quality, polished and varied game content, diverse character playability and balanced competitive gameplay, all using the B2P method instead of the more common P2P and F2P practiced nowdays.

GW2 was announced on March 2007 and GW's expansion (Eye of the North) was released later that year. To me it doesn't seem like an awfull delay since most games don't release shortly after they are announced. The fact they are taking time with the game, only reassures me about their commitment with their game and the players, making sure they wiil release a worthwhile title. It's not like Anet has a bad released game record, now is it ?

This is ofcourse, my view of things and i could be wrong :)

Originally posted by memoir44

The fact GW2 is already 3 years late shows they changed the design already several times which is never a good sign (see the example of WAR in its early beta play of Dec 2007).

 

3 years late? lol gw1 is just 5 years old. if that is the case they started gw2 before they even finished  gw1

rest of the your post is rubbish too btw

memoir44

your post proves that "A little knowledge is a dangerous thing"

although nicely written, your statements are full of fallacies and distorted facts

i loled when you stated that GW is not a MMORPG because it didnt have an auction house

btw, ANET always insisted that GW1 is a CCORPG, while GW2 will be an MMORPG, hopefully with an auction house or it will not be a full-fledged one, according to your standards. >_>

and as stated by another, how can GW2 be 3 year late when they only made the official announcement of developing GW2 in Q1 2007?

Originally posted by memoir44

So there are 2 possibilites: OR the design team is exaggerating (and hyping) a lot and most of the play is STILL very much made out of instances (cost reduction) or they face a rather unplayable world.

Or as 3rd option, they've taken the extra time to implement things as they envisioned and it works as they say it does.

Delays are nothing new, isn't the oh so wonderful Blizzard not a master in endless delaying themselves? Just an example, there are very few game companies who really make their initial deadline with a game just as they'd planned it to be.

Look, I don't care if you're in complete love with WoW or really dislike Guild Wars, fact is that they delivered a smooth fun MMO (call it CORPG, MMORPG, whatever!) that was much more innovative in a number of ways than the majority of other MMO's. And it worked. Besides that, they've shown they put lots of heart and effort in their product, with the regular fun events they keep hosting in a frequency not a lot of the other MMO companies can keep up with.

Also, they've shown that they have the ability to keep up with their words, that it's not just fluff: ultimately, neither you nor I or any other can say how much GW2 will fullfill its potential, it's all just guess work, my arguments against yours. And I don't care to 'win', if you're convinced that GW2 will fail? *shrug* suit yourself.

But GW2 already being outdated? Lol... have you read the reactions and responses? People are loving it, and If ArenaNet can back up their words and intended implementations, there'll be hordes that will go for it. Maybe not the fanbois of WoW or other MMO's, but let those play their MMO to their liking.

Me, I'm gonna have fun in a new, innovative one. I'll be roaming around in the world of GW2.

edit:

2 other points about your post:

- Everquest had no auction house and is as much a MMO as any other (yes, there were MMORPG's before WoW)

- Your argumentation is warped, either Jeff Strain isn't a talented lead designer and genius so his positive effect on GW and GW2 is nonexistent and a fable, or the talented Jeff Strain disagreed with the design philosophy and left so his positive influence cant help GW2. You can't have that argument both ways.

Originally posted by Spankthetoad

If any of you where there at the Launch of GW 1 it was a really smooth launch as far as online games goes.  As far as gold spammers and bots.  Spammers were really never a problem in GW 1 but the bots were time to time.  But i must say they worked hard to stay ahead of them as you would see them in area's running out of towns and after a few days they would be gone.  These guys really know how to do it right as far as i can see.  Looking forward to 5 more years of GW 2

And those are facts: a smooth launch and little hinder of gold spammers or bots, especially compared to how it is in other MMO's. Next to that, it had some of the smoothest and most polished gameplay I've experienced with all the MMO's I've played, even if it may be that people didn't like the invisible walls or not being able to jump.

The only way to delete the gold spammers and such is to go where they live and kill them in real life or put them in prison.

Originally posted by SweetZoid

The only way to delete the gold spammers and such is to go where they live and kill them in real life or put them in prison.

It would be cheaper to get rid of the gold buyers.  You don't have to travel then. ;)

Originally posted by XKhallusX

the game SOUNDS amazing, however i have been burnt way too many times by game developers telling me what i want to hear.

One big difference is that they aren't simply post-wow copy-cat money grubbers, unless they'ved changed.  I tried guild wars beta before wow was released and I liked the way it looked and played yet I was so excited about wow coming up, doing our guild website and research, that I soon dropped it.  Yeah that's how messed up wow was--addicting even before it came out.  But I remember GW as a clean experience.  This new stuff looks really impressive.  I'm inclined to "hope" it's not another fail and might even persuade me to spend some hours.

I've been excited about GW2 for a couple of years now and look forward to it improving the little niggles I had with GW (mainly the zones, and the complicated skill system).  Here's hoping it will provide the fix a lot of us currently dissatisfied players are longing for ^^

Originally posted by Torvaldr

I'm really glad they've addressed and learned from some key speed bumps in Guild Wars - gimmicky builds, the puzzle pieces of skills/attributes, etc.  That is very encouraging.  I love the game and have been playing since launch.

The only disappointing revelation is the 10 slot skill bar.  I was really hoping the limited skill bar would go away and a more innovative system, or even a more traditional skillbar would replace it.  If the 10 slot bar ends up being limiting like the 8 slot bar currently is then it will be a real deal breaker for me.

As always the art is truly amazing and the combat sequence with the Elementalist made me smile and maybe even a little bit of jaw dropping.  I loved the voice over, "And down you go!"  The people at Arena Net do some really amazing stuff.

Well, I think they may have gone into it further today or not, but they are going for more innovative.

You technically lose your second job-class, but you gain access to other players with their own abilities (full-powered).

So while in Guild Wars 1 you had to be a Warrior/Elementalist just to smack stuff with a hammer, then blast em, and have the elementalist or warrior sub weakened for it, you have two players at full power. An example was if an Elementalist sets up a Static field, a warrior (or archer if they are in), can fire their gun/bow, and when the shot passes through the field, it gains electrical damage. Abilities are being made to work in tandem with teamwork, not just your skillbar.