To the OP. I think you can enjoy it, however if possible I would try and keep your expectations low. Don't expect the stars, just expect a fun game. As others have said, it does have to become a 'real'-tangable game at some point, so make sure your expectations match, and you won't be dissapointed.

I hear you. Curious. What do I lose by keeping my expectations high?  If the game doesnt meet my expectations I wont be disappointed. Ill just play something else because I like playing games.  I dont like playing something that I dont find fun.

Ive been playing games since 1975 as well as worked for a game developer/publisher.  I only get (this) excited when I see things I would put in a game myself.  Im just sharing this passion with my fellow gamers, who may feel the same way.

Will there be 'flaws' in GW2?  Yeah.  Always are.  Will people not like it? Probably.  But it would have nothing to do with me being very confident that I am in for the experience I am expecting.  Fun.

And it doesnt hurt anybody (including myself) if it isnt ;-)

On a side note - name me a game similiar in scope and gameplay to GW2. I would love to check it out.  Ive played:

EQ, EQ2, VANGUARD, GRAND FANTASIA, ETHER SAGA, EDEN ETERNAL, DCUO, WOW, LOTRO, DDO, PERFECT WORLD, COH, ALLODS ONLINE, FIESTA, FORSAKEN WORLD, ASDA2, SWTOR, RAIDERZ (ALPHA) and TERA(2 CBTs).

All nice. but none of them give me what I feel/see in GW2.  Hence MY excitement.  your mileage may vary.

Does anyone know if GW2 expects to have player housing?

Originally posted by darkhalf357x

To the OP. I think you can enjoy it, however if possible I would try and keep your expectations low. Don't expect the stars, just expect a fun game. As others have said, it does have to become a 'real'-tangable game at some point, so make sure your expectations match, and you won't be dissapointed.

I hear you. Curious. What do I lose by keeping my expectations high?  If the game doesnt meet my expectations I wont be disappointed. Ill just play something else because I like playing games.  I dont like playing something that I dont find fun.

It's really hard to say, tbh. It all depends on what you're expecting. If you're expectations are more realistic, than probably nothing. However I've found that it's generally better to be pleasantly surprised, than right. I'm sure you aren't one of these people that either expects it to change the universe as we know it, or to be another WoW-Clone; but there are still too many people on both sides of the isle. =/

Will there be 'flaws' in GW2?  Yeah.  Always are.  Will people not like it? Probably.  But it would have nothing to do with me being very confident that I am in for the experience I am expecting.  Fun.

Good you realize that. GW2 is definitely not a perfect game, and I don't think anyone who has played it expects it to be. It's still a really damned good game. It won't be for everyone, and I think a lot of what will capture players is whether or not people allow themselves to get lost in the world. I'm sure there will be players who just fish for things to complain about, and as such are going to miss out on a really good game. Those that approach it with more of a 'let's see what this game has to offer' type mindset I think will have a much better experience.

On a side note - name me a game similiar in scope and gameplay to GW2. I would love to check it out.  Ive played:

Honestly, I can't. The game is huge, and the more times I get to play the game, the less I'm able to play any other MMOs. I'm actually kinda bummed about that, but can't wait for the BWEs.

Answers in orange.

Also, as for personal housing, I haven't heard any plans for that. You get your own personal instance, instead, which I think is supposed to make up for that (don't really have any experience w/ that, so I can't comment further).

Originally posted by dontadow

 

I love killing X trees for X treasure. And killing the right tree, cause not every tree has brown bark, only every three or four private trees, not veterans.  

Yup, Tera is the only game I've seen actually fall in the hype meter as the beta comes out.  It's the same old MMO with a crosshair target.  

RPGs should be about immersioin. I hate the idea of building a character and, instead oa rich story and history, i am doing nothing but choosing my class and role in combat and being told how this class does in this role in combat.  I"d slap the crap out of my DM if he gave me a sheet of paper of how i should play a class.  Yet MMOs continue to lock you in.  

That is by your choice...

It is you that research what the best build tree, or whatever the substitute is. And then it is you that can't play anything else than what all others do. Perhaps it is a choice you make influenced by you guild, whatever.

Test to play the game as you like, that is what you want, do it.

Ofcourse there will some kind of best build, best equipment and best role... whatever, but look beside that.

For me I have for the most of the games read the description on the build, picked one that I felt I wanted to have. Not read any indepth guides on what to do, I pkayed by discovering in game and asking in game.

It's just a suggestion. But try it and you wont feel as restricted as yuo say you are.

Originally posted by aesperus

Originally posted by darkhalf357x

Yes. it would be cool to have mounts. But I figure they will come in the cash shop or in a later expansion.  The dissappearing after getting on and off will be immersion breaking, which may explain why they were not used/included?

Mounts would be alright, I guess, but they wouldn't fit as well as they would in another games. If the mounts don't give a speed boost they don't tend to feel natural, and I think a lot of people are forgetting this fact. So in order to have the mounts feel natural, it would throw all the balancing they've done into chaos all over again. I think it would be better if they added a sprint function (short term speed boost at the cost of endurance).

Wouldn't be that hard to implement, and it wouldn't be imbalanced as players would have to make a choice between running faster for a time, and being able to dodge if they need it.

- Side note:

I know a lot of people are overly skeptical / cynical about this game. They have a right to be, but I don't think it's warranted with this one. Anet's been doing a phenominal job w/ this game. It won't be for everyone, but judging from the OPs post I can pretty much guaruntee he will enjoy this game, even though he didn't like the first one. The game design & mechanics really do support and encourage exploration. Not only are there lots of hidden easter eggs & events all over the world, but what I like is you aren't guarunteed a reward everytime. The maps are designed in a way where you constantly want to look around and go 'holy crap!? what's that over there? I'm gunna go check it out'. In doing so, you may discover a lair of monsters, or a hidden entrance to another area, or perhaps you finally found how to get to that skill point challenge you've been trying to get to. The combat system also allows you to fight monsters above your current lvl. It'll be challenging, but you can still win. It really adds a lot to the game world, and isn't something we've really seen before, not in a long time.

People will try and argue this up until the game launches (and possibly even after), but it really comes down to the 'feeling' the game generates. It is subjective, and isn't something you can really debate on the forums until you've had actual experience with it.

To the OP. I think you can enjoy it, however if possible I would try and keep your expectations low. Don't expect the stars, just expect a fun game. As others have said, it does have to become a 'real'-tangable game at some point, so make sure your expectations match, and you won't be dissapointed.

Another issue I see with implementing mounts is the races. Knowing Anets philosophy on giving all players the same choices and not leaving anybody out, they would have to leave that behind in order to give players mounts.

Just imagine a Charr riding a horse or a Norn trying to fit into to a golem! XD While I guess they could scale them, it's still pretty anti-lore.

Personally though, I hope they do find some way to implement it without having the whole "mount-in-a-pocket" thing.