Originally posted by Trol1

Originally posted by fiontar

I'm now have to really question whether or not Trol1 really played the BWE.

I stopped reading his last long post when he claimed that Dynamic Events were as boring as watching Bruce Willis help an old lady cross the strees. Really? Some heart tasks can be a bit mundane, but most dynamic events range from fun to epic.

What impressed me the most about GW2 was that the game actually delivered on what it promises on paper and often exceeded my already heightened expectations. With the entire genre being called into question recently as a wise investment for development money and resources, it's refreshing to see a game that actually delivers.

fiontar,

I'm sorry but now I have to really question whether or not you have ready my post or not.

Because  what you are referring to was not a huge paragraph or (IMO) extremely complicated written:

"I found way too many (mind: not all but many) of the quest I did up to level 18 in the BWE to be like, well, going into a Die Hard movie and watching Bruce help an old person cross an empty street... followed by watching him help another old person cross that same empty street... followed by watching him help a bind person cross that same empty street. *yawn*"" """""""""""""""""""""

Now, in that quote, do you see the word "event" anywhere? Or was that just your superior fanbhoy-ism going "he is no fanbhoy, so he can't really know the finer details, he must be talking about "events" not "quests"!"

Sorry to break it to you but when I talk about dynamic events I refer to them as events, DE or dynamic events, NOT quests!

But, as you brought it up: the dynamic events are not bad... the ones I've been part of are just, well, not special: "you folks go in and kill monster mobs or go in and protect npc mob (in order to do so you will have to kill monster mobs)until big boss monster shows up, kill that too."

This is obviously the essence even GM controlled events are usually made of. But to be honest, I feel cheated by ANet because to me an event was always special. With GW2 they are turning events into tourist attractions: did you just miss the volcano erupting? too bad, come back in 15 min and you can catch it then. Now replace "vulcano" with "commissar szdingelsthing" and "erupting" with "fighting everybody after you hacked thru his henchlings" and you have the same... so maybe events aren't boring (I'll leave that open), but what they are is they are not special!

Oh, and if you don't agree that many - again: not all but many! - quests at least in the true start zones and the extended startzones and even to some degree in the 16-25 zones are not even remotely the material heroic stuff or even just what adventurer's stuff is made of, well, here are your choices:

a) you have never really played a good RPG, whether on PC or pen&paper and therefore don't know what even low level adventueres would like to expect when going adventuring - 2 notes on that: 1. by the time you are still doing starting zone "adventure" quests, you will - as a Norn - already have killed a mighty iceworm or - as a Human - killed a mighty elemental saving the keep... does your hero always offer to do the dishes and give old ladies a foot massage after some glorious quest? And 2. if any p&p GM would actually dare to offer such adventures even as a start for a brand new group, he may as well assume that he'd be banned from ever again even thinking of becoming a GM. If on the other hand he'd actually maybe do okay with the first few encounters but then starts feeding such "adventures" to e.g. D&D characters lvl3+, the players would run him out of town!

b) you are a fanbhoy that is so in thrallby GW2 that of course nothing in GW2 could ever be wrong or bad; or

c) you are a troll.

 

Comments are against RoC and have nothing to do with the discussion.

1. Yes, it is good marketing, but should they make bad marketing? And it is quite fair. You can preorder now and get a beta-key. Many people out there want exactly this. So I think it is a good deal for both sides.

2. We have seen every aspect of their game already. All the PvE and PvP-stuff they promised can be tested. And it looks very good. However, we do not know how the rest of the game looks like, ok, so there is still room for doubt. Yet, classes, WvWvW, DEs and personal story look amazing.

Originally posted by Trol1

"I found way too many (mind: not all but many) of the quest I did up to level 18 in the BWE to be like, well, going into a Die Hard movie and watching Bruce help an old person cross an empty street... followed by watching him help another old person cross that same empty street... followed by watching him help a bind person cross that same empty street. *yawn*"" """""""""""""""""""""

That's pretty much one of the many things that made us doubt you've played the same game than we did. Unless you stayed at that farm feeding cows until level 18 (which should be possible), it is obvious that you are lying in a way or another... either you never played the game, or you are distorting what you've experienced to make it sound bad.

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

Originally posted by Amjoco

Originally posted by GeezerGamer

I'm not saying "It's not for fans" But I am saying that 2 sided opinions should be allowed. And they really aren't

I think they are, if they stay on the Topic of Discussion. When it comes to GW2 though the fanbois will defend themselves, and then the haters counter, and then they are off topic. Like this one here. 

I will give you a point on one thing.....This thread has gone wildly off topic.

Ya my point is that the OP was trying to somewhat discuss his happiness or excitement possibly about "ArenaNet brilliant marketing" but the haters couldn't stand that! :) Now there is another cool GW2 topic that just started "WvW Persistent Mini-Dungeon" which the GW2 fans will love but the haters will attack it, the fanbois will protect it, haters counter, etc and then it's off topic and locked. GW2 fans can't discuss their happieness. Now, if the haters want to start a topic and then discuss it then that would make more sense.

Amjoco, the OP wasn't really asking for an discussion, he just pointed out his take on a certain topic i.e. how ANet by making beta access almost exclusive to people who have already pre-purchased the game swings the feedback scale strongly in favor to GW2.

This is a brilliant maketing move. I mean if I was selling cars, heck, I'd try to make sure that I'd pick both a perfectly fine and sunny day and a long and visually nice track to showcase my convertibles. And I'd pick customer's to come by for a look and a testdrive that I know may be interested in buying a convertible, not a sedan or a jeep or a pickup.

My chances are just better that way.

ANet still - obviously - takes the risk that their product is soooooo bad that even diehard fans will bash it. Now, I don't think ANet believed that to be the case. But more importantly they gave the user an instant, interactive tool allowing him to give feedback. So even IF a beta tester comes across something he doesn't like, he gets the feeling that ANet cares enough about him to appreciate his immediate feedback, which in turn makes the gamer feel valued, which in turn means the customer most likely likes the company... I mean c'mon, many people who hated SWTOR for the bad CSRs but then saw how now BW quickly and generously honeys up the customer - servers 8 hrs down? Here is a bonus day of gametime! Have reached lvl50 with your character? Here is 30 days on us! Haven't reached lvl50? well, you have a few more days to do so... or go with one of the alternative options that entitle you to the 30 day bonus... you want to bet how many of them said heck, this company is now getting their act together caring about the customer!

[mod edit]

Yeah... but that's of course all okay because it's all true... with GW2... well...

We could now also have the discussion whether using your marketing machine to influence your potential customers into buying your product is a good thing - and yes, with GW2 this influencing is not just getting good reviews from beta testers but also promising exclusive goodies in return for buying the game in advance. (I don't think we need to discuss whether things ANet are offering are exclusive or not, I have not seen any option outside the pre-purchase to get a guarantee to get into all player accessable beta events.

Fact is that personally, I feel that players on an unlimited base (at least not limited by the game publisher) should rather test something themself than making a decision based on a very exclusive group of people having reviewed it. But that's just me... and ArenaNet has their brilliant marketing strategy.

[mod edit]

ANet's marketing so far has been to tell players what's in the game and then let the players experience it for themselves. If it seems to be working it's because GW2 actually delivers on ANet's promises. Bluehole had a similar marketing strategy but Tera failed to deliver a well thought out and polished game that gets gamers talking positive about your product... but at least Bluehole didn't go the Bioware route and release a bunch of CGI that has nothing to do with the actual game. People who played SWTOR completely revolted against the game once the CGI stopped playing. Not even ANet could sell SWTOR.

So long story short; good games sell themselves while bad games crash and burn.

Originally posted by OldManFunk

ANet's marketing so far has been to tell players what's in the game and then let the players experience it for themselves. 

(...)

You are already wrong in your first sentence since it implies that there is an open beta available for anyone interested in the game, which there isn't. 

Originally posted by TwoThreeFour

Originally posted by OldManFunk

ANet's marketing so far has been to tell players what's in the game and then let the players experience it for themselves. 

(...)

You are already wrong in your first sentence since it implies that there is an open beta available for anyone interested in the game, which there isn't. 

I didn't say anything about an open beta.

So, with the new beta test, they're planning on handing out beta keys to the general public.

Hopefully that means I can finally stop hearing about the 'Arenanet is being super clever just letting people who really love the game play it' argument. :D

... I started a thread way back suggesting haters should stop complaining and prepurchase the game, bravely sacrificing themselves to give a more balanced account of what GW2 is like, but my thread got locked for suggesting that maybe haters need to make more money. :(

Originally posted by Meowhead

So, with the new beta test, they're planning on handing out beta keys to the general public.

Hopefully that means I can finally stop hearing about the 'Arenanet is being super clever just letting people who really love the game play it' argument. :D

They are giving out some beta keys on Guildcast tonight, apparently.  PC Gamer also just posted something about them having some to giveaway before next weekend.

http://www.gamebreaker.tv/live/

http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/05/29/guild-wars-2-beta-event-next-weekend-pc-gamer-beta-key-giveaway-incoming/

Originally posted by Meowhead

So, with the new beta test, they're planning on handing out beta keys to the general public.

Hopefully that means I can finally stop hearing about the 'Arenanet is being super clever just letting people who really love the game play it' argument. :D

... I started a thread way back suggesting haters should stop complaining and prepurchase the game, bravely sacrificing themselves to give a more balanced account of what GW2 is like, but my thread got locked for suggesting that maybe haters need to make more money. :(

Maybe they could sell BW's for $20 a pop ...and take that cost off the  purchase price once the game was released "Kill two birds with one stone"

Let's stay on topic guys. This thread is about ArenaNet's marketing, not about random general discussion of Guild Wars 2. Thanks!

Originally posted by OldManFunk

Originally posted by TwoThreeFour

Originally posted by OldManFunk

ANet's marketing so far has been to tell players what's in the game and then let the players experience it for themselves. 

(...)

You are already wrong in your first sentence since it implies that there is an open beta available for anyone interested in the game, which there isn't. 

I didn't say anything about an open beta.

So, without commiting to the purchase of the game, how many people were actually able to experience the game for themselves, as you suggested?

Frankly, I'll keep that number at 12: me and 11 other who won our key in a raffle...

Originally posted by Trol1

Originally posted by OldManFunk

Originally posted by TwoThreeFour

Originally posted by OldManFunk

ANet's marketing so far has been to tell players what's in the game and then let the players experience it for themselves. 

(...)

You are already wrong in your first sentence since it implies that there is an open beta available for anyone interested in the game, which there isn't. 

I didn't say anything about an open beta.

So, without commiting to the purchase of the game, how many people were actually able to experience the game for themselves, as you suggested?

Frankly, I'll keep that number at 12: me and 11 other who won our key in a raffle...

Apparently you missed the whole thing where they had beta signups on their site without having to pre-pruchase... they reached IIRC 1 million sign ups in less than 48 hours.

Originally posted by Mahavishnu

1. Yes, it is good marketing, but should they make bad marketing? And it is quite fair. You can preorder now and get a beta-key. Many people out there want exactly this. So I think it is a good deal for both sides.

2. We have seen every aspect of their game already. All the PvE and PvP-stuff they promised can be tested. And it looks very good. However, we do not know how the rest of the game looks like, ok, so there is still room for doubt. Yet, classes, WvWvW, DEs and personal story look amazing.

"...can be tested..."

correct me if I'm wrong but if I wanted to test today or tell any of my co-travellers here to test GW2 today, could they? Other than by pre-purchasing the game?

They'll give me a rather stupid look if I were to tell them that this new game I just told them to test can only be tested if you actually already buy the game for $60...

I'm sorry, I may invest $60 into Project Fedora via Kickstarter because I love the IP, the character of Tex Murphy as done by Chris jones, and I know that even if the game sucks, I'll still get a good laugh out of it.

But $60 for something I have no connection to, and worse, can't even give back... how is that a good deal for all sides?

Originally posted by Trol1

Originally posted by Mahavishnu

1. Yes, it is good marketing, but should they make bad marketing? And it is quite fair. You can preorder now and get a beta-key. Many people out there want exactly this. So I think it is a good deal for both sides.

2. We have seen every aspect of their game already. All the PvE and PvP-stuff they promised can be tested. And it looks very good. However, we do not know how the rest of the game looks like, ok, so there is still room for doubt. Yet, classes, WvWvW, DEs and personal story look amazing.

"...can be tested..."

correct me if I'm wrong but if I wanted to test today or tell any of my co-travellers here to test GW2 today, could they? Other than by pre-purchasing the game?

They'll give me a rather stupid look if I were to tell them that this new game I just told them to test can only be tested if you actually already buy the game for $60...

I'm sorry, I may invest $60 into Project Fedora via Kickstarter because I love the IP, the character of Tex Murphy as done by Chris jones, and I know that even if the game sucks, I'll still get a good laugh out of it.

But $60 for something I have no connection to, and worse, can't even give back... how is that a good deal for all sides?

You may have missed it, but they just gave out 1000s of beta keys. Also, wait for open beta. Every game has one.

Edit: Good marketing on pre-purchase sales and then having it sell itself through videos, and positive forum feedback FTW. :)