The PvE isn't as difficult as it probably appears in those videos.  There are some monsters that will crush your face.  Usually, they have a Very Obvious animation that is designed to tell you that "Now is the dodging time!"  Some of your concerns seem to be legitimate for your professed play-style.  Specifically, GW2 isn't a standard Tank 'n Spank combat system.  Movement is required as is paying attention to the game.  You also have to pay some amount of attention to your surroundings (looking for downed players, patrols, etc.) at all times.  Getting Downed isn't the worst thing, either, since you can revive yourself in a variety of ways...as well as having other players pick you back up.  

As for the extra money for beta...well.  There are a few possibilities there.  One of them is price-gouging on the theory that people *will* pay the extra $20 for beta access and won't even think about it.  Another is that Amazon had to purchase the non-discounted 'consumer' boxes from NCSoft to get the beta access codes and thus is increasing the price to give themselves a profit margin.  Either way, it makes more sense to buy direct from the company (buy.guildwars2.com) to avoid any of the middle-man shenanigans.  Also, there is no special 'beta-access' package from the manufacturer...all boxes provide access.

I've logged about 2500 hours of GW1 throughout all of the expansions.  I loved the PvP (well, most the GvG) - I still hold it up as the shining example of what structured PvP should be in a MMORPG.  The PvE storylines were fun enough for a run through or two, but they got old after that.  

I'm surprised to find that I'm excited about the PvE in GW2 as much as I am for the PvP.  Maybe it's the dynamic events, maybe is that I have to continue to think in PvE (rather than making sure I have a healer) - I'm not entirely sure.  I'm eagerly awaiting April 10th and all of the following landmark dates that will be announced.

For those of you wanting an Elementalist preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiuNbqPWpEo

8210

Originally posted by romanator0

Originally posted by illorion

Got a link saying that weapons can't be switched in combat? I know you can't switch weapons from your inventory to your weapon slots, but there is room for 2 weapon sets that are swappable during combat on all classes except for the elementalist and engineer.

As of last PAX East, you could actually swap weapons from inventory into active during combat.  I remember playing an Elementalist and thinking "Hm, it's silly that I can't weapon swap as well as attunement swap...oh wait!" It's a bit tricky to do, but unless they changed that particular bit, it should still be that way.  If it's changed, my apologies for outdated info x_x

Quite honestly, I don't see the issue.

As far as I can tell, this is an option that Anet is putting in GW2 for the sake of providing the choice to those who want to take it.  Those who don't will stay as a mono-guild player.  If a person starts drifting away from your guild to another, perhaps it means that your guild doesn't offer what that player needs to have fun.  This way, if that happens, you don't lose the person/friend in your guild (and so don't lose the easiest form of communication with them), but they just choose to do activities with a different guild more.  Which they'd do anyway in a mono-guild system, except that they'd have left your guild first.  

Which is better?

Not quite sure which videos you're referring to that show tank characters killing things more easily than the thief...keep in mind that this was a demo (so, monsters with theoretically launch HP levels and armor) rather than the class videos (which use monsters set up to die almost instantly for dramatic effect).

The thief dynamic looked more active and twitchy than any other class so far. It's a shame that the developer who demoed it wasn't as proficient with it as I'm sure people will be once GW2 launches.  I'll be very interested to see what the players do with it once game is launched.

Part IV, which has since been removed and (as of yet) not been reposted, had a glimpse every so often of a level indicator over another players head, if I recall correctly.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHqO7emmcnE - part III made it over on to YouTube, it's the only one I've found so far.

Also, during the high level event, I believe she, and the other players, were around level 27 or so...so the level 31 mobs would be considered high level, and also can account for how hard they were getting rocked.  

To be fair, Guild Wars 1 had the GvG combat really well figured out, in my opinion.  So, they don't need to spend as much time on that while developing GW2 as they did in GW1  - thus the extra time is spent upgrading PvE and instituting the World Combat.

Just because they haven't announced much about GvG doesn't mean it's not there, or it's going to suck.  They already had it be awesome and seriously competitive - a few touch ups here and there, and voila, the amazing game type returns.

Honestly, judging purely from the videos seen at E3, this game doesn't look like it is "new" enough to justify playing.  The playstyle looks approximately the same as every other MMO currently on the market, and either they haven't released or they haven't built in enough innovation to make this game 'pop'.

Class balancing is a really difficult game to play for the developers.  No game has gotten it perfect to date.  I find it difficult to believe that the dev's would purposely make one side more powerful overall than the other in a factional warfare game.  Of course, then I take into account the terrible class balance that we saw with Mythic's WAR and my hopes start to drop slightly.  

Yeah, this happens.  Trust me, these people would kick you from the group if you were a MDPS and not performing up to their 'standards'.

The only time I bitch at a healer is when they are truly underperforming.  For example; an archmage going full DPS and loling as their team dies.  Also, as I play many a healer in many a game, I feel slightly justified when I -know- that I could do a significantly better job than the healer I'm getting annoyed at.  Sad thing is, even as I'm DPS, I still watch the health bars like a healer...-_-;;

I play a White Lion as my main; Witch Elves don't have a chance against me.  Even when already engaged by 1-2 tanks, I can take out the WE and half of a tank's life before going down (if I'm solo).  However, against squishy (aka Light Armor) targets, they are Death Incarnate.

as with all tanks imo they are underpowered

I would disagree most emphatically.  Tanks typically take a small army to kill...which is their job.  Hell, they can even kill things, making them even more effective.  They also have roots, snares, knockdowns, debuffs, party buffs...I don't see what you're complaining about?  Not sure if this is still possible, but not long ago, a good warrior priest and iron breaker could solo a tier 3 keep.  Not really sure how that makes tanks UP.

Solo-player : A player who has no problems playing alone and will more often than not choose that over playing with a group.

Hardcore : A player who puts many hours towards a game and is obsessed with being the best, having every top item, and being able to defeat any and all opponents that are placed against him.  They are also valuable members for the in- and out-of-game community and often provide some of the best feedback for the developers.

Grind : That repetitive, boring gameplay that takes you from either a) one level to the next, b) one gear level to the next, or c) one influence level to the next.  It usually involves doing the same thing, over and over, until the player's mind is about ready to commit suicide.  Has the side effect of gaining a lot of random loot and gold from monster drops.

RMT : Either A) Gold farming companies (typically in Asian countries, though not limited) selling their grinded wares on an internet website/eBay for real money, thus influencing (typically inflating) the economy of the game for which the gold/items are being sold.  B) The game company themselves selling items/gold/buffs/character transfers/other in-game services through use of an item mall or other authorized store front.

Community : The forums and in-game chat channels.  It's the interactions between all players both in and out of game that pertain to the game experience.

Sandbox : A game that does not channel its players through pre-determined quest lines to a pre-determined end-game.  While it allows the player many forms of progression/play styles, it also has the unpleasant side-effect of making the player feel 'cut loose' and 'drifting' in the world (which tends to be quite large).

Linear : The 'classic' form of MMORPG/SPRPGs, involving pre-set quest lines that all lead to a final end-game.  Character progression tends to follow the same line of "beginning to end level". 

PvP : A style of gameplay that pits player against player.  Regarded by many as requiring more skill.  In most MMOs of today, PvP involves 'zerg' tactics which can be likened to mob mentality, often leading to either a) large scale battles, or b) mass overwhelming of a smaller force.  Gameplay tends to differ significantly from PvE, leading to skills being useful in one setting and completely useless in another.

PvE : A style of gameplay that pits player vs. the environment and monsters.  Most computer controlled mobs tend to the stupid side of things, allowing them to easily be pulled away from their friends, use ineffective tactics, auto-attack without using any skills, or be easily fooled by simplistic player tactics.  In most MMOs, PvE tends to be the way to gain the most and best gear available in the game.  It is also where the story of a linear style game is revealed and played through.

I'd like to point out that diplomacy actually is needed for the other spheres.  For crafting, it's the only way to acquire certain recipes, and they get soulbound on pickup, so you can't find them on the auction house.  And boojiboy pointed out how it's useful for adventuring as well.  

I would like to see more conversations get added in for civic parleys...reading the same thing over and over from 10 different people gets real old, real fast. 

I would agree with that, Qombi.  I recently (month or two ago) started playing Vanguard (and was pleasantly surprised at how far it had come since launch and beta).  I was actually almost shocked by how friendly and helpful the chat on Seradon was.  After playing quite a few other MMOs and ignoring all chat except guild, it was -very- nice to come back to VGuard and have any and all questions that I would ask be answered promptly.  I'd give it a 4 star rating in the Chat Quality category.

No question in my mind if I'll be buying it - that's a definite yes. 

For you people who are sad about henchies/heros going away, keep in mind that it's been announced that they will most likely have a hero sidekick sorta thing that travels around with you (and, if I recall correctly, doesn't take up a party slot).  You can remove that hero, but you get a buff to equalize not having the extra hand. 

I'm hoping that GW2 does more than just introduce a z-axis and swimming as mechanics...I would prefer if they would introduce some real crafting (maybe difficult to get into, but worth it in the end?) and/or other alternative forms of PvE. 

I cannot wait for the PvP aspect of it - all of the goodness of GW1 with constant World vs World combat?  Yes, please.

It's all about the social factor for me.  I can't even play single player games anymore because I need the interaction or it's just not fun.