Things are starting to settle down, and it’s back the normal killing and exploring in Guild Wars 2. While players continue to explore the vast lands of Tyria, those very lands are changing. Something stirs in the seas, and the change can be felt in the wind. ArenaNet told us that they have plans for us in November, and they even gave a name for this event. They call it The Lost Shores.
Very little is known about the next large event to hit Guild Wars 2 this month, but let’s go over what we do know. We know the event will be live on the 16th of November, and that it will be a one time event. If you miss this, you missed it. We also know it will open up a new map. This alone is reason to be excited! But what’s the scope of this event? Will it just be a small intro to a new map? ArenaNet is saying that The Lost Shores will be as large, or larger, than the Halloween event that has just passed. With the way they have their live development teams set up, this could be very true. Not only that, but the changes will be more permanent in general.
One last bit of info is that changes have already begun to take place. Some changes began just last week! Now these are small changes that you might not notice unless you look for them. I’m too nosey and just had to look for clues as to what this event will mean for us. Here’s what I found.
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Poor whales.
A sad sight to see in real life and a sad sight to see even in a video game. This poor beached whale almost brought a tear to my eye, followed by rage towards what could have caused this. I’ve taken a dip or two in the waters around Lion’s Arch and not once saw a whale. But now the waters are filled with whales, all scared as if they fled from something. And if that sight wasn’t eerie enough, the surface of the water showed something even more disturbing. Ships float on the surface, their sails tattered from battle. What could make all these creatures and ships run for safety? Why did they come to Lion’s Arch? What dangers await us?
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I didn't see any cannons on the ships, so they may have been for trade.
There were a few other changes you could see around Lion’s Arch. Posters could be found on several buildings, but their meaning is lost to me. Sadly I can’t read fantasy. Maybe I need to play more D&D. Even though I can’t read these posters I do have some ideas as to what they say. I think the posters could be asking for heroes. If a threat is upon us, the call for heroes must begin now. Another possibility could be a warning, or a plea for assistance. Players can find buckets near beached whales. Maybe players assisting these whales may affect something with the big event later on.
A few other posters have been found by players around the world. One has been translated talking about an excellent vacation spot, which is probably the map that will open up. Others show a monster coming out of the water, but I wasn’t able to find a translation for it.
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This might also be a help wanted ad. If you can translate it you get a job at ArenaNet
I want to go back to the fact that this event will open up a whole new map for players to explore. I believe the map won’t be level 80, and after the event is over the map will still be open for players. I think some new events and renown quests will also become available after the big event. Even though it’s not new level 80 content (though there will be a new dungeon), I’m happy that it’s something new being brought to the game.
The big thing that I’m really hoping for during this event is new enemies. I think Guild Wars 2 has more variety of enemy types over other games but I think a new set of enemies would really help make this event pop. The Halloween event featured a new set of enemies including glow in the dark skeletons and plastic spiders. While these were just goofy enemies, it had more effect over just reusing regular spiders.
New enemies aren’t the only thing I would like to see. I would love for the event to end with a huge dynamic event that focuses on a huge boss battle. What I really enjoyed from Halloween was that I played with a ton of other players. For the first time in a while I was actually in overflow! I love to play with others. It’s what really makes Guild Wars 2 fun. I run around solo from time to time, but often I run into a group of players and things just take off. Ending the event by brining players together just seems like the right way to go.
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Perhaps a new dragon will begin to threaten the seas.
ArenaNet is getting ready to show us how they plan to expand on Guild Wars 2 after launch. They need to give players a reason to keep logging in, and just expanding on a game without releasing expansion packs is something we’ve all wondered about. How will I work, and will it bring enough over time? It will be exciting to see how it’s pulled off. Until then it’s time to enjoy the build up for a major event. Sharpen your blades adventurers, things are about to get epic!
