OnlineWelten ArenaNet Interview

[Legion]

We’ve said before that The Dream has two sides – it is neither wholly good, nor wholly evil in itself. The Nightmare Court have an affinity for the darker side of The Dream, and they seek to understand its depths. They hold Dark Vigils filled with regal depravity; twisted courtliness and sadistic tournaments that pervert sylvari chivalry.

The Nightmare Court don’t consider themselves ‘perverse,’ and some among them might even argue that they are not wholly ‘evil.’ They simply follow the darker side of The Dream and explore depths of the sylvari soul that already exist. Who is to say that the sylvari were not wrongly influenced by Ventari’s ancient teachings, that clinging to the lessons of his Tablet has not changed them from what they were meant to be? The Nightmare Court feel that they need to commune with all parts of their spirits, with all parts of nature – no matter how horrible or vile. There, they find secrets and enlightenment that other sylvari are too chivalrous – or too afraid – to seek.

Thanks gods, I was already expecting something silly and supercliche For The Evulz!! faction. Now the Nightmare Court makes far more sense.

Originally Posted by Lord Bazaah

He stated they are evil, buddy.

More than evil, the Nightmare court have an alien and impenetrable morality, as they should be. Take a look in the traditional Fair Folk.

[Naoroji]

Originally Posted by JR

Great interview indeed. Nice that they are still letting small bits of gameplay info slip out, despite saying that would wait until next year.

I find stating players won't be able to fly, hardly something that can be counted as 'gameplay info'. It's more like, 'tell all the noobs we won't be able to fly so they won't be disappointed and /ragequit when the game comes out' .

[JR]

Originally Posted by Naoroji

I find stating players won't be able to fly, hardly something that can be counted as 'gameplay info'. It's more like, 'tell all the noobs we won't be able to fly so they won't be disappointed and /ragequit when the game comes out' .

That wasn't the only thing. They also mentioned that races would be subdivided further in character creation, between totems, seasons... and so on. It's lore related, but it's still gameplay info.

[Mister_Smiley]

Good interview, some questions asked that haven't been, but two things that i find interesting....

Onlinewelten: Many fans have longed for dwarves. Why didn’t they make it as a playable race?

Eric Flannum: One of the things that we try to do with our story and lore is to build a sort of roadmap for where the world and all the races that inhabit it have been and where they are going in the future. The dwarves have played an important part in past events (more than players are even aware of at this time) and will have a role in the future as well. Because of the destiny we chose for the dwarven race, they didn’t make a particularly compelling playable race for Guild Wars 2. But who knows what the future holds for them?

Hmmm dwarves return in the future of GW2? Also played a important part in the past events...thats some good lore


Also

Onlinewelten: The asura changed their appearance considerably between Eye of the North and the Guild Wars 2 trailer? Why is that?

Eric Flannum: We don’t really view it as a change in appearance. We updated the look of all of our races to fit with our new art style as well as our new engine technology. That being said, fans have only seen a small amount of the variation that is available for asura PCs as far as looks go. We’re confident that every asura fan will find a face that they would be proud to call their own.


This shows that the asura have a lot of variation to there looks.


Overall some really good information

[Kendil]

Oh!! Sylvari lore <3 it just gets better and better <3

The sylvari just got +1 in my opinion, they are equal with the charr now

[Lord Bazaah]

Originally Posted by Legion

More than evil, the Nightmare court have an alien and impenetrable morality, as they should be. Take a look in the traditional Fair Folk.

Now there's an option a I hadn't thought of! Hmmm...

[Epoch]

A lot of good tid bits in that article. We now know how the racial abilities are broken up now as well.

[Jonny10]

Originally Posted by kupp

Onlinewelten: Do you plan something similar for other races?

Eric Flannum: Each race has a number of factors that will change their personal story. Some of the things that are equivalent to sylvari seasons include a human’s racial heritage, a norn’s animal totem of choice, a charr’s legion affiliation, and an asura’s college.

Assuming this is chosen from the start, I hope it doesn't mean that we won't be able to use all 4 shapeshift abilities despite the one we started with. But knowing Anet's policy on this I doubt they'd want to restrict players in something like this.

I like this, i'm going for wolf

[Loquay]

Black Citadel, Iron Citadel... it almost looks as if every racial subdivision will have different starting positions.

Anyway, I'm glad to hear there's more to come for Asuran looks. Not that I wouldn't like how they look right now, but diversity is always a good thing.

[captainnl]

Nice new bit of information.

I also like how they are being suspicous about the dwarves and the future .
I certainly hope we'll get a lot more of those lore books like the 3 that are being written at the moment, maybe some about the past and the future.

I personally loved the story in the lore book of the Prophecies box!

[Kurpitsa]

Thanks for the link, OP!

Originally Posted by Lord Bazaah

And that's that; no wingz in GW2!

It has been said before. Hopefully people will get it this time.

[Sabre Wolf]

Onlinewelten: Do you plan something similar for other races?

Eric Flannum: Each race has a number of factors that will change their personal story. Some of the things that are equivalent to sylvari seasons include a human’s racial heritage, a norn’s animal totem of choice, a charr’s legion affiliation, and an asura’s college.

Originally Posted by kupp

Assuming this is chosen from the start, I hope it doesn't mean that we won't be able to use all 4 shapeshift abilities despite the one we started with. But knowing Anet's policy on this I doubt they'd want to restrict players in something like this.

"norn’s animal totem of choice" This screams that we will NOT be able to change to the other forms. But if I get my Wolf form, I will be happy However...

Eric Flannum: The season that their sylvari character correlates to is very relevant to the player. We don’t grant the character anything that is power-related, but their season is one of the many things that differentiate one characters personal story from another’s.

Which makes wonder if the Sylvari's seasons do not give a gameplay advantage (only story difference) but the different forms could yield different game play advantages AND story changes... then how is that fair/balenced? Unless the Norn form changes are all the same and only a cosmetic difference? Which doesn't make much sense having a Raven hit as hard as a Bear.

Ree Soesbee: There certainly are female charr in GW2. In the history of the charr, the women were once strong warriors, as respected as the males.

YAY to that! Not that I'll make a girl Charr... but YAY!

Also... I am still confused on what a Kodan is... they said they have cities... but are Bi-ped polar bears... I am so confusededed...

Overall, great new info!

[Jecoma]

Really nice interview with interesting points brought up, I like the heritage factor to flesh out our character personality like in most RPG's a lot!!
Can't wait for part 2!!

[Shew]

Originally Posted by Sabre Wolf

Which makes wonder if the Sylvari's seasons do not give a gameplay advantage (only story difference) but the different forms could yield different game play advantages AND story changes... then how is that fair/balenced? Unless the Norn form changes are all the same and only a cosmetic difference? Which doesn't make much sense having a Raven hit as hard as a Bear.

It'll still be balanced.

Racial ability:
sylvari: something to do with those plant creatures
charr: ?
norn: totems
asura: golems
humans: ?

Divisions:
sylvari: seasons
charr: legions
norn: totems
asura: colleges/ krewes
humans: lineage

They all divide into groups, and they all have racial abilities, it just so happens that the norn's divisions are their racial abilities as well.

[Corpsesarefun]

"Eric Flannum: The season that their sylvari character correlates to is very relevant to the player. We don’t grant the character anything that is power-related, but their season is one of the many things that differentiate one characters personal story from another’s.

Onlinewelten: Do you plan something similar for other races?

Eric Flannum: Each race has a number of factors that will change their personal story. Some of the things that are equivalent to sylvari seasons include a human’s racial heritage, a norn’s animal totem of choice, a charr’s legion affiliation, and an asura’s college. "

4 main totem animals
4 charr legions
4 seasons
so what are the 4 asura colleges and the 4 human racial backgrounds?

[Huginn]

Originally Posted by Corpsesarefun

4 main totem animals
4 charr legions
4 seasons
so what are the 4 asura colleges and the 4 human racial backgrounds?

ascalon, kryta, elona and chanta?

[Epoch]

Originally Posted by Corpsesarefun

"Eric Flannum: The season that their sylvari character correlates to is very relevant to the player. We don’t grant the character anything that is power-related, but their season is one of the many things that differentiate one characters personal story from another’s.

Onlinewelten: Do you plan something similar for other races?

Eric Flannum: Each race has a number of factors that will change their personal story. Some of the things that are equivalent to sylvari seasons include a human’s racial heritage, a norn’s animal totem of choice, a charr’s legion affiliation, and an asura’s college. "

4 main totem animals
4 charr legions
4 seasons
so what are the 4 asura colleges and the 4 human racial backgrounds?

the colleges are another way of saying krewe's I think and I would take a shot at saying the human backgrounds are, krytan, ascalonian, canthan, and elonian.

But those are all guesses.

[BBQman]

Out of all the recent interviews this one was undoubtedly the most informative.
Looking forward to the second part of it.

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by Lord Bazaah

So they're are female charr!
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Bolded parts I see as relevant.
---


So I guess these are the "racial abilities".
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So I guess they lived somewhere to the North because GW1 has no "ice seas".
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And that's that; no wingz in GW2!

Anybody notice the Elf (what every they called), has a strong similar lore to WoW's Emeral Dream, and its connection to the Nightmare of the OldGoods and Earth Dragon Flight.

Well GW Developer are WoW fans and former WoW developer, so not a big supprised. not like WoW never barrow Lore elements.
Wrath of The
"Cough" WitchKing "Cough"
oops I ment Lich King

[Omod Cerall]

Woohoo! great interview

Couple of (very) interesting points.

Interview
The dwarves have played an important part in past events (more than players are even aware of at this time) and will have a role in the future as well.

First off : Dwarves will probably play a (be it major or minor) - role. And we'll get to know about what they've done. yay for stone dwarves!

Nightmare Court sounds like a genuine 'yes we are evil but we make some sense' - evil kinda thing. Would be awesome if you'd actually be able to make a Nightmare-Court-Sylvari, no?

And division in Seasons / Colleges / Race / whatnot has an impact on the 'story of your character' (which has me curious now, they keep on mentioning it, should be good! )

can't wait for part II of this
(& Thanks to the OP for posting it! )