PCGameplay Article on Guildwars 2

[Headchopperz]

+1 to dumb henchmen that can help you on some small petty tasks
-1 to heroes that mean u can "solo" elite dungeons

[Naoroji]

It'll only be one 'hero' per player, though.

[Desert Rose]

Originally Posted by Naoroji

Solo is too lonely
(IT-2) You will be able to play Guild Wars 2 on your own. You'll have the possibility of leaving other players in the rain, and go out and explore with AI-henchmen and your Companion. (which means Solo won't actually be solo?)

That sounds great; so GW stays a team game through and through.

[Lady Syve]

Thanks for taking the time to translate it, Naoriji! Very exciting

[captainnl]

*Cheers himself on woohoo dutchmen*
*Schouderklopje aan de magazine schrijvers + OP *

Fine piece of atleast a little new info
The RTS element sounds awesome!

[Duran]

Hench!!! actually if everyone in the world were running around with "alesia" clones... that would be weird. it might be cool if there were a fixed number of henchmen in each town or outpost and when they are gone they're gone. Maybe they would map back if their host player left or mapped away.

On Topic: Great article, hope the GW2 "Atlantis" is worth all the extra work ^_^. Now lets all cross our fingers and hope that 2010 will indeed be our year.

[bamm]

Originally Posted by Kendil

Hmm, I've read somewhere (probably on multiple places) that you'll be able to solo, actual solo, not the h/h we had in GW1, but that that option also existed (not so sure about that...). And that the dificulty would scale acording to the party size.

I've read that too. It may have changed now, but they said if you don't use a companion you get a buff instead.

[Redfeather]

I figured we wouldn't require henchmen to tackle content.
I read that content would scale according to group size.
I remember hearing that Anet realized solo and buddy gaming are something people like as well.

Groups of AI mindlessly slaughtering everything while I c+space and eat popcorn. No.

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by Naoroji

Meet the locals
While in GW1 you could only play as a Human, you can also play as one of the four other races as well. The feline Charr possess new technology which allows them to produce muskets, the Norn are northern warriors that have the ability to shapeshift, the Asura are a small but intelligent race and the Sylvari are an elf-like (? DIE!) plant-race, born from a magic tree that only recently started to blossom. Thus, the Sylvari behave like children; they're born with knowledge of the world, but are without practical experience, which ensures this race to be a naive one. While they are very different from the other races, the Sylvari share the wish of defeating the dragons, because of their strong bond with nature they'd rather not see the land trampled (or even scorched). Not all Sylvari's intentions are noble, though, there are even those who turned against their one race (the Nightmare Court). Like the Sylvari themselves, their weapons are plantlike and are grown in the ground (instead of forged in fire).

I hope they are not saying that they will make Gear limited again, but by Race instead of Class oriented like last time. This Is a BIG BUMMER imo. I disliked this in Warhammer and in GW1.

So, the races are known, but which skills and professions will be available is not. (IT-1)

So some classes wont be advalible to all races?

Solo is too lonely
(IT-2) You will be able to play Guild Wars 2 on your own. You'll have the possibility of leaving other players in the rain, and go out and explore with AI-henchmen and your Companion. (which means Solo won't actually be solo?) This last NPC is comparable with "Heroes" from GW1, with one difference; it doesn't take up a partyslot, which means there's more room for real players. Because even though you will be able to finish the game with just NPC's perfectly fine, there will be some MMO-challenges which require players to work together. The makers of the game are planning to implement a so-called sidekick-system comparable to the one used in City of Heroes. This system will level the playing field for players with a higher level and lower level to allow them to play together. Comes in handy if you want to play with a friend but he just hasn't put that much into it as you have and he doesn't feel like getting chopped to pieces. Whichever way you play, at least everyone will start at the same level because the way the game works, you won't be able to take your Guild Wars 1 character and play it in Guild Wars 2. You can, however, reserve your name and above all, the 'Hall of Monuments' will pay tribute to your achievements in the original Guild Wars and give you unique rewards accordingly. The precise details are yet to be revealed.

WTF Total Bummer. Iam starting to think GW2 will be Instanced like Aion and AoC. Cant even Solo for crying out loud. Minds well play FF if we wanted that.

Persistent World
You'll see old as well as new areas in Guild Wars 2. One of the new tourist attractions is a complete continent under water, on which you can explore the oceans as well as the ocean floors. Lead designer Eric Flannum:"In a lot of games, water is a hostile environment where you constantly have to look out for running out of breath. We want to encourage fun and exploration underwater, however." (IT-3) In fact, creasing the kinks out of this continent is one of the main reasons why it's taking so long for Guild Wars 2 to be finished. Another design decision that's slurping up a lot of time is the change from instanced to a persistent game world. This change leads to Guild Wars 2 not having conventional quests, but what the developers call 'Events'. These are group-oriented activities which are meant to encourage the player to explore the world. With this new event system, you can stumble upon a castle only to find it under attack by centaurs. You can then choose to help the inhabitants of the castle to repel the attack. If you're a half an hour too late, you'll have to start an army with other players to send the centaurs home to their mommies. Or, when you walk down a familiar road for the hundredth time, suddenly a caravan shows up, which you can protect from bandits. However; even though the world is persistent now and this new event system will be implemented, the story won't fall to the background; it will be told with a combination of instanced and persistent areas, of which the instanced areas will give the same heavily plotdriven experience Guild Wars 1 delivered.

Again I think they are hiding something dealing with the Zoneing, and Instance handling. I wouldnt be surprised if GW2 will be Instanced like AoC and Aion. Even the way Warp Portals work seem to suggest the world wont be Free Open, as many are thinking.

Player versus player
Despite the differences between the races, they are not hostile against each other. After all, the developers want you to play together with friends that might be another race. So no Alliance/Horde segregation. Ofcourse, PvP is a big part of Guild Wars, and that's why Guild Wars 2 will have the same PvP system Guild Wars 1 had. Which means; All PvP-participants will have access to the same skills and gear, which ensures survival is indeed of the fittest (and most strategic), not the one that has spent the most time online. Seeing as this primarily attracts hardcore PvP-players, have the developers implemented a World PvP system (Read: Server Vs. Server) as well, for the more casual PvP'er. This system is for those that want to fight with their gear and skills they found in the game, and you charge into a limitless battle (literally limitless; party size in World PvP has no limit). (IT-4) The World PvP Maps bear a resemblance to RTS-maps and give you a chance to play different roles. You can conquer stone mines, which will then deliver stone by caravan to your catapults, you can attack and cut off caravans of the enemy, you can operate as a scout and inform the rest of hostile movement, you can man watchtowers and defend, or you can just run up to a lost PvP'er and teach him a lesson. All these actions will earn you experience.

This seems nice. But I would like to see some Party and Raid organization control, like WoW has, but with a unlimited (or limited, dont really care) player slots. Cause from my exp in World PvP RPGs, organiztion is important.

Visual splendor
Visually, Guild Wars 2 improves technically as well as artistically. ArenaNet now has an engine that can pump out images close to the concept art already seen. This is particularly clear in the trailer, where in-game footage and concept art almost seamlessly flows into eachother.

ah not sure what to make most out of this.

Picture captions;
Picture of (scantily clad) Norn female with Norn bear behind her;"Apparently, in the north you don't need a thick winter coat. Why bother if you can transform into a grizzly bear..."

Random screenshots from the trailer;"Guild Wars 2 will offer more non combat activities (like crafting)."

Crafting could be nice, as long as it isnt hafe@$$ed like the first system was, or like Warhammer. Crafting needs to be one of the main effects of the in-game economy

SUM:
Guild Wars2 seems like a interesting F2P MMORPG, but nothing more. Still very limited in concept. Which is why I would Most likely Play GW2 as a alt MMORPG rather then a Main

[athariel]

@up
how is aion instanced? o_O it's persistent ;f

[Hexs]

Yes more info...(chanting) PVP, PVP, PVP! Thanks.

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by zwei2stein

But consider this that you will be able to join with other people outside outpost.

I'd say normal thing would be to party with several henchies without really wanting for full human group and later swap em out for humans as you meet them in field. If game is less quest centric and more event centric (= less quests means less diverse goals that break partying because people are rarely quest synced and not everyone want to tag along while some random guy finishes quest that you did while ago or which you will do later adter you finish prereq.); it would be much more natural to just join group if you meet one because your goal will be exactly same (participate in event).

But what about the people that want to Solo Explore?

I can Solo Explore in WoW and Warhammer. But in GW2 (with the persistant world) I cant Explore solo without bringing a tag-along-NPC-Buddy. Thats not soloing imo

[captainnl]

Originally Posted by Knighthonor

But what about the people that want to Solo Explore?

I can Solo Explore in WoW and Warhammer. But in GW2 (with the persistant world) I cant Explore solo without bringing a tag-along-NPC-Buddy. Thats not soloing imo

I don't read anywhere that bringing along a companion is a must.
Besides I thought that ANET already confirmed that if you didn't bring one along you would get an extra buff to be able to solo.

(I don't really understand why people want to solo that badly lol, but I guess that is my opinion. Imo if you want to solo don't play a MMO)

[Feathermoore]

Originally Posted by Knighthonor

But what about the people that want to Solo Explore?

I can Solo Explore in WoW and Warhammer. But in GW2 (with the persistant world) I cant Explore solo without bringing a tag-along-NPC-Buddy. Thats not soloing imo

I can solo explore in GW1. I do it all the time. Whats your point? The heroe buddy in no way means you cant explore alone.

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by Redfeather

I figured we wouldn't require henchmen to tackle content.
I read that content would scale according to group size.
I remember hearing that Anet realized solo and buddy gaming are something people like as well.

Groups of AI mindlessly slaughtering everything while I c+space and eat popcorn. No.

That would be very hard to code in a persistant world.

Soloing a mob ^ then a noob comes along and attacks the mob, the mob grows stronger, but the newbe is barely doing a dent (random stranger, came along, no sidekick atm) Mob pwns the crap out of the stronger player before they got to invite to sidekick.


Also I did remember hearing something about getting buffed. I figured that ment we would just get the Hero's Action bar added to our own. With increased HP and Armor = (X)% of the Hero's Armor and HP.

WITH NPC:
Added Auto Attack / Along side Your Own Auto Attack
Added Aggro target/ Along side your own Aggro
Added Skills useage/ ALong Side your own Skills on your Bar
Added (own personal HP and other stats)/ Along side your own Stats

WITHOUT NPC:
Your Own personal Auto Attack
Your Own Personal Skill Bar
Your Own HP and Stats


THE BUFF
What ever the buff is, it needs to make the "WITHOUT NPC" = "WITH NPC"
in some way
How it will do this,
WE DONT KNOW

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by Feathermoore

I can solo explore in GW1. I do it all the time. Whats your point? The heroe buddy in no way means you cant explore alone.

Ok yeah, in low lvl zones. But I want to be able to explore my own Lvl areas without NPCs and grouping. Unless its a elite area or Group Mission/Dungon

[Jecoma]

Originally Posted by Knighthonor

Ok yeah, in low lvl zones. But I want to be able to explore my own Lvl areas without NPCs and grouping. Unless its a elite area or Group Mission/Dungon

Why do people want to leave the MMO experience out of an RPG?
If you want solo, go play an RPG?
No offence intended, just confused.

[Feathermoore]

Originally Posted by Knighthonor

Ok yeah, in low lvl zones. But I want to be able to explore my own Lvl areas without NPCs and grouping. Unless its a elite area or Group Mission/Dungon

I can explore every single map in GW alone excluding the elite areas and dungeons that you say shouldn't be explored. There you go. Just because its hard doesn't mean it isnt doable.

Also, soloing the entire game is not in any way the point of an mmo. That is the point of FF.

[Knighthonor]

Originally Posted by Jecoma

Why do people want to leave the MMO experience out of an RPG?
If you want solo, go play an RPG?
No offence intended, just confused.

Because I dont Want to drag along NPC to do my work for me. Some things like Exploring is more fun and imersing by our self. Like finding a rare (Insert) in the back of a mountain. If I wanted to drag along NPC for everything, then I would roll a Pet Class.

[Naoroji]

Maybe you should just play WoW, instead of GW2.