9 replies to this topic

[Draehl]

While everyone else salivates about new content, or complains about gear progression I see a lack of actual change or even dev commentary to have anything to do with the real core of the game- profession design/balance. We can repeat existing content and still enjoy ourselves, in fact events are designed to be (and are) rather fun to do multiple times.

• Weapons that are too weak, don't have a role within the context of other weapons, or just don't "flow" very well.
  
• Traits that have minimal impact on combat, are boring passive boosts, and entire builds that were intended within traits but are too weak to actually use.
  
• Stats that clearly need more differentiation in affecting your playstyle.
  
• Profession mechanics that need work either in regards to power or design. For example, the usefulness of steal to a ranged Thief build or Death Shroud's usefulness to condition Necro builds.
  
• Professions and skills in general that feel too "samey" when compared with one another.

Overall it feels like they handed us watered down (but relatively balanced) professions rather than giving us a modicum of control how to build our character at risk of creating imbalances. We've seen a good number of bug fixes, but we've yet to see any real movement on tweaking the professions.

Edited by Draehl, 30 November 2012 - 11:44 PM.

[FoxBat]

Draehl, on 30 November 2012 - 11:42 PM, said:

Overall it feels like they handed us watered down (but relatively balanced) professions rather than giving us a modicum of control how to build our character at risk of creating imbalances.

That's an intentional design choice and I'm not sure why you would be expecting it to change. Especially ironic when most of your other complaints have to do with imbalances.

[kineticdamage]

I totally agree with you Draehl. For someone who is just discovering MMOs, or even simply discovering videogames, GW2's combat can feel varied enough. But for people who are playing videogames for more than 10 years (= majority, as average age is 30), and even more for people who have been playing MMOs for 10 years (= a lot), GW2's combat can really feel short sticked.

On the last AMA, Chris talked about creating a new AMA with the class design team. Only question now is when.

Edited by kineticdamage, 01 December 2012 - 12:25 PM.

[sty0pa]

I agree.  GW2's mechanics ARE interesting for a short number of levels but are pretty dull by lvl 40.

I'm hoping the initially-interesting but eventually tepid class mechanics don't suggest half-assery, but instead suggest that eventually, maybe, they'll relent and allow us to multiclass like GW1.  It was the most innovative, creative, and ultimately interesting feature that defined GW in opposition to every other mmo and crpg out there.

Hey, Tyria's a fantasy world, right?

[Draehl]

I would actually agree with Anet on not bringing back multi-classing. I feel like the primary solution here is expanding the effectiveness and overall impact traits have. Less of "this does 20% more damage" and more far reaching effect.

"this skill additionally applies this effect"
"this skill has a 5s cooldown instead of a 20s cooldown, but you lose 5% of your health when you use it"
"increases the range of your skills by 30% but you deal 20% less damage"
"increases the duration of your conditions but reduces their damage"

Combine this with a (not too drastic) design/balance pass over the weapon/utility skills and I think we'd be in a good place. Total overhauls aren't needed, the current system is fine, they just need to take the training wheels off.

[Xsiriss]

They need more variety as well as to get things properly right. Ranger is an obvious example, where not only are its choices significantly dull but also mediocre at best. They're high as f*** if they think that's an okay state for any profession, and the fact that they seem more intent of giving odd 'fixes' and nerfs instead of simple buffs offered by the community is worrying.

[The Prestige]

Draehl, on 30 November 2012 - 11:42 PM, said:

rather than giving us a modicum of control how to build our character at risk of creating imbalances.

You want imbalances in the game? No thank you. That would be a HUGE turn off to me and a lot of people.

[Wifflebottom]

I think they need to give serious attention to the completely useless weapons *cough* mesmer torch and scepter *cough* and get the completely broken traits working or the traits that are totally useless replaced with something decent.

[Draehl]

The Prestige, on 01 December 2012 - 04:38 PM, said:

You want imbalances in the game? No thank you. That would be a HUGE turn off to me and a lot of people.

Where did I say that? More complexity and more options create a situation where unless Anet puts in the effort to balance it will, undoubtedly, be imbalanced. They took the quick, easy, (and probably correct given their timetable) route for the launch of the game by giving us the watered down coolaid because they didn't have the time to make sure they got it right. They have the time now to examine things further and make build options, skills combat itself more interesting. I'm not blaming them for launching the professions how they did, I'm simply concerned that we've seen/heard little to corroborate that they see the lack of depth within the game systems as many players do.

[Dasryn]

at this point, im sure ANet is on their P's and Q's about disclosing information about new content to its community.

the less we know the better, because when they tell us stuff, even if its conceptual, we hold em to it. . . dont we folks?