Guild Wars 2: Eric Flannum Talks Engineers

SBFord

Last week's revelation of the Guild Wars 2 Engineer has been met with a lot of excitement. MMORPG.com Industry Relations Manager had the opportunity to talk with Guild Wars 2 Lead Game Designer Eric Flannum about the Engineer. Eric has a lot to say about the class that goes BOOM! Check it out and then let us know your thoughts about the Engineer.

What type of role do you see the Engineer playing in PvP?

Eric: In PvP the engineer is great at defending areas with turrets and mine fields. Because of this, they can be used to hold areas that have been captured. When the time comes to stop someone from running away, the engineer also has a lot of tools at their disposal with abilities like Net Shot, Jump Shot, and Slick Shoes.

Read more of Garrett Fuller's Guild Wars 2: Eric Flannum Talks Engineers.

Kaneth

It's nice to get some of the thoughts behind the profession, especially the little bit of history he gave us. Good stuff.

Killyox

Nice info, some new bitz although painfully short. Wish there was more!

 

Will Engineer suffer from long ramp-up time?

FreeBooteR

I was thinking of playing a Ranger or Thief first, but i have changed my mind. The Engineer will be my first choice now.

Zeroxin

Did MMORPG and Massively share the same room when talking to Flannum or something?

altairr

Very original prof, keep doing great job we are really looking forward to change our current games to GW2 when it arrives ;-)

nomss

I like the medics part.

gaeanprayer

Unlikely to be a class I will play. I was disappointed in the inclusion of a 'techy' class, honestly.

However, I realize their necessity, and it will break up all the traditional swords and sorcery, so I'm fine with it in the end if it makes people happy. There are a lot of people that like the idea, so that's fine. And even though I would have preferred a different class, Engineers are NEEDED in the lore, somewhere, even if it was only NPC status.

Between Asura and Charr, there is far, FAR too much technology mucking about the world (and it's all been there since Guild Wars 1, where do you think the Charr metal armor and catapults came from? Or the Asura golem?) to not include a group of people specifically devoted to understanding and manipulating it. I think people get too caught up in traditional fantasy and forget to be open-minded about what the word 'fantasy' entails.

And btw if I were to make an Engineer (which I probably will, I just won't play him), it would be Sylvari. Charr and Asura are too obvious, but the Sylvari are prime candidates for engineering contrary to popular belief. A whole, newborn race of exceedingly curious lemmings fascinated by complex things and hungering for knowledge? Oh no, that doesn't fit in with technology at all. /sarcasm.

Alot

Originally posted by gaeanprayer

Unlikely to be a class I will play. I was disappointed in the inclusion of a 'techy' class, honestly.

However, I realize their necessity, and it will break up all the traditional swords and sorcery, so I'm fine with it in the end if it makes people happy. There are a lot of people that like the idea, so that's fine. And even though I would have preferred a different class, Engineers are NEEDED in the lore, somewhere, even if it was only NPC status.

Between Asura and Charr, there is far, FAR too much technology mucking about the world (and it's all been there since Guild Wars 1, where do you think the Charr metal armor and catapults came from? Or the Asura golem?) to not include a group of people specifically devoted to understanding and manipulating it. I think people get too caught up in traditional fantasy and forget to be open-minded about what the word 'fantasy' entails.

And btw if I were to make an Engineer (which I probably will, I just won't play him), it would be Sylvari. Charr and Asura are too obvious, but the Sylvari are prime candidates for engineering contrary to popular belief. A whole, newborn race of exceedingly curious lemmings fascinated by complex things and hungering for knowledge? Oh no, that doesn't fit in with technology at all. /sarcasm.

How do you dare to apply logic to these forums!

McGamer

I can understand there being some sort of steampunk-ish character class in the game, but adding turret guns and flamethrowers is totally ridiculous for the era and theme of GW2. AN's explanation of engineer history is botched as well.

One doesn't simply leap from using black-powder and fireworks to building fully efficient flamethrowers. There is a lot involved in the tech of a flamethrower and not something that could have been built during any blackpowder era.

Alot

Originally posted by Czanrei

I can understand there being some sort of steampunk-ish character class in the game, but adding turret guns and flamethrowers is totally ridiculous for the era and theme of GW2. AN's explanation of engineer history is botched as well.

One doesn't simply leap from using black-powder and fireworks to building fully efficient flamethrowers. There is a lot involved in the tech of a flamethrower and not something that could have been built during any blackpowder era.

Please, PLEASE, get your facts straigth.

"The concept of throwing fire as a weapon has existed since ancient times. Early flame weapons date from the Byzantine era, whose inhabitants used rudimentary hand-pumped flamethrowers on board their naval ships in the early 1st century AD (see Greek fire). Greek fire, extensively used by the Byzantine Empire, is said to have been invented by Kallinikos (Callinicus) of Heliopolis, probably about 673. The flamethrower found its origins also in the Byzantine Empire, employing Greek fire in a device of a hand-held pump that shot bursts of Greek fire via a siphon-hose and piston, igniting it with a match, similar to modern versions, as it was ejected.^[4] Greek fire, used primarily at sea, gave the Byzantines a substantinal military advantage against enemies such as members of the Arab Empire (who later adopted the use of Greek fire). An 11th century illustration of its use survives in the John Skylitzes manuscript."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamethrower#Origins

http://timelines.com/1500/leonardo-da-vinci-sketches-the-design-for-a-machine-gun

gobla

Interesting read. Though it confirms why I personally don't like the Engineer.

"I personally love the sense of fun and slightly offbeat humor that some of the engineer skills have. Guild Wars is generally speaking a pretty serious game so it’s good when we can be a bit more lighthearted about things and not take ourselves so seriously. The engineer is just fun."

I prefer serious games. I dislike games that don't take themselves seriously.

I also think this adds to the discomfort that some feel at the Engineer. It's not just a technological class, it's a slightly over-the-top technological class. That's two factors setting the Engineer apart from the other classes and I think that for some, including me, it's just slightly too much.

It may have been a smarter choice to pick another class to take the lighthearted road. But what's done is done.

ps. I'm not trying to change GW2. Not trying to get the Engineer removed. Merely sharing my opinion. You don't have to reply to 'prove' me wrong, I'm quite happy in my current 'ignorant' situation.

BJWyler

Originally posted by altairr

Very original prof, keep doing great job we are really looking forward to change our current games to GW2 when it arrives ;-)

 

Except that it is not original. Some Warhammer players have said that this can be a clone of their Engineer, plus there are many elements taken here that are staples in many other games and genres. It may be a new profession in the GW universe, but his hardly original or revolutionary.

Kaneth

Originally posted by Czanrei

I can understand there being some sort of steampunk-ish character class in the game, but adding turret guns and flamethrowers is totally ridiculous for the era and theme of GW2. AN's explanation of engineer history is botched as well.

One doesn't simply leap from using black-powder and fireworks to building fully efficient flamethrowers. There is a lot involved in the tech of a flamethrower and not something that could have been built during any blackpowder era.

The GuildWars books would like to have a word with you.

Anyone doubting the lore behind the engineer class really needs to go read Ghosts of Ascalon and Edge of Destiny. You will find plenty of tech references within the pages of the books.

edited to add:

Anyone know what the date 1776 represents to Americans? The US is 234 years old, and look at the technological advances that have been made since the Revolutionary War until now. GW2 takes place 250 years after GW1, the Engineer class isn't a stretch.

[Deleted User]

The user and all related content has been deleted.

akathos

I think it's funny how people react to a technologic class,  250 years have passed,  with Charr and Asura around, advancement was bound to happen.Get over it lol

Hpnotiq

Yeah lets be concerned with the timeline for those weapons....but tell me,  why concern yourselves with the firearms/flamethrower rant when we have fireballs and necromancy?  If those are believable, I'm sure a bit of steampunk can be squeezed in.

just1opinion

Originally posted by Czanrei

I can understand there being some sort of steampunk-ish character class in the game, but adding turret guns and flamethrowers is totally ridiculous for the era and theme of GW2. AN's explanation of engineer history is botched as well.

One doesn't simply leap from using black-powder and fireworks to building fully efficient flamethrowers. There is a lot involved in the tech of a flamethrower and not something that could have been built during any blackpowder era.

 

F A N T A S Y

 

Is it all so amazing that things that are unrealistic and unbelievable might be found in something called a fantasy?  You know, it's like that girl in Playboy that you fantasize being with....it's never ever going to happen, it's completely unrealistic, but that certainly doesn't make the fantasy any less fun, does it?

Jumdor

Originally posted by Alot

Originally posted by gaeanprayer

Unlikely to be a class I will play. I was disappointed in the inclusion of a 'techy' class, honestly.

However, I realize their necessity, and it will break up all the traditional swords and sorcery, so I'm fine with it in the end if it makes people happy. There are a lot of people that like the idea, so that's fine. And even though I would have preferred a different class, Engineers are NEEDED in the lore, somewhere, even if it was only NPC status.

Between Asura and Charr, there is far, FAR too much technology mucking about the world (and it's all been there since Guild Wars 1, where do you think the Charr metal armor and catapults came from? Or the Asura golem?) to not include a group of people specifically devoted to understanding and manipulating it. I think people get too caught up in traditional fantasy and forget to be open-minded about what the word 'fantasy' entails.

And btw if I were to make an Engineer (which I probably will, I just won't play him), it would be Sylvari. Charr and Asura are too obvious, but the Sylvari are prime candidates for engineering contrary to popular belief. A whole, newborn race of exceedingly curious lemmings fascinated by complex things and hungering for knowledge? Oh no, that doesn't fit in with technology at all. /sarcasm.

How do you dare to apply logic to these forums!

 

 Logic based on a fantasy subject. Heh, funny.

 I just look at it as a taste thing. I mean yeah ok guns are acceptable to some in fantasy, and me being one who prefers it not so much. That is my taste. I would never dispute a person from enjoying a game based in their own vision of what they think fantasy is. On the same note how far do you take it? Should we have automated miniguns blazing bloody trails against dragons?

 Why not I say. Heck why can't I have a double barreled shotgun and blow an ogre's face clean off? Sure, but oh wait this isn't possible cause this world doesn't have those things. It's fantasy right? Why can't you say an extradimensional portal opened up and a man fell through and taught these barbarian sword and axe users how to man up to some real destruction (Army of Darkness). I mean it is fantasy right?

I see this as the developer's taste as to how they see their world. I personally don't favor it. I can agree it's cool, fine, and dandy for their world. However I can choose to let it bother me or I can choose not to play. I will still probably buy the game and play it some. Even though this class does bother me along with all the guns involved. My reasoning is that if you can have guns what keeps you from having lasers? If you have grenades what keeps you from having full mile wide area destroying bombs? When does it stop? When the developers choose it to. In my head however I see the world continuing to grow and develop deadlier technology and ways to kill things like our own does.

In my own way I wonder why I would choose a sword over something that I can kill with over a greater range just by the slight movement of my finger. You want logic: Why would any modern warrior choose a sword over something that can just blast his foe from a distance? Oh that's right it's fantasy there is no logic. No logical person would take a sword to a gun fight.

Don't take this as I'm upset or anything I just thought it was an interesting conversation piece...

Meowhead

Something people need to realize is that steampunk/clockpunk/gaslight fantasy and all the equivalents are not actually the same sort of technology we're using.  Does something seem fantastical to you?  Flamethrowers developed too fast?  Tanks developed too fast?  Perhaps you're bothered by the automated turrets.

... Steampunk >< real technology.

This is the same sort of 'technology' where Victorian people fly in crazy superblimps and have robots built out of little gears.  Because you know, the only thing you need to replicate human intelligence is a few extra gears compared to a clock.

Steampunk technology... not realistic.  Everybody who tries to bash an application of steampunk for being 'unrealistically advanced' is confusing the technology in GW2 with real technology.  Which it isn't.  So cut that out, it's silly.

Also, the whole 'why use swords when you can use bullets' argument is pretty strange when you have people dropping meteors out of the sky, shooting lightning from their hands and shooting some sort of magical super-arrows.

All the damage in GW2 is all sorts of crazy and wacky and imbalanced and seperate from reality.

Bullets just generally don't hurt as much in fantasy worlds.  Because they're not much fun when they kill too fast. :T  (On the other hand, being hit in the face with a two handed sword repeatedly should kill you way more than a blunderbuss from 200 feet away, so whatever.

DJJazzy

Should add this to the discussion.

ArenaNet: FAQ Engineer

They basically tell you, fantasy is not restricted to your norms.

Dwarvish

 Kinda glad to see tech has progressed in the 250 years that have passed since GW1.

 I wouldn't want to see a tech advance like the earth has made ( no WMDS please) so I'm thinking the Engineer is perfect and still preserves the feel of the game. Looks to be one of those jack of all profs. 

TGSOL

ANet is damned if they do, damned if they don't.

 

If they stick solely to swords-and-magic fantasy, they get sighs of "oh great, another fantasy MMO, how boring." They add steampuck elements and it's "oh man, guns in a fantasy game? This is madness!"

 

Then we get things like "Why can the Sylvari be engineers? They don't like technology! How stupid, ANet!" But if you took away that option from them, ANet would be getting complaints over how unrealistic it is that not a single Sylvari managed to "step away from the norm" and choose technology over magic. After all, what society in the world is in such a strong and absolute agreement over anything that not a single member dares to go against what that society deems "normal?"

jinxxed0

SLICK SHOES!? ARE YOU CRAZY!?

~Goonies

 

This is offcially the best class of any game ever. Norn Engineer. None of the other classes spoke to me like this one has.

Drekker17

Sounds great. I don't understand the hate. Do people really think that another planet would have the same exact history/technology progression as Earth? I mean the steam engine was invented in ancient Greece (as well as the first wind power), and if people continued working on it our current technology would be completely different.

Jumdor

I just hope that not everybody gets thrown into the category of idea haterz that I know float around here as well. Me being one of the people not wanting to be thrown in there.

There are many of us just voicing opinion and stuff about what we prefer. Not saying that someone should base their creation off our tastes. Just conversating about having said likes or disslikes toward certain aspects of their game. Not that I was fanatical and ranting all over them about how the game should be the way I think it should be.

It's their taste in fantasy and I can like or disslike it, but I don't want to be squared in as a hater of the concept. I was voicing opinion and that alone nothing more. I said I would give the game a try, but I am able to not like certain aspects just like someone may not like the way the hud is setup on their screen or the art style. Which actually I think GW2 has one of the best art styles I have seen in a long time on any game.

Just because I don't prefer something doesn't mean they should change it. I don't like coffee, but I don't expect people to stop drinking it cause I don't like the taste of it. However it doesn't mean I have to like the taste of it just cause you do. If everyone agreed with everyone you wouldn't have much to talk about. It would be a world full of yes men...