Originally posted by Homitu ... What's more, some of the transition loading screens seem to give the option to travel to one of a number of locations. It seems as if there was a transitory passageway that they decided to forego entirely and just have players teleport past. ...
I've seen a couple of these too, but that was only because of it being Beta. If the zone that a portal would normally lead to wasn't available for the Beta, it would sometimes give you the option to go to a different zone instead.
I have been doing research on this game, and don't get me wrong, I hate the first one with it's invisble walls and lack of jumping, but after watching a ton of videos I can say now that I am impressed and the game truly brings back some of the old school playstyle back into the genre. I have noticied a lot of loading screens in the videos I have watched. Is that just people traveling between waypoints or does it really have that many loading screens? I will probably pick up the game after feed back from the stress test and next BWE .
First off, let me say I hope you enjoy the game.
I guess elaborating more on why you hated the first game would be useful here. Mechanics-wise they are very different games, but the art-style & lore of the games are VERY similar. GW2 'feels' like your in the GW1 universe, but the mechanics definitely are much difference.
Another thing you said, which is troubling, is that you feel GW2 'brings back some of the old school playstyle back into the genre'. I'm not sure what you are referring to about this, but I hope you aren't setting yourself up for dissapointment on this. GW2 is a very unique game. I know not everyone will agree on that, but I'm telling you; if you play & enjoy GW2, you will find yourself staring back at a genre full of games that no longer cut it anymore. It sucks, cause there are literally no other games like it that you can play, while waiting for GW2 to get released.
When it comes to an 'oldschool feeling', there are really only 3 things in the game that I can say gave me that:
1) Exploration: I have not played a game that made we want to explore like GW2 since EQ2.
2) Community: It's been a VERY long time since I've played an MMO that has a good sense of community (and people working together). Rift had it for a time, but it was short lived.
3) WvW: Definitely brought me back to DAoC.
Everything else felt entirely different. Most likely it'll be a very new experience for you. Just don't make the same mistakes as some other people have, and focus on the shinniest objects on your map. Anet added hearts in an attempt to give people a sense of direction (because earlier testers were confused about where to go for the dynamic events. Not realizing that you are just supposed to go explore and see whats out there). However, many players have assumed that the renown hearts are the dynamic events, and that those are all the game has to offer as far as PvE goes. Doing so will mean you are missing out on at least ~80% of the PvE content, if not more.
Loading Screens:
Since this is what you asked about specifically, they are present. If you absolutely hate even the thought of a loading screen, they may bug you. For the most part they are very quick, and non-obtrusive. There are a few exceptions, though. Your personal story is heavily instanced, and separate from the world (looks like a green glowing star on the map). If you set forth to do a lot of your personal story quests, expect a lot of instances. Other than that, zone portals are where you are going to get your loading screens (or if you are teleporting between zones a lot). As others have mentioned, more often than not, you will be so busy in any given zone, that you can easily spend hours without experiencing a single loading screen. It's very easy to get lost in the world. Especially if you take the time to look around.
As others have said, the size of the zones (huge) often means loading screens are pretty rare unless you're travelling a good distance across the world, in which you might hit 2 or even 3 en route to a different starter area, for example.
I found them to be a non-issue, but the last MMO I bought was swtor - which had excessive loading screens and drove me (and my wife after seeing the difference) to buy SSDs (which was a great decision).
Now in GW2 the loading screens are such a brief flash that I don't even get to read the little blurbs unless I see them in a youtube video. I personally never had any issue with them being intrusive.
I have been doing research on this game, and don't get me wrong, I hate the first one with it's invisble walls and lack of jumping, but after watching a ton of videos I can say now that I am impressed and the game truly brings back some of the old school playstyle back into the genre. I have noticied a lot of loading screens in the videos I have watched. Is that just people traveling between waypoints or does it really have that many loading screens? I will probably pick up the game after feed back from the stress test and next BWE .
First off, let me say I hope you enjoy the game.
I guess elaborating more on why you hated the first game would be useful here. Mechanics-wise they are very different games, but the art-style & lore of the games are VERY similar. GW2 'feels' like your in the GW1 universe, but the mechanics definitely are much difference.
Another thing you said, which is troubling, is that you feel GW2 'brings back some of the old school playstyle back into the genre'. I'm not sure what you are referring to about this, but I hope you aren't setting yourself up for dissapointment on this. GW2 is a very unique game. I know not everyone will agree on that, but I'm telling you; if you play & enjoy GW2, you will find yourself staring back at a genre full of games that no longer cut it anymore. It sucks, cause there are literally no other games like it that you can play, while waiting for GW2 to get released.
When it comes to an 'oldschool feeling', there are really only 3 things in the game that I can say gave me that:
1) Exploration: I have not played a game that made we want to explore like GW2 since EQ2.
2) Community: It's been a VERY long time since I've played an MMO that has a good sense of community (and people working together). Rift had it for a time, but it was short lived.
3) WvW: Definitely brought me back to DAoC.
Everything else felt entirely different. Most likely it'll be a very new experience for you. Just don't make the same mistakes as some other people have, and focus on the shinniest objects on your map. Anet added hearts in an attempt to give people a sense of direction (because earlier testers were confused about where to go for the dynamic events. Not realizing that you are just supposed to go explore and see whats out there). However, many players have assumed that the renown hearts are the dynamic events, and that those are all the game has to offer as far as PvE goes. Doing so will mean you are missing out on at least ~80% of the PvE content, if not more.
Loading Screens:
Since this is what you asked about specifically, they are present. If you absolutely hate even the thought of a loading screen, they may bug you. For the most part they are very quick, and non-obtrusive. There are a few exceptions, though. Your personal story is heavily instanced, and separate from the world (looks like a green glowing star on the map). If you set forth to do a lot of your personal story quests, expect a lot of instances. Other than that, zone portals are where you are going to get your loading screens (or if you are teleporting between zones a lot). As others have mentioned, more often than not, you will be so busy in any given zone, that you can easily spend hours without experiencing a single loading screen. It's very easy to get lost in the world. Especially if you take the time to look around.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I think what I hated about the first one was the mechanics. I went into it thinking it was an MMO, due to my lack of doing research on it. As for the old school feeling, it more of the things that remind me of EQ and some other games. The threat of death, enviromental traps, and the mechanics really look slick.
Quite a lot of loading screens. But context is important.
There are loading screens in most MMOs (instanced pvp, instanced dungeons, teleportations, changing continents, changing between world 1 2 3 and 4 and so on).
Like Skyrim, GW2 also has them when entering towns. And a town like divinitys reach has lots of loading screen. but a lot of it is optional. like skyrim. you can go through a door and will end up at the highest floor. but you can also access that floor on a different but time consuming method.
Also like Skyrim you got fast travel. open your map and teleport (for a fee) to a place that you have discovered. this is loading screens as well.
Unlike Skyrim however is zone loading screens. it took me 4-5 hours before I found the first "portal" to another area. kessex hills which is a 15+ area. It didn't really bother me at all. the technical details in the game is amazing, so I didnt expect it to all be under one.
This is not a sandbox game, and it doesnt try to be. But its not a themepark either. No game is perfect. Everything has trade offs.
All games have zones, no matter what it seems like.
For example: Runes of Magic. You could run from area to area and never see a loading screen, but it was a trick - in between zones there were long hallways/valleys/ whatever with no mobs. As you ran through, the game was swapping out memory.
You could get it borked up if you changed directions repeatedly.
Comments
I've seen a couple of these too, but that was only because of it being Beta. If the zone that a portal would normally lead to wasn't available for the Beta, it would sometimes give you the option to go to a different zone instead.
"I'll lead, you follow."
First off, let me say I hope you enjoy the game.
I guess elaborating more on why you hated the first game would be useful here. Mechanics-wise they are very different games, but the art-style & lore of the games are VERY similar. GW2 'feels' like your in the GW1 universe, but the mechanics definitely are much difference.
Another thing you said, which is troubling, is that you feel GW2 'brings back some of the old school playstyle back into the genre'. I'm not sure what you are referring to about this, but I hope you aren't setting yourself up for dissapointment on this. GW2 is a very unique game. I know not everyone will agree on that, but I'm telling you; if you play & enjoy GW2, you will find yourself staring back at a genre full of games that no longer cut it anymore. It sucks, cause there are literally no other games like it that you can play, while waiting for GW2 to get released.
When it comes to an 'oldschool feeling', there are really only 3 things in the game that I can say gave me that:
1) Exploration: I have not played a game that made we want to explore like GW2 since EQ2.
2) Community: It's been a VERY long time since I've played an MMO that has a good sense of community (and people working together). Rift had it for a time, but it was short lived.
3) WvW: Definitely brought me back to DAoC.
Everything else felt entirely different. Most likely it'll be a very new experience for you. Just don't make the same mistakes as some other people have, and focus on the shinniest objects on your map. Anet added hearts in an attempt to give people a sense of direction (because earlier testers were confused about where to go for the dynamic events. Not realizing that you are just supposed to go explore and see whats out there). However, many players have assumed that the renown hearts are the dynamic events, and that those are all the game has to offer as far as PvE goes. Doing so will mean you are missing out on at least ~80% of the PvE content, if not more.
Loading Screens:
Since this is what you asked about specifically, they are present. If you absolutely hate even the thought of a loading screen, they may bug you. For the most part they are very quick, and non-obtrusive. There are a few exceptions, though. Your personal story is heavily instanced, and separate from the world (looks like a green glowing star on the map). If you set forth to do a lot of your personal story quests, expect a lot of instances. Other than that, zone portals are where you are going to get your loading screens (or if you are teleporting between zones a lot). As others have mentioned, more often than not, you will be so busy in any given zone, that you can easily spend hours without experiencing a single loading screen. It's very easy to get lost in the world. Especially if you take the time to look around.
As others have said, the size of the zones (huge) often means loading screens are pretty rare unless you're travelling a good distance across the world, in which you might hit 2 or even 3 en route to a different starter area, for example.
I found them to be a non-issue, but the last MMO I bought was swtor - which had excessive loading screens and drove me (and my wife after seeing the difference) to buy SSDs (which was a great decision).
Now in GW2 the loading screens are such a brief flash that I don't even get to read the little blurbs unless I see them in a youtube video. I personally never had any issue with them being intrusive.
Thanks for all the replies guys. I think what I hated about the first one was the mechanics. I went into it thinking it was an MMO, due to my lack of doing research on it. As for the old school feeling, it more of the things that remind me of EQ and some other games. The threat of death, enviromental traps, and the mechanics really look slick.
Quite a lot of loading screens. But context is important.
There are loading screens in most MMOs (instanced pvp, instanced dungeons, teleportations, changing continents, changing between world 1 2 3 and 4 and so on).
Like Skyrim, GW2 also has them when entering towns. And a town like divinitys reach has lots of loading screen. but a lot of it is optional. like skyrim. you can go through a door and will end up at the highest floor. but you can also access that floor on a different but time consuming method.
Also like Skyrim you got fast travel. open your map and teleport (for a fee) to a place that you have discovered. this is loading screens as well.
Unlike Skyrim however is zone loading screens. it took me 4-5 hours before I found the first "portal" to another area. kessex hills which is a 15+ area. It didn't really bother me at all. the technical details in the game is amazing, so I didnt expect it to all be under one.
This is not a sandbox game, and it doesnt try to be. But its not a themepark either. No game is perfect. Everything has trade offs.
yea i didnt like gw1 either man but from what i have played really enjoying gw2 great game sofar
All games have zones, no matter what it seems like.
For example: Runes of Magic. You could run from area to area and never see a loading screen, but it was a trick - in between zones there were long hallways/valleys/ whatever with no mobs. As you ran through, the game was swapping out memory.
You could get it borked up if you changed directions repeatedly.
Personally, I found that just as tedious.