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Discussing the Downsides of Guild Wars (Veteran Opinions Wanted)
DrSaw
Member Posts: 81
So I recently started playing Guild Wars and thus far I'm very happy with it. I'm a level 8 Ranger/Warrior after two days of play. The ranger/warrior is an unusual combo, bit this is perfet for the type of gameplay that I enjoy (I hate magic).
But here are some of the downsides I've found with GW that I wanted to discuss. Maybe some of them come into play later in the game, and I'm just too new to have found them. If so, please let me know.
* GW lacks non-combat professions. I always enjoy being a crafter on the side, so I miss this part of gameplay.
* Cities thus far have felt like movie sets. I can't go into any buildings.
* Maps are full of "invisible walls." I like maps where I can move freely through the environment and, if necessary, fall off a mountain. LOL
* It seems that some of the quests have a one-way-in, one-way-out setup. So this limits strategy. You always have to attack your enemies head on, etc.
* GW lacks an in-game e-mail system. At least I haven't seen one, but maybe I'm just missing it. We can whisper to each other, but it would be nice to talk with potential guild inductees via an in-game e-mail system.
* No animal mounts of any type (that I've seen). Maybe this comes into play later, but it would be nice to be able to move through the countryside on a mount.
Overall, I've really enjoyed playing the game. These are just the downsides, but I find plenty of positive aspects about the game. I'd like to hear some of the veterans who have been around since alpha and beta testing comment on some of the above. Also, any rumors on what future enhancements will include?
I look forward to hearing from you all.
Saw.
Comments
Most Quests Actually do have more then one way of going about them...., Strategy in this game has to do with the micro, like attacking from a cliff before going head on, and as for not gonig in buildings and not having the tradition crafting system, the game was just not designed to, keep in mind that though te game has a pve, it is probably only secondary to the pvp, you use you pve gameplay to strengthen your pvp by getting runs and additional skills ect.
So really what it lacks is ones opinion, if it had more buildings and more indepth crafting system like wow, then the game would be more like wow, why not just play wow? I liek this game for its general no hasle lots of fun... You can easily make it through, at least to the temple of ages within a weeks time with a lvl 20 character and top notch set of armor, it took me about 3 days to make it to lvl 17.
What is lacking in my opinion? i'm not sure yet, if anything.
-AwSoMeST-
I havent played the game yet, but i will say it seems to fit everything i want from a rpg. I really do not enjoy crafting because it is long, boring, and not very detailed. In WoW you forced to have some sort of profession, without one you will definetly be lacking funds to get anything good. I like how it seems more of a straight up competative pvp oriented game, as well as fun team based pve. If this game is more like diablo 2, has that fun factor, and low stress levels then im all for it. If it is anything like WoW in it's economy or leveling i would hide from it. I am tired of level grinding, i feel like i have wased too much time and money on DaoC, SWG, and WoW to recover compeltely. Level grinding is the biggest trap/ploy to keep people paying lots of money to do jack! Refreshing is an understatement when a game like this is released.
Things like player crafting, fishing, wood chopping, ect are considered boring by most people (feel free to disagree). GW tries to focus on fun, not boring "work".
I don't care much about city buildings, but there are some pve/pvp buildings I'd like to be able to go into. Not a big deal really, but it would be nice.
I have no desire to fall off mountains, but there are several spots where they pathing could be better and it's easy to get "stuck". Some of these would be nice to be able to jump. Again, ..it would just be nice.
Just because most mission maps are pretty linear doesn't mean there's only one way to do them.
You can send messages/pms as you know. But the person doesn't have to be online as I recall. It's been a while, but I seem to remember it working like Yahoo IMs: send the message, and if they're not online at the time, they'll get it when they log in. I think it even keeps your offline messages stored too, like email.
Due to the instant map travel, mounts would serve little to no purpose. However, I can see how they could have a purpose if they were added. Take the Dolyak Riders, for instance. Maybe there could be mounts that give you different combat options rather than for fast travel. But in any case, ...current, not mounts.
The Obsidian Kings
well, would you leave your doors unlocked with the charr, undead, white mantle and men with large axes running around?
---sig---
PvE in general is pretty lame, if you think long and hard about it. You are spending your time beating a severely gimped AI that would lose to a well trained monkey. Best not to think too long and hard why you are wasting time playing games in general actually...
One thing I'd like to see is a hand to hand combat profession. Those are always my favorite professions to play.
OK, as I old school geek I feel the need to put my two cents in on this. As we are all more then well aware this is not an MMORPG it is a MMOCG. However it is attempting to cross the line from the traditional console based MMOCG into the world of MMORPG. For this reason and for the fact that I am posting this on a freaking website called MMORPG.COM I will compare it against the current MMORPGs on the market and list a series of pros and cons:
Cons:
Society It is severely lacking in the common areas. However it does take solid form in guilds and the xenophobic world of guild Vs. guild that this game is based on. But if I were to judge this as a true MMORPG I would be liable to completely discredit this aspect of the game.
Collision Pretty looking landscapes but the collision mapping is horrid. You get the feeling that you are wandering around a map made up of oversized invisible Legos.
Graphics I know I will get the snot flamed out of me for this but I gotta say that they are a major let down. The avatars are generic and rigid. The skins are too limited, there is some degree of variation but it is way too cookie cutter compared to the incredible degrees of variation available in other games. It is obvious that the developers decided to push a less advanced graphic engine to try and conserve on player side resources while this is fine and dandy for people with run of the mill boxes it is a major let down for those of us that actually understand the concept of updating our hardware.
Role Playing Unless everyone likes to play a character with a vocabulary limited to sentences beginning with Looking for a group to WTS WTB WTF and where/how do I there is no role playing in this game Dont even try to pull that whole I consider emersion to be role playing thing.
Pros:
The mission system Flat out a great aspect of the game. This provides a vehicle for story progression something that other games lack.
Travel Insta-travel to the start point of a mission is handy
Fun It is fun
Cost No subscription fee, but do not complain when you see the cost of the expansions
Solo content Lots of it, and the zones tailor themselves based on what active quests you have, genius.
In summary:
MMORPG Eh not too good compared with the market
MMOCG Good god this thing rocks
<div><span style="width:120px; height:120px;float:left;overflow: hidden;"><a href="http://www.zowned.com/Opef"><img src="http://www.zowned.com/file/pic/user/Opef_120.jpg"; style="border: 0pt none ; margin: 10px 10px 10px 10px; width: 120px; height: 120px;"></a></span></div>
hmm.. those are all really minor things, that really have little to no effect on the actual gameplay.. I'll tell you what I don't like most of all.. the fact that if you go linkdead, or someone in your group goes linkdead they cannot rejoin even if they re-log in 30 seconds later.
I can understand how in PvP it would be ridiculous if people could disconnect, and re-log in immediately, but at least they shoudl be allowed to between maps. In PvE it should just outright be allowed all the time.
i beleve crafting to be rather boring but i do think they should pt some kind of system in for those who lik it.
the cities dont bother me much since i dont wanna go into any houses.
the mounts i think they should add of course not to travel faster but just for looks and maybe they could implment some sort of fighting with em like previously stated
-Gosh you're cute. Wanna buy a monkey?
Actually crafting isn't so bad. Sure it's very boring like playing healer or similar but it could be a handy skill if they could acquire a certain level of craftsmanship were their products would play a significant role. So far I don't know any game were crafters could reach a level similar to that, too many other items would take their work's place thus making them useless. Should be more rewarding even if tedious to play.
Do agree with most of what mangar said apart from the comment on hardware. Do keep in mind that not everyone can afford to buy a new set of hardware every six months, because that's what it comes down to. I love PC games and have spent thousands of Euros on PC hard-, software, IT, whatever but it's a money pit and after a few months is worthless junk.
As for the game though, haven't played so far thus my knowledge is based on what I've been able to find out via the various sites and people. Wanted to order it this morning but then got second thoughts on the game because although I know it is cool I'm already aware of some things that will disappoint me. Some were already named like the invisible walls thus linear gameplay and little exploration, the missing roleplaying aspects, the locked houses, also too few items for my taste (I love collecting), lack of trading due to that shortage but also restrictions like with the armor plates etc. Sure I could name dozens of things I do like about the game too, so chances are I'll order it sometime soon but what I don't approve of is all this hype. GW surely is a good, perhaps even great game but it's definitely not as revolutionary as it's being claimed nor is it the best game ever made.
I might not be a veteran on the forums, but I've played a couple of MMORPGs and have played at least 3 of the beta weekend events.
First off, I love the game so far. With the missions I feel as if I have accomplished something without having to grind it out.
However, I feel that dying and its effects are generally on the light side. For those that don't know, when you die in a mission you can be resurrected (either you or your whole party - it depends on how bad the fight went down
). When you 'come back' you are a little slower and weaker. You can die multiple times and then this weakening effect gets larger and larger. You can lower this weakening by not dying and acrueing kills. You will eventually get back to your original stats if you continue without dying again.
OR
You can totally negate the effect by leaving the mission, re-forming the party and starting over. That can be a chore, but it's about as tough as it gets.
No destroyed loot. No having to run back to your dead, rotting body in a bog a hundred miles away from your spiritually 'bound' location to get back your loot. No lost experience. No loss of aquired skills. No permanent loss of your character in any way...and because there are only instanced coop missions and quests (players in coop missions will not run across other random players) and PvP which is only limited to specific areas, you have no worries of someone just ganking you out of nowhere.
The designers set GuildWars up this way for obvious and good natured reasons. Implementing instanced sessions clamped down on all issues between wandering groups of players...but was it the right thing to do? In effect, there is never a fear of loss for your character because his/her demise is only fleetingly temporary, whether it's between an NPC or a Hostile Player. There is also a lack of immersion when this is done.
Lack of a true penalty for death of your character really means the lack of fear of anything in the game. Will people truly 'care' about their characters like they would in a different MMORPG/CORPG?
My viewpoint is obviously from the cooperative, mission based side of things. Some people would think that the missions/quests are soley there to build your character to beef up your skills for the Guild vs. Guild or PvP action.
I consider a good game to have both an even amount of PvE and PvP - though I haven't seen it in a MMORPG yet. Unfortunately, the blurring of the lines between a MMORPG and a CORPG confuses me.
I want to care about my character more. I want to be a little worried for my character's virtual existence. This is what makes the game a more emmersive, more memorable experience.
I think GuildWars has hit very, very close to the mark in what I consider an awesome Online Roleplaying game. It has the rich storyline, compelling missions and quests, nice visuals, etc. However, I think some of the 'safety' features have to be loosened to keep gamers playing on the edge of their seats.
Well the game is like an online console game with multiple players and not an MMO so your points while valid is based off the presumption I think that you thought this was a traditional MMO.
Realmreaver formally of EQ, SWG, FFXI and WoW.
Malis/Pirotess of PSO.
Some named of Diablo 1 and 2
Grendel Kinguard of GW.
hmmm...yea animal mounts woud be nice,even though you can just warp from place to place. it still would like to run around a bit faster. as far as the other stuff,i really dont care,i like the game 100%
Get a warrior with the Charge skill (elite, so have to capture somewhere) to join your party.
Charge will make him and everyone close to him run 33% faster for around 10 seconds and he can spam it quite easily ;p
As for GW not beeing a MMORPG game.. cmon guys.. go to the other thread where its already beeing discussed. It complies with the rules of www.mmorpg.com thereby its a MMORPG game inhere. Nothing more to it ? As for pro´s and con´s .
This game is based around and focussed on PVP. Its not based on stading in a town looking smart in your 200 hour time to build armor with your 6 months farming to buy sword. Its about skills in PVP and they never claimed it to be anything els. The PVE aspect of the game is only to help you PVP. Get items and so on. As for invisible walls.. ehm. Cant say i have ever had a problem with that. And town beeing movies sets. ehm. yeah. they are. they werent supposed to be anything els. They are for junking selling and storing your shit. nothing more.
All in all. You want a game with crafting, time consuming 2 hours runs to do a quest and having to rerun the trip because a greifer came along and ganked your ass.. Then GW is not the game for you. This is based on GVG battles, and PVP. Nothing more. It has plenty of diffrent setup´s and variations in Char creation. But is limited in the RPG section. The comminty is diffrent from most MMORPG games but its there. And as the game progressses the comminty will grow into what i think a more alive part of the game.
But thats just imo. Sure this game has some thing i think would be nice to have altered/added/removed. But compared to wow/eq2/eve ect. ect. It has nomore or noless things you would like to change. "Nothing is ever perfect. So live with that life grants you".
Manilix