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[Poll] Do you like the Engineer because it's sans-magic?
Dream_Chaser
Member Posts: 1,043
I've had an ongoing little anti-propaganda fight going on in regards to the Engineer. :P
Now one of the reasons I'm interested in the Engineer is that it uses the closest things to real world science that Guild Wars 2 has, it's an independent class, it's not using magic as a crutch. Eric Flannum in one interview said that the Engineer doesn't use magic, and went on to explain that the potions that the Engineer uses are alchemical ones and it uses technological devices to deal with magical problems. (Such as the capture shield.)
Explanations here could be that magic is simply another form of 'energy,' I remember reading in one fantasy work that magic was treated the same as a directed energy weapon, and the scientists there dealt with magic by simply adjusting their shields to absorb the energies that the 'magicks' of that world used. I see the absorption device working along the same principle, like a lightning rod for magic. They've found a material that compels and absorbs the energies that magicks are based upon and made a 'magic rod' out of it.
Another example is alchemical potions. Interestingly when Flannum said this he said alchemical, not magical, and I think that if he'd meant to say that they were magical then he would've just said that. Now we know that the Ash Legion excels in chemical compounds (such as poisons), and they've been playing around with alchemy as much as the Iron Legion has been playing with technology. We also know that the world existed before magic was brought to it, so there are likely plants and minerals with chemical properties that the Ash Legion has found very useful.
The point of all this is tha the Engineer is a class buitl upon these ideals, that they're strong and independent, that they rely on things that have been made rather than magic that was added to the world by a bunch of so-called gods. It also means that there's something for people to play if they don't like the idea of magic/being pawns of the gods. If you're an atheist then the Engineer is a good fit for you, since there's no divine intervention involved.
Now, one bit of propaganda I've been fighting is that some are trying to claim that this isn't important to people, or that the Engineer uses magic anyway. It's my belief that the Engineer doesn't use any magic, and that the Engineer is designed to appeal to people who don't want to use magic, so if someone isn't a fan of magic/gods then they have an option of something to play that doesn't involve it. It's already been confirmed that even the Thief and the Warrior can use magic, so the Engineer is that one bastion for people who want something a bit different. And it seems to have been designed as that one, sole profession for thoe who don't want to have a character who siphons the power of the gods to do their thing.
Is it important to you to have just that one profession where you can play as something which isn't magical, and therefore isn't de facto 'divine' (as all magic is)? My point is is that even tech fans and atheists are groups that enjoy MMORPGs and would like to have a profession targeted at them (which the Engineer is supposed to be), and what I want to prove with this poll is that this either does or does not matter, that people either do or don't like having something that's meant for them. What I'm getting at is that I think these are demographics worth targeting by keeping the Engineer as a straight up non-magic class - which targets those who're tired of magic and those who don't want to use divine magic. Now that's either going to be true or untrue, that's what this poll exists to prove.
A little while back I asked the question of whether people liked the aesthetics of the Engineer. There were one or two people who mixed that up with mechanics, but by and large people were intelligent in regards to that and they saw what I was getting at, good for you. And the majority knowing that I was talking about aesthetics, the turnout was 80% positive. 80% of over 60 voters said that they did like the aesthetics.
So here's the question:
Comments
For those wondering why I'm so passionate about this - think of it like the Mesmer. I think that it's an option that deserves to be there for those who want it, and I have at least one friend whose interest hinges on whether he can escape the use of 'divine magic' as an Engineer or not. I'm sure he's not alone.
If the Mesmer wasn't in the game, you'd likely still play it, but you'd be really disappointed because it's the sort of class you enjoy playing. It's something that panders to what you want out of the game. It's basically your doorway into the game. You can always pick another class, but it's not going to feel the same for you as the Mesmer. A completely non-magical Engineer is the same for people who exist at the opposite end of the field.
Everyone likes what they like, and I'm sure that there are a lot of people out there who like the notion of a non-magical Engineer. That's what this post exists to prove or disprove. That's what I wanted to clarify without taking away from the first post (which is already big enough).
If the mesmer wasn't there, I would be very sad, yes. And it is because I love the idea and the mechanics, both.
I chose, not interested, but glad it's here. I don't really like the aesthetics of the class, for me to play, but for to be in the world, I love it. I love the idea that in this world, a world with magic and monsters and all sorts of dangerous things, things that would be incredibly deadly to the average person, people have devised ways for people without magical ability to survive on their own. Just think, if you had no magical ability, and you were in a world with giant skale and FREAKING DRAGONS, wouldn't you want a good sidearm, and maybe a shield that could absorb magic? I know I would. This is a natural evolution of the world. People using technology to fill a need. It happens in the real world, why not here?
Necessity is the mother of invention. And wow, do these people have some serious needs. Especially the charr, where the bulk of innovation comes from, who had to recover from years of oppression by the Flame Legion. People need something to help them in a dangerous world. It only makes sense that engineers would exist, and part of the allure is that this helps explain what people without magical abilities might do in this situation.
"Gamers will no longer buy the argument that every MMO requires a subscription fee to offset server and bandwidth costs. It's not true you know it, and they know it." Jeff Strain, co-founder of ArenaNet, 2007
WTF? No subscription fee?
I can do nothing else but nod in agreement
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
I like this thread ;>
I have no intention of playing one, but I'm glad it's there. The above posters have pretty much hit the nail on the head. I understand some people are die-hard fantasy (I'm one of them) but I can't think of a single fantasy universe that didn't have technology. LoTR experimented with it, remember the opening with the fireworks? Dragonlance, Forgotten Realms, Dungeons and Dragons, all come with some technology to it. I know most people don't think so deeply about trivial details, but surely every building and weapon and etc., wasn't simply magicked into existence.
I think the Engineer class will provide a unique kind of struggle in terms of storyline. Everyone else has magic to rely on, except for the Warrior which is generally brute strength. But even the Warrior has their muscles to rely on. Engineers are like everyday people that are using the minds to compensate for what they lack in muscle and magical power. I love the idea, and I'm glad Anet took the steps to realize the class despite, I'm sure, knowing how some people would feel about it.
"Forums aren't for intelligent discussion; they're for blow-hards with unwavering opinions."
I am playing Guardian but I can already surmise there will be many times I am thankful for the Engineers fire support, healing support and situational control (cc, area denial, etc.).
The one thing I think people tend to forget is....is it fun? This class sure looks like it will be.
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The engineer reminded me of the game Arcanum. It's pretty much a steampunk game where it's a fantasy world but it's beginning to have an industrial revolution and people are moving from the old magical ways to the new mechanical.
So the engineer reminds me of the struggle in that game between magic and technology where one can prove to be just as good as the other but people like to push for new things. So yes I agree with the op that the engineer doesn't use magic. It's the profession pushing for change away from the old ways of magic.
I will play an engineer, but for one of my alts. I'm a magic/mystic guy at heart so I'll definitely play those types a lot, but it's always nice to try something new and completely different from everything else (really really different!).
I only worry about how really different it is. At this moment I can't picture it in the GW world with all of the other profs and races, I have to wait for the next demo to see it. (and I can't wait)
I like the engineer and will probably be playing one as my main, but I like it rather despite the fact that it's not magical. Truth be told, I'm not sure why it appeals to me so much (I have played engineers in other games such as Warhammer and Star Trek Online, but I generally trend toward the mage types). It's just the first class in GW2 that really "popped" for me.
Edit: Oh, and I don't mind the level of technology in GW2 personally; I just normally gravitate to casters and so my affinity for the Engineer has caught me by surprise.