Just like a lot of people... I try to log on with a set goal in mind but end up easily sidetracked, because there's just so much to do in this game, for someone like me.
Like last night I just finished the Sorrow's Embrace dungeon, on my level 65 Elementalist and noticed that I was well on my way to getting the this month's achievement (the getting 100,000xp without dying thing). So I went to a zone I mostly completed before, to 100% complete it and I came across a group event. I stayed back and pew pew'd away and for some reason the boss didn't like the look of me and chased me relentlessly, before killing me at 20,000xp away from that achievement.
Feeling pissed off, I went to the Mist on my Thief, to try out new builds and met another Thief in there. We chatted, shared ideas and I literally spent over and hour doing jack sh*t in the Mist with some random stranger. And those who say the game doesn't promote socializing just aren't social gamers. My contact list is filling up with random encounters like this one.
Most people explore. I'm actually surprised by that. I did this in Skyrim myself. I never completed Skyrim, because my goal wasn't to complete the story, but explore the whole game.
I don't do all the Hearts, since I level so fast anyways that theres several zones I havent been to. I will acces these zones when I'm 80.
What I mostly do, is doing the Hearts that I come across, but my main priority are Dynamic Events and crafting. When I kill mobs somewhere, I see the drop rate is very good for what I need for my crafting profession, and then improves my crafting.
sPvP is where I go when I need to have some fun action. I just love PvP, so for a quick fix I go in there.
The big gain for me in this game is the WvW. I'm looking forward to be 80, with my epic looking gear and just kick siege-ass!
When I play solo I now have some self-imposed rules that make the game more enjoyable for me:
They are:
1. I wont use M (map) 2. I wont port between waypoints 3. I wont have Map chat on in the general chat tab
I wont waste time explaining why, but I suggest you try it.
This is how I play it too, apart from the map chat. I also duo a lot with a mate but we stick to this style of play for the most part. Pick a direction and go see what's there until we've opened the whole map up.
I mostly follow the minimap, if I see icons pop-up I will go there and discover them. Only thing I want though is to be able to have an option to remove the icons from the minimap because knowing where they are kinda breaks the exploration feeling. It was the same in Skyrim, that you could see where the caves/dungeons were on the radar.
But my method has always been and will always be "go with the flow", so if I see an event? a gathering node? I go there and do it. I don't do vistas or jumping puzzles though because they take such a long time so I'd rather do them when I'm in the right mood. I also really like the story so whenever possible I go for my personal story. Logan Thackeray~
When I play solo I now have some self-imposed rules that make the game more enjoyable for me:
They are:
1. I wont use M (map) 2. I wont port between waypoints 3. I wont have Map chat on in the general chat tab
I wont waste time explaining why, but I suggest you try it.
Yeah, this is a good way of playing, especially when you're in a zone for the first time. Worked well in Skyrim, and works well here.
I'll admit I find myself not caring about the people of Tyria. So I don't really dig hearts and dynamic events where you "help" some NPC, especially the escort quests have been a bore.
On the other hand, I really like exploring - even more so when I do it the way the above poster described. Especially not opening up a map to see a vista and just happening upon it while exploring, and then trying to work out a way to get to it is really good stuff!
The sole problem I have right now with how I'm playing the game is that somewhere down the road I decided map completion would be a pretty good goal for an exploration-based player like myself... And while for the most part that's true, map completion unfortunately dictates you have to complete the hearts! I wish it didn't - they're wearing me out a bit.
I wish we could do 100% world map completion without touching a single heart and get an achievement called The Heartless Explorer or something!
Don't mean to insult either of you, but that sounds a bit self-centered and kind of lonely . The whole Not caring about people of tyria and turning of chat etc etc. Everything is completely legitimate and is your play style, but ignoring others in an MMO? Why not just play a single player game? As far as the hearts go I t hink there should be some consequences that affect us as players. Like if we don't protect that caravan then the prices on salvage kits go up drastically, or something like that.
I'm a completion junkie, so I usually work my way around the zone edges first, then finish the center. When my bags get full, I port back and craft. I'll do any DE I run across once or twice, unless it's particularly fun (I fought the Diessa Giant 5 or 6 times).
Comments
Just like a lot of people... I try to log on with a set goal in mind but end up easily sidetracked, because there's just so much to do in this game, for someone like me.
Like last night I just finished the Sorrow's Embrace dungeon, on my level 65 Elementalist and noticed that I was well on my way to getting the this month's achievement (the getting 100,000xp without dying thing). So I went to a zone I mostly completed before, to 100% complete it and I came across a group event. I stayed back and pew pew'd away and for some reason the boss didn't like the look of me and chased me relentlessly, before killing me at 20,000xp away from that achievement.
Feeling pissed off, I went to the Mist on my Thief, to try out new builds and met another Thief in there. We chatted, shared ideas and I literally spent over and hour doing jack sh*t in the Mist with some random stranger. And those who say the game doesn't promote socializing just aren't social gamers. My contact list is filling up with random encounters like this one.
Most people explore. I'm actually surprised by that. I did this in Skyrim myself. I never completed Skyrim, because my goal wasn't to complete the story, but explore the whole game.
I don't do all the Hearts, since I level so fast anyways that theres several zones I havent been to. I will acces these zones when I'm 80.
What I mostly do, is doing the Hearts that I come across, but my main priority are Dynamic Events and crafting. When I kill mobs somewhere, I see the drop rate is very good for what I need for my crafting profession, and then improves my crafting.
sPvP is where I go when I need to have some fun action. I just love PvP, so for a quick fix I go in there.
The big gain for me in this game is the WvW. I'm looking forward to be 80, with my epic looking gear and just kick siege-ass!
This is how I play it too, apart from the map chat. I also duo a lot with a mate but we stick to this style of play for the most part. Pick a direction and go see what's there until we've opened the whole map up.
I mostly follow the minimap, if I see icons pop-up I will go there and discover them. Only thing I want though is to be able to have an option to remove the icons from the minimap because knowing where they are kinda breaks the exploration feeling. It was the same in Skyrim, that you could see where the caves/dungeons were on the radar.
But my method has always been and will always be "go with the flow", so if I see an event? a gathering node? I go there and do it. I don't do vistas or jumping puzzles though because they take such a long time so I'd rather do them when I'm in the right mood. I also really like the story so whenever possible I go for my personal story. Logan Thackeray~
Don't mean to insult either of you, but that sounds a bit self-centered and kind of lonely
. The whole Not caring about people of tyria and turning of chat etc etc. Everything is completely legitimate and is your play style, but ignoring others in an MMO? Why not just play a single player game? As far as the hearts go I t hink there should be some consequences that affect us as players. Like if we don't protect that caravan then the prices on salvage kits go up drastically, or something like that.