Bridget Morrigan.1752

I agree it's underwhelming, even with my expectations low. There's just not much here, the missions are boring, the story lines are childish and don't advance much plot, the achievements are grindy, there's no reason to have the wait for ebon vanguard rewards, and the weapons collections are ridiculous in time (way too much prismaticite compared to what you can get) and/or investment (is the volcanic stormcaller box really just a random drop?).

I'm an achievement hunter and there's a certain amount of grind and investment I'm prepared to deal with, but really there's just nothing here BUT grind and investment.

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> Just wondering how we know it's new/untrained/uninformed Devs that created the Masteries in question.

> The Team Lead for the Episode that introduced Essence Masteries has been with ArenaNet 4 years. Others that worked on the Episode have been with ArenaNet longer.

>

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Guild_Chat_-_Episode_95

We don't. I'm being polite by not laying blame on a specific individual but rather the systems in place to communicate between developers.

ETA: speaking more specifically, even if some of the devs are more tenured, there needs to be in place a continuous communication for the sake of continuity: there have always been some issues with this, like with the LS4 hearts where some hearts allowed you to buy five of the currencies at a time and others where you had to click and repeat. Silly things. Nothing I'm suggesting ANet needs to go fix. What I am suggesting is that the apparent uptick in these things seems more pronounced recently, these issues may have to do with personnel and training, and this suggests a lapse in communication that would be expected after so many layoffs, people quitting, and people being replaced and shuffled around.

My feedback to ANet is that the recent episodes suggest a review or revision of these practices may be necessary.

> @"Astralporing.1957" said:

> > @"Bridget Morrigan.1752" said:

> > the masteries could use a kill count without requiring running around;

> That might actually end up as a nerf. Notice, how currently you can pick orbs from mobs that were killed by other players without your participation. Kill count would remove that option.

> Besides i'd say that's one of the _least_ problematic things with the new masteries.

>

The point isn't that any of these things should be changed at this point, but that their implementation in the first place suggests that there are people designing how things work without taking into consideration the QoL / cooperative culture already in GW2. This suggests a lack of communication or training for people who are coming on new in the past year or so, and that should probably be a focus because we don't want to continue heading the direction these oversights are taking us.

I've noticed there's a trend for both QoL and that cooperative-style gaming that GW2 has always been noted for that seems to be taking a step backward in the recent story steps. Notably, these issues include:

* Masteries that require us to run around and pick up stuff dropped on the ground

* Meta chests (with no keys) that don't open automatically with autoloot on

* Unscaled events, mechanics, and achievements that lead to competition with other players, including but not limited to: shooting helicopters and balloons out of the sky in competition with each other and the achievements for using stone cannons, pillage achievements in the new map are competitive

~~* Unconsumable items, particularly the special mission documents ~~ (fixed)

I imagine there may be other things, but these are the ones that came to mind easily. All of them have an existing remedy in the system: the masteries could use a kill count without requiring running around; autoloot works for other chests and/or a bouncy chest could be used; scaling for events, individualized targets (such as the shooting practice in Grothmar) and individualized drops could be used, and people could be getting pillage credit when not using siege, ~~and they could go back to a consume-for-karma option for the mission docs (don't know why this was taken out, could've been just lowered if it was too much, or autoconsume for nothing, even, on receipt)~~.

I don't know what is causing this sort of apparent general degradation of the QoL/cooperative environment, but I did want to offer this feedback to ANet to ask them to make sure that their story teams are up to speed on all the many things that GW2 is capable of doing and especially those things that are implemented QoL things that people have asked for and were given in the past, as that feels especially not good to take a step backward on. I do wonder if the changes in staffing over the past year + are instrumental in this trend and would just like to ask that there be some kind of communication/training/quality control to make sure that these little things that make the game so nice to play remain whole and consistent.

Thanks!

> @"Tails.9372" said:

> I do agree that PvE should get a legendary mode specific armor set (and backpack / trinket) in the same way as e.g. WvW has but it shouldn't be bound to a specific expansion but an overall participation reward for PvE in general.

>

> > @"Bridget Morrigan.1752" said:

> > I just want literally any legendary armor from any acquisition method that has skins I think actually look good. Choice, please.

> "skins I think actually look good" is highly subjective and would require them adding multiple sets of legendary gear for various sub content which I'm not opposed to.

>

That's the point, yep. Choice is good!

Speaking generally, I feel like they should design legendary armor with three sets of audience members in mind: one for the flashy set, one for the "I want my armor to be realistic and blend into the world I play in" set, and one for the "badass" set who want things to look sharp or strong or what have you so you can die just by looking at the armor. I think the existing raid armor sort of fell into the last set (at least as an attempt--you can be the judge on how successful they were with putting spikes on everything). I'm not sure how you'd design something realistic to be legendary, but y'all get the idea: at least attempting to target several different tastes rather than one-size-fits-all.

I'm kind of flashy and I'd like some glowy bits, myself, and not to look like a fatass. ~~I can do that in real life.~~

I just want literally any legendary armor from any acquisition method that has skins I think actually look good. Choice, please.

If you could finish a reward track for the warclaw, why can't you finish a reward track for the Gift of Battle?

I concur with whoever said that 50 of each of those things doesn't make sense, but it would be nice to have something to do with the items now that I've made the legendary, especially if there's a legendary armory coming.

Ok ty, that's what I did.

Someone was hacking under the map in WvW a bit ago and I went to report them, but didn't have an option for hacking...what are we supposed to do?

> @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> > @"Bridget Morrigan.1752" said:

> > > @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> > > > @"Bridget Morrigan.1752" said:

> > > > > @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> > > > > Question for all the experts: how does changing low-level fractals do ANYTHING to you?

> > > > >

> > > > > If you can't answer that, then any answer that "it isn't broken" should be an answer you refrain from giving.

> > > >

> > > > Do you mean, _me personally_? Because it isn't affecting _my_ gameplay directly--in your opinion--I'm not allowed to weigh in? Would you like me to submit my fractal trainer's resume? Account for the times I spend in T1 fractals?

> > > >

> > > > Yeah...no. The fact that an experienced player has had the experience being discussed is all the more qualifications a person needs.

> > > >

> > > > Essentially, you're saying that people who have gone through the process of learning fractals shouldn't share an opinion about the process of learning fractals because only people who have minimal or no experience can truly understand the topic at hand. That doesn't make any sense. Or, perhaps you are saying that because I myself am not biased by being personally affected by the outcome of the request, my opinion is of less value to the conversation than someone who will either suffer or prosper as a result. :/

> > > >

> > > > Sounds to me like you just don't want to hear opinions that disagree with yours.

> > >

> > > Not what I said. Not at all.

> > >

> > > I asked how making tutorial-like changes to low-level fractals does anything to a high-level player. If it does nothing, then how can you say "it's not broken"?

> >

> > Because I went through the process, and it functioned just fine.

>

> Nice dodge, but you didn't answer the question. How does it affect you?

Are you just not paying attention? I'll spell it out: You are _wrong_ to claim that "changing low-level fractals [must] do ANYTHING" to someone before they can participate in this discussion. Stop gatekeeping because you don't like what people have to say. Again, _the fact that an experienced player has had the experience being discussed is all the more qualifications a person needs_. Direct observation, yo.

You don't need to say word for word that you don't want to hear opinions that differ from your own when you're literally telling people to stop giving answers you don't like, based on a criteria that you just made up that has self-interest as its primary basis. It's pretty obvious.

In case you're still not getting it: I reject your question about the effects on an "expert" because it's biased and irrelevant.

I can answer your question about how I can say "it's not broken" because I did the thing, and lo! Not broken.

The ONLY circumstance in which a 3-5 second delay would affect anything at all is if you're spawn-camping. And if you're spawn-camping, not only are you playing in an ungracious, unsportsmanlike manner, but--more importantly--you probably already control the map or are making a heavy push to take the enemy keep in EBG and very likely will control the map very soon. So what you're suggesting is that you take players and a team _already at a disadvantage_ and then make them have _more_ of a handicap.

Um, no. This game mode already fails to do enough to level one-sided matches. The last thing it needs is to put another advantage into the hands of a gank group sitting around farming the losing team's spawn. What a suggestion.

I just did this for my husband who felt the same as you (tbf, he's really not interested in playing games at all right now). 12-15 hours for the saddle materials, starting from scratch. Just pace yourself, take the advice here about how to do it efficiently, play consistently, and you'll have it in a few weeks at most.

I don't agree with all you've said about what should be changed about the disparity between the game modes, but I would agree that there's an issue with the original 2012 levelling combat design compared to where the game has evolved in high-end PvE. For example, as a fractal trainer one of my biggest hurdles to overcome is to get people off of their ranged weapons and piling up near each other so they can actually be booned and healed (and revived, if necessary). It's exactly opposite of everything the game had been teaching them to do up till that point. HoT is not forgiving enough to teach people otherwise and PoF probably isn't either (though I'd have to give that more thought). But I don't know how it could be fixed besides redesigning the original game, which is probably not feasible.

OMG, I don't even have a horse in this race but obviously when the response to "the bow has an arc!!" is "it's a magic bow and a gun," the point of the second statement is not "let's argue magiphysics!" but _the game creates its own rules so it should have rules that are fair_.

The game has an 8-bit VR system and floating rocks. It's not obeying rules of Earth history OR physics. Any argument that uses Earth history or physics to support it is ridiculous.

> @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> > @"Bridget Morrigan.1752" said:

> > > @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> > > Question for all the experts: how does changing low-level fractals do ANYTHING to you?

> > >

> > > If you can't answer that, then any answer that "it isn't broken" should be an answer you refrain from giving.

> >

> > Do you mean, _me personally_? Because it isn't affecting _my_ gameplay directly--in your opinion--I'm not allowed to weigh in? Would you like me to submit my fractal trainer's resume? Account for the times I spend in T1 fractals?

> >

> > Yeah...no. The fact that an experienced player has had the experience being discussed is all the more qualifications a person needs.

> >

> > Essentially, you're saying that people who have gone through the process of learning fractals shouldn't share an opinion about the process of learning fractals because only people who have minimal or no experience can truly understand the topic at hand. That doesn't make any sense. Or, perhaps you are saying that because I myself am not biased by being personally affected by the outcome of the request, my opinion is of less value to the conversation than someone who will either suffer or prosper as a result. :/

> >

> > Sounds to me like you just don't want to hear opinions that disagree with yours.

>

> Not what I said. Not at all.

>

> I asked how making tutorial-like changes to low-level fractals does anything to a high-level player. If it does nothing, then how can you say "it's not broken"?

Because I went through the process, and it functioned just fine.

Still a problem. Blocking progress for the Colossus.

> @"mikdepadua.8376" said:

> I've been playing sPVP for a while and recently started doing some world vs world. I also play ESO for reference btw. Everything in GW2 is better than ESO in all aspects (the responsiveness of the game/ the mechanics/ the classes) except for one: no one wants to fight in WVW as compared to cyrodiil. Everyone just runs away, or fights you for a while before porting back in their towers.

>

> Everyone just seems to just want to zerg. Don't get me wrong, ball groups are fun and all, but i want small scale fights or duels while roaming the map. Am I doing something wrong here?

>

> I really want to enjoy WVW GW2, because I like every single aspect of this game over ESO except the large scale pvp experience (which is the most important game mode for me), so advice would be nice.

Pro-tip: play on reset night in the few hours _before_ reset. The outcome will be already determined so people often wander around looking for fun, random things to do instead of zerging up for max effectiveness, and there's often lots of people online while they're waiting to play at reset. You should be able to find small group action and people less afraid of dying then.

> @"Daddicus.6128" said:

> Question for all the experts: how does changing low-level fractals do ANYTHING to you?

>

> If you can't answer that, then any answer that "it isn't broken" should be an answer you refrain from giving.

Do you mean, _me personally_? Because it isn't affecting _my_ gameplay directly--in your opinion--I'm not allowed to weigh in? Would you like me to submit my fractal trainer's resume? Account for the times I spend in T1 fractals?

Yeah...no. The fact that an experienced player has had the experience being discussed is all the more qualifications a person needs.

Essentially, you're saying that people who have gone through the process of learning fractals shouldn't share an opinion about the process of learning fractals because only people who have minimal or no experience can truly understand the topic at hand. That doesn't make any sense. Or, perhaps you are saying that because I myself am not biased by being personally affected by the outcome of the request, my opinion is of less value to the conversation than someone who will either suffer or prosper as a result. :/

Sounds to me like you just don't want to hear opinions that disagree with yours.

If it were me, I'd pick a class I remember liking and start at where my story left off.

I'm with the people who don't think fractals are broken in this manner and don't want them fixed. I was there to figure them out when they were new in 2012, and I continue to enjoy figuring out new ones when they are released. Everything a person needs to know is already taught through open world PvE: event descriptions, listening to and reading NPC dialogue, looking for interact-able objects, watching the minimap for symbols, and to some extent, the achievement panel. Not every fractal (or event in the game) has event directions that are as well-written as every other event, but that's just a quality control issue. (Mai Trin could use some help, granted--there's just too much going on for new people to be able to see what they're supposed to see while they're dodging bombs every which way. But I still think that's more of a quality control issue than a systems issue.)

Put simply, if people haven't learned how to find directions by the time they start fractaling, then the fact that fractals mode itself offers no further explanation is probably a good thing because it will force people to start recognizing that those _are_ the basic places to find information. That is how learning works: the person doing the learning must at some point have nowhere to turn but to him- or herself (or the team, in this case). Fractals aren't the instructions area for PvE skills (those are the leveling zones), and they're not the drill and practice areas (level 80 zones). Fractals are end-game content. They're the test.

I'd much rather have the content and get the voice acting later, especially as someone who is not able to go to work at the moment. I need my diversions. :p

I bet it still comes before WvW Alliances.

I don't think it would be a bad idea as long as it stays minimal, like only displaying info for the current zone (i.e. CM 99 & 100 clears, each boss in a raid wing, etc). I hate clutter, so I'd be glad to get rid of KP in my inventory, but I don't want to replace it with clutter somewhere else.

Pretty sure it'd have to start everyone at zero though...maybe that would be a good idea for if they finish the last part of the Icebrood Saga with a raid instead of a strike. Then it would partially even the playing field at the moment that players are most likely to try raiding if they're new.

I don't think it would have any affect whatsoever on the game's toxicity. It'd just make the information people ask for be more accurate and relevant and less able to be faked. But they're already asking for this info. The toxicity is already there. It's not going anywhere, and I doubt this would make it worse.

> @"lare.5129" said:

> > to find a real group for Fractal CM on weekends?

> it is easy. but don't join in new non skilled group with low KP requirement. 100 is very low now. 250 is minimal, 500-750 is normal.

what

I realize I've been doing most of my CM's with friends lately but 500-750??? lulz