Chrysline.2317

@"Svata.8034" Hi there! I can only speak for what I’ve done with my laptop. When I partitioned mine for Bootcamp, I think the split I used was 135GB (MacOS) and 121GB (Bootcamp Windows). (I wanted to make it an even split, but my Mac required that I give it 10GB of free space. It makes sense.) My Windows Bootcamp partition only has Windows, GW2, and Windows updates installed. Right now, my Bootcamp drive says 107GB with 27GB free. I’m guessing some of the missing GBs go into hidden system-related uses. For my MacOS, I only have MacOS, some software I always use, and a few files I’m currently working on. Even then I still have 10-20GB of free space. I’ve deleted apps I don’t use. I jettisoned all my movies, photos, old documents, etc. into external HDDs. (Since I did KonMari tidying back in 2017/2018, I already had 4 external HDDs designated for a specific purpose.) As for files I’m currently working on, I have everything on Microsoft OneDrive. Their annual (family) Microsoft Office subscription gives 1TB of cloud storage space. (There’s a “free up space” option that allows you to only download the folders you’re currently using.) Before buying Cloud storage, try checking your organization or family subscriptions. You may already be paying for some cloud storage space providers (eg. iCloud, Dropbox, etc.). If not, MEGA gives 50GB of cloud storage on their free plan the last time I used them. (Fair warning: MEGA can take ages to upload/download files between devices.) _____________ **If Bootcamp just does NOT work for you**, here is a resource one of my guildies followed: http://fgimian.github.io/blog/2016/03/12/installing-windows-10-on-a-mac-without-bootcamp/ It worked for his Mac, and he’s playing fine now.

> @"Konig Des Todes.2086" said: > If we go with norse pronunciation, I _think_ it would be pronounced "b-yora". J's are treated akin to y's in norse, and the b would be said akin to the b in "boy". Best way to see would be if there's spoken dialogue in-game, but I would expect it'd be pronounced "bjora" that way, since ANet devs aren't as focused on non-English pronunciation as [they once were](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/The_Savage_Pride_of_the_Jotun). > > > @"Valandil Dragonhart.2371" said: > > and Jora hadn't yet established her legend; the most influencial thing she did in EotN, was kill her corrupted brother, Svanir. Her legend's strength grew long after GW1 was done. > > And Bjora Marches was named such before Jora killed her brother. However, Bjora Marches is where Jora's homestead was located (which is where Jora's Keep was built). So there *is* a curious relation presented despite Jora's lack-of-legend in GW1. Speaking of the “as they once were” part, I really appreciate the old lore Ree Soesbee wrote. I guess she left for new challenges?

If **installing Bootcamp on an external hard drive** is something anyone here needs, [in this other discussion](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/comment/1400046/#Comment_1400046), _nykur.2154_ mentioned a thorough guide: https://transferx23.medium.com/install-windows-10-on-an-external-hdd-or-ssd-with-boot-camp-under-macos-catalina-10-15-e0e315f2d48d

> @"ASP.8093" said: > > @"Chrysline.2317" said: > > Here is Apple’s article on the Windows on Bootcamp process: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468 > > > > (In case others have trouble: when Windows installs, it can’t connect to the internet. Because Bootcamp can only install the Wi-Fi and internet-related drivers after Windows is done installing. If you get stuck, you can click “I don’t have internet now” during the Windows install.) > > > > Thanks! I adapted this to a small set of instructions in a new section. > > One part I'm not sure about without testing it myself is how much disk space to allocate to the Windows partition (I know GW2 wants like 60 GB for its data). You’re welcome and thank you too for compiling these! I’m not sure of the disk space myself since my old early 2015 Macbook 12-inch (I got it as a gift) only has 256 GB. [Apple’s support page on Bootcamp](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468) mentions a mininum of 64GB for the Windows 10 OS. Then it says to give it 128GB for future Windows updates. (With a caveat that the startup disk needs to have at least as much free storage space as the Mac’s memory.) I’m only guessing here: if someone has a lot of space maybe 64GB for Windows + another 64GB for future Windows updates + 60GB for GW2 + __ GB free space to match your RAM + __ GB of anything else you plan to install? __________________________ For my laptop (a few hours before this post): I was able to allocate around 115 GB for my Bootcamp partition. It’s kinda patchwork for my laptop at this point (since I’m hoping to buy a new laptop in a few months) I pray the lack of free space and absence of Mac’s thermal throttling doesn’t hurt it too much. Aside from vanilla Windows 10, my Windows only has GW2 and GW2 TacO installed. I set Windows updates to be delayed by 35 days :lol: so it doesn’t take up space for now. I uninstalled bloatware and didn’t sign-in to any of my OneDrive and Microsoft accounts on Windows to make sure data doesn’t sync/download. (I’m also not good with accidentally disconnecting wires that’s why I didn’t go for installing Bootcamp on an external drive.) I imagine people with 512GB or more on their internal drive wouldn’t have to worry so much about space. :lol: __________________________

Just an update, I squeezed enough free HD space (thank you cloud storage!) out of my 256GB early 2015 Macbook 12-inch to use Bootcamp and install GW2. **— Windows 10 Home for free, it works.** Downloaded it directly from Microsoft. (The ‘Activate Windows’ semi-transparent box is distracting until we pay, but hey it’s free to use and test with.) **— GW2 on Bootcamp Windows 10, it works too.** I was able to do the Bjora Marches metas, do my dailies, and even attend some guild events. (My ancient laptop had 5-8 FPS and 300ms ping even when it was the GW2 Mac client so not much difference. Heck, the Windows version added 3 FPS and less 30ms ping :lol: ) — As a bonus, **we can finally install add-ons like TacO**. :heart: (Yay for gaming compatibility!) — I used SharpKeys to _remap my keyboard_. In line with a Mac user’s muscle memory : I _made the Cmd key into Ctrl, and the Ctrl into the Windows key_. (You’ll understand if you have the Mac keyboard layout... and accidentally press the Cmd/Windows key and minimize the game during a fight. :lol: The simple keyboard remap I mentioned resolves it.) Bootcamp is a lot more automated compared to 8-10 years ago. Windows looks a lot more aesthetic than I remember too. :lol: Fellow Intel-based Mac users, there is hope for us.

> @"ASP.8093" said: > There's a lot of confusion about [GW2 ending Mac client support](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/121605/an-update-on-mac-support-for-guild-wars-2), so let's make a thread of player resources about what to actually *do* about it. > > Please chime in with your own experiences but focus on what you've actually *tested* to keep the volume of speculation low. I'll try to keep the top post updated as an ad-hoc community resource until we figure out something better. > > --- > > # IN GENERAL: > > What we know: > 1. Anet has announced: "[starting February 18, … the Mac client will no longer work after this date.](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/121605/an-update-on-mac-support-for-guild-wars-2)" > 2. Apple is transitioning their hardware to a new CPU type. So Macs come in two varieties: > * older Intel chips — these run x86 code natively > * new ARM ("M1"/"Apple Silicon") chips — these have a different instruction set *but they CAN run code compiled for x86 Macs using a special software translation layer called [Rosetta](https://developer.apple.com/documentation/apple_silicon/about_the_rosetta_translation_environment),* which likely has a performance cost but should be pretty seamless once you've set it up > 4. The Guild Wars 2 Win64 client — that's the thing you're most likely going to be using once the Mac client disappears — *can* work on non-Windows OSes through a "compatibility layer" application like Wine (e.g. [here is the Lutris wrapper for Linux](https://lutris.net/games/guild-wars-2/)). > 5. Rosetta is, at least in theory, compatible with Wine. > 6. If you have an Intel-based Mac, you could also choose to dual-boot Windows. One advantage of this approach is that you're just running GW2 on Windows natively, which is an officially supported platform. (In which case you don't need most of what I'm posting below.) > > What we don't know: > 2. Whether any solution outlined below will continue to work for any given GW2 release. > 3. Whether any solution outlined below will work on *your* hardware/software. > > --- > > # SPECIFIC SOLUTIONS: > > **NOTE: This is all "void your warranty" type stuff, don't expect any tech support from Anet, don't run any software as administrator if you're not comfortable with what it's doing, &c.** > > # 1. Wine-based compatibility wrappers > > # 1.a. [Porting Kit](https://portingkit.com/) > (last updated: Jan 10, 2021) > "Out-of-the-box" support: No/Not yet > "Do-it-yourself" support: YES :heart: > > "Do-it-yourself" Instructions: > (Tested on Intel hardware / Mac OS 10.15.7 "Catalina" / Porting Kit 4.1.0) > 1. See Porting Kit installation instructions and license info on [on their website](https://portingkit.com/). > 2. Start Porting Kit. Go to Library. (Search for "Guild Wars 2" to see if there's an "out-of-the-box" installer you can use. If there is, you can probably skip this stuff.) > 3. Select "New Custom Port." > 4. Name your application "GW2", "Guild Wars 2," &c. > 5. In Advanced Settings: select Engine: "WS11WineCX64Bit20.0.2" or later. > 6. In Destination Select: rename the app (e.g. to "Guild Wars 2 Win64" so it doesn't conflict with your current Mac client). > 7. Download Anet's _64-bit Windows client_ (Gw2Setup-64.exe) from guildwars2.com. > 8. Wait for the installer to run. Allow GW2 to download all of its data, then close the application without logging in. > 9. "Guild Wars 2" will now appear on the left sidebar of your Porting Kit Library tab. > 10. Right-click on "Guild Wars 2" and select "Launch Wineskin App." Change the executable to "drive_c/Program Files/Guild Wars 2/Gw2-64.exe" (by default it will be "nothing.exe"). Also, under "Advanced Tools">"Wine Configuration," make sure the Windows version is set to "Windows 7." > 11. Now launch GW2 using the little play button, check your graphics settings, rebind keys as needed (when playing through the compatibility layer, both Cmd and Ctrl will be read as "Ctrl" by the game you're playing). > > TODO: Verify ARM/Rosetta support with latest Porting Kit. > > > # 1.b. [PlayOnMac](https://www.playonmac.com/en/) > (last updated: Jan 10, 2021) > "Out-of-the-box" support: No/Not yet > "Do-it-yourself support: No(?) :skull: > A Linux script exists at https://www.playonmac.com/en/app-1126-Guild_Wars_2.html but I haven't been able to get this working on Mac at the moment. > Just to add to the discussion, in case people skim to the headers (and skip ASP’s point #6), I’d just like to repeat that # If you have an Intel-based Mac and enough hard drive space, Bootcamp is a legit option. (I just finished installing Windows and GW2 on my 5 year old Macbook. It works! Plus we can use addons like TacO now.) ## Here is Apple’s article on the Windows on Bootcamp process: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468 (In case others have trouble: when Windows installs, it can’t connect to the internet. Because Bootcamp can only install the Wi-Fi and internet-related drivers after Windows is done installing. If you get stuck, you can click “I don’t have internet now” during the Windows install.)

> @"dusanyu.4057" said: > The Only thing you will have to remember if you're on a mac laptop while using boot camp is you may need to use a fan pad under the laptop macOS does some things in the kernel to change the thresholds that thermal throttling happens at and windows does not have this so in order to retain good performance a third party cooling solution is necessary. Here is a link to a video of a e-celeb tech channel explaining it Thank you for the heads up! I’ve been playing on a 5 year old Macbook 12 inch and the heat during GW2 has been serious enough that I’ve already got a cooling fan. :lol: (Why I hadn’t upgraded my laptop recently: I’ve been away from the hardcore gaming scene for almost 10 years and didn’t need to upgrade it. I only started GW2, and started playing MMOs again, around 50 days ago.) The last time I tried Bootcamp was almost 10 years ago on an old Macbook Pro (to play Skyrim). The installed Windows couldn’t find several drivers for the Mac hardware and it led to a lot of error messages. :lol: Though it was solid enough to play Skyrim for 2 months with mods on. I’ll need to get through some impending deadlines and meetings before chopping up my laptop so it can do Bootcamp. Let’s see how it goes. XD

> @"Touchme.1097" said: > > @"Chrysline.2317" said: > > After the _discontinued Mac support on Feb 18:_ > > **Would it still be possible for old Macs (with Intel hardware) to use Boot Camp (to dual boot) Windows and run GW2?** > > > > I understand Boot Camp is a bit patch work and sub optimal. It’s just that we’re given a month’s notice and it’s challenging to suddenly buy a new laptop/desktop. > > > > If we can still play GW2 on a Boot Camp Windows on our current Mac devices, it would be a big help as the Mac player-base transitions to Intel/AMD PCS. > > I can confirm you can use Bootcamp to make a partition on your hard drive where you can install Windows 10 for free and play GW2 with a 64 bit Windows client. The process is pretty much automatic but you have to download Windows 10 first. The newest iMac computers don't even need a flash drive to do the partition, which is good. The Windows client is more optimised than the Mac one from what I witnessed Thank you for this, it’s reassuring!

> @"Infusion.7149" said: > > @"Chrysline.2317" said: > > If you could only choose laptops, is the Ryzen 5000 series preferred? :open_mouth: > > > > It’s been 10 years since I last did hardcore gaming. :lol: I’m surprised at how far AMD has come now. > > > > Just to clarify, apps/games don’t have compatibility problems between AMD and Intel CPUs right? > > Ryzen 5000 series (Zen3) hasn't hit mobile yet, it's still on 4000 series which is most simply explained as a down-clocked mobile equivalent of the Zen 2 Ryzen 3000 desktop CPU series. The reason the 5000 series is superior to Zen 2 is the 8 core CCX structure, in which 8 cores share one core complex. Zen (14nm) , Zen+ (12nm , half node shrink), and Zen2 all had 4 core CCX ; Zen2's major instruction improvement was larger cache size and improved AVX2 to match Intel along with a 7nm process. > It's a particularly exciting time in the laptop scene since 15W low power Ryzen chips reportedly perform as fast as desktop Intel CPUs from last gen in single threaded workloads: > https://www.notebookcheck.net/Ryzen-7-5800U-thin-and-light-laptops-should-offer-stellar-single-core-performance-as-AMD-s-Zen-3-APU-scores-higher-than-an-Intel-Core-i9-10900K-in-CPU-Z.514047.0.html > > Just make sure it's a 7nm "Zen2" or 7nm+ "Zen3" chip. Some Intel chips run with Hyperthreading , the AMD Ryzen solution is SMT or "simultaneous multithreading". In the past the "clustered multithreading" / CMT on Bulldozer architecture (FX 8000 / 9000 series) led to issues before. > The information is readily accessible on notebookcheck and other sites that cover the mobile PC space. See > [notebook check mobile CPU benchmark list](https://www.notebookcheck.net/Mobile-Processors-Benchmark-List.2436.0.html?type=&sort=b_244_705&deskornote=2&or=0&showBars=1&cinebench_r15_single=1&cinebench_r15_multi=1&cinebench_r20_multi=1&wprime_32=1&x264_pass1=1&x264_pass2=1&cpu_fullname=1&l2cache=1&l3cache=1&tdp=1&mhz=1&turbo_mhz=1&cores=1&threads=1). > > Back at launch notebookcheck actually did benchmark the GW2 core game: https://www.notebookcheck.net/Guild-Wars-2-Benchmarked.81604.0.html > > Guild Wars 2 is one of the few games where the processor can have a fairly large impact on performance. As can be seen in our chart, stronger graphics cards can be found below their weaker counterparts depending on the CPU. > > I've actually seen more fringe benchmarking sites list GW2 benchmarks but keep in mind the thermal solution affects CPU throttling and power levels in mobile situations and Intel CPUs are typically worse due to the dated 14nm process versus the 7nm process of new Ryzens: > >! **Ryzen 7 4800H** inside Asus TUF A15 (FA506IU) , Best appearance preset FPS: min 53, average 65 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/05/27/asus-tuf-a15-fa506iu-review/) > >! **Intel Core i5-10300H** inside Acer Nitro 5 (2020) , Medium settings FPS: min 38 , average 49 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/09/21/acer-nitro-5-2020-review-is-it-worth-the-upgrade) > >! **i7-10750H** inside ROG Strix G15 G512LU , Best Appearance preset FPS : min 20 , average 36 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2019/03/05/hp-zbook-studio-g5/) > >! ---> same computer Best Performance preset FPS : min 51, average 78 > >! **i5-10300H** inside Dell G3 15 (3500) , Medium settings FPS min 22 , average 41 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/08/25/dell-g3-15-3500-review/) > >! **i9-9880H** inside Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen2 , Max settings FPS min 9 , average 33 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/02/12/lenovo-thinkpad-x1-extreme-gen2-review/) > >! **i7-9750H** inside Acer Predator Helios 300 15 2019 (PH315-52), Max settings FPS: min 21 , average 62 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/03/13/acer-predator-helios-300-15-2019-ph315-52-review/) > >! **i7-9750H** inside HP Pavilion Gaming 15 (2019) , "Ultra" settings FPS: min 9 , average 45.8 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2019/12/20/hp-pavilion-gaming-15-2019-review/) > >! **i7-10750H** inside MSI GP65 Leopard (10SFK) , Best Appearance preset FPS : min 24 , average 50 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/07/20/msi-gp65-leopard-10sfk-review/) > >! **i7-10750H** inside Lenovo Legion 5i (2020) , Best appearance preset FPS: min 12, average 27 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/10/13/lenovo-legion-5i-2020-review-the-jack-of-all-trades-and-master-of-them-all/) > >! ---> same computer Best Performance preset FPS : min 60, average 113 > >! **Ryzen 7 3750H** _which is Zen+_ inside MSI Alpha 15 (A3DD), Medium settings FPS: min 23, average 49 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2020/03/31/msi-alpha-15-review-a3dd/) > >!**i5-10210U** inside Acer Aspire 5 A515-54G (10th gen) , Medium settings FPS min 15 , average 31.8 (https://noteb.com/?content/review.php?/2019/11/12/acer-aspire-5-a515-54g-10th-gen-review/) > >! ---> U donates "ultrabook" or "thin and light" 15W TDP constrained CPUs , it is not advisable > > Note that even with a new laptop , running high model limit is a strain on the CPU. > Thank you so much, this is a big help in choosing! Thank you too for teaching us how and where to look for benchmarks. (It really isn’t clear cut with how the ASUS TUF on Ryzen 7 a year later outperforms the FPS of the ROG Strix that’s on i7-10750H). I see now :open_mouth: I think I’ll suffer through Bootcamp for a bit and wait for the Intel 11th gen and Ryzen 5000 to appear on laptops. :heart: This has been enlightening. (Since GW2 is discontinued on the Mac, it’s a good time to consider gaming laptops, hahaha.)

> @"nykur.2154" said: > > @"tetmikem.5608" said: > > > @"nykur.2154" said: > > > You can absolutely use Bootcamp Windows to play. It's not really that much patch work, it runs like a normal Windows install. The only difference is you get your drivers from the Boot Camp tool, and you have the option of using 3rd party video drivers to squeeze some more performance (bootcampdrivers.com, but that is indeed some patchwork at that point.) > > > > > > I definitely recommend trying it, anyone who has an Intel Mac. The Bootcamp tool is pretty self explanatory if you want to do a default install (has to be on your main/internal hard drive) but if you want to put it on an external, completely separate drive, that's also possible and there are some very thorough guides on how to do it step by step like [this one](https://medium.com/@transferx23/install-windows-10-on-an-external-hdd-or-ssd-with-boot-camp-under-macos-catalina-10-15-e0e315f2d48d). > > > > How much does it cost to run bootcamp? I presume you have to buy a copy of WIndows, right? > > You can actually use Windows 10 for free nowadays. It just limits your ability to customize the OS and do a few other minor things, but it's completely fine for bootcamp and playing games. > > You can download it from Microsoft for free [here](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10) and [here is Apple's support page about installing Windows](https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468) with some useful info. > > (Oops, just noticed Chrysline linked this stuff already up above!) It’s all good! Your explanation is clear and simple. I only linked to the info while you explained it directly. And others can benefit from hearing things phrased differently. :heart: Thank you too for clarifying that an Intel Mac is enough. :anguished: :heart:

For anyone buying new laptops (I for one don’t have a space for a desktop in my area), I saw tech experts online recommend that we wait for the Intel 11th gen or the AMD Ryzen 5000. They’re coming to laptops sometime in 2021.

> @"Talek.6795" said: > The news are very sad. My family plays gw2 on macs since the inception of initial mac client =( :anguished: Warm hugs to you and your family Talek. It’s hard on you all. When I started GW2 last November, I was also happy to see an MMORPG that my 5 year old Macbook could run.

> @"Eirian Direstorm.9748" said: > Thanks for this info! Has there been any word on why this is such short notice? > > I've been a mac user for many years, but on top of the climbing prices, this might be the final straw... I love my Macs too, but now that I’m back to gaming, I might get a gaming laptop now. GW2 without ArcDPS and TacO is a struggle. :lol: _________ I don’t know about the devs but here are _**my guesses**_ based on factors beyond ANet employees’ control: **1) Apple stopped supporting OpenGL that GW2 uses to support Mac.** (https://appleinsider.com/articles/18/06/28/why-macos-mojave-requires-metal----and-deprecates-opengl). **Apple is also leaving Intel processors and making their own M1 chips. This is in line with Apple’s design philosophy** to perfect the design of their hardware and software from front to back. Making their own hardware gives them more control over their design process. **2) Developing for Mac’s replacement for OpenGL (Metal-capable GPUs) and M1 CPUs is a huge cost for ANet.** Given less gamers are on Mac, this might not be worth it for them. From the little I know of software dev from my college courses: in terms of effort/cost, _that kind of overhaul is as good as making a new game._ (Unfortunately for gamers, Mac’s target market isn’t the gaming community so Apple can’t make resolving this their priority.) 3) With the **recent ANet layoffs and most businesses/individuals struggling with the effects of the pandemic**, they need to _prioritize their efforts_. Given less available employees and the long list of things they need to work on (Champions, End of Dragons, keeping ANet alive, et cetera)... **If it means giving up on the Mac while the rest of GW2 can continue**, _I can see where they’re coming from._ (I’m with you there, I wish we had a few more months of notice. It’s hard on us Mac users and this is life. Circumstances don’t define us, our response to them does.)

> @"tetmikem.5608" said: > > @"nykur.2154" said: > > You can absolutely use Bootcamp Windows to play. It's not really that much patch work, it runs like a normal Windows install. The only difference is you get your drivers from the Boot Camp tool, and you have the option of using 3rd party video drivers to squeeze some more performance (bootcampdrivers.com, but that is indeed some patchwork at that point.) > > > > I definitely recommend trying it, anyone who has an Intel Mac. The Bootcamp tool is pretty self explanatory if you want to do a default install (has to be on your main/internal hard drive) but if you want to put it on an external, completely separate drive, that's also possible and there are some very thorough guides on how to do it step by step like [this one](https://medium.com/@transferx23/install-windows-10-on-an-external-hdd-or-ssd-with-boot-camp-under-macos-catalina-10-15-e0e315f2d48d). > > How much does it cost to run bootcamp? I presume you have to buy a copy of WIndows, right? As far as I know, yes. Here’s an article on how to get Windows for cheaper (or possibly free): https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/need-legal-cheap-windows-8-license-options/ (If you know a friend with a spare volume license key from their business, that works too.) **As for the cost of Bootcamp**, here’s Apple’s article on it: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201468 The tl;dr version for the cost is: **1) Getting Windows** like you mentioned **2) A lot of free hard drive space**: 64GB-128GB of free hard drive space for Windows + ~50GB for GW2 (That might be a struggle on 256GB internal hard drives, but I think it’s worth it to go internal. Depending on an external hard drive to run Windows means making sure that wire doesn’t disconnect/dislodge.) **3) Technical know-how and patience.** a) Macs weren’t designed to run on Windows. b) Drivers allow software to communicate with hardware. Since the Windows Bootcamp layer is different software from the Mac OS, Bootcamp Windows needs to install drivers to talk to all that hardware. (When I was a teenager in the 2000s, Windows software often broke too. :lol: I learned to troubleshoot PCs because of gaming and Windows’ issues.) If you don’t want to pay someone to Bootcamp your Mac for GW2, then the cost will be in a willingness to learn, time, and patience.

I see now, thank you everyone for your inputs! It’s great that we can discuss these in the forums to see how or if ideas work or not. > @"Khisanth.2948" said: > As mentioned already the game already allows people the choice of setting their in game clock to show UTC+0. > > If it is for messages there is a much better approach. They could make something that functions like the chat link codes. For example you could type in "doing guild missions at [&t 11:33pm]" and the message will automatically show up with the correct local time for whoever is reading the message. Clicking/hovering over it could show a countdown for the specified time. That chat link code is helpful thank you. :open_mouth:

> @"nykur.2154" said: > You can absolutely use Bootcamp Windows to play. It's not really that much patch work, it runs like a normal Windows install. The only difference is you get your drivers from the Boot Camp tool, and you have the option of using 3rd party video drivers to squeeze some more performance (bootcampdrivers.com, but that is indeed some patchwork at that point.) > > I definitely recommend trying it, anyone who has an Intel Mac. The Bootcamp tool is pretty self explanatory if you want to do a default install (has to be on your main/internal hard drive) but if you want to put it on an external, completely separate drive, that's also possible and there are some very thorough guides on how to do it step by step like [this one](https://medium.com/@transferx23/install-windows-10-on-an-external-hdd-or-ssd-with-boot-camp-under-macos-catalina-10-15-e0e315f2d48d). Thank you so much! Especially for your tips on drivers. I used Bootcamp to play Skyrim almost 10 years ago and really struggled with the drivers. This is a big help, thank you. :) It’s a relief to be reassured we can still play GW2 while we decide on a PC option.

If you could only choose laptops, is the Ryzen 5000 series preferred? :open_mouth: It’s been 10 years since I last did hardcore gaming. :lol: I’m surprised at how far AMD has come now. Just to clarify, apps/games don’t have compatibility problems between AMD and Intel CPUs right?

Why lowering graphics settings can solve problems: For those unfamiliar with the software/hardware underlying computers: Graphics takes a lot of mathematical power to compute where all those things go. We’re talking a LOT of Trigonometry, Calculus, algorithms, data structures, and all kinds of math just to bend light a certain way, decide if things collide, make any visual look good, et cetera. That boss fight I mentioned in the post above had a lot of blaring lights and mechanics. It took a lot out of my old device’s GPU. One stray floating point number (it’s a type of data that’s like a decimal but not really) gone wrong (or a loop or algorithm that didn’t resolve properly) can mess up the calculations and return errors. Setting graphics settings to as low as possible means there’s less of this computing going on - i.e. less of a chance for your own CPU and GPU to struggle with what to display.

I had the game completely crash on me two times straight during the last boss fight of LW4 Episode 1. By the third try, I set the graphics settings to “Best Performance” and it fixed things. Now I play story instances with “Best Performance” with a few tweaks to make it bearable to look at. (Subsample -> Native, SMAA Low, Shaders Medium, Postprocessing Low)

(I heard at the end of last year that the next gen of Intel processors is coming out later this year. Given the rise in performance at similar price points, it makes sense to wait those few months. At the same time, Mac players need an alternative to log-in so they don’t get kicked out of guilds that require recent log-in activity to retain membership.)

I can confirm that the specialization collection weapons can go through the mystic forge for stat change. I made the Soulbeast’s Fang of Mokele and Firebrand’s Expurgation into Berserker stats using the Mystic Forge. It turns the weapon into the generic Crimson Antique skin though. If they want the old skins back (they can look pretty cool), they’ll need to spend a transmutation charge. > @"Cyninja.2954" said: > > @"Veprovina.4876" said: > > > @"Cyninja.2954" said: > > > Veilrender only has 3 stats to chose from. Similar to all the other class specific weapons. I am unsure if you can Mystic Forge state change it, or if it behaves similar to Caladbolg in that it does not allow to be put in the MF. > > > > > > If you are referring to the ascended back piece when asking about the Spinal Blades, that is a 100% no. Ascended stat change works ONLY for weapons and armor vie the MF. The only way to change stats on a back item is to infuse it, and that only works 1nce (and is rather pricey) or use a Blood Ruby BackPack . > > > > > > All of this can be found in the wiki on this subject: > > > https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Stat_changing > > > > See, that's why i asked on the forums as well. In game, people assured me i can change both. > > And the wiki is not helpful at all, doesn't explain anything really. > > Now i don't know what to think. > > > > It's kind of umm, dumb not to be able to change stats... > > I know they're "only" ascended and not legendary and i'm not asking to change stats on the fly, but i should be able to craft me some inscriptions and change the stats on all of it (except trinkets, those drop like flies anywhere and are easy to obtain). > > > > I spent the better part of the year crafting that spinal blade backpack, and at that time i was using a power build so i chose berserker stats on it. > > Now i'm condi build and i'm stuck with power with no way to change it to something else except infusing it? > > How does that make sense? > > Do i really need to craft another backpack just to pick different stats? > > And then another backpack if i want a third build? > > It's easy enough for trinkets but shouldn't the rest of the difficult to obtain stuff have the ability to change stats? Not for free mind you, but still.. > > again, that is answered in the wiki: > 1. Ascended weapons and armor > > Ascended **weapons and armor** items can be exchanged for another of the same type with different stats by using an Exotic insignia (armor) or inscription (weapon) with the desired stats in one of the Mystic Forge recipes presented below. > > further down: > 2. trinkets and back item > > Ascended **trinkets and back items cannot have their stats changed**, but certain stat-selectable items can be **"reset" by infusing (or attuning) them**, allowing their stats to be chosen again. > > It then gives specifics on which back items and trinkets fall under which rule. Rings and back items can be infused, rings can be attuned. Once that is done though, the items can NOT be infuse or attuned again. Thus it's a 1 or 2 time thing. Accessories can not be changed at all. > > That is with exception to the Blood and Mist items, which are mentioned even further down. > > The wiki even mentions the Caladbolg and how that weapon behaves. The only thing which the wiki does not explicitly answer is if class ascended collection weapons can be placed in the MF. Which I would assume means they can, but am not sure. Everything else was answered in the wiki. > > In case you decide to follow Linken's advice, again try using a google search to find the respective wikis. In this case: > For trinkets: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ascended_trinket > For back items: https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Ascended_back_item > > It now comes down to you figuring out which Season 3 or 4 material you can gather the easiest, or have the most stored of. It is also possible to exchange Ice Shards from the current Living World Saga 5 into Season 4 materials. Thing to note, there are no easy to get back items from Season 4, so your best bet is to acquire trinkets from season 4 maps and work on getting a back item from a Season 3 map. The "easiest" to get is likely the Back item from the winterberry forst if you have enough characters to run through.

For me as well, thank you for this!

> @"ginryu.3026" said: > **Home Instance Nodes and Improved Economy Regulation** > (_This section has been edited as of 2019-07-07_.) > > Adding Home Instance gathering nodes to the Gem Store, so they can be purchased individually, has been a huge QoL improvement, yet there are still two such nodes that have been inexplicably excluded from the list: the [Advanced Cloth Rack](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Advanced_Cloth_Rack "Advanced Cloth Rack") and the [Advanced Leather Rack](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Advanced_Leather_Rack "Advanced Leather Rack"). > > Likewise, adding the [black Lion Statuette](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Black_Lion_Statuette "Black Lion Statuette") item (and its corresponding merchant) to the game was an excellent QoL improvement. Due to hyper-inflated Trading Post prices for certain items, giving players the option to purchase certain items directly from the Gem Store on a regular basis, or from Black Lion Statuette vendors, would be consistent with the ostensible purpose for the Black Lion Statuette vendors. These items include, but are not limited to: > * These Permanent Contracts: > ** [Permanent Black Lion Merchant Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Permanent_Black_Lion_Merchant_Contract "Permanent Black Lion Merchant Contract"); > ** [Permanent Hair Stylist Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Permanent_Hair_Stylist_Contract "Permanent Hair Stylist Contract"); > ** [Permanent Bank Access Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Permanent_Bank_Access_Contract "Permanent Bank Access Contract"); > ** [Permanent Trading Post Express Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Permanent_Trading_Post_Express_Contract "Permanent Trading Post Express Contract"); > ** [Endless Repair Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Endless_Repair_Contract "Endless Repair Contract"); and > ** [Endless Upgrade Extractor Contract](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Endless_Upgrade_Extractor_Contract "Endless Upgrade Extractor Contract"). > > For long-time players with huge amounts of consumable versions, as well as a Permanent / Endless version of one or more of these items, a brilliant QoL improvement would be the ability to exchange consumable versions of these items for a reasonable quantity of Black Lion Statuettes per consumable (e.g., an Upgrade Extractor could be sold to the Black Lion Statuette merchant for 5 Black Lion Statuettes, etc., etc.). > > **Purchasable Shared Gathering Slots (Account-Level)** > > I would like to be able to purchase from the Gem Store shared gathering tool slots for my characters. Ideally, one would be able to make this purchase once for his entire account. > > In other words, I hope I would not have to—individually, one-at-a-time—purchase shared gathering slots for each gathering tool type, for each character. (This kind of implementation would dramatically reduce my interest in this feature.) Ideally, the purchase would be made once, and would unlock the shared gathering tool slot for every character on my account. I could see making each tool type slot a separate purchase, if ArenaNet really has to do that in order to justify the cost of implementing this Quality of Life improvement. > > So, for example, for 400 Gems, one could unlock a Shared Logging Tool Slot for all of his characters, place his Reap-r-Tron, or whatever, in the slot, and then use the Reap-r-Tron on every character without having to individually equip the unlimited gathering tool each time he switches characters. Then, for another 400 Gems, he could unlock a Shared Mining Tool Slot, which would work the same way; and for another 400 Gems, he could unlock a Shared Foraging Tool Slot, which would work the same way. > > Having to move unlimited gathering tools from one character to another is an annoying, frustrating inconvenience. Players specifically buy unlimited gathering tools to avoid the inconvenience of having to purchase the standard, limited-use gathering tools. This Quality of Life feature, therefore, would add value to an existing feature and further enhance QoL for players. > > **Ancillary Feature: Locked Shared Gathering Tool Slots** > > For players who like to use different unlimited gathering tool sets, depending on which character they’re playing, it would be nice to have the ability to “lock” a purchased Shared Gathering Tool Slot for a given character. Locking a Shared Gathering Tool Slot prior to equipping a gathering tool in that slot would prevent the any account-wide changes being made to the locked character or to any other character as a result of equipping a gathering tool in the locked slot. > > **Pin Character to Beginning of Character Menu** > > This is a feature suggestion. I would like for the development team to add the ability to pin a character to the beginning of the character list on the character selection screen. This would be a Quality of Life improvement that I imagine would be very easy to implement, yet would have broad appeal. Of course, being able to manually order your characters on the Character Select screen (and lock that ordering) would be ideal, but even being able to pin a single character to the beginning of the list would be a marginal improvement. > > Right now, the last character I played is the first one that shows up in the character selection list. I would prefer to be able to pin one character to the beginning of the list, and have the rest of my characters show up in the order most recently played. Honestly, I’m surprised this idea hasn’t already been considered and implemented. > > **Meaningful Guild Hall Changes** > > 1. While your mileage may vary, most Guild Halls have become ghost towns, populated only by NPCs, and the random player making their way to the tavern to refresh or change their guild bonus from +sPvP to +WvW or +Gathering or whatever. Adding to Guild Halls entrances or a portal to dungeons, fractals, and raids might make them seem marginally more relevant and desirable as gathering places for players who spend a lot of time waiting around to engage with content. > 2. Adding a Mystic Forge to Guild Halls would be nice. The tired, old, unpersuasive argument that it discourages players from gathering in cities seems largely undermined by the many and various Gem Store items that permit players to use Mystic Forges in locations that are not accessible to all players--only those who buy the Gem Store items. I would agree with the decision to make this one of the final available upgrades to a Guild Hall, but it should be an option. > 3. Training Dummies, such as those in the Heart of the Mists, would also be a welcome addition to Guild Halls. > > **Meaningful Incentives to Level a New Guild** > > Sadly, the "market," if you want to call it that, for guild members is dominated by high-level guilds that can offer convenient perks to their members without having to do very much, after they hit the level cap. Yes, it takes a lot of work and a huge amount of resources to get big, but a guild should be about more than just having a lot of members and getting convenient perks. Guilds should be about community. Therefore, it is important to motivate even large guilds to continue to create and maintain high-quality communities for their members. Competition, including competition with smaller guilds, is a necessary part of that motivation. > > To make up the power imbalance between a level-capped guild, and a lower-level guild, I recommend adding more powerful incentives for leveling-up guilds, or a "guild tax" for level-capped guilds, that ensures they don't just hit the cap, and then stay there, doing nothing, and just adding members who want to lazily enjoy the benefits of the guild, without really engaging with any kind of community. > > I know of at least one Level 69 guild that was "led," if you can call it that, by a player who was M.I.A. for over a year. The account recently started logging in, again, but doesn't chat in guild chat, and doesn't ever respond to guild members when they message the account. He's the Guild Leader! I strongly suspect he sold his account. The guild is pretty much dead. Without an active leader, nothing can really change. The only reason to be a member of the guild is for Guild Hall perks. It's sad. > > Giving players Guild Commendations for repping a guild for a certain length of time (kind-of like participation in WvW, where you get rewards on a timer, just for playing in that game mode for a given amount of time) would be really great. In case you think I'm hating on level-capped guilds, which I'm not, notice this would be especially beneficial for level-capped guilds that have little incentive to continue to do guild missions. I agree with these points! Also, regarding inactive guild leaders: in one of the games I used to play, if the leader doesn’t log-in for 7 days, leadership automatically transfers to the next most active officer. Since GW2 is more casual, the devs could make it 2 weeks or 1 month. That 1 year absence the poster mentioned is really disturbing. :O

I’d cut the team some slack on the latest episodes. Given the pandemic and layoffs all over the world. Plus, waiting a little in terms of content drought... can be worth it if it means they can focus on the next expansion. ;)

@"Fueki.4753" I’m only guessing but maybe loading from story instance checkpoints is added to the later stories? Since I disconnected from a LWS4 instance. I’m testing new characters (for the profession/race)... and I may get to see if the personal story or older living world episodes don’t have that feature for disconnections. It’s all good, thank you for having this conversation with me!