Pre HoT Guild Wars 2

[Veprovina.4876]

Does anyone have any pre HoT screenshots of GW2?

Of the GUI perhaps? How everything used to look?

 

I know they didn't change much, but i know the Hero tab used to be a lot different.

 

Post some screenshots if you have them for nostalgia! :smile:

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

You can find plenty of pictures in the Wiki using the 'History' feature.

Here's some examples:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/index.php?title=Hero_panel&oldid=876269

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Hero_panel_equipment.jpg

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/archive/5/5a/20150625155604%21Training_panel.jpg

[Danikat.8537]

I can post some screenshots tonight after I finish work. But the vast majority of things haven't changed much. The ones I remember being re-worked are the trading post and gem store (and the gold/gem exchange menu), the achievements menu and the skill and trait unlock system.

 

When my screenshots just show the game world and the HUD I often have to go by what my characters are wearing, story prompts or even the image meta-data to work out when it was taken because so little has changed.

[choon.6308]

Trading post in 2013

 

[https://imgur.com/a/1CrnMfv](https://imgur.com/a/1CrnMfv)

[Steve The Cynic.3217]

The Hero Panel's Equipment page in 2012 while wearing Town Clothes: https://i.imgur.com/blfNgeD.jpg (This character would later become The Purple Reaper.)

 

The Inventory panel in 2012 https://i.imgur.com/5LjdvJp.jpg (The yellow rectangle is the chat window, full of goldseller and power-levelling spam.)

 

The character-select screen from 2012 https://i.imgur.com/ghirL1u.jpg

 

For amusement value, a picture I call _When Salmon Could Fly_ (also from 2012):


 

[Veprovina.4876]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> You can find plenty of pictures in the Wiki using the 'History' feature.

> Here's some examples:

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/index.php?title=Hero_panel&oldid=876269

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/File:Hero_panel_equipment.jpg

> https://wiki.guildwars2.com/images/archive/5/5a/20150625155604%21Training_panel.jpg

 

Yes! That's it! :smiley:

It feels so weird looking at that again! :tongue:

 

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

> I can post some screenshots tonight after I finish work. But the vast majority of things haven't changed much. The ones I remember being re-worked are the trading post and gem store (and the gold/gem exchange menu), the achievements menu and the skill and trait unlock system.

>

> When my screenshots just show the game world and the HUD I often have to go by what my characters are wearing, story prompts or even the image meta-data to work out when it was taken because so little has changed.

 

Sure! Post anything you have!

Also, in general, if anyone has some nostalgic photos of like, Core Tyria conetnt that isn't done anymore like tons of people hanging around dungeons or some events that had tons of people, stuff like that. :smile:

I have old screenshots too i think somewhere, i'll try to find them. If i still have them i'll post some.

 

> @"choon.6308" said:

> Trading post in 2013

>

> [https://imgur.com/a/1CrnMfv](https://imgur.com/a/1CrnMfv)

 

Oh man! I remember that! :smiley:

They really streamlined the Trading Post and most other interfaces since the early days.

 

> @"Steve The Cynic.3217" said:

> The Hero Panel's Equipment page in 2012 while wearing Town Clothes: https://i.imgur.com/blfNgeD.jpg (This character would later become The Purple Reaper.)

>

> The Inventory panel in 2012 https://i.imgur.com/5LjdvJp.jpg (The yellow rectangle is the chat window, full of goldseller and power-levelling spam.)

>

> The character-select screen from 2012 https://i.imgur.com/ghirL1u.jpg

>

> For amusement value, a picture I call _When Salmon Could Fly_ (also from 2012):

> 

>

 

Nice! Thanks! :smiley:

It's so weird looking at this now haha, but i'm starting to remember how it all looked and feeled then.

Good old inventory panel haha, full of "currency" that nowdays is just a wallet number (and better for it).

I do remember gold sellers and power levelers haha, but Anet destroyed that problem at the root by having their own gold selling and power leveling. Smart move.

 

And LOL at the Salmon! :grin:

[Veprovina.4876]

Oh, and how do you embed pictures in posts? I can't seem to get it to work.

For when i post my own pictures.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> Oh, and how do you embed pictures in posts? I can't seem to get it to work.

> For when i post my own pictures.

 

[https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/386/faq-about-using-the-forums](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/386/faq-about-using-the-forums)

[Veprovina.4876]

Thanks @"kharmin.7683", works now!

 

**Old GUI elements:**

 

Achievements panel 2013


Guild panel 2013


Hero Equipment panel 2013


Trading post and Story 2013


Map Screen 2013


Inventory 2013


Login Screen 2013


 

**Old Lion's Arch:**

 




 

**Some events:**

 






 

**Some funnies:**

Cuddling in the snow


Sleepover before Frozen Maw (people used to sleep all over the place here before the event haha!)


*Graphics*


Weirdly sexual 1


Weirdly sexual 2


 

Enjoy the nostalgia! :smile:

Post some of yours as well!

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

Nice to see proof. ;)

[Dante.1508]

I so miss pre hot GW2.

[Veprovina.4876]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> Nice to see proof. ;)

 

Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

Missed so many free stores but oh well.

 

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> I so miss pre hot GW2.

 

It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

[Danikat.8537]

The achievements menu from March 2013, also showing the monthly achievements we used to have (This was the first month I completed them, in spite of having the game since launch.)


 

And an intermediate view - the achievements summary tab from May 2014, after AP rewards were added but before login rewards were introduced (laurels came from individual daily/monthly achievements) and before they got rid of mothly achievements.


 

Character select screen from August 2014:


 

Trading Post, from March 2014:


 

The old trait menu. This is probably the biggest change I remember. Traits used to give bonuses to stats, which meant choosing them was often a trade-off between getting one with the stats you wanted or with traits which were useful (especially when some had really odd pairs of stats). There were only 5 - no elites of course - and you could put some points into all 5 if you wanted, but then you couldn't reach the grandmaster traits.

 

Oh, and instead of unlocking lines as you levelled up you had to buy training manuals from an NPC (which had a level requirement) to unlock tiers of traits - adept first, then master and then grandmaster. Which meant a lot of people ran around with no traits at all until they were sure they wanted to keep the character. I seem to remember very early on you had to pay to reset your traits as well, but I may be remembering that wrong.


 

Bonus one: as far as I know they're still in the game, but probably more rarely visited now: the hidden turkey room in Ascalon Catacombs.


[RyuDragnier.9476]

Old LA...man I miss it. Can we please have it back somehow? I miss that place so much, the new one isn't as good as the old one, at least aesthetically.

[mezuzel.4987]

As someone who started playing only a few years ago, these are so weird to see! What's the little blue ^ icon in some of @Veprovina.4876 screenshots? Is that what the hero point icon used to look like?! :open_mouth:

[RyuDragnier.9476]

> @"mezuzel.4987" said:

> As someone who started playing only a few years ago, these are so weird to see! What's the little blue ^ icon in some of @Veprovina.4876 screenshots? Is that what the hero point icon used to look like?! :open_mouth:

Correct, that is exactly what they used to look like, but they were known as Skill points back then. We used to have to use Skill Points to buy all our class skills instead of hero points to get it all off a trait ring. Trait books used to be bought from class trainers to teach us the various tiers of traits.

[mezuzel.4987]

> @"RyuDragnier.9476" said:

> > @"mezuzel.4987" said:

> > As someone who started playing only a few years ago, these are so weird to see! What's the little blue ^ icon in some of @Veprovina.4876 screenshots? Is that what the hero point icon used to look like?! :open_mouth:

> Correct, that is exactly what they used to look like, but they were known as Skill points back then. We used to have to use Skill Points to buy all our class skills instead of hero points to get it all off a trait ring. Trait books used to be bought from class trainers to teach us the various tiers of traits.

 

Wow... thanks for the info! So interesting how things have changed over the years.

[Veprovina.4876]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

> The achievements menu from March 2013, also showing the monthly achievements we used to have (This was the first month I completed them, in spite of having the game since launch.)

> 

>

> And an intermediate view - the achievements summary tab from May 2014, after AP rewards were added but before login rewards were introduced (laurels came from individual daily/monthly achievements) and before they got rid of mothly achievements.

> 

>

> Character select screen from August 2014:

> 

>

> Trading Post, from March 2014:

> 

>

> The old trait menu. This is probably the biggest change I remember. Traits used to give bonuses to stats, which meant choosing them was often a trade-off between getting one with the stats you wanted or with traits which were useful (especially when some had really odd pairs of stats). There were only 5 - no elites of course - and you could put some points into all 5 if you wanted, but then you couldn't reach the grandmaster traits.

>

> Oh, and instead of unlocking lines as you levelled up you had to buy training manuals from an NPC (which had a level requirement) to unlock tiers of traits - adept first, then master and then grandmaster. Which meant a lot of people ran around with no traits at all until they were sure they wanted to keep the character. I seem to remember very early on you had to pay to reset your traits as well, but I may be remembering that wrong.

> 

>

> Bonus one: as far as I know they're still in the game, but probably more rarely visited now: the hidden turkey room in Ascalon Catacombs.

> 

 

Oh my god! Yes, i remember now the old Trait system! :smiley:

Yeah, you could mix and match then, put points onto some of them up to 1st tier, and the rest maybe 2nd or get one full traited out.

There was so much build diversity then! All running different trait combinations.

 

And they were trained at NPCs, i remember now as well! :smiley:

Here's one:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Grandmaster%27s_Training_Manual

Costs 2 gold to unlock grandmaster traits! That's why people were not using traits until they were sure haha, because 2 gold was so much money back then! It was a waste to spend it on a trait just to see how it plays, so most didn't bother until they were sure they liked the character. Man, i'm "poor" now in terms of todays game economy, but if i had that much money back then i'd be a baron hahahah!

 

Yeah, you couldn't just switch them whenever you wanted, you needed to use something idk what to reset the traits and that stuff was rare or expensive idk, so people used to stick to just one build most of the time.

 

I think this was used for trait reset:

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Instant_Trait_Reset

But i think there was an in game currency option as well, i just don't know what it used. I know it was a pain to reset them, so most people didn't do that often.

 

Thanks for sharing that!

Those were the times lol, although i like the new system better, it's less restrictive and doesn't punish you for experimenting.

But it's nice to remember how things were. :smile:

 

I never saw the turkey room lol, thanks for sharing that as well! :smile:

And of course, monthly achievements haha, i remember those as well. > @"RyuDragnier.9476" said:

> Old LA...man I miss it. Can we please have it back somehow? I miss that place so much, the new one isn't as good as the old one, at least aesthetically.

 

Maybe they'll blow it up again, and rebuild a new one. :wink:

 

> @"mezuzel.4987" said:

> As someone who started playing only a few years ago, these are so weird to see! What's the little blue ^ icon in some of @Veprovina.4876 screenshots? Is that what the hero point icon used to look like?! :open_mouth:

 

Yeah, the game was different back then. Not by a lot, but definitely noticable. Like, if you got back now, it would be very confusing and not nearly as much rewarding as it is today. Having Ascended anything was an achievement to be worked towards, let alone a legendary. Legendary was exactly that - legendary, only a very few dedicated players could make them. Today's legendaries are much easier by comparison. I didn't make one myself but from the tons of loot everyone gets in HoT and PoF metas, along with other streamlined stuff, it's so much easier to collect and/or buy the required materials.

 

Also, there was no legendary armor then.

 

And yeah, those are "skill points" haha, what became hero points later after HoT was released. :smile:

I almost didn't notice them at first until you pointed out that the icon is different. And indeed it is haha! I got so used to hero points that i forgot about skill points and the old system.

 

Those were the days. :smile:

But it's just nostalgia for me, from the days i used to be new to Guild Wars 2. It's always a unique experience exploring a big game like GW2 with everyone else, collectively learning stuff, no wikis, no build guides (at first), no meta builds. Just you and the virtual world.

 

Man i sound like an old "back in my day" grandpa haha. :tongue:

[Dante.1508]

> @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > Nice to see proof. ;)

>

> Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> Missed so many free stores but oh well.

>

> > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > I so miss pre hot GW2.

>

> It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

 

I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

[Linken.6345]

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> > @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > > Nice to see proof. ;)

> >

> > Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> > I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> > I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> > Missed so many free stores but oh well.

> >

> > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > I so miss pre hot GW2.

> >

> > It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> > I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

>

> I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

 

The dungeons are still there get 1-4 more people and go ham on them.

[Dante.1508]

> @"Linken.6345" said:

> > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > > > Nice to see proof. ;)

> > >

> > > Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> > > I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> > > I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> > > Missed so many free stores but oh well.

> > >

> > > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > I so miss pre hot GW2.

> > >

> > > It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> > > I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

> >

> > I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

>

> The dungeons are still there get 1-4 more people and go ham on them.

 

I did but there is only so many times you can play the same things over and over..

 

What i meant was back in the day i hated dungeons, but i had no idea the feedback would lead to even worse things like raids and fractals.. we should have just said nothing and played the now casual dungeons and we would have gotten more, not this modern crazy insanity that is fractals etc..

 

The things you learn too late.

 

[Linken.6345]

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> > @"Linken.6345" said:

> > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > > > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > > > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > > > > Nice to see proof. ;)

> > > >

> > > > Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> > > > I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> > > > I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> > > > Missed so many free stores but oh well.

> > > >

> > > > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > > I so miss pre hot GW2.

> > > >

> > > > It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> > > > I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

> > >

> > > I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

> >

> > The dungeons are still there get 1-4 more people and go ham on them.

>

> I did but there is only so many times you can play the same things over and over..

>

> What i meant was back in the day i hated dungeons, but i had no idea the feedback would lead to even worse things like raids and fractals.. we should have just said nothing and played the now casual dungeons and we would have gotten more, not this modern crazy insanity that is fractals etc..

>

> The things you learn too late.

>

 

Oh we wouldent have the dungeon team was prommtly gutted and sacked.

[Veprovina.4876]

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> > @"Linken.6345" said:

> > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > > > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > > > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > > > > Nice to see proof. ;)

> > > >

> > > > Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> > > > I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> > > > I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> > > > Missed so many free stores but oh well.

> > > >

> > > > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > > I so miss pre hot GW2.

> > > >

> > > > It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> > > > I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

> > >

> > > I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

> >

> > The dungeons are still there get 1-4 more people and go ham on them.

>

> I did but there is only so many times you can play the same things over and over..

>

> What i meant was back in the day i hated dungeons, but i had no idea the feedback would lead to even worse things like raids and fractals.. we should have just said nothing and played the now casual dungeons and we would have gotten more, not this modern crazy insanity that is fractals etc..

>

> The things you learn too late.

>

 

Fractals existed way back then as well. Just not a lot of them like now. I still remember people losing their minds how good the loot was in fractals lol - if only they knew. :tongue:

 

The game is definitely more hardcore now, but there's so much to do compared to just core tyria that it's hard to find it grindy.

 

I thought the dungeons back then were extremely grindy as you could do them just once a day for a good reward, then either wait, or do them over and over for smaller rewards - which people did as there was nothing to do once you hit 80 except dungeons and fractals. Now we have a lot.

I miss the simplicity of the game before, but if that would have been all, people would get bored pretty soon.

[mindcircus.1506]

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> > @"Linken.6345" said:

> > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > @"Veprovina.4876" said:

> > > > > @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > > > > I don't think many remember there used to be Mini-pets in that arena in LA.

> > > > > Nice to see proof. ;)

> > > >

> > > > Yeah, haha, i have a couple of screenshots of that arena, but this one is the only one i think that shows pets in it. :smile:

> > > > I kinda miss the old Lion's arch, but i appreciate Anet for having the balls to literally destroy one map and redo it as part of the story. Like, kudos, really!

> > > > I don't have many, if any LW2 Lion's arch screenshots, when it was under attack and all messed up. I think i stopped playing then. Got back for HoT, then left for LW3, got back for PoF and now i'm back as well.

> > > > Missed so many free stores but oh well.

> > > >

> > > > > @"Dante.1508" said:

> > > > > I so miss pre hot GW2.

> > > >

> > > > It was quite a different experience wasn't it? :smile:

> > > > I appreciate all the QoL changes we got since then, but i miss it for the nostalgia.

> > >

> > > I just found it a lot more casual and fun. Even the old dungeons at the time i hated as they were so hardcore turned out to be so much better then than the crazy Fractals and raiding we have now.. I so regret losing dungeons as they were so much better, i had no idea what the grindy future would bring.

> >

> > The dungeons are still there get 1-4 more people and go ham on them.

>

> I did but there is only so many times you can play the same things over and over..

>

> What i meant was back in the day i hated dungeons, but i had no idea the feedback would lead to even worse things like raids and fractals.. we should have just said nothing and played the now casual dungeons and we would have gotten more, not this modern crazy insanity that is fractals etc..

>

> The things you learn too late.

All t1 fractals with the exception of 23, 24 and 25 are far easier and shorter (read:casual friendly) than explorable dungeons.

Many are even far easier than story mode dungeons.

At their most basic level, Volcanic, Urban Battleground, Mai Trin boss, Swampland, Snowblind, Molten Boss, and Uncategorized are all far easier than the story modes for Honor of the Waves, Sorrows Embrace or Crucible of Eternity.

[nottsgman.8206]

> @"Danikat.8537" said:

 

> Bonus one: as far as I know they're still in the game, but probably more rarely visited now: the hidden turkey room in Ascalon Catacombs.

> 

 

I visited the "turkey room" in AC not long ago and they appear to be gone now :( (I always make it a point to go see them whenever I play through AC) maybe because of the closeness of thanksgiving at the time