[Suggestion/speculation] Special Access Pass normalisation - similar to gathering tools

[Curunen.8729]

Can it be assumed that similar to how gathering tools were updated so that older ones are no longer made redundant by newer ones (other than animation speed, and cosmetic preference), the special access pass locations could potentially be "normalised" in the future so as not to make older pass locations redundant?

 

For example adding fractal vendors to all of them, allowing tp back to current world location on all of them, and any new update that may be included on future special access passes, so that each special access pass has all the same core features with the differences being largely cosmetic (ie special action skill(s), low gravity in mistlock etc)

 

I'm thinking about this because it is likely future passes could include even more features, and wondering how older passes would still be incentivised.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

Once someone has bought Mistlock will they buy any others? At this point the only ones I would buy are ones that come with bundled with an expansion for fast travel to the new expansion on my alts without doing the story.

[Bunter.3795]

> @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> Once someone has bought Mistlock will they buy any others? At this point the only ones I would buy are ones that come with bundled with an expansion for fast travel to the new expansion on my alts without doing the story.

 

The problem is that for those like myself who bought the Royal Terrace pass when it first appeared now have to purchase the Mistlock pass to have the same functionality. They should all be the same.

 

I would love to have an exchange system where you could trade in any pass for any other pass. ANET still gets the sale of one item and no one is left with either concerns that the item may become obsolete or the bad taste when an item you've bought has become obsolete. Sort of like how we were able to exchange unlimited tools without glyph slots for those with glyph slots. I know it's different with tools as they have skins but I still think it would be a good idea for the passes.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

> @"Bunter.3795" said:

> > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > Once someone has bought Mistlock will they buy any others? At this point the only ones I would buy are ones that come with bundled with an expansion for fast travel to the new expansion on my alts without doing the story.

>

> The problem is that for those like myself who bought the Royal Terrace pass when it first appeared now have to purchase the Mistlock pass to have the same functionality. They should all be the same.

>

> I would love to have an exchange system where you could trade in any pass for any other pass. ANET still gets the sale of one item and no one is left with either concerns that the item may become obsolete or the bad taste when an item you've bought has become obsolete. Sort of like how we were able to exchange unlimited tools without glyph slots for those with glyph slots. I know it's different with tools as they have skins but I still think it would be a good idea for the passes.

 

No doubt, but there is a difference between the two types that means that they won’t be the same. The Royal Terrace is part of a regular PvE map that’s cordoned off. The Mistlock is not part of a PvE map. This means it has the return to previous PvE map feature and Royal Terrace won’t (unless it’s reworked and moved off the PvE map). That return to previous map alone makes the Mistlock a best buy even if the NPCs are all standardized.

 

Of course one can still ask for NPC standardization across all Passes but for practical purposes once someone buys the Mistlock they probably wont buy another Pass.

[starlinvf.1358]

They could easily add that to any pass by using the "last position" variable preserved while inside the area, and then update it if they step out of the area. Then have a similar portal as Mistlock they can use to teleport back, or go to a city by the Home instance WP (which would be a good QOL function for the portal). Even without that unique feature, Mistlock still retains its proximity to Fractal portals as a benefit.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

> @"starlinvf.1358" said:

> They could easily add that to any pass by using the "last position" variable preserved while inside the area, and then update it if they step out of the area. Then have a similar portal as Mistlock they can use to teleport back, or go to a city by the Home instance WP (which would be a good QOL function for the portal). Even without that unique feature, Mistlock still retains its proximity to Fractal portals as a benefit.

 

Can they? The areas are not separate from the rest of the PvE maps, which is why they said previously that they can’t add a return to previous map to the old Passes.

[starlinvf.1358]

> @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > @"starlinvf.1358" said:

> > They could easily add that to any pass by using the "last position" variable preserved while inside the area, and then update it if they step out of the area. Then have a similar portal as Mistlock they can use to teleport back, or go to a city by the Home instance WP (which would be a good QOL function for the portal). Even without that unique feature, Mistlock still retains its proximity to Fractal portals as a benefit.

>

> Can they? The areas are not separate from the rest of the PvE maps, which is why they said previously that they can’t add a return to previous map to the old Passes.

 

Thats what I'm saying. Right now its a side effect of the game logging map positions when going into instanced content. You could change that behavior slightly to tell the game to log it on Pass use, and revert to it using either the pass, a WP, or a Portal in the RT/whatever itself. As a contingency, you can specify conditions that overwrite that position to avoid potential weirdness/conflicts, if the player decides to leave the lounge on foot. Defaulting to the WP nearest the lounge would be enough to satisfy it. They could even make Lounges their own map instances, so it behaves the same as Mistlock, and just kicks the player back into the normal world if wander out of the boundaries for too long.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

> @"starlinvf.1358" said:

> > @"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:

> > > @"starlinvf.1358" said:

> > > They could easily add that to any pass by using the "last position" variable preserved while inside the area, and then update it if they step out of the area. Then have a similar portal as Mistlock they can use to teleport back, or go to a city by the Home instance WP (which would be a good QOL function for the portal). Even without that unique feature, Mistlock still retains its proximity to Fractal portals as a benefit.

> >

> > Can they? The areas are not separate from the rest of the PvE maps, which is why they said previously that they can’t add a return to previous map to the old Passes.

>

> Thats what I'm saying. Right now its a side effect of the game logging map positions when going into instanced content. You could change that behavior slightly to tell the game to log it on Pass use, and revert to it using either the pass, a WP, or a Portal in the RT/whatever itself. As a contingency, you can specify conditions that overwrite that position to avoid potential weirdness/conflicts, if the player decides to leave the lounge on foot. Defaulting to the WP nearest the lounge would be enough to satisfy it. They could even make Lounges their own map instances, so it behaves the same as Mistlock, and just kicks the player back into the normal world if wander out of the boundaries for too long.

 

Ah, well I was remembering the Devs saying they couldn’t make the Passes on PvE maps return to last map without a substantial amount of work.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

[Found this dev post](

)

 

>**MithranArkanere**

>I always wondered if all the exclusive areas could get that option too in their portals.

>My captain pass could get me picked up anywhere in Tyria, but the ship can drop me down again in the same spot?

>**Anet_BenRilvald (Fractals/Raids)**

>Right now only the Sanctuary can, there are technical reasons why other maps cannot. The sanctuary was built differently.

[Bunter.3795]

The biggest change would be to just offer an exchange npc (which we already have) that would allow us to exchange the current pass we have for the Mistlock pass. No one would be forced to exchange it and those that like having the Royal Terrace can keep it as is but those that want the added functionality of the Mistlock Pass can get that without having to purchase a second, basically pointless, item.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

> @"Bunter.3795" said:

> The biggest change would be to just offer an exchange npc (which we already have) that would allow us to exchange the current pass we have for the Mistlock pass. No one would be forced to exchange it and those that like having the Royal Terrace can keep it as is but those that want the added functionality of the Mistlock Pass can get that without having to purchase a second, basically pointless, item.

 

Anet sells the Passes to make money to pay their bills. People buying a second Pass gets them more money. People exchanging one Pass for another doesn’t. I wouldn’t hold much hope for ANet giving an exchange when what they really want is for people to buy.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

> @"Bunter.3795" said:

> The problem is that for those like myself who bought the Royal Terrace pass when it first appeared now have to purchase the Mistlock pass to have the same functionality. They should all be the same.

They have never all been identical. The Royal Terrace was first and has always lacked one or more features of the others (it also seems to get bugged during festivals, which don't affect the others).

 

Further, the devs have categorically stated that Mistlock Sanctuary will be the only VIP lounge with a "return to sender" mechanic (there's a technical reason why it can't be retrofitted to exiting locations and why any new VIP lounges won't get it).

 

People buy these for various reasons: mood, setting, who hangs out in them, features. And as a business, it's in ANet's interest to provide incentives for us to own multiple versions.

 

I think we'd have more luck asking for a single item that allowed us to bundle all the VIP-access items together, so they took up a single spot instead of several. (Although, that might turn out to be much more complicated than I imagine.)

[Devildoc.6721]

I asked about this once. adding the NPC's is possible but the return to previous location option is not possible because those other passes are not instanced zones but part of the world map. You can only do return to previous location with home district portal, mistlock , and hall of monuments.

[SlippyCheeze.5483]

> @"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

> > @"Bunter.3795" said:

> > The problem is that for those like myself who bought the Royal Terrace pass when it first appeared now have to purchase the Mistlock pass to have the same functionality. They should all be the same.

> They have never all been identical. The Royal Terrace was first and has always lacked one or more features of the others (it also seems to get bugged during festivals, which don't affect the others).

 

Mmm, the festival map literally replaces the normal map, so if they forget to port a change or fix from the normal map....