I have returned.

[Yoh.8469]

3 years ago I left this game, and as of a week of this writing have since returned.

This is something of a dairy as I work my way through the new (to me) content, what I like, what I don't like, etc.

 

First, why did I leave in the first place?

In short, the massive content drought that lasted from shortly after launch, up to evidently the first expansion. However I left before HoT was even announced, about 2.5 years into the game.

While the game in it's early years did receive polish, and minor content updates, the core of the game really didn't expand at all. There were no new weapons, no new utility skills, only a handful of new healing skills and master traits, and no new classes. New areas were very few, new story content via the living story wasn't particularly good at the time and could hardly support the game by itself. In addition to be temporary. The only content of note was the seasonal content, which has the drawback of being only seasonal. (duh)

There was plenty of cosmetic fluff, and anything Anet could immediately turn around and sell. But as for content, there was exceedingly little added.

Which may not in itself been a major problem if the base game itself had a great deal of depth. However this game was and continues to be, incredibly shallow. Fun, but shallow.

 

But that wasn't problem the pushed me over the edge. It was Anet's terrible attitude towards it's own players.

Because it wasn't enough to just not create content, it was also being absent as so far as community management went. Anet just didn't talk to it's players, unless of course you had something you wanted to sell us, or keys to jingle in our face. But when it came to fixing what was broken, or talking about plans or new content, or really just talking to your players honestly and openly, you were completely and utterly absent.

Because it was your OFFICIAL POLICY. I still find the idea of the completely gulling and insulting.

Eventually you wised up and dropped the policy, but for me the damage had been done. I just don't trust you anymore.

All the good will the GW1 had built up in me was spent, and I was done.

 

I walked away bitter and angry, for essentially being lied to and having my time and money wasted.

 

 

And so 3 years later here we are.

Why am I back? It honestly has very little to do with you.

While I have kept up with the news, and knew that GW2 was 2 expansions in, and was doing a better job of talking with their own players, it wasn't enough to draw me back.

I am still incredibly bitter still, however I am no long angry about it. That has been replaced with apathy. Time will do that.

 

No, what drew me back was in part a video by Downward Thrust, about Warframe and how he was wrong about it and now loves the game.

Which in turn made me think about if I want to remain intellectually honest, shouldn't I put my bitterness aside for a moment and evaluate the expansions for what they are?

Because even right up till the end I could still see what did and didn't work for the game. So it's not like I'm unable to be honest about the game even if I don't like the development team.

 

The second element to why, is simply pure unadulterated boredom. I just have nothing better to do right now.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

And so I am going to break down my summarized experience going back through the game in separate posts as I get to them.

If you want to reply, go ahead. But this is less of a conversation and more of a dairy entry for prosperity..

[Yoh.8469]

Picking up where I left off.

 

First thing that happened after coming back.... was no end of technical issues with my account. Apparently Anet's system is a steaming pile of garbage, because it couldn't even send messages to the same old email address I had been using all through out. Thus I couldn't change my password, or get automatic emails to login, etc. Support wasn't terribly useful, and thus we had little option but to resort to creating a whole new email just to play the stupid game. Not a great start.

This would later be followed up with more login issues, and not being able to log into the forums initially.

Slow clap.

 

Well, after all the nonsense was sorted out I started anew on a new character. Apparently I had a spare character slot I wasn't using. I made another Ranger.

Decided I wanted to level up all over again just so I could evaluate the expansions relative to the base game, so I re-experienced the mind numbing joy of leveling up again. To be fair the leveling experience in GW2 was never that bad, esp when compared to other MMO's. Which are painfully dull and repetitive.

GW2 questing is at least varied and somewhat engaging. Mind you, you can sleep walk through the entire thing as it's not challenging in the least.

Story content doesn't have the best presentation, and is more then a little stiff. But it's serviceable and has some decent characters, even if you don't really get to spend much time with any of them.

 

As to the changes, leveling does give you more items now, so your well equipped to dealing with anything the game throws at you (which isn't much), without having to go looking for gear. So that's an improvement, not that searching for gear was that big of a problem in the first place.

The new map guide tracker UI is also new, and while I can see how it can help newer players, as a returning player I found it kind of annoying. Fortunately it is well out of view for the most part.

The trait system and UI has been overhauled I see. And while in some ways it's more streamlined, it's also more rigid and somehow more confusing.

Namely in the sense in which you have more menus to navigate. I can't help but find the new menu system to be a giant pain in the backside.

Constantly going back and forth in and out of menus searching for what you want is a chore.

 

A consequence of the changes to traits that I noticed is the renamed hero points. Namely the challenges, which now until you get to level 10 you can't gain.

However the initial level design was expecting you to find them before that, and pointed it out on your map. So you get there and you can't do anything.

It's negative possibility space. Fortunately level 10 is not a hard hurdle, but it is annoying.

The wardrobe has been improved, which is nice to see. (har har)

 

Besides that, the leveling process was mostly what I remembered it to be and generally expected.

Took me about 4-5 days. An usually I skip the ending story, because it sucks.

Once I was leveled up, I got myself a full set of exotic cleric equipment and moved onto HoT.

[Yoh.8469]

Now this is where things get interesting. Finally, new land.

 

I finished playing around the middle of season 2 of the Living Story. So I at least recognize the crew, even if I don't know the details of what led up to HoT.

Even still, the story picks up quickly and starts off strong. The visual presentation had improved by leaps and bounds.

Even towards the end of my time with the game, and even thou I didn't give a single solitary Eff to give about the living story, I did notice the gradual improvement in story telling techniques back then. And they are on full display here.

 

Going into a new area, littered in the remains of your once great aircraft fleet. What a sight.

The character performances are strong, and far more memorable then anything the base game had. Music isn't quite as strong, it has it's moments, but doesn't seem as pronounced.

Level design however is far, far better. You now have much more verticality, which whenever the base game did it (namely with jumping puzzles) was when it was at it's best. And now due to the Glider, and other level design features, you can now travel and explore in a way that is far more engaging then honestly anything I've seen from the competition. It also helps the the maps themselves are also gorgeously rendered.

But that was always a strong suit of Anet. It's also noticeable more challenging the the core game, which in turn makes it more engaging.

And the events felt far more cohesive and collaborative, as everybody on the map is working towards the same goal. And in general there were far more and better side character moments that brought the place to life. Overall it's definitely an improvement.

 

Around this time I also dabble a little in WvW, and also saw the great improvements to the borderland maps. Which are also fantastic.

But then you go to the Eternal Battlegrounds and it's a different story. It's still using the same old map, and it has not aged well at all. It's largely flat and lifeless, and a general bore/chore to explore and navigate. It's dull as a sack of hammers. And is in desperate need of renovation.

How this hasn't been addressed in the 6+ years of post launch content boggles the mind. But then it's this same kind of thing that made me leave in the first place, so.

 

 

Moving on. Story progression wise I am only part way through. On my Ranger I only got so far as Scruffy getting electrocuted. Maybe half way?

So I am awhile off from completing it. However I abandoned my Ranger as my initial point was to try the Druid.

It took me awhile to figure out how to unlock it. I was saving points by not spending them on unlocking trait lines I wasn't going to use, thinking that the game would tell me how to unlock it, ideally as a story moment. The moment never came, so I just looked it up, and turned out I had to unlock everything first.

Not as momentous as I would have liked. Well, after unlocking the Druid and playing around with it... I just hated it.

This coming from a person who traditionally loves the healer role. I play it whenever I am given the option. Which is part of my disappointment in the core game, where roles are basically non existent. I just like healing people, and not really be able to do so, at least not actively in a way that is effective.

 

So I was a little excited to try out the Druid, only to be yet again disappointed. It is clunky and weird.

Instead of targeting my allies to heal them, I target my enemies? WTF?

So if you don't have a target, you can't really do much of anything, at least not with the staff. Combined with the weird position that you have to do to sandwich you allies between you and your enemy for your primary. It just feels gross.

As for the Celestial Avatar form, it feels like the Death Shroud in all but name. While it's skills are decent, and the bulk of the consistent healing.

But you can't maintain it for long, seems to take an eternity to charge, and just kind of felt lackluster.

Even if statistically the druid is considered to be pretty good, I just can't get beyond the mechanics of it. It's not what I am looking for in a healer.

I just want to target my allies and heal them, with no big fuss or mechanics to juggle in order to do so. Not a good first impression for Elite Specializations as a concept.

 

 

So, plan B then. I booted up my old Necro, and started working them towards being a Reaper. The only other Elite Specialization I had a passing interest in. (that is part of HoT)

Spent some time retreading the HoT story line, getting my points, etc. (also noted the someone is a big fan of Starcraft)

Once I unlocked most of it, slapped on Reaper.... and actually had a really good time. The Reaper feels like a good answer to Power Necro, as your options were pretty limited before. And the Reaper shroud feels like what Death shroud should have always been. (as the base version is lackluster at best)

Here you can actually do appreciable amounts of damage, tank and mobility. It kind of feels like a hyper mode.

It's something I want to use, rather then feel like I am forced to use it.

 

However to be fair, creating solid DPS choices was something the game always did well, since everyone is a DPS whether you like it or not. And I tend to not.

Again I am more of a healer then anything else. But for the meantime I can satisfy my bloodlust with the Reaper, as see if there is any other Elite Specialization that does the healer gig better. Looking from the outset, I'm expecting the Firebrand might be able to scratch that itch, but that's won't be till PoF. We are awhile off from that.

 

Overall, the story content is quite excellent, the new gliding mechanics are great. The new track progression is a largely busy work, but nothing terribly invasive.

And the Elite Specializations are a mixed bag. I can't rightly say they are worth the years of non existent character/class options, but I won't be able to properly evaluate them until I experience more. We'll see.

[Yoh.8469]

Reserved for a future entree.

Quick question to any mods that might be reading. Can I come back and edit this?

Because I'd like to have space to add more as I go through the expansion content, given that I am writing this like a diary.

[Ubi.4136]

Well, I don't know who you or the other guy are, but welcome back. The game is still fun, they are finally fixing some things that have been broken since launch. Balance is what it is. Stick around and have fun while you can.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

> @"Yoh.8469" said:

> Reserved for a future entree.

> Quick question to any mods that might be reading. Can I come back and edit this?

> Because I'd like to have space to add more as I go through the expansion content, given that I am writing this like a diary.

 

Once you are a Member (2 stars), you can edit at any time.

_Recruits (new accounts, or accounts with 5 or fewer posts) have a 4-hour window for edits. Accounts at Member rank and above have an infinite window for edits._

 

I don't remember things as you do, but regardless...welcome return.

[Yoh.8469]

> @"Inculpatus cedo.9234" said:

> > @"Yoh.8469" said:

> > Reserved for a future entree.

> > Quick question to any mods that might be reading. Can I come back and edit this?

> > Because I'd like to have space to add more as I go through the expansion content, given that I am writing this like a diary.

>

> Once you are a Member (2 stars), you can edit at any time.

> _Recruits (new accounts, or accounts with 5 or fewer posts) have a 4-hour window for edits. Accounts at Member rank and above have an infinite window for edits._

>

> I don't remember things as you do, but regardless...welcome return.

 

Thanks for the tip.

[Randulf.7614]

I would encourage less the use of this being a diary/blog (not what the forums are for)and concentrate on shorter, more concise feedback on whatever elements you wish to discuss.

 

Your posts are somewhat bloated and overwritten (offence not intended), which is a shame because you did make some good points hidden away in there and some of those have potential to be solid improvements, but it is all a bit lost and muddled.

[Yoh.8469]

> @"Randulf.7614" said:

> I would encourage less the use of this being a diary/blog (not what the forums are for)and concentrate on shorter, more concise feedback on whatever elements you wish to discuss.

>

> Your posts are somewhat bloated and overwritten (offence not intended), which is a shame because you did make some good points hidden away in there and some of those have potential to be solid improvements, but it is all a bit lost and muddled.

 

Yeah unfortunately that's how I tend to write. I'm not terribly proficient at it.

But there is a lot to touch on, and I have thoughts on everything.

[Algreg.3629]

I fail to see what your point is really. Atm, I tend to a case of "me, me, me", but I could be wrong.

[Game of Bones.8975]

tl;dr

Welcome back

[Yoh.8469]

Well it's been a few weeks, I've finished playing through both expansions, and living world season 2.

It less then what I hoped for, but about what I expected. First HoT, was honestly pretty decent as so far as expansions are concerned. The map and level design has improved greatly, thou a few are extremely difficult and confusing to navigate. Story telling and delivery has improved, and visually the game is still great to look at.

Combat however has seen little to no improvement. While trash mobs have seen some improvement, being more challenging, varied and clear with their attacks.

Boss encounters remains to be total garbage. Mordremoth starts to head in the direction of better gameplay, but majorly dropping the ball presentation wise.

And elite specializations do little to improve the situation, and are little more then a mild improvement on core class mechanics. Healers and tanks still suck, the game simply isn't designed with them in mind, or any roles tbh. Everyone is still a dps to greater or lesser extents. Nothing substantive has changed.

 

The live story s2 fairs much worse, being mostly mindless busy work, with half baked presentation, and easily some of the worst encounter design in the game.

It is a terrible, terrible advertisement for the expansion. Underselling it massively. Had I at the time completed the living story 3 years ago, and known about the expansion as a result, I would not have bought it based on the living story. It has the same gameplay problems, simply turned up to 11 due to lack of polish.

I hated every gameplay moment of it. While the story was neat, it wasn't worth the squeeze.

Which in turn leads me to believe that season 3 and beyond with be just as terrible.

 

Then their is PoF, and honestly this was quite the let down. It even worse then HoT somehow.

The story and activities is again more busy work, of just endless running around talking to random people, or killing waves and waves of enemies. The map and level design wasn't quite on point. The story was kind of rote. It just kind of lacks heart overall.

More like it was there just to sell the idea of mounts and little else. Which to be fair the mounts are fun to use, and adds yet another way to explore the game in interesting ways, which has always been a strong suit to the game.

To bad the same effort in selling fluffy mounts wasn't put into making combat less garbage. Because it's really more of the same.

Enemies are largely disposable and indistinguishable, requiring little to no difference in tactics to deal with anything. Bosses are the epitome of trash encounter design, being either tediously boring due to repetition, or painfully frustrating due to chaotic randomness. Challenge is damn near non existent.

I can honestly say without a shadow of a doubt, that I've never had fun with a GW2 boss fight.

The game simply doesn't have any core mechanics with any degree of substance or depth to draw from when it comes to encounter design. It's trying to build a house from wet sloppy mud, and it just falls apart every time. The game has no core, the center will not hold.

 

Balthazar is the epitome of this. Your not even your own character during the last fight, as your skills are over written, meaning your gameplay choices don't matter whatsoever. This has always essentially been the case, but the games just never been so blatant about it before. And combat devolves into avoid standing in the fire/wackamole.

The fight is just tedious and frustrating in the extreme. All flash and no substance, as usual.

 

Which is honestly this game in a nutshell.

It's all about appearances and selling you digital rubbish. Gameplay doesn't matter. It's lipstick on a pig.

It's Anet standing there with a pretty but empty sack, telling you to jump in. No. I think I've had enough naked exploitation for one day.

 

.

 

TL:DR

I had very little hopes for this game, and pretty low expectations, and after returning it's ended up right about where I expected it to be.

The game is all flash and no substance. 6 years down the line and nothing has noticeable improved combat wise. Exploration has improved, level/map design has improved, story telling has improved, but not combat, not what you spend the bulk of you time doing.

My estimation from 3 years ago, and the original reason I left the game was right on the money. The game is shallow, Anet evidently don't care to fix that, and are only really interested in selling you cosmetic rubbish.

I wouldn't begrudge them as much if there was some effort put into improving the core gameplay experience, but that hasn't been. Or if the game originally had any degree of depth whatsoever, but it doesn't. And it's clear that that's never going to change. So there is no sense worrying about it.

 

If people like this shallow shell of a game, then have at it. But for me, the juice isn't worth the squeeze.

I'm probably just going to bum around for a few weeks until I evidently get bored, uninstall then walk away forever. This game has no future that I have any interest in whatsoever. Anet just aren't the same people/company that made the original Guild Wars. That much is painfully clear to me now.

[RoseofGilead.8907]

Now that you're leaving again, can we have your stuff?