Underwater Areas and Mechanics

[Sigilscrye.1459]

Anyone else feel that the underwater mechanics need some more attention? Some of the best looking areas of the game are underwater, but I find they are rarely ever visited as there are also only a handful of bosses or raid events that take place in an underwater setting. Half our skills don't even work underwater but to date there haven't been replacements to make up for those lost skills.

 

I would like to see so new profession specific skills for underwater use in the future, maybe with the next expansion or at least with the release of some new underwater themed areas.

Another idea - new underwater mounts or maybe a propulsion device like the glider to speed up swimming speed when diving.

[Blocki.4931]

There's a reason they haven't added any significant underwater content/areas since HoT

[Sigilscrye.1459]

Wasn't there an elder dragon that rules over the oceans? Maybe we'll see some of the new underwater mechanics if they ever release an expansion to cover this currently unknown dragon.

[Boysenberry.1869]

I feel like lots of people hate underwater combat (myself included). Maybe it's just because of balance issues and lack of interesting content.

[Tanner Blackfeather.6509]

> @"Boysenberry.1869" said:

> I feel like lots of people hate underwater combat (myself included). Maybe it's just because of balance issues and lack of interesting content.

 

I think it's a combination. The very nature of 3-dimensional combat is a factor, it makes situational awareness harder since it's *much* easier to get disoriented, even for just a half-second every now and then.

[Teratus.2859]

Underwater used to be significantly worse a good few months back.. but a balance patch came along and made it so much better.

 

But yes overall Underwater still lacks in many areas, big ones being skill/build and weapon diversity.

Improvements have been made in this area recently such as Flesh Golem finally having an underwater form.. Minion Masters like myself loved this one.

And the ability to select underwater skills without needing to be underwater.

 

What we really need is more usable skills underwater or skills that change function underwater to make them more viable.

Add to that allow for a few additional weapons to be usable underwater per class.. like sword, dagger, shield etc.. equally Spear could finally become a potential land weapon and Anet wouldn't have to worry at all about making new skins for a new weapon type while actually giving us a brand new weapon type to play with on land that could either be melee or ranged depending on the class and elite spec that adds it.

 

Those two things alone would significantly improve underwater content in Gw2.. maybe even to the point where it justifies new maps with a huge underwater focus.

Add in an underwater mount as well (I want my Dolphin Anet!! :P) and it'll be perfect.

[Fenom.9457]

UW content is awesome IMO, and can be so much better. We need to get all the ocean, not just land forever!

[Dark Knight.6294]

> @"Teratus.2859" said:

> Underwater used to be significantly worse a good few months back.. but a balance patch came along and made it so much better.

>

> But yes overall Underwater still lacks in many areas, big ones being skill/build and weapon diversity.

> Improvements have been made in this area recently such as Flesh Golem finally having an underwater form.. Minion Masters like myself loved this one.

> And the ability to select underwater skills without needing to be underwater.

>

> What we really need is more usable skills underwater or skills that change function underwater to make them more viable.

> Add to that allow for a few additional weapons to be usable underwater per class.. like sword, dagger, shield etc.. equally Spear could finally become a potential land weapon and Anet wouldn't have to worry at all about making new skins for a new weapon type while actually giving us a brand new weapon type to play with on land that could either be melee or ranged depending on the class and elite spec that adds it.

>

> Those two things alone would significantly improve underwater content in Gw2.. maybe even to the point where it justifies new maps with a huge underwater focus.

> Add in an underwater mount as well (I want my Dolphin Anet!! :P) and it'll be perfect.

 

I agree with all that you said. especially the dolphin mount :)

[Pifil.5193]

> @"Tanner Blackfeather.6509" said:

> > @"Boysenberry.1869" said:

> > I feel like lots of people hate underwater combat (myself included). Maybe it's just because of balance issues and lack of interesting content.

>

> I think it's a combination. The very nature of 3-dimensional combat is a factor, it makes situational awareness harder since it's *much* easier to get disoriented, even for just a half-second every now and then.

 

I think you're right there, I don't find it all that disorienting normally but camera control, especially in enclosed areas, is much more of a pain in underwater content.

 

Free-floating combat also pretty much removes terrain as an interesting feature in combat making the combat itself dull.

 

Either way, I certainly don't long for any more underwater content.

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"Blocki.4931" said:

> There's a reason they haven't added any significant underwater content/areas since HoT

 

I didn't think they added any significant underwater content in HoT to begin with. Not to say there is no underwater content but other than a couple of mastery points there is little to no reason to go down there really. So I don't class that as significant.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > @"Blocki.4931" said:

> > There's a reason they haven't added any significant underwater content/areas since HoT

>

> I didn't think they added any significant underwater content in HoT to begin with. Not to say there is no underwater content but other than a couple of mastery points there is little to no reason to go down there really. So I don't class that as significant.

 

I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

 

EDIT: people are [already against underwater content](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/57376/my-greatest-gw2-fear#latest "already against underwater content")

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > > @"Blocki.4931" said:

> > > There's a reason they haven't added any significant underwater content/areas since HoT

> >

> > I didn't think they added any significant underwater content in HoT to begin with. Not to say there is no underwater content but other than a couple of mastery points there is little to no reason to go down there really. So I don't class that as significant.

>

> I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

The trouble navigating was not about underwater content but how multi-layered the map was and how accessibility was difficult. That's not a point about underwater content, because that also can be approached in more or less complex ways.

> EDIT: people are [already against underwater content](https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/57376/my-greatest-gw2-fear#latest "already against underwater content")

That discussion has 2 people that expressly do not like underwater content and the rest is fine with it or has other issues they find more concerning, so if anything it proves the opposite.

 

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

 

> > I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

> The trouble navigating was not about underwater content but how multi-layered the map was and how accessibility was difficult. That's not a point about underwater content, because that also can be approached in more or less complex ways.

 

Some people will struggle with underwater navigation just as some have with HoT layers and PoF mounts. That's all I was saying.

 

 

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > @"Gehenna.3625" said:

>

> > > I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

> > The trouble navigating was not about underwater content but how multi-layered the map was and how accessibility was difficult. That's not a point about underwater content, because that also can be approached in more or less complex ways.

>

> Some people will struggle with underwater navigation just as some have with HoT layers and PoF mounts. That's all I was saying.

And some people struggle with mount navigation and others with story bosses, etc. Some people suck at raids, others at PvP.

 

The point is that no matter what it is, there will always be some people that have a harder time with it or don't like it. That's not a reason not to do it though. If that's all it would take to block something then this game wouldn't have come out to begin with. The real question is whether they can do something meaningful and fun with underwater content to give it a lot of attention and have a lot of people enjoy it. I don't know if they can, but the point that some people won't like or struggle with it is a moot point because that's always the case.

 

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > > @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> >

> > > > I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

> > > The trouble navigating was not about underwater content but how multi-layered the map was and how accessibility was difficult. That's not a point about underwater content, because that also can be approached in more or less complex ways.

> >

> > Some people will struggle with underwater navigation just as some have with HoT layers and PoF mounts. That's all I was saying.

> And some people struggle with mount navigation and others with story bosses, etc. Some people suck at raids, others at PvP.

>

> The point is that no matter what it is, there will always be some people that have a harder time with it or don't like it. That's not a reason not to do it though. If that's all it would take to block something then this game wouldn't have come out to begin with. The real question is whether they can do something meaningful and fun with underwater content to give it a lot of attention and have a lot of people enjoy it. I don't know if they can, but the point that some people won't like or struggle with it is a moot point because that's always the case.

>

 

This then ties back to the post I originally tagged. Yes, that is not a reason for Anet to not delve into making UW content -- in our opinion; however, I believe that the point that the posted I quoted was that Anet might be more reluctant to spend resources for UW content with the way that HoT was originally delivered and received.

 

I'm not arguing for/against UW content. I was only trying to clarify how I interpreted that other poster's remarks.

[Gehenna.3625]

> @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > > @"kharmin.7683" said:

> > > > @"Gehenna.3625" said:

> > >

> > > > > I think the point was that the trouble many had in getting around in HoT was made quite loud around here so ANet won't be making any future content in which navigation is difficult.

> > > > The trouble navigating was not about underwater content but how multi-layered the map was and how accessibility was difficult. That's not a point about underwater content, because that also can be approached in more or less complex ways.

> > >

> > > Some people will struggle with underwater navigation just as some have with HoT layers and PoF mounts. That's all I was saying.

> > And some people struggle with mount navigation and others with story bosses, etc. Some people suck at raids, others at PvP.

> >

> > The point is that no matter what it is, there will always be some people that have a harder time with it or don't like it. That's not a reason not to do it though. If that's all it would take to block something then this game wouldn't have come out to begin with. The real question is whether they can do something meaningful and fun with underwater content to give it a lot of attention and have a lot of people enjoy it. I don't know if they can, but the point that some people won't like or struggle with it is a moot point because that's always the case.

> >

>

> This then ties back to the post I originally tagged. Yes, that is not a reason for Anet to not delve into making UW content -- in our opinion; however, I believe that the point that the posted I quoted was that Anet might be more reluctant to spend resources for UW content with the way that HoT was originally delivered and received.

>

> I'm not arguing for/against UW content. I was only trying to clarify how I interpreted that other poster's remarks.

 

I'm just really confused because you're replying to me about something I wasn't talking about. Whether or not he meant that the reason for not adding more UW content was map complexity wasn't what I was replying to him about, but rather him implying that the UW content in HoT was somehow significant.

 

And if map complexity was what he meant that's another topic but on that topic I already answered you. But I'm just a bit confused that you raised that point with me since I wasn't talking about that, but rather the significance of said content.

[Khisanth.2948]

> @"Sigilscrye.1459" said:

> Wasn't there an elder dragon that rules over the oceans? Maybe we'll see some of the new underwater mechanics if they ever release an expansion to cover this currently unknown dragon.

 

Obviously we'll fight that one by raising the seas then it will be a fish out of water making the fight much easier :p

[Dante.1763]

> @"Khisanth.2948" said:

> > @"Sigilscrye.1459" said:

> > Wasn't there an elder dragon that rules over the oceans? Maybe we'll see some of the new underwater mechanics if they ever release an expansion to cover this currently unknown dragon.

>

> Obviously we'll fight that one by raising the seas then it will be a fish out of water making the fight much easier :p

 

I believe you meant lowering the seas :)

 

and honestly i think when we get to where thats the last dragon we have to face im freaking hoping anet does a complete overhaul of UW content, including combat, movement and mechanics.

[Edelweiss.4261]

Honestly, underwater exploration in GW2 would be fantastic if you got rid of enemies. Fighting underwater, however, is just a drag. We go from having a large array of weapons to tridents, spears, and spearguns. Additionally, lining up enemies underwater never seems to go how I expect it to.

 

I'm hoping we go less underwater-more seafaring. Give us a ship and a crew! Shiver me timbers and stuff! Let Faren walk the plank! Also, give me an Innsmouth. I need an Innsmouth in GW2 complete with fish-people.

[Umadusa.5874]

I love the element of water period. All my toons are marine themed to some capacity. So on that note, the idea of an underwater xpac THRILLS me! All the aquatic themed skins and places to explore would me amazing. However, I do share the concerns many other players do. As far as the skills go, I firmly believe they will rectify that, and make all skills available underwater in some way, shape or form....eventually. I'm just not the best at the depth perception thing and my biggest annoyance is that I HAVE to use mouse to move around underwater effectively. I play on a laptop without external mouse, so it sucks. I like keyboard-only. Hopefully they implement a keyboard-only way to navigate the depth of aquatic environments.

[Sigilscrye.1459]

I feel the biggest deterrent to underwater combat currently is the clunky movement speed when swimming up or down. For a 3D environment, movement underwater needs to be more fluid with faster movement speed overall and sharper controls.