Community report july 2014 to Arenanet

[Ayuhmii Shanbwa]

f2p..... what if people dont massively get to GW? bye money, bye GW
maybe they should advertise GW some?

also, let me see your crystal ball, which shows you people WILL FOR SURE massively play GW

also, GW is a different MMO, so people have to get used to it

this positive thinking would kill GW, its harder to get people to stay
also, if gw would be free and people would play it, then see many others who are new, they wouldnt get the help to get used to GW, as the others they see are also new

since the game isnt new anymore, people prefer to play with people who know the game, to learn the basics faster, as the game starts at lvl 20

anyway, i see many MMO creators are here (sarcasm), so i cant argue

just tell anet, and we'll see how much GW will gain.... or lose

good luck with your own created/maintained MMO's... really
i hope you are just trolling or trying to P me off, cuz making a game completely free isnt that easy, and doesnt work like you say
i might not have an MMO, but think about it, the income they STILL get from people who BUY GW would be gone

lets just hope that we get an offline/LAN version if anet listens to this, or that it would somehow work out.... or just that anet WONT do this
too much risk
lets keep GW while we can with the smaller community and the anet we have (who still keeps running GW with the money they get)

also, show me your MMO's, the ones you made free and proof it works that way

end. (no use talking to people who say they know 100% sure it works, while they dont)

[Bristlebane]

Creating an offline/LAN version would take years of resources, because you can't merge the server and client code just like that. It's just not gonna happen.

[Nekodesu]

Fixing something as trivial as WiK is never going to bring new players into the game. Why would you even think that new players will go on guru and read the notes of a 9 year old game having a trivial little thing fixed and be like: "yeah, I'm totally gonna pick this game up!" That, that really makes absolutely NO sense.

If you want new flesh prophecies needs to be F2P because new flesh don't care about WiK when they don't even know it exists, and someone who's given something for free and that likes it is more likely to throw money into their pockets.

He doesn't need a crystal ball to think logically, all he needs to do is look at previous games and all the F2P games out there which are OLDER than GW but has TONS more players.

"if gw would be free and people would play it, then see many others who are new, they wouldnt get the help to get used to GW, as the others they see are also new" Huhhhh??? Why would they need to get help from veteran players when they got tons of new players they can have fun and learn the game with? That's literary what every new mmo game does.

He literally just gave you names of games to prove his point.

[Aoi Enishi]

I would like to ask why the servers are broken for certain areas.

I have two friends and would like to play with them, but certain areas they can't enter unless we are in american districts, and those areas I can't enter unless we are in European districts. This basically means that either I disconnect the moment we enter the zone (If we are playing on american severs), or they disconnect the moment we enter (If we are on european servers). This sucks, and I'd like to know if they are going to fix it or if they are going to release a list of areas that are only acessible to people from certain servers. So far Varajar Fells and Sacnotch are off limits, which means that my friends and I can't do Rragars Menagerie, Katacombs of Kathandrax or Ravens Point.

I don't care about getting new stuff if only the old stuff was still working.

[Nekodesu]

I doubt they will fix it, I've friends who can't enter Kaineng. Both of them can't, on any districts.

[Ayuhmii Shanbwa]

Originally Posted by Bristlebane

Creating an offline/LAN version would take years of resources, because you can't merge the server and client code just like that. It's just not gonna happen.

1. havent seen your crystal ball (in other words, you dont know 100% sure)
2. i was just saying i'd prefer that IF GW should go down (down as in offline forever)

see? you didnt even get my point, you nitpick on something minor, and even not sure how it'd work (unless you know GW's engine and such, and know how MMO's work in that area, which i doubt)

i know i ended it, but just wanted to make a bit more sense (if possible) for you

[I ride my Pokemon]

It's beyond me how can anyone (literally, anyone) have the goddamn courage to be against Guild Wars going free to play (at least Prophecies).

It would inevitable put fresh air on these tired lungs of the game and history have consistently proved us so.

The main example (also to be short on this post) is Everquest Online.

The game was launched back at March 1999 and since then there was twentieth expansions. The last ones were only made possible because they had guts to go Free to Play before letting the game turn to dust.The game is 15 yrs old and still kicking.

Another fine example was LineAge II. Also Dungeons and Dragons Online and so much more.

So whenever I see Ayuhmii Shanbwa spreading those arguments of his - against it going to free to play - i just assume that this game wont' ever have a happy ending whatsoever.

Free to Play is clearly the answer this game needs. Of course as someone mentioned earlier - not likely Anet is going to do something though.

[MaxBorken]

Originally Posted by I ride my Pokemon

It's beyond me how can anyone (literally, anyone) have the goddamn courage to be against Guild Wars going free to play (at least Prophecies).

Free to Play is clearly the answer this game needs. Of course as someone mentioned earlier - not likely Anet is going to do something though.

It will cost them money to make it free to play. They won't spend money. The argument isn't whether it'd be good to make it free to play, it's about whether they have a reason to do so.

People still buy this game. That guarantees some income.
To convert it to free to play can't guarantee more income and will be expensive to do.
It's simple. They won't do it because it'll cost too much.

Move on. Anet have.

Max

[Pulsedriver]

Probably it's true: F2P could bring a new wave of players who want to try the game and so a higher opportunity to increase actual population.

But a F2P usually involves a shop's change too. And these changes usually focus on items or other things which give advantages in game, creating some sort of "pay to win" and disparity between those who pay and those who don't. I already played in a F2P game (Metin2) and can assure that after some months/years without giving a cent, it's almost impossible keeping up with the money-givers.
Furthermore, free accounts mean also free bots, so easier ways to cheat and crack economy.
Personally I'm not positive about how a F2P change could be beneficial for common gamers. I prefer the original format P2P for GW, because I don't like to pay to be considered equal to others, it's one of the reasons which driven me to buy this game

[Bristlebane]

Originally Posted by Ayuhmii Shanbwa

1. havent seen your crystal ball (in other words, you dont know 100% sure)

As a programmer who created client/server software before, I'm supposed to know. Now here's one question for you, what are your qualifications backing up your claims that it's a minor thing to merge a server/client MMO into a single player/LAN game?

As any game of this magnitude, the server code and it's databases are running on a cluster of load-bearing servers. Not only in one physical location but also spread out geographically around the world.

And you think you can just change a few lines, compile it all together into a single offline game?

I base my opinions on skills as a programmer. You can have your crystal ball as that's assumingly your skill, making fantasies. You can argue all you will, but unless you have something to back up your ideas it's something minor, it means nothing at all.

[Perkunas]

Just a quick question, isn't there a "Try it for free" option already?

[Ayuhmii Shanbwa]

Originally Posted by Bristlebane

As a programmer who created client/server software before, I'm supposed to know. Now here's one question for you, what are your qualifications backing up your claims that it's a minor thing to merge a server/client MMO into a single player/LAN game?

As any game of this magnitude, the server code and it's databases are running on a cluster of load-bearing servers. Not only in one physical location but also spread out geographically around the world.

And you think you can just change a few lines, compile it all together into a single offline game?

I base my opinions on skills as a programmer. You can have your crystal ball as that's assumingly your skill, making fantasies. You can argue all you will, but unless you have something to back up your ideas it's something minor, it means nothing at all.

bolded 2 words, show me where i said that
also, anyone can say they are programmers

also (2nd), how do you know about MMO's and GW's case (alot of different engines)
and have you done it before? i mean, have you ever put an MMO offline, on same engine and with same coding/scripting/whatever as GW has?

the reason i dont believe it, is cuz when i have an arguement, there's always someoen who knows better, and all of a sudden became programmer cuz of that arguement
so.... no offense meant, even if you do lie (i said IF)

[Bristlebane]

You didn't answer my question, what's your qualifications making you think it's so easy to merge a server and it's client code into a single offline game? I gave you my reasons from a programmer's point of view already.

[Ayuhmii Shanbwa]

sigh, did you read what i TYPED?
i never said anything about knowing it myself
and who said it was a MINOR THING? i never did

first read my posts, then base you replies on MY posts and not what you ASSUME i said

i also think you dont know all about this subject, as you dont work at GW or with its engine, and you never said you once did turn an MMO offline

you see, you can catch a fish (for example), but doesnt make you know about all fishes, or all other stuff of fishing
this example goes for everything

i once designed levels, and still do for portal 2 (hammer is the program i use, which was also in halflife 1), but doesnt mean i know about other engines (like unreal engines or quake engines), which are too different

again: you havent done such a thing, so how do you know it exactly?
and repeat: i never said its minor/easy.... NEVER

this time i put an end to it for real, cuz you keep going another way, while i'm following your way, which is NOT what i was talking about

i just say that i think you have no idea how to do it (making GW offline/LAN), just cuz you know a bit about programming (if you do)

[Chooty]

Originally Posted by Nekodesu

Fixing something as trivial as WiK is never going to bring new players into the game. Why would you even think that new players will go on guru and read the notes of a 9 year old game having a trivial little thing fixed and be like: "yeah, I'm totally gonna pick this game up!" That, that really makes absolutely NO sense.

If you want new flesh prophecies needs to be F2P because new flesh don't care about WiK when they don't even know it exists, and someone who's given something for free and that likes it is more likely to throw money into their pockets.

He doesn't need a crystal ball to think logically, all he needs to do is look at previous games and all the F2P games out there which are OLDER than GW but has TONS more players.

"if gw would be free and people would play it, then see many others who are new, they wouldnt get the help to get used to GW, as the others they see are also new" Huhhhh??? Why would they need to get help from veteran players when they got tons of new players they can have fun and learn the game with? That's literary what every new mmo game does.

He literally just gave you names of games to prove his point.

This man understands.

And for the economical part; I think making it free to play should not cost them that much resources, maybe a month work + add campaign. It is probably that given a massive influx of players many will buy the other campaigns, they would only lose the money from sales on phrophesies, not the other campaigns (I gave the calculation earlier). It could also be a step-up to GW2. Plus more people for their costume shop, etc. The prime focus should be on getting more people in the shop; and keep that as it is.

A small word Crystal balls and probability: when I cross the road and a car is closing in; it is technically possible in quantum physics that it spontaniously de-materializes. Yet it's not smart to cross, since I've observed that all other cars don't. If US has been in Iraq ploughing the whole country looking for nukes and didn't find any evidence nor had any to start with, then yes the 'unknown unknown' of them being there is still possible, but improbable.

But I didn't wanna start a fight in your community, I respect the other opinions. Those who agree might want to get some attention to the idea with NCsoft. And to give some hope: Me & my gf will start playing again in a week if she gets it to run, that's two more players PEACE

[Bristlebane]

Ahyumii, I like you. You seem like a nice kid with the heart in the right place. Just as you, Guild Wars 1 is close to my heart.
I do kindly ask that if you want to "put an end to this" only to question my skills or knowledge in the subject, that my friend can be considered rude and not an ideal way to end an argument. We have different opinions about how to tix the game, let's just respect that.

Personally I never give up on the idea of a GW1 reboot even though the Anet staff today is vastly different from what it was. I believe nothing we say on this forum will make change. Instead we should think of other ways to send a message. If we managed to get one of the former developer interested, it would add more fuel to our effort in rekindle GW1 or perhaps a GW1.5 building on the spirit of GW1. I for one would be happy to see a kickstarter/indigo campaign to help fund a new developer team, maybe some consisting of former players. Because of all millions of players GW1 had, surely some have the proper skills and education to fit in a new developer team.

[cosyfiep]

I think I agree with Max on this one. Anet has thrown in the towel on gw, unless someone can convince them to spend some money, nothing is going to change (most especially with their prized cash cow gw2 still pulling in $$$).----or if someone (s) can convince them that kickstarter or the like is in their best interests.

[Bristlebane]

I'm not so sure Anet's stance on GW1 reflect all developers. As a collective then yes, GW1 future is quite grim.
If however we could find at least one original GW1 developer with his/her heart for GW1 and rekindle the fire, it's not impossible with a proper kickstarter/indigogo campaign. It would require quite a bit of money to fund it:
1. Hire and train new developers under guidance of 1-2 original developers.
2. A solid plan on GW1's future, concrete plans and not just "fix this fix that".
3. Most likely a rewrite of the engine, as one of the old reasons they stopped develop GW1 was it was getting exponentially harder to maintain and balance with each new content.

Possibly leading to a new GW altogether, perhaps GW:Origins, playing some 250-500 years earlier than GW1. A greener Ascalon in full pre-searing glory with less hostile creatures. A chance to explore areas that was destroyed during following wars. A slightly more simplistic skillset but with freedom of choosing 8 skills as in GW1. A whole new redesigned PVP for both occational and hardcore players.
And a lot of hints in the lore of what would eventually lead up to GW1's timeline, but not in your character's lifetime.

[relonikiv]

@Bristlebane
Its good idea. Plus they should repair PvP system. Remove bots, but dunno, i think they will do nothing at all and the game will just die...
Its good question to ask that they could do smth with kickstarter/indingo they can easy earn new players for FREEEE and the game will still living.

[Oo D A W N]

i think the only way for a "gw reloaded" is the f2p way. if they keep the shop like it is they could use the slogan "the only f2p game where you really dont have to spent a cent". it would be not a buggy pay to win like all others.... many frustrated ppl from other f2p games would join. and with full servers the dream for a new gw or add on would get real for sure.